Although Xi Ying and Tian Jizi believed that the cultivators from the Cloud Desolation Alliance held a numerical advantage, there were still many Nascent Soul cultivators present who harbored doubts.

Tian Jizi did not use his position as the Alliance Hierarch to pressure everyone, but instead addressed each doubt and concern individually.

In the end, through his efforts and leadership, he dispelled the worries of those present, and naturally, they all accepted the tactical arrangements he had proposed.

"Fellow Daoists, there is one more thing I must emphasize: Wu Yue Sect's followers are mostly Soul Cultivators, and their methods differ from those of Magic Practitioners and Body Cultivators. Please be sure to guard carefully during combat. I have asked Ming Quan to compile some methods for dealing with Soul Cultivators recorded in Chang Chun Temple, which will be delivered to your residences later. Furthermore, Fellow Daoist Jin Xi has also specially refined a batch of Soul Protection Talismans that can protect the Divine Soul and Nascent Soul. However, these talismans are not easy to refine, and at most, only one can be provided to each person. Please cherish it," Tian Jizi instructed.

All nodded in agreement, and after the meeting ended, many cultivators immediately surrounded the Golden Dawn Fairy, exchanging pleasantries, attempting to trade for some additional Soul Protection Talismans for emergencies.

"Shadow God Envoy, aren't you going to take a look?" Luo Zhu asked Xi Ying with a smile.

"No rush, I will pay her a visit alone later. Fellow Daoist Luo, please feel free to do as you like." Xi Ying returned the smile lightly.

...

Yan Siyun and the others followed Yuan Ming's instructions and also hurried to Yuhua City with the group of cultivators from the East Sea Alliance.

They didn't bring many people with them this time, and their cultivation was generally on the lower side. However, they were mainly responsible for logistics and intelligence and unlikely to come into contact with the frontline. Thus, their current level of cultivation was considered adequate.

After learning of the East Sea Alliance's arrival in Yuhua City, Xi Ying sought them out, choosing not to stay with the people from Pan Si Island any longer.

When Xi Ying returned from the council hall to their base, it seemed that Yan Siyun and her sisters were discussing something with Xu Che.

As soon as Xi Ying arrived, Xu Che let out a sigh of relief, hurried forward, and said, "Shadow God Envoy, not long ago, Wulu came to me and asked me to pass a message to you and Divine Envoy Yuan."

Xu Che had previously been instructed by Yuan Ming to avoid exposure, so whenever Yan Siyun was present, he would not refer to him as his lord.

Xi Ying was somewhat surprised to hear Xu Che's words, not expecting Wulu to have also arrived in Yuhua City. However, compared to Yuan Ming, she wasn't very familiar with Wulu and didn't trust him as much, so she didn't have any particular reaction.

"What did the message say?" she casually asked.

"Wulu said that his surname should have been Cao and that you and Divine Envoy Yuan should be very careful," Xu Che explained, seemingly not understanding the significance of Wulu's words.

But Xi Ying's heart stirred upon hearing this.

Yuan Ming had once mentioned Wulu's background to her, as well as the mysterious family behind him. Xi Ying had been in Yunhuang for many years and had come into contact with many forces lurking in the shadows, but she knew very little about Wulu's family and had never even learned their name.

However, with Wulu's reminder, she immediately thought of Cao Xiangqing, whom she had seen at the meeting.

The Cao family from Mist Mountain was indeed the mysterious family behind Wulu!

The family that should have stayed hidden was now out in the open, and the implications immediately led Xi Ying to many speculations.

"I understand. Don't repeat these words to others. Moreover, if Wulu comes to you again in the future, try to ask him for a way to contact him," Xi Ying said after some thought.

The three reverently accepted the order.

Next, Xi Ying briefly recounted the situation at the meeting and indicated that she would use her connections to ensure Xu Che and the others were tasked with logistics and other trivial matters, sparing them from having to go to the front lines.

Just as the three were about to leave, Xi Ying called Yan Siyun back.

"I remember you're quite skilled at divination, aren't you?" Xi Ying asked.

"It's just some minor techniques, nothing too impressive. The divination often seems ambiguous and requires personal interpretation," Yan Siyun didn't finish her sentence.

"It doesn't matter. Could you divine now and see whether this battle will bring us good or bad fortune?" Xi Ying requested.

Yan Siyun nodded and then entered the quiet room. After making some simple preparations, she took out the turtle shell divination and began the divination process.

Soon, Yan Siyun emerged from the quiet room. However, she didn't immediately disclose the divination outcome, seemingly confused and hesitant.

"What did you divine? Speak freely," Xi Ying gently urged.

"The divination shows that in this battle, proceeding we shall not conquer, retreating we shall not fail; no worries from all sides, but difficulties lie in the central sky," Yan Siyun was puzzled, seemingly uncertain about how to interpret the divination.

"...I understand," Xi Ying nodded thoughtfully, not inquiring further about the meaning of the divination.

Afterward, she sent Xu Che and the others away to make their preparations, while she herself entered an inner room that was off-limits to others.

In the room, a Pill Furnace emanating Five-Colored Spiritual Light was suspended in mid-air, beneath which fierce flames burned, seemingly in the process of refining something.

In front of the furnace, the Five Elements Child meticulously controlled the flames as if he were a Alchemist.

Upon noticing Xi Ying's entrance, he immediately divided a fraction of his attention.

"Master, this fruit is incredibly difficult to refine. It's been so many days, yet it looks just the same," he complained bitterly.

"If the fruit born from a Returning to Void Stage Tree Demon were easy to refine, I would rather suspect that you've brought back a fake. Continue your attempts. Being able to refine the Immortal Elixir is also part of your cultivation. Once it's done, you won't be without your benefits," Xi Ying ignored the complaints and offered a grand promise instead.

