Chapter 241: Don't Get Me Wrong, I'm Not Targeting Anyone Specifically
"Tsk... what a pain." Feeling the steadily rising pressure from Gu Yao's aura, Lu Bu furrowed his brows. He had originally planned to keep a low profile, do the bare minimum, get what he wanted, and leave. But now... Damn you, Xiao Xun'er!
"Ahem... Lu Bu!" Yang Hao, flying beside him, chuckled and said, "This is our Grand Commander, Gu Yao. In the last bloodline test, his was rated at the eighth tier, making him a renowned genius of the Gu Clan. Currently, his strength is at the peak of Dou Zong. Forgive me for being blunt, but with your strength, it's unwise to clash with him."
"Get lost, or I'll beat you up," Lu Bu shot him a glare, clearly annoyed.
Yang Hao seemed to be trying to mediate, but in truth, he was hyping up Gu Yao's strength. While appearing helpful, he was clearly nudging Lu Bu and Gu Yao toward a fight. After all, Yang Hao had personally witnessed Lu Bu withstand Xiao Xun'er's heaven tier battle technique and knew how formidable he was. Lu Bu hardly needed this kind of advice.
"Third Brother, stop messing around!" Ling Quan pulled Yang Hao back, feigning concern. "Our Black Abyss Troops are like family we'd never fight among ourselves! Besides, Lu Bu's strength is not below yours. If you provoke a fight and the Grand Commander gets hurt, what then?"
"..."
The six commanders of the Black Abyss Troops, along with Xiao Xun'er, silently stared at these two troublemakers. It was as if the words "stirring up trouble" were written on their foreheads.
Perhaps the stares were too intense, as Yang Hao and Ling Quan muttered something under their breath, their faces inexplicably turning red.
What are you blushing for, you tea kettle!
Lu Bu rolled his eyes and shifted his gaze back to Gu Yao. See? This has nothing to do with me. Blame them for stirring the pot. Fighting is too much effort. Back off you'll need your energy for fighting Xiao Yan in the future.
However, Gu Yao's icy gaze didn't waver, and his aura remained locked firmly on Lu Bu.
He sees through it, but so what? Gu Yao's pride wouldn't allow him to back down. Besides, the connection between Lu Bu and Xun'er was a fact he couldn't ignore.
Narrowing his eyes slightly, Lu Bu thought to himself, You Gu Clan geniuses... you just don't learn unless someone gives you a beating.
"You're Lu Bu, right?" Gu Yao said coldly. "You hold the rank of Eighth Commander in the Black Abyss Troops. By rights, I have no reason to question someone recruited by the Grand Commander herself."
"But let me be clear: the Black Abyss Troops are not a place for dead weight or freeloaders."
Gu Yao's icy gaze lifted slightly, his expression impassive. "As the Grand Commander of the Black Abyss Troops, I command seven sub commanders, none of whom are weaklings. I don't tolerate mediocrity under my command. I hope you understand what I'm saying."
His words showed no regard for anyone not Lu Bu as the new Eighth Commander, not Xiao Xun'er who had recruited him. Gu Yao acted entirely according to his own will, saying whatever he wanted without holding back. It was tyrannical to the extreme.
Lu Bu narrowed his eyes. Had it been anyone else, they might have taken a beating just to save face, but they'd lose their authority within the Black Abyss Troops, becoming someone with no credibility or respect.
"I understand." Lu Bu nonchalantly dug at his ear and said, "So, you want to fight me?"
Gu Yao's eyes turned colder, and a chilling aura emanated from his body, freezing the air around him. Lu Bu's casual response was nothing short of a provocation.
"You arrogant brat," Gu Yao said flatly. "See those six men beside you? Gu Zhen, Lin Xiu, Yang Hao they were all as headstrong as you once."
Gu Zhen, Lin Xiu, and Yang Hao all grimaced, recalling some unpleasant memories.
"I see them, but with all due respect… they're trash," Lu Bu said calmly.
"What did you just say?" Gu Yao's face darkened instantly.
"Don't get me wrong... I'm not targeting you or them specifically." Lu Bu grinned. "What I'm saying is, all of you including you, Grand Commander Gu Yao are trash!"
At these words, Lin Xiu and Shen Song immediately flared with killing intent. This bastard must have a death wish!
Yang Hao and Ling Quan's faces twitched. They were itching to beat him up, even though they knew they couldn't.
On the other hand, Gu Zhen and Gu Luan were left speechless. Why drag us into this?
"Heh... Such arrogance for someone so clueless!" Gu Yao's face turned colder, and a sharp, icy wind began to swirl around him.
"Before we start, I have a question," Lu Bu said, his lips curling into a smirk. His pupils glowed faintly with a violet gold light. "Your position as Grand Commander it looks pretty nice. How about letting me have a turn with it?"
