Chapter 210: Lion Underworld Sect
On the broad back of the griffin beast, Zi Yan lay nestled in Lu Bu's arms, clutching a jade bottle. She chewed noisily on golden medicinal pills, her cheeks puffed out, and her large eyes squinted in satisfaction. This was the life she wanted comfortable, carefree, and full of delicious treats.
While breaking through to a higher level had been exciting, it had left her famished after such a long time without food.
"Lu Bu, what are we heading to the Jia Ma Empire for this time?" Zi Yan's cheeks were puffed out like a little hamster, moving up and down as she munched on her golden pills.
"To fight," Lu Bu replied, watching the sparkle in Zi Yan's pinkish eyes. He held back the urge to pinch her cheeks, knowing she hated being interrupted while eating.
"Fight?!" Zi Yan's eyes lit up instantly, shining with excitement. Eating and fighting these were her two favorite things in life.
Thinking about it, Zi Yan's large eyes curved into crescent moons as she rubbed her soft cheeks against Lu Bu's chest. She thought to herself, It's so much fun being with Lu Bu. There's food, there's fighting what more could I ask for? I'll follow him forever. Life with him will always be a blast!
"Heh." Lu Bu stroked Zi Yan's silky hair. He, too, had missed the little glutton terribly during their time apart.
Zi Yan's departure had been approved by the Inner Academy's Grand Elder Su Qian. When Lu Bu brought Zi Yan, now a freshly advanced Dou Huang, to Su Qian, the latter's face was one of utter disbelief.
Although he had already known Zi Yan was about to break through, seeing with his own eyes that this small girl had reached the Dou Huang level left him stunned, his jaw nearly dropping to the ground.
She's already a Dou Huang at this age. What about in a few years? Su Qian thought. Catching up to me, a four star Dou Zong, might take her just a few short years.
The thought made Su Qian shiver slightly, reigniting the long lost fire in his heart. A yearning for greater power and higher levels of strength stirred within him once again.
As the Inner Academy's Grand Elder, it's one thing for Lu Bu to surpass me that guy's a seventh tier high level alchemist, and I've long accepted that he could trounce me without much trouble. It's another thing for Xiao Yan, a disciple of the Medicine Sovereign, to catch up to me. His lineage boasts a Nine Star Dou Saint, just one step away from becoming a Dou Di, so being surpassed by him isn't shameful. But Zi Yan?!
The memory of a few years ago resurfaced when he had brought Zi Yan, a small child and mere Dou Ling, back to the academy. And now? She was catching up too?!
Unacceptable! Absolutely unacceptable!
After seeing off Lu Bu and Zi Yan, Su Qian immediately summoned Elder Lei Ying to take over all his duties. Then, wasting no time, he dove straight into the depths of the Blazing Sky Qi Refining Tower. Consuming the Support Boost Pill that Lu Bu had refined for him, Su Qian devoted himself entirely to cultivation.
He needed to become stronger. Fast. Watching Elder Bai recently advance to the Dou Zun level had made Su Qian feel that breaking through wasn't as impossible as it once seemed.
If Bai and Qian can do it, why can't I, Su Qian?!
And so, despite having only recently advanced to Dou Zong and barely consolidated his realm, Elder Lei Ying was left bewildered as he was abruptly handed the workload of the Grand Elder… without actually being promoted to the position.
Before retreating for training, however, Su Qian had told Lu Bu one last piece of news: Xiao Yan had already returned to the Jia Ma Empire with Nalan Yanran.
Hearing this, Lu Bu was slightly puzzled. Normally, Xiao Yan wouldn't be so eager to get involved in matters unrelated to his Yan Alliance. So why was he rushing back so urgently to the Yun Lan Sect and the Jia Ma royal family?
Could it be that he's after the corpses of Yan Luotian or Xie Bi Yan?
With that suspicion, Lu Bu's vigilance heightened. He didn't care much about Xie Bi Yan, but Yan Luotian was a different story. Lu Bu had been coveting his "Sky Swallowing Nine Wings" technique for a long time.
He even had the Heavenly Phoenix Wings lying dormant in his storage ring, unused for ages. It would be a waste to leave them idle any longer; he had to find a way to make use of them.
But if Xiao Yan got his hands on the Sky Swallowing Nine Wings first… that would be troublesome, and it was entirely possible.
After all, with the Earth Demon Puppet that Lu Bu had refined using Gong Heng's corpse, Xiao Yan could definitely take on and defeat Yan Luotian!
No way am I letting that happen!
Determined, Lu Bu slapped the griffin beast's back. His soul power surged into the beast, and it let out a sharp screech, its massive wings trembling as it sped up dramatically.
Lu Bu chuckled and flicked his finger, sending a pill emitting a rich medicinal fragrance into the griffin beast's mouth, replenishing its energy.
A Spirit Replenishment Pill every hundred kilometers? Lu Bu chuckled to himself. He'd done this before, back in the Tageer Desert when feeding Yue Mei.
