Chapter 207: The Rising Storm

Ahead of him, numerous incredibly sturdy invisible barriers were effortlessly shattered. After breaking through these barriers, the flaming dragon transformed into pure surging Dou Qi, merging into Yun Yi's body. 

In the void, Yun Yi sat cross-legged within the pitch-black flames, eyes tightly closed and face solemn. With the elevation of his power, faint ripples of energy started to rise, gradually converging above the plains, creating a scene akin to the tides of heaven and earth. 

To trigger such tides of energy with one's own Dou Qi indicated a level of power that only a handful in this world could achieve. 

Although Yun Yi's current strength couldn't match the overwhelming presence of Gu Yuan or Hun Tiandi, the tides of energy he caused were considerably weaker by comparison. Nevertheless, reaching this stage with his present strength was quite the accomplishment. 

He had broken through to the early stage of a six-star Dou Saint by leveraging the endless bloodline resources of the three clans. 

The commotion caused by Yun Yi naturally attracted the attention of the experts from the Hun Clan. Seeing the small tides of energy converging in the sky, they couldn't help but feel slightly moved. 

"Young Master Yun Yi is indeed a genius. When he first came to our Hun Clan, he was merely a Dou Wang, albeit one who defeated a Dou Huang across ranks. However, it was considered a minor skirmish back then."

"Who would have thought that in a blink of an eye, he would advance to Dou Saint, and even after becoming a Dou Saint, he relentlessly progressed to six-star Dou Saint. Such speed is terrifying. He might very well surpass Venerable Void and even our clan leader in the future."

"It truly is divine favor upon our Hun Clan."

Only after advancing to Dou Saint could one comprehend how astonishing Yun Yi's growth speed was. Regardless of the resources the clan provided, even with the same resources, they couldn't confidently say they could achieve Yun Yi's accomplishments. 

Thus, during their discussions, admiration for Yun Yi's talent was omnipresent. Looking at Yun Yi in the sky, their eyes filled with respect. Yun Yi's current achievements left ordinary individuals far behind, compelling admiration. 

The surging tides of energy lasted for a full ten days before gradually weakening, and even then, it took another two days for the tides to completely disperse. 

"Swish!" 

As the energy tides dissipated, a black flame pillar suddenly shot skyward, appearing as if it penetrated the heavens and the earth from a distance, extremely spectacular. 

As the black flame pillar ascended, a figure slowly rose from within, stepping into the void, and gently descended to the ground. 

As his foot touched down, the flame pillar rapidly dimmed and eventually vanished into the earth. 

Yun Yi lifted his head, gazing at the dissipated energy tides in the sky. His expression was tranquil, calm as the breeze, though his pitch-black eyes occasionally gleamed with various hues, which then settled into an abyssal black, exuding a unique sense of oppression. 

"Six-star Dou Saint..." 

Sensing his internal state, Yun Yi showed neither joy nor sorrow. His heart remained unperturbed, as if the massive leap in strength wasn't his own. 

At this level, he already belonged to the upper echelon within the Hun Clan and the Gu Clan. In slightly weaker clans such as the Yan Clan or the Lei Clan, he ranked among the top five. 

Of course, if it came to actual combat, Yun Yi was confident that even the likes of the Four Demon Saints of the Hun Clan and the Three Immortals of the Gu Clan were no match for him. 

He was even confident in matching up to the Black Nether King. 

"Void, it seems your judgment was excellent back then!" 

On a mountain peak, a figure stood with his hands behind him, gazing at the breakthrough Yun Yi. He wore a faint smile. Dressed in white, he stood out in the shadowy, foreboding space. However, no one questioned this singularity. The renowned Hun Clan experts behind him looked at him with fanatical respect. 

To call Void Swallow Flame in such a manner, and garner such treatment from the Hun Clan experts, this person could only be the leader of the Hun Clan, Hun Tiandi. 

"Ha-ha…" 

Beside Hun Tiandi, Void Swallow Flame, clad in black robes, couldn't help but laugh aloud. His gaze fell upon Yun Yi as he said, "Your support played a significant role too. Without it, he wouldn't have his current strength." 

Hun Tiandi smiled noncommittally, turning his gaze to the distance. The indifference in his eyes suddenly burned with excitement as he said, "Word from the Gu Clan says Xiao Yan has recently emerged. It's time to gather the eight pieces of ancient jade." 

"Has he finally emerged?" Void Swallow Flame licked his lips, then his tone shifted to jest as he said, "But it seems you'll have to wait a little longer." 

"Why?" Suddenly, Hun Tiandi burst out with a terrifyingly cold aura. At this moment, he felt his millennia-old ambition was within reach. 

But now, Void Swallow Flame was telling him to wait longer, which instantly ignited a terrifying killing intent within Hun Tiandi. 

Even if it was Void Swallow Flame standing in his way to becoming emperor, he would not spare him. 

Sensing Hun Tiandi's change, Void Swallow Flame's heart tightened, but he maintained his calm exterior, explaining unhurriedly, "The old fellows of the Hun Sheng Tian used considerable energy to deal with the Yan Clan last time. They haven't fully recovered yet. It will take at least a month for them to gather enough strength to set up the Realm of Death." 

Upon hearing Void Swallow Flame's explanation, Hun Tiandi's expression instantly changed, the killing intent in his eyes vanishing entirely. With a smile as if bathed in spring breeze, he said, "So that's it. A month I can wait." 

Void Swallow Flame nodded, though he couldn't help a cold shiver inwardly. It was evident Hun Tiandi could barely contain his desire to become emperor. He himself should plan an escape route. 

