Chapter 293: Why Doesn't Gu Yuan Dare to Go Head to Head with Hun Tiandi?
Within the serene and verdant grasslands of the Tianxing Mountain Range stood a small, quaint pavilion.
Mu Qingluan stood behind the Wind Venerable, her eyes flickering cautiously as she studied Xiao Yi Xian, who stood nearby.
Mu Qingluan remembered this woman. Just recently, in the Tianmu Mountain Range, this white clad woman and three others had forcefully suppressed the entire Gold Swallowing Rat Tribe. Faced with the overwhelming presence of these three women and one girl, the entire Gold Swallowing Rat Tribe had not dared to utter a single disrespectful word. Instead, they had been overly cautious, afraid of overstepping in the slightest.
While the tribe's fear was mainly directed at the rainbow clad woman, who was a Dou Zun ranked magical beast, anyone who could stand alongside such a figure clearly wasn't ordinary.
Perhaps sensing Mu Qingluan's gaze, Xiao Yi Xian nodded slightly in acknowledgment before refocusing her attention on Lu Bu. She seemed entirely uninterested in Mu Qingluan, who held the nominal title of the Starfall Pavilion's Young Mistress.
"Senior Feng, I've agreed to help Xiao Yan rescue Yao Chen, but please refrain from revealing my identity," Lu Bu said with a smile.
"Naturally," the Wind Venerable replied solemnly. Xiao Yan had previously explained the relationship between Lu Bu and his teacher.
The Wind Venerable understood Lu Bu's request. The Soul Hall was a colossal and fearsome entity. Even seasoned Dou Zun experts hesitated to provoke it, let alone Lu Bu.
As this thought crossed his mind, the Wind Venerable glanced at Xiao Yi Xian and nodded slightly. He had witnessed her and the rainbow clad woman suppress the entire Gold Swallowing Rat Tribe back in the Tianmu Mountains. Back then, this woman hadn't been at the Dou Zun level. Yet, in just a few short months, she had ascended to that realm.
He couldn't help but compare it to his own grueling path to Dou Zun, which had involved consuming the Yin Yang Mystic Dragon Pill, surviving nine near death experiences, and spending years breaking through. And here she was, casually reaching that level in a matter of months. Truly, comparisons were maddening.
Still, this was good news. With Xiao Yi Xian, Lu Bu, and the rainbow clad woman joining the rescue effort, the team now had three Dou Zun experts. Their chances of success had significantly increased.
"In that case, I'll take my leave now," Lu Bu said with a smile, clasping his hands in farewell. He still needed to visit the Yishe Mountain Range and couldn't delay any longer.
But before he could finish his sentence, the sound of rushing wind and faint thunder rumbled in the distance. Outside the Star Realm, over twenty Four Winged Unicorns approached, their silhouettes gradually coming into view.
"Huh? Yang Hao and Ling Quan?" Lu Bu murmured, surprised. It seemed the Gu Clan had sent them to retrieve Xiao Xun'er.
"Should we go take a look?" Xiao Yi Xian's bright eyes sparkled with curiosity. She had always been intrigued by the renowned ancient clans.
"Why not?" Lu Bu chuckled, holding her hand as they flew toward the commotion.
…
The Star Realm served as the Starfall Pavilion's headquarters, and its entrance was usually open under normal circumstances though not during wartime.
The Black Submerged Army, however, barged in unannounced, causing the Starfall Pavilion's guards to react in anger and alarm. But before they could intercept the intruders, the Wind Venerable's stern command stopped them in their tracks.
Faced with the Black Submerged Army, even the Star Realm guards knew better than to act recklessly. The outcome wouldn't have been any different even if it were the Flower Sect's Flower Realm; the Black Submerged Army would still have stormed in without hesitation.
In a mountain valley far below, Xiao Yan and Xiao Xun'er, who had been enjoying each other's company, both looked up, visibly annoyed. Above them, the sky was dotted with over twenty black clad figures riding Four Winged Unicorns.
