Chapter 179: Clap Your Hands, Summon Whatever You Want!
Heavenly Poison City the capital of the Chu Yun Empire and home to both the empire's royal family and its strongest sect, the Myriad Scorpion Sect.
In the original story, this city eventually became the headquarters of the Poison Sect under the leadership of Xiao Yi Xian. The Poison Sect massacred the royal family and drove the Myriad Scorpion Sect back to the Myriad Scorpion Mountain Range.
The Poison Sect was Xiao Yi Xian's sole emotional anchor and purpose for living. She spared no effort in strengthening it. Over time, however, this anchor shifted to Xiao Yan. With her Woeful Poison Body cured, she was finally able to live like a normal person.
For now, though, neither Xiao Yi Xian nor the Poison Sect had reached their peak strength as portrayed in the original story. The actual rulers of Heavenly Poison City remained the Myriad Scorpion Sect and the Chu Yun Empire's royal family.
In a grand and imposing mansion, Scorpion Mountain, the Myriad Scorpion Sect's leader, suddenly opened his eyes. His sharp, hawkish gaze flickered with a chilling light. But a moment later, his brow furrowed as he froze.
"Ke ke ke ke… Scorpion Mountain, is that how you greet me upon our first meeting?" A cloud of black mist slowly gathered in the air. Two crimson points of light glowed faintly within the darkness.
"So it's Iron Guardian. Forgive me for not noticing earlier." Scorpion Mountain cupped his hands in respect and stood up to greet his guest.
While respectful, his demeanor was not overly submissive merely a polite acknowledgment of Iron Guardian's strength.
This was normal. The Myriad Scorpion Sect was not the Yun Lan Sect, and Scorpion Mountain himself was a peak Dou Huang. Furthermore, his sect had Scorpion Bi Yan, a four star Dou Zong, as its cornerstone.
Iron Guardian, on the other hand, was not comparable to Hawk Guardian in status. As a human tier guardian, he was not superior to Scorpion Mountain but more of an equal.
"Did you complete the task I assigned?" Iron Guardian's voice was laced with a sinister laugh. His superiors had sent him to investigate Hawk Guardian's disappearance. That fool had been missing for six months now, with no news. Could he be dead?
If so… that would be delightful!
"We captured a Dou Wang from the Jia Ma Empire, and the interrogation is nearly complete," Scorpion Mountain said solemnly with a slight nod. "According to his account, six months ago, there was indeed a great battle at the Yun Lan Sect."
"Oh?" Iron Guardian's eyes glowed faintly, urging Scorpion Mountain to continue.
Scorpion Mountain pulled out a file and carefully chose his words before speaking. "Half a year ago, the young sect master of the Yun Lan Sect challenged someone to a duel. His opponent was a young man named Xiao Yan."
"Xiao…" Iron Guardian's eyes narrowed, his interest visibly piqued at the mention of this name.
"During the duel, the young sect master was defeated, and Yun Yun intervened to keep the boy at the Yun Lan Sect," Scorpion Mountain continued, though his brows furrowed slightly. "The boy had a soul residing within his body… a soul with the combat strength of a Dou Zong."
"What?!" Iron Guardian was genuinely shocked this time. A Dou Zong level soul? Other than those in the Soul Palace, he had never encountered such a thing!
"What happened next?" Iron Guardian pressed.
"Yun Shan stepped in but was intercepted. Beyond that, we don't have any more details. The captured Dou Wang left Yun Lan Mountain shortly after," Scorpion Mountain explained. "From our investigation, the boy's full name is Xiao Yan. A while back, his family was attacked by an unknown force, but he had already left the Jia Ma Empire for the Black Corner Region and enrolled at Jia Nan Academy."
Iron Guardian fell silent, the black mist around his body rippling faintly. While the details were unclear, the general picture was coming together: Hawk Guardian had likely been killed by a combination of that soul and Yun Shan.
If that were the case, the next step would be to contact the Soul Palace's forces in the Black Corner Region. If memory served him right… wasn't Xuan Guardian stationed there?
Iron Guardian pondered this for a moment before shifting his focus to another matter.
"Understood… Scorpion Mountain, why haven't you intervened in the conflict between the Jia Ma Empire and the Falling Goose Empire? The royal family has been urging you for a long time."
"Before we can deal with external threats, we must stabilize ourselves internally. The Myriad Scorpion Sect has no plans to act for now," Scorpion Mountain replied with a faint smile.
Iron Guardian let out a sinister laugh, clearly satisfied. Without another word, his figure disappeared into the shadows.
The task from above was to investigate Hawk Guardian's fate. However, it was becoming increasingly clear that he was dead. If they wanted more answers, they would have to target Yun Shan.
But Iron Guardian had no intention of acting just yet. The conflict between the Falling Goose Empire and the Jia Ma Empire hadn't reached its peak. What he wanted was a massive war a catastrophic battle that would engulf the three nations and all their powerhouses.
The bloodier the conflict, the better. If Dou Zongs like Yun Shan and Scorpion Bi Yan died, the wealth of souls he could harvest would be unimaginable.
