Immortal-Exterminating Divine Venerable

'However, even the weakest Spirit Fire Level item is comparable to the Small Divine Ability Realm, or even the Great Divine Power Realm or a Demigod. Although I have the Ten Thousand Poison Source Pearl and don't need to fear this Earth Evil Qi, if it spawns any Evil Spirits, they'll be difficult to handle.'

Yang Xiao frowned slightly.

His Ten Thousand Poison Source Pearl could not only generate Original Poison Gas to create all sorts of poisons—and even Immortal Pills and Marvelous Medicines—but it could also absorb various poisons and refine them back into Original Poison Gas.

The Earth Evil Flame Qi before him was also a type of poison, so he wasn't afraid of it at all.

But Evil Spirits were a different matter.

The more powerful the Evil Qi, the stronger the Evil Spirit it would spawn. Back when Yang Xiao was in the Nine Nether Earth Rift, the Nine Nether Evil Qi he encountered was formidable, but its level wasn't particularly high.

Its properties were what made it so dangerous.

The Nine Nether Evil Qi was virtually incurable. Therefore, even if the Evil Spirits it produced were only equivalent to the First and Second Levels of the Small Divine Power Realm, they were still something everyone avoided at all costs.

But here, if there was truly a Spirit Fire-level Evil Fire, then the Evil Spirit it spawned would be at least at the Small Divine Ability Realm, perhaps even the Great Divine Power Realm. It might even be a Demigod.

Naturally, Yang Xiao had to be cautious.

'I hope it's not a top-tier Spirit Fire, or else this is going to be big trouble.'

Yang Xiao couldn't help but glance at Ye Dongge.

"Master, is something the matter?"

Ye Dongge had a fawning expression on his face.

Yang Xiao smiled but said nothing.

He felt a little more at ease, however. For some reason, he could tell that Ye Dongge had become even more reverent and submissive toward him.

Just as Yang Xiao was cautiously venturing deeper into the Earth Evil Flame Cave...

「Tens of thousands of miles away, in the council hall of the Eastern Domain Profound Celestial Sect.」

The Sect Leader of the Profound Celestial Sect stood before Ye Qinghan with a cold expression.

He said flatly, "Why did you return alone?"

"Reporting to the Sect Leader, I..."

Ye Qinghan felt a strange sense of unease and anxiety.

'She had thought that by returning secretly, even if news from the outpost got back, it would take some time. When it did, she could just feign ignorance, and that would be that.'

But she never expected that as soon as she returned to the Profound Celestial Sect, the Sect Leader would summon her.

He looked as if he already knew everything.

This made Ye Qinghan hesitate, unsure of what to say.

"Forget it. With a disaster of this magnitude, and you returning all alone... I doubt I'll get anything by questioning you. Hmph! Then there's only one way."

However, before she could even think of how to fabricate a story to get herself out of this, the Profound Celestial Sect's Leader, Ye Xuantian, grew impatient.

He raised his hand and pointed a finger at her.

Seeing this finger, Ye Qinghan's expression changed dramatically.

"The Soul-Searching Finger! No—"

Ye Qinghan cried out, but she was too slow to dodge.

Ye Xuantian's finger tapped her on the forehead.

In an instant, Ye Xuantian perceived every single one of her memories, including her promise to Yang Xiao to act as his inside agent to enter the Profound Sun Secret Realm.

"Damn it! That audacious little thief actually dares to covet my Ye Family's Profound Sun Secret Realm!"

Ye Xuantian was furious.

Just as he was about to kill the traitor Ye Qinghan with a single palm strike, a sudden thought struck him.

With a flick of his finger, he knocked her unconscious.

'Killing her might tip him off.' "Men, take this wretch away and keep a close watch on her. Report anything unusual immediately."

Immediately, someone came forward and led Ye Qinghan away.

Pacing back and forth, he still felt uneasy.

He issued another command.

"Issue my command! Seal the Profound Sun Secret Realm and permit no one to enter. Furthermore, Ye Tiansheng's entire line are traitors—execute them all!"

As soon as the words were spoken, the Profound Celestial Sect disciples waiting outside sprang into action.

