Central Plains, Central Domain.
Beneath a leisurely sky of drifting clouds and verdant mountains mirrored in crystal lakes, two figures glided silently through the air—one man and one woman. The man's silver hair flowed like silk, his handsome face graced with a faint, carefree smile.
"Teacher, are we really just heading back like this?"
Trailing slightly behind, the stunning young woman hesitated for a long while before finally voicing her thoughts.
These two were none other than Chen Xiaoming and Xiao Xun'er, newly returned from the Gu Realm.
Inside the Gu Realm, everything that needed to be said had been said, and every fight that needed to happen had already played out. With nothing left to hold his interest, Chen Xiaoming had no reason to linger.
Hun Tiandi, the Soul Emperor, had taken a hit from his technique, and whether the man could even survive it was uncertain. As for what the Soul Clan would do next? Chen Xiaoming couldn't care less.
Would the Soul Clan go into hiding under the Hun Tiandi's lead to recuperate? Or had he already been killed by some ambitious upstart looking to take his place?
It made no difference to Chen Xiaoming. He simply had to wait for the next major villain to appear.
After all, Xiao Yan was the protagonist. The Heavenly Dao would never let a protagonist grow too smoothly.
"Silly girl," he chuckled, gently tapping Xiao Xun'er on the forehead. "The Soul Clan's goal is the Ancient Jade. Now that the Soul Emperor has gathered most of the ancient jades, he won't dare make a move before he reaches the level of a Dou God."
She was usually quite sharp. Why was she so dense now?
The strength of the Gu Clan wasn't something Hun Tiandi could underestimate. Without reaching the level of Dou God, launching an assault would be suicidal.
Gu Yuan understood this as well, which was why he wasn't the least bit worried about the safety of the Gu Realm.
Otherwise, he would have insisted that Chen Xiaoming stay behind for tea.
Hearing his explanation, Xiao Xun'er's eyes lit up, a blush blooming across her cheeks. She'd been so focused on whether the Gu Clan was fully prepared, she'd forgotten the sheer power her clan wielded.
Without achieving Dou God, the Soul Cla nmight not even be a match for them!
"Then, Teacher... are we heading back now?" she asked softly.
Knowing Chen Xiaoming well, she had a feeling that skipping the spatial wormhole meant he planned to wander a while longer.
"No rush," he replied casually. "The Star Realm is under the watch of the Violet-Gold Lion King. Let's take this chance to travel, see more of the world."
His bloodline essence had recovered, and the goals he had once set for himself were nearly complete. The Dou Qi Continent, after all, was just a small plane. In the end, Chen Xiaoming felt it wiser to seek refuge in a grander realm.
His words made Xiao Xun'er's body tremble. Hidden in his tone, she sensed something deeper.
"Teacher... are you leaving?"
She asked the question quietly, full of reluctant hesitation. Though she'd always known this day would come, she hadn't expected it to come so soon.
"Let's not talk about that," he replied with a gentle smile. "Come walk with me."
Without waiting for her answer, he shot off toward a distant city.
Xiao Xun'er stood dazed, watching his fading figure. Her eyes misted over—but after a moment, she forced a smile, wiped her face, and took to the sky.
"Teacher, wait for me!"
...
Soul Realm – Cliffside.
"Damn it! Why won't it dissipate?!"
By the cliff's edge, the Soul Emperor suddenly opened his eyes, fury blazing within as he roared in frustration.
Looking down, his gaze fixed on the wound at his abdomen—still relentlessly devouring his vitality. A silver radiance flickered ominously, resisting all his efforts to refine or purge it.
That silvery light seemed almost rooted in his very bloodline, slowly and inexorably devouring his life force.
"Damn it… cough, cough…"
Cursing again, his wound flared up, surging blood and energy throughout his body, forcing a trail of crimson to leak from the corners of his mouth.
"I can't delay any longer."
His eyes hardened with resolve. If he didn't neutralize this wound soon, it would consume him alive.
Closing his eyes, the Soul Emperor summoned black mist from within. Beneath him, a crimson formation lit up, spinning as strands of red light surged toward his wound.
The red light infused the injury with vigorous life force, steadily contending with the invasive silver glow. In just a few breaths, the silver's intensity seemed to weaken.
"It's working!"
Hope flickered in his eyes as he drove the formation harder. More blood vitality surged out, wearing away at the silver light's power.
Simultaneously, he drew on the black mist within, guiding it toward the wound. The restorative effects of the recovery pills he had ingested earlier began to stir, initiating gradual healing from the wound's periphery.
Three hours passed.
When he finally opened his eyes again, they were heavy with exhaustion.
Though the wound had closed a little, the rate of vitality loss had actually increased. The method worked, yes—but he didn't have the time to continue.
"Hm?"
Just as he was fretting inwardly, his brow furrowed. His gaze turned toward the opposite end of the formation—where a silhouette cloaked in black flame slowly approached.
"Well, well… even you got hurt? Who in the world could've done that to you?"
The Void Swallowing Flame had absorbed several of its own sub-bodies and recovered its strength quite swiftly.
Even the powerful Violet-Gold Divine Light could be slowly consumed by it, albeit with difficulty.
Unlike the Soul Emperor, who was utterly helpless before the silver light's corrosive power.
"My business doesn't concern you," the Soul Emperor replied coldly, not letting down his guard. He trusted no one—not even himself—so how could he trust Void Swallowing Flame?
"Heh. Let me take a look. Maybe I can help."
The Flame smiled, extending a hand etched with black runes. In a flash, it darted toward the Soul Emperor.
"Hmph!"
With a snort, the Soul Emperor channeled his Dou Qi into the ground, and in an instant, a streak of crimson light shot up to meet the encroaching hand.
Boom.
Their powers clashed—the rune-covered palm meeting the crimson flare—and energy burst outward in a violent wave.
Void Swallowing Flame retreated a few steps, landing not far off with a light chuckle, his eyes gleaming with intrigue.
"Tsk tsk… you really are heavily injured."
He marveled inwardly, eyes gleaming.
He, too, was wounded—but far less severely. His earlier probe had confirmed that the Soul Emperor's power had declined drastically.
If he devoured him now, not only would his injuries heal, he might ascend to his peak form once more.
A greedy glint flickered in his gaze. To him, the Soul Heaven Emperor now looked no different than a lamb ready for slaughter.
With a smile slowly spreading across his face, the Void Swallowing Flame advanced step by step, drawing ever closer.
"Ha… Who would've thought, Hun Tiandi, you of all people, would end up like this."
-------
Want to read ahead of schedule? Head over to my Patreon ——— patreon(.)com/igotneonlight [remove the parenthesis ( )]