Chapter 454: Hall of Souls' Actions

Amidst the hushed whispers below, among the group of guest elders, a figure in yellow robes, seemingly in a leading role, hastened forward. He offered a respectful bow and a warm smile in greeting to Xiao Ming.

Although appearing advanced in years, the adage "the accomplished are the teachers" held true. Currently, in every sphere of achievement, Xiao Ming far surpassed what they could fathom. As a result, his words were naturally polite and devoid of any hint of disrespect.

"Elders, there's no need to be overly formal."

Towards his own people, Xiao Ming was naturally kind. He smiled faintly and let his gaze sweep across the city, a trace of admiration flickering in his eyes.

Merely eight months had passed since he left the city, yet the transformation was astonishing. With a multitude of formidable experts stationed here, even if the Hall of Souls attempted another surprise attack, success wouldn't come easily. Based on the discernible auras he sensed, the number of hidden Dou Venerates within Holy Pill City wasn't insignificant.

"So, the Alliance Leader has finally returned."

As Xiao Ming surveyed the city, there was a ripple in the space behind him. Soon after, the figure of an elderly man gradually emerged.

"Old Xuan," Xiao Ming greeted with a respectful bow.

Xuan Kong Zi had taken care of him when he first entered the Pill Tower, so Xiao Ming held him in high regard.

"Greetings, Elder Xuan!"

Upon Xuan Kong Zi's appearance, the nearby guest elders quickly greeted him with respectful voices. Xuan Kong Zi often made appearances due to his administrative duties, making him quite respected and imposing in the eyes of these guest elders.

"As the Alliance Leader, you're hardly performing your duties properly. You're leaving everything to this old man and making me exhausted to no end..."

Xuan Kong Zi wore a helpless expression on his kind face. Although he initially didn't expect Xiao Ming to waste time on these matters, Xiao Ming's efficiency was a bit too remarkable - doing absolutely nothing. He didn't lift a finger for any task!

Waving his hand towards the guest elders and briefly casting a glance over Xiao Ming, Xuan Kong Zi's eyes brimmed with astonishment.

"Your aura seems to have grown stronger. Have you made another breakthrough in your strength?"

Xiao Ming smiled. Given Xuan Kong Zi's previous peak Dou Venerate strength, he naturally couldn't entirely gauge Xiao Ming's power.

Nevertheless, the Heavenly Court was far from idle. Xiao Ming reflected on the methods they'd used to aid Xuan Kong Zi's entry into the Half-Saint realm.

"Yes, I've reached the two-star Dou Saint stage."

Xiao Ming nodded slightly. The stronger he became, the higher the prestige of the Heavenly Court, so there was no need to conceal his strength.

Furthermore, revealing this was a way to account for his absence from the Heavenly Court for such a long time. If he had been wandering around without improving his strength, there might have been some criticism from others within the Heavenly Court. It could be interpreted as negligence of his duties, which, while not impacting him significantly, would damage the Heavenly Court's reputation.

But if he proclaimed he left to enhance his strength and indeed achieved it, people would only praise his hard work and dedication. It would also pique their interest in the Heavenly Court, potentially drawing them to join.

He had subtly conveyed this intention when he had boldly entered the city before.

Hearing his words, the eyes of the guest elders next to him immediately revealed a look of astonishment. He was worthy of being the Alliance Leader who had become famous at a young age and was known to be a genius. This rate of improvement was simply too terrifying.

A touch of surprise also appeared on Xuan Kong Zi's face upon hearing his confirmation.

At the Dou Saint realm, each star was divided into three substages: initial, intermediate, and advanced. Advancing further was exceptionally difficult. Xuan Kong Zi initially assumed Xiao Ming had merely reached the intermediate one-star Dou Saint. He didn't expect Xiao Ming to be so impressive, directly reaching the two-star stage!

Of course, it was only when Xiao Ming made an entire star's worth of breakthrough that Xuan Kong Zi could sense the change.

"Hehe, your breakthrough is definitely a joyful occasion for the Heavenly Court. You should return and celebrate properly. Come, let's go down. There are some matters that I believe you, as the Alliance Leader, need to be informed about," Xuan Kong Zi returned to his usual kind expression after calming himself.

"Hm," Xiao Ming nodded and followed behind Xuan Kong Zi.

...

The headquarters of the Pill Tower also served as the current headquarters of the Heavenly Court.

On the top floor of the tower, Xiao Ming and Xuan Kong Zi took their respective seats.

After taking a sip of tea, Xiao Ming was the first to speak.

"During my absence, I encountered a four-star Dou Saint from the Hall of Souls at the Wind and Snow Sacred Temple. Originally, aside from Hun Mie Sheng, the Hall of Souls didn't have Dou Saints of such a high level. It's possible that the Hun Clan sent reinforcements to the Hall of Souls. Has the Heavenly Court experienced any attacks from the Hall of Souls?"

"The Nine-Tailed Fox Saint has already discussed this matter with me. Honestly, being able to bring in such an ally was quite unexpected for us. These secluded magical beast clans aren't easy to sway."

"The oppressive influence from the Hall of Souls and the Hun Clan is too strong, which likely triggered a sense of crisis among them, don't you think?"

"Sigh, the Hall of Souls indeed possesses that capability. Yet, the current Heavenly Court is not lacking either. Since its establishment, although there have been some clashes with the Hall of Souls, there hasn't been a full-scale war. It seems the Hall of Souls also harbors some apprehensions."

The Heavenly Court currently had Xiao Ming, the Nine-Tailed Fox Saint, the Small Pill Tower's First Elder, and Ancestor Huo Yun, four Dou Saints.

Additionally, there are over twenty Half-Saints from various allied major forces.

The overall strength was quite considerable.

Speaking of this, it was necessary to explain the Heavenly Court's current system.

The Heavenly Court established a leader, taken up by Xiao Ming. The leader held the greatest authority and could make most decisions directly.

At the same time, three Grand Elders were appointed. Individuals like Ancestor Huo Yun, who had reached the Dou Saint realm, assumed these positions.

Those who reached the Half-Saint realm became members of the Elders Council, with the ability to propose suggestions on specific alliance matters. If these suggestions gained approval from at least half of the Council members, they could be put into effect.

Naturally, just as Xiao Ming wasn't heavily involved in many matters, neither were these Half-Saints and those above.

They typically remained engrossed in cultivation day and night, and their involvement in regular affairs was limited. As a result, numerous subsidiary organizations operated under the alliance, including law enforcement teams and intelligence networks, all led by Dou Venerate experts.

The overall atmosphere within the Heavenly Court was relatively youthful, conveying a feeling of vitality and prosperity.

It was understandable that the Hall of Souls didn't desire a large-scale conflict. Yet, for the sake of their Soul Essences, they had to stir up trouble.

So, with a sigh, Xuan Kong Zi proceeded to recount the actions of the Hall of Souls.

"As you know, aside from Central Plains, the Dou Qi Continent is divided into four major regions: North-Western, South-Western, North-Eastern, and South-Eastern. While we, the Heavenly Court, managed to weaken the Hall of Souls' influence in the Central Plains, their influence had already extended to other regions."

"They suddenly supported sects in every region, engaging in rampant conquests. Wherever their sect experts passed, none could rival them. Those who resisted were completely wiped out, resulting in a thorough annihilation of entire sects and nations. This has undoubtedly accelerated the Hall of Souls' collection of soul bodies. Even though the quality is low, they make up for it with quantity."

"Alas, these regions are now truly facing calamity, with countless lives being affected."