Morning light scattered like shattered gold across the suspension bridge at Soulbreak Cliff. Cracks in the bridge stood out clearly in the sunlight, as though it might split apart and collapse at any moment. Dark silhouettes shifted faintly against the rock face on the far side. The aura of the Soul Hall outpost stabbed at them like needles, making even the Dou Qi in the air grow heavy.
"There are five of them. Two have reached Peak Dou Ling." Hai Bodong pointed his ice blade ahead, icy-blue Dou Qi gathering at its tip. "Their soul arts can disrupt the circulation of Dou Qi. Make sure you protect your sea of consciousness when we fight." Though his strength had fallen to Dou Ling, his ten years of combat experience as a Dou Emperor remained. A single glance was enough for him to see through the outpost's defenses.
Xiao Yan planted his heavy sword on the ground, Mysterious Yellow Flame flowing along its edge. "The elder and I will break through head-on. Sect Master Yun and Wind Blade, clear the ambushers on both sides. President Lin, protect Shi Lei and the others and bring up the rear." His Azure Luan Wings slowly unfurled behind him. Golden flames mingled with the morning sunlight, casting dancing shadows across the suspension bridge.
"Move!" Hai Bodong charged first, his ice blade leaving a blue streak through the air. The Soul Hall emissaries on the opposite bank reacted at once. Two streams of black Soul Qi shot toward them like venomous snakes, rippling the air in their wake. "Break!" Xiao Yan swept his heavy sword across, scattering the Soul Qi with a golden wave of fire. His Azure Luan Wings stirred up a fierce gust, carrying him past the bridge's midpoint in an instant.
The suspension bridge suddenly shook violently, and the sound of turning gears rose from beneath it. Lin Xiu's expression changed sharply. "It's a trap! They're going to destroy the bridge!" Before he finished speaking, several poisoned crossbow bolts shot from concealed spots in the rock face, aimed straight at Shi Lei in the rear. Yun Yun spun her longsword, turning her green Dou Qi into a wind shield. The bolts struck it and snapped apart.
"Stop them!" the Soul Hall leader on the far bank roared. He wore black robes and a skull mask. As his hands formed seals, more than a dozen Soul Crows flew out of the black mist and swooped toward Xiao Yan's back. Hai Bodong turned and swept his ice blade, transforming his blue Dou Qi into an ice net that froze every crow. "Young friend, focus on clearing the way!"
Xiao Yan seized the opening, gathering Mysterious Yellow Flame at his sword's tip. "Purifying Spirit Burning Heaven Record, third form-Flame Spirit Thrust!" A fine golden thread pierced an emissary's protective Soul Qi with perfect precision. The man screamed as he fell into the gorge. Yet more Soul Hall emissaries surged onto the bridgehead, weaving their black Soul Qi into a wall that blocked the way forward.
"Out of my way!" Xiao Yan incorporated the Ice Dou Qi Art's method of controlling Qi into his Dou Technique. Mysterious Yellow Flame abruptly compressed to the size of a needlepoint, then erupted the instant his heavy sword thrust forward. Boom! Golden flames exploded against the Soul Qi wall, tearing open a gap. He was about to charge through when the black-robed leader lifted his mask with a savage grin, revealing a face covered in curse marks. "Xiao Yan, your head is mine!"
Black Soul Qi condensed into a claw in the leader's hand. With a Soul-Devourer's shriek, it lunged at Xiao Yan's heart. Xiao Yan raised his sword across his body to block. The soul claw scraped against the blade with an ear-piercing screech, and a sinister chill invaded his meridians through the sword. "Watch out for his Soul-Devouring Claw!" Hai Bodong thrust his ice blade toward the leader's back, forcing him to turn and defend.
Yun Yun seized the chance to lead Lin Xiu and the others across the suspension bridge. Her green Dou Qi became ropes of wind that wrapped around the rock faces on either side, temporarily steadying the swaying bridge. "Shi Lei, support Xiao Yan with the Spirit-Gathering Array!" Enduring his injuries, Shi Lei formed a triangular array with the other two Spirit Gatherers. A steady stream of pale-green spiritual energy poured into Xiao Yan's body.
The support revived Xiao Yan's spirits. Mysterious Yellow Flame circulated through his body, purifying the invading chill. He suddenly twisted aside to evade the leader's soul claw, then accelerated sharply with his Azure Luan Wings. His heavy sword slid beneath the leader's ribs. "Flame Wave Slash!" Golden waves of fire surged into the wound. The leader let out an agonized scream as the skin beneath his black robes rapidly charred.
"Retreat!" Seeing the battle turn against him, the leader turned to flee. Hai Bodong had already laid down an ice wall, and icy-blue Dou Qi instantly froze the man's feet. "What you owed me ten years ago, you'll repay today!" His ice blade pierced the leader's throat. Black Soul Qi spilled from the wound, turning into howling vengeful souls in the air before Mysterious Yellow Flame purified them into nothingness.
