In the spacious hall, figures sat scattered, the atmosphere notably solemn. Since entering the hall, Xiao Yan had been intently focused on the three elders—Xuan Kongzi—his breath slightly hurried with excitement. It had been nearly six years since the day when the old doctor, Yao Long, was captured. Though Yao Long had not yet faced imminent danger, the suffering he must have endured during these five or six years was surely considerable. Xiao Yan's skills and accomplishments had all been guided and nurtured by Yao Long, which is why, whenever matters involved Yao Long, Xiao Yan's emotions would inevitably fluctuate. Hearing this, Xiao Yan nodded slightly, took several deep breaths to calm his fluctuating emotions, and with his eyes once again regaining composure, spoke softly, "How could the intelligence have been gathered so quickly this time?" "It's not exactly fast. If we're being honest, it's taken us nearly a year to collect this information—only now have we finally confirmed it," smiled Xuan Kongzi. "Where exactly has the Master been transferred to?" Xiao Yan kept his gaze fixed on Xuan Kongzi, asking quickly. Xuan Kongzi smiled and withdrew a scroll of maps from his storage seal, spreading it out on the table, then pointed to the northwest region of the Central Plains, saying, "The Huan Palace has several hidden branches throughout the Central Plains, which ordinary people rarely discover. In this northwest region, there is a range of mountains known as the Mountains of the Departed Souls, and here, one of the Huan Palace's branches is concealed." "So the Master has been transferred to this branch located within the Mountains of the Departed Souls?" Xiao Yan's eyes flashed, asking. "Hmm." Xuan Kongzi nodded slightly, saying, "The Wanhun Mountain region in the Central Plains is indeed considered a hazardous area. For some reason, it's exceptionally cold, with dense fog that often obscures the sky. If one wanders aimlessly, they risk getting lost. Moreover, the mountain is home to many powerful, bloodthirsty beasts that prove quite troublesome to deal with. The Huan Palace has chosen this location for its branch hall precisely because of its seclusion." "Wanhun Mountain..." Xiao Yan murmured softly. Now that he knew where the old pharmacist was being held, he would have no choice but to brave even the coldest winds or the fiercest flames—no matter what. "How many strong warriors does that Huan Palace branch hall have? Specifically, how many are at the Dou Zun level?" At the side, the young physician gently asked the most crucial question. Whenever Xiao Yan encountered matters involving the old pharmacist, he grew visibly excited—thus, it was now up to her to pay close attention. Hearing Xiao Yixian's question, Xiao Yan also regained his alertness and nodded promptly. This was truly the most crucial point—should they fail to clearly detect the enemy's defensive strength and charge in blindly, they would surely be setting themselves up for capture. "The Huan Palace holds great regard for Yao Chen. The defensive forces guarding him must therefore be quite strong. According to the intelligence we've gathered, there may be five Dao Resonance masters stationed at the Wanhun Mountain Range..." Even Xuan Kongzi's expression grew slightly serious at this point. Five Dao Resonance masters—such a lineup was not only exceptionally powerful but also among the most formidable in the Zhongzhou region. It was a level of strength where merely a single step could send many first-tier factions reeling. "Five Dao Resonance masters..." Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan's face also tightened, and he involuntarily drew a deep breath. The scale of this move was indeed remarkable—dispatching five Dao Resonance masters solely to guard one branch palace. Such a force could even wipe out an entire first-tier faction. The young physician beside him and Tian Huo Master also looked increasingly serious, clearly impressed by the Hu Dun's maneuvers. Xiao Yan calculated carefully—he and the Earth Demon Puppet together had only three Dou Zun-level cultivators. Now, he could hold his own against one Dou Zun, but if faced with two, he would likely have to retreat immediately. "For now, we'll have to wait for Feng Master to arrive. With him joining us, our numbers will be sufficient enough to make a stand..." Xiao Yan mused internally. "Are these all the Dou Zun-level cultivators from that branch hall?" the young physician asked after a moment of silence. "According to the intelligence, there should be only these five Dou Zun-level cultivators, though the branch hall undoubtedly still has several Hu Dun protectors. Together, their combined strength is not to be underestimated," said Xuan Kongzi. "The guardians aren't particularly troublesome, but the one thing you must be cautious about is avoiding the Heavenly Sovereigns of the Spirit Palace..." the cloaked figure, his face serious, said. "Heavenly Sovereign?" Hearing this unfamiliar title, several of the others, including Xiao Yan, were momentarily taken aback. "The guardians of the Spirit Palace are divided into