130: On the Eve of the Storm, the Emperor's Hunting Net

Deep within the Yun Shen Mountain Range, a secluded valley lay silent. Xiao Chen sat cross-legged by a cold pond, a fragment of the heaven burning furnace hovering before him. Inside the furnace, a faint golden flame intertwined with Power of Starlight, enveloping a constantly shifting, crystal-clear liquid—the pill embryo of the sheng sheng zao hua pill.

His Heavenly Realm Soul Power, like the most precise carving knife, guided every subtle change in the flame, carefully fusing pure Dou Qi and wisps of star origin into the pill embryo.

Refining a ninth-grade medicinal pill was, for Xiao Chen, merely an eighth-grade Alchemist, a pipe dream. But at this moment, relying on the meticulous control of his Heavenly Realm Soul, the absolute dominance of the heaven burning furnace over the flames, and the pure energy provided by the star origin imprint, he had managed to stabilize the process.

The pill embryo slowly rotated in the flames, the life-generating fortune it contained growing increasingly vast. Mysterious pill patterns began to emerge on its surface, emitting an intoxicating, exotic fragrance.

“Condense!”

Xiao Chen let out a low shout, his Soul Power abruptly contracting. The flames of the heaven burning furnace instantly converged, transforming into a concentrated beam of light that fiercely struck the pill embryo!

“Buzz—!”

The pill embryo vibrated violently, radiating brilliant light! Immediately after, all the light receded, and a pill the size of a dragon’s eye, crystal clear throughout, with life seemingly flowing within it, quietly hovered in the furnace. On its surface, nine distinct cloud patterns, as if naturally formed, emanated a vast aura of life and soul fluctuations!

A ninth-grade treasure pill—the sheng sheng zao hua pill, was complete!

Although it was only the lowest grade of ninth-grade medicinal pills, the fortune-generating power it contained was enough to instantly restore a heavily injured, dying Dou Zun powerhouse to more than half his strength, and it could even nourish the soul source, making its value immeasurable!

Xiao Chen let out a long sigh of relief, his face slightly pale from the immense consumption of Soul Power. But his eyes were filled with joy as he carefully placed the pill into a warm jade bottle. With this pill, he had an extra life, giving him more confidence to face future dangers.

He took a few pills to restore his Soul Power, and after a short rest, he began to organize all the gains from his seclusion.

Cultivation: Solidified at the early Two-star Dou Zun stage. The quality of his star furnace Dou Qi was extremely high, and his combat power far surpassed others of the same rank.

Soul: Heavenly Realm Soul early stage solidified. The Star God Contemplation Method had entered the middle stage of the “Starry Sky Realm,” greatly increasing the power of his soul-transformed attacks.

Physique: Initially tempered by Power of Starlight, its strength was comparable to that of a seventh-tier mid-level magical beast, making it difficult for ordinary Earth-tier Dou Techniques to harm him.

Cultivation Techniques and Dou Techniques: The fifth form of the Nine Axes of Heaven Opening, “Void Breaking,” was nearing perfection, and the essence of the sixth form, “Heaven Opening,” was initially grasped; the general principles of the Star Immortal Body were integrated into his combat system, and the prototype of the “Star Immortal Fist” was created; his use of spatial traversal became more proficient.

Trump Cards: star origin imprint (energy reserve, capable of unleashing an attack close to Peak Dou Zun, but with immense consumption), sheng sheng zao hua pill (life-saving), heaven burning furnace (refinement, defense).

Intelligence: Gained a deeper understanding of the Soul Hall’s “Emperor Hunting Plan” and its connections to the ancient Soul Clan and Outer Realm Heavenly Demons.

“My overall strength should be enough to contend with, and even defeat, a late Three-Star Dou Zun. If I use all my trump cards, I even have the power to fight an early Four-Star Dou Zun!” Xiao Chen assessed himself, filled with confidence. In a short time, to go from just entering the Dou Zun realm to possessing such combat power, his progress was remarkably swift.

However, he felt no relaxation in his heart. The Soul Hall’s “Emperor Hunting Plan” was like an invisible net, tightening across the entire Central Plains. The news of him killing five Heavenly Venerables had probably already reached the Soul Hall, and the retaliation that followed would undoubtedly be even more ferocious.

