126: Chapter 126 The Queen Plays Herself Perfectly! Emperor Yun Tian Breaks Through to Dou Zong Not Yet Halfway

"You must speak clearly, what uncomfortable aura?" Yun Yun asked, her expression turning stern, tinged with nervousness.

"It is the Hall of Souls." Cai Li raised her hand, conjuring a longbow of red energy. She nocked a red arrow, aiming at the mountain peak in front of them. The terrifying gathering of Dou Qi caused the space to ripple.

"Wait..."

Yun Yun tried to interject, but Cai Li released her fingers, and the red arrow flew off.

Space tore open; the arrow vanished into the rift and reappeared before the peak in the blink of an eye.

Crack!

A powerful surge of Dou Qi suddenly manifested, forming a barrier that blocked the arrow's advance.

Boom!

The collision of immense power shattered the space, creating a fissure.

Following this, an elder appeared. He wore simple white robes, his silver hair flowing in the wind. Though he was an elder, his face was like a glowing, warm jade. With his hands behind his back, walking upon the void, he exuded an ethereal and elegant aura.

It was none other than Yun Yun's teacher, the previous Sect Master of Yunlan Sect, Yun Shan.

"Queen Cai Li?"

"I never expected you to step into the Dou Zong realm before me."

His gaze swept over Cai Li, then Yun Shan turned to look at Yun Yun, speaking with irritation: "Yun'er, it has been many years. Even if you have grievances about me, your teacher, being a hands-off master, you shouldn't bring Queen Medusa to the back mountain and have her attack me."

The Cloud Mist Sect had a poor relationship with the Myriad Scorpion Gate, but there was no major conflict with the Snake-People Clan, at most some skirmishes when the Jia Ma Empire and the Snake-People Clan were at war.

"Teacher, you've come out of seclusion!" Yun Yun revealed a surprised expression.

Yun Shan's tone made her feel slightly better; it seemed the influence left by the Soul Hall Protector was not yet severe.

Subsequently, she immediately lodged a complaint: "Disciple found a shape-transforming grass, but encountered Queen Medusa while trying to obtain it. After a great battle, I was no match for her, and she sealed my cultivation, making me her personal maid."

"For some reason, she provides protection to the Xiao Family of Wutan City, so I could only live in the Xiao Family. I got to know the young master of the Xiao Family, Xiao Ting. He said that as long as I protect him for a period of time, he will ask Queen Medusa to let me go."

"That Xiao Ting has been admitted to Jia Nan Academy and wants to take me with him. He gave me time to return to the sect to handle miscellaneous matters, so I wanted to tell you before I left."

Having learned the full story, Yun Shan's displeasure dissipated. He turned to Cai Li: "Queen Medusa, since this Sect Master has awakened, I naturally cannot let you take Yun'er away. You should leave now; this Sect Master will pretend you never came to the Cloud Mist Sect."

"Heh." Medusa crossed her arms, her expression disdainful: "Yun Shan, you old fellow certainly know how to put on airs. Your current cultivation is still at Peak Dou Huang, though your body has completed partial transformation, counting as a half-step Dou Zong. You are no match for this Queen."

"If you were to fight me, I fear you would be stuck at this level for the rest of your life."

"Medusa, don't forget where you are." Yun Shan's expression remained unchanged, speaking calmly: "In the Cloud Mist Sect, I can mobilize the power of the entire sect and receive the enhancement of the formation."

"Back when I was an eight-star Dou Huang, I could use the formation to contend with an two-star Dou Zong like Xie Bi Yan."

"If I go all out today, it is not impossible to keep you here!"

"Keep me here?" Medusa sneered: "If I want to leave, you absolutely cannot stop me. And if you really go all out as you say, I fear that energy within your soul will completely erupt, and even a Dou Di would be unable to save you then."

Hearing this, Yun Shan's expression did not change, and he asked: "What do you mean by that?"

"Why should I tell you?" Medusa kept a cold face, her queenly demeanor fully displayed.

"If you refuse to say, this Sect Master can make you have to say it." Yun Shan raised a hand, sword intent roiling.

