Chapter 616: Soul Essence, Strengthening the Clone
"Mo Yu, you're seeking death!"
From the depths of the ruined hall, a voice filled with venom and rage echoed. Emerging slowly from the thick black mist, staggering but determined, was none other than the Vice Hall Master of the Soul Hall.
However, the once composed and elegant figure now appeared disheveled, with torn clothes and blood streaming down his body. Even his youthful face had a ghastly wound running across it like a centipede, adding to his grotesque appearance.
The Vice Hall Master's gaze was cold and filled with hatred as he stared at Mo Yu. He never anticipated that Mo Yu, a two-star Dou Saint, would possess soul power nearing the Emperor level, almost catching him off guard.
"Mo Yu, no matter what tricks you pull, in the eyes of this hall, you're still insignificant!" A twisted grin spread across the Vice Hall Master's face.
Being a member of the Soul Clan, his resistance to soul-based attacks far exceeded that of other species, such as the ancient Void Dragon clan. Now prepared, he would not fall for Mo Yu's tricks again.
Mo Yu didn't bother responding to his threats. Instead, with a flick of his sleeve, a fierce bolt of lightning shot toward the fallen Great and Second Heavenly Lords, intending to finish them off.
Seeing Mo Yu daring to strike in his presence, the Vice Hall Master's expression darkened. He flicked his finger, sending out a surge of black energy that transformed into a black dragon, swallowing the lightning.
Just as he prepared to retaliate, the Vice Hall Master felt a chilling sense of danger, as though he were being targeted by a terrifying force.
"Who's there?!" he shouted, his eyes scanning the surroundings.
"It's me."
A cold voice echoed in response, and from the void before Mo Yu, a figure gradually appeared—a slender, graceful woman. The Vice Hall Master felt a tremendous pressure emanating from her presence.
"Who are you? This is a matter of the Soul Hall. Outsiders would be wise not to interfere, lest they bring calamity upon themselves!" The Vice Hall Master's tone was serious as he warily eyed the purple-haired woman.
"The Soul Hall? Impressive, but since you're Mo Yu's enemy, you'll stay here today," she responded coldly.
"Arrogant! Killing me won't be so easy!" The Vice Hall Master sneered, his face contorting in anger. Although he could sense that this woman was a four-star Dou Saint, he believed he still had a fighting chance.
Ignoring him, Mo Yu focused on capturing the Great and Second Heavenly Lords. He conjured two large hands of lightning, which shot toward the two defeated figures.
Boom!
Just as the lightning hands were about to seize them, the two Heavenly Lords' faces twisted with malice, and their bodies swelled before exploding into a bloody mist.
Whoosh!
In the next instant, two dark streaks of light—their souls—shot out from the carnage, desperately fleeing toward the Vice Hall Master.
"Trying to escape?" Mo Yu smirked. With a snap of his fingers, the lightning hands transformed into an electric net that quickly ensnared the escaping souls.
"You dare?!" The Vice Hall Master's face darkened as he saw Mo Yu attempting to capture the souls. He raised his hand, unleashing a massive wave of black mist that surged through the air toward Mo Yu.
"In my presence, you won't get the chance!" The purple-haired woman, Ziyan, sneered. Her delicate hand swiftly formed a seal, and a dark golden glow erupted from her body, forming a massive golden dragon.
With a single inhale, the dragon devoured the black mist, leaving the Vice Hall Master stunned.
"Ancient Void Dragon Clan?!" he exclaimed, recognizing the dragon.
"Come back here!" While Ziyan was holding off the Vice Hall Master, Mo Yu tightened his grip, pulling the souls of the two Heavenly Lords into the electric net and bringing them to his side.
Within the net, the dark mist formed the faces of the Great and Second Heavenly Lords, their expressions twisted with venom and hatred. Unfazed by their glares, Mo Yu condensed the net into a lightning bottle and sealed it with a soul-binding enchantment before storing it in his beast ring.
"These two have decent power. With their souls, my soul clone will grow significantly stronger," Mo Yu mused.
"You even managed to get someone from the Ancient Void Dragon Clan to help you?" the Vice Hall Master laughed bitterly. A four-star Dou Saint from such a powerful lineage was formidable, even within the Soul Clan.
"But don't think the Soul Hall is so easily crushed!"
The Vice Hall Master suddenly leaped backward. A silver jade slip appeared in his hand, which he crushed, releasing intense spatial energy.
However, to his shock, the spatial energy failed to create a portal. Instead, it dissipated into the air.
"The space here has been distorted by chaotic space currents. No spatial energy can escape, not even with your jade slip," Ziyan said with a playful smile, watching the Vice Hall Master's face grow grim.
Realizing he was trapped, the Vice Hall Master's expression darkened further. Mo Yu and his allies had come prepared.
