"Back then, I had once attempted to obtain the 'Yellow Springs Heavenly Fury' cultivation method and the spirit essence of the Demon Emperor from within the stone tablet, but as soon as my soul power first touched it, I was struck down, spewing blood and collapsing—recovering for nearly six months." Gazing at Xiao Yan with the same solemnity, Ao Ming sighed lightly, his eyes full of cautious respect as he stared at the tablet. "Even though my strength has grown considerably since then, I have a feeling that if I tried again, my outcome wouldn't be much better than the first time. The tablet indeed harbors an exceptionally powerful soul force, and within that force lies a peculiar pressure. If my assessment is correct, the Demon Emperor of the Yellow Springs must have achieved an extraordinarily profound level in soul cultivation." Xiao Yan nodded slightly, speaking softly. "Someone who has already made significant strides toward the peak of the Battle Emperor rank—how simple could that be?" "Yao Ming chuckled slightly, then said, 'How about it? Does Xiao Yan have any confidence?' 'No confidence, but he'd like to give it a try.' Xiao Yan stared intently at the stele, then shook his head. Though the gap between him and Huang Quan's Immortal Saint seemed as vast as a chasm, the stele only contained a fragment of his soul—when they truly faced off, the outcome remained uncertain. 'In that case, it all depends on Xiao Yan.' Hearing this, Yao Ming smiled slightly and added, 'Should anything seem amiss, please step back promptly.' 'Understood.' Xiao Yan nodded gently. With a subtle movement, he appeared on a stone pedestal directly in front of the stele, settled into a meditative posture, and his soul at the center of his brow began to stir. 'Don't let anyone disturb me for now...' Xiao Yan murmured. Instantly, his body trembled slightly, and then a somewhat ethereal figure stepped forth from the center of his brow, hovering before the stele. Seeing that Xiao Yan's soul had coalesced into a humanoid form identical to his physical body, the yao Ming silently praised, murmuring in admiration. Souls are inherently intangible and elusive. In this land, where martial energy dominates, few powerful individuals place significant emphasis on soul cultivation. Though souls are considered the very essence of life, without special techniques, they rarely yield decisive advantages during combat—especially when compared to the considerable time and effort required to cultivate them. As a result, the soul strength of most elite warriors typically only reaches a standard level. It is nearly impossible, therefore, for a soul to be solidified into a tangible, physical form—like Xiao Yan has achieved. At the very instant they made contact, the ancient stone tablet's surface rippled like liquid, and Xiao Yan's soul seemed to be devoured, vanishing mysteriously before the tablet. ... "Roar! Roar!" Above the sky, imbued with an ancient aura, thunder roared like a furious dragon, its powerful sounds shaking the very heavens and earth. "This must be the hidden space within the stone tablet..." Xiao Yan floated in midair, gazing at this strange realm, his eyes briefly widening with astonishment, then he looked far into the distance, toward the far end of the space. "Indeed, the Yellow Springs Immortal Saint has the ability to create space within stone tablets—no wonder he is so renowned..." With a soft sigh, Xiao Yan's steps carried him through the void, slowly advancing toward the deeper reaches of the space. As each step moved, the thunder in the sky seemed to be drawn toward him, suddenly pouring down in overwhelming force. Yet Xiao Yan remained unruffled, his pace unbroken. Whenever the lightning entered a ten-zhang radius around him, it was gently dispersed by an invisible force, as though he were sheltered within an intangible shield. "Boom!" As Xiao Yan continued to advance deeper, the thunder, sensing it could no longer reach him, gradually softened and receded. When the final streak of lightning faded from the heavens, a deep yellow cloud suddenly rose above Xiao Yan's head. Then, a powerful gust of wind surged forth, tearing through the sky and pressing down with immense force upon him. "The Yellow River Finger…." Xiao Yan's steps paused slightly as he lifted his gaze, staring at the colossal finger that tore through the heavens and surged forth from the clouds. A subtle ripple passed through his eyes. With a gentle sweep of his sleeve, a vast surge of spiritual energy