Chapter 205: You Think It's Expensive? So Do I!
Watching Lu Bu rub his hands together, clearly ready to strike a profitable deal, Xiao Yan's eye twitched. He felt the urge to curse, but considering he needed something from Lu Bu, he bit his tongue and held back.
"Well? Speak up!" Lu Bu urged impatiently. "Xiao Yan, what grade of puppet do you want?"
"Earth grade…" Xiao Yan muttered through clenched teeth, his expression sour. He didn't even consider the Man grade puppets they were beneath his notice. But paying Lu Bu an exorbitant price for a puppet with Dou Huang level or lower strength would feel like getting robbed blind.
As for a Heaven grade puppet, he didn't have the necessary materials. That left him with only one choice: the Earth grade puppet.
Even then, Xiao Yan wasn't fully prepared. He had a Dou Zong's soul one of the three peak Dou Zong souls they'd captured during the recent battle with the Hall of Souls. He had already given two of those souls to Lin Hao for intelligence gathering, but keeping one for the puppet wasn't an issue.
He also had a seventh tier magic core, which he'd found in the treasure trove of Han Feng at Yaohuang City. While most valuable items had been stored in Han Feng's spatial ring, the resources left behind in Yaohuang City were still impressive, so it wasn't surprising to find a seventh tier magic core among them.
But a Dou Zong corpse? That, Xiao Yan didn't have.
Even if he had one, he wouldn't want to use it for crafting a puppet. A Dou Zong corpse was a critical material for restoring his teacher's physical body. To Xiao Yan, reviving Yao Chen took priority over everything else, which made the need for a Dou Zong corpse a serious dilemma.
"Let's make the Earth Demon Puppet first," Yao Chen decided firmly in Xiao Yan's mind. "With an Earth Demon Puppet, we'll have Dou Zong level strength at our disposal. Obtaining another Dou Zong corpse later won't be too difficult."
"…Yes, Teacher," Xiao Yan replied after a moment of silence. Then, a thought occurred to him. "But how are we going to get a Dou Zong corpse for crafting the Earth Demon Puppet?"
"Have you forgotten? Before coming here, we refined four Breaking Zong Pills," Yao Chen said calmly. "The elders of Jia Nan Academy Lei Yi, Deputy Dean Hu Qian, Enforcement Chief Wu Tianlang, and Fire Elder have all likely taken the pills and gone into seclusion to attempt their breakthroughs."
"We've spent seven days watching Lu Bu craft this puppet. By now, the results should be clear. If any of them succeeded, asking them to help us hunt a Dou Zong in the Black Corner Region shouldn't be too much to ask."
Xiao Yan's eyes lit up as realization dawned on him. This was the power of being an alchemist connections everywhere. Whether or not the four elders succeeded, they owed Yao Chen a debt of gratitude. Surely, they wouldn't refuse to lend their aid.
With his concerns resolved, Xiao Yan turned his attention back to Lu Bu, who was grinning from ear to ear.
"Finished discussing?" Lu Bu asked with a smirk. The soul fluctuations between Xiao Yan and Yao Chen were so obvious, and they were standing so close how could he not notice their conversation? Of course, he couldn't eavesdrop on the content of their discussion. He wasn't a mind reader… yet.
"What do you want in return?" Xiao Yan asked directly. His teacher's Bone Spirit Ring was filled with treasures, so much so that even Yao Chen himself didn't know the full extent of its contents. Xiao Yan was wary of offering too much and being taken advantage of.
"The Soul Elevation Technique," Lu Bu said with a sly smile. He'd asked for it last time, and he wasn't about to give up now.
"Absolutely not!" Xiao Yan snapped, his eyes narrowing as he rejected the demand outright. Even as Yao Chen's direct disciple, Xiao Yan hadn't been taught this technique. Why should Lu Bu get to learn it?
No way. Absolutely not. If he gave it up, what kind of disciple would that make him?
"Then the deal is off," Lu Bu said with an exaggerated shrug, feigning regret. "That's the only thing on you that interests me. As for anything else… hehe, you couldn't pay me to take it!"
