C167 Devil Soul Talisman!

Lee Yuchan, after a prolonged period of silent contemplation, rose to her feet with deliberate slowness.

Duan Tianxi offered a wry smile to Lee Yuchan and remarked, "General Lee, having only recently ascended to the Yin God Stage, your presence alone is unlikely to alter the grand scheme of things."

Despite being the sister of the Silvermoon Empire's queen, Lee Yuchan was notorious within the Rainier Empire. Yet, when measured against Qin Yun and the Duan siblings, she was still the lesser.

Previously, her cultivation had only reached the Penetrating Stage, falling short of the Yin God Stage and rendering her unqualified to rival the Duans. Her potential and talent were considerations for the future; perhaps in a century, Lee Yuchan might achieve—and possibly exceed—their level. But for the present...

"Yu Yuan?"

Lee Yuchan, now standing, disregarded Duan Tianxi's comment and simply cast a glance at Yu Yuan, who responded with a subtle furrow of his brow.

Qin Yun questioned, "Was their demise truly the Imperial Advisor's intent?" Doubt lingered in his mind, leaving him skeptical of the Duan family's assertions.

"Senior Qin," Duan Guanlan interjected earnestly, "regardless of any unforeseen events within the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area, or whether my practice of the Scarlet Soul Devil Spell is revealed, their fate is sealed."

"Why?" Qin Yun challenged with a huff.

"Within the empire, those individuals were restless. Their assignment to the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area was a death sentence," Duan Tianhong explained with a faint smile, adding, "I'm afraid the details are not mine to disclose."

Duan Guanlan pressed a dark golden talisman to his forehead, its intricate and ornate lines shimmering with a radiant glow. Strands of intensely pure and fervent soul essence coursed through the talisman.

Yu Yuan needed only a brief look to exclaim, "The Red Devil Sect's Devil Soul Talisman!"

A look of astonishment washed over Duan Guanlan's face. "How do you know of it?"

The Duan brothers were equally taken aback.

"The Devil Soul Talisman is exclusive to the Red Devil Sect. You're quite young, with only the cultivation of the Spirit Accumulating Stage, and hail from Darkmoon City," Duan Tianhong said, his brow creased in thought. "It's unlikely that many on the Profound Sky Continent are aware of this talisman's marvels. Even on the Quietus and Heavenly Source Continents, knowledge of it is exceedingly rare."

"This talisman?" Qin Yun exclaimed in surprise.

"Don't even attempt to control Duan Guanlan with your Soul Intent or to extinguish his soul," Yu Yuan warned, his sigh directed primarily at Lee Yuchan. "Believe me, it's not worth trying!"

He had just detected Lee Yuchan's intention to employ a Soul Art to assassinate Duan Guanlan.

Lee Yuchan remained silent, her expression icy.

Duan Tianhong and Duan Tianxi, both at the Yin God Stage, were superior in soul refinement and beyond her reach. Her clandestine Soul Arts would be ineffective against the brothers and would only serve to disgrace her.

Yet Duan Guanlan had not reached the Penetrating Stage, lingering in the late Profound Break Stage. With her malicious Soul Arts, she was confident she could strike without the Duan brothers being able to intervene.

"The Devil Soul Talisman you carry cannot be breached by someone at the Yin God Stage," Yu Yuan explained, a note of resignation in his voice. "This talisman is the secret work of a Red Devil Sect master craftsman, and only seven exist. With it, not even the soul of a Yang God can penetrate and obliterate the bearer's three souls."

"If you affix the talisman to your forehead and your soul attempts to force its way in, even those at the Soul Wandering Stage would be harmed. And for those at the Yin God Stage, like yourself, the damage would be even greater."

Turning to Qin Yun, he added, "It's more than just an inconvenience. It would peel away a layer of your being, proving more troublesome than being trapped in deep sword wounds."

Yu Yuan disclosed the origins of the Devil Soul Talisman.

"Yu Yuan?" Duan Tianhong's demeanor grew grave, his face betraying a hint of alarm as he demanded, "Who taught you? How do you possess such detailed knowledge of the Devil Soul Talisman?"

Simultaneously, high in the cloud-swathed skies, the Imperial Advisor of the Rainier Empire also showed signs of astonishment.

"To know the origin of the Devil Soul Talisman is one thing, but to be aware of the exact number and their profound mysteries!" Zhou Cangmin's Yin God stirred with a flicker of thought.

