Chapter 265: Lu Bu – The Heaven Fiend Sect? My Own People!
Northwestern Continent, Heishan Fortress in the Jia Ma Empire.
Yun Yun stood atop the fortress, gazing down at the vast mountain range. Her elegant and refined face held a hint of distraction, lost in thought.
Behind her, a gentle breeze stirred as a white clad figure silently appeared at her back.
"Teacher?" Yun Yun snapped out of her thoughts.
"Hehe… You never miss anything. Your cultivation is almost catching up to mine," Yun Shan sighed, a mix of admiration and melancholy in his voice. He was getting old.
"It's all thanks to Xiao Bu," Yun Yun said with a soft smile. On her smooth, delicate shoulder, a wisp of invisible flame flickered lazily, curling up like a sleepy little cat.
"Fallen Heart Flame, huh…" Yun Shan's eyes gleamed with envy. Such a divine tool for both cultivation and battle was truly enviable.
"Are you leaving today?" Yun Shan asked softly.
"Yes," Yun Yun nodded. "Once Xiao Yi Xian, Medusa, and that little brat Zi Yan arrive, we'll head to the Alchemy Region in Central Plains together. Xiao Bu should already be waiting for us there."
"Teacher, Yanran is still in the Gate of Life and Death. We don't know how she's doing…"
"Don't worry, I'll keep an eye on her," Yun Shan reassured her. "The journey to Central Plains is long and full of powerful figures. You must remain cautious and not act recklessly."
"Don't worry, Teacher. I'm already a three star Dou Ancestor, which is fairly decent in Central Plains," Yun Yun chuckled. "Not to mention, Medusa is with us. She's already a Dou Venerate her strength is enough to command respect anywhere in Central Plains."
"Seems like you've done your homework," Yun Shan smiled.
"Xiao Yi Xian is the one who prepared everything well," Yun Yun said with a laugh. Just as she spoke, three figures appeared in the distance Zi Yan, Medusa, and Xiao Yi Xian, who had just returned from the Poison Sect.
"They're here," Yun Yun's eyes shone with anticipation and a hint of nervousness. Would that man, thousands of miles away, arrive on time?
"Teacher, the Earth Demon Puppet has already caught the attention of the Hall of Souls. It's too easy to track, so unless absolutely necessary, don't use it," Yun Yun reminded.
"Understood," Yun Shan nodded. The Jia Ma Empire was no longer as weak as it once was. With the Snake Tribe and Poison Sect as allies, they could no longer expand recklessly, but they were strong enough to hold their ground.
Yun Yun tapped her foot lightly and soared into the sky with a clear whistle. A massive gryphon beast emerged from Heishan Fortress, hovering in the air.
"Hehe, we're finally going to Central Plains!" Zi Yan's adorable face was full of excitement. Delicious medicinal meals, rare pills, and Lu Bu just thinking about it made her happy!
Medusa gently patted Zi Yan's little head and then turned to Yun Yun with a soft smile. "Have you prepared everything?"
"Of course. Three spatial ships better safe than sorry," Xiao Yi Xian chuckled. Then, with a flick of her finger, two translucent masks floated toward Medusa and Yun Yun.
"These are… human skin masks?" Yun Yun raised an eyebrow. Despite their name, these masks weren't actually made of human skin but rather a special type of beast hide. They were far superior to the Snow Silkworm Mask Lu Bu once used, offering excellent disguise capabilities.
"What about me? Where's mine?" Zi Yan pouted and stomped her foot in frustration.
"You don't need one," Medusa giggled, flicking Zi Yan's forehead.
She then placed the mask on her face. In an instant, her devastatingly beautiful features became rather ordinary. To further conceal herself, she also pulled up a veil.
Lu Bu always said, "If you wander the martial world, expect to take some hits. Having a secondary identity is a must!"
Maybe she should use a different name?
Medusa's eyes sparkled with mischief. Lu Bu liked using Xiao Yan's name, so perhaps she could call herself Xiao Xun'er? …No, that wouldn't work.
She glanced down at her own ample chest, then recalled Xiao Xun'er's slender figure. The difference was too vast it would be impossible to pull off the disguise. Forget it.
Seeing Medusa's example, Xiao Yi Xian and Yun Yun quickly followed suit.
"Let's go," Medusa smiled, flashing into the sky with Zi Yan and landing on the gryphon beast's back.
"It's a shame Qing Lin couldn't come with us," Xiao Yi Xian sighed.
"She's at a critical moment in her breakthrough it's best not to disturb her," Yun Yun said with a smile. With a gentle pat on the gryphon beast's back, it let out a loud cry, flapped its wings, and disappeared into the horizon.
Watching them leave, Yun Shan sighed with deep emotion. "Safe travels…"
Wind and Thunder Mountain Range – Wind and Thunder Pavilion
Two figures, one old and one young, appeared in the sky outside the Wind and Thunder Mountain Range.