"The Black Abyss Troops are merit based. If you defeat me, it's yours. But if you lose..."
"Then you'll leave your life behind!"
Gu Yao's icy voice cut through the air, and the next moment, his figure vanished like a ghost, leaving only a faint afterimage in his wake.
His speed caused Yang Hao and Ling Quan's pupils to shrink. What terrifying speed! But when they exchanged glances, they couldn't suppress their grins. This is going to be good!
Whether Lu Bu got beaten up or Gu Yao was humiliated, either outcome promised an entertaining spectacle.
As soon as Gu Yao disappeared, Lu Bu's brow arched slightly, and a hint of seriousness appeared on his face. He's strong. A month ago, I wouldn't have been able to beat him without using my trump cards. But now...
Boom!
Lu Bu clenched his right fist and struck toward an empty spot in the void. A powerful shockwave erupted, followed by the sharp sound of air splitting.
At the same time, a hand wreathed in icy winds suddenly appeared in that exact spot, chopping downward with deadly precision.
Bang!
The two forces collided, creating a massive shockwave that sent fierce winds howling through the sky.
"He can actually keep up with Grand Commander Gu Yao's speed..." Lin Xiu and Shen Song exchanged shocked glances.
While they couldn't discern Lu Bu's exact strength, they estimated he was still at the Dou Huang level. For someone so young and from the barren Northwest Continent, it was incredible for him to have such skill and power.
High above, Gu Yao's figure gradually reappeared. He pressed his strength down onto Lu Bu's arm, but... it didn't work!
Lu Bu's arm remained unyielding, as solid as forged steel.
A trace of surprise flashed in Gu Yao's cold eyes, though his voice remained emotionless. "Impressive. To match my speed, you have some skill."
"Is that so?" Lu Bu chuckled. "Your speed is slower than I expected..."
He wasn't bluffing. With his spiritual power, Gu Yao unless he reached the Dou Zun stage was no match for Lu Bu in any capacity.
"Don't get cocky!" Gu Yao retorted icily. A torrent of Dou Qi surged forth, and an intense cold radiated outward, freezing the wind itself. In an instant, a layer of frost covered Lu Bu's entire right arm.
The piercing chill surged along Lu Bu's arm, as though attempting to freeze not just his arm but even his Dou Qi. Raising an eyebrow slightly, Lu Bu released a burst of cyan flames from his meridians, wrapping them around his arm. In the next instant, the Green Lotus Core Flame roared to life, transforming into waves of searing heat and fire, directly clashing with Gu Yao's icy Dou Qi.
Boom!
The collision of scorching heat and freezing cold created a violent shockwave, sending both figures flying backward from the impact point. With a soft flutter, cyan flame wings unfurled behind Lu Bu, steadying his body mid air.
"Not quite enough," Lu Bu said nonchalantly, shaking his hand and flicking away the moisture that had formed on it.
"An Heavenly Flame?" Gu Yao's eyes narrowed as his palm turned red from the heat, the burning sensation intensifying his frosty expression.
In this brief exchange, Gu Yao found himself at a disadvantage. Though the appearance of the Heavenly Flame had caught him off guard, the fact remained: he was outmatched in that moment.
"Commander Gu Yao… was injured!?" Shen Song exclaimed, disbelief written all over his face. After all, this was their Grand Commander, a prodigious figure among the younger generation of the Gu Clan.
"He's just relying on the power of the Heavenly Flame," Lin Xiu sneered dismissively, unwilling to acknowledge Lu Bu's strength.
"This guy… how has his strength grown so much?" Xiao Xun'er furrowed her delicate brows. The last time she fought him, Lu Bu had only been at one or two stars in the Dou Huang realm. After the battle, it seemed he had consumed some sort of resources to reach three stars.
But now, after just a month in the spatial wormhole, he had advanced to the higher levels of Dou Huang? This speed of cultivation… Who's the one with the Emperor bloodline again? Xiao Xun'er muttered to herself, suddenly feeling inexplicably pressured. It seems I'll need to dedicate more time to cultivation!
Meanwhile, Gu Luan's eyes gleamed with admiration. Although Lu Bu's Dou Qi cultivation couldn't yet match those of the Gu Clan's younger generation who had undergone the Imperial Altar's baptism, he wasn't far off.
"Impressive…" Gu Luan thought, her eyes sparkling. Lu Bu was proving to be truly formidable.
"Heh heh… they've finally started fighting!" Yang Hao and Ling Quan exchanged glances and smirks, feeling a weight lifted off their shoulders. At last, the pressure was on Gu Yao instead of them.
In the void above, four aged figures stood together, their expressions filled with surprise as they watched the recent exchange between Lu Bu and Gu Yao.
"Old Guan, what's the story with this Eighth Commander?" one of them asked curiously.
