Only figures in black robes were wantonly hunting the souls of the fallen strong.
"Old thing, I almost fell for your trick!"
Amidst the ruins, the three of Qinghai emerged, carrying a tattered corpse. The broken clothes embroidered with green python patterns made it clear that this was none other than Lord Green Serpent.
The Ten Thousand Snakes Formation, set up by She Qi and the elders and disciples of the Heavenly Snake Mansion, ultimately failed to withstand the fierce assault from Qin Tian and Qiu Long.
When the formation shattered, the Dou Zong, Dou Huang, and Dou Wang of the Heavenly Snake Mansion faced the frenzied slaughter of the two Dou Zuns.
Qin Tian and Qiu Long, following Yun Yi's instructions, swiftly killed the first-tier warriors of the Heavenly Snake Mansion, then joined forces with Qing Hai to besiege Lord Green Serpent.
As for the remaining Dou Huangs and Dou Wangs, they were hunted by the various enforcers of the Soul Palace.
In the fierce battle among the four Dou Zuns, despite Lord Green Serpent's superior strength, his fate was sealed against the three Dou Zuns.
Sure enough, after half a day of persistence, Lord Green Serpent ultimately couldn't escape the three's deadly assault. At this moment, the renowned Lord of Green Serpent in the northwest had lost all signs of life. If not for Yun Yi's request for his corpse, it would likely have been beyond preservation.
"Young Palace Master!"
The three arrived before the war chariot, their eyes showing deep reverence as they looked at the serene young man sitting cross-legged, shrouded in strange flames.
"When you return, each of you will receive a Zun Shi Pill. Just say it's on my order," Yun Yi said, feeling the continuous influx of energy within his body, as he opened his eyes and looked at the three.
As expected, upon hearing Yun Yi's words, the three revealed expressions of ecstatic joy.
Indeed, following the Young Palace Master yields rewards!
The Zun Shi Pill was akin to the Emperor's Extreme Pill and the Dou Ling Pill, specially formulated for Dou Zuns to enhance their strength by one star level without adverse side effects. This was a dream pill for many Dou Zuns, as it could take years, even decades, to advance a single star level without the augmentation of bloodlines after becoming a Dou Zun.
For those who had exhausted their potential, it might be impossible to ever advance again, but the Zun Shi Pill allowed an easy breakthrough.
Of course, the pill had the limitation of being used only once in a lifetime. Nonetheless, it was highly enticing and explained why the infamously notorious Soul Palace could attract so many powerful individuals.
The Soul Palace wasn't entirely composed of members from the Soul Clan; only the Palace Master and Vice Palace Master were from the Soul Clan. The rest were recruited criminals from the outside world.
Without such resources, the Soul Palace couldn't sustain itself even if the souls of the Soul Clan members were numerous.
The allure of powerful resources from the Soul Clan was the main driver behind the enlistment of these formidable outsiders, as the Soul Palace valued results over backgrounds.
As long as someone captured enough souls, they could receive abundant pills like the Zun Shi Pill!
This gave 'ordinary' people a path to power!
"Thank you, Young Palace Master!" The three suppressed their joy and bowed gratefully towards Yun Yi.
Yun Yi nodded. Whether their achievements justified the pills wasn't his concern. With his status, giving out a few pills wouldn't raise any objections in the Soul Palace.
"Young Palace Master, here is the corpse of Lord Green Serpent!" Qing Hai respectfully placed the corpse down. Even with his deep hatred for Lord Green Serpent, he knew to comply with Yun Yi's command.
"Go and finish the clean-up, block any information from leaking, and wait for my orders after I complete my retreat," Yun Yi instructed, closing his eyes again and starting to refine the mixed Dou Qi within him. The three respectfully retreated, discussing in whispers as they went.
"It seems the Young Palace Master has further plans!"
"Naturally, how could a mere Heavenly Snake Mansion withstand the Young Palace Master's might?"
"The northwest continent is ignorant of the terror of our Soul Palace. It's time for them to bask in our glory!"
"Let's hurry and finish the clean-up. We need to leave a good impression on the Young Palace Master. I've heard there are some objections to our actions from Zhongzhou."
"Heh, probably just envy!"
"Indeed, Zhongzhou is complex with forces like the Pill Tower overseeing it. Major actions are impossible there, so eyeing the northwest is understandable."
"Let them be envious. This time, it's our turn in the northwest Soul Palace to feast!"
They turned their gaze toward a square in the city where hundreds of soulless figures stood. Judging by their numbers, there were at least a thousand, all of Dou Ling level strength. These people bore a black flame mark on their foreheads, indicating they had been refined into fire slaves by Yun Yi.
The Soul Palace had many strengths but lacked foundational power. Yun Yi's large-scale refining exercise had supplemented this by allowing enforcers to wield such power as a 'reward.'
The most crucial aspect was that Dou Ling-level cultivators couldn't resist his refinement, making them the best-suited base army, the perfect 'cannon fodder' for the northwest continent.
Glancing at the body of Lord Green Serpent, Yun Yi turned away. The time wasn't ripe yet. He simply wanted to use the body for an experiment.
He had obtained the Sky Monster Puppet long ago but it required numerous alchemy lightning strikes to enhance, and 'he' could not refine pills. Besides, refining it might not follow his pace of advancement.
As a disciple of Void Swallowing Flame, with numerous subordinates at his disposal, a mere puppet wasn't as essential. However, he planned to use it now to bolster the strength of the northwest branch.
