Stepping out of the cold and deathly silent dark Secret Realm, Xu Guang returned to the slightly worn yet still grand corridor of the Taiyi Hall. Although the outside light remained dim, the relatively normal flow of Source Qi made Xu Guang squint his eyes slightly. He did not linger, his figure flickered like a ghost, disappearing into the complex shadows of the hall, as if he had never appeared.

Almost immediately after his departure, spatial ripples appeared elsewhere, and the silhouette of Yan Ruge emerged. Her face remained cold, but the subtle fatigue on her brow and the deeper aura within her body revealed her gains and expenditures within the Secret Realm. She cautiously scanned her surroundings and, confirming there was no ambush, quickly departed in a completely different direction from Xu Guang.

However, the truth cannot remain hidden forever. Especially when a group led by Yin Kuang and Qing Ye emerged from the Secret Realm with a mixture of survival gratitude and frustration at not acquiring treasure. News of Xu Guang and Yan Ruge obtaining great fortune within Anan's body spread like wildfire among the surviving explorers.

"Have you heard? Xu Guang and Yan Ruge actually stole the source power of the Saint Realm Star Beast!"

"That's not all! Rumor has it they also used the Star Beast's source to cultivate some kind of Ancient Treasure Body—the Black Soul Venerable Body!"

"Xu Guang has three Dream Fruits that can help people comprehend the dao! Yan Ruge might have a Holy Artifact in her hands!"

"Hiss... These two have truly obtained fortune against the heavens!"

Various rumors grew more intense, and the details became increasingly exaggerated. Xu Guang and Yan Ruge's names quickly became the most sought after and envied targets in Taiyi Hall. Greedy eyes glimmered in the shadows, countless people began plotting, with Yin Kuang being the most obsessed.

"Find him! You must find Xu Guang for me!" Yin Kuang's face was ferocious, and the azure and purple cauldron in his hand hummed, exuding a violent aura. Although the connection of the Soul Blood Pursuing Soul Order had been shielded by Yan Ruge's methods within that uncanny Secret Realm, once outside, the ethereal connection became clear again. Yet, it was still interfered with by the special environment of Taiyi Hall, unable to precisely lock on, only able to point in a general direction. "And that wench Yan Ruge! Absolutely cannot let them leave Celestial Capital with the treasures!"

Qing Ye's eyes flickered beside him, equally intrigued, but showing more calm and calculation than Yin Kuang. "Brother Yin, calm down. Xu Guang's current strength is unclear, it could be dangerous to act rashly. Yan Ruge's background is deep, her methods mysterious, not someone easily dealt with. We need to plan carefully."

"Plan carefully? If we keep planning, they'll be long gone!" Yin Kuang roared, having lost his aides and gained nothing in the Secret Realm, repeatedly provoked by Xu Guang, his anger already consuming him. "Doesn't your Qinglong clan have lots of people? Spread out and find them for me! Whoever provides accurate information, I owe them a favor!"

Driven by Yin Kuang's frenzy and the temptation of great rewards, an extensive net targeting Xu Guang and Yan Ruge quietly spread over the entire Celestial Capital.

Xu Guang concealed his whereabouts, digesting the gains from this venture.

The rewards were plentiful, cultivating a Qi Refiner constitution, and refining the Ghost Dragon Killing Talisman Treasure, his own capabilities greatly enhanced.

However, the aura of the Soul Blood Pursuing Soul Order continued to flow out, and the magic skill Yan Ruge cast seemed to want to vanish at any moment.

Two days later.

Xu Guang frowned, observing the increasingly unstable aura on his body.

The aura of the Soul Blood Pursuing Soul Order continued to dissipate.

Should he find Yan Ruge?

Xu Guang shook his head.

He thought of the woman who previously wanted to trade with him.

Stepping out from his hiding place in the grand hall, he saw several sea tribe people walking away.

In conversation, Xu Guang discovered these were Yin Kuang's people, still searching for him.

He narrowed his eyes, a trace of frost appearing at the bottom of them.

...

Three days later. 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

Xu Guang hid atop the beam of a side hall half-collapsed, his aura perfectly merging with the shadows, the initial formation of the Black Soul Venerable Body bringing his affinity and mastery of darkness to new heights. Like a hunter lying in ambush, he calmly sensed the tumult rising from the outside.

The rapid spread of the news about him and Yan Ruge obtaining treasures was not unexpected. He was even actively guiding this storm—deliberately leaving faint, barely detectable traces in places seemingly hidden yet easy to discover, implying the residue from recent use of star beast sources or cultivation with Dream Fruits.

"Yin Kuang... you really couldn't help yourself." Xu Guang's mouth curved into a cold smile. The Soul Blood Pursuing Soul Order functioned like a beacon in the darkness, and although he had once again used superficial insights from observing Yan Ruge's methods to interfere, he hadn't completely blocked it. Instead, he deliberately maintained it at a "weak signal but consistently present" state, luring the fish to take the bait.

He chose an abandoned palace called the "Ten Thousand Swords Palace" as the battlefield. This site was reportedly where Taiyi Hall practiced the Sword Array, now filled with broken swords and shards, the heavy metallic murderous aura somewhat interfering with Divine Thought detection, and the complex terrain favored hiding and ambush.

Three days later, when Yin Kuang, accompanied by several sea tribe experts driven by profit, followed the sporadic guidance of the Soul Blood Pursuing Soul Order into the Ten Thousand Swords Tomb range, they failed to realize they had already become the prey.

"The sensing is stronger! He must be within this ruin!" Yin Kuang's eyes gleamed with excitement and cruelty, the azure and purple cauldron hovering above his head, shedding streams of airflow, protecting him.

Just as they ventured into the core of the sword tomb, crossing an area filled with enormous broken swords, a sudden change occurred!