Chapter 129: Four-Star Dou Wang
After about half an hour, several figures appeared above the Scorpion Mountain Range. Upon seeing the scorched remains of Myriad Scorpion Mountain in the distance, everyone present gasped, eyes filled with astonishment and disbelief. It was as if they couldn't believe Myriad Scorpion Sect had been completely wiped out. Judging by the scene, not a single survivor had made it out.
An elder dressed in a purple robe was the first to break the silence. Sweeping his gaze across the others, he spoke in a low voice, "Who could pull off something like this? Could it have been a Dou Zong?"
"No need to guess—it had to be a Dou Zong. A Dou Huang doesn't possess that kind of destructive power. And that Scorpion Old Freak wasn't weak either. Can any of you here say you could have beaten him?" A middle-aged man asked with suspicion in his tone, staring at the terrifying aura still lingering in the distance.
"What did that old freak do this time to provoke such a powerhouse? Hah~"
Someone spoke with a mocking tone, clearly having a poor relationship with Xie Bi Yan and quite pleased to see him taken down.
After all, in the Chu Yun Empire, resources were scarce and competition fierce. With Xie Bi Yan and the Myriad Scorpion Sect out of the picture, the share they once held would now fall into others' hands—enough to let them feast for quite some time.
A gray-robed elder standing at the rear finally spoke. His sharp eyes swept across the group as he said in a calm voice, "All of you, go back and investigate. A foreign Dou Zong appearing in the Chu Yun Empire isn't a good sign. If they're merely passing through, fine. But if not… I'm sure you all understand what that could mean."
At his words, everyone's expressions turned grave. They nodded one by one before turning into streams of light and leaving.
"Old Scorpion… We've known each other for so many years. I didn't expect you to fall like this."
The gray-robed elder looked down and spoke slowly. He was a royal guardian of the Chu Yun Empire and had reached the level of a nine-star Dou Huang, a powerhouse from the same generation as Xie Bi Yan.
After a moment of silence, his tone deepened. "Send the shadow guards to investigate. Also, have them look into the Jia Ma Empire. Find out exactly who did this…"
"Yes, sir!"
A shadowy figure emerged behind him and bowed in acknowledgment.
…
…
Night fell.
A bright moon hung high in the sky, casting a cold silver light over the land like a layer of frost.
At that moment, within a mountain cave—
Crackle crackle~
The firewood snapped with sharp sounds, sending sparks fluttering.
Cai Lin sat curled up with her tail wrapped around her, resting her chin in one hand as she idly poked at the fire with a stick. Her deep purple eyes reflected the flames, her expression somewhat dazed, which added a rare softness to her stunning features. But that softness vanished the moment her eyes turned to Yao Yan.
It seemed she didn't want to show even a hint of girlish emotion in front of him, always maintaining her prideful and aloof queenly demeanor.
Yao Yan, sitting cross-legged nearby, was cultivating. Blue flames swirled around his body, giving his already handsome face an otherworldly allure. Wisps of black markings covered his body, and even from a distance, Cai Lin could smell the foul stench they emitted. The aura was full of deadly poison—any ordinary Dou Wang who touched it would likely die instantly. Yet Yao Yan's body was completely saturated in it.
"This Devil Poison Spot is more troublesome than I expected."
Yao Lao slowly emerged from the Bone Flame Ring, his gaze a bit more serious as he looked at Yao Yan suppressing the poison.
Cai Lin's eyes flickered in alarm as she quickly asked, "Then he—?"
Yao Lao glanced at her and noticed the concern in her expression. His lips curled into a teasing smile. "But this brat is even more bizarre. The Devil Poison Spot still can't do anything to him. No need to worry."
It was as if Cai Lin had been seen through. A faint blush rose to her cheeks. She opened her mouth to argue but eventually held back. Arguing would only make things worse—like protesting too much.
Having played matchmaker, Yao Lao looked back at Yao Yan, stroked his beard, and said with hesitation, "I really don't know how this kid trained. His body is unbelievably strong. Even without heavenly flame, the Devil Poison Spot still can't kill him…"
He couldn't make sense of Yao Yan's physique. Though young, his body was monstrously tough—stronger than even some Dou Zongs.
The poison seemed confined to Yao Yan's skin, unable to penetrate deeper, let alone reach his bones or marrow.
