Chapter 192: Lu Bu: I Was Harmed by Wine and Beauty...
It was no surprise that Han Yue mistook Medusa for a senior sister. Medusa's queenly aura was simply too overwhelming. Her figure was graceful and seductive, and even though her face was concealed behind a light veil, her beauty was breathtaking.
Although Han Yue had met most of her peers from this generation of students, she couldn't recall anyone resembling Medusa. Yet, she didn't dare underestimate this woman.
No one would mistake her for a mere ornament. In a place like Yaohuang City, where only the strong survived, Medusa's faint yet palpable aura of bloodshed was enough to send shivers down one's spine. This stunning woman had clearly claimed far more lives than even the most hardened fugitives in the Black Corner Region.
She resembled a venomous snake brightly colored and strikingly beautiful, yet her lethality was unmatched, capable of killing silently and without trace.
For those who lived in the Black Corner Region, strength came first, survival second, and beauty a distant third. No one would risk their life for a woman whose face they couldn't even see.
Han Yue's smile remained unchanged as she racked her brain, trying to match Medusa's face with any of the female students she knew. However, no matter how hard she tried, none of them fit.
"Could she be a female mentor?" Han Yue thought to herself, her expression turning strange. Only a female mentor could possess the mature allure of a ripe peach. None of the female students could match her poise and elegance.
Medusa said nothing, gently clutching Lu Bu's arm and casting a faint glance at the two women. She, too, was curious what place would Lu Bu give her in his life?
"Oh… Senior Sister Han Yue, she isn't a senior sister." Lu Bu glanced down at his arm, where Medusa was holding onto him, and smiled as he said, "She's my wife, Medusa."
Han Yue froze for a moment, clearly not expecting such a response. For a moment, she didn't know what to say.
Medusa's eyes crinkled slightly in a faint smile, her heart unexpectedly fluttering with joy. She was very satisfied with this answer.
"I didn't think Junior Brother Lu Bu would get married so soon…" Han Yue's expression turned complicated.
She… still harbored some feelings for Lu Bu. Handsome, polite, immensely talented, skilled in alchemy, and with a humorous personality, he seemed like the perfect husband. But first Zi Yan had claimed him, and now this Medusa had beaten her to it as well. She never even had a chance.
"Find a good partner early, start a good family early. Find an honorable teacher, and build a good career early," Lu Bu said with a light laugh. He considered himself quite fortunate. Without the Devouring Ancestral Talisman, he doubted he could have come this far. He might not even have survived the process of devouring heavenly flames.
"Goodbye, Senior Sister Han Yue. We'll be off now. Come along, Your Majesty." Lu Bu waved and led Medusa away.
A faint blush appeared on Medusa's face. She was slightly shy about being called "Your Majesty" in front of others. She had tried to correct Lu Bu before, but he had refused.
Lu Bu seemed to enjoy calling her that, just as much as he liked hearing Medusa refer to him as "Master."
Han Yue pressed her lips together, watching as Lu Bu and Medusa walked into a nearby tavern, looking somewhat despondent as she left.
On the other side, Lu Bu and Medusa wandered through the streets, buying food, drinks, and beautiful clothes. Yaohuang City didn't offer many forms of entertainment brothels and gambling dens had all been demolished after the Jia Nan Academy took control of the city.
After all, they couldn't allow such establishments to corrupt the academy's students or its enforcers.
Jia Nan Academy's students were mostly young men and women, brimming with vitality in their late teens and early twenties. Such distractions could easily lead them astray.
Because of this, the city was left with almost no entertainment options. Lu Bu found this unfortunate. After all his time in the Dou Qi Continent, he had never visited a brothel or enjoyed a performance. That, he felt, was a regret in his life.
Before he transmigrated, he had been a model citizen, born under the red flag and raised in the spring breeze. His life was simple: school, primary school, high school, university. Everything was straightforward until his untimely death, saving his girlfriend from a truck.
In the Xuan Realm, he had been a legitimate heir to a powerful dynasty, with thousands of eyes constantly watching him. He couldn't afford to make any mistakes, as even the smallest misstep could lead to public condemnation. His only option was to train, train, and train again.
It wasn't until he obtained the Devouring Ancestral Talisman that he began to pull ahead of his half siblings and solidify his position in the family.
But his progress was short lived. Shortly after, the Hundred Dynasties War broke out, and a single mistake cost him his life. When he opened his eyes again, he was in the Dou Qi Continent. His joy was short lived, as he found himself hunted by the Hall of Souls, forcing him to hide in the depths of the Magical Beast Mountain Range for three years.
"Sigh… I've spent my whole life fighting, and I've never had a chance to enjoy myself," Lu Bu lamented, filled with regret at missing out on certain worldly pleasures.
