At the eastern city gate of Zhun Gui Pass, a young man in a gray robe stepped out and stood beyond the city moat. He gazed distantly at the towering mountain ranges in the distance, then turned to look once more at the last city along the border of the Jia Ma Empire. Beyond this point, the sky would be truly open, boundless—his journey would truly be free, and the world beyond would surely be far more vibrant than this empire. Taking a deep breath, he finally let go of all lingering attachments, and with steady strides, walked steadily toward the horizon, his slender silhouette gradually fading into the distance at the end of the road. ... On the lush forest path, an serene silence reigned, broken only by the soft chirping of birds on the branches, adding a touch of life to the otherwise spacious route. "Teacher... just now?" After walking in quiet contemplation for a while, Xiao Yan finally couldn't hold back his curiosity and softly called out. Nearly two minutes passed before a gentle sigh echoed from the elder. The Ye-Lao smiled faintly and murmured, "Ah, I didn't expect such beings to exist even near the Jia-Ma Empire... They rarely come here. Why, this time, though?" The Ye-Lao's murmured reflections left Xiao Yan utterly puzzled. He then carefully asked, "The 'beings' you mentioned, Teacher—what are they?" Upon hearing Xiao Yan's question, the herbal elder fell into silence. Seeing the elder's demeanor, Xiao Yan was momentarily stunned and decided not to press further. With a slightly furrowed brow, he continued walking along the path indicated on the map toward the "Black Angular Domain," though a growing sense of unease settled within him. "Young one, I originally intended to share these details with you once you had grown stronger. But now, unexpectedly, they've discovered my movements—my carefully laid plans have been disrupted. If you'd like to know, then I shall have to inform you now." After a long silence, the elder suddenly spoke: "However, I must first caution you—this matter involves an immense network of power, far exceeding even that of Yunlan Sect. In fact, even I find it quite challenging. Are you still certain you wish to know?" Xiao Yan's hand trembled slightly unintentionally, and his throat rolled slowly as he swallowed a lump of saliva. His steps gradually slowed, and he finally stood still, silent. He had a strong feeling that whatever the old doctor was about to say would instantly uproot his previously calm and unhurried life. As Xiao Yan remained silent, the old doctor also did not speak. Yet, Xiao Yan sensed a subtle sense of disappointment seeping out from the ring in his hand. "My eyes, finally, haven't gone blind a second time! Ha ha!" After speaking these words, the old medicine master fell silent. After a long pause, two strong, deeply trembling words—both carrying the weight of emotion—echoed in Xiao Yan's heart. For the first time in front of Xiao Yan, he uttered the name that had once reverberated across the entire Qi Continent. Xiao Yan's simple, heartfelt words, though unassuming, stirred an overwhelming surge of emotion in the usually composed old man—so much so that it seemed as though tears were welling up. Though he had once experienced the agony of being betrayed by someone he deeply trusted, that pain had been almost bone-deep. Fortunately, this time, his eyes, which had once failed him, finally avoided failing once more. "Yao Chen... Is that indeed the name the master once bore?..." As萧炎 murmured the unfamiliar name in his mind, his attention shifted to another sentence: "He never lost his sight a second time... That means he once lost his sight once. Ah, it seems the master's past has been quite turbulent." "Young one, I've already told you before that the Continent of Qi is vast and immense, with countless powerful beings. Even someone like Yun Shan, considered the strongest in the Jima Empire, must humble himself upon arriving here—because there are many individuals stronger than him." With a slightly melancholy tone, the old medic spoke slowly, drawing萧炎's focus and holding it firmly. "Because of this vast expanse of territory, numerous unusual powers have emerged. Among them is a mysterious force known as the 'Spirit Temple.' Although this power is nearly present throughout nearly half of the continent, and only in nations such as the Gamma Empire—located far from the continent's center—do they appear infrequently, the number of people who know of their existence remains relatively small." "Spirit Temple?" murmured the name aloud. Xiao Yan spoke softly, "My teacher must have noticed their presence during our time at the 'Spirit Guardian Pass.'" "Hmm..." The old pharmacist nodded with a wry smile, saying, "The