Annihilating the Branch Hall

"The vice hall master isn't at the Soul Branch Hall. I'm afraid you'll be disappointed."

Elder Zun snorted coldly.

"Is that so? Your branch hall is here, isn't it? I'll destroy this branch hall first, then drag him out. It makes no difference."

Xie Tianxiao looked at him indifferently, then seemed to recall something and said, "Oh, right. Don't even think about sending word back to your vice hall master. It's useless. I sealed off this entire space long ago."

Damn it!

Elder Zun's expression changed drastically upon hearing Xie Tianxiao's words.

He had indeed intended to notify the vice hall master while his opponent was off guard, but Xie Tianxiao had already anticipated it and prepared accordingly.

Elder Zun glared at Xie Tianxiao, hatred filling his heart, yet he had no options. He could only grit his teeth and say, "I admit that you're strong, but if you want to destroy my Soul Branch Hall, prepare to be hunted down by several Great Venerates! You cannot possibly imagine the strength of the Great Venerates!"

Elder Zun believed that while Xie Tianxiao possessed strength close to the peak of the Dou Zun realm and was a true powerhouse, he still could not stand against the Soul Hall's Nine Great Venerates.

Every Great Venerate possessed strength above the high-level Dou Zun realm, especially the top three, whose strength was unfathomable!

"You're right. The top three Great Venerates would indeed be troublesome for me right now, but as long as I keep this branch hall master alive, they won't notice anything for the time being."

As he spoke, Xie Tianxiao stepped forward, instantly appearing beside Elder Zun and driving a fist into his chest!

Bang!

With that one punch, Elder Zun's body exploded, leaving behind only a soul body that tried to flee!

"Where do you think you're going!"

Xie Tianxiao flicked his finger, and a black-and-white wall of flame condensed from the Yin-Yang Twin Flame suddenly shot out, instantly surrounding him.

"Damn it!"

"Aah!!"

The illusory soul body immediately slammed into it, producing a series of sizzling sounds before letting out a shrill scream.

"Don't worry. I said I wouldn't kill you, so I won't."

Xie Tianxiao watched the screaming Soul Hall elder. With a shift of his hand seal, the black-and-white wall of flame precisely wrapped around him.

Then, with a wave of his hand, a powerful suction force surged forth.

The Soul Hall elder was sucked into the storage ring Xie Tianxiao had obtained in the Heavenshade Mountains. The Yin-Yang Twin Flame then poured into it, sealing him within.

"Finally, some peace and quiet."

Looking at the Soul Hall elder now sealed inside the storage ring, Xie Tianxiao remarked:

"As expected of a Heavenly Flame. Even my low-ranked Yin-Yang Twin Flame is terrifyingly effective at restraining soul bodies!"

Heavenly Flames were divine treasures born from heaven and earth, each possessing its own unique traits.

Powerful Heavenly Flames could even burn away space itself, much less serve as a means of preventing soul bodies from escaping.

"Now that this matter is settled, it's time to head into the Soul Branch Hall and devour the rest."

The system had already issued a notification when Xie Tianxiao shattered Elder Zun's body with a punch, but Xie Tianxiao had ignored it.

The reason he kept the branch hall master alive was to ensure that the Soul Hall headquarters in the Central Plains would not notice the destruction of a branch hall in the Northwest Region and begin investigating.

Then, Xie Tianxiao's figure flashed, turning into a streak of black light as he shot toward the depths of the Soul-Burial Ravine...

Not long after.

Before Xie Tianxiao lay an extremely high and steep slope. At its end was a vast valley surrounded by mountains on all sides.

Within the valley stood a massive black hall hundreds of zhang wide. Like an enormous black hill, it exuded an overwhelming sense of oppression!

Xie Tianxiao glanced around, the corner of his mouth curling into a cryptic smile.

"No wonder I didn't find this place earlier. So it was protected by a spatial barrier. You really wouldn't find it without sensing carefully."