Billowing clouds surged abruptly, and the sea of clouds roiled incessantly.

A consciousness imperceptible to others, discernible only to Duan Tianhong through a special artifact, descended suddenly.

Beneath Duan Tianhong's garments, a jade plate hung against his skin, casting a soft glow.

The message was conveyed with clarity.

Duan Tianhong instantly grasped the Imperial Advisor's thoughts. He signaled Duan Tianxi with a hand gesture, cautioning him against any hasty actions. Turning to Duan Guanlan, he said, "We need to ascertain this young man's background."

Duan Guanlan nodded, understanding, "But we're keeping him alive?"

"Yes, we can't simply strike him down." Duan Tianhong affirmed and continued, "Yu Yuan, if your sect has ties to the Red Devil Sect, speak up now! Prove that your sect is an ally, not an enemy, and you may yet live."

"And them?"

Glancing at Qin Yun and Lee Yuchan, Duan Tianhong added, "Their fate hinges on your testimony."

Qin Yun of the Seven Divine Sect and General Lee of the Silvermoon Empire exchanged incredulous looks with Yu Yuan, their eyes demanding, "What exactly is your story?"

The Devil Soul Talisman, a mystical and closely guarded secret of the Red Devil Sect, was limited to a mere seven in existence.

These seven talismans held boundless potential, capable of withstanding the soul force of a Yang God. Once affixed to the forehead, they could protect against attacks from those in the Soul Wandering and Yin God Stages, leaving the aggressor gravely wounded, if not dead.

Duan Guanlan, a practitioner of the Crimson Soul Devil Spell, had been granted one of these precious talismans—a significant honor indeed.

The Duan family boasted two brothers with ties to the Red Devil Sect, and Duan Guanlan had been welcomed into the Primordial Yang Sect for cultivation.

Stranger still was their unwavering obedience to Zhou Cangmin, the Imperial Advisor, following his commands without question or cause.

Was the Imperial Advisor aware of their affiliation with the Red Devil Sect?

And Zhou Cangmin, the Imperial Advisor himself, was fated to join the ranks of the Primordial Yang Sect. Soon to depart from the Profound Sky Continent, he would be received with high honors by the sect, even reserved a seat among the elders.

What in the world was happening?

"Ahem, well, are you aware that Lord Faang Yao has been active on the Profound Sky Continent recently?" Yu Yuan interjected abruptly.

At his words, the Duan brothers' faces turned ashen.

"How do you know about Lord Faang Yao?" Duan Tianhong burst out, unable to contain himself any longer. "Within the Red Devil Sect, it's a closely guarded secret that Lord Faang Yao left the sect to covertly enter the Profound Sky Continent!"

"I encountered Lord Faang Yao in Darkmoon City not too long ago," Yu Yuan said with a light chuckle. "He took Yuan Qiufang, the former City Lord of Darkmoon, with him. I was in the company of Senior Yuan at the time."

"When was this?" Duan Tianhong demanded.

"Roughly two or three months ago," Yu Yuan responded.

Duan Tianhong and Duan Tianxi exchanged glances before Duan Tianxi spoke up, "That must have been shortly after Lord Faang Yao had departed from our territory."

"Yuan Qiufang was part of the Red Devil Sect?" Duan Tianhong was momentarily taken aback before he huffed, "That's not right. Lord Faang Yao is certainly privy to the Devil Soul Talisman's secret, but why would he divulge such information to you? Even Yuan Qiufang shouldn't have been privy to the existence of the Devil Soul Talisman!"

Yu Yuan furrowed his brow, contemplating whether to disclose more secrets to gain the Duan brothers' trust and learn the Red Devil Sect's motives. From his past life's knowledge and his connections with the Red Devil Sect, he was capable of earning their complete trust.

Yet, by doing so, he risked revealing the secret of his reincarnation, which could lead to his senior brother, Zhong Chichen, discovering it prematurely. The thought gave him a burgeoning headache.

Just then, Duan Tianhong, who had been pressing him for answers, suddenly looked alarmed.

"What is it?" inquired Duan Guanlan, puzzled.

"They've arrived!"

"Who's arrived?"

"The Alien Soul Demons!"

At this revelation, both Qin Yun and Lee Yuchan were visibly shaken.

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