In the next instant, a mass of purple-black mist surged out from the depths of the forbidden grounds behind the mountain, the currents filled with a chilling soul aura that made hearts tremble...
The black mist howled through the air, reaching the sky in the blink of an eye.
The mist slowly churned and contracted, condensing into a thin figure draped in an obsidian robe. His face was shrouded beneath a faint haze of black mist. It was Wu Ying of the Soul Hall—Protector Wu!
Protector Wu floated in the void, his eerie green eyes carefully sizing up Yao Xuan. After a moment, he let out a gloomy, grating laugh:
"Hehehe! Yao Xuan! You truly showed no mercy!"
"A century-old Misty Cloud Sect vanished in the blink of an eye. What happened today has truly broadened this Protector's horizons!"
Hearing Protector Wu call out his name, Yao Xuan raised a brow slightly, a hint of surprise flashing through his eyes as he calmly spoke:
"You know me?"
The corners of Protector Wu's mouth curled beneath his black robe, his tone carrying a trace of amusement:
"Who in the Central Plains does not know the name of Yao Xuan from the Starfall Pavilion?"
"In the battle at Ice River Valley, you defeated Ice River. At the Four Pavilions Assembly, you intimidated Venerable Lei of the Wind and Lightning Pavilion. Your reputation was unmatched for a time. It would be difficult not to have heard of someone as dazzling as you."
"I simply never expected to encounter you in the remote, barren Jia Ma Empire. It is truly unexpected."
"Allow me to introduce myself."
Protector Wu bowed slightly. His posture appeared courteous, yet his chilling aura did not diminish in the slightest...
"I am a ground-rank Protector of the Soul Hall, Wu