"Hah." Medusa sneered, drawing a long sword, using her actions to show her stance.

This instead made Yun Shan hesitant; the alien energy in his soul that Medusa spoke of made him feel as if needles were pricking his back.

[Yun Yun]: Sister Medusa, your acting is truly good.

[Medusa]: No acting, just an authentic performance. Your teacher is asking for a beating.

[Yun Yun]: *Cough cough*, but is it okay to point out the problem in his soul directly? Aren't we not allowed to reveal information from the Diary?

[Cai Li]: Do you see anything happening to me? My current main body is the Seven-Colored Sky Swallowing Python, known to possess heaven-reaching power. Although I am not that strong yet, I have gained some new abilities. I can indeed feel that there is something wrong with your teacher's soul.

[Yun Yun]: Damn Hall of Souls, we will never rest until one of us is dead.

Only at this moment did Yun Yun realize that Cai Li really was performing authentically the whole time.

"Teacher!" Yun Yun said urgently: "Don't attack yet, let me negotiate with Queen Medusa."

As she spoke, she looked at Queen Medusa: "Your Majesty, I can keep my promise and go back with you. Can you please tell me what is wrong with my teacher's soul?"

"Ridiculous." Medusa lifted her chin slightly, her tone disdainful: "You coming back with me is something you were already supposed to do. Why are you trying to use it to trade with me now?"

Yun Yun: "..."

There was no need to perform *that* authentically.

"Medusa!" Yun Shan felt unhappy, his anger surging.

But immediately after, he faintly sensed something was wrong.

"Your Majesty, I can agree to some of your reasonable requests, is that okay?" Yun Yun raised her hand: "I swear by my identity as the Sect Master of Cloud Mist Sect and by my sword intent."

"That counts as having some sincerity." Medusa hummed lightly and spoke indifferently: "My perception of souls is extremely sharp right now. Your teacher, Yun Shan, has a special mark within his soul."

"This mark cannot be sensed under normal circumstances, nor will it harm your teacher, but it will subtly influence his temperament, making him cold, irritable, and causing negative emotions to accumulate."

"If someone guides him during such times, I fear he will become a man of great ambition, with a mind filled only with slaughter."

"Not only that, the person who left this mark can directly influence Yun Shan's soul through a certain secret technique."

"This teacher of yours, aside from his skin and memories, will soon no longer be the teacher you used to know."

"His life will also be in the hands of others."

Hearing this, both Yun Shan and Yun Yun's expressions changed drastically.

Yun Shan was no fool; he naturally knew that there were no free lunches in this world, and a delicious candy might be wrapped in poison.

But he had been in seclusion for many years, just one step away from Dou Zong, yet his lifespan was reaching its end. He was very unwilling to give up.

So when Protector Wu of the Hall of Souls approached him and proposed cooperation, he hesitated repeatedly before choosing to agree.

Agreeing to help Protector Wu, in his view, was a transaction; the slight risk was nothing in the face of the temptation of breaking through to Dou Zong.

But now that Medusa had pointed out what he would face, his thoughts changed quietly.

If his personality and character changed, would he still be himself?

No wonder recently, some thoughts would pop up from time to time; he felt as if he didn't know himself.

But because his strength was increasing, he kept hypnotizing himself that everything was normal, and that it was his strength changing his mindset.

But even if he was still himself, if his life was held in the hands of Protector Wu, what was the point?

"That's right, Yun Shan is now just a dog whose personality is being remodeled, whose life can be taken at any time, and who will definitely have his life taken in the end." Medusa used the most direct words to reveal the vicious truth.

Yun Yun's expression became very ugly, and she asked: "Teacher, what is going on with you? Were you plotted against?"

"Yes." Yun Shan's face was very ugly, and he nodded slightly: "A Protector from the Hall of Souls, when your teacher..."

"Hall of Souls!?" Hearing Yun Shan's words, Yun Yun rudely interrupted: "Teacher, are you going to be a traitor to the sect?"

Yun Shan: ???