Chapter 236: Speak, and Maybe You'll Keep Your Life
Rumble!
"Ancient Saint's Treasure Manual, Devour the Heavens and Earth!"
Xiao Xun'er's hand seals shifted rapidly as her cold voice echoed through the air. Instantly, a ferocious gale surged, and dense, thick clouds once again gathered in the sky.
The roiling clouds churned like ocean waves, drawing in the surrounding energy of heaven and earth with overwhelming force. This energy coalesced into a radiant beam that descended upon Xiao Xun'er, pouring into her body.
With the massive influx of energy, Xiao Xun'er's aura surged dramatically. Within the Black Abyss Army's formation, Yang Hao, the Third Commander, who had been severely drained, began to recover as his strength swelled again. His injuries weren't serious; he had simply overexerted himself.
In an instant, the combined formation of Xiao Xun'er and the Black Abyss Army skyrocketed in power. Their aura surged to the level of a two or three star Dou Zun, overwhelming and oppressive.
From afar, Xiao Xun'er's sharp gaze locked onto Elder Mu Gu, ready to unleash her attack at any moment.
"A Heaven tier technique?!" Zhai Xing Old Ghost and Elder Mu Gu gasped, their pupils constricting as their voices trembled. These weren't just ordinary Black Abyss Army soldiers they were elites led by the Ancient Clan's genius prodigies!
At that moment, cold sweat broke out across their foreheads. Forget about winning; even if they could, it would be disastrous. If they provoked an Ancient Clan Dou Sheng, the consequences would be catastrophic.
"This combined formation is interesting…" Lu Bu raised an eyebrow, his surprise evident. He had underestimated the formation's capabilities it didn't just gather the Dou Qi of its soldiers into a collective attack. The commander serving as the formation's core could also channel their own Dou Qi to replenish injured soldiers.
No wonder the Black Abyss Army had such a fearsome reputation. At full power, their combat strength was indeed formidable.
Lu Bu was quietly impressed. If he didn't rely on his Devouring Ancestral Symbol or his puppets and fought Xiao Xun'er's Black Abyss Army head on, it would be a tough battle.
But these were just fleeting thoughts. If it ever came to a fight, Lu Bu had plenty of ways to deal with Xiao Xun'er. He didn't even need to rely on his puppets or the Ancestral Symbol just leveraging Xiao Yan was enough to gain the upper hand over her.
The three way standoff now turned oppressive. The overwhelming auras pressing down on Zhai Xing Old Ghost and Elder Mu Gu made their faces pale. Their usual arrogance and cockiness were replaced by panic and anxiety.
A direct fight was out of the question!
The two exchanged a glance, both coming to the same conclusion. Their eyes shifted toward Lu Bu. With his Dou Qi wings marking him as a mere Dou Huang, he seemed like an easy target a soft persimmon ripe for the picking.
"Heh… They think I'm easy prey?" Sensing their shift in attention, Lu Bu smirked mockingly, raising an eyebrow.
Before anyone could respond, a deep purple gold light began to emanate from his body. Accompanied by a low dragon's roar, the dazzling light surged outward, commanding everyone's attention.
Rip!
The sound of fabric tearing erupted from within the radiant glow as a powerful aura began to rise. The commotion instantly drew the attention of everyone present, their gazes snapping toward the brilliant purple gold light.
The light gradually receded, revealing a figure within. As the outline of the figure became clearer, a fully transformed form emerged into view.
"A… Taixu Ancient Dragon?!"
Zhai Xing Old Ghost and Elder Mu Gu gasped in unison, their faces paling as they instinctively inhaled sharply.
The light had fully condensed, revealing a figure larger and more imposing than before.
Lu Bu's entire body was now covered in dense, solid dark gold dragon scales. His face, neck, and every inch of his body gleamed with these sharp, impenetrable scales, forming an impenetrable layer of natural armor.
His arms had transformed into powerful dragon arms, muscles rippling with explosive strength. His fingertips extended into razor sharp white claws, capable of tearing through metal and splitting stone.
The dark gold dragon scales shimmered coldly under the sunlight, exuding an aura of ferocity and menace.
This was a full dragon transformation!
Next step: refining the Azure Dragon Armament and Azure Dragon Imperial Seal techniques!
Now, even without his Qinghuo Twin Wings, Lu Bu could manipulate spatial energy effortlessly. Though merely a Dou Huang, he moved through the air with the grace and majesty of a being born to rule the skies.
Radiating an ancient, domineering presence, Lu Bu's draconic form sent chills down the spines of everyone present.
Xiao Xun'er's lips twitched slightly under her veil. This guy is already this terrifying as a Dou Huang. How will I ever regain the upper hand in the future?
Yang Hao, staring up at Lu Bu's menacing and godlike form, felt an inexplicable wave of relief. At least this monster isn't Xiao Yan. Xiao Yan would never be this terrifying.
Elders Lin and Guan exchanged solemn glances, their expressions tinged with unease. This brat may have a terrible personality, but his strength and identity cannot be ignored. There truly aren't many in the clan's younger generation who could match him.