"He's refining the Devil Poison Spot now?"
Cai Lin had regained her calm, though her tone still carried a touch of frost as she asked.
Yao Lao nodded. "Yes. He's trying to extract its energy. The Devil Poison Spot is formed from a poison master's lifetime of cultivation. Its energy is extremely pure. If he can withstand it, the benefits will be immense."
As if to prove Yao Lao's words, the Green Lotus Core Flame on Yao Yan's body suddenly flared up. The heat raised the cave's temperature in an instant. Under the intense heat, the black poison gas evaporated into nothing, and the energy within it surged into his body, causing his Dou Qi to skyrocket—breaking through from three-star to four-star Dou Wang.
When the breakthrough ended, Yao Yan slowly opened his eyes. The Green Lotus Core Flame receded from his body, and a smile appeared on his face. He was clearly satisfied with the "gift" from the Devil Poison Spot.
"You really managed to pull it off. If that guy knew he gave you a parting gift before dying, he probably wouldn't rest in peace."
Yao Lao clicked his tongue in admiration, laughing as he looked Yao Yan over.
Yao Yan grumbled with some greed, "The refining process is too slow. At this rate, it might take me years to fully absorb it."
Yao Lao patiently instructed, "That's enough. Any faster, and your body wouldn't handle it. Plus, with such a sudden jump in strength, you wouldn't be able to control it. That wouldn't help you reach higher levels later. Look further down the road, kid."
"Just saying~"
Yao Yan chuckled dismissively.
Yao Lao circled him, then asked curiously, "I've been meaning to ask—how did you train your physique? Even among the Stone Tribe, few at your age could compare... Are you a hybrid of the Stone and Yao tribes?"
Otherwise, he couldn't explain Yao Yan's monstrous, beast-like constitution.
Maybe...
Yao Yan thought about the bloodlines in his body and muttered to himself. He didn't even know what his physique counted as anymore. Maybe someday he could try fusing all races' bloodlines and see if he could evolve into a Chaos Body...
Returning from his thoughts, he shook his head at Yao Lao. "The Stone Tribe doesn't marry outsiders. Didn't you know?"
Among the ancient clans, the Stone Tribe was the most rigid—barely interacting with outsiders.
Yao Lao chuckled. "Just curious about your body."
Yao Yan explained softly, "I practiced a physical cultivation Dou Technique. My teacher prepared it for me. Once mastered, it allows me to fight Dou Zuns with just my body... It's also the reason I survived a spatial storm."
As he spoke, he glanced at Cai Lin—she already knew this.
"…"
Cai Lin was silent. She felt a bit lost, unsure how to join a conversation like this. They made Dou Zuns sound like common folk.
Yao Lao sighed. "A body-focused Dou Technique… That's more like a true body-refining method. Must be rare. Your teacher must've put a lot of effort into you."
"Mm~"
Yao Yan nodded. He didn't know how to judge Hun Xuzi. If the man said he'd be responsible, he'd vanish for years. But if called irresponsible, he'd already paved Yao Yan's entire future path. Hard to define.
But one thing was certain—Hun Xuzi was trash!
Seeing Yao Yan's nostalgic look, Yao Lao was reminded of himself. His expression darkened slightly, and he returned to the Bone Flame Ring.
With Yao Lao gone, only Yao Yan and Cai Lin remained in the cave.
The campfire bathed them in soft light and warmth, and time seemed to freeze.
No one knew how long passed.
Yao Yan finally came to, turning to Cai Lin. Her face looked gentler in the firelight. He watched her for a moment before saying softly, "You should rest. I'll take the second half of the night."
When traveling, safety came first. Someone always had to keep watch.
Cai Lin didn't refuse. She didn't know what to say to Yao Yan and simply leaned against the wall and closed her eyes to rest. As for sleep—how could she, with her heart in such turmoil?
Yao Yan idly watched her. A beautiful woman was always pleasant to look at. Even the scales on her tail shimmered with rainbow light under the fire, making him think of her future form—Nine-Colored Heaven Swallowing Python, royal among pythons!
He wondered if the Great World held any Heaven Swallowing Pythons. The original novel never said.
His thoughts drifted far once more.
Some things he could only ponder in silence—there was no one he could speak to about them.
(END CHAPTER)
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