The moment Xiao Lin lost consciousness, countless fragments of past memories surged directly into his heart. Those memory fragments included not only the twenty-odd years of his current life but also the memories of a previous life!
Indeed, stimulated by the immense grief brought by his wife's passing, Xiao Lin's originally clouded memories of his past life were awakened at this very moment. He was not originally a person of this world; he came from Earth.
After closing his eyes one day and never opening them again, he had crossed over into this world. Because he was a Transmigrator from the womb, his past life memories had not awakened during his earlier years.
All along, Xiao Lin had considered himself a person of this world.
Had it not been for the shock of his wife's death today, he might never have awakened the memories of his past life. To use a Buddhist description: the earlier Xiao Lin was in a state of spiritual dust and ignorance, but now, he had awakened his "Past Wisdom!"
However, for Xiao Lin, the price of awakening this wisdom was simply too high. If he could choose, he would truly rather never have awakened it!
But there are no "ifs" in reality.
Furthermore, along with the awakening of his wisdom, just before he lost consciousness, a terrifying surge of Soul Power suddenly erupted from his body, sweeping across the entire capital of the Jia Ma Empire.
This was the result of Xiao Lin fusing everything from his previous life—including his very soul—after awakening his past wisdom. As Xiao Lin's unconsciously released Soul Power swept through the capital, many people were instantly terrified.
Inside the Imperial Palace of the Jia Ma Empire, a triumphal banquet was being held to celebrate the victory over the Chu Yun Empire.
However, the moment Xiao Lin's unconscious Soul Power swept through the capital, every powerhouse at the level of Dou Wang and above broke out into a cold sweat.
Those below Dou Wang, including Dou Ling level practitioners, were perhaps unaffected because the gap between them and this Soul Power was too vast; instead, they felt nothing more than a sudden cold breeze passing by.
But those at the Dou Wang level and above had their expressions change drastically.
"This power... what is going on? Has a powerhouse above the Dou Zong level arrived in the Jia Ma Empire? That shouldn't be right. Why would a powerhouse of that level be attracted to this barren Northwestern Region?"
Jia Xingtian, the guardian of the Jia Ma Empire, had suddenly unfolded his Dou Qi wings and flown into mid-air, his expression shifting between cloudiness and uncertainty.
Currently, Jia Xingtian was only a Five-Star Dou Huang, far from the Nine-Star Dou Huang level he reached in the original story. Even so, he could feel that the power that just radiated out had, at the very least, reached the Dou Zong level.
One must realize that the current Jia Ma Empire had no Dou Zong; it only possessed several Dou Huang. If a powerhouse of that level wanted to do something in the Jia Ma Empire, they would have absolutely no way to stop them!
This was why Jia Xingtian looked so deeply worried.
"It seems the source of this power has nothing to do with your Imperial Family."
At that moment, a voice sounded from behind Jia Xingtian.
When Jia Xingtian turned his head, he saw Yun Shan, the Sect Leader of the Yun Lan Sect. Yun Shan had also been startled by the Soul Power Xiao Lin had unconsciously released and had flown all the way from the Yun Lan Mountain to the Imperial Palace seeking answers.
However, even though he confirmed the power had nothing to do with the Imperial Family, Yun Shan's face remained very unsightly. If such a powerhouse appeared in the Jia Ma Empire, it wasn't just the Imperial Family's interests that would be affected—the Yun Lan Sect would be hit as well.
Currently, Yun Shan was only a Seven-Star Dou Huang. Leave aside himself; even if he and Jia Xingtian joined forces, they would still be no match for that power!
"Since Sect Leader Yun Shan says so, I assume this power has nothing to do with your Yun Lan Sect either?"
Though it was a question, Jia Xingtian had already gotten his answer from Yun Shan's expression. In recent years, there had always been small frictions between the Yun Lan Sect and the Imperial Family.
This was normal.
After all, the Yun Lan Sect held a transcendent status within the Jia Ma Empire. Even if they had no intention of rebelling, how could the Imperial Family, as the rulers, feel at ease with such a behemoth around?
To the Imperial Family, they didn't care if you would rebel; they cared if you could!
If the Yun Lan Sect wanted to revolt, the Imperial Family alone could never stop them.
This was the current Yun Lan Sect, whose strength was much lower than in the past. If it were the Yun Lan Sect of old, it was no exaggeration to say that even if all the remaining forces in the Jia Ma Empire united, they wouldn't be enough for the Yun Lan Sect to crush!
Unfortunately, for certain reasons, many of the Yun Lan Sect's inheritances had been severed. It was precisely because of the sect's decline that the Imperial Family had begun to have certain ideas.
If it were the old Yun Lan Sect with its full inheritance, the Imperial Family would never dare to offend them. Unlike now, where the Yun Lan Sect's strength was only a notch above the Imperial Family's.
With such a balance of power—where one side no longer held an absolute advantage—the other side naturally developed ambitions. This was the current relationship between the Yun Lan Sect and the Imperial Family.
