C14 Lee Xiao'er!

She was utterly baffled by the existence of such a terrifying power to tame Hellbeasts in the world, something she had never encountered in the Empyrean.

Common sense dictated that an ability of this magnitude should have sent shockwaves across the Infinite Cosmos and become common knowledge. Yet, like many other formidable beings, she was only aware of the Beast Tamer profession, capable of subduing a limited number of Hellbeasts.

The number was quite small, particularly for Hellbeasts on par with one's own cultivation level. A Beast Tamer could typically tame no more than two or three at most.

Only an Exalted Beast Tamer taming a Stage One Hellbeast could afford to act with the same disregard as Xing Yun. The soul strength of an Exalted individual was unparalleled in the Infinite Cosmos, far beyond the reach of those beneath the Exalted realm.

Consider that a God-Emperor like Ling Ji was exceedingly rare, with the potential to persist through her soul after death and seek resurrection, boasting a lifespan that could span thousands of years.

For an Exalted being, living for tens of thousands of years was no challenge, hinting at the immense power of their Soul Power.

Yet, Xing Yun, with the Soul Power of the Mystic Pulse Realm, had managed to control thousands of Hellbeasts, including two Stage Two Wolf Kings that exceeded his own rank!

What astounded her even more was Xing Yun's ability to resurrect his fallen Hellbeast comrades!

With just ten golden beads, he could bring back a Stage One Rock Wolf that had fallen in battle. Xing Yun had used three hundred beads to restore thirty Rock Wolves to life.

Over the course of a day, Ling Ji realized that Xing Yun saw his Hellbeasts as more than mere tools. Instead, he took all the wounded wolves back to the Voidlands, and even the fallen were brought back to life.

It was no mystery why Xing Yun's subordinates were so fiercely loyal while he remained a detached observer.

A Hellbeast legion that could continually strengthen and revive its members was a formidable concept that sent a shiver down Ling Ji's spine.

"Gu Yan, oh Gu Yan, it seems this was the destiny you could not escape..." Ling Ji inwardly sighed, resigned to the fateful turn of events.

Although Ling Ji was aware that Gu Yan coveted her beauty and was using her, she couldn't help but feel a certain fondness for him, as he had cared for her fragmented soul.

Yet, whenever she thought of Gu Yan, her bitterness toward Xing Yun resurfaced, and she brooded in silence.

This young man, whom she loathed with every fiber of her being, carried himself with an air of unrivaled supremacy, which also broadened her horizons.

After a short while, Xing Yun rose leisurely and made his way out of the cave.

Before him, the medicinal herbs amassed by the Stormblade Wolf and Rock Wolf packs towered like mountains, predominantly consisting of first-tier Blood Condensation Grass.

"How extraordinary. How do they discern the herbs?" Ling Ji marveled, filled with curiosity and astonishment.

She hadn't expected these Rock Wolves and Stormblade Wolves to genuinely gather herbs, and in such vast quantities at that!

"No wonder you're so assured about Grimgarth's tax exemption. You plan to domesticate Hellbeasts to harvest these herbs for sale," Ling Ji commended.

"Do you really think I'm interested in selling herbs?" Xing Yun burst into laughter.

Ling Ji was taken aback. "Isn't that the case?"

Despite being a lower-tier herb, a single Blood Condensation Grass was worth ten gold coins. Adventurers would swiftly deplete any Blood Condensation Grass that sprouted on the outskirts of the Demonic Spine, though few dared to venture there.

Those powerful enough to delve deeper into the Demonic Spine generally disregarded such herbs, unwilling to squander time or brave the risks for such a harvest.

Thus, some lower-tier herbs were trapped in an awkward predicament: overlooked by the mighty and unattainable for the weak.

Xing Yun shook his head. "You'll see what I mean when we get back to Grimgarth."

"Pah! Always so cryptic!" Ling Ji spat in frustration, then fell silent.

