Chapter 141: News from Yun Yun and Xiao Yi Xian, Black Emperor Sect's Actions
Lu Bu looked at the puffed up Zi Yan and couldn't help but laugh. He reached out and pinched her soft, rosy cheeks. "I'm back now, aren't I? What do you need me for?"
Zi Yan wrinkled her little nose, her tiny eyebrows furrowing in confusion. She instinctively took a step back, and a slight blush appeared on her tender face. Why does Lu Bu smell so good?
Uh… it wasn't food! It was just… a purely pleasant scent!
"Lu Bu, Sister Zi Yan has been waiting for you all day," Hu Jia said as she and Nalan Yanran approached. "She says there's a letter for you from her teacher… That woman is getting more and more over the top!"
Nalan Yanran gritted her teeth as she handed the letter over. She was clearly annoyed. Yun Yun had sent a letter to Lu Bu and only to him completely ignoring her own disciple!
She found a man and forgot all about her student!
Hu Jia glanced curiously at Nalan Yanran. What's going on? Is she jealous of her teacher's affection for Lu Bu? But the two of them didn't seem to be in competition, so what was the problem?
Ignoring Hu Jia, Nalan Yanran handed the letter to Lu Bu.
Lu Bu accepted it with a curious expression, taking a moment to glance at Nalan Yanran. This girl was doing quite well she had already reached the level of a seven star Dou Shi. Her progress was almost on par with Xiao Yan's before he got his cheats.
"Hmm? Yanran, you're at seven star Dou Shi already?" Just then, Xiao Yan arrived with Xiao Xun'er, his tone tinged with surprise as he addressed Nalan Yanran.
"Yes, Xiao Yan, Xun'er, I'm at seven star Dou Shi now!" Nalan Yanran said, her face lighting up with a radiant smile. She was clearly pleased with herself. Without hesitation, she walked up to Xiao Yan and, mimicking Xiao Xun'er, wrapped herself around his other arm.
The gloom on her face from moments earlier vanished completely, as though it had never existed.
Hu Jia: "..."
Her mood changed so fast…
Watching the trio walk off together, Hu Jia sighed in frustration. Xiao Yan seemed so ordinary why were these two women acting blind?
After all, Lu Bu was so outstanding. He was handsome, well spoken, and incredibly likeable.
As this thought crossed her mind, Hu Jia turned her gaze toward Lu Bu, her eyes growing contemplative.
How can he just sit there, watching others pair off, and not feel anything? Why doesn't he have any thoughts about me?
"What are you staring at?" Zi Yan suddenly stepped between Hu Jia and Lu Bu, baring her teeth like a protective tigress. Her fierce glare and defensive posture were both threatening and absurdly adorable.
Hu Jia felt a vein throb in her forehead. Something feels… weird about this situation.
"Ahem… Zi Yan, don't scare Hu Jia," Lu Bu said, clearing his throat and giving Zi Yan's head a gentle pat. "So, what do you need me for?"
"Hmph! I've run out of pills! You said you'd make me more when I finished them!" Zi Yan said in her crisp voice.
"Alright, I'll make some for you later," Lu Bu said with a smile before heading into his room to read Yun Yun's letter.
Zi Yan didn't leave; instead, she followed him into the room and began curiously examining its layout.
This was her first time entering Lu Bu's cave… no, his room.
Ignoring Zi Yan as she roamed around, climbing and crawling over furniture, Lu Bu opened the letter and began reading. Inside, Yun Yun expressed her longing for him and shared updates about her current situation.
Several months had passed since Lu Bu left the Jia Ma Empire. During this time, Yun Yun had recently broken through to become a six star Dou Huang.
This was remarkable progress for her. In the past, she could only advance one star in the Dou Huang realm every year.
Her rapid improvement was due to the abundant resources and rare treasures she had been receiving lately.
Under Yun Shan's leadership, the Jia Ma Empire had launched an aggressive expansion campaign. They formed an alliance with the Snake People Tribe and, along with some of their strongest forces, began an all out attack on the Mu Lan Empire.
Previously weaker than the Mu Lan Empire, the Jia Ma Empire now swept through their enemies like a storm, forcing the Mu Lan Empire into a humiliating retreat. In desperation, the Mu Lan Empire sought help from the Luo Yan Empire and the Chu Yun Empire.
Seeing the Mu Lan Empire falter, the Chu Yun Empire, the Luo Yan Empire, and the Snake People Tribe joined forces to carve up the Mu Lan Empire.
The original balance between the four factions collapsed. The Mu Lan Empire was annihilated, its territory divided among its neighbors.
In this war of conquest, the Jia Ma Empire led the charge and reaped the greatest rewards. However, the Luo Yan Empire wasn't happy with this outcome and began preparing for war against the Jia Ma Empire.
But the Snake People Tribe remained vigilant. To protect their newly gained territory, they allied closely with the Jia Ma Empire to resist the Luo Yan Empire.
The Luo Yan Empire tried to pull the Chu Yun Empire into the conflict, but the Chu Yun Empire refused.