In the Scorpion Mountains, a wisp of black mist floated silently through the dense forest, unnoticed by anyone.
Like an eerie specter, the black mist drifted slowly until it reached a thick cluster of bushes.
Within the bushes, an elder in a yellow robe sat cross legged. A golden lion's head, embroidered on his chest with gold thread, seemed to roar toward the heavens. Its lifelike mane exuded an overwhelming sense of dominance and power.
"Hehehe…" A sinister laugh echoed softly before him.
"Iron Guardian!" The elder nodded slightly, chuckling. "Have the arrangements been made?"
"Relax. I've been plotting this for a long time. Failure isn't an option," the Iron Guardian replied coldly. "Within seven days, the decisive battle will begin. This region will soon be bathed in blood, filled with countless souls to harvest."
"Hahaha, excellent. Once the plan succeeds, I'll personally deliver the souls of every Dou Zong in these four nations to you. As for Dou Huang souls, I'll gather as many as I can for you, ensuring you harvest every soul you desire without lifting a finger!" The elder in the yellow robe laughed heartily.
"And the conditions we agreed upon my Lion Underworld Sect will deliver them as promised!"
"Heh, how intriguing. Why is your Lion Underworld Sect so interested in this insignificant region near the Tageer Desert?" The Iron Guardian sneered.
"This region isn't insignificant," the yellow robed elder replied with a chuckle. "This is where Yun Potian once rose to prominence. Back then, even my Lion Underworld Sect had to bow before him. Calling it insignificant… isn't that underestimating Yun Potian a bit too much?"
"Tch. Forget it!" The Iron Guardian smirked disdainfully. Yun Potian has been dead for so many years now. After his death, the Yun Lan Sect and the Jia Ma Empire's territories were carved up, their wealth and resources plundered. The talented disciples of the sect either perished or fled. Even the Jia Ma royal family couldn't hold their ground and ended up cowering on Yun Lan Mountain to survive.
Why would a first rate force like the Lion Underworld Sect still care about the remnants of Yun Lan Sect? They must've taken whatever they wanted long ago.
"Well, no matter." The yellow robed elder smiled faintly. "Our Lion Underworld Sect greatly admires the Soul Palace. Iron Guardian, if there's anything you want to know, just ask, and I'll gladly share."
"Fine, spill it," the Iron Guardian demanded.
"In recent times, hasn't the Inner Academy gained a new Dou Zun? Hehe… our Lion Underworld Sect has always cherished harmonious alliances. Naturally, we'd like to 'connect' with such a powerful figure," the elder explained with a knowing grin.
"Haha, I see now…" The Iron Guardian sneered. "So your Lion Underworld Sect is eyeing this place as a stepping stone into the Black Corner Region."
The Lion Underworld Sect chose not to approach from other directions, of course, because of the Heavenly Snake Mansion! The Lion Underworld Sect would never engage in direct conflict with the Heavenly Snake Mansion over such a trivial matter.
Perhaps it was because of Yun Potian's influence, or perhaps this region was too desolate and unimportant. The Heavenly Snake Mansion had always been indifferent toward this area. Apart from the foolish Eight Winged Black Snake Emperor, who considered Medusa, the queen of the Snake People Tribe, as his wife and occasionally wandered around here, the Heavenly Snake Mansion had no presence in this region.
Such an opportunity was impossible for the Lion Underworld Sect to let slip.
As for how the Lion Underworld Sect would handle the Jia Nan Academy after entering the Black Corner Region whether they would adopt a friendly or oppressive stance that was of no concern to the Soul Palace's Iron Guardian. All he cared about were the souls. As long as he could obtain the souls, everything else was irrelevant. Having Dou Zongs from the Lion Underworld Sect assist him would make his work significantly easier.
However, the Iron Guardian suspected that the Lion Underworld Sect feared a potential alliance between the Heavenly Snake Mansion and the Jia Nan Academy. If such an alliance occurred, it would undoubtedly complicate matters for the Lion Underworld Sect.
"In that case, monitor the battlefield for me. Prevent any unforeseen forces from interfering," the Iron Guardian instructed coldly. "And if you feel the war is progressing too slowly, step in personally to help me collect the souls of the Dou Zongs."
"Hahaha… My respect for the Soul Palace and for you, Iron Guardian, is as vast and endless as a flowing river. How could I possibly undermine your plan so easily?" The elder in the yellow robe chuckled humbly.
The Iron Guardian's plan was solid. As long as the Dou Zongs in the surrounding area killed each other off, the region would belong to the Lion Underworld Sect. There was no need for him to expend effort hunting down the Dou Zongs himself.
While the Dou Zongs here were low tier, there were four of them. If he were to take action, it would require a considerable amount of time and energy. Why bother when he could simply wait for them to tear each other apart?
"Tch… You certainly don't exude the unrestrained and domineering aura of your sect master, Lion Tiankuang, who commands the world with unrivaled arrogance," the Iron Guardian sneered, clearly unimpressed.
