Chapter 305: Qing Lin
As Lu Bu's words fell, the already cold atmosphere seemed to grow even more chilling.
Qing Lin glanced at Yun Yun with some confusion. The master was right why hadn't she used the Fallen Heart Flame to unleash her Heart Flame? Back on the Northwestern Continent, Yun Yun had done so multiple times to assist Medusa and Xiao Yi Xian.
When faced with numerous strong enemies, Yun Yun was always the first to act. The Heart Flame would incinerate countless foes into ashes, while those strong enough to withstand it were left weakened, only to be besieged by the allied forces of the Three Nations.
Such tactics often gave the alliance an overwhelming advantage, putting them in an undefeatable position from the very start.
Previously, in the Jade Serpent Ravine, the Heavenly Demon Phoenix's speed was so quick that it could escape the range of the Heart Flame in an instant, making Yun Yun's restraint understandable.
But now, the Hall of Souls Elder didn't have the same speed advantage. This would have been the perfect moment for Yun Yun to act, yet…
The master's question was valid: why hadn't she acted?
Qing Lin tilted her head, her confusion deepening. This didn't seem like Yun Yun's usual behavior.
"Lu Bu… what are you saying?" Yun Yun's elegant face stiffened slightly, her expression showing traces of bewilderment. As she faced Lu Bu's curious and slightly puzzled gaze, an inexplicable sense of panic welled up within her.
This was strange. Being with Lu Bu should have made her feel incredibly safe. His question wasn't accusatory or mistrustful; it was merely a simple inquiry. Yet, why did she feel an irrational fear and unease?
An unfamiliar emotion stirred in Yun Yun's heart. Somewhere deep within, a voice whispered to her: Run. There's danger. The man in front of you will kill you.
"Lu Bu, something feels wrong!" Yun Yun blurted out instinctively. "I think there's a voice in my soul!"
She trusted Lu Bu more than she trusted herself.
"Damn it!" Before Lu Bu could respond, an angry curse rang out in her mind. Yun Yun couldn't believe it her trust in the Commander of the Black Flame Army was this absolute?
The next moment, Yun Yun's body recoiled on its own. Her Dou Qi erupted as howling winds mixed with snow surged forth like a raging blizzard.
"So there is something wrong!" Lu Bu's sharp eyes flashed coldly as he let out a low snort.
Buzz!
A beam of green light suddenly radiated out, shining directly on Yun Yun's delicate face.
"No… stop!" Yun Yun cried out, her body freezing in place.
Lu Bu's expression darkened. An immense, eerie aura spread outward as his eyes suddenly changed. The whites of his eyes vanished, replaced by a pair of deep, pitch black pupils that seemed to swallow everything.
In an instant, a horrifying, all consuming pressure enveloped Yun Yun entirely.
"You… you… what is this terrifying thing?!" Yun Yun's voice rang out, but it wasn't her usual warm and magnetic tone. Instead, it was sharp and haughty.
"You're not Yun Yun!" Qing Lin's cold voice snapped. The green light in her pupils intensified as she stepped forward, glaring at the imposter.
Lu Bu raised his palm and pressed it firmly against Yun Yun's chest. A black vortex appeared in his palm, countless fine black threads stabbing into Yun Yun's heart.
"No… let me go!" A sharp, chilling scream erupted from Yun Yun's body as the black threads wrapped tightly and began pulling.
Moments later, a soul materialized a woman clad in white robes with pale skin, her face etched with panic and resentment.
"Heh… just like a centipede, refusing to die." Lu Bu smirked coldly as he looked at the soul.
Had it not been for the Devouring Ancient Symbol, this situation could have turned into a serious problem!
Boom!
High above the sky, a streak of yellow light tore through the clouds. The deafening sound of sonic booms echoed as the figure sped westward, vanishing into the foggy, towering mountains and disappearing into the dense forest below.
Bang!
With a loud crash, Mu Gu smashed through the gates of a large hall, tumbling and stumbling as he entered.
"Cough!"
The moment he hit the ground, he spat out a mouthful of blood, his face pale and ashen.
"Mu Gu? What happened?" A deep, authoritative voice resounded. On the throne at the far end of the hall, Jiu Tian Zun's expression darkened as he spoke.
At that moment, Mu Gu's appearance was pitiful his aura was weak, his internal injuries severe, and his chest bore a gaping hole that oozed dark red blood. His heart was shattered, and his right arm was missing entirely.
Several guardians and emissaries from the Hall of Souls rushed forward, hastily supporting Mu Gu and tending to his injuries. Mu Gu wasn't just any elder he was one of the Hall of Souls' rare eighth tier alchemists, a figure of immense prestige.
Jiu Tian Zun frowned deeply and tossed a black pill toward him. The pill transformed into a wriggling black rat, squealing sharply.
Mu Gu's dull eyes suddenly lit up as he opened his mouth and bit into the rat without hesitation.
Moments later, a flush of red spread across his pale face, giving him a sickly vitality. Ten breaths passed before his precarious state finally stabilized.
