The slender figure stood upright in the sky, motionless yet radiating a mighty presence that shook the very realm. The peak of a Dou-Zong cultivator—the true dividing line among continental strength—marked the essential threshold for a powerful presence in the Zhongzhou region. To achieve this at such a young age, as Xiang Yan now had, was no mere accomplishment; it was truly outstanding. Rain poured down from the heavens, enveloping the entire Tianmu Mountain in a steady deluge, with the sound of drops falling constantly. The figure stood motionless in the void, neither displaying dual aura wings nor bone wings—this very act of floating through the air was the hallmark of a Dou-Zong cultivator. Countless eyes pierced through the rain, fixed upon the still figure in the sky. For a moment, the entire Tianmu Mountain fell into quiet stillness, save for the crisp sound of raindrops landing upon the leaves. Above the sky, the figure remained motionless; when the rain reached a distance of half a zhang around him, it automatically dispersed, as if an invisible barrier existed around Xiao Yan. At this moment, Xiao Yan's eyes were closed, his powerful aura rippling around him, appearing as though he had turned into a statue. "... As the two spoke, Xiao Yan, whose eyes were closed in the sky, slightly furrowed his brows. The flame mark at the center of his forehead—long dormant—now began to emit faint glimmers of fire. Initially, Xiao Yan wasn't particularly aware of what was unfolding. The only sensation he could feel was that, at the very moment he successfully broke through to the Douzong stage, his soul energy had become remarkably sensitive. At the same time, he once again noticed the faint soul imprint lingering within the flame mark at the center of his forehead. This flame mark had originally been left when Yao Lao was captured. This state wasn't unprecedented—when Xiao Yan first ascended to Douhuang, he had followed the residual imprint of the flame mark through time and space, gaining a glimpse into the mysterious hall that had captured Yao Lao. However, due to his relatively weaker soul energy at that time, the scenes he observed were quite blurry." With the experience from last time, when the fire seal changed once again, Xiao Yan immediately understood what was happening. He gathered all his spiritual energy within his body and then plunged directly into the fire seal. As his spiritual energy entered the seal, his vision blurred momentarily, and a strange black channel suddenly appeared. Without hesitation, his spiritual energy surged forward in a lightning-fast motion. Though the black channel seemed incredibly long, Xiao Yan, having gained experience from before, remained calm and steadily focused, carefully channeling his spiritual energy and swiftly traversing it. This journey lasted for an unknown duration, and finally, at the far end of the channel, a subtle, restrained, and eerie ripple began to emanate. Sensing this ripple, Xiao Yan gradually slowed his pace, and after a moment, he carefully emerged from the far end of the channel. As the spiritual power just burst forth from the passage, a cool temperature enveloped them, and before their eyes remained the vast, imposing black hall—so immense it seemed overwhelming, its entire structure a deep gray-black, exuding an atmosphere of profound pressure. Within the hall, numerous towering black stone pillars, each stretching over ten zhang in height, stood in place. Upon these pillars, intricate and eerie symbols were inscribed, subtly glowing with faint sparks that flickered like countless eyes—cold, solemn, and haunting. Xiang Yan’s gaze swiftly swept across the vast hall, then abruptly shifted to another direction, where countless luminous orbs shimmered. Upon closer inspection, it became clear that within each orb lay a distinct soul body, its eyes tightly shut! Though he had seen it previously, back then it had been too hurried, and his soul power was still weak, so the view he brought back was rather blurry. This time, however, the sight was remarkably clear—beyond the luminous orbs enclosing the soul bodies, there stretched a black chain that wrapped tightly around the necks of the soul bodies. Gently, as if emanating from within, something seemed to flow out from the soul bodies through the chain. Following the chain's path, he noticed that at its far end stood massive, towering black, eerie stone pillars—like pillars supporting the heavens. These pillars appeared to be drawing in