"It's them…" Xiao Yan's eyes narrowed as a cold glint flashed within. Yang Hao and Ling Quan those two had been unbearably arrogant back at the Jia Nan Academy.
This time… hmph! Let them witness how much stronger the "worthless" Xiao Yan had become!
High above, Yang Hao and Ling Quan exchanged glances, a flicker of relief passing through their eyes. The furious and hostile look Xiao Yan gave them didn't seem like something the Grand Commander of the Black Submerged Army would do.
"What are you doing here?" Xiao Xun'er asked, frowning in displeasure.
At her words, the two shifted their attention from Xiao Yan to Xiao Xun'er or more specifically, to her hand, which was clasped with Xiao Yan's.
"So, he's not the Grand Commander!" Ling Quan's eyes turned cold, and his tone grew grim.
"In that case, no need to worry," Yang Hao said with a sinister smile, feeling emboldened. I might not be able to take on Lu Bu, but Xiao Yan? Heh… he's fair game.
"Miss, the elders were worried about your safety and ordered us to escort you back to the Gu Clan," Ling Quan said, his lips curling upward as he struggled to suppress his glee.
"Yes, Miss. Moreover, the elders have also instructed us to bring your… friend from the Xiao Clan along. It's been ages since they've seen someone from the Xiao Clan, and they dearly miss the company," Yang Hao added, grinning.
The Xiao Clan was irrelevant. Beating up Xiao Yan, however, was what truly mattered!
"Hmph… Do you think I'm still the same as before?" Xiao Yan sneered coldly.
"Let's see just how much you've improved!" Ling Quan replied with an icy smirk. Back at the Jia Nan Academy, if not for Su Qian, forget Xiao Yan even Lu Bu… cough cough, well, let's not think about Lu Bu. It was good they hadn't crossed paths back then.
If possible, Ling Quan would prefer never to meet him. Ever.
The tension between Xiao Yan, Yang Hao, and Ling Quan grew thicker by the second. The surrounding Black Submerged Army soldiers exchanged confused glances, unable to make sense of why their two commanders harbored such animosity toward Xiao Yan.
Not far away, space rippled slightly, and Lu Bu and Xiao Yi Xian appeared side by side.
"So those are the Black Submerged Army commanders?" Xiao Yi Xian asked, her eyes glinting with interest as she studied the two figures. One was a four star Dou Zong, and the other was at the eight star Dou Zong level.
"Not bad, I guess. I've beaten them before; they're okay," Lu Bu said with a casual smile. That said, he noted Ling Quan's faster than expected progress likely the result of undergoing the Gu Clan's Imperial Altar baptism after leaving the Black Submerged Army.
While the three began fighting below, Xiao Yan's crimson, deep blue, and icy white flames ignited, merging into the Heavenly Flame Three Mysterious Change the perfected version from the Burning Flame Valley. His aura surged, instantly reaching the eight star Dou Zong level.
Ling Quan and Yang Hao, initially stunned, quickly roared in response, gathering their Dou Qi to engage in battle.
"Ling Quan's Dou Qi feels a bit unstable," Xiao Yi Xian remarked, her bright eyes gleaming playfully. "The Black Submerged Army doesn't seem as formidable as the rumors suggest."
"True, he's lacking," Lu Bu replied with a nod, explaining the Black Submerged Army's hierarchy and command structure.
By now, Xiao Yan had launched his counterattack. With the heavy Xuan Heavy Ruler in hand, he parried Ling Quan and Yang Hao's joint assault with ease.
"Six Harmonious Wandering Ruler?" Lu Bu raised an eyebrow in surprise as he listened to Xiao Yan shout the technique's name. How did this change happen? That Earth level Dou Technique ended up in Xiao Yan's hands after all? A correction in the timeline, perhaps?
