Fighting: Practice makes it real, start with a poisonous body.

Gu Yuan's roar was like thunder, echoing fiercely among the blood-red array surrounding the Soul Realm. The sound waves struck the blood-red light curtain, creating ripples, as if trying to penetrate the indestructible array and reach the core of the Soul Realm.

This angry shout caused a dangerous glint to flash in Hun Miesheng's eyes, his dark pupils revealing a murderous intent.

Hun Miesheng swung the token fiercely, intending to control the power of the great formation to deliver a final blow to Gu Yuan. However, just as his fingertips surged with holy power and he was about to unleash the blood-red ghost blade, soft white light suddenly flashed from his chest.

Hun Miesheng narrowed his eyes and quickly took out a Soul-Guiding Jade from his bosom.

After examining the soul information within, Hun Miesheng's murderous intent vanished abruptly. He let out a cold snort, and the blood-red token in his hand dimmed.

As the power of the token faded, the terrifying array that had enveloped the Heavenly Soul Mountain Range also gradually dissipated. The blood-red longsword hanging above Gu Yuan's head, having lost its energy support, turned into specks of bloody light and vanished without a trace.

Gu Yuan's tense body suddenly relaxed. His back was already soaked with cold sweat. He was panting heavily, his chest heaving violently.

Just now, he had already sensed the approach of death. If Hun Miesheng had stopped even a moment later, he probably would have really perished here.

Now that the crisis was over, he felt no relief, but rather a strong sense of humiliation.

He was once the patriarch of an ancient clan, a nine-star Dou Sheng powerhouse, how glorious he was! Now, he has to eke out a living in the hands of a junior!
Before Gu Yuan could calm down, Hun Miesheng once again infused the blood-red token with holy power.

Runes flickered on the token, and the crimson array responded by tearing open a gap about ten feet wide in the light screen, revealing a dark and inky soul realm inside, where a cold wind howled and deathly energy filled the air.

"Clan Chief Gu Yuan, please."

Hun Miesheng's voice was icy cold. He stepped aside to make way and gestured for him to enter, but his manner was more like that of someone treating a prisoner.

"Humph!"

Gu Yuan glanced at him coldly, then, despite his damaged body, he stepped into the blood-red gap, his figure instantly swallowed by the darkness of the Soul Realm.

…………

The Soul Realm is completely different from the outside world.

The sky was eternally black, devoid of sun, moon, and stars, with only faint, eerie green will-o'-the-wisps floating in mid-air, emitting a dim glow.

Above ground were black rocks covered with jagged cracks, from which black mist rose from time to time, carrying a bone-chilling cold and a dense aura of death.

A faint smell of blood and decay filled the air, making one feel nauseous when inhaled.

This scene was quite unusual, even among the imperial family.

Gu Yuan activated the remaining holy power within his body, transforming into a golden streak of light, and traversed the dark complex of buildings without any guidance.

He had been to the Soul Realm before. A thousand years ago, when he betrayed Xiao Xuan, he discussed with the Soul Emperor in the Soul Realm how to betray Xiao Xuan.

The layout of the Soul Realm is almost unchanged from a thousand years ago; those towering black palaces still exude a sinister and terrifying aura.

But now, the bustling crowds of yesteryear are gone, replaced by a deathly silence.

His destination was the dark hall in the center of the Soul Realm, the Soul Hall.

That's right, it's the Soul Palace, and the name of the Soul Clan's affiliated forces outside the region comes from this.

The Soul Palace at the center of the Soul Clan is the core of the Soul Clan's power and the residence of the Soul Emperor.

Half an hour later, Gu Yuan's figure stopped in front of a magnificent palace.

The palace was entirely cast from black soul jade, standing a thousand feet tall. Its roof was carved with countless ferocious soul beast patterns, so lifelike that they seemed ready to pounce at any moment.

The palace gates were tightly shut, covered with complex blood-red runes that exuded a terrifying pressure, originating from the same source as the protective array outside the Soul Realm.

"arrive."

Gu Yuan gazed at the tightly closed door, then strode towards the main hall.

The moment his palm touched the door, the crimson runes on the door flashed, and then automatically parted to the sides, revealing a pitch-black passage.

On both sides of the passage, rows of eerie green will-o'-the-wisps burned, illuminating the passage and making the atmosphere even more sinister and eerie.

Gu Yuan stepped into the passage and slowly walked forward.

