Chapter 243: Among You, There Is a Trai... Good Man!
In the sky, the massive ancient dragon coiled in an imposing stance. Its hundred meter long body was brimming with explosive power, every muscle a testament to pure strength.
All the Black Armored Army soldiers froze in terror, not daring to make a sound. Under the piercing gaze of those purple golden dragon eyes, even the flow of Dou Qi within their bodies and the operation of their cultivation techniques slowed involuntarily, as if an invisible shackle had bound them.
"Gu Yao is in danger!"
"No, he's going to lose!"
"Indeed, he has already used everything he has. The Great Annihilation Art was his final card, and when that didn't work, he resorted to leveraging his heritage to suppress the opponent."
"Our Eighth Commander is not simple. Even setting aside the fact that he's a member of the Taixu Ancient Dragon clan, his personal talent is on par with the finest geniuses of our Gu Clan. Truly terrifying."
In the void, the four elders discussed the situation with animated voices, their tones a mix of amazement and excitement.
Below, Gu Yao was already staring directly at the enormous dragon claw descending from the sky, as if the heavens themselves were collapsing.
"Roar!"
After a brief moment of daze, Gu Yao let out a low growl, a trace of blood energy surging through his veins. In the blink of an eye, his aura skyrocketed, rising steadily until it rivaled that of a Dou Zun.
"Mountain Cracking Seal! Ocean Flipping Seal! Earth Shattering Seal! Sky Annihilating Seal! Ancient Emperor Seal!"
With a hoarse and furious roar, Gu Yao's hands formed seal after seal. Five massive handprints, white with streaks of blood, fused together in an instant and rose to meet the colossal dragon claw.
Gu Yao wanted to use the Great Annihilation Finger again, but there wasn't enough time Lu Bu would never give him that chance.
"Blood Transformation Art? Gu Yao even used a forbidden technique like that!" exclaimed Gu Luan, his voice full of shock.
"A self harming technique. I wouldn't use it even if someone beat me to death!" said Ling Quan, taking a deep breath, his tone serious.
"It's not that serious. His bloodline is strong enough to handle it. For Gu Yao, the Blood Transformation Art is more like a weaker version of the clan's ancestral markings," Gu Zhen said with a light chuckle.
"True. If Ling Quan used it, that would be real self harm," Yang Hao added with a grin.
Boom!
Amid the radiant purple golden glow, the ancient dragon's massive claw descended with overwhelming might. It crashed into Gu Yao's fused seals, white with streaks of blood, as countless eyes watched in awe.
However, the anticipated explosive collision did not occur. Instead, a dull thud echoed across the battlefield.
With a single "boom," Gu Yao and his fused seals were pressed down by the purple golden dragon claw.
Rumble!
The forest below trembled violently as countless trees toppled and shattered. Under that one palm strike, everything was reduced to dust.
As the claw descended, the enormous dragon projection shimmered for a moment before gradually shrinking. In the end, it transformed into the slender figure of Lu Bu.
"..."
For a brief moment, silence reigned over the battlefield. Everyone in the Black Armored Army stared at the massive crater below, their faces filled with disbelief and shock.
Inside the crater, Gu Yao lay battered and bloodied, his chest heaving heavily. Though conscious, his eyes stared blankly at the sky above.
He had lost completely defeated by a mere Dou Huang.
In the air, Lu Bu's face was pale, and his aura dimmed significantly. Though he had used an eighth tier pill to temporarily create a dragon glyph, the Azure Dragon Heaven Seal had completely drained him of Dou Qi.
Cough, cough... Lu Bu coughed lightly, swallowing a few pills to regain some Dou Qi. He then said, "I've won, haven't I? This position of commander in chief is mine now, right?"
He looked at Xiao Xun'er, as she was the highest authority present in the Black Armored Army.
"...Yes, it is," Xiao Xun'er replied with a slight twitch of her lips, reluctantly nodding. The Black Armored Army operated on the principle of strength whoever was strongest held the power. Though she wasn't happy about it, there was nothing she could do.
"Then why are you all just standing there?" Lu Bu said irritably. "Where's Gu Yao's tent? Hurry up and take your commander in chief over there!"
At his words, the seven other commanders of the Black Armored Army exchanged helpless glances before leading Lu Bu to claim Gu Yao's tent.
"Starting now, I'm going into seclusion to recover," Lu Bu announced to his seven subordinates with a serious expression. "Don't bother me if it's not urgent. Even if it is, still don't bother me. That's all!"
Bang!
The door slammed shut behind him, leaving the seven Black Armored Army commanders standing there, their expressions stunned.
"Is he seriously just ditching everything like that?" Yang Hao muttered, dumbfounded. This was the Black Armored Army the Gu Clan's strongest military force. Couldn't he at least say something inspiring, like, 'The great winds rise, the clouds surge'?
In the distance, Xiao Xun'er let out a small huff beneath her veil. She wasn't surprised Lu Bu had been this way since his days in the Inner Academy.
She turned and entered her own quarters to focus on her cultivation. There was no choice; the pressure was mounting.