Xiao Yan's face turned several shades of red and green as he tried to keep his anger in check. In his mind, Yao Chen agreed there was no way they could give up the Soul Elevation Technique. Other terms would have to be negotiated.
"If we can't make a deal, then please leave," Lu Bu said bluntly, waving them off.
He had other plans anyway. He was preparing to refine a Youth Restoring Pill, which he'd promised to Elder Su Qian long ago. Originally, Lu Bu had intended to make it immediately after refining the Heavenly Fortune Pill, but his breakthrough had come unexpectedly, and after that, he'd been too busy dealing with battles and spending time with his queen.
Now seemed like the perfect opportunity to fulfill his promise. Su Qian had long since prepared the necessary materials, so it was time to get to work.
"Fine! A pill formula!" Xiao Yan gritted his teeth, feeling the sting of what he was about to offer.
"Oh?" Lu Bu's smile widened in amusement. "Twenty seven tier pill formulas and ten eight tier pill formulas. If you can provide them, I'll help you."
"That's outrageous!" Xiao Yan's eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets. "Are you insane? Is your puppet made of gold? Does it bleed gold?"
"Hmph!" Lu Bu snorted, his expression darkening. "You'd better get this straight, kid. What you're getting is a puppet capable of rivaling a Half Saint a puppet that only needs the byproducts of your pill refinement as nourishment. And these byproducts could easily kill you!"
"This puppet is a life saving powerhouse. The only reason I'm even considering this deal is because of our history. Otherwise… forget gold I wouldn't even let you have its dandruff!"
Xiao Yan: "…" What kind of analogy is that?
"Well? Yes or no?" Lu Bu demanded impatiently. "Take a good look where else are you going to find a puppet this good? You think it's expensive? So do I!"
Xiao Yan's mouth twitched. He'd heard Lu Bu say this line countless times, and it never ended well for him.
"One price. Non negotiable. Take it or leave it," Lu Bu said firmly, issuing his final ultimatum.
"…Fine. Your terms," Xiao Yan said begrudgingly. What choice did he have? Lu Bu held all the cards in this deal.
"Bring out the pill formulas, and let me choose… And don't try to pull any tricks!" Lu Bu warned sharply. He had seen enough of Yao Chen's sly tactics during their previous exchanges to be on high alert.
Inside the Bone Spirit Ring, Yao Chen's lips twitched. This brat actually dares to question my integrity as the great Yao Zun? But with Lu Bu holding the upper hand, he had no choice but to comply. With a thought, dozens of pill formula scrolls flew out of the ring, floating in the air like a dense cloud.
Seeing this, Lu Bu's face lit up with glee. He spread his soul perception over the scrolls, quickly selecting twenty seven tier pill formulas and ten eight tier ones. Among the eight tier formulas, the first one he chose was the Bodhi Pill.
A pill that could increase the chance of breaking through to Dou Sheng? There was no way he was passing that up.
"Alright, you can go now. Gather the materials and come find me when you're ready. I'll make the puppet for you," Lu Bu said with a grin, storing all thirty pill formulas into his storage ring with a satisfied wave of his hand.
Xiao Yan clicked his tongue in frustration but said nothing as he flew off.
Watching him leave, Lu Bu rubbed his chin thoughtfully. With a flick of his fingers, a snow white scroll appeared in his palm. Pressing it to his forehead, he began to read its contents.
The scroll contained the formula for the seven tier pill Snow Soul Pill.
The pill could triple the cultivation speed of even a Dou Zong. It was an excellent auxiliary pill. Elder Su Qian had broken through to four star Dou Zong partly thanks to this pill, along with the tempering effect of the Falling Heart Flame.
"Good stuff!" Lu Bu muttered, his eyes gleaming. He decided to refine one for his queen as well. The auxiliary effects of the Snow Soul Pill were too useful to ignore.
"Not bad. Not too difficult…" Lu Bu murmured as he reviewed the formula. Fortunately, the ingredients were relatively common, and he already had everything he needed. No special effort would be required to gather them.