A minor sect within the Chu Yun Empire called the Poison Sect had recently been causing trouble. The empire needed to focus on dealing with this issue and had no interest in external wars.
This decision left the Luo Yan Empire isolated and vulnerable. The Jia Ma Empire and the Snake People Tribe began eyeing them with hostility, eager for another fight.
Yun Shan, however, didn't act rashly. He decided to temporarily cease hostilities, allowing the empire to recover and consolidate its gains from the previous war. He also strengthened ties with the Snake People Tribe through trade and alliances.
Queen Medusa's presence had elevated the Snake People Tribe into a formidable force capable of rivaling any empire.
After reading the letter, Lu Bu's expression turned serious.
The Poison Sect… Xiao Yi Xian.
The Poison Sect had been established. This meant that Xiao Yi Xian's Woeful Poison Body had already erupted once. What was her current state?
Unintentionally, she had even helped Yun Shan by diverting the Chu Yun Empire's attention.
Once Lu Bu secured the Bodhi Transformation Saliva and the Fallen Heart Flame, it would be time to find her.
As he thought this, Lu Bu's brows furrowed. During his recent fight, the explosive speed of the elder surnamed Li had caught him off guard. It was clear he needed to acquire new skills.
For instance, Three Thousand Lightning Movement and Emperor Seal Technique.
His Azure Dragon Transformation Art was only at the second layer Azure Dragon Scales. That wouldn't be enough against a four star Dou Zong. But if he mastered the Emperor Seal Technique, it should be sufficient.
As for the Emperor Seal's restriction against those below Dou Wang, it didn't apply to Lu Bu. His physical body was far stronger than average. Even most Dou Huang wouldn't fare well against him.
Just then, Lu Bu sensed someone staring at him. He looked up to see Zi Yan glaring at him with her large, jewel like eyes.
"I'm so bored!" Zi Yan shouted angrily.
"Heh… How about we head into the mountains?" Lu Bu said, stroking her soft, purple hair. Its silky texture was so satisfying that he didn't want to stop. "You can keep me company while I refine pills. How does that sound?"
"I'd love to!" Zi Yan's eyes sparkled with excitement as she eagerly nodded her head.
"Then wait for me a moment, I need to get ready before we leave."
"Huh? Wait again?" Zi Yan grumbled with frustration, then pouted. "Fine, I'll wait, but when we go, you have to carry me while flying. I don't want to fly on my own it's too tiring!"
"Alright!" Lu Bu's eyes sparkled with amusement. This little girl was simply too adorable!
...
In the Black Corner Region, in a dense forest west of Jia Nan City, a low mountain range stretched into the distance.
This was the same place where Lu Bu, Xiao Yan, and Xiao Xun'er had fought Mo Xie a few days earlier.
Rustle, rustle!
The sound of the wind stirred the trees, and three figures emerged with faint whooshing noises, arriving at the desolate battlefield littered with corpses.
Leading the group was a stern faced middle aged man clad in a golden serpent patterned robe. His expression was cold and unyielding, like an icy blade.
As his sharp gaze scanned the carnage before him, flies buzzed around the dismembered bodies scattered across the ground. Mo Tianxing's face grew even frostier, and his powerful Dou Qi began to flow, exuding a bone chilling aura that made the two followers behind him shiver. They didn't even dare to breathe too loudly.
"Find him! Bring me my son, dead or alive!"
Mo Tianxing's voice was icy and cutting, each word like a blade slicing through the air.
The two followers immediately felt their scalps tingle. Fearful and unable to respond, they quickly dispersed into the forest, spreading their spiritual senses in a desperate search for Mo Xie.
The message was clear: they were to locate Mo Xie's body at all costs.
Mo Tianxing walked forward slowly until he reached the swollen corpse of Qi Jing, one of his spies planted in the Jia Nan Inner Academy. Now, she was completely gone.
Because he had been preoccupied with the secret realm's affairs, Mo Tianxing had entrusted all operations to Mo Xie without interference. But he never imagined that his son, along with three Dou Huangs and one eight star Dou Wang, would suffer such a devastating defeat.
"Master!"
Just as Mo Tianxing stood in cold silence, a sharp cry pierced the air from within the forest. His body trembled slightly, and a flicker of panic crossed his icy eyes.
The next moment, he dashed toward the location of the voice.
There, he froze.
Lying on the ground was a mutilated corpse. Faint, multicolored light shimmered over it, the poisonous glow corroding what remained of the body. Mo Xie's corpse was barely intact only his head and one arm remained distinguishable.
Mo Tianxing's steps faltered, his knees nearly giving way. His once sharp, eagle like eyes dimmed into lifeless gray, his entire being suddenly aging several years in an instant.
This was his carefully nurtured heir, his son, the future of the Black Emperor Sect.
But now... even in death, there wasn't much left of him.
"That name... what was it again... Lu Bu, wasn't it?" Mo Tianxing's fists clenched tightly, his gray eyes reigniting with a piercing, deadly gleam.