"Ke ke ke… let's see how things play out…" Iron Guardian glanced toward the east, where a faction known as the Poison Sect resided.
If that Heavenly Poison Woman grows strong enough, the time will come to harvest. As for unforeseen accidents? It didn't matter he could always intervene personally.
"Ke ke ke… a bunch of ants!" Iron Guardian sneered, his crimson eyes glowing as he surveyed Heavenly Poison City below. He might not have the skills to thoroughly investigate Hawk Guardian's death, but when it came to harvesting souls… that was his forte.
And he was very, very good at it.
…
At Jia Nan Academy, Lu Bu glanced at the two beauties one deep in cultivation, the other in peaceful slumber and nodded slightly. With a light tap of his foot, he soared into the mountains. He needed a secluded place to examine the corpse of the Heavenly Demon Phoenix he had obtained.
This corpse was a treasure trove. Once he returned to the Jia Ma Empire, he planned to make a stop in the Falling Goose Empire to acquire the Nine Line Sky Wing and refine the Heavenly Demon Phoenix's wings into a flight technique.
In the eastern forests of Jia Nan Academy, Lu Bu descended into a tranquil valley beneath a waterfall. After scanning his surroundings, he decided, "This will do."
With a loud thud, the massive Heavenly Demon Phoenix's corpse landed on the ground. Lu Bu summoned a longsword with a flick of his hand and began methodically slicing off its claws and fangs.
The long, half finger length fangs, weathered by time, were dry and brittle. They crumbled into mush at the slightest pressure, as if they were rotted wood.
Unfazed, Lu Bu summoned the Green Lotus Core Flame and began roasting the ten claws and fangs.
A miraculous transformation occurred. Under the intense heat, the brittle remains began to shrink and shed their dry exterior, revealing a vibrant, greenish red core.
The sharp tips gleamed with a chilling luster, and even Lu Bu, with his powerful physical body, felt a slight sting of cold though only because he hadn't activated the Azure Dragon Transformation.
"Perfect. These will suit Zi Yan nicely," Lu Bu said with a satisfied grin.
Just as he was storing the materials, he suddenly looked up. Two figures appeared on the horizon, entering his range of perception.
"Lu Bu? What are you doing here?" Xiao Yan and Nalan Yanran descended into the valley, surprise evident on their faces as they saw the massive beast carcass in front of Lu Bu.
Lu Bu had sensed them immediately. But the old man in Xiao Yan's ring, Yao Lao, was just as sharp and had also noticed Lu Bu.
"Is there a problem with me being here?" Lu Bu raised an eyebrow. Xiao Yan, now a Dou Wang, no longer needed his flight technique and had passed it on to Nalan Yanran.
At the moment, Nalan Yanran had a pair of wings on her back: Thunder Bat Sky Wings, the flying Dou Technique Lu Bu had traded with Xiao Yan.
"Is this… something you found in that ancient battlefield?" Nalan Yanran asked, looking at the massive beast carcass before her, astonished.
She had heard from Xiao Yan that he had found quite a few valuable items there, but judging from this scene, it seemed Lu Bu's haul was even more impressive. How annoying!
"Yanran and I were looking for a place to train," Xiao Yan said. "This place seems pretty good. You wouldn't mind if we trained here too, right?"
Lu Bu chuckled, glancing at Xiao Yan meaningfully. This guy was clearly curious about his spoils. Perfect this beast's corpse contained something both he and Yao Lao would find valuable. Let's see how much they're willing to pay.
"Of course not. Make yourselves comfortable," Lu Bu replied with a smile.
"What kind of magical beast is this?" Nalan Yanran furrowed her brows, sensing the abundant wind attribute energy emanating from the beast's body. It sent a chill down her spine, a feeling she had only experienced in the presence of her master's master.
"No idea," Lu Bu said with a shrug, blatantly lying. "I just know it's a Tier 7 beast on the verge of breaking through to Tier 8."
"What?!" Xiao Yan's eyes immediately lit up. Crafting a body for his teacher had been a top priority etched into his mind, and he never dared forget it.
Creating such a body required three key components: the skeleton of a Dou Zong, the essence blood of a Tier 7 magical beast, and a high grade Tier 7 medicinal pill the Bone Merging Blood Pill. There was also a prerequisite: three types of Heavenly Flames. He already had two, and with Yao Lao's Bone Chilling Flame, he would have all three.
For anyone else, ordinary materials might suffice, but for his teacher, only the best would do. The essence blood of a near Tier 8 magical beast was undoubtedly the ideal material.
Lu Bu smiled faintly, saying nothing. This was exactly the reaction he wanted.
With a swing of his sword, he sliced off the wings of the Heavenly Demon Phoenix. The jade like, lustrous bone wings brought an uncontrollable smile to his face. Of course, the beast's residual will roared in defiance, but it had no effect on him.
After storing the wings, Lu Bu swung his sword again and decapitated the Heavenly Demon Phoenix. Then, he opened his mouth, releasing the Green Lotus Core Flame to envelop the beast's body. The intense flames began to burn it down.
