As the Soul Hall members finally took in the full appearance of the man before them, an inexplicable pressure and fear welled up within their hearts.
"Who are you to meddle in the affairs of the Soul Hall?!"
The fear was palpable as the voice of one of the Protectors quivered.
"Who am I?" Xie Tianxiao's eyes gleamed with a playful light. "Didn't Protector Shou manage to inform you before his demise?"
"Is this the rumoured Dou Venerate?!"
"Quick, notify the Elder!"
The two remaining Protectors exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with a mixture of fear and dread. One of them spoke up, trying to sound confident despite the situation.
"We thought you would hide, but it seems you've boldly shown yourself. Good, this makes our task easier."
While it was fortunate that they had found Xie Tianxiao so quickly, it was also a curse. The terror in their hearts was clear—facing a Dou Venerate was not something they were prepared for. They could only hope that the Soul Hall Elder would arrive soon otherwise they would meet the same fate as the Protector who had been killed by Xie Tianxiao with a single palm strike.
"So that's why the Soul Hall gathered so many people—to hunt me down." Xie Tianxiao sneered, realizing their true intentions. "Well, now that you've found me, are you not going to make a move?"
"Or are you just waiting for your so-called Elder to come and save you?"
Even as a Dou Venerate, Xie Tianxiao remained unafraid. If it weren't for his desire to conceal his half-saint strength and avoid attracting the attention of the Central Plains Soul Hall, he would have already obliterated them all and tested his system's devouring capabilities on the main hall.
"Don't… don't think that just because you're a Dou Venerate, you can do whatever you want! Our Elder will be here soon, and when he arrives, you'll be dead for sure!" one of the Protectors blurted out, his voice trembling despite his attempt to sound threatening.
Seeing the calm and composed demeanour of Xie Tianxiao, the two Soul Hall Protectors involuntarily took a few steps back, their fear evident.
"Scared, are you? Heh… who would have thought that even Soul Hall members could be so cowardly." Xie Tianxiao chuckled mockingly. His gaze swept over the gathered Soul Hall members, and he continued, "For just a branch of the Soul Hall, you've mobilized so many Dou Kings and even Dou emperors. Quite the extravagant display."
"But do you really think your Elder is in his right mind, thinking he can catch me with a bunch of second-rate lackeys?"
His words were laced with contempt, clearly indicating how little he thought of their so-called strength.
"Kehehe." A cold, sinister laugh echoed from the void, followed by a ripple in the air. From this distortion, a figure emerged.
This figure was an old man clad in a black robe, his face wrinkled and his eyes narrowed, resembling a ghastly old demon.
"Respect to the Elder!" The Soul Hall members, seeing the arrival of this man, immediately knelt down, their faces filled with reverence and fear. This was none other than their branch's Elder, a position of immense power within the Soul Hall.
The Elder, also known as the branch master, was a four-star Dou Venerate at his peak, holding absolute authority in the branch. Each branch typically consisted of five Heaven-ranked Protectors, ten Earth-ranked Protectors, fifteen Human-ranked Protectors, and nearly a hundred Soul Envoys under the Elder's command.
"So, you're the one," Xie Tianxiao remarked, unfazed. "Let's see what you can do."
Without any warning, Xie Tianxiao spread his fingers and clenched them inward. Instantly, the bodies of dozens of Soul Envoys exploded, leaving nothing but a gruesome mist of blood.
Then, turning his attention to the green-robed man below, Xie Tianxiao calmly said, "You should leave. You're only in the way if you stay."
The green-robed man, who had resigned himself to death, suddenly snapped back to reality. With deep gratitude, he bowed deeply to Xie Tianxiao and said, "Thank you, my lord, for saving my life. I will remember this forever!"
With that, he gave Xie Tianxiao a long, meaningful look, as if to imprint his savior's image in his mind, before unleashing his Dou Qi wings and flying off into the distance.
"How dare you!"
The Soul Hall Elder's fury erupted as he watched Xie Tianxiao blatantly ignore his presence and even allow an insect to escape right under his nose. His anger flared, and with a sharp glare, a powerful and overwhelming aura surged skyward from his body.
"Go and kill that fleeing rat!" the Elder barked at the two remaining Protectors.
As the two Protectors rushed off to carry out the command, the Elder himself acted.
"Blade Break!"
The Elder pointed a finger, sending out numerous beams of soul energy that plunged into the ground, creating deep fissures. From these, countless sword lights burst forth, forming a silver dragon that surged toward Xie Tianxiao.
"Such a petty trick!"
Xie Tianxiao scoffed, raising his hand to conjure a massive palm print that met the incoming sword lights head-on.
Simultaneously, with a casual grasp of the air, the space twisted violently, and the two Protectors who had just taken flight were shredded to pieces within the folds of the void.
"Boom!"
The collision of the energies sent shockwaves rippling through the ground, kicking up dust and debris that shrouded the battlefield in a thick haze. As the dust settled, a massive crater became visible in the center of the devastation.
At the edge of the crater, the Soul Hall Elder was down on one knee, blood streaming from a gaping wound in his chest—a wound that pierced clean through him.
"You… you're not a one-star Dou Venerate?!"
The Soul Hall Elder stared at Xie Tianxiao in disbelief, his voice trembling with a mixture of fear and astonishment. He had assumed that Xie Tianxiao was a newly ascended Dou Venerate, and believed his own power would be enough to subdue him. Yet, his full-force attack had been effortlessly shattered, leaving him gravely injured!
As a four-star Dou Venerate at his peak, the Elder was confident that even if Xie Tianxiao were a few stars stronger, he wouldn't be defeated so easily. But now, facing the undeniable reality of his own defeat, the Elder realized that the man before him was on the verge of reaching the pinnacle of Dou Venerate.
Xie Tianxiao slowly raised his head, looking down at the Soul Hall Elder with a cold sneer. "Heh… when did I ever say I was just a one-star Dou Venerate?"
With his half-saint strength, Xie Tianxiao could easily crush this Soul Hall Elder, but he held back, curious to see how the system would handle the devouring process.
"Damn it… What is someone with near-peak Dou Venerate strength doing here in the remote Northwest?!"
At that moment, the Elder understood why Xie Tianxiao hadn't taken him seriously. With strength that rivaled the Soul Hall's Heavenly Lords, it was no wonder this small branch meant nothing to him.
Although Xie Tianxiao's strength was terrifying, the Elder hadn't considered the possibility that Xie Tianxiao might be a "Saint"—the thought was simply too far-fetched, beyond his comprehension, and too terrifying to even imagine.
"That's not something you need to know," Xie Tianxiao replied coldly, his gaze fixed on the Soul Hall Elder. "A four-star Dou Venerate, and the branch master of this Soul Hall. Did you really think you could catch me yourself? Where's your vice branch master?"
Each Soul Hall branch typically had a vice branch master, usually a Dou Venerate of one to three stars, slightly weaker than the branch master.