"So, tell me what made you think I was an easy target?" Lu Bu rolled his shoulders, grinning wickedly. His sharp, white teeth gleamed like icy blades, sending shivers down everyone's spines.
Cold sweat began to bead on the foreheads of Zhai Xing Old Ghost and Elder Mu Gu. Trapped between two powerful forces, it was clear there would be no peaceful resolution today.
"Heh…" Seeing the two trembling, Lu Bu chuckled. Good. Even with Elder Mu Gu's Spirit Domain level soul power, they haven't connected me to the white robed man they fought earlier. That's exactly the effect I wanted.
With a sharp glint in his eye, Lu Bu silently calculated his next move. After this battle, the Soul Hall's attention would either shift to their skirmish with the Black Abyss Army or be directed toward a futile search for a non existent enemy across the continent.
The Western Continent would be safe. Jia Ma Empire, Yunlan Sect, the Snake People Tribe, Poison Sect, and Heavenly Snake Mansion would all be safe.
Now, he just needed to eliminate Zhai Xing Old Ghost and Elder Mu Gu. Killing one and letting the other return to report would ensure the Soul Hall's full enmity would be directed toward the Black Abyss Army.
This wasn't just Lu Bu being sly it was simply helping the Black Abyss Army establish their merits.
"Mu Gu, is it?" Xiao Xun'er's icy voice echoed from above as she regarded him coldly. "Tell me why have you two come to the Western Continent?"
She already knew who Elder Mu Gu was. Back at Jia Nan Academy, when she discovered the soul within Xiao Yan belonged to Yao Chen, Xiao Xun'er had meticulously gathered information about him. Naturally, this included details about Mu Gu, an eighth tier alchemist and member of the Soul Hall.
Xiao Xun'er had always kept an eye on Mu Gu. She knew that one day, Xiao Yan would inevitably clash with this man.
Mu Gu's eyes flickered with a dangerous light. Escaping wouldn't be easy, and it seemed some sacrifices would have to be made. His gaze briefly darted to Zhai Xing Old Ghost.
Zhai Xing's expression didn't change. His sinister and grotesque demeanor remained as cold as ever.
"Miss asked you a question. Speak!" Elder Lin's voice turned cold, his oppressive aura pressing down on Mu Gu, causing his face to turn pale.
"I'll talk!" Mu Gu cried out, panic evident. "The Soul Hall's Envoy, Hun Ya, was killed. The Hall Master ordered us to investigate. When we arrived, we discovered not only the envoy dead but also one of our branch halls destroyed!"
"Soul Cliff is dead?" Yang Hao's face showed a trace of astonishment.
"The branch hall was destroyed?" Elder Guan said, equally surprised.
"No wonder you were in such a rush to tear through space. So that's what happened!" Elder Lin suddenly understood.
"It wasn't for Xiao Yan or the Xiao Clan's key?" Lu Bu's gaze swept across the group as he spoke calmly, subtly steering the conversation in a different direction.
The Black Abyss Army's members froze, their attention sharpening. That made sense. Their army had destroyed Soul Hall's branch halls multiple times and slain numerous members of the Soul Clan. Never once had they seen the Soul Hall mobilize such a massive operation to investigate or retaliate.
There was definitely more to this story.
"Heh… You're incapable of finding the real culprit, but you sure are good at using this as an excuse to stir up trouble!" Elder Guan sneered. The Soul Clan was notorious for treating others as expendable ruthless toward outsiders and equally cruel to their own.
The competition within their ranks was brutal, often resulting in killings among their own. It was merciless, with no room for compromise.
The death of one Soul Cliff, or even two, shouldn't have warranted such a massive operation. Clearly, something was fishy.
None of the Black Abyss soldiers believed for a second that the Soul Clan, who treated human life like dirt, would go to such lengths over the death of a mere Soul Cliff.
"Damn it…" Elder Mu Gu's face turned as pale as a sheet. He cursed inwardly. These Black Abyss Army bastards everything I said was the truth!
"Not much longer!" Zhai Xing Old Ghost's voice, as faint as a whisper, reached Mu Gu's ears.
"Speak up. What's your purpose here? Did you succeed? And what is Soul Hall planning next?" Lu Bu asked indifferently.
"If I tell the truth… can I trade it for my life?" Mu Gu sighed, his expression dejected as if he had accepted his fate.
"Speak!"
"It's Yao Chen! That bastard is in the Western Continent. I came to capture him!" Mu Gu gritted his teeth and spat the words out.
"So you failed," Elder Lin said, his sharp gaze sweeping over Mu Gu. He knew Yao Chen was inside Xiao Yan. Back when they fought Qin Tian at Jia Nan Academy, he had spoken extensively with Yao Chen.
"Hm?" Lu Bu's eyes narrowed as he suddenly sensed a faint ripple in the space around him.
After fully activating his dragon transformation, Lu Bu's Taixu Ancient Dragon heritage granted him an exceptional sensitivity to spatial fluctuations.
In that moment, his expression darkened. Clapping his hands together, cyan light surged as three seals shot out in succession.
"Mountain Cracking Seal, Ocean Turning Seal, Earth Overturning Seal… They're trying to escape. Attack!"