He had a special idea which he wanted to try, an idea that had never been executed before. Hence, this could be considered his experiment.
But for now, his priority was enhancing his strength. As a fire spirit body, although his combat power was formidable, his cultivation speed was relatively slower.
This time's event was both the Soul Palace's feast and his own.
Feeling the surging pure energy within, Yun Yi didn't hesitate any longer. He began circulating his techniques, letting the energy spread through his major and minor meridians.
A profound sensation emerged from deep within his cells, spreading to his soul, drawing Yun Yi's entire being into a mystical state.
Entering the Dou Wang level marked one's path as a continental strong warrior. But stepping into Dou Zong meant truly joining the ranks of the continent's elites.
It also initiated comprehensive advancements, greatly extending one's lifespan and enhancing control over the world's energy, potentially even mastering spatial powers.
Once in the breakthrough state, Yun Yi's body seemed like an endless black hole, devouring infinite pure energy.
This tranquil progression continued for a month.
The Heavenly Snake Holy City had become a ghost town, its former glory reduced to historical dust under the Soul Palace's iron reign.
Presently, Yun Yi sat cross-legged in silence, flanked by two alert Amethyst Winged Lion Kings.
"It's been a month. By the Young Palace Master's aura, he's close to breaking through," Qin Tian observed from the sky, speaking to Qiu Long beside him.
"The Young Palace Master is truly a prodigious talent. At his age, I was still a mere Dou Shi," Qiu Long reminisced with a wry smile.
"By the way, it seems the Shi Ming Sect and Zi Yang Sect are noticing something amiss," Qiu Long said, his expression shifting.
"Hmph, Qing Hai has gone to misdirect them. When the Young Palace Master emerges, it will be their time for reckoning!" declared Qin Tian with confidence.
The Shi Ming Sect and Zi Yang Sect were top sects in the northwest, on par with the Heavenly Snake Mansion. Their sudden assault had wiped out the Heavenly Snake Mansion with lightning speed.
Despite thorough secrecy, a month's time had pushed the limits.
"We can't hastily trigger conflicts with their uncertain stances. The northwest's Soul Palace isn't strong enough to dominate the entire region."
"Hm?!"
During their conversation, the Amethyst Winged Lion Kings suddenly retreated with excitement in their eyes, directed towards the unmoving figure of Yun Yi.
The surrounding world suddenly burst into resonant energy, and the energy of the heavens and earth surged towards Yun Yi's body.
As thick black flames erupted from his body, they transformed into a fiery sea, enveloping the boundless power of nature.
"He made it!"
At this sudden development, the two were first startled, then joyfully watched the black-robed figure.
After an indeterminate time, Yun Yi's aura surged dramatically as a powerful presence emanated from him, causing the space around to tremble.
His eyes snapped open, revealing deep, abyss-like black pupils that shone with brilliance.
"Break!"
With a low roar from Yun Yi's heart, immense energy within him explosively clashed against the barrier.
In the next moment, his aura soared skyward like a volcanic eruption, spreading a majestic, overwhelming power.
Yun Yi's eyes gleamed like electricity, his long hair fluttering, his presence seemingly merging with the heavens. The terrifying aura felt as though it could collapse the sky, causing spatial distortions akin to a spider's web.
In a blink, his figure dissolved into an afterimage. In the next moment, he reappeared among the spatial distortions, his hand lightly brushing across them.
Under some mysterious force, the fractured space healed, returning to its intact state as though no damage had occurred.
"Three-Star Dou Zong...not bad."
Clenching his fist, Yun Yi felt the boundless power within, confident it could shatter the void, and murmured serenely.
"To break through straight to Three-Star Dou Zong, the Young Palace Master is indeed a prodigious talent!"
Sensing Yun Yi's strength, Qin Tian and Qiu Long were astonished but quickly regained their composure. Being with such a genius required a strong heart, lest they be driven to despair.
They flew towards Yun Yi, offering congratulations and praise while updating him on current events.
After a brief contemplation, Yun Yi said, "Both of you go assist Elder Qing Hai. I have something to experiment with and will join shortly."
"Yes!"
Exchanging puzzled glances, they didn't question Yun Yi's intentions, understanding the boundaries of inquiry, and respectfully bowed before leaving.
Yun Yi now focused on Lord Green Serpent's corpse, lost in thought. The Devouring Lord, one of the Tianxuan Continent's ancient eight chiefs, had not only great strength but also used the Devouring Sacred Seal to refine powerful puppets.
These puppets, at their peak, could rival those who survived three rounds of reincarnation tribulation, making them the continent's toughest shields.
Possessing flames with devouring power himself, Yun Yi wondered if he could replicate such puppet strength through the Sky Monster Puppet in the Dou Qi continent.
This curiosity led him to ask for Lord Green Serpent's corpse, an experiment to come.
Releasing a wisp of black flame, he began refining the corpse with precise control.
The intense heat turned the body red, expelling black gas - remnant traces of the former owner's weak consciousness, to ensure perfect soul-body fusion.
As refining continued, the body shrunk, becoming sturdier.
Simultaneously, Yun Yi extracted a soul pouch, ignoring the cries within, and burned the contents. Under devouring power, the numerous souls fused into one with terrifying intensity.
As both body and soul neared readiness, Yun Yi flicked his finger, creating holes in the chest and forehead of the corpse.
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