Chapter 191: Medusa: Dual Cultivation is Still More Fun!
"Roar !"
The instant the purple gold light burst forth, everyone nearby felt as though a resounding dragon's roar exploded in the depths of their souls. They froze in place, trembling under the awe inspiring dragon's might that instantly subdued everyone present.
"A… a Void Ancient Dragon?" Gu Zhen and Gu Luan of the Black Abyss Army were dumbfounded. What was going on? Their Eighth Commander turned out to be a Void Ancient Dragon?
"No wonder the young mistress insisted on giving him the position of Eighth Commander against all opposition!" Gu Luan's eyes gleamed with excitement. The Void Ancient Dragon clan one of the most powerful races, on par with the imperial clans!
While the bloodlines of the imperial clans were ancient and long lasting, they were not eternal. Eventually, they would run dry. But the Void Ancient Dragon clan was different. Born from the heavens and earth, they had always been the supreme rulers of the magical beast world, an unshakable position. Even the legendary Ancient Heavenly Phoenix, Ancient Heavenly Serpent, or Nine Colored Heaven Swallowing Python could not surpass them.
Legends of their might spread far and wide, and among all magical beasts, having a trace of dragon blood was a source of immense pride. Races like the Dragonbear Clan and the Sky Poison Scorpion Dragon Beast revered the dragon bloodline above all.
"He's really a Void Ancient Dragon…" Gu Zhen's gaze turned serious. If that was true, then their Eighth Commander was no ordinary individual. The Gu Clan would have to treat him with utmost respect.
This was the first time Gu Zhen had ever encountered someone from the Void Ancient Dragon clan. That mysterious group rarely involved themselves in affairs of the Dou Qi Continent, instead dwelling exclusively in the void. Even the imperial clans hesitated to provoke them.
"So, this brat really is connected to the Void Ancient Dragon clan!" Yao Lao's face twitched as he muttered to himself. However, he didn't believe Lu Bu was a true Void Ancient Dragon it wasn't realistic. It was common knowledge on the Dou Qi Continent that magical beasts couldn't become alchemists.
Moreover, he had witnessed Lu Bu's growth firsthand, from his body tempering with purple flames in the Magical Beast Mountain Range, to his strange golden body, and now his connection to the Void Ancient Dragons.
Rather than being a dragon, it was more likely that Lu Bu had cultivated some technique or Dou Skill related to the Void Ancient Dragon clan.
But what kind of technique or Dou Skill was it?
Even with Yao Lao's extensive knowledge, he couldn't discern its origin. He could only guess that it was a body tempering method.
"So… all of his tempering and training up until now was preparation for this technique?" A strange thought popped into Yao Lao's mind. Could it really be?
If that were true… just what rank was this technique? High tier Earth? Or perhaps the legendary Heaven tier?
In the sky above, a purple gold dragon shadow roared as it descended. Shen Tu Protector stood frozen in place, his crimson eyes filled with terror.
This attack was unavoidable. There was nowhere to run!
"I'm going to die! I'm going to die!"
In an instant, Shen Tu Protector assessed the situation and knew he wouldn't survive this blow.
"Haha… If I'm going to die, then you won't have it easy either!" Shen Tu Protector cackled wickedly, his hands forming seals as his body began to glow. With a sharp whistle, a black streak of light shot out.
"Let's see how you handle Soul Hall's wrath!" Shen Tu Protector laughed maniacally, his expression twisted.
The ferocious dragon shadow streaked down like lightning, crashing directly into his Baihui Acupoint.
Boom!
A deafening explosion echoed out. Shen Tu Protector's armored figure trembled, and the crimson light in his eyes dimmed. From his feet to his head, the armor began to disintegrate into dust.
His soul started to fade away, but he felt no regret. With his message sent, these people would inevitably face the relentless pursuit of the Soul Hall's higher ups.
However, just as Shen Tu Protector, satisfied, prepared to accept his fate, a streak of multicolored light shot forth from Lu Bu, colliding with the black streak of light he had sent.
Bang!
The black streak was sent staggering, its light dimming and fading to the brink of dispersal.
"You… that multicolored…" Shen Tu Protector's crimson eyes bulged in disbelief, but before he could finish, his soul dissipated entirely.
He had died with his eyes wide open, filled with bitterness and rage. He couldn't accept it. The multicolored attack had left his transmission incomplete, and he wasn't even sure if the message had reached the Soul Hall.
But that was no longer his concern. With the last piece of his black armor vanishing into nothingness, Shen Tu Protector was completely erased from existence.
Lu Bu's expression darkened. If it weren't for Her Majesty's quick reflexes, the transmission would have succeeded. Even so, her abilities weren't specialized in soul related attacks, so the interception was only partially effective.
"Damn Soul Hall!" Lu Bu's face turned icy, and an invisible flame erupted around him.
"Howl !"