“It’s time to leave here,” Xiao Chen stood up, his gaze piercing through the valley’s natural formation and looking towards the Central Plains. “I must rendezvous with my teachers as soon as possible, understand the latest situation, and prepare for the Soul Hall’s next move.”

With a flick of his sleeve, he erased all traces of his presence in the valley. His figure moved, transforming into a faint, almost invisible streak of light, silently leaving this place of seclusion and fleeing towards the outskirts of the Yun Shen Mountain Range... Just as Xiao Chen emerged from seclusion, the Central Plains was already surging with undercurrents, and a storm was about to break!

Soul Hall Main Temple, Netherworld Blood Pool.

The blood pool churned, and resentful souls shrieked. Soul Destruction Heaven (Five-Star Dou Zun Peak), the Vice Hall Master of the Soul Hall, listened with a grim expression to his subordinate’s report.

“...Five Heavenly Venerables, two dead, three heavily injured, completely wiped out? Useless! A bunch of useless people!” Soul Destruction Heaven roared, his body shaking with death energy, and the blood pool boiled. “That little bastard Xiao Chen, has he grown to such an extent?!”

“Vice Hall Master, please calm your anger,” an old man shrouded in shadows said hoarsely. “According to the survivors, Xiao Chen seems to have mastered an extremely powerful Power of Starlight attribute cultivation technique and a secret soul attack art, which greatly restrains death energy. Furthermore, he can temporarily control a small world, his methods are strange and unpredictable.”

“Power of Starlight attribute? Could it be the inheritance from the Xiao Clan Ancestral Land?” Green light flickered in Soul Destruction Heaven’s eyes. “The Emperor Hunting Plan must not fail! Issue the order: activate the ‘Netherworld Erosion Heaven Array’! Seal all exits of the Yun Shen Mountain Range! Summon the Two Netherworld Elders (two early Five-Star Dou Zun) to come out of seclusion and personally lead the team. We must capture and kill Xiao Chen before he leaves the mountain range! We want him alive, or his soul if he’s dead!”

“Yes!”

Pill Tower Holy Domain, star tower peak.

Xuan Kongzi’s true body, Heavenly Thunder Master, and Mysterious Robe gathered, their expressions solemn.

“The Soul Hall’s actions are growing bolder and bolder. They’ve even deployed the Netherworld Erosion Heaven Array. This is to kill Chen’er at all costs in the Yun Shen Mountain Range!” Heavenly Thunder Master said angrily.

“We cannot stand by and do nothing,” Mysterious Robe’s beautiful eyes were filled with murderous intent. “We must send people to meet Chen’er!”

Xuan Kongzi was silent for a moment, then slowly said, “The Soul Hall’s move is meant to force our hand, so they have an excuse for an all-out war. But Chen’er... must be saved. Heavenly Thunder Master, you secretly go to the Yun Shen Mountain Range to meet him, but remember, unless absolutely necessary, do not directly clash with the Soul Hall. Mysterious Robe, activate the ‘Heavenly Stellar Array’ and be ready to provide support at any time.”

“Alright!”

Heavenly Nether Sect, Nether God Palace.

Ming Yuan (Five-Star Dou Zun), the Sect Master of the Heavenly Nether Sect, looked at the cooperation message from the Soul Hall and a cold smile played on his lips: “Xiao Clan remnant? A bit interesting. Tell the Soul Hall that my Heavenly Nether Sect can act, but we want a share—Xiao Chen’s corpse and half of his inheritance are mine!”

Ice River Valley, Extreme Ice Palace.

Venerable Bing (Peak Four-Star Dou Zun), the Valley Master of Ice River Valley, said indifferently, “Xiao Chen can be killed, but the Pill Tower should not be easily offended. Send a team of Ice Fiend Guards to secretly assist the Soul Hall; there’s no need for a direct confrontation.”

Starfall Pavilion, Stargazing Platform.

Venerable Feng (Four-Star Dou Zun) received a message from Feng Xian, his brows tightly furrowed: “Young friend Xiao is in a dangerous situation. The Soul Hall, Heavenly Nether Sect, and Ice River Valley have joined forces, setting up a net of heaven and earth... Xian’er, take my ‘Starfall Order’ and mobilize the internal dark guards. Act according to the situation, and be sure to help young friend Xiao escape!”