The elder was a high tier Dou Zong, his strength far above the Iron Guardian's. If the elder were willing to act, why would the Iron Guardian need to wait so long? He could extract the souls of those four Dou Zongs immediately and leave without a care. As for investigating Protector Wu's death… what a joke. He had nearly forgotten about that matter entirely!
"Haha… My sect master is a peerless hero destined to ascend to the rank of Dou Sheng. How could someone like me, an old fossil, ever compare to him?" The yellow robed elder responded humbly, entirely ignoring the Iron Guardian's attempt to provoke him.
The Iron Guardian didn't even glance at him. Turning into a wisp of black mist, he floated away. Damn old fox, so slippery and hard to deal with!
But the Iron Guardian was relieved. With the elder overseeing matters, there was nothing left for him to worry about. After all, the elder was far stronger than him.
As the Iron Guardian departed, the yellow robed elder shifted his gaze toward the Scorpion Mountains and Sky Poison City. The humble demeanor on his aged face vanished, replaced by sheer disdain.
"Pfft… A bunch of worms!"
Sky Poison City, in the imperial palace behind the capital of the Chu Yun Empire.
A luxurious side palace stood nestled within the mountains. Inside one of its opulent rooms, a gray robed woman with white hair and a face partially covered by a purple veil sat cross legged. Strange gray purple whirlpools of energy swirled around her slender figure, faintly emitting a nauseating stench that permeated the entire room.
The sound of hurried footsteps suddenly echoed, growing louder as they approached.
The woman's brows furrowed slightly, and as if sensing something, her long eyelashes quivered. Slowly, she opened her eyes one gray and the other purple, both emitting an otherworldly glow.
"Sect Master…" A maid's voice called softly.
"What is it?" The cold, emotionless voice rang out. The maid trembled slightly, not daring to look directly at her, and stammered nervously:
"A message from the frontlines. The Myriad Scorpion Gate has mobilized its entire force and is heading to the battlefield. Leading them are Xie Bi Yan and the gate master, Xie Shan!"
"What?!"
The eerie gray purple pupils narrowed sharply, and the cold voice grew heavy with urgency. "Send word immediately to the Jia Ma Empire and the Snake People Tribe. Order all strong experts above the Dou Wang level in the Poison Sect to assemble and head for Black Mountain Fortress at once!"
"Sect Master…" The maid hesitated for a moment. "Our relationship with the Jia Ma Empire… isn't that close, is it?"
"What do you understand?" The Poison Sect's leader glared at her, making the maid shrink back in fear. "This battle has already made us enemies of the Myriad Scorpion Gate. If they win, do you think they'll leave the Poison Sect alive?"
"And if the Jia Ma Empire triumphs and marches into Chu Yun, our inaction will only invite their hostility!"
"In this situation, refusing to pick a side is tantamount to offending both. Do you really think we can stand alongside Xie Bi Yan or Xie Shan right now?"
"Yes!" The maid's voice quivered, realizing her mistake. Silently cursing herself for meddling in sect affairs, she quickly retreated. Wasting no time, she dashed off to deliver the orders, terrified of further incurring her sect master's wrath.
As the maid fled like a frightened rabbit, the Poison Sect leader's gaze softened momentarily, tinged with a hint of sadness. Turning away, she entered another room.
As she stepped inside, her purple veil floated down, revealing a pale and delicate face in the reflection of a silver mirror.
It was none other than Xiao Yi Xian.
Once the cheerful young woman of Qing Shan Town, her long black hair had turned stark white. Dry and lifeless, her hair seemed to echo the desolation in her heart.
Xiao Yi Xian stared at her reflection in the mirror, her pale fingers lightly brushing its cold surface. The faint stench of poison that permeated the room mixed with her thoughts. But in the next moment, her expression twisted into one of loathing.
"Look at you now reeking of poison and drenched in blood. You've become something repulsive, something that frightens everyone."
Crash!
The silver mirror shattered, cracks spreading outward like a spider's web. The fractured reflection divided her pale face into countless broken pieces.
Within those fragments, an ephemeral sorrow lingered. She knew she could never return to who she once was.
If we meet again, would you find me repulsive too? A fleeting memory of a man with wings on his back appeared in her mind, and Xiao Yi Xian smiled bitterly. She was glad she hadn't followed him that night.
The Calamity Poison Body born of calamity, destined to die in calamity. This was a fate she could never escape, dragging down everyone around her.
Yet amidst her bitter acceptance, a flicker of longing burned deep within her heart. She regretted it now. Perhaps, that night, she should have left with him.
A low, mournful hum echoed through the skies as figures with soaring auras took to the air above Sky Poison City.
The falling purple veil drifted back into Xiao Yi Xian's hands, covering her pale face once more. The fleeting weakness disappeared, leaving behind only the commanding presence of the Poison Sect's leader the Heaven Poison Lady.
Swish!
Xiao Yi Xian appeared in the air, gazing at the dazzling array of Dou Qi wings glimmering around her. Her cold voice rang out:
"Move out! Head for the Black Mountain Fortress in the Jia Ma Empire!"
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