"What?" Medusa asked, her tone curious. She could understand the words, but not the meaning behind them.
"Oh, it's nothing," Lu Bu said with a casual wave and a laugh.
"Tired?" Medusa asked softly.
"Uh… A little…" Lu Bu paused. Mostly, he just felt mentally drained.
"Then let's go back," Medusa said with a gentle smile.
"Uh…"
…
That Night, in Zi Yan's Private Manor, Inside the Secret Room.
The room was transformed into a wedding chamber, complete with red bridal robes, a fragrant atmosphere, a dragon phoenix wedding bed, and crimson decorations.
"You… Your Majesty, when did you prepare all of this?" Lu Bu was astonished. After all, he had been by Medusa's side the entire time they were in Yaohuang City.
Medusa smiled faintly. "Lu Bu, I wasn't entirely myself before. Let's try again tonight, shall we?"
"Of course… But once I stand atop the world, I promise to give you a proper wedding!" Lu Bu said as he embraced Medusa, his voice filled with determination.
Medusa remained silent for a moment, gently stroking his face before softly asking, "Do you truly aim to become a Dou Di?"
Lu Bu had said this before, but Medusa had always dismissed it as youthful arrogance. Now, however, she was beginning to take him seriously.
"Don't believe me?" Lu Bu asked with a smile.
"... A little," Medusa admitted, biting her lip. Her head tilted slightly as she met Lu Bu's gaze, her expression serious. "But it doesn't matter. Whether it's a chicken or a dog, once I marry, I'm committed. No matter what lies ahead, I'll stand by your side and support you until the very end."
By "the end," she meant until death itself.
"That's my queen, my good wife," Lu Bu said softly, pulling her into his arms.
"Well then… My dear Dou Di husband, shouldn't we get down to business?" Medusa teased, her soft laughter filling the room as she pulled Lu Bu toward the table. A light flickered from her storage ring, producing a bottle of wine and two jade cups.
Lu Bu chuckled as he scooped Medusa into his arms and carried her to the table. Medusa gracefully poured the wine, her delicate hands steady.
The two shared a smile, intertwining their arms as they drank their wedding wine, formally sealing their union as husband and wife.
"Are you still tired from the fight, my husband?" Medusa murmured, wrapping her arms around Lu Bu's neck.
"Haha…"
For the next few days, Lu Bu didn't step outside, completely engrossed in his cultivation. Apart from eating three meals a day, he essentially lived in a cycle of meals and training.
On the seventh day, he finally staggered over to the chair in the secret chamber. The candles on the table had long since burned out, leaving only an empty wine cup, a jug, and a mirror that Medusa had used for her makeup.
Lu Bu picked up the wine cup and sipped slowly. The spicy bitterness spread across his tongue. His Dou Qi had already been replenished after his fight with the Hall of Souls' protector, and his strength had even made some progress. Yet why did his limbs feel so weak?
Looking into the mirror, he noticed his sunken eyes, pale complexion, and lifeless expression. Lu Bu finally understood the problem.
"I've been drained by wine and women… No wonder I look so haggard."
"No, this won't do… Starting today, I'm quitting drinking!"
His eyes gleamed with determination as he made his resolution.
He stood up abruptly, ready to find a quiet place to rest no, not to rest, but to cultivate!
However, the moment he rose, his weak legs nearly gave out beneath him, and he almost collapsed.
"This… this must be from sitting too long. Blood rushed to my head, causing this temporary reaction!"
Yes, that must be it!
On the bed, a flash of multicolored light streaked out, diving into his robes. Her Majesty the Queen was already satisfied.
A few days later, outside the small estate, Lu Bu, who had been sitting in meditation, stood up and stretched lazily. Instantly, he felt rejuvenated and refreshed, as if the world had suddenly opened up before him.
"Hahaha… As I thought, giving up alcohol works wonders!" Lu Bu laughed heartily, exclaiming that the sky was clear, the rain had stopped, and he was back to normal!
As he prepared to step out for some fresh air, a sudden surge of energy erupted in the distance. A pillar of crimson and yellow light shot into the sky, clearly visible even from a great distance.
"Huh? That's the aura of a Dou Ling Pill?" Lu Bu muttered in surprise. This was the energy wave produced when a Dou Ling Pill was successfully refined. But judging by the intensity, it wasn't just one pill it seemed like an entire cauldron.
"Interesting…" He stroked his chin thoughtfully. In the Inner Academy, someone capable of refining a cauldron of Dou Ling Pills in one go was impressive. After all, Dou Ling Pills were sixth tier medicinal pills, and in the Black Corner Region, such pills weren't common commodities but high grade treasures that were difficult to obtain.
With a spark of lightning beneath his feet, Lu Bu's figure blurred into a flash and disappeared. He couldn't resist taking a look.
