Chapter 428: The Insane Actions of the Hall of Souls

Emerging from his seclusion, Xiao Ming couldn't help but smile as he sensed the surging Dou Qi within his body.

Initially, he hadn't planned to directly break through to the Dou Saint realm. Even with the assistance of the condensing gel, reaching that realm would still take considerable time. Moreover, advancing to the Dou Saint realm wouldn't provide a significant boost to his combat abilities. He had a plan in mind that he wanted to execute, so he intended to end his seclusion upon reaching the Half-Saint realm.

However, to his surprise, after reaching the Half-Saint realm, he used the Life Simulator and directly simulated the Bodhisattva Heart! As a result, he immediately began refining and assimilating it.

"The effects of the Bodhisattva Heart are indeed remarkable, and there's no sign of Dou Qi instability. No wonder so many are obsessed with the Bodhisattva Ancient Tree," Xiao Ming marveled to himself.

Satisfied with his progress, Xiao Ming didn't linger in the air. After briefly surveying his surroundings, he descended directly to the courtyard where the girls were.

"Young Master!" In the courtyard, Qing Lin transformed into a streak of green light and eagerly rushed over.

Xiao Ming chuckled softly, opening his arms to welcome her. He lifted her with ease into a warm embrace. Her delicate arms encircled his neck, and her thighs wrapped around his waist as she clung tightly to him. In an affectionate and tender tone, she exclaimed, "Young Master, you've finally emerged from seclusion!"

Sniffing the pleasant fragrance on her body, Xiao Ming gently patted her head and replied warmly, "I stumbled upon a great opportunity, which extended my seclusion. It's been quite a while since we last met, and you've blossomed even more beautifully."

"You've become more handsome too... I missed you so much..." Qing Lin blushed at the compliment, her voice barely more than a soft murmur as she hid her face in his chest. If she could, she'd never let go.

Xiao Ming tenderly stroked her long green hair and couldn't help but reflect, 'This girl has truly matured; in the past, she'd have likely run away when feeling shy.'

After a moment, Qing Lin reluctantly released her grip on him; after all, her big sister was waiting for her turn.

Xiao Ming turned his attention to Xiao Yi Xian, who had worn a gentle smile throughout. Her eyes revealed a hint of yearning.

Approaching her, Xiao Ming enveloped her in a warm embrace, his head nestled in her luscious purple hair, familiar with the scent of her orchid essence. He whispered, "Xian'er, Qing Lin mentioned missing me. Did you miss me as well?"

"Mm. I missed you too..." Xiao Yi Xian whispered affectionately into his embrace, her words carrying a soul-stirring tone.

"Hehe, the big sister may not show it, but there have been many times in the last year when she appeared lost in thought, gazing toward where Young Master was secluded." Qing Lin's mischievous chuckle accompanied her words as she approached.

A faint blush tinged Xiao Yi Xian's earlobes, but she didn't deny it. She linked her arm to Xiao Ming's while giving Qing Lin a look that appeared to say, "Now you're brave enough to tease your big sister, huh?" Qing Lin simply stuck out her tongue before moving closer and grabbing Xiao Ming's remaining arm.

Suddenly, a soft and enchanting voice chimed in.

"Oh, Xiao Ming, you're quite the lucky one. I've heard Miss Qing Lin's complaints about wanting to leave for a while, but she insisted on seeing you first. Poor Sister Xian'er here has had to endure her grumbling day in and day out."

Upon hearing this, and coupled with the sight of her big sister stifling her laughter, Qing Lin's earlobes flushed red as well. She clung even tighter to Xiao Ming's arm, burying her face in it almost as if she wished to disappear from view.

Intrigued by Qing Lin's intention to leave, Xiao Ming decided to ask her about it later. He shifted his gaze to the source of the charming voice, where an enchanting and well-endowed girl stood, looking at him.

"It's a pleasant surprise to find you here, Ying'er. Congratulations."

Being able to be in the Small Pill Tower meant that Cao Ying had successfully become an eighth-tier alchemist.

"Hehe, does this minor achievement really need to be mentioned? Compared to your breakthrough to the Dou Saint Realm, it's nothing to boast about," she replied with a giggle, her phoenix-like eyes fixed on him.

Every time she saw Xiao Ming, he seemed to grow more dazzling, achieving feats she could barely fathom.

Xiao Yi Xian glanced at Cao Ying and then turned to Xiao Ming, blinking her pretty green eyes.

"Then, let me express my gratitude. You've been helping Xian'er with her cultivation, haven't you?"

Observing his partner's signal, Xiao Ming understood her meaning. Xiao Yi Xian's current cultivation was at the Ninth Change Dou Venerate stage, just one step away from breaking through to the initial-level Half-Saint. Such progress couldn't have been achieved without the continuous refinement of poison pills. However, not just any poison pills would suffice; at least an eighth-tier alchemist was required to transform them into spiritual poison pills, preserving their high-grade medicinal properties. Xiao Yi Xian couldn't achieve this on her own, and with Cao Ying present, it wasn't hard to deduce who had been assisting her.