"Uncle Nan, the Wind and Thunder Pavilion sure was cooperative," Heaven Fiend Sect's young master, Nie Yang, chuckled as he glanced back at the deep mountain range behind them.
"Lei Zun zhe is a pragmatic man," the old man called Uncle Nan said with a hint of mockery. "Looks like that kid gave them quite a beating."
Although it was unclear how exactly he did it, Lei Zun zhe didn't appear injured, which meant their battle was likely evenly matched…
Uncle Nan's sharp eyes gleamed as he quickly pieced together some valuable intelligence.
"Based on our intelligence, he should have gone south," Nie Yang examined a map. "There are thirteen spatial wormholes in that direction eight leading to the Alchemy Region, the rest to various places in Central Plains."
"If he possesses a Heavenly Flame like Chen Xian does, then he's likely a high level alchemist. That makes it more probable that he's heading to the Alchemy Region."
"Let's go, young master," the old man said indifferently. "I've already ordered our forces in the Alchemy Region to gather intelligence. We should have a lead soon."
With that, he took Nie Yang and disappeared into the sky, heading toward a spatial wormhole.
Moments after they left, space rippled slightly, and a blue robed figure emerged Soul Hall's Nine Heavenly Venerate, Mo Yu. He scanned the surroundings with a cold gaze before vanishing once more.
However, just as Mo Yu disappeared, a spatial rift slowly tore open. From the endless void, a massive pair of dark golden dragon eyes glowed ominously.
"Mo Yu, that old bastard? What's he doing here?" The dragon's eyes narrowed with sharp intensity. Could the Hall of Souls have already discovered that one of my kin has appeared in Central Plains? Are they planning something?
A deep killing intent filled the dragon's gaze. Damn Hall of Souls… If you dare lay a hand on my kin, I won't hesitate to remove one of your Heavenly Venerates!
With that thought, the massive golden dragon eyes flickered with murderous intent before disappearing into the void, leaving behind only a slowly mending spatial rift.
Alchemy Region – Deep within Fallen God Ravine, Scorpion Domain
Crack… Rustle…
A faint sound of bones scraping against each other echoed through the damp forest. The rustling of dried leaves occasionally quickened, then slowed, creating a chaotic symphony. One could only imagine how many venomous insects and snakes were hidden beneath the thick layer of fallen leaves covering the ground.
They had no idea that the Scorpion Domain had long since changed owners!
Atop the gray stone fortress of the Scorpion Fortress, dark yellow array patterns flickered intermittently, rising and fading like a pulsating heartbeat. However, no aura leaked from the entire fortress; it stood like a lifeless sculpture massive, imposing, yet strangely unremarkable.
Inside the fortress, a black robed Heavenly Demon Puppet stood silently in a corner, its empty gaze revealing its nature as a mere puppet. Nearby, Tianhuo Venerable floated midair, his gaze resting on the closed chamber door with a hint of impatience.
"It's been nearly a month. Why hasn't he finished yet? Breaking through to the Spirit Realm shouldn't be this difficult," Tianhuo Venerable muttered with a furrowed brow. Achieving the Spirit Realm for one's soul was inherently difficult, mainly due to the rarity of soul cultivating techniques.
Ordinarily, one had to refine their soul to the peak of the Mortal Realm before slowly accumulating soul energy, eventually transforming it. However, this had little to do with Lu Bu. He had already prepared three rare celestial treasures; as long as he properly balanced them, consuming them should have been enough to advance to the Spirit Realm. And yet, a whole month had passed, and still, nothing.
Just as he was about to complain further, the entire fortress trembled slightly, and a strange energy ripple began to spread outward.
"Heh, I should've known better than to jinx it," Tianhuo Venerable chuckled wryly.
Boom!
A wave of energy erupted, shaking the fortress twice. The surrounding energy of heaven and earth instantly surged, forming powerful torrents.
Tianhuo Venerable smiled faintly. "Ah… soul energy. It's been a long time since I've seen someone break through to the Spirit Realm."
The next moment, a vast and mighty soul force swept outward in all directions.
Within the Scorpion Domain, countless venomous insects and snakes shivered and prostrated themselves under the pressure of the overwhelming soul force, their bodies trembling uncontrollably.
Gale winds suddenly howled across the domain, like a towering tornado piercing the sky. Deep within the mountains and ravines, the rumbling roars echoed ceaselessly.
Beyond the Fallen God Ravine, numerous cities in the surrounding area felt the immense soul pressure.
"What's going on?"
"Did another powerhouse emerge within the Fallen God Ravine?"
"What a strange aura it's making my soul feel uneasy!"
"Uncle Nan, we've received word from Sibao City someone saw that kid enter the Fallen God Ravine," Nie Yang said, hesitating slightly as he looked toward the ravine.
"The Fallen God Ravine… Heh, don't worry, Young Master. That aura was impressive, but this old man isn't weak either," the elder beside him chuckled.
"Then… shall we go check it out? The kid has a Heavenly Flame, so it won't be difficult to track him in the ravine," Nie Yang smirked.