Hall of Souls is extremely powerful and mysterious, with an unusual manner of operation—though I know them only somewhat. Generally, they don't target ordinary people. Their focus lies on those who have physically died yet still possess exceptionally strong souls—what we call 'living souls.' As a pharmacist, you should be familiar with this: once a soul reaches a certain strength, even if the body is completely destroyed, the soul can persist, seeking a path to revival. To them, such souls are known as 'living souls.'" "The herbal master hummed, then his voice suddenly grew filled with sudden anger and a deeper, more somber tone: 'They are much like the soul cleaners across the continent—any powerful soul that has separated from its body is sensed by them, and then they send mysterious forces to intercept and eliminate it. I don't know why they specifically target soul-bodied beings... Yet they seem to possess special means of containment against souls. After my physical form was severely damaged, I wasn't long before I was surrounded and attacked by them. Though I eventually managed to break through and escape, I did suffer serious injuries. Fortunately, while I was preparing remedies for others, I happened to gather a rare type of 'Warming-Soul, Capturing-Energy' essence. I had this essence refined into the black ring now in your hands, which enabled me to evade their onslaught. Thus, the ring eventually came into the hands of your mother, and then passed down to you." Xiao Yan took a deep breath of cool air. With the experience of the Medicine Elder, who had been chased and forced to flee, how formidable was this mysterious "Spirit Palace"? "The Spirit Palace possesses special techniques targeting the soul," the Medicine Elder said in a low tone. "Even I find it difficult to fight them solely relying on my soul strength. That's precisely why I've been eager to revive quickly—out of fear of them. Moreover, there are certain matters and grievances I need to clarify and resolve." Xiao Yan nodded silently. "Young one, you don't need to think of anything you can do for me right now. You're still too weak. I have great confidence in your potential. Given enough time, you will surely become a true peak-level master. But for now, you must grow stronger. Otherwise, should those people come seeking you, your life may be in danger." The Medicine Elder said slowly. Xiao Yan's face grew increasingly serious, his fists clenched tightly as he spoke in a steady tone: "Master, I will soon obtain that 'Falling Heart Flame,' and then craft a physical form for you, thus freeing us from the threat of the 'Spirit Palace.' " "Ah, I can only rely on you now..." Yao Lao sighed lightly, then pondered: "Thankfully, I was able to retract my ring swiftly earlier; otherwise, they would have locked onto my position. However, since they now have some awareness of us, I believe the number of Spirit Palace representatives in these areas will gradually increase. Consequently, in the future, many challenges will have to rely entirely on you. Should I appear again and be detected, both of us will be in grave danger." "Hm." Xiao Yan nodded firmly. The heart that had previously relaxed slightly due to leaving the Gamma Empire now suddenly tightened. Though the threat from Yunlan Sect had vanished, a far more formidable force had arrived—something he could no longer afford to overlook. As the old medicine master had said, he was simply too weak now. With his current strength, not only could he not protect the old medicine master from being captured by the "Spirit Palace," but even Yunlan Sect could drive him to the point of being a hunted fugitive. "Without strength, one is utterly helpless," Xiao Yan breathed softly, his fists clenched. For the first time in a while, he felt again the helplessness and yearning for power he had experienced three years ago, when facing Nalan Yanran in the hall of the Xiao family. "Power! I need power!" He roared deep within his heart, setting this very need as his most urgent priority under the relentless pressure from the mysterious Spirit Palace. "Then, let's simply head straight to the Canaan Academy. There's no more time to linger along the way." From within his meditation robe, Xiao Yan pulled out a map and studied it carefully, his fingers tracing the red line. He paused briefly at a large cluster of darkness on the map, then moved his fingers through that dark area, settling finally on a blue star at its central point. His shoulders trembled slightly, and Zi Yun Yi rose gently from behind him. With a single wingbeat, Xiao Yan lifted into the air, oriented himself clearly, and then transformed into a streak of light, vanishing at the eastern horizon.