Seeing their leader killed, the remaining Soul Hall emissaries scattered. Xiao Yan did not pursue them. He watched the leader's body fall, his brow tightly furrowed. "How did they know my name?" Hai Bodong wiped the blood from his ice blade. "The Soul Hall's intelligence network stretches across the continent. Word of your destruction of the altar has probably already spread."
Yun Yun examined the emissaries' bodies and found a black token inside one set of black robes. "This token bears the mark of a Soul Hall branch. It looks like Soulbreak Cliff was only their outpost." A skull was carved on the front. The flame patterns on the back made Xiao Yan's pupils narrow-they matched the half-token he kept close to his chest perfectly.
"What is it?" Yun Yun noticed his strange reaction. After a moment's hesitation, Xiao Yan took half a bronze token from his robes. It bore the same flame patterns, but its other half was missing. "My teacher left this with me. He said that if I met someone carrying the same patterns, I could find his whereabouts."
Hai Bodong took the token and examined it closely. Shock flashed through his icy-blue eyes. "This is a token of the Soul Hall's Purifying Spirit Hall! Young friend, could your teacher belong to the Purifying Spirit Hall?" Lin Xiu leaned closer and exclaimed, "Wasn't the Purifying Spirit Hall the righteous branch said to have been destroyed long ago? They always fought the Otherworldly Demons and the Soul Hall's evil faction from the shadows!"
Storm-tossed waves rose in Xiao Yan's heart. "Elder, you know about the Purifying Spirit Hall?" Hai Bodong returned the token, his voice grave. "Ten years ago, when I was investigating the Otherworldly Demons, I worked with members of the Purifying Spirit Hall. They were rebels within the Soul Hall who advocated using soul arts to purify Otherworldly Demons rather than refine Soul Pills. Later, the evil faction surrounded and hunted them down. Almost all of them were wiped out."
He looked at the token in Xiao Yan's hand. "If your teacher truly belonged to the Purifying Spirit Hall, his disappearance was almost certainly connected to the Soul Hall's evil faction. This token may be the key to finding him." Yun Yun looked thoughtful. "No wonder your Mysterious Yellow Flame can purify Demonic Qi. The Purifying Spirit Hall's cultivation methods specialized in purification."
Xiao Yan tightened his grip on the token, and understanding suddenly dawned in his heart. No wonder the cultivation method his teacher had left him was so similar to the Purifying Spirit Burning Heaven Record. What he had inherited was actually the legacy of the Purifying Spirit Hall. He looked up toward the depths of the gorge. "Could there still be members of the Purifying Spirit Hall nearby?" Hai Bodong shook his head. "After the Purifying Spirit Hall was destroyed, the survivors all concealed their whereabouts. But..."
He suddenly pointed toward the bottom of the gorge. "There's the aura of a Heavenly Flame down there!" Everyone followed his gesture. Faint lotus-green mist rose from a fissure deep in the gorge, with flames flickering dimly within it. A gentle yet domineering surge of energy spread through the air.
"It's Green Lotus Core Flame!" Lin Xiu cried out. "Green Lotus Core Flame, nineteenth on the Heavenly Flame Ranking! No wonder the Soul Hall set up an outpost here. They were guarding this Heavenly Flame!" Xiao Yan could feel Mysterious Yellow Flame leaping excitedly inside him, as though resonating with the lotus-green mist.
"A Heavenly Flame can greatly increase the power of the Spirit-Gathering Art. If we could subdue it..." Longing shone in Shi Lei's eyes, but Lin Xiu interrupted him. "Green Lotus Core Flame is born in the magma at the earth's core. Powerful fire-attribute magical beasts are bound to guard it. And..." He pointed toward the edge of the mist, where several lava lizards lay on the rocks, their scales reflecting red light.
Hai Bodong drew his ice blade. "Subduing a Heavenly Flame is no easy task, but its flames can counter the Soul Hall's evil arts. It would be a great help to us. Young friend, your Mysterious Yellow Flame can purify Demonic Qi. You might have a chance of subduing it." Xiao Yan gazed at the lotus-green mist, Mysterious Yellow Flame dancing in his palm. "I want to try."
The group reached the bottom of the gorge, where the temperature was noticeably higher and scorching vents riddled the rock walls. Lotus-green mist poured from a fissure roughly ten feet wide. The surrounding rocks had been burned into a glassy state. Three horse-sized lava lizards guarded its mouth. The moment they saw the group, they spat columns of fire.
"These are sixth-rank magical beasts, Earth Core Lizards. Their hides are tough and their flesh thick, but they fear ice-attribute attacks." Hai Bodong swung his ice blade, turning his blue Dou Qi into icicles that shot precisely toward the lizards' eyes. Yun Yun and Wind Blade held the other two at bay, buying Xiao Yan time. Xiao Yan approached the fissure, the auras of Mysterious Yellow Flame and Green Lotus Core Flame growing ever stronger.