something from within the soul bodies. The scene left Xiang Yan with a profound sense of chill, as though the Huan Palace was using these souls as a kind of nourishment. Though Xiang Yan currently only possessed an intangible soul force, a wave of astonishment surged through him. This shock lasted only a moment, after which Xiao Yan immediately sensed the faint trace lingering within the flame seal, and with careful precision, his soul energy began to drift gently throughout the hall. For some reason, he did not see a single guard from the Soul Palace here—only a uniform, oppressive stillness, almost as if the place had already succumbed to death. Strange, eerie, and deathly—this was precisely Xiao Yan's impression of the hall. As his thoughts flickered, his search continued without pause, his gaze constantly sweeping across the dense clusters of light within the hall. Suddenly, his soul energy trembled slightly, and Xiao Yan's heart leapt with delight—the subtle fluctuation had now become a bit clearer. At the first spark of inspiration, Xiao Yan's speed subtly increased, yet he still dared not rush too quickly. He was well aware that within this hall, there must be an elder from the Hún Palace on guard. Though the situation had changed dramatically, he had not yet become arrogant enough to challenge a fully-fledged Dou Zun-level warrior. Gazing at the face, now appearing more weathered than before—since the day the elder Yin was captured, it had been nearly three or four years—thinking back on the sufferings he had endured over the years, Xiao Yan felt a deep, aching pain and an overwhelming sense of rage. The elder Yin had been instrumental in Xiao Yan's achievements, and as a mentor like a father, Xiao Yan truly regarded him as such. Witnessing him endure such torment stirred profound sorrow within him. The slightly hazy eyes slowly opened, and the elderly physician's body suddenly froze in place, his gaze vacant as he stared into the empty space before him, his body trembling slightly. Seeing this, Xiao Yan could no longer hold back. His soul energy twisted and warped, transforming into a translucent figure that materialized mid-air, bowing respectfully before the elder, his head touching the space without touching the ground. His voice, strained and hoarse, carried a sense of urgency: "Master, I am unworthy!" "Though currently trapped, Master Yao's keen eye remains sharp—he can instantly discern that Xiao Yan now possesses only a trace of spiritual force. Yet, merely observing this single strand of spiritual energy, capable of solidifying into human form, one can already deduce that Xiao Yan has likely successfully ascended to the Douzong realm. Xiao Yan's eyes glistened with redness as he whispered, 'Master, please rest assured—I will come to save you as soon as possible!' 'Perhaps you lack the requisite qualifications...' Just as Xiao Yan finished speaking, a calm, elderly voice slowly resonated throughout the hall. With that voice, a vast and overwhelming pressure suddenly descended. Yet Xiao Yan remained composed, rising to his feet and turning to gaze with a dark, intense expression at the space behind him—where a purple-robed elder had mysteriously materialized. The purple-robed elder appeared, glanced at Xiao Yan for a moment, then furrowed his brows. There was a subtle familiarity in the latter's spiritual power, as though it had been encountered before. After a brief thought, he couldn't help but exclaim in surprise, "Are you the same spiritual force from back then?" "Hope so..." The elder in purple robes raised an eyebrow, suddenly clenching his palm. The space around Xiao Yan instantly shattered, and Xiao Yan's soul force was completely annihilated under this overwhelming assault. Watching Xiao Yan's form fade away, the elderly herbalist within the light sphere, though aged, displayed a look of quiet satisfaction. Xiao Yan had faced a Supreme Battle Sovereign without showing the slightest fear—clearly, he had grown significantly over the years. The herbalist sensed, almost intuitively, that the next time Xiao Yan appeared, he would no longer be merely his soul force, but his true, physical self. Yet, upon seeing the herbalist's expression of satisfaction, the elder in purple robes furrowed his brow, feeling an unfamiliar sense of unease—something he hadn't experienced in many years. Though not intense, it carried a deep, soul-tinged chill. "Xiao Yan, isn't it?" A voice, carrying a tone of cold clarity, slowly echoed through the quiet hall.