But that wasn't all.

Ye Xuantian thought for a moment, and with a mental command, he summoned all the powerhouses in the Profound Celestial Sect at Daoist Tier Seven and above. The lowest-ranking among them were all members of the Elder Council, the sect's upper echelon.

Among them were two others who, like him, had reached the Peak of Dao Tier. They were the Profound Celestial Sect's Supreme Elders.

These two, along with Great Elder Ye Xuanfeng and Sect Leader Ye Xuantian, represented the Profound Celestial Sect's greatest combat power. Four powerhouses at the Peak of Dao Tier made them one of the top three forces in the entire Eastern Domain.

After all, in the entire Eastern Domain, there were only a scant few powerhouses at the Void Immortal level. Even the City Lord of Immortal Dao City, the most powerful man in the Eastern Domain, Ye Donghuang, was merely at the Peak of Dao Tier.

At this moment, three of the Profound Celestial Sect's four Peak of Dao Tier powerhouses were gathered together.

In addition to so many Elders at Daoist Tier Seven and above.

This showed just how seriously Ye Xuantian was taking this matter.

And so, after just a short while, he recounted what he had seen in Ye Qinghan's mind.

Instantly, the expression on every person in the council hall changed.

This matter concerned the Profound Sun Secret Realm.

It was far too important.

"Sect Leader, do you have the thief's aura?"

An old man with white hair and a white beard was the first to ask.

Everyone's eyes lit up.

If they had his aura, searching for him would be much easier.

"No. The little thief is extremely cautious and left no trace of his aura. However, from the mind of that little traitor, Ye Qinghan, I saw his appearance."

As he spoke, Ye Xuantian raised his hand, and two images of light appeared.

They were none other than Yang Xiao and Yue Lingxi.

"Only an appearance and no aura... this will be difficult to track."

Someone frowned.

"Of course, I know that. Therefore, I intend to set a trap," Ye Xuantian said in a cold voice.

"Set a trap?"

"Correct. Doesn't he want to enter the Profound Sun Secret Realm? Perfect. The main family has already handed full control of the Secret Realm's affairs to us. We will set a trap and ambush him within the Profound Sun Secret Realm! Conveniently, that little wretch he controlled is still in our hands."

"That's right! Why should we waste our effort searching? We just have to wait for him to come to us and ambush him," an Elder chimed in with agreement.

Ye Xuantian was secretly pleased but maintained his cold expression. "Although we know his target and can set a trap to lure him in, the necessary investigation must still be done. Coincidentally, Great Elder Ye Xuanfeng's Primordial Pearl has fallen into his hands. I'll have our Grand-uncle take some men to reinforce Elder Xuanfeng. It would be best to make a big show of it. If we actually catch him, so much the better. But even if we don't, we must make him think that all of our people have been dispatched and are searching for him with great fanfare."

"Won't that... tip him off?"

One of the Elders looked puzzled.

"Of course not. He might even think it's an opportunity for him to exploit," the white-haired and bearded old man said faintly.

He was the very Grand-uncle Ye Xuantian had mentioned, one of the two Supreme Elders at the Peak of Dao Tier, and had always been Ye Xuantian's most trusted supporter.

After his explanation, everyone nodded in agreement.

They began to make preparations.

Mobilizing a large number of people, they acted on two fronts.

On one side, they laid out the trap in the Profound Sun Secret Realm.

On the other, they rendezvoused with Ye Xuanfeng to jointly search for Yang Xiao's whereabouts.

It could be said that the entire sect's strength was mobilized.

While they were making such a great commotion, Yang Xiao, deep within the Earth Evil Flame Cave, was completely oblivious, currently absorbing a cluster of extremely dense Earth Flame Evil Qi.

And at that very moment, a ferocious-looking Giant Python Evil Spirit, its entire body radiating a green glow, suddenly appeared behind the Evil Qi with a HISS and lunged toward Yang Xiao.

Its speed was extreme.

Even Ye Dongge didn't have time to react; when he saw it, his expression changed in an instant.

Because the aura of this Evil Spirit was, unmistakably, that of the Great Divine Power Realm!