The Yun Lan Sect did not want to be controlled by the Imperial Family, while the Imperial Family could not tolerate the Yun Lan Sect's transcendent status. Of course, while there were frictions, it hadn't reached the point of wanting to destroy each other.
They weren't fools.
The Jia Ma Empire was already considered weak among the nations of the Northwestern Region; if internal strife crippled one side, they would be carved up by neighboring empires in minutes. Returning to the present, after Jia Xingtian spoke, Yun Shan fell silent.
After a long silence, Yun Shan finally spoke again.
"We don't know if that mysterious powerhouse is just passing through or has other motives. I suggest that for the time being, our two sides join forces to deal with this. What do you think?"
Before experiencing the torture of being stuck at the peak of a Nine-Star Dou Huang as seen in the original story, Yun Shan still possessed the demeanor of a grandmaster. At the very least, right now he truly only wanted to develop the Yun Lan Sect and improve his own strength.
Since the Yun Lan Sect was located in the Jia Ma Empire, he was naturally willing to contribute to the empire's safety.
"Very well, I have no objection."
Jia Xingtian answered straightforwardly. Clearly, he shared the same thought. After chatting briefly about other topics, the two departed.
Aside from Jia Xingtian and Yun Shan, many others were disturbed tonight.
Within the Mittel Clan, Hai Bodong, who was currently a Nine-Star Dou Wang, glanced at the night sky. After thinking of something, he decisively chose to enter secluded cultivation. Before entering, he calmly passed down his orders.
"Tengshan, for the next period of time, I will be in seclusion to charge toward the Dou Huang realm. I leave the clan matters to you."
These were the last words Hai Bodong left before his seclusion.
After being stimulated by that terrifying Soul Power today, Hai Bodong only wanted to increase his strength as quickly as possible. Even if a Dou Huang was still tiny compared to that power, at least a bit more strength meant a bit more confidence to resist, right?
"Yes, Old Hai! I will take good care of the clan; there will be no mistakes!"
Upon hearing that Hai Bodong was going to charge toward the Dou Huang realm, Mittel Tengshan was extremely excited. Once Hai Bodong became a Dou Huang, their Mittel Clan would become the third power in the Jia Ma Empire to possess Dou Huang level combat strength.
That was a completely different concept compared to now!
The Yinter Clan, which used to be as famous as their Mittel Clan, would have to live under their shadow from now on.
The "Two Great Clans of the Jia Ma Empire?" The Yinter Clan didn't deserve to be mentioned in the same breath as the Mittel Clan anymore! Thinking of this, Mittel Tengshan became incredibly excited. He could almost see that day arriving.
On the other side, after attending the triumphal banquet at the palace, Mo Ya, the Clan Leader of the Yinter Clan, returned home in a state of extreme rage.
"Dammit! Faint-headed ruler! Faint-headed ruler! My Yinter Clan has done so much for the empire, yet he is unwilling to give me even a High-Level Xuan Grade cultivation technique. Since that's the case, I can only ask other countries for it."
Roaring while smashing things in his private secret room, Mo Ya's face had become somewhat hideous.
He had been stuck at the Six-Star Dou Wang level for many years, his strength unable to advance an inch. In Mo Ya's view, this was because the cultivation technique practiced by the Yinter Clan was too low in grade—only a Mid-Level Xuan Grade.
In the entire Jia Ma Empire, the only forces possessing High-Level Xuan Grade cultivation techniques were the Yun Lan Sect and the Imperial Family, as well as Hai Bodong, who had somehow obtained one a few years ago.
Originally, the Mittel and Yinter Clans were similar in strength.
But as Hai Bodong obtained a High-Level Xuan Grade cultivation technique, Mo Ya's strength was gradually left behind. Now, Mo Ya was still stuck at Six-Star Dou Wang, while Hai Bodong was about to break through to Dou Huang!
How could Mo Ya endure this?
So, using the merit of leading the Jia Ma Empire to victory over the Chu Yun Empire, Mo Ya had asked the Emperor for a High-Level Xuan Grade cultivation technique. However, the Imperial Family only had one, which was their primary cultivation technique.
How could they possibly give it to the Yinter Clan?
Naturally, the Emperor refused. However, the Emperor was willing to give the Yinter Clan a High Level Xuan Grade Dou Technique. But to Mo Ya, whose cultivation was stuck, what use was a Dou Technique?
It couldn't help him break through!
Although there was only a two-word difference between a cultivation technique and a Dou Technique, the price gap was at least one to three, or even more. Just obtaining a Dou Technique, how could Mo Ya be satisfied?
Therefore, a different thought had already been born in his heart.
Especially after being stimulated by the soul fluctuations Xiao Lin unconsciously released tonight, he became even more extreme!
That night, all the various forces in the capital of the Jia Ma Empire were in a state of trembling fear. The perpetrator behind all of this, Xiao Lin, finally woke up in the early hours of the morning.
At the same time, he learned that under the stimulation of his wife's death, he had not only awakened his past wisdom but also possessed a Heaven Realm soul!
It was precisely because Xiao Lin's Heaven Realm Soul Power had fluctuated outward earlier that all the various forces were thrown into such a stir.