"This feels off. How are the two of them still falling behind even when teaming up?" Xiao Yi Xian furrowed her delicate brows, her expression laced with confusion as she observed the ongoing battle. It didn't make sense.
"Maybe... Ling Quan is just too weak?" Lu Bu replied, a bit speechless. Before he could finish his sentence, Ling Quan was sent flying by Xiao Yan's heavy ruler. The long spear in his hand was bent from the blow, nearly snapping in half.
Yang Hao ignored Ling Quan's retreat and charged at Xiao Yan alone. Yet, curiously, the battle suddenly turned evenly matched. Xiao Yan and Yang Hao fought on par, neither able to gain the upper hand for the time being.
"So it really is Ling Quan who's too weak…" Xiao Yi Xian sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. It was the first time she had seen such a bizarre shift in a battle.
Lu Bu shrugged. "Makes sense, though. Ling Quan was dragging down their average performance. Now that he's out of the way, Yang Hao can go all out."
Of course, Xiao Yan's strength couldn't be underestimated either. Though he was just a two star Dou Zong, the amplification from his three Heavenly Flames boosted him to an eight star Dou Zong level. Truly terrifying. Not everyone could pull off such a feat.
When Lu Bu had been a two star Dou Zong... oh, right, he had already soloed an eight star Dou Zong ranked Heavenly Poison Scorpion Dragon Beast back then. And for good measure, he had clashed head on with Nine Sky Venerable, an eight star Dou Zun.
"Hm? Xiao Yan's energy feels strange," Xiao Yi Xian suddenly remarked, her gaze sharpening as she observed the two combatants.
From her perception, Xiao Yan's aura was rapidly depleting, as though all the Dou Qi in his body were being drained at once.
At the same time, a fiery red ruler light slashed forward. Where it passed, space itself tore apart, leaving behind a dark, deep spatial fissure.
The scorching aura it emitted was like a volcanic eruption powerful, violent, and deadly.
Earth tier Low Level Dou Technique: Flame Splitting Tsunami Ruler!
Xiao Yan had refined this technique to the point where its power rivaled that of a standard Earth tier High Level Dou Technique. However, this didn't explain why his Dou Qi had nearly been exhausted.
"The real killing move must be hidden within that ruler light," Xiao Yi Xian speculated, her gray purple eyes shimmering as she observed carefully.
"Exactly. His control over flames is impressive," Lu Bu nodded. It was likely another fusion of Heavenly Flames.
Merging Heavenly Flames in such a short period and embedding them into an Earth tier Dou Technique was easier said than done. Without formidable soul strength, it was impossible. Xiao Yan was strong just not quite on Lu Bu's level.
Sure enough, Yang Hao roared as three palm imprints quickly coalesced and fused into a crystalline seal. The seal exploded with a deafening boom, unleashing a ferocious energy storm that tore through the ruler light, obliterating it.
As a victorious smile began to spread across Yang Hao's face, believing the fight to be won, a finely crafted tri colored jade wolf head suddenly shot out from the residual energy of the explosion. The destructive aura it carried swept across the battlefield like a tidal wave.
The smile froze on Yang Hao's face in an instant. He could feel the overwhelming deathly aura emanating from the jade wolf head. Every nerve in his body screamed that he couldn't withstand this attack.
Boom!
The ferocious fiery storm erupted like a giant hammer, slamming directly into Yang Hao's chest.
"Ugh!"
Yang Hao trembled, a mouthful of blood spewing from his lips.
The terrifying heatwave followed closely, engulfing him in an instant. His flushed face turned deathly pale. He truly couldn't block this strike.
Just then, a massive spatial ripple spread out like a tidal wave, sweeping across the battlefield. The devastating fiery storm suddenly froze in place, as if encased in a massive silver crystal of light.
Not far away, Lu Bu raised his hand, his palm glowing with a mix of dazzling purple gold and silver light. A potent spatial fluctuation radiated outward.