Having drifted for centuries as a soul, she had scarcely interacted with anyone. Her conversations with Gu Yan had been minimal, tainted by his exploitation and his designs on the saintess.

She never imagined that she would now find herself engaging in sporadic talks with Xing Yun, which only added to her vexation.

How could she possibly comprehend that Xing Yun was determined to claim her as his own, necessitating her continual submission to his will?

Gazing at the dense cluster of Fellheart Energy suspended in the mid-air distance, Ling Ji's eyes shimmered with fascination. Yet, her thoughts soon drifted to Gu Yan's demise, casting a shadow of sorrow over her.

She might not recognize the three thousand five hundred golden Spiritual Energy Pearls, but she could sense the exceedingly pure Spiritual Energy they contained. They bore a resemblance to the pills known to enhance one's cultivation level, but the Spiritual Energy within these pearls was utterly free of impurities.

Having collected all the medicinal herbs into the Spatial Chaos, Xing Yun whistled, summoning the wolf pack. The wolves converged, and Xing Yun gathered them all. After spending a day subduing Hellbeasts, he could no longer contain the bottleneck in his cultivation. He intended to retreat to the Voidlands for cultivation and to make the breakthrough into the Awakened Soul Realm.

Besides, if he didn't round up the wolves, encountering other Hellbeasts on future outings could send them fleeing in terror, thwarting Xing Yun's taming endeavors.

After securing all the Stormblade Wolves and Rock Wolves, Xing Yun nodded in satisfaction. But suddenly, his expression shifted as he peered into the distance. Ling Ji, noticing the change, followed his gaze but saw nothing unusual. Moments later, however, an agile figure emerged from the thick forest.

"How can his perception be so acute?" Ling Ji wondered, feeling even more perplexed. It was clear that the figure had been at least thirty meters from Xing Yun and had concealed its presence until now, as evidenced by the masked attire.

Xing Yun regarded the newcomer with curiosity. The figure had an hourglass shape and, with slender hands, removed a black ghostly mask, still veiled, yet revealing a cascade of dark hair.

It was none other than Lee Xiao'er.

"Are you a member of the Order of the Celestial Veil?" Xing Yun inquired.

"Does it really matter to someone who's about to die?" Lee Xiao'er replied, her voice cold yet seductively enthralling, enough to disarm any ordinary man.

Xing Yun couldn't help but chuckle. "You're overly confident in yourself. Share your intentions, and I might consider letting you live."

The female assassin's gaze lacked the usual decisiveness of her kind, even carrying a hint of softness. Xing Yun realized she wasn't a professional and was naturally inclined to interrogate her.

"You've killed Gu Yan, who was somewhat of a friend to me. Today, you will meet your end!" Lee Xiao'er declared.

Lee Xiao'er was convinced that by doing so, she could conceal her true purpose and allow Xing Yun to die with peace of mind.

"Gu Yan?" Xing Yun let out a laugh.

"I know who she is, but I urge you not to kill her, or you might end up regretting it. This isn't a threat; it's a warning," Ling Ji stated earnestly.

"Oh, is it Lee Xiao'er?" The sound of Xing Yun's voice echoed through the Voidlands.

"How did you know?" Ling Ji was taken aback.

Xing Yun nearly burst into laughter. Speaking through the Voidlands, he said, "Clearly, you're indicating she's not evil and that you hope I'll spare her. After giving it some thought, the only person who fits that description is Lee Xiao'er, the one who saved my man."

"Oh, you're quite clever!"

Ling Ji snapped back, her voice tinged with annoyance, and then fell silent, her mind filled with worry.

Lee Xiao'er was up against such a sly opponent. Who would be the unlucky one?

"That's correct! I've heard you ruthlessly killed Gu Yan, leaving no trace of his body!" Lee Xiao'er responded.

Xing Yun chuckled. "Ruthlessly? Are you aware of how many of my keep's guards he slaughtered and dismembered? Miss Lee Xiao'er!"

