Dou Zong? Ten-Star Dou Emperor!

"Don't resist. Let me examine you."

At Yao Lao's gesture, Yun Congxin sat down and extended his right hand, allowing Yao Lao's Soul Power to surge into his body.

Yao Lao's Soul Power was vast and formidable. Several times, it provoked Yun Congxin's Dou Qi into instinctively trying to strike back, but he carefully suppressed every impulse.

Sensing Yun Congxin's sincerity, Yao Lao relaxed. He focused his attention and began a thorough, meticulous examination.

"It really is the Hall of Souls' handiwork..." Yao Lao said gravely.

His Soul Power receded like the tide. Yao Lao frowned in thought for a moment before saying slowly, "This is a Hall of Souls Secret Technique. Only someone at least at the level of a Soul Hall Protector would be qualified to master it. It's extremely troublesome. After some thought, I can offer three ways to free you from it."

Yun Congxin's expression grew solemn. "Please, tell me more."

"The first is to break through to Dou Zun. Though this secret technique is strange, it isn't particularly powerful before a Dou Zun. If you can reach that realm, you should be able to overwhelm its tricks with brute strength and forcibly refine it away!"

Yun Congxin gave a bitter chuckle. How could breaking through to Dou Zun be so easy? Yun Shan had paid such an enormous price just to reach Dou Zong, let alone Dou Zun. It wasn't as though he were Xiao Yan, with his cheats...

Seeing Yun Congxin offer nothing but an awkward smile, Yao Lao understood. He continued, "The second method is to master a heavenly flame."

"Heavenly flames are rare treasures of the Dou Qi Continent, unmatched in their ferocity and overwhelming power. If you can obtain one to protect your body, this secret technique will no longer be able to harm you."

Yun Congxin scratched his head. Heavenly flames could only be encountered by chance, not sought at will. As far as he knew, not a single one was without an owner.

Which of the factions possessing heavenly flames didn't have at least a Dou Zong expert... Hiss... wait, wasn't Han Feng in the Black-Corner Region?

He was only a Dou Emperor, and he just happened to possess a heavenly flame...

Now wasn't that convenient!

Kill Han Feng and seize his sea heart flame?

Yun Congxin mulled it over and concluded that both killing Han Feng and devouring a heavenly flame carried considerable risks.

The former was risky because Han Feng was an Alchemist approaching Seventh Grade. If Yun Congxin failed to kill him in a single strike, there were plenty of Dou Zong experts in the Black-Corner Region willing to kill a One-Star Dou Zong with unstable Dou Qi to earn a huge favor from him.

The latter was even riskier. Heavenly flames were treasures of the utmost ferocity. How many extraordinary talents had tried to claim one, only to set themselves ablaze in the end? Worse still, Yun Congxin was a Dou Zong with Wind-Attribute Dou Qi. He likely couldn't refine a heavenly flame at all, only suppress it.

He had better hear the third option first.

"The third method is the hardest. It requires three Alchemists who possess heavenly flames. All three flames must enter your body, one to refine the technique and two to hunt it down. That should expel this Hall of Souls Secret Technique."

What was hard about that? This method was fantastic!

"My disciple possesses a green lotus core flame. Though its ranking isn't high, it can still handle the hunting. I also possess a heavenly flame, called the bone spirit cold flame, so leave the refining to me. We're still short one heavenly flame, however. That makes things rather difficult..."

Yun Congxin's eyes shifted as understanding dawned. He immediately followed Yao Lao's lead. "Alchemists are already rare, and those possessing heavenly flames are as scarce as phoenix feathers and qilin horns. In that case, it really is rather tricky..."

"Ahem... fortunately, Heaven never bars every path. There's still a chance to turn things around..." Yao Lao coughed and changed tack. "My disciple is somewhat special. He has the potential to possess multiple heavenly flames. If he can subdue another one, that should suffice..."

Just as I thought!

Yun Congxin blinked. "But heavenly flames are so scarce that even finding one is as difficult as ascending to Heaven... I'm not questioning your judgment, Senior. I'm just worried I might not live that long..."

Seeing how readily Yun Congxin caught on, Yao Lao's lips curled slightly. "There's no need to worry about that. As far as I know, a heavenly flame is hidden within Jia Nan Academy in the Black-Corner Region..."

"Jia Nan Academy is a renowned institution famous throughout the continent. Countless experts once studied there. Surely you aren't planning to rob them, Senior? That would stir up a hornet's nest..."

"Ahem, ahem... I was only giving an example. Though heavenly flames are rare, there are still trails we can follow..." With his intentions exposed, Yao Lao coughed twice in embarrassment.

"All right, I understand. I'll finish handling my sect's affairs as soon as possible, then accompany you both to the Black-Corner Region."

A pillow had arrived just as he was starting to doze! Yun Congxin had been fretting over an excuse to travel to the Black-Corner Region with Xiao Yan, and now the excuse had come looking for him!

"Then I won't disturb your rest any further, Senior. We'll meet again in Lin City!" Yun Congxin cupped his hands in farewell and vanished from the room.

"Teacher, is that secret technique really so hard to deal with?" Xiao Yan asked, blinking.

Yao Lao probed their surroundings. Once he confirmed that Yun Congxin was far away, he chuckled. "Of course not. What good tricks could a mere protector possibly have? The technique is indeed strange, but given some time, I could expel it all by myself."

"Then why did you tell Sect Master Yun that we needed three heavenly flames?" Xiao Yan asked in confusion.

"Ah, you little brat. Just one small city was enough to buy you over?" Seeing through Xiao Yan's thoughts, Yao Lao said, "Relax. Though Sect Master Yun is kind by nature, he's also exceptionally clever. He won't get the short end of the stick."

"The Black-Corner Region is no pleasant place, and we still have to find a way to secure a heavenly flame. Every last part of that will be troublesome. With a Dou Zong expert accompanying us, our chances of success will be much higher. That's why I sounded him out just now, to see whether he would accept those terms."

"As for Sect Master Yun, breaking the Hall of Souls Secret Technique is his top priority. Serving as our bodyguard for a while in exchange is worthwhile for him, too."

With his private thoughts exposed, Xiao Yan smiled bitterly. "Elder Yun has done the Xiao Clan a great kindness. Scheming against him really does make me feel... uncomfortable..."

"What do you mean, scheming? This is called tactful negotiation!" Yao Lao rolled his eyes. "Watch and learn. Refining medicine isn't the only skill an Alchemist needs..."

"Besides, Sect Master Yun barely managed his breakthrough to Dou Zong. His Cultivation Technique isn't good enough, leaving his Dou Qi severely unstable. In his current state, he falls well short of a normal Dou Zong expert. By traveling with us, he can also have us keep an eye on his cultivation and help him build a solid foundation. That will benefit him greatly in the future."

"Rather than worrying about that, you should worry about whether you've prepared all your medicinal ingredients. If a chance to devour a heavenly flame really does come along, but you lack the necessary pills because you're short a few ingredients, you'll have no choice but to watch the opportunity slip away. Then you really will be left bitterly regretting your earlier mistakes..."