Unlike Mo Xie, Mo Tianxing had risen from nothing, building the Black Emperor Sect with his bare hands. His will was unyielding, his resolve as sharp as a blade.
He knew what he needed to do.
Revenge.
Lu Bu's head would pay the price for his son's death.
Taking a deep breath, Mo Tianxing steadied himself. Once he opened the secret realm and obtained its treasures, he would formally declare war on the Jia Nan Academy.
He would make them bleed for this.
Suppressing his raging anger, Mo Tianxing knelt by Mo Xie's remains. He dipped a finger into the seven colored poison lingering on the corpse. His eyes narrowed as he examined it.
"What a vicious poison... How terrifying..."
His expression darkened. Even a Dou Huang wouldn't easily survive contact with such a toxin.
"Master, what do we do now?" one of his followers asked cautiously, seeing his master return to composure.
"Return to the Northern Territory and continue searching for the secret realm's entrance," Mo Tianxing commanded coldly. "But this matter won't end here."
"The spy's reports suggest that the Inner Academy's Heavenly Flame Tower might house a Heavenly Flame. They called it the Fallen Heart Flame, right?"
"Spread the word to Han Feng. He'll find this information... interesting. We don't have the resources to deal with the Jia Nan Academy right now, but someone else does."
A flicker of understanding and excitement crossed the follower's eyes. That's our sect master throwing a bone to the dogs and watching them fight over it. Let them tear each other apart, keeping them too distracted to bother us.
"Understood, Master!"
...
Back in the Inner Academy, a streak of light flashed across the sky. Students who felt its presence instinctively looked up, spotting a streak of purple and black cutting through the air.
They instantly knew who it was.
It was no secret that the Holy Gate's leader, Lu Bu, possessed a flying Dou Technique. Even the academy instructors in charge of the medicinal storerooms had mentioned it, as had prominent figures like the wild Lin Yan or the sweet tempered Senior Sister Liu Fei.
In the sky, Zi Yan clung tightly to Lu Bu's neck, her small nose sniffing his scent as if in a trance.
So fragrant… so good… Why didn't I notice how nice Lu Bu smells before?
Her arms wrapped snugly around his neck as her cheeks flushed pink. She couldn't understand why Lu Bu's scent was so alluring to her now.
Completely oblivious to Zi Yan's odd behavior, Lu Bu flew swiftly toward the dense green forest in the northeast region of the Inner Academy.
Earlier, he had set some things in motion. If everything went as planned, in two hours, Zhong Zhengcai, the so called "genius," would suffer a Qi deviation while cultivating and fall into a coma. He would likely never wake up.
Lu Bu was confident in his preparations. Unless an eight tier alchemy master intervened, Zhong Zhengcai's fate was sealed.
And such alchemy masters were incredibly rare perhaps only a handful existed across the entire northwestern continent.
Once Zhong Zhengcai became a useless husk, the Black Emperor Sect wouldn't bother keeping him around for long.
Of course, Lu Bu's schemes didn't stop there. He had also traded with Xiao Yan and Yao Lao for a pill recipe called the Soul Revival Pill in exchange for an unused low tier Xuan level flying Dou Technique: Thunder Bat Sky Wings.
To Lu Bu's surprise, Xiao Yan and Yao Lao had accepted the trade without hesitation, as if afraid Lu Bu might change his mind.
Xiao Yan, in particular, had been ecstatic, his expression practically glowing when he saw the Dou Technique.
Though Lu Bu didn't feel like he'd lost in the trade, something felt off. Could those two be plotting something?
"I'll need to be more cautious," Lu Bu murmured to himself. Yao Lao was as crafty as they came. Considering how badly Lu Bu had played him in the past, the old man would undoubtedly be biding his time for revenge.
If not for the looming threat of the Hall of Souls, Yao Lao might have already made his move.
"What are you mumbling about, Lu Bu?" Zi Yan asked, tilting her head up curiously.
"Oh, nothing. I'm just saying we've arrived," Lu Bu replied with a laugh, pointing to a waterfall below. Without further explanation, he descended swiftly with Zi Yan in his arms.
"This place…?" Zi Yan blinked, her bright black eyes shimmering with a faint purple hue. "It's so plain. I don't see any special herbs here."
As they landed, Lu Bu set her down gently.
"I'm here to practice some Dou Techniques," Lu Bu said.
"Oh, I see..." Zi Yan pouted slightly, finding it boring, but didn't object.
"I'll start by refining some pills for you," Lu Bu said with a smile, ruffling Zi Yan's silky purple hair.
With a flick of his wrist, he summoned the Blazing Fire Cauldron and lit it with the Green Lotus Core Flame.
Reaching into his storage ring, Lu Bu pulled out two jade boxes. Among the spoils taken from Mo Xie were some exceptional medicinal ingredients perfect for Zi Yan's needs.
However, just as he was about to begin, he felt a strange pulse coming from his storage ring.
A seven colored glow began to radiate, and a familiar aura filled the air.
Lu Bu's brow furrowed, a hint of surprise flashing across his face.
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