A spatial barrier was one of the Soul Hall's formidable methods. Once outsiders entered, they would be detected, while cultivators from other factions would be prevented from discovering it.

He sensed several powerful auras inside, all above the Dou Wang realm, including one that belonged to a Dou Zun.

Xie Tianxiao raised a brow, an amused smile appearing on his face as he thought, So there really are quite a few hidden experts.

Fortunately, I sealed off the space beforehand. If that elder had sent word of my strength back, this vice hall master would probably have fled long ago.

Then, Xie Tianxiao sealed off the space once more.

With a wave of his right hand, the Yin-Yang Twin Flame flew from his palm and condensed into a massive black-and-white axe, radiating an aura that made one tremble.

"Allow me to knock on the door!"

With that, Xie Tianxiao gripped the giant axe and brought it down with a savage chop!

Boom!

A deafening blast rang out. The black giant hall trembled slightly as countless black cracks spread across it, followed by a series of cracking sounds that made the entire ground shake!

Boom! Boom! Boom!

At last, the black-and-white giant axe transformed into a rapidly spinning Taiji diagram, half black and half white!

Within the range covered by the Taiji diagram, every rock, tree, and mountain was burned to ashes!

The power of a single axe strike was truly terrifying!

"Enemy attack! Enemy attack!"

"There's an enemy! Quickly, summon the vice hall master!"

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh...

The moment Xie Tianxiao brought down his axe, shrill cries rang out from within the black giant hall.

The entire hall shook violently as numerous Soul Envoys and Protectors rushed out in all directions!

Elsewhere.

Deep within a secret chamber of the giant hall, a black figure sat cross-legged. Black mist swirled around him, and with every breath, a sinister aura spread through the chamber.

"This is..."

"Someone has invaded the Soul Hall!"

Upon sensing that terrifying pressure, the black figure abruptly opened his eyes. His expression changed drastically as he said, "What a powerful aura. At least a five-star Dou Zun!"

"Why isn't the hall master here when such a figure has appeared?"

This black figure was the vice hall master of this Soul Branch Hall.

A month ago, he had entered seclusion to break through to the three-star Dou Zun realm and had not concerned himself with the branch hall's affairs for some time.

Yet someone had now invaded, and the strength of that aura was terrifying. Clearly, the intruder's strength far surpassed his own!

"No, I must immediately send word to the higher-ups."

The vice hall master's face darkened as he swiftly took out a communication jade slip.

Boom!

However, at that moment, the entire ground suddenly shook!

"Don't waste your effort. While you were in seclusion, I sealed off this entire space. Your Protectors and Soul Envoys have also been dealt with by me."

A sharp sound of rushing wind sliced through the air as a man in black appeared before the vice hall master.

"When did you...?!"

The instant the man in black appeared, the vice hall master felt an intense aura of death that sent chills through his entire body.

The man in black was Xie Tianxiao. After dealing with the Protectors and Soul Envoys outside, he had followed the Dou Zun aura to this secret chamber.

"Heh, peak two-star Dou Zun. You must be the vice hall master of this branch hall."

Xie Tianxiao spoke calmly, his tone full of contempt and mockery. He looked at the vice hall master as though he were an ant, seeing through his cultivation at a glance.

"You're the one who attacked my Soul Branch Hall?"

Once the vice hall master saw Xie Tianxiao clearly, his pupils contracted, and wariness filled his heart.

"Enough nonsense!"

Xie Tianxiao did not answer his question. He merely snorted coldly.

His figure instantly appeared before the vice hall master. His right hand seized the man's throat as an immense, terrifying aura swept out wildly, immobilizing the vice hall master completely!

"How can this be possible?!"

The vice hall master's expression turned ugly. He struggled desperately to break free from Xie Tianxiao's grasp, but the gap in their strength was simply too great—far too great. He could not break free at all.

Xie Tianxiao ignored the struggling vice hall master and thought, System, devour him.