With this in mind, Void Swallow Flame gazed at Yun Yi in the distance, his eyes flickering with uncertainty. 

"Also, the soul origins from the three clans' descendants are almost completely refined. This should be enough to compensate for the thousand-year deficit of the Soul Hall. Void," Hun Tiandi looked at Void Swallow Flame and smiled, "You can finally reach the soul emperor state." 

"With this one-month gap, I can further boost my strength, increasing our chances of success."

"Ha-ha."

Years of soul essence refining by the Soul Hall had forcibly elevated his level, though the cost was tremendous. Given Void Swallow Flame's high standing within the Hun Clan, no one could question the privilege he enjoyed. 

"Boom—"

Suddenly, a rift appeared in a distant hall. The next moment, light clusters continuously floated out from within. 

These light clusters, transparent and colorless, radiated pure energy capable of alarming anyone. These were the soul origins the Hun Clan had collected over a millennium! 

A single cluster could forge a powerful expert at the peak of the Heavenly Realm soul status, and there were at least a hundred of these clusters here. 

"Jie jie."

Eyeing the soul origins in the sky, Void Swallow Flame grinned. Boundless black flames surged from his body, drawing in all the light clusters. 

Once these soul origins touched the black flames, they were instantly devoured. As more soul origins were forcibly absorbed by Void Swallow Flame, a terrifying soul wave gradually spread from within the dark figure. 

"Roar!"

This wave grew more intense, eventually becoming almost tangible, distorting space. A low roar emanated from Void Swallow Flame, as he suddenly stood up, releasing a soul wave that erupted like a volcano. 

"Congratulations, Venerable Void, on achieving the soul emperor state!"

Feeling the overwhelming soul pressure, countless dark figures below immediately kowtowed, their reverent voices resounding through the space, making the ground tremble slightly. 

Yun Yi among the crowd gazed at the high-altitude Void Swallow Flame with a deep, contemplative look. 

In the main hall of the Falling Star Pavilion, Yao Chen, Xiao Yan, and others were seated, listening quietly as Yao Chen and Venerable Feng narrated the events of the past two years. 

"Hun Clan." Even though Xiao Yan had heard of the Hun Clan's movements within the Gu Clan, upon hearing it again, he felt a heavy pressure. 

"Since we're going to war with the Hun Clan, even with the Three Clans Alliance, you, as a holder of an ancient jade, must have your voice among the three clans. Regarding the alliance with the Pill Tower you mentioned," 

"It's feasible," Yao Chen nodded in agreement with Xiao Yan's idea after some thought. 

"The Soul Hall has committed countless atrocities over the years to collect souls. With the three clans at the forefront, the Pill Tower won't refuse a full-scale war," Xiao Yan said with a smile. 

"Besides the Pill Tower, the Flower Sect and Burning Flame Valley are also good allies. They hold high prestige in Central Plains. If they join the alliance, it will likely attract other sects persecuted by the Soul Hall. These forces combined are formidable," Yao Chen added after some contemplation.

"Teacher, I will leave this matter to you," said Xiao Yan, his tone respectful and slightly teasing.

"You brat," Yao Chen said with a rare scowl. Usually, he didn't bring up his past, but it was somewhat known to Xiao Yan.

"Hehe," Xiao Yan chuckled, instinctively covering his head, but relaxed seeing no action from Yao Chen, and grinned sheepishly.

Yao Chen smiled: "I have some connections with the Flower Sect. It shouldn't be hard to resolve. There's also an old ancestor in Burning Flame Valley who suffered severe injuries in his youth, leaving lasting effects. If we can solve this, convincing him to join the alliance won't be difficult."

Xiao Yan nodded slowly, excitement flickering in his eyes. The stronger their alliance, the better their chances against the Hun Clan. He felt a rush of enthusiasm, eager to say, "We should set out immediately!"

"Wait, I remembered someone we need to consider before going to the Pill Tower," Yao Chen interjected, stopping Xiao Yan, his tone serious.

"Who?" Xiao Yan asked curiously, suppressing his excitement.

"Jiang Yun," Yao Chen replied slowly, naming someone both familiar and unfamiliar to them.

"Him!" Xiao Yan murmured, recalling the once-dominant genius who had vanished for years. What was his current situation and strength?

However, feeling the powerful energy within him, Xiao Yan felt confident. He believed in his strength.

"The Pill Tower hasn't heard from him in years, but their elders affirm he's still alive. Given his talent, he must have achieved significant power by now and has considerable influence in the Pill Tower. His stance is crucial," Yao Chen explained further.

"Master, I am confident in my abilities!" Xiao Yan's calm, steady voice was filled with strong confidence.

Yao Chen was momentarily stunned, then smiled with deep satisfaction. To have such a student was a blessing.

At the top level of the Pill Tower, the three leaders gathered, and Xuan Kongzi looked at the letter in his hand, turning to Xuan Yi and Tian Leizi, saying, "Yao Chen proposes an alliance with the three great clans against the Hun Clan."

"An alliance…This is quite the endeavor. You know how stubborn some of the elders can be," Tian Leizi said, frowning after hearing Xuan Kongzi.

"They're just stubborn. With the three clans allied, the Hun Clan is doomed. This is our chance for revenge for the alchemists who've died over the years. If we miss it, what face do we have to call ourselves the sacred land of alchemists?" Xuan Yi retorted contemptuously.

"In such a high-level war, even Dou Saints would barely survive. This matter is significant; we should consult the ancestor," Xuan Kongzi suggested seriously after exchanging a look with Tian Leizi.

"What's so crucial it requires the ancestor?" (End of the chapter)