58: The Soul Seal Appears and Undercurrents

The news of Xiao Chen breaking through to Spirit Realm Great Perfection exploded like thunder among the higher echelons of the Pill Tower. Achieving such a leap within a month, his soul talent was far beyond what ordinary people could imagine. Xuan Kongzi and other giants, while shocked, also became more determined to protect and cultivate Xiao Chen. The internal cleansing of the Pill Tower quietly accelerated, and several elders and disciples connected to Elder Mu Gu were quickly brought under control, causing an atmosphere of tension and alarm within the Tower.

After stabilizing his realm, Xiao Chen began to deeply explore the mysteries of the nascent Soul Imprint he had initially condensed. He discovered that the Soul Imprint not only made his soul's origin more stable, as if it had an anchor, but also endowed him with some peculiar abilities.

Firstly, his perception of energy and soul fluctuations became extremely acute. Without needing to deliberately spread his senses, all energy flows within several hundred meters around him, even the most subtle soul transmissions, could not escape his detection. This gave him an extraordinary early warning ability against potential threats.

Secondly, he attempted to attach a trace of the Soul Imprint's power to the medicinal pills he refined. A batch of peak seventh-grade 'Star Soul Pills' he successfully refined not only had far superior efficacy than ordinary pills, but also naturally formed a subtle, almost imperceptible star pattern on their surface, containing a strange effect of calming the mind and nourishing the Soul Imprint. Upon the appearance of these pills, even Xuan Kongzi was moved, stating that Xiao Chen had touched upon the prototype of 'Pill Soul Fusion,' and in due time, he would surely become an eighth-grade alchemist grandmaster.

Most importantly, when he calmed his mind and immersed his consciousness into the Soul Imprint, he could vaguely sense fragments of certain unowned information streams flowing between heaven and earth. Some of these fragments carried an extremely ancient and vicissitudes of life aura, seemingly related to ancient soul inheritances, but the information was fragmented and difficult to decipher. Xiao Chen understood that this was a key to higher realms and exploring ancient secrets, but it required a stronger Soul Imprint and opportunity to unlock it.

On this day, Xiao Chen was contemplating the wonders of the Soul Imprint in his courtyard when Xuan Kongzi and Heavenly Thunder Master arrived together, their expressions solemn with a rare hint of respect.

"Xiao Chen," Xuan Kongzi began, "come with us to a place. A certain senior wants to see you."

Xiao Chen's heart stirred, and he vaguely guessed something. He followed the two giants, passing through the numerous restrictions of the Starfall Pavilion, until they arrived before a seemingly ordinary bronze door. Xuan Kongzi and Heavenly Thunder Master each took out an ancient token and pressed it against the door. The door silently slid open, revealing an ancient space behind it, enveloped in chaotic qi currents, as if it existed independently of the world.

Behind the door was a simple courtyard with a few thatched huts. An elder, dressed in coarse linen, with white hair and beard, was sitting on a stone stool, leisurely sipping tea. There was not the slightest energy fluctuation on the elder's body, as if he were an ordinary mortal, but Xiao Chen's Spirit Realm Great Perfection soul was frantically sending warnings, telling him that the person before him was an unfathomable existence! His soul realm was far above the Heavenly Realm Soul!

"Junior Xiao Chen greets senior." Xiao Chen bowed respectfully, already understanding in his heart that this was the true foundation of the Pill Tower, the Grand Elder of the Minor Pill Tower.

The elder raised his eyes, his gaze gentle, yet it seemed to penetrate to the depths of the soul. "Not bad, Spirit Realm Great Perfection, solid foundation, Soul Imprint already condensed. What's even rarer is that your soul's origin carries a trace of... a variable that doesn't belong to this world." The elder's soft words caused Xiao Chen's heart to tremble violently! The matter of the system was his biggest secret!

Seeing Xiao Chen's expression subtly change, the elder smiled slightly: "No need to panic. The world is vast, and there are countless wonders. I bear no ill will towards you; on the contrary, I am very curious. Can this variable of yours forge a new path for our human race?"

The elder did not delve deeper, instead turning to say: "The matter of the Soul Hall, Xuan Kongzi has already informed me. Mu Gu is merely a pawn; the true mastermind is hidden deeper. You have been targeted by a Soul Hall Heavenly Venerable-level figure. You must be extremely careful when traveling the continent in the future."