In the depths of the Sea of Netherworld Storage Ring, Han Feng's collection of medicinal ingredients was abundant. Combined with the materials Jia Nan Academy had provided for alchemy in recent days, Lu Bu could still gather enough for a full set of ingredients.
However, the tricky part lay in the method of refining. The Snow Soul Pill was classified as a mid tier seventh grade pill, and its refinement was undeniably challenging.
"Tsk... Every time I refine a pill, it feels like taking on a brand new challenge," Lu Bu muttered with a sigh. With a flick of his finger, a loud thud echoed as the Myriad Beast Cauldron crashed heavily to the ground.
He was about to start refining the Snow Soul Pill. As for Elder Su Qian's Youth Restoring Pill? That wasn't important right now. It could wait his queen's pill was the priority. Su Qian's pill could be delayed until later.
Snap!
A crisp snap of his fingers ignited a cyan flame in his palm. The Green Lotus Core Flame twisted into a fiery snake, spiraling gracefully before diving into the cauldron.
As the flames roared to life, Lu Bu's eyes gleamed with focus. With a gentle motion of his finger against the storage ring, dozens of ingredients floated into the air, suspended before him.
From his chest, a colorful glow silently flickered as Medusa quietly appeared, her graceful figure standing beside him. Seeing Lu Bu fully immersed in his work, her delicate face softened with a wry smile.
This guy... he really is full of energy!
With a swish, she returned to the high vantage point of the valley to continue standing guard for him.
Jia Nan Academy, Inner Court
Xiao Yan flew swiftly with purple brown flame wings on his back, landing lightly on the ground. The moment he touched down, three powerful auras surged into the sky, wild and overwhelming, colliding in a show of dominance.
Some nearby inner court students immediately felt their legs go weak. With a thud, a few of them fell to the ground, pale faced and gasping for breath.
The pressure of three Dou Zong level auras was far beyond what these students still below the Dou Wang level could withstand.
Fortunately, the three Dou Zong level individuals quickly realized they were in the inner court and reined in their auras without hesitation.
"Three… Looks like Elder Huo failed," Xiao Yan murmured with a sigh after scanning the area with his perception.
Elder Huo, though at the peak of the Dou Huang level, had devoted most of his energy to alchemy. His failure to break through wasn't surprising, though it was still a bit disappointing.
However, even with his failure, the Breaking Zong Pill ensured that his cultivation wouldn't regress. With a few days of recovery, Elder Huo would return to normal, so it wasn't a major issue.
Elder Qianmu had also failed his breakthrough previously, but thanks to the Heavenly Fortune Pill, he recovered after a short rest and even joined their battle against the Hall of Souls.
At the time, Xiao Yan, like everyone else, had viewed Elder Qianmu as their hope and savior. It wasn't until later that he realized Lu Bu had orchestrated everything with a much larger plan in mind he had even set his sights on the Hall of Souls' Dou Zun elders!
At the top of the Heaven Burning Qi Refining Tower, Su Qian stood quietly, sensing the three powerful auras in the distance. A smile spread across his face.
"Ha ha ha… It's getting better and better…"
In the past, Jia Nan Academy had only him as a Dou Zong. Everything depended on him, and he had to constantly sit at the Heaven Burning Qi Refining Tower to suppress the Falling Heart Flame.
But now, the Falling Heart Flame had been dealt with by Lu Bu, giving him more freedom. And with the academy gaining more Dou Zong level experts, Su Qian could finally focus on his own cultivation.
With the Falling Heart Flame aiding his cultivation, Su Qian's speed was bound to surpass what it had been before.
"Gentlemen, if you could come to speak with me, I have a matter to discuss," a voice suddenly called out, interrupting Su Qian's musings.
Su Qian raised an eyebrow Yao Chen's voice. Without hesitation, he tapped his foot and disappeared from the tower.
At a secluded spot behind the mountains, Su Qian appeared, joined shortly by Elder Lei Yi, Deputy Dean Hu Qian, and Enforcement Chief Wu Tianlang. Their faces couldn't hide their joy after all, they had finally crossed the threshold to Dou Zong.
