Su Clan Headquarters.
The Patriarch of the Su Clan and a group of high-ranking members were receiving an important visitor.
The Sect Master of the Luosha Sect!
The Rakshasa Lord, accompanied by two to three Elders and a group of disciples, had suddenly arrived at the Su Clan.
The Luosha Sect's strength surpassed that of the Su Clan!
Therefore, the Su Clan attached great importance to this visit. The Patriarch and over a dozen high-ranking members personally received them, welcoming the Rakshasa Lord's entourage into the main guest hall and seating everyone according to their status as hosts and guests.
"Brother Su, my main purpose in visiting the Su Clan this time is to propose a marriage," the Rakshasa Lord stated directly after some initial pleasantries.
"A marriage proposal?" The Su Clan Patriarch and the dozen or so high-ranking members were taken aback.
"Indeed.
I heard that your Su Clan has a remarkable young woman named Su Qingluo. Not only is her appearance outstanding, but she is also both intelligent and virtuous, with exceptional talent—truly a crane among chickens.
Coincidentally, I have a closed-door disciple of my own. His talent can be considered the most outstanding among genius disciples our Luosha Sect has ever produced, and I am immensely satisfied with him.
Therefore, I have intentionally brought him here this time to propose marriage to your Su Clan. I wish to arrange a marriage between my closed-door disciple and Su Qingluo. In the future, our Luosha Sect and your Su Clan can establish an alliance and maintain everlasting friendly relations.
I wonder, Brother Su, what are your thoughts on this matter?" the Rakshasa Lord said.
"The most outstanding genius disciple your Luosha Sect has ever produced?
Brother Meng, are you serious?" The Su Clan Patriarch was somewhat surprised upon hearing the Rakshasa Lord's words.
After all, such a statement—"the most outstanding disciple in history"—sounded too exaggerated.
The other Su Clan high-ranking members also wore expressions of doubt, feeling the Rakshasa Lord was exaggerating.
"Of course I'm serious," the Rakshasa Lord nodded.
"To be frank with you, Brother Meng, our Su Clan does indeed intend to select an ideal husband for Qingluo.
However, we have already found a satisfactory candidate: Ximen Yi, a genius disciple of the Sword Palace.
Ximen Yi is only twenty-three years old but already possesses late-stage Gathering Stars Realm strength. In five or six years at most, he has a chance to break through to the Dao Entry Realm. Such aptitude is considered top-tier even among the younger generation throughout the entire Canghuang Realm.
Moreover, Ximen Yi is one of the Sword Palace's key disciples being groomed. He is certain to become an influential figure within the Sword Palace in the future, holding authority over a region."
As soon as the Su Clan Patriarch finished speaking, the Rakshasa Lord called out to a youth in purple robes beside him, "Qin An."
This purple-robed youth was precisely Qin An.
"Qin An pays his respects to the Patriarch and all the Seniors present," Qin An first bowed respectfully to the Su Clan Patriarch and the group of high-ranking members.
Then...
*Boom!*
A powerful pressure of energy erupted from his body, causing the surrounding space to tremble.
"Mid-stage Dao Entry Realm!"
The Su Clan Patriarch and all the high-ranking members were stunned speechless, frozen in place with expressions of utter disbelief.
"Qin An is twenty-one years old this year, at the mid-stage Dao Entry Realm. His actual combat power can rival the late-stage Dao Entry Realm.
Qin An has already grasped the opportunity to break through to the late-stage Dao Entry Realm and will succeed in doing so within half a year at most.
Furthermore, our Luosha Sect's high council has unanimously approved designating Qin An as the next Rakshasa Lord.
Brother Su, between Qin An and Ximen Yi, which one do you think is more outstanding?"
At this moment, the Rakshasa Lord slowly spoke.
Upon hearing the Rakshasa Lord's words, the Su Clan Patriarch and those high-ranking members were even more astounded.
"Of course, Qin An is more outstanding," the Su Clan Patriarch stated after a moment of silence.
The difference between the two was starkly evident.