Xiao Yan let out a long breath. Luckily, no one had died. That would've been difficult to deal with.
Yang Hao, too, breathed a sigh of relief, though his whole body slumped in defeat. His aura visibly weakened.
He had lost. As a supposed genius of the Gu Clan, blessed with Dou Emperor bloodline and countless resources pills, techniques, Dou Qi he had been defeated by a member of the now diminished Xiao Clan. How could he possibly accept this?
On the ground, Ling Quan, who had just managed to rejoin the battlefield, was equally crestfallen.
"Shatter!"
Lu Bu's cold voice rang out. His fingers curled slightly, and the frozen fiery storm shattered with a series of cracks. The massive storm dissolved into fragments of spatial debris that were promptly sucked into the resulting black hole.
"A Dou Zun…" Yang Hao's pale face turned even whiter. It had only been a few months, yet their Grand Commander had already become a Dou Zun!
"Such mastery over spatial power!" Xiao Xun'er's bright eyes sparkled. She knew Lu Bu wasn't from the Void Ancient Dragon Clan, yet his control over space at his current level was nothing short of extraordinary.
Nearby, Ling Quan, already feeling dejected, nearly broke down entirely. The first time he had met Lu Bu, the man's cultivation had been a level or two below his own. After receiving the Gu Clan's Imperial Altar baptism, Ling Quan had thought he could widen the gap.
Well, he had widened it. It was just that now he was the one trailing far behind.
"Hmph! You two are young, yet at the first sign of defeat, you crumble. How will you amount to anything like this?" Lu Bu's voice, imbued with soul power, echoed like a wake up call, reverberating through Yang Hao and Ling Quan's very souls.
"You call yourselves prodigies, but your hearts are narrow, unable to bear even one or two defeats. Remember this: to be truly great, one must be magnanimous!"
"Yes! Thank you, Grand Commander!" Yang Hao and Ling Quan snapped to attention, shouting in unison.
"And how many times have you been defeated?" Xiao Yan asked, flying closer with a smirk.
"Uh… I think never?" Lu Bu scratched his head sheepishly. The only time he could count was losing to Hun Yu, but even then, it was more of a strategic retreat Hun Yu had been taken down moments later by Lu Bu's puppet.
Hearing this, Yang Hao and Ling Quan's morale, which had just been restored, plummeted once again. Still, they weren't as despondent as before.
"Alright, you two carry on. I'm leaving." Lu Bu waved lazily and began to walk away.
"Wait, Grand Commander!" Yang Hao called out, tossing a black jade token toward him. "This is an invitation to our clan's coming of age ceremony. We hope you'll attend."
As the Black Submerged Army's Grand Commander, Lu Bu's presence at the event was expected.
"Got it," Lu Bu replied, glancing at the token. There was plenty of time before the ceremony no rush.
"Also… there's something else," Ling Quan hesitated before continuing, "Hun Yu has been released. You should be cautious, Grand Commander."
"What!?" Lu Bu's pupils contracted, and his expression darkened. "Who let him go? Is your Gu Clan completely useless? You couldn't even guard one person!?"
Yang Hao and Ling Quan exchanged awkward smiles, remaining silent.
"My father released him. What's the problem?" Xiao Xun'er interjected with a huff from a distance. "Hun Jing, one of the Soul Clan's Four Demon Saints, brought Hun Tiandi's soul jade slip to negotiate personally with my father…"
"So you just let Hun Yu go?!" Lu Bu gritted his teeth in frustration. "Why doesn't Gu Yuan just fight Hun Tiandi? What's he afraid of?!"
"Tch, you're dreaming," Xiao Xun'er muttered, rolling her eyes.
"Oh, wait," Lu Bu scratched his head, as if suddenly realizing something. "Didn't Xiao Yan provoke Hun Yu? What's this got to do with me?"
Xiao Yan: "Huh?"
What was going on? Who was this Hun Yu, and why was he suddenly involved?
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