"The Imperial Realm... the soul of an Imperial cultivator..." Xiao Xin stared at Xiao Xuan, who smiled calmly, his words sending a dryness to his throat. In this world, any subtle connection to the word "Imperial" instantly elevates it to a symbol of supreme strength—whether it be a Battle Emperor, an Imperial-grade pill, or an Imperial-level soul. Likewise, an Imperial-level soul holds the same status. Among the three—Battle Emperor, Imperial-grade pill, and Imperial-level soul—the third is perhaps the most likely, given the current state of the continent. While this level does not require the absorption of the so-called "Imperial Primordial Qi," it by no means means that attaining an Imperial-level soul is easy. According to Xiao Xin's estimation, only two individuals on the continent have achieved this—Gǔ Yuán and Hún Tiān Emperor. Xiao Yan's spiritual realm currently stands at the peak of the Tian Realm, just one step away from the Di Realm—yet this single step has proven to be insurmountable for countless strong cultivators, no matter how diligently they train, unable to make even the slightest advancement. As a master of alchemy, Xiao Yan has personally witnessed this phenomenon clearly. He himself has reached the peak of the Tian Realm after several years of cultivation, yet even now, his spiritual realm remains unchanged at that level—feeling as though no matter how hard he strives, he can never bridge the incomparable gap between the peak of the Tian Realm and the Di Realm soul. Therefore, when Xiao Yan heard Xiao Xuan mention that such a profound destiny was actually a Di Realm soul, even his unwavering composure could not help but be momentarily stunned. "How is this possible?" After a moment of stillness, Xiao Yan finally regained his composure, shaking his head and sighing in resignation. While it wasn't common for cultivators at the peak of the Heavenly Realm to reach the pinnacle of the Heavenly Realm, there were still a few such masters. However, based on the ones he had encountered, aside from Huns Tian Di and Gu Yuan, no one else had ever reached that level. "It truly is an extremely difficult feat," said Xiao Xuan with a slightly unusual smile, lifting his gaze to the hazy void above, his deep eyes fixed upon it as he spoke slowly, "The Heavenly Soul of the Heavenly Tomb that I refer to is not the fragmented souls here—it is the soul of the Heavenly Tomb itself!" "The soul of the Heavenly Tomb? Does the Heavenly Tomb even possess a soul?" Xiao Yan was struck dumb, his eyes wide with disbelief, gazing at Xiao Xuan in astonishment. "A strange being, formed since the establishment of the Heavenly Tomb from countless fragmented soul imprints, you might consider it the guardian of the Heavenly Tomb—though, in my opinion, 'prison guard' might be a more fitting description. It governs this space and simultaneously instills in the energy bodies the desire to devour one another." Xiao Xuan's gaze was fixed steadily upon the void space, speaking softly. "Beyond these energy bodies, no one can sense its presence—even ancient figures like Gu Yuan have never known of it." Xiao Yan swallowed hard. This was the first time he had witnessed a space endowed with a soul. Such a phenomenon was truly extraordinary. The Supreme Battle Emperor who originally constructed this space must have possessed techniques beyond the realm of the divine and mortal. "Is that being particularly strong?" "Xiao Yan murmured, 'Those who could be buried in the Heavenly Tomb were all powerful regional magnates. Since the Soul of the Heavenly Tomb can absorb their residual soul imprints, it must surely be no ordinary entity.' 'Very strong,' Xiao Xuan smiled. Just two simple words, yet they made Xiao Yan's expression grow serious—such a statement from Xiao Xuan clearly indicated that the Soul of the Heavenly Tomb was indeed formidable. 'Don't worry,' Xiao Xuan said, 'though it may be troublesome, we can manage.' Suddenly, Xiao Xuan's body began to rise slowly. As his body ascended, the mist that had been drifting throughout the heavens swiftly dispersed. A profound and terrifying pressure radiated from within him, spreading outward until it nearly enveloped the entire Heavenly Tomb. Under this overwhelming pressure, every energy body within the tomb lifted its head, gazing intently toward the direction where Xiao Xuan was ascending. Even their previously lifeless eyes now sparkled with excitement. "Master Xiao Xuan... is finally going to act upon it, isn't he?" At the heart of the Heavenly Tomb, the Blood-Scythe Saint suddenly sat upright, his body trembling as he gazed at the figure slowly ascending into the sky. Though this world allowed them to survive in altered forms, it was far from what they had hoped for. The Soul of the Heavenly Tomb had planted within their fragmented essences a desire to devour one another, transforming this realm into a world of constant consumption—where, in order to grow stronger, they had to continuously absorb other energy beings. For beings once human, this was no different from humans eating one another. In the past, the Heavenly Tomb had merely served as a resting place for the strong. But since the emergence of the Soul of the Heavenly Tomb, the world had grown distorted. Those who once dared to challenge it were easily consumed. The only entity in this space that truly commanded their respect remained Master Xiao Xuan at the heart of the Tomb. Long ago, people had pleaded with Xiao Xuan for relief from their hardships, yet he had paid no heed. Over time, the energy beings here grew increasingly disheartened. Since they could not resist, they could only endure silently. It was precisely because of this that, when they suddenly witnessed Xiao Xuan's actions, their previously numb hearts surged once more—tired of this mutual consumption. They were humans, not beasts... On the earth, some energy beings who had been engaged in combat suddenly stiffened, their crimson and numb eyes flickering with waves of activity. Then, trembling, they lifted their heads to gaze at the figure standing motionless in the sky. In an instant, countless figures on the ground knelt down. Xiao Yan himself ascended into the air. Observing the actions of these energy beings within the Heavenly Tomb, he remained silent. As an outsider, he had no clear understanding of what had transpired here, nor could he grasp the emotions resonating within them. Nevertheless, he could clearly discern one thing—the soul of the Heavenly Tomb was not well-liked. Xiao Yan's gaze was firmly fixed upon the distant horizon. By now, he could sense, faintly yet distinctly, a soul resonance rising suddenly—deep, vast, and as boundless as the ocean. This resonance was terrifying; merely making contact with it, he felt as though a mountain range had crushed down upon him. Though immensely powerful, the resonance gave him a fragmented, scattered sensation—likely due to having absorbed countless soul imprints. The massive face rolled, its eyes devoid of emotion, fixed upon Xiao Xuan floating in the sky. His voice, cold as a thunderbolt, echoed and reverberated throughout the heavens and earth. "You are not the Heavenly Tomb. Your birth was not due to the Heavenly Tomb, but rather the coalescence of their fragmented souls. In a sense, it was they who created you..." Xiao Xuan smiled gently, his calm voice, yet it caused the massive face to grow increasingly distorted, appearing more and more terrifying. "Since you insist on dying, then I shall make it so!" The massive face surged, and from its great mouth, a colossal soul storm erupted, spinning wildly like a sharp cone, violently lashing toward Xiao Xuan. Yet facing the assault of the Heavenly Tomb's soul, Xiao Xuan merely stepped steadily forward, one step at a time, moving toward the giant face. The seemingly fierce soul storm merely passed through his body, as if it had made no impact at all. Xiao Xuan's body moved smoothly and unimpeded toward the giant face, and suddenly, a strange spark surged within him—such a sensation as though his soul were burning! "Bestow your soul essence to me," the strange flame spread out from every pore of his body, while the gentle smile on his face grew ever more tender.