Peerless Powerhouse

"Who are you? Since you know of the Soul Hall, please do not interfere with my affairs, Guardian."

Looking at Xie Tianxiao standing in midair ahead of him, Hunting Guardian's expression changed. He then furrowed his brow and spoke in a deep voice.

I cannot fight him head-on!

He possessed the strength of a Two-Star Dou Zong, yet this man had emerged from the void.

And with a single voice, he had shattered his chains. That meant this man's strength was at least that of a High-Rank Dou Zong!

As for the other party calling himself "this Saint," Hunting Guardian did not think too much of it. He merely assumed it was some strange title the man had given himself.

"My affairs?"

"You are mistaken. I have no interest in your lousy business. You merely happened to jump out on your own."

Xie Tianxiao swept a cold gaze over Hunting Guardian before saying icily, "As for my title, you are not worthy of knowing it!"

"You!!"

Hunting Guardian felt a surge of anger, but he did not dare act rashly due to the other man's strength. He could only suppress his fury and say with a dark expression:

"Regardless of your purpose, sir, please do not interfere in the Soul Hall's affairs. Otherwise, even with the strength of a High-Rank Dou Zong, you will gain nothing from it!"

Since Hunting Guardian was no match for Xie Tianxiao, he could only invoke the Soul Hall's name, hoping the other party would weigh the consequences and refrain from meddling in his affairs.

Though Hunting Guardian was merely an Earth-rank guardian responsible for several small regions like the Rippling Mountain Empire,

the Soul Hall had no shortage of Dou Zong-level guardians. The branch hall he belonged to alone had several Heaven-rank guardians, and above the guardians were even venerable elders who commanded an entire hall.

"A High-Rank Dou Zong?"

"Hehehe."

How utterly ridiculous!

Xie Tianxiao cast Hunting Guardian a mocking glance and sneered, "It is only natural for trash with such shallow knowledge to think I remain at the Dou Zong realm."

"..."

"This Guardian admits that I am no match for you. But since you are so arrogant, once this matter is over, you will face the endless pursuit of my Soul Hall!"

Hearing Xie Tianxiao mock him so openly, Hunting Guardian's expression turned ugly. At the same time, he inwardly lamented his terrible luck.

In such a barren place, his appearance for the sake of a Dou Zong cave dwelling was already absurd enough. Yet something even more absurd had appeared!

Was that reasonable?

"Pursuit? A mere Two-Star Dou Zong dares use the Soul Hall to threaten this Saint!"

Courting death!

As he spoke, a cold gleam flashed in Xie Tianxiao's eyes, and he pointed a single finger forward.

"Whoosh!"

Xie Tianxiao's finger seemed to pierce through the air as it struck directly toward Hunting Guardian's chest, moving so fast that he could not react at all.

"Ah!"

Hunting Guardian let out a cry. It felt as though a massive hammer had smashed brutally into his heart, and the pain was excruciating.

Then Xie Tianxiao drew his finger downward, and Hunting Guardian felt as if his body had been struck by a meteor.

He flew backward and downward for hundreds of meters before crashing violently into the ground, smashing out a huge crater.

The enemy had been defeated with one finger!

Within the crater, Hunting Guardian was kneeling and sprawled on the ground, black blood streaming all over his body. He looked utterly miserable!

Watching a Dou Zong powerhouse—one who had left them utterly unable to resist—be defeated and driven into the ground with a single finger,

everyone present stood dumbfounded, their eyes wide and faces filled with shock, as though time itself had stopped!

"Hey, did you see that?"

"That had to be fake, right?"

"That monster even Dou Emperor powerhouses could not defeat was beaten!"

The remaining disciples and independent cultivators in the area heatedly discussed what had just unfolded before their eyes.

"Gulp."

"My heavens! Is that... is that still a Dou Zong powerhouse?"

The Dou Kings who had regained their senses swallowed hard as they spoke.

"What level is that? Even a legendary Dou Zong was suppressed with one finger!"

The Supreme Elder, who had regained consciousness after being knocked down by the chains, wore a completely bewildered expression.

"I truly did not expect someone so powerful to come to this Dou Zong cave dwelling as well. Could there be some secret hidden within it?"

Lan Cangshan sighed from the side.

Lan Cangshan had originally thought that this Dou Zong cave dwelling was located in such a remote place that even if experts came, they would at most be Dou King-level.