The moment Lu Bu's words fell, Zhai Xing Old Ghost and Mu Gu's faces changed dramatically. How had he noticed? Even the Ancient Clan's Dou Zuns hadn't detected it.
"You think you can manipulate spatial energy in front of me? You're overestimating your abilities!"
Lu Bu sneered. His hands formed a rapid series of seals, their afterimages flickering. A fourth seal roared out and merged into the first three, creating a brilliant fusion of light.
Elder Guan moved instantly, appearing between Zhai Xing Old Ghost and Mu Gu. His powerful Dou Qi erupted like a pillar, separating the two Soul Hall elders.
"Die!" Elder Lin shouted coldly, following closely behind. As Guan engaged Zhai Xing Old Ghost, Lin raised his hand, summoning a massive earthen dragon that roared as it lashed its tail toward Mu Gu.
Panic flashed across Mu Gu's face. His soul power surged violently as he reflexively prepared to use a movement technique to evade the incoming attack.
Unlike his earlier performance, this reaction was genuine. Mu Gu's body had sustained severe injuries, and while he had partially recovered, engaging a four star Dou Zun head on was suicide.
Boom!
Suddenly, the earth quaked with a deafening roar. A beam of dark gray light streaked through the air, cutting off Mu Gu's retreat.
At the beam's origin, Xiao Xun'er stood with an icy gaze and an indifferent expression.
"Damn it!" Mu Gu roared angrily as a thick, dark mist erupted from the top of his head. The mist expanded to a ten zhang radius, and within it, a black chain covered in eerie runes materialized. The chain was etched with countless grotesque human faces, exuding an air of extreme malice.
"Your life bound Soul Chain? How pathetic you're at the end of your rope!" Elder Lin sneered, his attacks becoming even fiercer.
Lu Bu remained expressionless, his hands continuing to weave seals. The final, intricate crystal seal began to take shape, merging into the previous four.
In an instant, the combined seals emitted a brilliant cyan light. Around the seals, fine black spatial cracks flickered ominously, enough to make one's blood run cold.
The Emperor Seal Technique, fully formed with all five seals, possessed the power to overturn mountains and seas. When combined, the seals approached the might of Heaven tier techniques.
Without using his soul power, Devouring Ancestral Symbol, or puppets, the Emperor Seal Technique was currently Lu Bu's most powerful attack.
Both Zhai Xing Old Ghost and Mu Gu immediately sensed the devastating energy emanating from the completed seals. However, they were unable to focus on them amidst the fierce onslaught they faced, hoping to evade the attack when it came close.
As Dou Zuns, avoiding it shouldn't be too difficult at least, that's what they thought.
In the next moment, their expressions shifted drastically. A wave of purple gold light rippled through the air as a mysterious spatial fluctuation emanated from Lu Bu's hand. The five merged seals vanished into the space before them.
"Damn it!" Both Zhai Xing Old Ghost and Mu Gu were thrown into a panic. It was one thing to face a visible attack head on, but an unseen, unpredictable strike was far more terrifying like a hidden sword poised to strike at any moment.
This feeling of being hunted, of having a blade constantly hanging over their heads, sent chills through the two seasoned combatants.
Both had fought countless battles, but they understood one thing: if the Taixu Ancient Dragon unleashed this technique, it would mark their defeat or worse, their deaths.
Lu Bu's purple gold dragon eyes gleamed as he contemplated. Who should I strike first?
"Well done, Eighth Commander!" Elder Guan and Elder Lin laughed heartily, seizing the moment of distraction to intensify their attacks. Zhai Xing Old Ghost and Mu Gu faltered under the renewed pressure, retreating step by step.
"Damn it, Mu Gu, you're on your own!" Zhai Xing Old Ghost roared, unable to endure the onslaught any longer.
Boom!
Elder Guan's palm struck Zhai Xing Old Ghost square in the back. He stumbled, spitting out a mouthful of blood. But just as Elder Lin prepared to strike, Zhai Xing Old Ghost formed a hand seal, his blood transforming into a mist that enveloped him.
"It's Spatial Blood Escape! Stop him!" Elder Lin shouted, flipping his palm to unleash a Mountain Cracking Seal.
"Haha… Ancient Clan Dou Zuns, farewell!"
At the same time, Mu Gu abruptly changed direction, dashing toward the horizon. This was their plan: Zhai Xing Old Ghost's escape technique would draw the Ancient Clan's attention, allowing Mu Gu to slip away.
But Mu Gu had barely flown for half a breath before a spatial ripple appeared before him.
An enormous, dark gold dragon claw emerged, holding a brilliant cyan seal wreathed in azure flames. It pressed firmly against Mu Gu's chest right where his body was weakest.
"You…!" Mu Gu's face twisted in terror. Why? Why aren't they chasing Zhai Xing Old Ghost?
"You're not going anywhere!"
Lu Bu sneered as his wrist twisted, unleashing the full force of the Emperor Seal Technique. Cyan light exploded outward.
Under its glow, Mu Gu's expression contorted in fear and despair.
"No…"
(End of Chapter)
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