"Well, let's get back to work," Gu Zhen said with a sigh. Once again, the burden fell on his shoulders as the second commander. The former commander in chief had almost been wiped out, the supreme commander and the new leader were both out of commission, and the responsibility was left to him.
This was why working with this group of troublemakers made him wonder if the Black Armored Army would ever achieve anything great.
Left with no other options, Gu Zhen instructed Shen Song to move Gu Yao to a quiet tent and deliver some healing pills. While the Gu Clan didn't have many eighth or ninth tier pills, they had plenty of sixth and seventh tier ones.
At the same time, Gu Zhen reported the personnel changes and Lu Bu's identity to the Gu Clan. Such a major event couldn't be left unreported. While those in the field had some autonomy, there were limits.
When the Gu Clan received the report, shockwaves rippled through the internal structure of the Black Armored Army.
Normally, the Gu Clan wouldn't interfere with the selection of commanders in the Black Armored Army. After all, the army had been established with two purposes in mind: to fight the Hall of Souls and to temper the younger generation of the Gu Clan.
The commanders were expected to handle their own affairs, and the selection process for leaders was left to the army itself. But now, the long vacant position of eighth commander had been filled by a member of the Taixu Ancient Dragon clan?
"What do you make of this?" asked an elder with graying hair, his tone calm.
"A Taixu Ancient Dragon, huh? It's been a long time since one appeared…" another elder mused. The clan had not seen much activity from this race in ages, with only a few scattered sightings over centuries.
"I remember that Mang Tianchi used to roam around a lot. Do you think he knows Hei Qing?" another elder murmured, mentioning the last known Ancient Dragon to appear.
"This person… was recruited by the young lady at Jia Nan Academy. Could he have ulterior motives? Wait… why are you all looking at me like that?"
"Did you not read the report? He's had numerous dealings with Xiao Yan, alternately as a rival and an ally, often exploiting him. Do you really think the young lady wouldn't be cautious?"
Hearing this, the questioning elder fell silent, realizing he had underestimated Xiao Xun'er's judgment.
"At the Dou Huang level, he can't stir up much trouble. Let them play their little games."
"Agreed. The Taixu Ancient Dragon clan is shrouded in mystery, but their strength and influence cannot be ignored. If we can establish friendly relations, that would be ideal."
The Black Armored Army relayed their findings to the Gu Clan's Elder Council. After some deliberation, they decided to let things develop naturally.
On one hand, this ancient dragon's strength was far too weak, merely a Dou Huang. While its combat capabilities were noteworthy, it was ultimately unremarkable and not worth mentioning.
In the Gu Clan, even the gatekeepers were Dou Zuns. So what was the big deal about a Dou Huang with Dou Zong level combat power? Nothing to marvel at.
On the other hand, this was someone recruited by the young lady. While the specific reason remained unclear, driving him away rashly was inappropriate especially since the Ancient Dragon Tribe was not a force to provoke. So... they decided to let him be.
Southwest Region of Central Plains, Black Armored Army Encampment.
Twenty Days Later.
In the stone cabin, Lu Bu let out a long breath, finally ridding himself of the lingering aftereffects of using the Azure Dragon Heaven Seal.
In truth, fighting Gu Yao, a peak Dou Zong, shouldn't have required him to use such a powerful move. But before the battle, Lu Bu had run his mouth a little too much.
Thus, he had to win the fight in an overwhelming manner. Without resorting to his soul power or puppets, only the Azure Dragon Heaven Seal could achieve that level of dominance.
Gu Yao had entered the battle with a similar mindset. He wanted to establish his authority with a crushing victory, so he unleashed wave after wave of relentless attacks, even using his trump card, a Heaven Tier Dou Technique.
Unfortunately, Lu Bu neutralized every single attack. Unable to take him down, Gu Yao resorted to leveraging his heritage to overwhelm him but Lu Bu had the stolen storage ring of an eighth tier alchemist, stocked with premium pills.
"Hmm~ Maybe I should step out for a walk? Seeing Miss Gu Luan sounds nice too..." Lu Bu stretched lazily, sighing as he reminded himself that he was now the dignified Commander in Chief of the Black Armored Army. How could he not put on a show and act the part?
Boom!
Just then, a cold, bone chilling aura shot into the sky. It was majestic, far stronger than ten days prior.
"Gu Yao? He's... already broken through to Dou Zun?" Lu Bu's eyes widened in shock. It had only been ten days! The Dou Di bloodline was way too overpowered recovering from severe injuries and then advancing further in such a short time?
For context, Xiao Yan had only managed to break through to Dou Zun after relying on the Yin Yang Mysterious Dragon Pill, the Star Realm's power, and the Three Thousand Burning Flame, and even that had taken him an entire year.
Compared to Gu Yao, Xiao Yan's progress seemed like a tortoise crawling through the mud. No wonder Gu Yao had looked down on him so much Gu Yao might as well be the real protagonist!
Boom!
Before Lu Bu could fully process his shock, another surge of energy erupted. His mouth twitched as he sighed deeply and closed his eyes again.