"How did he know it was me?!" Lee Xiao'er was startled internally, but outwardly she kept her cool and asked, "Who is Lee Xiao'er?"

Xing Yun burst into hearty laughter. "If you're confident enough to try to silence me, why worry about whether I know who you are?"

Lee Xiao'er fell silent, then inquired, "How exactly did Gu Yan slaughter your guards? I can't believe he would do such a thing!"

Xing Yun replied gravely, "Appearances can be deceiving! If you don't think he's capable of that, then what do you make of me?"

"No matter who you are, you must die!"

With a cold shout, Lee Xiao'er conjured a pair of black and gold daggers from thin air. Like a wraith, she lunged at Xing Yun.

In the blink of an eye, she closed the distance of thirty feet, her daggers aimed straight for Xing Yun's heart with lightning speed.

At the critical moment, Xing Yun swiftly sidestepped, narrowly escaping Lee Xiao'er's lethal strike.

Shocked, Lee Xiao'er eyed Xing Yun warily and said coldly, "No wonder you were able to kill Gu Yan. You're more troublesome than I anticipated."

Xing Yun replied with a smile, "Reaching the pinnacle of the Awakened Soul Realm at such a young age is indeed impressive."

Lee Xiao'er, likely around sixteen, was at the peak of the Awakened Soul Realm, a talent that stood out even in the vast Shadowlands.

Since she had previously saved Liang Xing, Xing Yun was reluctant to deal a deadly blow.

"At such a young age, you already know how to attack a saintess. You're quite something," Lee Xiao'er remarked coldly.

Xing Yun chuckled, "Your true motive for wanting me dead must be related to that. However, I have no desire to kill you. Surrender now, and I'll allow you to leave with your dignity intact."

Lee Xiao'er paused, then burst into laughter, "You expect me to surrender?"

"Is there an issue?" Xing Yun asked, smiling.

"You've become so arrogant that you fail to see the gap between us!" Lee Xiao'er retorted, laughing as she charged her daggers with dark spiritual energy.

Feeling the menacing energy, Xing Yun shook his head, "Tsk, such a young age to be practicing dark arts. Abandon the darkness, follow me, and I assure you, you'll be as pure as a saintess."

"Insolent and shameless!"

Enraged by the audacity of the rogue who dared to assault and then flirt with her, Lee Xiao'er swung her daggers, releasing two blades of black spiritual energy towards Xing Yun.

Soul-snatching Blade!

In her attack, Lee Xiao'er unleashed the secret technique of her sect, the Soul-snatching Blade. A hit from this could shatter one's soul to pieces!

The Soul-snatching Blade hurtled toward Xing Yun like an arrow released from its bow, but with a swift wave of his right palm, Xing Yun summoned a pure white shield before him that enveloped his entire body.

The Soul-snatching Blade vanished as if it were a clay ox melting into the ocean.

"Impossible!" Lee Xiao'er gasped in disbelief.

Ling Ji echoed the sentiment in unison.

A lethal technique wielded by a peak Awakened Soul expert had been thwarted by a mere shield from the same realm!

The Aegis of the Void!

This was a divine protective technique that Xing Yun had forged using Astral Power, and its might had far exceeded that of the heavenly tier!

Even among heavenly tier cultivation methods and martial skills, disparities existed.

The Infinite Cosmos typically categorized martial skills and cultivation methods into tiers of heaven and earth. Yet, many of Xing Yun's self-invented martial skills and cultivation methods had already transcended the highest heavenly tier.

In his past life, Xing Yun was not only unrivaled in strength across the Infinite Cosmos, but he was also renowned for his groundbreaking creations in martial skills and cultivation methods.

Lee Xiao'er watched as Xing Yun stood serenely, the Aegis of the Void now nowhere to be seen, and she was filled with wonder.

"Could this be a life-preserving artifact he brought from the Upper Realm? But if the family entrusted him with such an artifact, why would they send him to the Shadowlands?"

She had mistakenly believed Xing Yun's Aegis of the Void to be a concealed treasure.