"The spiritual essences of heaven and earth are bestowed upon those who are destined to receive them. It seems you truly resonate with the very source of this soul energy..." Seeing how Xiao Yan's single remark had effortlessly dissipated the negative emotions concealed within the soul glow, the Yeold couldn't help but smile. "The people of the Soul Palace have indeed committed countless injustices..." Xiao Yan sighed lightly, waved his sleeve to seal the soul glow into his storage relic, then glanced around once more. Now, in this hall, aside from the Palace Master who had managed to escape, all others had been slain. Though many of the Soul Palace's elite were soul-bodied and would vanish upon death, others still retained physical forms. As a result, the space now lay strewn with bodies, the air thick with the scent of blood. Watching the scene, Xiao Yan's eyes slightly flickered before settling into a calm demeanor. Such slaughter he rarely caused—yet facing these individuals who had been actively aiding the enemy, he found no room for mercy. After all, each of them had claimed countless lives, and even his own Xiao family had nearly been wiped out entirely by these very people! "Let's go." Unwilling to linger in this scene of devastation, Xiao Yan secured his soul glow orb, turned, and swiftly moved toward the mountains beyond. The others, including Yao Lao, inspected the surroundings once more before quickly following suit. About fifteen minutes after Xiao Yan and his companions had departed, a subtle ripple of space emerged above a nearby mountain peak. A dark figure emerged, then darted into the ruins of the grand hall. Upon seeing the excavated remains, the figure's expression darkened, filled with anger and regret. "I've personally gathered souls over a hundred years, only to have them all taken by that young man. Should this news reach the clan, even I would surely face severe punishment!" The black figure, naturally, was the deputy hallmaster who had just fled. Now, gazing at the now empty depths of the Hall of Souls, his face was slightly pale. The Human Hall was one of the most important branches within the Hall of Souls, housing exceptionally strong souls and yielding powerful soul essences. Now, these soul essences had been completely seized by Xiao Yan, and the imprisoned souls had all been released by him. Such a loss would be unbearable even for the Hall of Souls itself. "The young man is protected by powerful warriors from the Tai-Xu Ancient Dragon Clan. With my own strength, I simply cannot match her. At present, within the Hall of Souls, only the Hallmaster remains capable of defeating that young man. We've turned a potential threat into a growing problem." The Deputy Grand Master of the Spirit Palace shook his head in frustration. In the eyes of the Spirit Palace, Xiao Yan back then had been nothing more than a mere insect—small and insignificant. Yet, in just over a decade, that once humble insect had grown steadily to a point where even the entire Spirit Palace was now helpless. The pace of his rise was so remarkable that, upon reflection, it filled the Deputy Grand Master with endless regret. Had they only paid a little more attention back then, they could have eliminated this formidable threat long ago. "The Pure Lotus Demon Flame will reappear within two months, and the Grand Master will surely intervene. If our clan secures the Pure Lotus Demon Flame, our plan will advance significantly—this would also help offset the losses from the destruction of the Human Clan." The Deputy Grand Master's eyes darted rapidly. After a moment of hesitation, he finally clenched his teeth. A ripple passed through the space around him, and then his form gradually faded away. "Last time, our failed attempt to secure the Pure Lotus Demon's Flame delayed our entire grand plan. This time, we will absolutely succeed. Once we obtain the Flame, we shall no longer need to abide by the so-called clan agreements. Then, with our strongest members stepping forward, Xiao Yan will have no choice but to face certain death!" "Hmph, Xiao Yan—watch this space. Our Spirit Palace is known for holding grudges. You destroyed my Human Palace. Next time, I shall see to the destruction of your 'Heavenly Treasury Alliance'!" The figure of the Deputy Grand Master of the Spirit Palace faded into the heavens, yet the cold, venomous murmurs lingered, spiraling gently through the air, refusing to dissipate for a long time. ... Although the news of the Human Palace's destruction was not officially announced, the magnitude of the event made it impossible to keep quiet. Within just one week after the incident, the news spread rapidly across the Central Region, as if it had taken flight, stirring profound astonishment throughout. The Huan Pavilion's strength is most well-known among the central region's powers. As a colossal presence standing unwaveringly over the central lands, even Dan Tower has often been outmatched in their repeated clashes. Thus, although numerous powers have suffered persecution at the Huan Pavilion's hands, none have dared to retaliate, only suppressing their grievances. Now, hearing such news, many feel a profound sense of relief and justice. Meanwhile, the newly emerging super-power, the "Tianfu Alliance," is gradually gaining recognition and respect. No one had initially believed in this alliance. After all, the prestige of the Soul Palace was overwhelming, and the attacks the alliance had recently endured only reinforced the belief that it was teetering on the brink. Yet the alliance proved everyone wrong through tangible actions—“Tianfu,” was not afraid of the Soul Palace at all. The destruction of the Ren Palace within the Tian Gao Triad—a feat never achieved even during past conflicts between the Dan Tower and the Soul Palace—had now been accomplished by the alliance. This solidified the understanding that the Tianfu Alliance possessed the true strength to stand equal to the Soul Palace. While the entire Central Plains and the alliance itself were abuzz with excitement following the fall of the Ren Palace, Xiao Yan, after a period of recovery, decided to begin refining and absorbing the soul essence. His current soul realm stood at the late stage of the Tian Realm, surpassing even the elder Yin, though beyond this stage lay one final peak—the Great Completion of the Tian Realm. Only upon entering the Great Perfection realm can one approach infinitely close to the legendary "Emperor's Realm." Even in ancient times, the Emperor-level souls were exceptionally rare—those who achieved this rank typically stood at the pinnacle of their respective eras, such as Huangquan, the Divine Demon Saint. While attaining the Emperor's Realm soul does not guarantee becoming a true Battle Emperor, there is one undeniable truth: when reaching the peak of the Nine-Star Battle Saint level, their soul power will expand their capabilities to the utmost, further amplifying their strength—sometimes even elevating them to the status of a "half-Emperor," much like Huangquan himself! Certainly, advancing to a higher spiritual realm is exceptionally difficult. Across the entire continent, the number of individuals who have reached the peak of the Heavenly Realm is truly scarce. Perhaps only the enigmatic elder of Xiao Dan Tower, who lives a life of leisure and grace, counts among them. The chieftains of ancient clans such as the Soul Clan might also qualify, but no matter how one estimates, the total number remains remarkably small. Xiao Yan gazed intently at the soul light orb, exhaled softly, then extended his palm to gently touch the orb. With this contact, he could feel the vast essence of soul energy swirling within the orb—so warm and soothing that it radiated a deep comfort to the soul at the center of his brow. As for this situation, Xiao Yan wasn't at all troubled—after all, he had anticipated it. Now a Supreme Battle Saint, he no longer possessed the strength he once had. At this level, even ordinary hetero-flames could no longer capture his attention. The flame emerged and floated beneath the soul orb, instantly transforming into a roaring blaze that completely enveloped the soul orb. Though the soul essence itself was remarkably pure, being something obtained from the Huan Palace, it was always wise to handle it with care. As the high temperature gradually seeped in, the soul orb began to simmer subtly, and faint streaks of dark vapor rose from within, only to vanish into nothingness. Noticing these dark vapors, Xiao Yan slightly raised an eyebrow. He sensed faint traces of intent within them—clearly infused by Huan Palace masters. Should these be absorbed into his soul, they would undoubtedly pose a significant risk.