Chapter 445: Guest Elder of the Pill Tower
In Central Plains, the Soul Hall has numerous branches, divided into the Earth Fiend Halls and the Heavenly Gang Halls. Among them, the Heavenly Gang Hall is the most crucial. The Heavenly Gang Hall is further split into three halls: Heaven Hall, Earth Hall, and Human Hall. The Heaven Hall serves as the headquarters of the Soul Hall, personally overseen by the Hall Master. The Earth Hall is managed by the Vice Hall Masters, while the Human Hall is jointly overseen by the high-ranking Grand Elders like the Grand Heavenly Master and the Second Heavenly Master.
At this moment, within the Human Hall, the Second Heavenly Master furrowed his brows, feeling a sense of foreboding. Just then, the door of his secluded chamber was knocked on. The Second Heavenly Master, known as Bone Ghost Saint, was a high-level Half-Saint. With a touch of Dou Qi on the door, it opened by itself.
"What is it?" Bone Ghost Saint asked, his brows furrowing more upon seeing the panicked face of the messenger, intensifying his bad feeling.
"Second Heavenly Master, something terrible has happened. The soul tablet of the Grand Heavenly Master has shattered!"
"What!?"
A terrifying surge of Dou Qi filled the chamber, making it hard for the messenger to breathe, his body creaking under the pressure. Moments later, Bone Ghost Saint rushed to the palace where the soul tablets were stored. Seeing the shattered soul tablet of the Grand Heavenly Master, its light dimmed and devoid of spirit, he took a deep breath, his gaze icy.
"Holy Spirit Saint, how dare you kill our Grand Heavenly Master!"
Though he spoke with anger, Bone Ghost Saint didn't recklessly rush to the Netherworld Sea. Instead, he quickly went to another palace. Inside, runes adorned the walls, converging on several jade slips at the center. Bone Ghost Saint reached for the topmost jade slip, but reconsidered, picking the second one instead. The top one was to contact the Hall Master, but Bone Ghost Saint remembered the Hall Master was in seclusion and didn't want to disturb him, so he opted to inform the Vice Hall Master instead.
Injecting Dou Qi into the jade slip, the runes glowed, and soon, a voice emerged.
"What is it?"
"Reporting to the Vice Hall Master, the soul tablet of the Grand Heavenly Master has shattered; he has likely fallen!"
"Hmm?!" came the startled voice from the other end, followed by an urgent tone. "Explain everything clearly!"
"Recently, you instructed us to investigate the Netherworld Sea, where we discovered a Dou Saint…" Bone Ghost Saint explained the situation, causing the Vice Hall Master to frown.
"The Holy Spirit Saint had only just become a Dou Saint and couldn't possibly rival the Grand Heavenly Master at his peak…"
As he spoke, the Vice Hall Master suddenly asked, "Did the Grand Heavenly Master leave any message before his soul tablet shattered?"
"None."
Bone Ghost Saint's expression grew serious. He knew that even if the Holy Spirit Saint were strong enough to kill the Grand Heavenly Master, it shouldn't have prevented him from sending any message.
"It seems someone else intervened. Daring to strike against our Soul Hall… Could it be that old monster from the Pill Tower or the Ancient Clan?" the Vice Hall Master's voice pondered from the jade slip. He was unsure, but he knew the implications. If it was the old monster from the Pill Tower, even he wouldn't dare to investigate lightly, as that entity could rival their Hall Master, a Five-Star Dou Saint. His own strength at the late Three-Star Dou Saint stage wouldn't stand a chance against a Five-Star Dou Saint. The power disparity at this level was enormous.
"I will report to the Hall Master!" The Vice Hall Master decided after some hesitation. Even if it wasn't the Pill Tower's old monster, the possibility of the Ancient Clan's involvement meant they couldn't take risks. The Ancient Clan's power below the Five-Star Dou Saint level was still formidable, and their elders could indeed eliminate the Grand Heavenly Master without leaving any trace.
…
At the Netherworld Sea, hearing Xiao Ze's invitation, the Holy Spirit Saint was momentarily stunned. But thinking about the situation, with the Grand Heavenly Master dead, the Soul Hall would surely come for revenge, and she couldn't handle that alone. Rather than risking her life, it made sense to join the Pill Tower as a guest elder, seeking protection from a top faction.
"Joining the Pill Tower… Xiao Ze, what's your position there?" The Holy Spirit Saint's golden-black eyes looked at Xiao Ze with curiosity.
Xiao Ze was slightly surprised by her lack of information but patiently explained. "I'm the Deputy Chief of the Pill Tower. A while ago, I presided over the Pill Tower's Grand Meeting, making me quite well-known in Central Plains."
"Deputy Chief?" The Holy Spirit Saint was puzzled as she wasn't familiar with the Pill Tower's hierarchy. Understanding her potential role as a guest elder, Xiao Ze explained the structure of the Pill Tower.
"So, you're now second only to three people in the Pill Tower?" Seeing Xiao Ze nod, she smiled. "Alright then, I'll join the Pill Tower as a guest elder."
"Welcome, Holy Spirit Saint, as a guest elder of the Pill Tower." They smiled at each other. Xiao Ze understood why the Holy Spirit Saint was keen on his position, as she was isolated from the current era's dynamics and wanted to ensure her safety and benefits. Xiao Ze also knew he wouldn't mistreat someone who had helped him before.
After discussing, they quickly sealed the Netherworld Sea's dark energy and left, knowing that the Soul Hall might already be on their way. Staying longer would only increase the danger, so they departed promptly.
(End of chapter)