"Explain yourself, Mu Gu. What happened?" Jiu Tian Zun asked coldly.
"The Hall of Souls branch in the Shuangjing Ice Plains was attacked. Everyone… except for me… is dead!" Mu Gu's chest heaved as he spoke, his left hand instinctively reaching for his right arm, hoping to retrieve the pills stored in his storage ring.
But his hand grasped nothing but empty air. It was only then that he remembered his right arm had been severed, and the storage ring lost.
Damn it. Those were the pills I painstakingly refined… Mu Gu took a deep breath, resigning himself to using the Hall's lower quality pills provided by the guardians.
"Who did this?"
Jiu Tian Zun's eyes gleamed with icy fury as his fist tightened. The Hall of Souls' forces were already spread thin, with most of their elite power tied up in secret missions. They couldn't afford to provoke a conflict with a faction like the Ice River Valley.
"The attacker was cloaked in black, concealing their true identity," Mu Gu said solemnly. "But based on what I observed… I believe it was Xiao Yan!"
"Xiao Yan?" Jiu Tian Zun frowned. "The one with the Dou Emperor's potential?"
He recalled the Dou Emperor prodigy they had encountered at the Fallen God Ravine in the Pill Domain an eight star Dou Venerate from the Taixu Ancient Dragon clan. If it were him, then Mu Gu and Kuang Ni wouldn't have stood a chance.
"No… not him. This was the one from Starfall Pavilion the one who came from the Northwestern Continent!" Mu Gu said hurriedly, panting for breath.
"Are you joking, Mu Gu?" Jiu Tian Zun's expression turned dangerous.
That Xiao Yan? The kid who was just a Dou King? Even if he'd recently reached the Dou Ancestor realm, he'd only be at most one or two stars. A single guardian could easily defeat him.
And now you're telling me he destroyed a branch hall guarded by two Dou Venerates?
"The attacker used a purple brown Heavenly Flame and the Emperor Seal Technique. Other than Xiao Yan of the Gu Clan, I can't think of anyone else!" Sensing Jiu Tian Zun's growing anger, Mu Gu quickly explained his reasoning.
"Purple brown Heavenly Flame?" Jiu Tian Zun's brows furrowed. It wasn't green it wasn't the Green Lotus Core Flame. In other words, it wasn't the Dou Emperor prodigy.
"Did he use soul power?" Jiu Tian Zun asked sharply.
"No. This man's strength was that of a Dou Venerate at least a two star Dou Venerate," Mu Gu said firmly. As an eighth tier alchemist, he could easily distinguish between soul power and Dou Qi.
Upon hearing this, Jiu Tian Zun fell silent immediately. So it's not the Dou Emperor prodigy!
The person Mu Gu described had indeed been able to overpower Dou Venerates, but only by using a strange soul related secret technique. Clearly, it wasn't the same individual that Mu Gu had encountered.
However… it couldn't have been Xiao Yan either!
"Mu Gu, I must inform you that the Xiao Yan from the Northwestern Continent is currently in Starfall Pavilion. Just two days ago, he clashed with Wang Chen of Yellow Spring Pavilion in a battle that left Wang Chen severely injured," Jiu Tian Zun said in a heavy voice.
If not for the lack of manpower and the need to tread cautiously, he would have long sent forces to annihilate Starfall Pavilion and capture Xiao Yan.
"What…?" Mu Gu's face froze upon hearing this. Two days ago?
Then who was the person I fought?
Mu Gu's expression twisted awkwardly. It wasn't Xiao Yan his sworn enemy who had turned out to be the terrifying opponent.
But if it wasn't Xiao Yan, then who could it have been?
The purple brown Heavenly Flame and the Emperor Seal Technique… it had to be Xiao Yan! Only he had ties to the Gu Clan, and to make things worse, he had even recognized Mu Gu.
Who else could it have been if not Xiao Yan?
A cold sweat broke out on Mu Gu's forehead. He felt like he was sitting on needles, trapped in a whirlpool of doubt and self questioning.
"Leave. For now, focus on preparing for the Pill Gathering and securing the championship," Jiu Tian Zun said with a furrowed brow. He then summoned another Dou Venerate to lead a team to investigate the ruined branch hall at the Shuangjing Ice Plains.
As for himself… being the Hall of Souls' strongest current combatant, he couldn't act recklessly. If something were to happen to him, the consequences could be catastrophic.
Shuangjing Ice Plains
"This… is that woman from the Ling Clan!?" Yun Yun's pupils contracted sharply as she stared at the soul bound in black threads in Lu Bu's hand.
In an instant, cold sweat poured down Yun Yun's back, soaking through her inner garments despite the freezing cold of the Shuangjing Ice Plains.
But her expression quickly darkened. The Fallen Heart Flame surged above her head in a wave of fiery anger.
This damned thing nearly succeeded!
Hearing Yun Yun's magnetic and familiar voice again, Qing Lin exhaled in relief. The bizarre situation had finally passed.
"A Ling Clan member?" Lu Bu studied the compressed soul in his grasp, his eyes cold and full of malice.
