Chapter 244: I Am Xiao Yan... Yes, The Xiao Yan You're Thinking About!
In the dense, shadowy forest, the atmosphere was unnaturally dark and oppressive, as if a layer of black mist obscured the sky, leaving one feeling suffocated.
Inside a wooden hut nestled within the forest, three figures sat around a table: two men and one woman. Their pale faces carried an indifferent expression, and a faint trace of black mist flickered in their eyes.
"The latest intelligence states that the Black Armored Army has a new commander. Gu Yao was defeated," the woman said flatly, lifting her hand to place a jade scroll on the table.
The two men frowned deeply upon hearing this. "Hun Po, are you certain of this?"
They had encountered Gu Yao's strength before and knew he was not someone easy to handle. But now, someone was telling them he had been defeated? And that he had even lost his position as commander?
Who could possibly possess such strength? Could it be that Hun Feng and Hun Yu had already surrendered to the Gu Clan?
"I inspected the battlefield personally. The report is accurate," the woman named Hun Po replied coldly.
The two men exchanged grave looks. Whoever could defeat Gu Yao was no ordinary individual. Who could it possibly be?
"Do we have any more specific information?" one of the Soul Clan men asked in a low voice.
"No," Hun Po snapped, her tone becoming impatient. "Hun Huai, do you think the Black Armored Army is easy to deal with? Do you think gathering this information is effortless?"
Hun Huai grinned awkwardly, scratching the back of his head. He was about to admit that his soul reconnaissance made battlefield intelligence gathering relatively simple.
"Enough. Let's continue," the other man, Hun Li, said coldly. His voice carried an icy edge. "This new commander is not simple. We need to gather more detailed intelligence about him. We must tread carefully in our next steps…"
Before he could finish, a spatial jade scroll flew into the hut. Hun Huai reached out to catch it, raising an eyebrow as interest flickered across his face.
"Heh… Hun Li, the Black Armored Army has made a move. Take a look." He passed the jade scroll to Hun Li.
Hun Li accepted it and delved into its contents with his spiritual senses. A moment later, his brow arched in surprise. "Interesting… Only two commanders are left in the camp, while the rest have scattered?"
"They even left behind the new commander?"
Hun Po grabbed the jade scroll to examine it herself. After a moment of silence, she remarked with a strange expression, "What is Gu Yao up to? Could this be a ploy to lure us in? Or do they have some other scheme in mind?"
"Perhaps this is the handiwork of their new commander," Hun Huai chuckled. "Such a reckless fool."
"Indeed. The kid probably has no idea what we're really after. What an idiot!"
"Well, if the Black Armored Army wants to play, we'll oblige. Prepare yourselves, everyone. The hunt begins now," Hun Li declared, a sinister grin spreading across his face.
"I'll ensure that we exhaust these Black Armored Army members one by one until none are left!"
In the Void, Near the Dense Forest.
A slight spatial distortion rippled through the air. Hidden within this space, Xiao Xun'er and Gu Yao, along with the rest of the Black Armored Army, observed silently.
"Miss, cough… this plan is so obvious. Won't those Soul Clan scoundrels see through it?" Gu Luan asked hesitantly, coughing lightly.
"So what if they do?" Gu Yao replied flatly. "Do you think the Soul Clan will be able to resist the temptation?"
Xiao Xun'er said nothing. Her white veil fluttered in the wind as her sharp eyes peered into the distance. This wasn't some shadowy scheme it was an open trap. The Soul Clan would inevitably take the bait. And when they did... their fate would be sealed.
As for the Soul Clan's strength, Xiao Xun'er wasn't concerned. She and Gu Yao had both ascended to the Dou Zun realm. The Soul Clan's forces in the region were no match for them.
"How are things at the spatial wormhole?" Xiao Xun'er asked.
"Everything is secure. I've stationed Lin Qiu and Gu Zhen there," Gu Yao replied. Their current location was in the southwest region of the Central Plains, while the Gu Clan's Ancient Realm entrance was in the eastern region. The two areas were separated by millions of miles.
The two locations were connected by a spatial wormhole. While the Gu Clan was wealthy and had countless powerful warriors, they wouldn't dispatch Dou Sheng experts to tear through space just to handle small travel matters. Dou Shengs weren't meant for such trivial tasks.
"Good," Xiao Xun'er nodded lightly. The spatial wormhole was critical it was their only connection to the Gu Clan's territory. No carelessness could be allowed.
As for why more wormholes hadn't been built… well, this was the territory of the Yao Clan. Even the Gu Clan had to consider the Yao Clan's stance when acting in this region.
Thinking of the Yao Clan, Xiao Xun'er frowned slightly. She had met figures like Yao Tian and Yao Wangui before. While capable, their arrogance was grating and deeply unlikable.
Back at the Black Armored Army Camp, Inside the Stone Cabin.