Under the extreme heat, the pale, fleshy remains emitted odd hissing noises as their volume rapidly shrank. Simultaneously, the surface of the meat turned a strange greenish red color.
Xiao Yan's spirit was immediately energized. This blood… there was something extraordinary about it. The oppressive energy it carried felt powerful and terrifying. Clearly, this beast was no ordinary creature.
As he pondered, green red blood began to drip. Lu Bu quickly grabbed a jade bottle and caught the drops. Within moments, five drops of green red blood fell into the bottle.
Lu Bu smiled faintly, sealing the bottle with a wave of his hand. A faint green red mist wafted from the bottle and into Xiao Yan's nose.
Immediately, the wild energy made Xiao Yan flush bright red. Startled, he summoned his fused purple brown Heavenly Flame to refine the blood's energy.
Moments later, Xiao Yan's expression shifted to joy. The pure energy in the blood had merged into his body, instantly enhancing his physical strength!
"This blood… it has the miraculous ability to strengthen the body?!" Xiao Yan exclaimed, trembling with excitement. This would be the perfect material for crafting his teacher's body!
"Do you want it?" Lu Bu asked, smiling slyly. "You've seen its effects. I only have five drops, so…"
Xiao Yan's expression froze as an ominous feeling washed over him.
"You'll have to pay for it," Lu Bu said, his tone serious.
Xiao Yan: "…"
I knew it!
"What do you want?" Xiao Yan asked, his tone heavy.
"Tier 7 and Tier 8 pill recipes," Lu Bu said with a grin. Without formal training, he lacked complete alchemy recipes. These were exactly what he needed preferably all of Yao Lao's recipes in one bundle.
Of course, that was impossible. That old miser Yao Lao would nitpick every transaction, ensuring he got the better deal.
"I'll figure out a way to gather them, but you have to save that blood for me," Xiao Yan said. At the moment, he lacked a Dou Zong's remains and hadn't crafted the Bone Merging Blood Pill, so he couldn't use the blood just yet.
"Deal!" Lu Bu replied cheerfully, agreeing to Xiao Yan's somewhat ridiculous request without hesitation.
The reason was simple: Yao Lao was still awake. Without his approval, Xiao Yan couldn't agree to any meaningful trades. But the day that old miser fell into slumber… Heh, just wait and see how I bleed Xiao Yan dry.
"This is the deposit," Xiao Yan said, tossing over a black scroll.
"Emperor Seal Technique?" Lu Bu's eyes widened in surprise. He stared at Xiao Yan in disbelief. "You're even willing to trade this?"
Xiao Yan smirked, enjoying Lu Bu's shocked reaction. "Xun'er said you already have the first and second seals. This is the third, Earth Shattering Seal. Take it as a down payment."
"Oh, by the way, I should tell you I have all five seals!"
Lu Bu: "…"
Damn it! That Xun'er actually told him about this? I thought she valued the Emperor Seal Technique highly. Now how am I supposed to use it to outshine Xiao Yan?!
Feeling dejected, Lu Bu released his Heavenly Flame, enveloping the Phoenix's head. Eventually, he extracted its essence blood and acquired a green red Heavenly Demon Phoenix Magic Core.
"Damn it…" Xiao Yan, who had just looked smug, now seethed with jealousy, his eyes practically turning green.
An eighth tier magic core!
This was no ordinary treasure. Watching Lu Bu casually claim it made Xiao Yan feel more heartbroken than if he had lost his own eighth tier core.
"Forget it! I can't look anymore!" Xiao Yan muttered, stomping off to find a quiet spot to train with Nalan Yanran.
Lu Bu chuckled, storing the Heavenly Demon Phoenix Magic Core. If I can find a Dou Zun's corpse, I'll use this to craft a Dou Zun level Heavenly Demon Puppet… Just the thought of it is exhilarating.
Nearby, Nalan Yanran had swallowed a medicinal pill and was sitting cross legged, entering a meditative state.
Meanwhile, Xiao Yan was busy forming hand seals, but every time he tried to execute the technique, the energy dispersed. His forehead was drenched with sweat.
"Damn it! Why is the Mountain Splitting Seal so hard to master?" Xiao Yan wiped his sweat, feeling drained. His Dou Qi reserves were almost depleted.
"Is it really that hard?" Lu Bu walked over, raising an eyebrow. "This technique is so simple anyone can do it."
With that, Lu Bu clasped his hands together and shouted, "Mountain Splitting Seal!"
A radiant green light gathered in his palms, forming a compact energy seal.
"See? Simple as that!" Lu Bu grinned, holding up the seal.
"What?!" Xiao Yan's eyes nearly popped out of his head. He stared in disbelief. No hand seals? Just clap your hands, and it works?
Was he practicing a fake Dou Technique?
"Looks like our dear Xun'er didn't give you the real goods…" Lu Bu said with a sly smile, his tone full of mischief, sowing discord with every word.
(End of Chapter)
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