Surging waves of energy rose from below the fissure. He could faintly see an enormous green lotus bobbing in the magma, pale-green flames burning along the edges of its petals. "It really is Green Lotus Core Flame!" Xiao Yan drew a deep breath and spread his Azure Luan Wings to shield his body. He was about to jump into the fissure when Hai Bodong caught him. "Wait. Heavenly Flames have spirits. If you try to subdue it by force, you'll suffer a backlash."
The elder took a jade box from his Storage Ring. "This is Frost Spirit Jade. It can temporarily suppress a Heavenly Flame's violent energy. Blend your Mysterious Yellow Flame with the flame and let it recognize your aura." Xiao Yan accepted the box, the coolness of the Frost Spirit Jade refreshing his mind. He jumped into the fissure, and scorching waves of air immediately rushed at his face.
Deep inside the fissure lay an underground lake of magma. Green Lotus Core Flame grew on a rock at its center. The enormous green lotus stood in full bloom, pale-green flames flowing among its petals and radiating an aura both gentle and domineering. Xiao Yan slowly approached, condensing Mysterious Yellow Flame into a small tongue of fire in his palm. Rather than attack rashly, he followed Hai Bodong's advice and released friendly fluctuations of Dou Qi.
Green Lotus Core Flame seemed to sense something. Its pale-green flames swayed gently, and it actually extended a wisp of fire toward Xiao Yan on its own. The instant the two flames touched, countless pieces of information flooded Xiao Yan's mind-the memories of Green Lotus Core Flame's ten thousand years of existence, from the grandeur of volcanic eruptions to the agony of being sealed by the Soul Hall.
"So the Soul Hall has been binding you with evil arts all this time." Understanding dawned on Xiao Yan, and he slowly channeled Mysterious Yellow Flame's purification power into Green Lotus Core Flame. The pale-green flames began to leap violently. Magma at the center of the lake boiled, and the entire underground chamber trembled. Green Lotus Core Flame seemed to rejoice, its flames growing brighter and brighter.
Just as he was about to subdue it successfully, sounds of fighting suddenly came from above the fissure. Xiao Yan hurried out and saw more than a dozen black-robed figures surrounding Hai Bodong and the others. Their leader was an elderly man in purple robes, his face covered in strange runes. His strength had actually reached Dou Wang! "It's a Soul Hall Protector!" Hai Bodong was being forced back again and again, his icy-blue Dou Qi already much dimmer.
When the purple-robed elder saw Xiao Yan, greed flashed in his eyes. "There really is Green Lotus Core Flame! Capture him, and both the Heavenly Flame and the Purifying Spirit Hall token will be ours!" Several streams of black Soul Qi shot toward him like venomous snakes. Xiao Yan drew Green Lotus Core Flame into his body, then intertwined Mysterious Yellow Flame and the pale-green fire in his palm. "You're courting death!"
"You little brat from the Purifying Spirit Hall! How dare you ruin my plans!" The purple-robed elder formed seals with both hands. The ground suddenly split, and several giant hands of magma reached up from beneath it to seize Xiao Yan. Xiao Yan fused the Ice Dou Qi Art with his two flames. Golden and green fire twisted together into a spiral. "Flame-Ice Shatter!"
The collision between fire and ice unleashed an enormous explosion, instantly destroying the giant magma hands. The purple-robed elder stared in disbelief. "You can actually control two Heavenly Flames at once?" He swept his black robe, and countless soul insects flew from his sleeves, descending in a swarm that blotted out the sky. "Watch out! Those are Soul-Devouring Insects!" Hai Bodong swung his ice blade, but it hissed as the insects corroded it.
Xiao Yan drew a deep breath, and both Heavenly Flames erupted within him at once. Mysterious Yellow Flame purified the soul insects, while Green Lotus Core Flame became a wall of fire that blocked their attack. He suddenly charged at the purple-robed elder, his Azure Luan Wings carrying him in an arc through the air. "Purifying Spirit Burning Heaven Record, fourth form-Twin Flames Annihilation!" Golden and green flames condensed into a giant fist that smashed viciously toward the elder.
The purple-robed elder summoned a soul-bone shield, but the flames pierced it with ease. Screaming, he flew backward, his chest charred black. "Impossible! How could a remnant of the Purifying Spirit Hall be this strong?" He turned to flee, but Yun Yun's wind blades cut off his escape. Lin Xiu seized the opportunity to bring out a Soul Crystal, turning blue soul power into chains that bound the elder.