"Hahaha… Brother Lu Bu, come on, let's drink!" Yang Hao laughed boisterously, holding a jar of wine as he poured into the jade cups. He seemed intent on drinking with Lu Bu until they both passed out.
Lu Bu rolled his eyes. He had been quietly refining medicinal herbs and cultivating when Yang Hao's loud voice woke him up, insisting that they drink together.
"Hahaha… Commander, my young lady no, wait, in the army, I should refer to her by rank our Supreme Commander has ascended to Dou Zun! Aren't you envious?" Yang Hao exclaimed, laughing as he downed another drink.
"It's alright," Lu Bu replied with a faint smile, watching him perform theatrics.
"Haha, it's all thanks to the Dou Di bloodline," Yang Hao sighed. "The Dou Di bloodline is our ancestor's greatest blessing, but even that can't protect us forever."
"Oh? Elaborate," Lu Bu said, taking a sip from his cup. It was rare for him to engage in small talk, but he found himself curious. Though, drinking with a man instead of a queen… it felt a bit off. He quickly decided to set his cup down.
Yang Hao shrugged and explained, "With the Dou Di bloodline, progress at the Dou Zong and Dou Huang stages is lightning fast. Our supreme commanders, like Qingyang and Gu Hua, can gain two or three stars overnight. But after reaching Dou Zun, the advantage diminishes.
"At the Dou Sheng level, we're no different from ordinary people when it comes to cultivation speed."
"Haha…" Lu Bu chuckled. He understood the gist of it. Before Dou Zun, the acceleration was constant progress soared, leaving peers in the dust.
At the Dou Zun level, acceleration slowed, though overall speed remained faster than others.
By the Dou Sheng level, acceleration ceased entirely, and cultivation became a steady climb, just like everyone else.
The original story even hinted at this. After reaching Dou Sheng, the Dou Di bloodline's influence became negligible. This was why Xiao Yan's reunion with Xiao Xun'er at the Dou Sheng level was so warm they were finally on equal footing.
"That's true..." Yang Hao laughed, pride glinting in his eyes. After all, in the Gu Clan, a 34 year old Dou Sheng could easily outshine someone two or three centuries old. How could outsiders even compare?
Of course… the Taixu Ancient Dragon was an exception. Not because they were afraid of being beaten, but simply because the truth spoke for itself!
"Where did Gu Yao and the others go?"
"They went to prepare gah!?" Yang Hao's tongue almost slipped, and he nearly bit himself in panic.
They were just having a pleasant conversation about bloodlines how did the topic change so quickly?
"You… you already know?" Yang Hao's eyes widened. He had been stalling Lu Bu all along, keeping him distracted with small talk to ensure he wouldn't catch wind of the situation.
Lu Bu rolled his eyes. Even without the paper slip that had been slid under his door earlier, he already knew what was happening.
Though he hadn't used his soul power much recently, his soul, having already reached the Perfection Stage of the Mortal Realm, wasn't something to scoff at. He could easily sense the changes in the camp with just a thought.
"Uh… uh… well…" Yang Hao's forehead was drenched in sweat as he laughed nervously, fearing that Lu Bu might suddenly land another punch squarely on his face.
"Why don't you tell me? Your 'lure the snake out of the hole' plan what else is there to it?" Lu Bu asked, smiling faintly as he fixed his gaze on Yang Hao.
Under that sharp stare, Yang Hao felt incredibly uncomfortable. He forced out an awkward laugh. "There's nothing else…"
"Nothing else?!" Lu Bu's eyes widened in mock astonishment. This is it?!
"Haha… Miss Xiao Xun'er and Commander Gu Yao have both broken through to the Dou Zun realm. With their overwhelming strength, there's no need for overly complicated plans…" Yang Hao chuckled dryly. "Aside from protecting the spatial wormhole, there's not much else to worry about."
"Pfft… a bit crude, isn't it?" Lu Bu muttered disdainfully. Xiao Xun'er was clearly part of Xiao Yan's circle they both had the same uncreative approach to ambushes: straightforward and direct, lacking any subtlety or flair.
If it were him, Lu Bu, leading the operation, first he'd lure the enemy out, then strike at the heart of their formation. Next, he'd seal off their retreat, isolate them from their Soul Clan allies, and systematically execute a strategy of encirclement and counter encirclement. Poison traps would restrict the enemy's movement, while a "siege and slaughter" tactic would mop up any reinforcements.
With such a plan, he could easily rack up a mountain of Soul Clan casualties. Compared to that, Xiao Xun'er's approach? Amateur hour!
Yang Hao scratched his head in confusion. To him, Xiao Xun'er's plan seemed straightforward and effective. What was wrong with it?
"Forget it. You wouldn't understand even if I explained," Lu Bu sighed, rolling his eyes. He couldn't help but feel that people on the Dou Qi Continent, aside from the Soul Clan, lacked any sense of strategy. They'd rush into things without considering the consequences. If they just used their brains a little, they wouldn't be so hopeless!