A flame wolf materialized, its form forged from invisible fire. It howled and pounced at Wu Ma Protector, who was already struggling under the combined assault of the Black Abyss Army, Su Qian, and Yao Lao.
Boom!
Invisible flames surged into the sky. Wu Ma Protector followed in Shen Tu Protector's footsteps, vanishing completely without so much as a final scream.
The Black Abyss Army froze in shock.
"Wait, the Eighth Commander's soul abilities are this strong? Then why were we fighting so hard earlier?"
If he could end things so effortlessly, why not act sooner?
Seeing their stunned and puzzled expressions, Lu Bu sneered disdainfully. "If I did everything myself, then what's the point of having you around? Do you think I, Lu Bu, should handle all the dirty work?"
Besides, without Yao Lao and Su Qian exhausting the Protectors and without the Black Abyss Army keeping them occupied, how could he have pulled off such a clean sneak attack?
"Alright, mission complete. Pack up!" Gu Zhen ordered the Black Abyss Army to regroup. He was frustrated. In this battle, their presence had been inconsequential. Both Soul Hall Protectors had died at Lu Bu's hands, leaving the so called geniuses of the Black Abyss Army feeling utterly defeated.
Gu Luan, on the other hand, wasn't discouraged. Instead, she gazed at Lu Bu with a glimmer in her eye. If the young mistress could take an outsider as a partner, why couldn't she?
Besides, Lu Bu was so capable. Surely no one in the clan would object.
Still… she decided to wait and see. If Lu Bu couldn't keep up with them after the Imperial Altar's baptism, this idea would amount to nothing.
"Yao Lao, Su Qian, the rest is up to you. We need to return and report back. Farewell!" Gu Zhen, as the Second Commander, clasped his hands and laughed heartily.
Regardless of the frustration, the mission was complete. Now, he could return to training and maybe visit the Burning Flame Valley to learn more about the complete Heavenly Flame Three Mysterious Transformations. After all, it was a technique created by Xiao Xuan himself worthy of collecting!
Before he could leave, Lu Bu appeared in front of him. "Hold on. This mission's success is all thanks to me. Where's my reward?"
"Hurry up!"
"Uh…" Gu Zhen froze awkwardly. Of course, the Black Abyss Army had a reward system. But Lu Bu's participation wasn't planned, and although his contribution was undeniable… would the young mistress approve of this?
"What do you want?" Gu Zhen asked nervously. If he didn't resolve this now, he might get beaten up. It was better to deal with it and push the responsibility onto someone else later maybe Commander Gu Yao or the young mistress herself!
"Of course, I want the Emperor Seal Art!" Lu Bu said. Although his current Azure Sky Dragon Transformation Art was already very powerful, he couldn't work for free! Lu Bu would accept anything, but he refused to take a loss!
"Your young mistress isn't playing fair. Giving me the Emperor Seal Art but only the first two... no, three seals? That's unacceptable. The last two seals must be included!" Lu Bu said seriously.
He decided not to involve Xiao Yan in this. Xiao Yan lacked an official Black Abyss Army identity, making him an easy target for provocation. If Gu Yao or some other commanders decided to stir up trouble with a Dou Zun or Dou Sheng backing them, the situation could get out of hand. That was not something Lu Bu wanted to see.
Xiao Yan's role should remain as a distraction, helping to attract Soul Hall's attention and firepower.
"Well... I'll report this to the Grand Commander. Please rest assured, Eighth Commander, the Black Abyss Army has never withheld rewards," Gu Zhen said, spouting official sounding rhetoric. He had no intention of taking the blame and was happy to leave the issue for the higher ups to handle.
"Good." Lu Bu nodded, then suddenly grinned darkly, his face turning menacing. "Pass on a message to your young mistress for me. If she dares to give me a hard time, I'll send her pieces of Xiao Yan's body!"
"Like a hand, a foot, an eye, or maybe an ear. Got it? Hahaha…"
After delivering his grim warning, Lu Bu's expression shifted back to a calm, pleasant smile as he lightly patted Gu Zhen on the shoulder.
Gu Zhen: "…"
That laugh was scarier than anything from the Soul Hall.
Gu Luan's eyes lit up with excitement, her inner gossip instincts fully ignited. So, Lu Bu didn't get along with the young mistress? Why, then, had she gone out of her way to recruit him into the Black Abyss Army? There had to be a story behind this!
Gu Luan was determined to uncover the truth.
"Uh… rest assured, Eighth Commander, I'll pass on your message," Gu Zhen said, sweat beading on his forehead. This Eighth Commander was not someone to mess with.
But there was no way he'd deliver that message. Knowing how much the young mistress valued Xiao Yan, if he repeated those words, he'd be in serious trouble. He decided it would be safer to push the matter up the chain of command let Gu Qingyang or even the young mistress herself deal with it.
"Farewell!" Gu Zhen was eager to leave. He signaled the Black Abyss soldiers, and they mounted their Four Winged Unicorn Beasts, quickly vanishing into the sky.