After all, how could a Tier 7 alchemist like him miss such an event?
…
In the Inner Academy's back mountain, deep within a forest, the radiant light pillar that had caught Lu Bu's attention also attracted a large number of students.
The Inner Academy's students were nothing if not curious. Seeing such a spectacle, they swarmed toward it like bees to honey. However, before they could get close, a group of Dou Wang instructors flew into the air.
"No students are allowed near the back mountain! Violators will be fined 500 Heavenly Flames Energy!"
The instructors' voices boomed across the area, instantly reaching the ears of every student. The once eager crowd immediately halted and began to retreat obediently.
Five hundred Heavenly Flames Energy points!
They wouldn't be able to pay that off even if they sold themselves. It was better to play it safe and avoid getting into debt.
At that moment, a figure cloaked in green flames streaked across the sky, dashing into the back mountain forest.
"Hey, did you see that? Wasn't that instructor unfamiliar? He looked so young!"
"Hmm… Oh, that wasn't an instructor. That was Lu Bu, the master of the Sacred Gate."
"What?! Damn it, why didn't the instructors stop him?"
"Hmph! If you were a Dou Wang and a Tier 4 alchemist, they wouldn't stop you either. He might even be a Tier 5 alchemist by now!"
"Hahaha… ha… ha…" The student who had spoken earlier laughed awkwardly. Forget being a Dou Wang or a Tier 5 alchemist he was still struggling to break through to the Dou Ling stage.
As for becoming a Tier 5 alchemist… what a joke. If he had that kind of skill, he wouldn't need to worry about any 500 Heavenly Flames Energy fine.
"How the hell does he cultivate? He hasn't even been in the Inner Academy for a full year…" Jealousy and envy dripped from the murmurs among the crowd.
With a flash, Lu Bu appeared in an open clearing. Four people were already there: Xiao Yan, Su Qian, and an old man.
Lu Bu recognized the old man. He was Elder Huo, the head of the alchemy department and a Tier 5 alchemist. However, his strength was at the peak of the Dou Huang stage, and his combat prowess was average at best.
Additionally, there was a large black cauldron and a translucent figure the familiar form of Yao Lao.
"Who's there?!" Elder Huo barked sharply.
"Relax, it's one of our own," Su Qian said, waving him off to calm him down.
"Elder Huo, greetings. I am Lu Bu," Lu Bu said with a smile, giving a polite nod before turning to Su Qian. "Grand Elder, what's going on here?"
"Of course, it's because of the Hall of Souls," Su Qian said darkly, a shadow passing over his face. "We've run into some trouble, so we're making preparations in advance."
"Oh, I see…" Lu Bu immediately understood. "So you've decided to use Dou Ling Pills to enhance the strength of the academy's Dou Wangs?"
Elder Huo glanced between Su Qian and Lu Bu, sensing that their relationship was unusual.
Elder Huo had come here at Su Qian's recommendation and with Yao Lao's permission. Just by observing Yao Lao refining pills, he had gained incredible insights. If he went into seclusion, he was confident he could break through to the Tier 6 level.
But this Lu Bu… Who was he? How could he speak so casually with Su Qian?
"That's correct," Su Qian said with a nod.
Lu Bu frowned slightly. "That's not realistic. The Hall of Souls is far too powerful. A group of Dou Wangs won't make much of a difference."
The Dou Wangs of Jia Nan Academy weren't like the Black Submerged Army, who knew coordinated battle formations and could combine their strength to rival Dou Zongs. Against the Hall of Souls' protectors, these Dou Wangs would only be slaughtered.
"We're aware of that…" Su Qian said with an awkward smile. Xiao Yan and Elder Huo also looked a bit uneasy.
"The Dou Ling Pills are complete. Next, we'll refine a batch of Huangji Pills," Su Qian continued. Their plan was not only to arm the Dou Wangs but also to enhance the Dou Huangs.
Their goal was to elevate the academy's overall strength by one tier to prepare for the looming threat.
"That won't work…" Lu Bu shook his head. "The key lies in Dou Zong level combat strength."
"We know…" Su Qian said bitterly. He was currently the only Dou Zong in the academy, while the two Elder Guardians were practically useless in this situation.
"How about switching to another pill?" Lu Bu suggested thoughtfully, stroking his chin.
"What kind of pill?" Xiao Yan asked, his tone serious.
Beside the black cauldron, Yao Lao slowly extinguished the flames, having just completed the batch of Dou Ling Pills. He turned his attention to Lu Bu, curious about what this boy had to offer.
"The Heavenly Luck Pill!" Lu Bu said as he spread his fingers, revealing a scroll in his palm. This was a Tier 7 pill capable of helping peak Dou Zongs break through to Dou Zun.
"!!!"
Everyone present froze, their pupils contracting as shock filled their faces.
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