"Keep him alive!" Xiao Yan pressed his heavy sword against the elder's throat, Mysterious Yellow Flame dancing at its tip. "Tell me, where are the people of the Purifying Spirit Hall?" The elder spat black blood with a savage grin. "The evil faction... will rule the continent in the end..." Black Soul Qi suddenly erupted from his body. He was going to self-destruct!
"Get back!" Xiao Yan pulled the others into a backward leap. The violent explosion blasted the entire bottom of the gorge to pieces. When the smoke and dust cleared, the elder had been reduced to charcoal, leaving only a scorched token. Xiao Yan picked it up. The words "Enforcement Hall" were carved on its front, and the skull on the back looked hideous and menacing.
Hai Bodong clutched his bleeding right arm and panted. "The Enforcement Hall is the core force of the Soul Hall's evil faction. If they've come in person, they must consider you very important." Yun Yun inspected the injuries. "We shouldn't stay here. Reinforcements from the Enforcement Hall could arrive soon." Feeling Green Lotus Core Flame settle within him, Xiao Yan nodded. "Let's leave Soulbreak Cliff as quickly as possible."
The group climbed the mountain path on the other side of the gorge. Green Lotus Core Flame's energy left Xiao Yan refreshed, sweeping away all his earlier exhaustion. He could feel the two Heavenly Flames nourishing each other within him. Mysterious Yellow Flame's purification power blended perfectly with Green Lotus Core Flame's explosive strength, and his Dou Qi cultivation showed faint signs of breaking through to mid-stage Dou Ling.
"Young friend, even an ordinary Dou Wang might be no match for you now." Hai Bodong watched the two-colored flames flowing over Xiao Yan, his eyes filled with relief. "But a Dou Wang from the Enforcement Hall is only the beginning. The Soul Hall is far stronger than you can imagine. You must improve your strength as quickly as possible." Xiao Yan tightened his grip on his heavy sword. "I will. I'll find my teacher and the people of the Purifying Spirit Hall, and uncover the Soul Hall's conspiracy."
Lin Xiu suddenly pointed ahead. "Look! That's the Jia Ma Empire's border defense line!" Everyone looked over. Unbroken stretches of city walls stood across the distant plain, with the Jia Ma Empire's banners flying above them. After enduring countless dangers, they had finally reached their destination.
The guards at the gate saw their ragged clothes and were about to question them, but immediately bowed respectfully when they noticed the Spirit Gatherer badge on Lin Xiu's chest. "Honored Spirit Gatherers! Please, come in!" Once they passed through the walls, the familiar bustle of civilization greeted them. It was utterly different from the desolation of the Black-Corner Region, finally allowing their taut nerves to relax.
Lin Xiu found the officer in charge of the city's defenses and arranged accommodation. "We'll rest in Border City for three days, then return to the capital to report." Hai Bodong declined the room arranged for him and gazed at the distant snow-covered mountains. "I'm going to the Ice Plains to search for medicinal ingredients that can remove my curse marks. We'll part ways here." He handed Xiao Yan a rolled map. "This is a map of the Purifying Spirit Hall's former site. It may help you."
Xiao Yan accepted the map and carefully put it away. "Take care, elder. If you need anything, you can find me at the Spirit Gatherer Association." Hai Bodong smiled. His icy-blue figure became a streak of light and vanished into the horizon. Yun Yun watched the direction in which he had departed. "With his help, fighting the Soul Hall would be much easier."
On the morning three days later, the group prepared to return to the capital. Xiao Yan stood on the city wall, looking toward the Black-Corner Region with the half bronze token clenched tightly in his hand. The two Heavenly Flames flowed quietly within him. The secrets of the Purifying Spirit Hall, his teacher's whereabouts, the Soul Hall's conspiracy... countless clues intertwined in his mind.
"What are you thinking about?" Yun Yun came to stand beside him, her green dress fluttering in the morning breeze. Xiao Yan turned and smiled. "The road ahead." He put the token away, and Mysterious Yellow Flame condensed into a two-colored tongue of fire in his palm. "Whatever the Soul Hall is plotting, I'll stop them."
A gleam flickered in Yun Yun's eyes. "The Spirit Gatherer Association will support you." She took a jade bottle from her Storage Ring. "This is a Wind Spirit Pill. It can increase the speed of your Azure Luan Wings. Once we reach the capital, remember to visit the Misty Cloud Sect." Xiao Yan accepted the bottle and nodded firmly.
The carriage slowly left Border City and headed toward the heart of the Jia Ma Empire. Xiao Yan lifted the window curtain and gazed back in the direction of the receding Soulbreak Cliff, his heart filled with fighting spirit. He knew that the true battle against the Soul Hall had only just begun, and that his path as a Spirit Gatherer of the Purifying Spirit Hall would write a new legend upon this continent. The warmth of Green Lotus Core Flame intertwined with the purity of Mysterious Yellow Flame within him, guiding him onward toward an unknown future.
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