Not long after, sensing that the battle had ended, Elder Ge and the other five Dou Kings returned with Xiao Yan and the four other academy mentors.
Lu Bu glanced at them, casually waved in greeting, and then turned to leave. His part in this was done.
"Teacher, what should we do next?" Xiao Yan asked, having consumed several medicinal pills and regained most of his strength.
"Return to Jia Nan Academy, of course. The current situation is precarious. We must cooperate closely with Elder Su Qian and face the coming challenges together," Yao Lao said gravely. Jia Nan Academy had not only Su Qian but also two Dou Zun guardians at the peak level, as well as Lu Bu. Nowhere else on the northwest continent boasted such a concentration of powerful figures.
Su Qian nodded slightly. It was indeed the best course of action.
To the north of the Northwest Continent, within the borders of the Yuan Yi Empire near the northern region of Dou Qi Continent, lay a treacherous environment. Dangerous magical beasts roamed the lands, and venomous creatures lurked everywhere.
The Wuji Marsh was the empire's most infamous forbidden zone. No one dared to set foot in its deadly swamps, where venomous snakes and insects hid in every corner, waiting for the unwary to make a mistake.
Deep within the marsh, shrouded in dense miasma that obscured all visibility, stood a massive black palace. The occasional chilling winds and eerie howls made it feel like a gateway to hell itself.
The sounds of magical beasts gnawing on bones and the heart wrenching screams of tormented souls only added to its terrifying reputation.
Suddenly, a faint black light shot through the miasma, landing within the palace.
The stationed Heaven grade Protector looked at the faint black light floating before him, momentarily stunned. Without daring to delay, he immediately reported it to the Elder.
The black light carried a familiar aura it belonged to Shen Tu. As a fellow Heaven grade Protector, he had no authority to access the message.
The Sub Hall Elder, upon receiving the message, frowned deeply. The aura was weak, suggesting that Shen Tu had likely met a grim end.
He unleashed his soul power, delving into the soul orb to extract the fragmented information.
"I… discovered… Yao Chen… and the Black Abyss Army…"
The incomplete and scattered fragments left the Elder silent. Shen Tu and Wu Ma had been dispatched to investigate the disappearance of a Protector in the Black Corner Region, yet their message mentioned neither the investigation nor any clues about the missing Protector. Instead, it spoke of Yao Chen and the Black Abyss Army.
"It seems Wu Ma has also fallen," the Elder murmured. Encountering the Black Abyss Army was no small matter, even for someone of his level.
"Send word to the Central Plains. Inform them that Yao Chen has been found, but he is now allied with the Black Abyss Army. Request reinforcements immediately!" the Elder commanded.
"Yes!" The Heaven grade Protector snapped to attention, but hesitated for a moment before asking, "Elder, why don't we deploy forces now to seal off the Black Corner Region and prevent Yao Chen's escape?"
"Hmph, do you think he's stupid? With Shen Tu and Wu Ma already alerting him, Yao Chen, as cunning as a fox, has likely vanished by now!" The Elder scoffed. "And with the Black Abyss Army involved, you'd be walking into a death trap!"
"We move only when reinforcements from the Central Plains arrive!" the Elder barked. No way would he take on the Black Abyss Army alone. If anyone wanted to clash with them, it wouldn't be him!
"Yes, Elder!"
In Yaohuang City, the recent battle between Lu Bu, the Black Abyss Army, and the Soul Hall Protectors hadn't affected the city's tranquility. Under Jia Nan Academy's management, the chaos and violence typical of other regions had been eradicated.
Like in Peace Town, everyone entering the city had to take a pill to test for hostility except for Jia Nan Academy students.
On the city's orderly streets, a man and a woman walked hand in hand. The man was tall and strikingly handsome, his presence almost ethereal. The woman had an exquisite figure, her face obscured by a thin veil. Her flowing black hair and graceful posture hinted at extraordinary beauty.
"Your Majesty, what brings you out for a stroll today?" Lu Bu asked, holding Medusa's soft hand with a gentle smile. Around them, passersby stole glances but refrained from approaching. This was Jia Nan Academy's territory, and no one dared to break the rules.
"Training is tiring. I came out to relax," Medusa said casually. In truth, the repetitive cultivation had grown dull dual cultivation was far more enjoyable.
After such an intense battle, Lu Bu had likely exhausted his Dou Qi. She planned to help him recover through dual cultivation, ensuring a quicker recovery.
Though she had this in mind, Medusa kept her expression calm as she led Lu Bu through the streets, occasionally stopping to buy food, clothes, or admire the latest fashion.
While her cultivation allowed her to conjure clothing with a thought, it wasn't as appealing without inspiration. Browsing the shops was far more enjoyable.
"Lu Bu, is that you? And… who's this senior sister?"
"Ah, Han Yue, long time no see," Lu Bu said, turning to greet a silver haired beauty approaching from not far away.
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