erupted, manifesting itself as a towering finger that then crashed into the Yellow River Finger with a thunderous roar. "Boom!" "Calmed syllables flowed steadily from the massive hand, instantly giving rise to a powerful soul storm that surged forth, shattering the palm with sheer force." "Yellow Springs Immortal, appear now. These tactics still cannot penetrate me..." As the yellow palm burst apart, Xiao Yan reappeared on this realm. He raised his head, gazing far ahead, and his quiet voice resonated like thunder, echoing throughout the space. "Boom! Boom!" As Xiao Yan's voice rang out, a mountain peak suddenly erupted from the ground ahead, rising vertically and standing firm. At its summit stood a grand throne. Upon the throne, a figure clad in yellow wool robes sat upright, radiating a presence so potent that even the heavens and earth trembled. "Younger one, this is not your place. Retire now." A soft voice, carrying an unyielding pressure from the soul, slowly reached Xiao Yan's ears. Under this voice, ripples spread through his very body. Fixing his gaze upon the figure seated upon the throne, Xiao Yan smiled gently after a moment, saying, "Though you once stood as the pinnacle of strength in the heavens and earth, now you are merely a fragmented soul, clinging to a steadfast resolve and lingering in this world." "Even petty contenders dare to act arrogantly before me!" "If you wish to claim the fury of the Yellow Springs and your vital essence, first defeat me!" The Yellow Springs Immortal Saint suddenly rose, and at the very moment of his rise, the heavens and earth around the mountain cracked and shattered. "A soul at the late stage of the Heavenly Realm—indeed, this is the strongest such soul I've ever encountered over the years. Yet, still, there's a considerable gap until the peak of the Heavenly Realm. My soul, however, has surpassed that peak and reached the Imperial Realm. How dare you challenge me?" "Imperial Realm?" Hearing these words, Xiao Yan's heart leapt with sudden intensity, his eyes filled with astonishment. This was the first time he had heard of someone truly cultivating their soul power to the Imperial Realm level. On the current Dragon Qi Continent, it was likely no one had achieved such a feat. Indeed, the Yellow Springs Immortal Saint lived up to his reputation. "If you truly are the Yellow Springs Immortal Saint, I would indeed hesitate to challenge you. But right now, you are merely a fragment of his soul!" Xiao Yan slowly inhaled, then suddenly thrust his feet forward. In that instant, his body expanded hundreds of li, transforming into a giant standing between heaven and earth, towering over Huangquan Immortal and gazing down upon him with regal authority. With a mighty grasp, he slammed his palm directly toward the latter. "Unworthy!" Huangquan Immortal suddenly raised his head, roaring in fury. He pressed both palms firmly into the ground, and immediately, the earth beneath trembled violently. Cracks spread rapidly, and vast hands burst forth from the ground like a downpour, striking relentlessly against the soul-giant form of Xiao Yan. "Destroy!" "The intense assault caused the soul-body of Xiao Yan to ripple violently. Without hesitation, he opened his mouth and a strange, scorching soul force surged forth, forcefully driving toward the oncoming pressure. Upon contact, it instantly shattered countless massive palms, even suppressing the trembling earth beneath. 'Your soul truly harbors the power of the Strange Fire?' The moment this contact was made, the Yellow Springs Immortal's expression subtly changed. He then swiftly formed a unique hand seal and placed it against his lips, causing an extraordinary wave of energy to ripple out. Under this wave, the space around instantly collapsed—cracks spreading like the end of an age had arrived." "The Yellow Springs Heaven is enraged..." Feeling the tremors so intense that even he himself could feel his heart pounding and his muscles tensing, Xiao Yan's expression grew unusually serious. The struggle within the soul was far more perilous than a battle of Qi. A single misstep could lead to soul collapse, and once the soul dispersed, a person's life would be utterly extinguished in the vast realm of heaven and earth. Under the current manifestation of the Yellow Springs Immortal Saint's residual soul, even Xiao Yan sensed a palpable sense of danger. The saying that the Yellow Springs Heaven's wrath could cause many Immortal Saint-level warriors to pale in fear was no mere exaggeration!