"Ask Old Lin," Old Guan replied, pointing to Lin Lao. "He and our Eighth Commander wiped out a Soul Hall three star Dou Zun and four peak Dou Zongs together."
"What?!" The other two elders were stunned. "The Eighth Commander is that strong?"
"Ahem, just keep watching," Lin Lao coughed lightly, deflecting the question. He wasn't about to spill everything especially since the young lady had forbidden him from mentioning how she got punched in the face during a certain incident. That would cause big trouble!
"Pfft…" The other two elders clicked their tongues, clearly dissatisfied but holding their tongues.
In the distance, Gu Yao's icy gaze grew more serious. "You've got some skill, but… if this is all you've got, then you're not worthy of your arrogance!"
Gu Yao let out a cold laugh as bone white frost gathered around him. A long spear, crystalline and sharp like it was forged from mystical ice, formed in his hand, exuding a chilling, menacing aura.
"Ten Thousand Beast Spear Technique!"
With a sharp cry, Gu Yao stepped forward. His figure, twisting like a serpent and darting like a dragon, closed the gap with ghostly speed. The long spear in his hand bloomed into a flurry of lethal spear shadows. Beastly silhouettes emerged within the spear's trajectory, their roars resonating in the air, filling it with a bloodthirsty, oppressive energy. The technique targeted Lu Bu's vital points from all directions with razor sharp precision.
Earlier, Gu Yao's probing attack had revealed Lu Bu's strength, so this time, he unleashed his full power with no reservations.
"Petty tricks..."
However, facing such a ferocious and violent assault, Lu Bu merely sneered. He didn't evade but slowly raised his hand. Dark gold scales emerged on his skin, radiating a faint golden light that danced around him.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The sharp spear shadows collided with the golden light, producing clear metallic clangs. Gu Yao's ferocious, beast like spear technique was neutralized blow for blow by the golden glimmers, each precise enough to cancel out the spear's attacks.
"What is that?" Lin Xiu's face darkened. All he could see was the faint flickering of golden light, but he couldn't discern what it was.
Despite Gu Yao's ferocious technique, each spear strike was blocked, and the golden light vanished as quickly as it appeared, dissipating upon impact.
"I have no idea…" muttered Shen Song, narrowing his eyes and holding his breath as he tried to discern the source of the golden flashes. However, the speed of the two combatants was simply too fast.
"Those… are scales?" one of the Dou Zun elders exclaimed from the void above, staring at Lu Bu with wide eyes. The golden light was revealed to be fine, dark gold scales. "What on earth is this boy's background?"
Hearing this, the other two Dou Zuns turned in unison to Lin Lao and Guan Lao.
"Don't look at me look below," Lin Lao said, shrugging helplessly. "Gu Yao will figure it out soon enough."
"Hmm, Old Lin is right!" Guan Lao nodded with a smirk, refusing to reveal anything further.
"Tch…" The other two elders scowled but held back their complaints, focusing on the battle instead.
"Ten Thousand Beast Spear Technique Beast King's Roar!"
Gu Yao's cold demeanor grew even frostier. He let out a loud shout as his spear movements suddenly shifted. The roaring beastly shadows surged together, condensing into a massive, ferocious beast's phantom. With a thunderous roar, it charged at Lu Bu like an unstoppable force of nature.
Gu Yao's icy gaze remained indifferent, his Dou Qi surging like a blizzard sharp, biting, and overwhelming.
"And you think you're fit to act as a beast king in front of me?"
Lu Bu sneered as a violet gold glow erupted from his body. The scales on his right arm rippled and expanded, transforming into a muscular dragon claw. A deep dragon's roar echoed faintly amidst the golden light.
Facing the incoming beast phantom, Lu Bu's eyes sparkled with sharp intent. The violet gold light around his arm condensed further, and an overpowering draconic aura surged into the sky.
Azure Dragon Palm!
With a fierce glint in his eyes, Lu Bu unleashed a powerful strike.
"Roar !"
A dark gold dragon phantom roared furiously, meeting the enormous beast head on.
Clang!
The void trembled, and ripples of spatial energy spread out like waves. When the beast phantom collided with the dragon shadow, it was obliterated in an instant, shattering into fragments.
The dark gold dragon shadow's tail lashed out with terrifying force, smashing toward Gu Yao.
"Mountain Cracking Seal!"
Gu Yao released his grip on his spear and quickly formed hand seals. A series of icy crystalline seals materialized and shot forth.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Explosions rocked the sky as Dou Qi clashed, generating dazzling waves of light and violent energy that surged across the battlefield like a tidal wave.
Step, step, step!
Gu Yao staggered backward several paces before regaining his footing, his expression turning grim.
"Taixu… Ancient Dragon?" Gu Yao muttered as he raised his gaze, his tone still calm but now laced with gravity.
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