"How many subordinates do you still have? Oh, ten," Lu Bu asked casually. His soul power swept across the camp, giving him a clear sense of the current situation.
"Uh… yes, exactly ten," Yang Hao began to answer, only to realize Lu Bu already knew.
"If you went all out, what kind of strength could you muster?" Lu Bu asked thoughtfully, stroking his chin.
"Against a seven or eight star Dou Zong, I could hold my own without much issue," Yang Hao replied. At his current four star Dou Zong level, unleashing his full strength allowed him to bridge a three to four star gap.
"Not bad," Lu Bu nodded approvingly. At the Dou Zong level, the difference between stars was vast. For instance, Yun Shan had stood no chance against Xie Bi Yan, and without Xiao Yi Xian's timely intervention, Yun Shan would've been killed outright.
Without special techniques or tools, fighting across levels was nearly impossible.
"Cough… Commander, we might face Soul Clan experts in the coming days. Do you have any " Yang Hao started to ask, but before he could finish, he saw Lu Bu's eyebrow twitch slightly.
"Not in a few days right now."
"What?"
"The Soul Clan is already here," Lu Bu said calmly, standing up and stretching.
"Damn it! Form up!" Yang Hao's face darkened. He stomped his foot, crashing through the stone roof and leaping into the sky. His urgent shout echoed through the camp.
"Kehehehe… so this place really is poorly guarded!"
The Black Armored Army had just begun mobilizing when a chilling laugh descended from the heavens, accompanied by an eerie, bone chilling energy.
"Yang Hao, you're not even qualified to be my opponent!"
"Hun Li, you're courting death!" Yang Hao roared furiously.
Boom!
An energy ripple exploded in the sky as Yang Hao and his ten Black Armored Army soldiers staggered back. Thankfully, their formation held strong, preventing any injuries.
"Kehehe… new Black Armored Army Commander, come out!" Hun Li's sinister laughter echoed. Black mist swirled menacingly around his hand, and his icy black Dou Qi crackled at his fingertips.
Whoosh!
A figure appeared in the sky. With a pair of green flamed wings unfurled, Lu Bu hovered lazily in mid air.
Hun Li froze for a moment. A… Dou Huang?
This level of strength had become the Black Armored Army's commander?
"Who are you?" Hun Li's face darkened. The situation seemed far too peculiar, and he felt a twinge of unease. Could this be a trap?
"I am the Eighth Commander of the Black Armored Army, Xiao Yan!" Lu Bu puffed out his chest and shouted, his voice booming.
"Xiao Yan?" Hun Li's expression shifted. This is Xiao Yan?
"Yes, that's right! I'm exactly the Xiao Yan you're thinking of!" Lu Bu grinned widely.
Behind him, Yang Hao's mouth twitched. This was the first time he'd heard of a member of the Xiao Clan also being a Taixu Ancient Dragon.
Sensing the strange looks behind him, Lu Bu shot a glare at Yang Hao, silently warning, Say one word and you're dead!
"No, you're not!" Hun Li's eyes narrowed as he scrutinized Lu Bu's face. "I've seen his portrait I know what Xiao Yan looks like. You're much more handsome than him!"
Lu Bu: "…"
Flattery won't save you from what's coming.
"Oh? Is that so?" Lu Bu chuckled faintly, releasing a faint ripple of mysterious energy.
Hun Li frowned, his suspicion growing. Something about this felt off. He scanned Lu Bu with a mixture of doubt and apprehension, then sneered coldly.
"No matter who you are, with your mere eight star Dou Huang no, seven star Dou Huang excuse me, I must've overestimated you. You're too weak for me to bother with."
"Whoever you are, today you and that fool Yang Hao will both die!"
Lu Bu raised an eyebrow. This guy has no sense of self preservation. Guess I wasted that soul fluctuation for nothing.
Boom!
Hun Li's chilling aura surged as three shadowy figures shrouded in black mist materialized behind him.
"Soul Hall protectors?" Lu Bu muttered, his eyebrow lifting in surprise.
"Hmph, it seems you're truly not from the Gu Clan," Hun Li sneered. "Kehehe… the Gu Clan calls them Soul Protectors, but I prefer to call them my Soul Slaves!"
"You think you, Hun Li, alone can take us down?" Yang Hao rallied, ten Black Armored Army soldiers forming a battle formation behind him.
Boom!
A powerful aura erupted, momentarily overpowering Hun Li's presence.
"Kehehe… Commander Yang Hao, do you want to know why I came alone?" Hun Li's sinister laugh echoed as the three Soul Slaves' auras surged, gradually encircling Lu Bu.
"What did you do?!" Yang Hao roared, his face pale as he charged at Hun Li.
"You'll find out soon enough," Hun Li sneered. Then, with a harsh laugh, he barked an order:
"Soul Slaves, capture that brat alive. I'll enjoy breaking him myself!"
"Kehehehe…"
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