thefictionvixens 5. The Soul Palace Attacks
5. The Soul Palace Attacks
"My son Xiao Yan has the potential to become a Dou Di. He can reach the Dou Huang level at the age of eighteen. The Xiao family has never had such a genius in the past ten thousand years, hahahahahahahahaha."
Upon hearing Xiao Zhan's voice outside the hall, Xiao Yan spat out a mouthful of wine.
He shook his head helplessly and said, "It's already the second day, why is Father still like this?"
After the news broke yesterday that Xiao Yan had defeated the Grand Elder of the Yunlan Sect and advanced to the Dou Huang realm, the Xiao family held a grand banquet and indulged in extravagance.
Even during the day today, as long as the mercenaries who came to buy medicine said to the guards, "Congratulations to Young Master Xiao Yan for defeating the Yunlan Sect and advancing to the Dou Huang level."
Healing medicine, free!
The entire city of Wutan was in an uproar, with more than half the population crowding outside the Xiao family's gate to snatch the medicine. The other half were absent, stunned by the news of Xiao Yan's advancement to Dou Huang.
The Obama and Jialie families directly gifted six market towns and a million gold coins to celebrate. Many members of the Xiao family ridiculed these two old rivals relentlessly, but neither family dared to show the slightest dissatisfaction, seemingly accepting the insults with a forgiving attitude.
A Dou Huang (Battle Emperor) could easily wipe out two small families with a flick of his finger.
The celebrations continued into the evening, with Xiao Zhan's laughter never ceasing since yesterday. Xiao Yan, on the other hand, had already slipped away to enjoy some peace and quiet while everyone was in high spirits during the meal.
"What's wrong? Isn't this what you wanted?" the old medicine doctor's voice rang out.
"Of course it's what I want. I've worked so hard so that my people can continue to live like this," Xiao Yan said.
"If only Xun'er were here."
"Your little girlfriend probably knows about you and is waiting for you to come to Canaan day and night," the old man teased.
"It's time to go. I'll go to Canaan Academy after I've settled things at home. Teacher, didn't you say that place... Teacher, what's wrong?" Xiao Yan suddenly realized that Yao Lao's aura was changing.
"The people from the Soul Palace... have arrived." Yao Lao's voice was chillingly indifferent.
"A Dou Zong?" Xiao Yan sensed it. "Teacher, watch me take him down."
"The Soul Palace's abilities are strange; you'll suffer the first time you encounter them. Let me handle it."
As he spoke, Xiao Yan felt his aura, which had already reached the Dou Huang level, was still rising steadily. His body gradually came under the control of Yao Lao, and his eyes turned white.
Xiao Yan's ascension to power after absorbing the Red Lotus Karmic Flame was meteoric, but Yao Lao also benefited greatly from this fortuitous encounter. The immense energy of the Red Lotus Karmic Flame was too much for Xiao Yan, so the portion that Xiao Yan didn't need was transferred to Yao Lao through grafting, further restoring Yao Lao's strength.
"Watch closely, we'll inevitably face many battles with the Soul Palace in the future," Elder Yao instructed.
A dark figure in the void looked down at the bustling Xiao family mansion and said disdainfully, "A trash family whose strongest member is only a Great Dou Master? Do they even deserve my Earth-level Protector's help? I really don't know what the higher-ups are thinking."
Meanwhile, unnoticed by the shadowy figure, a barely perceptible white flame quietly appeared beside him.
……
Xiao Yan looked at the jade bottle in his hand and said, "Teacher, these people from the Soul Palace are really troublesome."
"The people in the Soul Palace are unpredictable and elusive. I suffered a lot back then. If it weren't for the Bone Spirit Cold Flame, you probably wouldn't have even met me. Let's find a secluded place and get some information out of this guy. The Soul Palace won't come to Wutan City for no reason."
"Alright." Xiao Yan's wings appeared, and he flew out of the city, landing at the foot of a mountain shortly afterward.