Upon hearing this, the Five Elements Child immediately showed an excited expression and hastily manipulated the flames with even greater effort, his little face full of concentration.

Xi Ying smiled at him, then her gaze shifted to the Pill Furnace.

She watched the five-colored light that flowed like mist over the body of the furnace, and her eyes gradually filled with determination.

"Soon, very soon, just hold on a little longer, I can definitely bring you back to life... sister..."

She murmured to herself, her fingers absently fumbling with the Storage Ring, inside which a crystal coffin quietly floated in the void. In the coffin lay a woman who bore a striking resemblance to Xi Ying, holding an ever-burning oil lamp, as if asleep, eyes firmly shut.

Just then, as if responding to Xi Ying's words, the flame on the oil lamp trembled slightly and seemed to grow much more robust.

A hint of joy appeared on Xi Ying's face, and she turned and entered another room.

The walls of this room were covered with Silver Runes, forming a silver barrier that completely isolated the inside from the outside. Read ahead and get updates at *.

"This Sealing Void Array is not bad, but it's still far from the barrier formed by Yuan Ming's Silver Token," Xi Ying shook her head, sat down cross-legged, and waved her sleeve.

A flash of black light passed, and the Soul Suppressing Kettle appeared.

An intensely rich Yin Qi emanated from within the kettle, a faint Black Mist formed in the room, and the air became unusually cold.

Inside the Soul Suppressing Kettle was a dark space where thousands of black yin souls floated. There were seven or eight Nascent Soul yin souls, twenty or thirty Core Formation yin souls, and the rest were Foundation Establishment yin souls.

The Soul Suppressing Pearl at the top of the kettle slowly revolved, and the yin souls inside followed its motion, each with an expressionless face.

"Master, are you really going to refine the yin souls inside the Soul Suppressing Kettle to increase your Soul Power?" A white light flew out from Xi Ying's Spiritual Beast Bag, revealing Guoguo's figure.

"Indeed, all the yin souls I have collected over the years are in the Soul Suppressing Kettle. I've never used them before, all for this day," Xi Ying nodded.

"This Yin Soul Power is not as pure as the Desire Power channeled by Yuan Ming. Although you have the Soul Suppressing Pearl and the Golden Crow Soul to help refine them, it's still too risky! You're different from Yuan Ming; your path in Soul Power is about purity. This step could lead to endless trouble," Guoguo advised.

"It doesn't matter. With the emergence of the Wuyue God, if I don't fully enhance my strength, I'm bound to die without a place to bury myself. I'm not concerned about the consequences," Xi Ying said lightly, Yuan Ming's figure flashing through her mind.

"I can't just put all the burden on him, can I?" she whispered in her heart.

"That makes sense," Guoguo scratched its head.

"Alright, help me protect the law. I need to seize this final opportunity to enhance my strength as much as possible," Xi Ying said. A Golden Crow Soul flew out from the center of her eyebrows, opening its mouth to inhale.

A stream of black air shot out from the Soul Suppressing Kettle, wrapping around a Nascent Soul cultivator's Divine Soul that plunged into the body of the Golden Crow Soul.

The Golden Crow Soul ignited Golden Flames that enveloped the Nascent Soul Divine Soul, fiercely refining it.

The Nascent Soul Divine Soul let out a faint scream before completely losing its human form, dissolving into a mass of disordered Soul Power, less than a tenth of its original size yet exceptionally pure.

This was the ability of the Golden Crow Soul: Purification, capable of refining the memories, emotions, and other residues in the Divine Soul, turning it into pure Soul Power.

"It seems the effect of your Golden Crow refining the impurities of yin souls is better than expected," Guoguo said, pleased.

Xi Ying did not speak; although the Soul Power was pure, she could still detect impurities within it.

However, Xi Ying didn't mind and absorbed the refined Soul Power.

The Soul Power within her Sea of Consciousness surged, increasing significantly.

"The feeling of rapidly increasing Soul Power is indeed pleasant; no wonder Yuan Ming is obsessed with enhancing Soul Power with Desire Power! Given the Golden Crow Soul's excellent results in refining yin souls, I can increase the speed even more," Xi Ying thought to herself, her brow emitting a bright golden light as four Golden Crow Souls flew out.

The four Golden Crows formed an array, each emanating Golden Flames, which coalesced into a swirling golden flame vortex, exerting a powerful suction force.

Boom!

The yin souls shot out from the Soul Suppressing Kettle one by one, refined by the golden flame vortex and merged into Xi Ying's Divine Soul.

Xi Ying's Soul Power strengthened rapidly, and the speed at which she refined Soul Power grew even faster.

In the blink of an eye, three days had passed. The yin souls collected in the Soul Suppressing Kettle had been completely refined, and naturally, Xi Ying's Soul Power had advanced by leaps and bounds.

Her Soul Cultivation had originally reached the mid-stage of the Sleep Witch, but now she had broken through directly to the Late Stage of the Sleep Witch.

"Congratulations, Master, on your great advancement in Divine Soul Cultivation," Guoguo clapped its front paws, creating a clapping sound.

"Only at the Late Stage of Sleep Witch, it's far from enough," Xi Ying's face showed no joy, her brow furrowed.

Having made such a great sacrifice, she naturally wanted to raise her Soul Cultivation strength to the utmost. It was impossible to reach the level of a Spoken Witch, but at the very least, she aimed to reach the Peak of the Sleep Witch.

"It seems I need to collect more..." Xi Ying murmured to herself, taking out an object—it was a set of Blood Puppet Armor.