three levels—Heaven, Earth, and Man. Although the Sovereigns don't have as strict a hierarchy, they still possess distinct ranks, and the Heavenly Sovereigns are the most elite among them. As for their strength, all you need to know is that Master Mu Gu, even now, hasn't yet earned the rank of Heavenly Sovereign of the Spirit Palace." The cloaked figure spoke with steady tone. Xiao Yan's eyes narrowed slightly. Master Mu Gu's strength was likely around a Three-Star Domain Sovereign—still not enough to qualify as a Heavenly Sovereign. Then, what must these Heavenly Sovereigns of the Spirit Palace be, at least Five-Star Domain Sovereigns, surely? At this point, even with Xiao Yan's remarkable composure, his brows could not help but furrow tightly. Among the Douzun ranks, each level of strength differed vastly—many Douzuns, dedicating their entire lifetimes, might still struggle to advance just one star. This clearly demonstrated the immense gap between the stars within the Douzun hierarchy. To match a Five-Star Douzun, Xiao Yan's current lineup would likely need the combined efforts of Xiao Yi Xian and Tian Yao Gui, making the already scarce Douzun tier appear even more understated. "There's no need to be overly concerned. The Heavenly Sovereign holds an extremely high status within the Spirit Palace and typically doesn't appear frequently. Five Sovereigns of Battle guarding Yao Chen is already a very high-level arrangement. Having one more Heavenly Sovereign joining in seems rather unexpected..." Seeing Xiao Yan's serious expression, Xuan Kongzi waved his hand and said. Xiao Yan nodded slightly. At this point, this was the only reasonable thought—he could only assume that since these individuals held such high positions, they wouldn't simply remain idle in one of the branch palaces. After all, strong individuals often have their own reserved nature. "The information we've gathered is exactly as described. The Dan Domain is not far from the Valley of the Departed Souls, and we should be able to reach it within five days." Xuan Kongzi said slowly, then took out a parchment scroll from his storage seal and handed it to Xiao Yan. "This is a map of the Valley of the Departed Souls, and the branch palace of the Spirit Palace is located at the heart of the mountain range." "Receiving the map, Xiao Yan carefully unfolded it and examined it thoroughly. The map was remarkably detailed; although the mountains were shrouded in thick mist, with such a clear guide, entering successfully should not prove overly difficult." "Thank you, Master Xuan," said Xiao Yan, placing the map into his storage relic. "It's nothing really. Ah, but this is all we can offer at the moment. The final actions will still have to rely on you..." Master Xuan shook his head and sighed. Xiao Yan smiled and said, "Without the Dan Tower gathering intelligence, we would have had no idea where our master was being held, and it would have taken us years to find out. So this is far from a minor matter." Master Xuan nodded with a wry smile. "Then, when do you plan to set off?" After a moment's thought, Xiao Yan replied, "Such an undertaking requires thorough preparation, so we'll have to wait at least until Master Feng arrives." "Ah?" "Heh, is that the old man I'm thinking of?" Hearing this, Xuan Kongzi and the other two also couldn't help but smile. "That old man has a very good relationship with Yao Chen. Seeking him out indeed proves to be a significant advantage. Moreover, with his vast experience, having him join us gives us much greater confidence." Xiao Yan smiled and nodded. Feng Zunshi is a well-known powerhouse in the Central Region. Over the years, in pursuit of Yao Lao's whereabouts, he has had numerous interactions with the Hún Palace. With him joining the journey, they would gain deeper insights into the Hún Palace, thereby strengthening their chances of ultimately resolving the matter. "Then, let's just wait for his news. Given his pace, he should reach the Dan Domain within half a month," Xuan Kongzi said, smiling while stroking his beard. Xiao Yan smiled slightly. Over the past fifteen days, he had to make every effort to strengthen the strength of his companions. The Fu Ling Qing Dan from Tian Huo Zun Shi needed to be prepared immediately. The stronger his team became, the greater their chances of success would be. Regardless of how many challenges they faced, this journey would undoubtedly be the most dangerous and significant of Xiao Yan's career. Thus, he had to give it his absolute best, ensuring no minor issue would compromise the mission. After further discussing with the three of them the key points regarding the Hún Palace and the Mountain of the Departed Souls, Xiao Yan finally bid them farewell, bowing respectfully and quickly departing—time was pressing, and there was no room for delay. As the figures of Xiao Yan and his companions faded into view beyond the main gate, the three of them exchanged glances and sighed softly. I hope they have a smooth journey. Taking people from the Spirit Temple—such a thing hasn't happened in many years. I wonder if this time they'll succeed.