Seeing that no one was around, Xiao Yan took out the jade bottle and removed the seal. A thin layer of bone spirit cold fire covered the bottle. With a thought, Yao Lao sent out a soul from the bottle.
"Yao Chen, how dare you capture me... Ahh ...
Before the soul could finish its harsh words, a wisp of bone spirit cold fire wrapped around its body, and the intense burning pain caused the soul to wail continuously.
The bone spirit's cold flames gradually weakened, and Xiao Yan looked at the withering soul and asked, "Who are you?"
"You won't get it from me... Aaaaaaah... Aaaaaah..."
After a short while, Xiao Yan looked at the somewhat frightened soul and said, "Can we talk properly now? Who are you?"
"The Guardian Eagle of the Soul Palace." Looking at the bone spirit cold flames surrounding him, the soul finally spoke.
"What are you doing in Wutan City?"
"Come and kill Xiao Yan."
"Still not behaving yourself, teacher."
The bone spirit's cold fire scorched the vulture protector once more. "I'll talk, I'll talk," an impatient voice rang out.
Xiao Yan looked indifferently at Protector Jiu, "He came to the Xiao family to retrieve a piece of jade. It should be in Xiao Zhan's possession, a piece of jade that cannot be destroyed by any means."
Xiao Yan frowned and asked, "What's the use of this jade?"
"My level is too low... I don't know."
"Teacher," Xiao Yan's cold voice rang out next.
"No! This jade is extremely important. The elders value it highly. I really don't know anything else," Guardian Vulture cried out.
"Did you know about my teacher's existence beforehand?" Xiao Yan asked.
"I don't know. There's no information about either of you in the mission. If it were Venerable Medicine, I wouldn't have come alone," Guardian Vulture replied.
Xiao Yan locked the Vulture Protector in a jade bottle and then asked Yao Lao to seal it. The Vulture Protector had too many evil thoughts, and if the Red Lotus Karmic Fire were used, he would be burned to ashes in less than half a moment.
Xiao Yan frowned. Protector Jiu's intentions were unexpected. If they were here to capture Yao Lao, he could have escaped on his own, since Yao Lao was inside him. But since they were targeting the Xiao family, he couldn't understand what his ordinary family could possibly have that could attract the Soul Palace.
"Teacher, what do you think?"
"First, go to your father and get that jade. Things that are valued by elders are not simple. I have no clue about it right now."
Xiao Yan was anxious, so he rushed back to the Xiao family. After speaking with Xiao Zhan, Xiao Zhan immediately gave the jade to Xiao Yan and explained how to use it.
"Before your grandfather passed away, he told me that this jade was related to the lives of everyone in the Xiao family, and that I must keep it safe. Yan'er, what do you know?"
"Father, I can't say for sure right now, but this matter is very important."
"It's alright." Xiao Zhan patted Xiao Yan's head. "You've grown taller these past few years. The Xiao family will have to rely on you from now on. Do whatever you need to do. Although I can't help you much anymore, I'll always be your support."
Xiao Yan trembled, bowed, and returned to his room, his eyes slightly moist.
Xiao Yan gently took out the jade. The jade's patterns were very ancient, and its texture was warm and smooth. The light spot representing Xiao Zhan was clear, but there was nothing special about it.
"Do you know the teacher?"
After examining it for a while, the old doctor said, "Soul power cannot be detected, and I have never seen this thing before."
"Guardian Vulture said it can't be damaged, I'll give it a try." Xiao Yan exerted force, but even with his Dou Huang-level power applied to the ancient jade, there was no change whatsoever. Xiao Yan's strength continued to increase, and he even began to try every possible method.
Finally, looking at the ancient jade that had remained unmoved even after being scorched by the Red Lotus Karmic Fire for the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, he said, "Even the strange fire can't help it. What's going on with this thing?"
As the old apothecary looked at the ancient jade in the fire, he suddenly seemed to remember something.
"This thing might be related to a Dou Di (Battle Emperor)."
"A Dou Di?" Even Xiao Yan couldn't help but gasp.