Soon, he reached the end of the passage, where a bright and open space opened up before him.

A colossal hall appeared before him, its interior vast and towering a hundred feet high. Countless black chains hung from its ceiling, wisps of black energy coiling around them. Within the hall, will-o'-the-wisps flickered, their eerie green light illuminating half the space, while the other half remained shrouded in endless darkness. Gu Yuan's gaze swept across the hall, his expression somewhat dazed.

A thousand years ago, he had also come here. The main hall then was exactly the same as it is now. The will-o'-the-wisps were still that eerie green, the chains were still that cold, and even the atmosphere in the air had not changed at all.

“It really hasn’t changed at all…” Gu Yuan said softly, his tone tinged with a hint of melancholy.

Gu Yuan looked somewhat dazed.

The Dou Qi Continent is undergoing a great upheaval, with many changes taking place. Ancient imperial clans like theirs and the Soul Clan are still clinging to their old ways. Will they remain unchanged and stand firm through the ages, or will they stubbornly cling to the past and remain stagnant...?

For a moment, he was a little confused.

"Gu Yuan, it's rare to see you looking so lost and dejected."

Just as Gu Yuan was lost in thought, a mocking voice rang out from the depths of the dark hall.

Gu Yuan suddenly came to his senses and looked in the direction of the sound.

At the far end of the hall stood a colossal, blood-red throne. The throne was constructed from countless skulls, inlaid with black soul beads that emitted an eerie glow.

The Soul Emperor, dressed in a long black robe, sat on his throne, his face as pale as paper, devoid of any color.

Behind the Soul Emperor stood a figure, none other than Soul Elder Soul Xuzi of the Soul Clan.

Hun Xuzi wore a gray robe, had a delicate face, and always had a faint smile on his lips, making it impossible for people to see through his thoughts.

He clutched a yellowed pill formula tightly in his hand, his gaze occasionally falling on the Soul Emperor with a hint of doubt.

The Soul Emperor's gaze fell on Gu Yuan, scrutinizing him from head to toe, a hint of undisguised mockery and ridicule flashing in his eyes.

The gaze, almost tangible, swept over Gu Yuan, lingering particularly long on his empty left sleeve and right leg.

"It seems you've had a rough time lately," the Soul Emperor said slowly, his tone full of schadenfreude.

Gu Yuan's expression instantly turned cold.

Even if the Soul Clan activated its protective formation, given their intelligence network, it's impossible for the Soul Emperor to be completely unaware of what's happening on the continent.

The Soul Emperor must already be aware of his current predicament. He's only saying this to make fun of him.

"You're probably not much better off."

Gu Yuan snorted coldly, his gaze falling on the pale face of the Soul Emperor, with a hint of vengeful pleasure.

"The sword intent of the Sword Emperor is not so easy to withstand."

Upon hearing the words "Sword Emperor," the Soul Emperor's expression changed slightly, and he coughed lightly, a trace of blood spilling from the corner of his mouth.

He wiped away the blood with a handkerchief, his expression growing even paler. This made Hun Xuzi behind him frown, step forward, and whisper, "Clan leader, take care of yourself."

The Soul Emperor waved his hand, signaling Soul Void Child to step back. He slowly spoke, his tone carrying a hint of lingering fear and regret: "Yes, the Sword Emperor's power is indeed formidable."

Back in the Ancient Realm, when we joined forces, we thought that with the combined strength of two Dou Di, we would be able to take down Xiao Jibai. But we never expected that the Sword Emperor would be so terrifying...

That morning light sword intent was terrifying beyond compare. Even though I was only hit by the aftershock, I was severely injured, and my meridians were badly damaged. It will take at least a thousand years to fully recover.”

The Soul Emperor shook his head.

Even now, he somewhat regrets provoking Xiao Jibai.

But even if history were to repeat itself, he would probably make the same choice, because that would be the best time to act.

However, who could have imagined that the Sword Emperor's power would be so terrifying? The foundations of two Dou Di were easily shattered by the Sword Emperor's single strike, even destroying the ancient realm and breaking the world plane...

The power of the Sword Emperor is probably unmatched by ordinary Dou Di!
"Gu Yuan, what brings you here today?"

The Soul Emperor turned his gaze back to Gu Yuan.

Gu Yuan cut to the chase, saying coldly, "I need the Soul Clan's method to control resurrected individuals." (End of Chapter)