The Flower Sect, Sound Valley, and other forces remained silent, observing in secret. Xiao Chen’s sudden rise and the Soul Hall’s fierce reaction had broken the balance of the entire Central Plains. They needed time to judge the direction of the wind.

Heavenly Secret Pavilion, deep within. A figure shrouded in mist lightly tapped a water mirror. In the water mirror, Xiao Chen’s blurry figure was stealthily moving through the Yun Shen Mountain Range. “A variable... a huge variable. Xiao Clan bloodline, Power of Starlight inheritance... Perhaps, it’s worth investing in...” He muttered softly, and a wisp of light shot from his fingertip, disappearing into the void.

A trap targeting Xiao Chen, led by the Soul Hall, with multiple forces openly and secretly participating, had already been laid out on the outskirts of the Yun Shen Mountain Range! Within the net, killing intent lurked everywhere, and powerhouses abounded!

At this moment, Xiao Chen, who had just emerged from his secluded valley, was unaware of the existence of this net. He was relying on the keen perception of his Heavenly Realm Soul to carefully avoid the natural dangers and powerful magical beasts in the mountain range, heading towards what he remembered as a relatively safe exit.

However, as he approached a dangerous area on the outskirts of the mountain range known as “Ghost Crying Ravine,” a strong sense of dread suddenly surged from the depths of his soul!

“An ambush!” Xiao Chen’s figure abruptly stopped, hiding behind a giant rock. His Heavenly Realm Soul Power spread forward like mercury spilling across the ground.

The entrance to Ghost Crying Ravine appeared as usual, with howling winds and strange, jagged rocks. But under Xiao Chen’s soul perception, he could clearly “see” no less than ten extremely subtle yet powerful auras hidden in the void on both sides of the ravine entrance! The weakest among them was a Peak Two-star Dou Zun, and three of the auras were as profound as an abyss, clearly reaching the Five-Star Dou Zun level! The entire ravine entrance was enveloped by an invisible, massive formation emanating netherworld death energy. The formation’s light screen perfectly blended with the surrounding environment; without a Heavenly Realm Soul, it would be impossible to detect!

“Netherworld Erosion Heaven Array! The Soul Hall actually used such a formation! And three Five-Star Dou Zun?!” Xiao Chen’s face changed drastically, and a tempest raged in his heart! This lineup was simply meant to utterly crush him!

He immediately realized that his act of killing five Heavenly Venerables had completely enraged the Soul Hall, drawing retaliation far beyond what he had imagined! This Ghost Crying Ravine was already a dragon’s den and a tiger’s lair!

“I can’t force my way through!” Xiao Chen instantly made a judgment. Facing three Five-Star Dou Zun and the Netherworld Erosion Heaven Array, forcing his way through would only lead to death!

He held his breath, suppressed his aura to the extreme, and lay dormant like a rock, his mind racing to devise a plan to escape.

“Other exits from the mountain range are probably also sealed. Go back into the depths? The depths are unpredictable and hold more unknown risks... It seems I can only seek survival in danger!” Xiao Chen’s sharp gaze swept over the steep, space-rift-filled cliffs on both sides of Ghost Crying Ravine, and a daring plan gradually formed.

He decided not to go through the ravine entrance, but instead, relying on his Two-star Dou Zun spatial control and familiarity with dangerous environments, to forcibly traverse the most dangerous chaotic spatial flow zone from the cliff face above! Although extremely perilous, it might be his only chance of survival!

Just as he was about to act, a violent energy fluctuation and sounds of battle suddenly came from the distant sky! Faintly, the unique Power of Starlight of the Pill Tower could be seen clashing fiercely with the death energy of the Soul Hall!

“Are my teachers here to meet me?” Xiao Chen’s heart tightened, feeling both touched and worried. If his teachers clashed directly with the Soul Hall, the consequences would be unimaginable!

No more hesitation!

A sharp glint flashed in Xiao Chen’s eyes. His figure, like a ghost, climbed up the steep cliff face. At the same time, he pushed the Star Immortal Body to its limit, his physical body enduring the fragments of space rifts raging around him, and resolutely charged towards that death zone!

The hunt and counter-hunt, the breakout and the interception, were about to unfold in the most tragic clash on the edge of the Yun Shen Mountain Range! And Xiao Chen’s destiny would also usher in a new turning point in this storm!