After revealing the Devouring Ancient Symbol to her, there was no way he could let her go!
"Indeed…" Ling Yu took a deep breath and bit her lip, realizing her plan to possess Yun Yun's body had been exposed.
"What grade is your bloodline?" Lu Bu asked, taking a deep breath to suppress the urge to crush her soul then and there.
"Seventh grade…" Ling Yu hesitated, seemingly sensing Lu Bu's murderous intent.
"Are you capable of inscribing the clan's runes?" Lu Bu pressed further.
A seventh grade bloodline… If he remembered correctly, Gu Zhen also had a seventh grade bloodline but was granted the same Purple Gold Clan Rune as Gu Yao and Gu Qingyang.
"No!" Ling Yu's expression changed slightly. She realized what Lu Bu was getting at.
"You will be," Lu Bu sneered. With a flick of his finger, a jade bottle appeared. Powerful soul energy enveloped Ling Yu's soul, forcefully shoving it into the bottle.
"No! Let me go!"
Ling Yu struggled desperately, screaming loudly, but all she could do was watch as she was sealed within the tiny bottle.
"Let's go. We're heading back to Sacred Pill City," Lu Bu said with a soft smile, taking Yun Yun and Qing Lin by the hand.
"Mm…" Yun Yun nodded gently, the strange sensation within her body having completely disappeared. It was finally time to study the ancient bloodline within her to see if it was as formidable as the legends claimed.
As she pondered this, Lu Bu wrapped his arm around their waists, and with a light push off the ground, they soared into the air, reuniting with Nalan Yanran before flying toward the Pill Domain.
Of course, before returning to the Pill Domain, Lu Bu and Yun Yun escorted Nalan Yanran to Starfall Pavilion. Unfortunately, Xiao Yan was already in seclusion and didn't come out to meet them.
According to Elder Feng, Xiao Yan was refining the Bone Chilling Flame. Hearing this, Lu Bu nodded in understanding. The boy was clearly desperate to improve his strength, leaving him no choice but to refine the Bone Chilling Flame left by Yao Lao.
If nothing unexpected occurred, Xiao Yan's strength would see a significant boost after coming out of seclusion. However, reaching the Dou Venerate level was unlikely. A mere Bone Chilling Flame wasn't enough to achieve that.
Even breaking through to the nine star Dou Ancestor realm might not be possible, given that the Bone Chilling Flame ranked lower than the Three Thousand Burning Flame.
After learning about Nalan Yanran's background and identity, Elder Feng kindly arranged accommodations for her and began helping her resolve the issues she encountered during cultivation.
Since Nalan Yanran's Dou Qi attribute was wind, the same as Elder Feng's, she was naturally thrilled to receive guidance from such a renowned Dou Venerate.
With sufficient preparation, she too entered seclusion like Xiao Yan, aiming to break through to the Dou Ancestor realm. Elder Feng was very pleased his disciple Mu Qingluan was slightly older than Nalan Yanran and Xiao Yan, but the three of them were equally gifted.
To have such talented juniors brought him great joy.
Meanwhile, high in the sky, a massive multicolored python flew gracefully through the air. Its speed rivaled that of Dou Ancestor level experts.
This was a seventh tier serpent magical beast that Qing Lin had tamed with the help of the Green Snake Reverent. Concerned about Qing Lin's safety in the Central Plains, the Green Snake Reverent personally subdued this beast for her.
Had there been eighth tier serpent magical beasts in the Northwestern Continent, the Green Snake Reverent would have likely sought the help of the Heavenly Snake Mansion's chief, She Lin, and Elder Bai Lie of Jia Nan Academy to capture one.
The Green Snake Reverent had done a fine job, and both Lu Bu and Qing Lin were very satisfied.
Yun Yun sat quietly mid way along the python's back, cultivating in silence. With Qing Lin present, she felt too embarrassed to get close to Lu Bu.
Qing Lin, however, had no such concerns. She wriggled her petite body like a slippery beauty snake, effortlessly finding her way into Lu Bu's arms, taking the prime position that she often competed with Zi Yan for.
"Master, are you tired from the battle? You've worked hard…" Qing Lin lay in Lu Bu's arms, gently massaging his shoulders and arms, smiling softly.
Back in the Jia Ma Empire, Qing Lin would often help Lu Bu relax this way.
However, her current posture felt more like caressing than massaging.
"Uh… I'm fine. Hey, Qing Lin, stop touching randomly!" Lu Bu quickly grabbed her hand, bewildered. This wasn't how she used to act.
Behind them, Yun Yun's ears twitched. Her Dou Qi surged to cover them, blocking out any strange and inexplicable noises.
"Master, I heard from Sister Medusa that after every battle, you're always very tired and need… our dual cultivation to recover your strength…" Qing Lin whispered, leaning against his shoulder, her warm breath tickling his neck. Her face was completely flushed, her body temperature inexplicably rising, her skin burning hot.
Lu Bu: "…"
Who is this "us" you're talking about? I've only ever cultivated with Her Majesty!
And what exactly has Her Majesty been telling you?!
(End of Chapter)
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