pertwk 694. Belonging to the Body
694. Belonging to the Body
Huo Xuan's soul fought with all its might against the outsider, and the impact within his body caused his face to appear split, with two different expressions on each side of his face.
The two sides were locked in an unprecedented stalemate. Huo Xuan's consciousness remained stubbornly strong, retaining a final vestige of clarity. Tang Qiying's soul, however, had become an insidious, relentless erosion of Huo Xuan's will, constantly seeking any possible opening. Every second of perseverance was excruciating for Huo Xuan; the tearing sensation emanating from the very core of his soul nearly drove him to utter collapse. Blood seeped from his face as he struggled.
Just then, a sharp sound suddenly broke through the air in the distance!
Several sharp auras approached at an astonishing speed. In an instant, figures flashed, and several figures shrouded in dense black mist of battle qi also landed here.
The Soul Hall experts who had just landed were filled with awe when they saw Soul Butcher's mountain-like figure standing in the middle of the field. They all knelt down on one knee in unison, their voices perfectly synchronized.
"Your subordinate greets Lord Soul Slayer!"
"I'm here, everything's alright."
Soul Slayer's gaze slowly swept over the crowd, finally settling on a young figure tightly surrounded in the center. A barely perceptible ripple flickered in his eyes: "Hmm? What are you doing here, Soul Jade?"
The young man named was none other than Hun Yu! At this moment, there were at least three powerful Soul Clan experts around him, who could protect him at the same time should he encounter any danger.
Suddenly locked onto by Soul Butcher's gaze, Soul Jade's heart skipped a beat. He knew that this person, who held a transcendent position in the clan, was not someone he could afford to be negligent towards. He quickly cupped his hands in a salute, his tone carrying just the right amount of respect: "Lord Soul Butcher! I have been tracking these two remnants of the Flame Clan for a long time. This person is Huo Xuan, a top figure among the younger generation of the Flame Clan, who possesses the Eight Desolate Annihilation Flame, ranked eighth on the Strange Flame Ranking. I have come here precisely for this strange flame."
Hun Yu's ambition was evident. The sixth-ranked Strange Flame on the Strange Flame Ranking was enough to elevate his status within the clan, making him more competitive among the younger generation of the Soul Clan. This was also a major reason why, despite only being a peak Dou Zun, he personally joined the pursuit.
Soul Slayer remained expressionless upon hearing this, as if the strange fire that could drive countless powerful individuals mad was nothing more than an ordinary object to him. He didn't even linger a glance on the violently struggling Huo Xuan, and said in a nonchalant tone, "You're too late. According to the higher-ups, this Eight Desolate Annihilation Flame already has a clear owner, and it's none of your business to covet."
"ah?!"
The respect on Hunyu's face froze instantly, and he could hardly control himself from showing astonishment and strong dissatisfaction.
Who would dare to steal his target? He is one of the most outstanding geniuses of the younger generation of the Soul Clan.
Such top-tier natural treasures should, by all accounts, be prioritized for elite geniuses like them. Unexpectedly, Hun Yu's voice carried a hint of accusation: "Who is that? Daring to seize my flame?"
Soul Butcher remained silent, as if uttering another word would be superfluous. He merely glanced coldly at Soul Jade. His gaze was calm and unwavering, revealing no murderous intent or warning, yet it extinguished all the anger in Soul Jade's heart like a bucket of ice water. It was a condescending look from absolute power, a declaration that "You don't need to understand my decisions, just execute them."
Under those gazes, Hun Yu felt his heart clench with an invisible force, all emotions vanishing instantly, leaving only endless fear. He was indeed a prodigy in his clan, and it was true he might become a core figure in the Soul Clan in the future, but his future was now that of Hun Tu!
If he angered the person in front of him, even if Soul Butcher killed him, he would only need to explain himself a few more times within his clan.
However, Hun Yu was still quick-witted. Although he dared not press further due to Hun Tu's imposing presence, his keen senses still detected the abnormality in Huo Xuan's body. He was certain that the soul power currently fiercely battling the Eight Desolate Annihilation Flame within Huo Xuan's body was not Huo Xuan himself; he possessed that kind of insight.
A hint of surprise flashed across his face as he tentatively asked, "Lord Soul Slayer, is someone forcibly taking over Huo Xuan's body?"
"good."
Hearing this, Hun Yu was even more puzzled. The Soul Palace had suffered considerable losses in this sneak attack by the Yan Clan. However, someone of higher status than him would never be interested in the body of someone who hadn't even advanced to the Dou Sheng level. So who would be competing with him for the Eight Desolate Annihilation Flame, and why would they resort to such a risky method as forcibly taking over his body?
He had already expended a great deal of effort in pursuing Huo Yi and Huo Xuan, and now the strange fire was right before his eyes, almost within his grasp. All he needed to do was spend some time refining and collecting it to complete his goal. However, with the strange fire in Hun Tu's hands, Hun Yu didn't even have the confidence to ask for it.
His gaze was fixed on the agonizing Huo Xuan, his mind racing as he considered: Where did this hothead come from? Hun Tu said it was from above, which means it wasn't him who made the decision. There are very few people in the Soul Palace who can be above Hun Tu. Who could it be?
At this moment, the battle within Huo Xuan's body was nearing its end.
Hun Yu stared intently, watching as the conflicting expressions on Huo Xuan's face intensified, alternating between agonizing contortions and chilling, malevolent smiles. Each shift represented yet another clash of souls. The surging, raging Eight Desolate Annihilation Flames seemed to sense its host's peril, growing even more violent, even attempting to burn and destroy the intruder's soul power in return. The powerful destructive force within those flames made Hun Yu's heart itch with anticipation.
Huo Xuan's body was like a container on the verge of breaking, enduring unimaginable tearing force inside. The blood vessels under his skin bulged out, displaying a sickly blackish-red color, as if they would burst at any moment.
Finally, after a shriek filled with endless resentment, the soul belonging to Huo Xuan's original self within him was completely destroyed by the frenzied impact of Tang Qiying's soul torrent!
Almost at the instant Huo Xuan's consciousness was destroyed, the Eight Desolate Annihilation Flame, having lost its guidance, also slowly came to a standstill. Like a flame without its support, it became chaotic and confused. Then, the Eight Desolate Annihilation Flame began to rapidly shrink, its violent power forcibly calmed by an even stronger aura.
The whole process was not long, but the experts present clearly perceived the outcome of the battle.
After a few breaths, all the violent energy fluctuations subsided.
Under everyone's watchful eyes, the dilapidated body on the ground finally moved. The eyes, which had been tightly closed for so long, opened extremely slowly.
The brilliance that once belonged to Huo Xuan was gone from those eyes; instead, a chilling coldness emanated from the depths of his pupils.
"I'm back!"