"Mo Yu, the Soul Clan will remember this. One day, you'll die by my hand!" the Vice Hall Master growled before his body exploded into a cloud of black mist. The mist tore through the spatial barriers, and he disappeared into the void, abandoning the remaining Soul Hall members.
"Hmph, he's quick to run." Mo Yu frowned but then relaxed.
Stopping the Vice Hall Master from fleeing would have required more effort, especially since he was a late-stage three-star Dou Saint. Without Ziyan's help, it would have been a grueling battle.
"It's not that hard to defeat him, but if he's determined to flee, I can't stop him," Ziyan admitted.
"It's fine. We've already destroyed the Human Hall and captured two of their Heavenly Lords. This trip was worthwhile," Mo Yu said, his mood lightening as he surveyed the battlefield. "Take care of the rest of them. Leave no survivors."
"Understood." Ziyan nodded before leaping into action. In less than a minute, she had swept through the remaining Soul Hall experts like a dragon among sheep, leaving none alive.
Mo Yu, not paying much attention to the massacre, waved his hand, splitting open the hall to reveal numerous black chains. At the ends of the chains were glowing soul orbs, which had been bound and tortured within the Human Hall.
"You're free now. Don't let the Soul Hall capture you again," Mo Yu said to the freed souls, who knelt gratefully before him before flying away, escaping the prison that had held them for so long.
After ensuring that the souls were safe, Mo Yu turned his attention to the ruins of the hall. He began digging through the rubble, and soon uncovered a half-meter-wide orb floating in the center of the debris.
The orb was transparent, but its surface was wrapped in countless dark chains, connected to the souls that had just escaped. It was clear that the orb was what had been drained from their souls.
"This is the Soul Essence that the Human Hall has been painstakingly collecting," Mo Yu observed. He could feel the immense and pure soul power radiating from the orb.
"With so much soul essence, gathered from at least a million souls, the other halls—Earth Hall and Heaven Hall—must have even more terrifying collections," Mo Yu muttered, his tone grim.
Even in a world where power ruled, the Soul Clan's methods were beyond ruthless. The extinction of such a clan would be nothing short of justice.
"Soul Hall, you truly are a nest of evil." Mo Yu shook his head, storing the soul essence orb in his beast ring.
With the Soul Hall's Human Hall now destroyed, save for the escaped Vice Hall Master, Mo Yu and his group left the desolate battlefield behind, swiftly retreating from the mountain.
The news of the Human Hall's destruction spread quickly throughout the Central Plains. Even though no one intentionally broadcast the event, such a shocking victory could not remain hidden.
Within a week, the story had spread like wildfire, shaking the entire region.
Everyone knew the might of the Soul Hall. Even the mighty Pill Tower had struggled against them in previous conflicts. Many had suffered at the hands of the Soul Hall but were too afraid to retaliate. Now, with the news of their defeat, many found themselves filled with hope and joy.
The Yuan Palace, once a rising power, was now rapidly transforming into a true superpower.
It was clear to everyone: if the Yuan Palace could withstand the Soul Hall's inevitable retaliation, they would one day rival even the great powers like the Soul Hall and Pill Tower.
Amidst the growing fervor across the Central Plains and within the Yuan Palace, Mo Yu remained focused on his next task. After a few days of rest, he began preparing to absorb the soul essence.
But the essence was not meant for him—it was for his soul clone.
Mo Yu's soul had reached a level where breaking through to the Emperor realm was not a simple task. Strengthening his soul clone, however, was a more feasible goal. With the soul clone's strength approaching that of his main body, Mo Yu could leave the Yuan Palace with peace of mind, knowing the clone could protect it in his absence.
High atop a mountain, Mo Yu sat cross-legged on a large stone. Before him floated the half-meter-wide orb of soul essence, radiating pure and gentle light. The energy from the orb nurtured the surrounding plants, making them lush and vibrant.
Mo Yu placed his hand on the orb, feeling the vast and pure soul power contained within. His own soul stirred in response, feeling a comforting warmth.
At the same time, Mo Yu retrieved the captured soul of the Great Heavenly Lord, purging it of the dark energy. After half an hour, the soul was purified and ready for absorption.
With a deep breath, Mo Yu summoned his soul clone from within. The clone, identical in appearance to Mo Yu, sat cross-legged before the orb and the purified soul.
As the soul clone opened its mouth, a strong suction force emerged, drawing the pure soul essence into its body.
Slowly but steadily, the soul clone absorbed more and more of the soul essence. Its once ethereal form began to solidify, taking on a crystal-like sheen. (Chapter End)
Friends, if you want to read chapters in advance, subscribe to my patreon.
Read 40 Chapters In Advance: patreon.com/Cortez10