"Outdoor plans canceled. Back to training!"
It was clear today was not the day to step outside.
Outside the Stone Cabin, High in the Sky.
Gu Yao's hair danced wildly as pale white Dou Qi swirled around him. In the distance, a dazzling golden light shone brilliantly, radiating scorching heat no weaker than his own aura.
"Xun'er has also reached Dou Zun... As expected of the strongest bloodline in a millennium," Gu Yao murmured as he gazed at the golden light.
That girl was clearly a few years younger than him and hadn't been back in the clan for long. A few days ago, her strength had still been slightly beneath his. But in the blink of an eye, she had already caught up.
Gu Yao took a deep breath. The challenges and opponents he faced were far too numerous he had to grow even stronger.
From afar, the golden light gradually subsided. Xiao Xun'er, her face concealed by a white veil, glanced toward Lu Bu's stone cabin. Her beautiful eyes gleamed with a hint of anticipation.
With her newfound strength, she was confident she could beat Lu Bu this time without any issue.
However... there was no reaction.
Lu Bu wasn't reckless or foolish. Why would he walk into a beating under these circumstances?
Seeing no response, Xiao Xun'er let out a dissatisfied humph. She withdrew her aura and slowly descended, her gaze sweeping toward another stone cabin. A moment later, she lightly tapped her toes and flew in that direction.
Noticing this, Gu Yao followed close behind.
Inside Another Stone Cabin, the Command Hall.
Gu Zhen and the other seven Black Armored Army commanders wore serious expressions. Despite the recent upheavals, things had largely remained the same except for the fact that all three leaders had taken a hands off approach. Otherwise, everything was fine.
"My squad lost three people!" Yang Hao said grimly, his face dark with anger. "Those Soul Clan bastards are using souls for reconnaissance. My men are easily discovered and counterattacked!"
"How did those bastards suddenly become so proficient at controlling souls?" Gu Luan frowned deeply.
"Lin Qiu, what did the prisoner reveal?" Gu Zhen asked.
"The ones in charge are Hun Huai and Hun Li," Lin Qiu said with a dark expression. "Hun Huai seems to have mastered a Soul Clan secret technique, making him exceptionally skilled at using souls for surveillance."
"Our movements are completely exposed to them. Every step we take, every soldier we send out they know it all."
"..."
At those words, everyone's expressions turned grim. How were they supposed to fight under such circumstances? Their every move was being watched. Before they even left the camp, the enemy would already know their strength and numbers. How could they possibly win like this?
"Simple. Lure the snake out of its hole," came Xiao Xun'er's calm voice.
She stepped into the command hall, her face still veiled, with Gu Yao following behind.
"Uh... Lure the snake out of its hole?" Gu Zhen asked, looking puzzled. What did she mean?
"Exactly as it sounds," Xiao Xun'er said, tilting her chin slightly. "If we can't attack them directly, we'll make Hun Huai and Hun Li come to us. Once they show up, there's no need to worry about their troublesome reconnaissance souls anymore."
"Uh... I get the logic, but what bait are we using?" Gu Luan asked curiously. Without adequate bait, there was no way Hun Huai and Hun Li would take the risk of coming over.
Xiao Xun'er didn't respond immediately. Instead, she silently turned her gaze toward a certain direction the cabin that used to belong to Gu Yao.
Realization dawned on everyone. Oh, the new commander, of course... It made perfect sense.
Gu Luan's eyes flashed slightly, her lips pressing together, but she said nothing.
"Gu Luan, you're in charge of spreading the word," Xiao Xun'er said. "Broadcast Lu Bu's achievements and position. Let the Soul Clan know we have a stronger commander now."
"But... don't give away too much. Leave out details about his exact strength, techniques, or abilities... Hmm, don't even mention his name. Let the Soul Clan figure it out themselves.
"Things that are too easily obtained aren't valued," she added with a faint smile.
"Yes, Supreme Commander!" Gu Luan nodded, her eyes glinting mischievously. With a wave of her sleeve, she left to carry out her task.
"Yang Hao, stay here with your squad to protect Lu Bu. Make it convincing," Xiao Xun'er continued.
"...Yes, Supreme Commander!" Yang Hao's mouth twitched in frustration, but he agreed nonetheless. They couldn't all leave the area and leave Lu Bu alone that would be too obvious. Even a blind man could tell something was wrong.
"Gu Yao, Gu Zhen, finalize the other details. The rest of you, prepare to break camp," Xiao Xun'er commanded.
"Yes, Supreme Commander!" the others responded in unison.
Inside his cabin, Lu Bu, deep in cultivation, suddenly felt something amiss and slowly opened his eyes. A slip of paper gently slid under the door.
"Huh...?"
Get 30% off on my Patreon and enjoy early access to new chapters.
You can also purchase the next 100 chapters of the novel directly from my Patreon page.
Hurry up! The promotion ends on January 2, 2026.
Read 40 Chapters In Advance: patreon.com/Johanssen
Happy New Year, friends! I hope you have a great time.