Xiao Yan arrived as well, Yao Chen's soul floating by his side.
"Many thanks to you, Medicine Sovereign!" the group said, bowing deeply in gratitude.
"There's no need for thanks," Yao Chen replied with a kind smile. "Pills can only enhance your existing potential they're not miracles. Your breakthroughs are ultimately thanks to your own efforts."
The elders nodded. It was true, especially considering that Lu Bu could also refine the Breaking Zong Pill.
"What brings you to us, Medicine Sovereign?" Su Qian asked.
"Well, it's a bit of a long story, but… I'd like your help hunting a Dou Zong. A Dou Zong from the Black Corner Region, to be specific," Xiao Yan said, his eye twitching slightly.
"Hmm?"
Seeing their puzzled expressions, Xiao Yan quickly explained the situation.
Once he finished, the Jia Nan Academy elders exchanged glances. After a moment of silence, they began to discuss possible targets.
Since they were hunting a Dou Zong, they needed a specific target. This would also be an excellent opportunity for them to test their newfound strength.
Eventually, they decided on Gong Heng.
Gong Heng was a three star Dou Zong, a notorious opportunist who always sided with whoever was strongest at the time. He had some history with Jia Nan Academy, though it wasn't particularly significant. Taking him out wouldn't weigh on their conscience.
Elder Eagle Mountain was another potential target, but his movements were erratic, and he was a four star Dou Zong. The three new Dou Zongs wouldn't be able to guarantee his capture without risking damage to the corpse.
And after seeing the Hall of Souls elder nearly self destruct, they had no desire to deal with another self destruction.
To mitigate the risks, Su Qian called upon Elder Qianmu to accompany them as a backup. As an experienced Dou Zong, he would act as their anchor and ensure the hunt went smoothly.
With Su Qian and Elder Bai at the academy, there was no need to worry about its safety. As long as the Hall of Souls didn't launch another attack, there would be no problems.
In no time, the group was ready and disappeared in unison, heading toward their target.
"Jia Nan Academy is truly improving," Su Qian remarked with satisfaction.
"Yes… aside from the dean, there's nothing else to complain about," Elder Bai said as he emerged from the void.
"Maybe we should revoke the dean's academy membership," Su Qian joked, his eyes gleaming with mischief.
"Are you sure?" Elder Bai replied with a faint smile. "The dean is a high level Dou Zun…"
Su Qian chuckled awkwardly. He didn't want to get beaten up he knew full well the dean wasn't above such actions.
Suddenly, the sound of rushing wind broke the quiet, drawing their attention. A young woman with black bat like wings on her back flew toward them at high speed.
"Nalan Yanran. That boy Xiao Yan's… well, lover," Su Qian explained.
"Oh," Elder Bai said with a nod, unimpressed. Compared to the saintess of the Heavenly Snake House, this girl was nothing special.
"She's also Lu Bu's junior disciple or so it seems. Lu Bu is the master of Yun Lan Sect in the Jia Ma Empire and a disciple of Yun Yun. This girl is her disciple too," Su Qian added.
What puzzled him was why Nalan Yanran seemed closer to Xiao Yan than to Lu Bu. Even more puzzling was Yun Yun's relationship with Lu Bu. From the letters she sent, she seemed to favor him over her own disciple.
Elder Bai's expression softened. "Oh, so she's Lu Bu's junior disciple? No wonder her talent is so exceptional. She's even on par with the saintess of the Heavenly Snake House."
"Greetings, Elder Su Qian, Elder Bai. Do you know where Xiao Yan is?" Nalan Yanran asked politely.
"Oh, he left for the Black Corner Region with Elder Qianmu," Su Qian replied with a smile.
Nalan Yanran frowned slightly and asked, "What about Lu Bu?"
"I'm not sure. He might be cultivating somewhere," Su Qian answered.
"Alright…" Nalan Yanran muttered, her disappointment evident as she turned to leave.
Elder Bai stroked his beard and smiled faintly. "It seems there's no urgent issue. That's a good thing."
(End of Chapter)
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