Inside the Main Hall, Yao Lao's illusory Soul Form floated peacefully within the formation, sunk deep in slumber.
Though he did not know why the Hall of Souls had stopped extracting his Soul Origin, the formation surrounding him continued to suppress the recovery of his Soul Power every moment.
Unable to replenish his strength, Yao Lao could only resist the formation's suppression through sleep, slowing the loss of his Soul Power.
While Yao Lao slept, he suddenly sensed movement against his robes. He woke at once and surveyed the deathly still, empty Main Hall.
Though he saw no one, Yao Lao knew that more than one Hall of Souls expert lurked in the shadows.
Sensing movement at the hem of his robes, Yao Lao narrowed his eyes and glanced down from the corner of his vision. A wisp of black flame blended perfectly with the color of his clothing and was now spreading toward the formation markings that sealed his entire body.
At the flame's movements, Yao Lao immediately understood something, and his heart lurched in alarm. His half-narrowed eyes carefully scanned the Main Hall, yet he discovered nothing.
Only Yao Lao, imprisoned within this Main Hall, knew how powerful the Hall of Souls' guards truly were. By his reckoning, no matter how monstrous his disciple's talent was, he could at most have entered the Dou Zun Realm by now. Yet the Hall of Souls experts guarding this Main Hall were far beyond that...
But Yao Lao dared not make a sound, afraid that any unusual movement would alert the Hall of Souls experts and instead bring harm to his disciple.
Then, amid that unnatural silence, Yao Lao watched the black flame erode the formation markings around his body until only a faint connecting trace remained. Afterward, like a tiny