"Junior understands," Xiao Chen said in a deep voice.

"Since you have entered my Pill Tower, you are one of its people. I bestow upon you this 'God-Protecting Ancient Jade,' which can block three fatal soul attacks below the Heavenly Realm Soul level. Cultivate diligently and reach the Heavenly Realm as soon as possible, only then will you have the power to protect yourself." The elder flicked his finger, and a warm ancient jade fell into Xiao Chen's hand.

"Thank you, Senior!" Xiao Chen solemnly accepted it. He knew that this was not only a protective talisman but also represented the recognition and protection of the Minor Pill Tower.

Soon after Xiao Chen met the Grand Elder of the Minor Pill Tower, the Pill Tower announced externally: Core Elder Mu Gu, due to colluding with the Soul Hall and harming fellow disciples, with irrefutable evidence, has had his cultivation abolished and is permanently imprisoned in the depths of the Pill Tower's Soul Refining Prison. As soon as this news broke, the Central Plains was shaken! This was the Pill Tower's strongest public counterattack against the Soul Hall in nearly a hundred years!

However, the Soul Hall's retaliation came even faster and more viciously! Just three days after Mu Gu was imprisoned, a Pill Tower herb-gathering team stationed outside, led by three Dou Zuns, was ambushed by mysterious powerful figures in the Ten Thousand Medicine Mountain Range, and the entire team was annihilated, with a strong aura of soul death qi remaining at the scene! At the same time, the Pill Tower's businesses in several major cities were successively suppressed and harassed by unknown forces.

Everyone knew that this was a warning and retaliation from the Soul Hall! And the fuse for all of this pointed directly at Xiao Chen!

Faced with the suddenly tense situation, different voices also emerged within the Pill Tower. Some elders believed that engaging in an all-out war with the Soul Hall for the sake of one Xiao Chen was not worth it. Although these voices did not make much of a splash under the suppression of the Minor Pill Tower, Xiao Chen could clearly feel the invisible pressure.

"Xiao Chen, the Soul Hall's actions are intended to force us to hand you over, or at least marginalize you." Xuan Kongzi found Xiao Chen with a solemn expression. "The Tower's resolution is that we will never compromise with the Soul Hall! But your situation is indeed more dangerous. What are your plans?"

Xiao Chen was silent for a moment, his gaze firm: "Tower Master, continuing to stay in the Pill Tower will only give the Soul Hall an excuse to constantly attack, and it will drag the Pill Tower into a quagmire. I want to temporarily leave the Pill Tower."

"Leave? Where will you go? The Soul Hall will surely have laid a dragnet outside!" Heavenly Thunder Master said anxiously.

"The most dangerous place might also be the safest place." A sharp glint flashed in Xiao Chen's eyes. "I plan to go to the Corpse Burial Mountain Range."

"Corpse Burial Mountain Range?" Xuan Kongzi was startled. "That is an ancient battlefield relic, with chaotic space, rampant fierce beasts, and it is also where an important branch hall of the Soul Hall is located! Wouldn't going there be walking right into a trap?"

"Precisely because of that, the Soul Hall might not expect me to dare to go there," Xiao Chen explained. "Moreover, with my nascent Soul Imprint, I sense that there seems to be an ancient aura fluctuation related to my bloodline in that area, and I might find some opportunities. I will disguise myself and act cautiously."

Xuan Kongzi and Heavenly Thunder Master exchanged glances, seeing worry and a hint of admiration in each other's eyes. This youth not only had astonishing talent, but his temperament and courage far surpassed his peers.

"Alright." Xuan Kongzi sighed, took out a spatial jade slip and a map. "This is a top-tier spatial teleportation talisman, which can help you instantly flee ten thousand li, as well as a detailed map of the Corpse Burial Mountain Range and possible deployment points of the Soul Hall's branch hall. Be careful in all things; the Pill Tower will always be your backing!"

"Thank you, Tower Master!" Xiao Chen took the jade slip and bowed deeply.

That night, Xiao Chen changed his appearance, concealed his aura, and silently left the Pill Tower. His destination pointed directly to that ancient land full of death and opportunity—the Corpse Burial Mountain Range. He did not know that this journey would not only confront the dangers of the Soul Hall but would also uncover a sealed secret of the Xiao Clan and draw him into a massive storm affecting the entire Central Plains.

A new journey, under the shadow of death, officially began.