Ximen Yi might have a chance to break through to the Dao Entry Realm five or six years from now, while Qin An would break through to the late-stage Dao Entry Realm within half a year!
Ximen Yi only had the potential to become an important figure in the Sword Palace in the future, while Qin An had already been officially designated as the next master of the Luosha Sect!
*'With the Devouring Heaven War Scripture, I, Qin An, am destined to rise continuously and dominate the Canghuang Realm!'
*'Ye Yunfei, don't worry. For what you owe our Qin Family, I will make you repay it with interest and principal combined,'* Qin An thought to himself, feeling utterly pleased at this moment.
*"What's the point of dominating a tiny place like the Canghuang Realm?"
"Your goal should be to step out of the Canghuang Realm, venture into the vast expanse of the Three Thousand Realms beyond, stretch your limbs on a much broader stage, and meet those truly talented geniuses out there. That is what you should pursue."
"The Canghuang Realm is merely an insignificant interface within the Three Thousand Realms, just a small pond."*
Just then, a hoary voice suddenly echoed within Qin An's body.
*"Master! You've finally awakened!"* Qin An couldn't help but feel overjoyed.
*"Last time, I exhausted too much of my Soul Power transmitting the Devouring Heaven War Scripture to you, which caused me to slumber for so long."
"Now, I have finally recovered somewhat."*
The ancient voice replied.
*"Master, I'm currently at the Su Clan headquarters..."* Qin An wanted to report the current situation to his master.
*"No need. I'm aware of everything already."
"I believe these people from the Luosha Sect will handle it well for you."
"For you, the most important thing is still to redouble your cultivation efforts, enhance your strength, and strive to gain control of the Luosha Sect as soon as possible."
"At that time, I can devour all the resources and personnel of the Luosha Sect to help recover my physical form."
"Once my injuries heal to a certain degree, I can take you away from the Canghuang Realm to the world outside."
"Hehe..."
"Then you will learn just how formidable the reputation I, the Devouring Heaven Ancestor, carries."*
The hoary voice said.
*"I will obey your every instruction, Master!"* Qin An immediately answered.
*"However, I have an enemy in this realm named Ye Yunfei. I must kill him before I leave the Canghuang Realm!"* Qin An added.
Returning to the main hall, the Rakshasa Lord looked at the Su Clan Patriarch and asked, "Since that is the case, Brother Su, do you agree to the marriage proposal I bring today?"
After an internal struggle, the Su Clan Patriarch finally nodded. "I agree."
"We also agree," the other Su Clan high-ranking members chimed in one after another.
Both the Su Clan Patriarch and the high-ranking members had been won over by Qin An's monstrous talent!
"Haha... Brother Su, from this day forth, our Luosha Sect and your Su Clan shall be allies, friends forever!" the Rakshasa Lord laughed heartily.
*'Ye Yunfei, I wonder what you'll think when you learn of this news,'* Qin An sneered inwardly.
At the same time.
Within the core region of the Small World in the Trial Ancient Land.
Ye Yunfei was engaged in battle against dozens of Ghost Soul Beasts.
These Ghost Soul Beasts were all formidable, ranging from the Gathering Stars Realm to the early-stage Dao Entry Realm. Dozens of them besieged Ye Yunfei.
Ye Yunfei unleashed the Heavenly Soul Sword, continuously slaying one Ghost Soul Beast after another.
Not long after, all the dozens of Ghost Soul Beasts had been slaughtered.
Within this area, Ye Yunfei had already slain hundreds of Ghost Soul Beasts.
Finally, Ye Yunfei arrived before a valley.
This valley was the location with the densest concentration of Soul Force Energy and laws within this Small World!
Ye Yunfei discovered that the Soul Force Energy in this Small World was emanating from this very valley!
"What exactly is inside this valley that can generate such a vast amount of Soul Force Energy, permeating this entire Small World?" Ye Yunfei couldn't help but feel astonished as he gazed deep into the valley.
Ye Yunfei had an intuition that this valley was fraught with danger!
Therefore, after surveying the valley entrance, Ye Yunfei did not enter.
