After thinking it over for quite some time, Xiao Yan still couldn't find a solution. He could only set the matter aside for now. Since there was still some time before he broke through to the Dou Master realm and officially set out for the Cloud Mist Empire, he figured he'd deal with it later. For now, the most urgent task was to reach the Dou Master level as soon as possible.
In addition, he still needed to head out and find a third-rank Magic Core so Yao Lao could begin refining the Blood Lotus Pill. Although Yao Lao said the pill wasn't essential for subduing the Nether Poison Flame, having extra preparations could only help.
"Right... the Magic Core..." Suddenly reminded, Xiao Yan pulled out the black stone he had taken from Xiao Yixian earlier. With a flip of his palm, a black, fist-sized stone appeared in his hand. Based on his experience, this thing was most likely a Magic Core—and a high-grade one at that. That would explain why so many magical beasts had been drawn to it.
"This… looks like the Magic Core of a Blackflame Purplecloud Eagle?" As soon as Xiao Yan brought out the core, Yao Lao's figure drifted out from the ring. He examined the stone in Xiao Yan's hand and, after a moment, said gravely, "Judging by the energy fluctuations it's releasing, this should be a seventh-rank Magic Core."
"Blackflame Purplecloud Eagle?" Xiao Yan raised an eyebrow. His Purplecloud Wings had been crafted from the remains of a fifth-rank beast of the same species. He hadn't expected this core to come from a more powerful variant—one of the seventh rank. That equated to a Dou Sect-level existence. No wonder it had driven the surrounding beasts into a frenzy.
"Keep this thing for now. You'll definitely find a use for it later." Xiao Yan was just about to store the Magic Core in his ring when a strange glow suddenly flickered on its surface. In the next instant, a jet-black light shot out and pierced straight into Xiao Yan's mind.
Even Yao Lao was caught off guard by this sudden development. Before he could react, the black light had already entered Xiao Yan's body. His expression turned grim as he stared coldly at the core. "Soul possession?!"
According to legend, there was an ancient secret technique that allowed a soul to persist even after death. It could invade the body of another, devour the host's soul, and seize the body as its own. This terrifying technique was known as Soul Possession.
This art was exceedingly rare. Even Yao Lao had only read of it in old texts and had never encountered it personally. To think the owner of this Magic Core had actually mastered such a forbidden technique! And judging by the lingering presence, the soul sealed within the core was completely intact.
"Hang in there, kid…" Yao Lao murmured as he watched Xiao Yan, who had now shut his eyes tightly. This kind of inner battle was one Xiao Yan had to face alone. Even Yao Lao couldn't intervene. After all, the body belonged to Xiao Yan—Yao Lao could temporarily grant him Dou Huang-level strength, but not bolster his soul.
What Yao Lao didn't know, however, was that Xiao Yan's situation wasn't nearly as dangerous as it looked.
The soul within the Magic Core was indeed complete. Normally, a seventh-rank magical beast could easily crush a mere Dou Disciple's soul. But it hadn't expected this youth to possess a soul strength on par with a fifth-grade alchemist.
Not only that, but Xiao Yan also had the benefit of experience from his past life. He had once encountered soul possession before. Compared to that incident, this Blackflame Purplecloud Eagle was child's play. The brutal eagle spirit let out a piercing screech, intending to obliterate Xiao Yan's soul in one go—but before it could act, Xiao Yan had already erected a formidable soul defense to block it.
"Where'd this feathered beast come from? Daring to act up in my domain?" Xiao Yan sneered coldly at the eagle-like soul raging within him. His soul strength wasn't considered top-tier just yet, but in terms of mastery and control, even Yao Lao in his prime couldn't compare. After all, in his past life, Xiao Yan's soul had reached the level of a genuine Emperor Realm existence.
Under his command, an invisible current of soul power condensed into the shape of a dragon. Just as Xiao Yan prepared to clash with the eagle spirit head-on, a wisp of black flame suddenly appeared before his soul dragon. Upon seeing the flame, the previously aggressive Blackflame Purplecloud Eagle immediately recoiled in terror, desperately attempting to retreat.
"Could it be… this flame can suppress soul forms?" Xiao Yan was pleasantly surprised. He still didn't know the origin of this mysterious black flame—even in his previous life, he'd never fully uncovered its secrets. But clearly, the eagle was terrified of it. If he could control this fire, subduing this soul beast would be effortless.
Yet before Xiao Yan could even act, the black flame shot forward on its own and engulfed the retreating eagle spirit. The proud and ferocious Blackflame Purplecloud Eagle began shrieking in panic, but no matter how it struggled, it couldn't break free of the fire's grasp.
Within mere seconds, the soul ceased struggling. When the black flame dissipated, the savage presence was gone without a trace. In its place was a mass of pure, potent soul energy. Xiao Yan didn't hesitate—he quickly formed a hand seal and refined the energy on the spot.
It was widely known that increasing one's soul strength was incredibly difficult. It usually came only with age or power breakthroughs. To accelerate it, one would need special soul cultivation techniques or rare natural treasures. And now, the seventh-rank soul that could've caused immense trouble had instead become a nourishing treasure—a windfall for Xiao Yan.
Granted, if Xiao Yan had defeated the soul himself, he still could've absorbed some of the energy—but the forceful collision would've caused much of it to scatter, and what remained wouldn't be as pure. But thanks to the black flame's effortless incineration, the energy was fully intact and perfectly refined.
The Blackflame Purplecloud Eagle had died cunningly. Its soul had hidden in the core, waiting to possess an unsuspecting victim. Had it encountered someone else, it might have succeeded. Unfortunately, it ran into the reincarnated Demonic Wrath Saint, a man with a mysterious soul-suppressing flame within his body. In the end, all its power became someone else's nourishment.
(End of Chapter)
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