Even if a blind cat stumbled upon a dead mouse and one or two ordinary Dou Emperor powerhouses showed up, with so many Dou Kings and their Dou Emperor Supreme Elder, they should have been able to claim a share of the spoils.

Yet things had turned out like this. Powerful figures emerged one after another, and every one of them was beyond their ability to fight. Their luck truly could not have been worse.

Elsewhere, the black-robed old man lying gravely injured on the ground was equally incredulous at this sudden turn of events.

"What kind of strength is that? Even a Dou Zong could not withstand a single finger."

The Barbarian Emperor pressed a hand over his bleeding chest and said with lingering fear, "I do not know. He must at least be an unrivaled powerhouse among Dou Zongs."

At this, enormous waves surged through everyone's hearts, and the way they looked at Xie Tianxiao changed again and again.

"Not bad, not bad. I still prefer you like this. After all, it better suits your neither-human-nor-ghost appearance."

Looking at Hunting Guardian, whom he had knocked to the ground, Xie Tianxiao nodded in satisfaction.

"Cough, cough."

"How is that possible? My strength as a Two-Star Dou Zong could not even withstand one of your fingers!"

"Y-you, who exactly are you?!"

Hunting Guardian coughed up two mouthfuls of blood, his face filled with terror and unwillingness.

"Who am I?"

Xie Tianxiao stroked his chin, then stepped through the void and arrived before Hunting Guardian, saying disdainfully:

"I told you already, you are not worthy of knowing. But I can tell you this: let alone a mere Dou Zong, even if a Soul Hall Heaven Venerable came, he would not dare threaten this Saint in such a manner!"

"A Heaven Venerable?!"

When Xie Tianxiao mentioned the Soul Hall's Heaven Venerables, Hunting Guardian froze. Then a look of horror appeared on his face.

As a Soul Hall guardian, how could he possibly not know about the Soul Hall's Heaven Venerables?

Even remote branch halls had venerable elders, and every venerable elder was a Dou Zun powerhouse!

Only peerless Dou Zun powerhouses could possibly become Soul Hall Heaven Venerables!

Since the man before him knew of the Soul Hall's Heaven Venerables and still dared act so wantonly, his strength was likely that of a top powerhouse standing at the Dou Zun realm!

Whether what this person said was true or false, such a powerhouse was not someone a mere Soul Hall guardian like him could offend.

He was not stupid. Recalling the methods the other party had displayed earlier, as well as his disdain at being called a High-Rank Dou Zong, Hunting Guardian became even more certain of his conclusion.

At that thought, Hunting Guardian could not help shuddering. His face filled with terror as he begged for mercy:

"Lord Dou Zun, spare my life! I am willing to serve you; I only ask that you spare me this once!"

Of course, this was merely Hunting Guardian's temporary expedient. If he survived this time, he would certainly report the matter to the Hall Master and have him capture Xie Tianxiao!

"It seems you understand something now."

Xie Tianxiao narrowed his eyes slightly and spoke indifferently.

"Th-this... I failed to recognize Lord Dou Zun. Please spare me this once."

Hunting Guardian immediately pleaded.

Hunting Guardian was filled with regret. Had he known he would encounter such a terrifying existence, he never would have come to this Dou Zong cave dwelling.

Moreover, Hunting Guardian believed Xie Tianxiao had come here in search of some rare treasure.

After all, the inheritance cave dwelling of a dead Dou Zong was not worth a powerhouse like him making a special trip.

It was not that I did not want to write the protagonist acting high-profile as a Saint. Watching him pretend to be weak is uncomfortable for me too.

It is just that how could a Two-Star Dou Zong possibly recognize a Dou Sheng? That is a figure from legend, and people from these small places do not understand. It would also draw the Soul Hall's attention too soon, which would not be good for the protagonist's development. Still, you can treat it as a flaw if you like.

Our protagonist simply does not consider ordinary Soul Hall Heaven Venerables worth his attention. He still has to take the Great Heaven Venerable, the Second Heaven Venerable, and the Third Heaven Venerable seriously.

But that only applies during the Half-Saint stage. Once the protagonist reaches Dou Sheng and can create his own space, he can go wild.

[This was heavily revised at the end. Previously, he referred to himself as "this Venerable," so readers from earlier on and those who came later may see some differences, but it does not affect the plot.]