"Of course," the elder nodded.
"Let's go!" Without hesitation, Nie Yang flickered and shot toward the Fallen God Ravine, the elder following closely behind.
At the same time, a blue robed figure materialized in midair. Looking at the residual aura fading in the distance, Soul Hall's Nine Heavenly Venerate, Mo Yu, revealed a playful smile.
"Heh… a Spirit Realm soul? Interesting. I came looking for a foolish brat, but instead, I stumbled upon such a high quality soul…" Mo Yu chuckled softly, waving his sleeve as space rippled and he vanished.
First, he would deal with that reckless fool. Then, he would capture this Spirit Realm soul. This trip was turning out quite profitable!
"What immense soul power!" Tianhuo Venerable couldn't hide his shock, his aged face filled with astonishment. "This kid's soul is already on par with mine… terrifying!"
"Such deep accumulation! It's all coming together now," he sighed. Not only was it thanks to the two soul origins he had absorbed, but also because of his own unwavering soul tempering over time.
"Haha… Venerable Yao, you flatter me!"
With a creak, the chamber door slowly opened, and Lu Bu stepped out.
At this moment, his gaze was sharp and profound, exuding an invisible pressure. Just standing before him, one couldn't help but feel dwarfed, as though he was towering over them.
"Not bad. But you should restrain yourself a little," Tianhuo Venerable laughed. Such an overpowering presence was a little uncharacteristic for Lu Bu.
"You're right," Lu Bu nodded, closing his eyes slightly. Moments later, the suffocating pressure surrounding him gradually dissipated.
"What's your next move?" Tianhuo Venerable asked with a chuckle.
"Well…" Lu Bu's eyes gleamed. "Blazing Flame Valley!"
To refine the Poison Pill for Xiao Yi Xian, he needed three Heavenly Flames. He already had two one more was required.
The primary role of the Heavenly Flames in the Poison Pill technique was to suppress the terrifying poison aura generated by the Calamity Poison Body. Lu Bu was confident in his ability to manage this, but given that it was for Xiao Yi Xian, he couldn't afford to be careless. If he could obtain a third Heavenly Flame, it would be ideal.
"Blazing Flame Valley?" Tianhuo Venerable was briefly taken aback before his expression grew serious. "Lu Bu, the Heavenly Flame of Blazing Flame Valley is a legacy flame. Don't act recklessly. That faction isn't simple they may even have a Dou Saint level powerhouse!"
"Hehe… Don't worry, I know what I'm doing," Lu Bu chuckled. I'm an eighth tier alchemist borrowing a Heavenly Flame for a bit isn't unreasonable, right?
Besides, he already had a Heavenly Flame. Why would he needlessly antagonize a major faction over something he already possessed?
"You know what you're hmm?" Tianhuo Venerable suddenly paused. "Lu Bu, someone's here!"
"I sensed them too. A rather strong Dou Venerate," Lu Bu raised an eyebrow. He took a step forward and disappeared, while Tianhuo Venerable had already returned to Lu Bu's storage ring.
Whoosh!
Above the Scorpion Domain, three figures appeared almost simultaneously.
The newcomers were an old man and a young man. The moment they saw Lu Bu, they were momentarily stunned, then sneered.
"A one star Dou Ancestor?"
"So you're the one who claims your elder brother, Xiao Yan, has the potential of a Dou Emperor? And you even dared to use my Heaven Fiend Sect's Heaven Fiend Asura Hand?"
"Heaven Fiend Sect?" Lu Bu's gaze sharpened as he swept his eyes across the void. "You're from the Heaven Fiend Sect?"
Since when did the Heaven Fiend Sect have an eight star Dou Venerate? And not just one there was another skilled in spatial manipulation.
A total of three Dou Venerates.
The young man clearly didn't take him seriously, so why deploy such formidable forces?
Something felt off.
"Heh… That's right!" Nie Yang smirked. "I am Nie Yang from Earth Fiend Sect. Now, on behalf of the Heaven Fiend Sect, I order you to return our sect's martial arts. Hand over the Heaven Fiend Asura Hand!"
Beside him, the elder narrowed his eyes slightly, his palm subtly distorting space. This kid didn't seem like someone who would obediently comply.
Lu Bu's eyes flickered before he suddenly burst into laughter. "Hahaha… Nie Yang, my brother! We're on the same side!"
"I'm a disciple of the Heaven Fiend Sect too!"
As he spoke, Lu Bu flipped his palm, revealing a pale white token with the word "Fiend" inscribed in bold strokes.
"…What?" Nie Yang and the elder were dumbfounded. One of us?
In the void, Mo Yu was also momentarily stunned. A Heaven Fiend Sect disciple? Did I make a mistake?
Deep within the void, Blackarm also frowned in confusion. That can't be right… This pretty boy has the scent of my Void Ancient Dragon Clan. How could he be from the Heaven Fiend Sect?
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