Instead, he found a spot near the valley entrance, sat down cross-legged, and began cultivating his Soul Power.
The Soul-Nourishing Tree hovered above Ye Yunfei's head, its branches and leaves swaying continuously as it absorbed the dense Soul Power and laws present in the surrounding space.
Simultaneously, within his Soul Sea, Ye Yunfei's Soul Body began cultivating the Eighteen Soul Celestial Art.
At that moment, deep within the valley, inside a pitch-black cave.
"A human brat actually dares to come here!
"He dares to intrude into my territory! He dies!"
A voice rumbled.
*Rumble...*
A mighty torrent of Soul Force Energy surged out from this cave, hurtling fiercely towards Ye Yunfei's location outside the valley.
"Trouble!" Ye Yunfei, who was in the midst of cultivation, instantly became alert. The Soul-Nourishing Tree erupted directly, its countless branches and leaves trembling as it moved to block the incoming wave of Soul Force Energy.
*Bang!*
The Soul-Nourishing Tree was sent flying.
An immensely terrifying wave of Soul Force Energy came pressing down towards Ye Yunfei.
An intense sense of crisis enveloped Ye Yunfei.
*Rumble...*
At this critical moment, Ye Yunfei directly released the remaining sliver of Heavenly Emperor Soul Power that remained within his Soul Sea.
"What?!"
A cry of surprise immediately sounded from deep within the valley, from that pitch-black cave.
Then, the wave of Soul Force Energy pressing down on Ye Yunfei receded like a tide.
*"What is the background of this young human?"
"Why does a trace of Soul Power that even I must treat with caution exist within his Soul Sea?"
"Although this sliver of Soul Power is residual and limited in quantity, it undoubtedly originates from a true top-level powerhouse from within the Three Thousand Realms."
"This young man is most likely a descendant of that powerhouse. Hence, he left behind a strand of Soul Power within the youth's Soul Sea as a hidden trump card."
"This youth... best not to provoke him. If, in the future, that supreme powerhouse backing him deduces my existence through some means, trouble would ensue."*
A muttering voice echoed within the cave.
*"Let it be. I should leave."
"I'll find a place to stay in another world."*
This voice stated.
*"I nearly harmed this young human just now. Let me offer him some compensation."
"Such a young man with a powerful backer—establishing good relations with him might prove useful in the future."*
The voice continued.
The next moment.
*Swoosh!*
A pitch-black spatial ring shot out from the cave, heading towards the valley's exit before ultimately arriving before Ye Yunfei.
"What's this?" Ye Yunfei was taken aback.
"Young man, my earlier offense was rash. Please forgive me.
This is my compensation to you.
Farewell for now."
A voice transmitted from deep within the valley.
"Who are you?" Ye Yunfei asked.
However, there was no further response from within the valley.
"Perhaps some formidable existence has been dwelling within this valley," Ye Yunfei thought to himself.
After all, across the vast river of time, countless powerful experts had continuously emerged and vanished within the myriad realms of the universe.
These vanished experts might have fallen, or they might be hiding within various large and small worlds.
This was a perfectly normal phenomenon.
"Excellent!" Ye Yunfei extended his Soul Power to probe the pitch-black spatial ring hovering before him. He couldn't help but feel surprised.
This spatial ring contained several hundred thousand pieces of Nightmare Stone, all of the finest grade!
Additionally, there were over a hundred thousand Soul Power herbs—all Transformation-Grade!
Over ten thousand Ghost Soul Beast cores!
"Hundreds of Heavenly Soul Bamboo stalks!
Fantastic!"
Seeing the several hundred stalks of jet-black bamboo, Ye Yunfei felt a surge of excitement.
Heavenly Soul Bamboo was a precious treasure, ideal for nourishing the soul!
"My thanks!" Ye Yunfei reached out, took the dark spatial ring, and stowed it away. Then, he called out clearly towards the depths of the valley.
*"Very good. This young fellow remembers my favor."
"Time for me to leave."*
The voice within the cave deep in the valley spoke once more before silence completely enveloped the cavern. Not another sound could be heard.