Cao Ying simply smiled warmly, without uttering a word.

Just then, several figures suddenly flew towards Xiao Ming and the girls, landing not far from them. Among them was the First Elder, followed by Xuan Kong Zi, Xuan Yi, and several other Elders from the Main Elder Council.

"Hehe, Xiao Ming, breaking through to the Dou Saint realm after a year of seclusion, you're truly unprecedented in history. Congratulations!" The First Elder greeted him warmly.

Xiao Ming turned to greet them, saying, "First Elder, Old Xuan..."

The girls also paid their respects, while Cao Ying bowed respectfully to her Master, Xuan Kong Zi, who responded with a nod and a kind smile.

"That's enough, no need for excessive formalities," the First Elder waved his hand and glanced at the girls, smiling. "We didn't interrupt your time with your little wives, did we?"

"Of course not," Xiao Ming replied, shaking his head, and then gestured for them to join him in the living room.

Cao Ying blushed slightly at being referred to as one of Xiao Ming's wives. Although it didn't necessarily imply anything more, it still brought her a sense of joy.

Meanwhile, Qing Lin swiftly moved, briefly disappearing and reappearing with cups of black tea in her hands, and then proceeded to serve everyone.

"Star Tea? Isn't this tea tree extinct?" The First Elder looked surprised.

"I was fortunate enough to obtain a tea tree," Xiao Ming explained.

In reality, he had obtained the tea tree from a simulation. It had unique effects on cultivation, and drinking it regularly could transform the body into a special and comparatively weaker constitution known as the Black Star Body. However, he wasn't particularly interested in the tea's effects; he simply enjoyed its taste. Nonetheless, the tea tree had a very low yield, so he hesitated to consume it frequently.

After everyone had finished their tea, Xiao Ming directly inquired, "First Elder, your visit isn't solely to congratulate me on reaching the Dou Saint realm, is it?"

"Well, it seems you've already figured that out," the First Elder set down his teacup and nodded slightly. "During your seclusion, significant events unfolded in the Central Plains."

"One of these events concerns our Pill Tower and the Hall of Souls. Although we inflicted a severe blow to the Hall of Souls in Holy Pill City, their roots run deep, and we couldn't touch their core. Instead, it only escalated their retaliation against us."

Upon hearing the mention of the Hall of Souls, a cold expression briefly crossed Xiao Ming's face.

"Fortunately, more and more powerful individuals in Central Plains who hold grudges against the Hall of Souls are now joining the Pill Tower. Previously, these people were afraid of the Hall of Souls and chose to endure quietly, but now that the Pill Tower is taking a stand, they can't hold back any longer."

"While the Pill Tower does have guest elders, we generally only recruit alchemists, don't we?" Xiao Ming found it a bit strange.

The alchemists within the Pill Realm tended to be quite conservative, and although having a few guest elders was acceptable, having too many join the Pill Tower might compromise its "purity". Would they really be willing?

"We've established an external tower, which benefits both parties. With their support, our losses have significantly decreased," Xuan Kong Zi explained. "Of course, we aren't indiscriminately recruiting everyone. After stringent and intricate assessments, we accept them as external tower members."

'It appears that the pressure from the Hall of Souls remains considerable,' Xiao Ming mused inwardly.

"The second issue concerns the Ice River Valley and the Profound Sky Sect. They have formed an alliance to attack the Burning Flame Valley. The Hall of Souls' influence appears to be behind this, and their goal is most likely to capture soul bodies."

"However, the Ancestor of Burning Flame Valley, Huo Yun, is still alive; he has advanced to the one-star Dou Saint stage. On the other hand, the Ancestor of Ice River Valley, Bing Jing, passed away long ago, and the Old Demon of Profound Sky Sect is still a high-level Half-Saint. Consequently, the Profound River Alliance suffered a significant setback. Nevertheless, Huo Yun is not in the best condition either. He carried hidden injuries from his breakthrough to the Dou Saint realm. During that time, the Hall of Souls' experts obstructed him. Although they were eventually repelled, he..." The First Elder shook his head, indicating that the situation was not optimistic.

"And there's more..."

'The Hall of Souls is causing a great deal of trouble,' Xiao Ming felt speechless as he listened to the First Elder's account.

Suddenly, a thought struck him. Could it be that the Hall of Souls was stirring up trouble everywhere because he had taken the soul essences from three branch halls? Were they trying to compensate for their losses, hence their reckless actions?

The more Xiao Ming pondered, the more he considered this possibility. However, he had no way to confirm it.

"...Hence, we also intend to establish an Alliance to resist the Hall of Souls, and we want you to lead it. What do you think?" The First Elder finally revealed their intention.

Xiao Ming was capable of handling multiple thoughts at once, even while contemplating other matters, he fully grasped the First Elder's words. Yet, when faced with this unexpected question, he couldn't help but feel slightly stunned.

"Huh?"