Chapter 327: Xiao Yan: Where's the Promised Soul Baby Fruit?
"Wow! So many medicinal herbs! So many treasures!" Zi Yan's gem like eyes sparkled with excitement as she kicked her legs and leapt from Xiao Yi Xian's arms, diving toward the mountain of medicinal herbs spread across the area. She had completely forgotten Lu Bu's reminder about focusing on the call of her bloodline.
However, before she could reach the ground, a large hand grabbed the back of her collar and hoisted her into the air.
"Hey! Put me down!" Zi Yan flailed her arms and legs furiously, stretching her neck and limbs toward the herbs, but no matter how much she tried, her short limbs couldn't reach anything.
Frustrated, Zi Yan turned her head with puffed cheeks and glared at Lu Bu, her large eyes filled with indignation. You're a bad person!
"Stop fooling around. We have more important things to do," Lu Bu knocked her gently on the head, his tone exasperated.
Those herbs ARE important, Zi Yan thought, rolling her eyes. But then she remembered Lu Bu's promise about helping her grow up faster. Crossing her arms, she allowed herself to hang limply from Lu Bu's grip, closed her eyes slightly, and began focusing on the strange sensation of the bloodline's calling that Lu Bu had mentioned.
Watching Lu Bu and Zi Yan interact, Xiao Yan felt increasingly confused. Just what was the relationship between the two of them? Weren't they acting a bit too close?
Could it be… Xiao Yan's expression turned strange. He knew Lu Bu was a notorious flirt, but surely even he wouldn't go so far as to…
Wasn't Lu Bu into mature women like Yun Yun or glamorous types like Queen Medusa? Why was he suddenly so close to Zi Yan, who was not only a magical beast but also clearly just a child?
Sigh… I didn't know people's tastes could be this… diverse, Xiao Yan thought, looking skyward with a sigh of exasperation. He prided himself on being normal and upright truly a rarity in a world full of eccentrics like Lu Bu.
At least not everyone is as chaotic as him. Unlike that guy, I'm loyal to my fiancée and childhood sweetheart, Xiao Yan mused, his lips curving into a smug smile. This must be the one area where I beat Lu Bu I'm more devoted, and he's a shameless flirt.
Meanwhile, completely unaware of Xiao Yan's bizarre train of thought, Lu Bu deposited Zi Yan back into Xiao Yi Xian's arms. Although he could sense the bloodline's call as well, he wasn't a true Taixu Ancient Dragon and could only rely on tricks. It was better to leave this task to Zi Yan, whose instincts would be far more accurate.
"Let's go, over there," Zi Yan said, pointing toward the depths of the forest, her small face suddenly serious. That strange summoning sensation sent a faint ripple of apprehension through her heart it felt like the presence of an elder from her clan.
"Haha! Let me lead the way!" Xiao Yan said cheerfully, unable to hide his excitement now that they had a clear direction. The thought of the Soul Baby Fruit being so close at hand filled him with eagerness.
Wind Venerable's expression also lit up with relief. If the Soul Baby Fruit was truly here, Yao Chen could finally be saved!
Lu Bu's expression turned briefly unreadable, but he didn't object. If Xiao Yan wanted to take point, why not let him?
The group wasted no time, following Zi Yan's guidance and speeding through the dense forest.
As they delved deeper, the forest's abundant medicinal herbs became increasingly overshadowed by powerful, lurking magical beasts.
"Hmph!" Lu Bu snorted coldly, his golden purple eyes flashing as a wave of overwhelming dragon might surged forth. In an instant, the malicious gazes lurking in the shadows were cowed, retreating without daring to attack.
Xiao Yan and Wind Venerable were secretly alarmed. Without Lu Bu's oppressive aura deterring the beasts, this forest would have been near impossible to traverse.
These weren't ordinary magical beasts their strength ranged from peak Dou Zongs to rare rank eight beasts, a terrifying prospect even for a group of elites.
Under Lu Bu's dragon might, the group advanced unimpeded, their speed unhindered by the forest's dangers. Within a matter of minutes, they arrived at the forest's heart.
"Huh? Why are there no magical beasts here?" Xiao Yan asked, frowning in confusion.
The forest's core should have been the richest in resources and the fiercest in territorial disputes. Why was it so calm? And why had the dense forest abruptly given way to open grassland?
Sharing uncertain glances, the group stared at the vast expanse of green before them, their confusion growing.
Zi Yan, nestled in Xiao Yi Xian's arms, furrowed her brows in concentration. Faint purple light flickered in her eyes as she scrutinized the empty grassland ahead, her expression becoming increasingly serious.
Lu Bu extended a hand glowing with dark golden light, pressing it gently against the seemingly empty space ahead.
Buzz!
With a faint hum, dazzling golden light burst forth, revealing a towering, expansive barrier.
"This… this… What is this?" The five members of the Falling Star Pavilion froze in shock, their expressions grave.
The golden barrier stretched endlessly, a dome like shield protecting something within. Its oppressive aura was so powerful that even Xiao Yan and Wind Venerable instinctively felt its weight.
"This is a Beast Spirit Barrier," Lu Bu explained, stroking his chin. "It's something only a truly powerful magical beast can condense before death."
But his gaze glinted with excitement. Finally! We've found it.
Mature, beautiful Dragon Phoenix… finally about to hatch… er, I mean grow!
"A Beast Spirit Barrier?" Xiao Yan frowned. He didn't know much about the Soul Baby Fruit, but he was certain it had nothing to do with a Beast Spirit Barrier.
"Wait… this isn't the Soul Baby Fruit?" Xiao Yan's eyes widened as realization dawned.
"Who told you it was?" Lu Bu rolled his eyes.
"You… I… but…!" Xiao Yan stammered, at a complete loss for words. Where is my Soul Baby Fruit?!
"Calm down," Lu Bu said irritably. "This Beast Spirit Barrier was created by a fallen Taixu Ancient Dragon. Its presence is too overwhelming for Zi Yan to ignore. We have to check it out first. Otherwise, finding the Soul Baby Fruit will be impossible."
The analogy he used was simple: just as a bright star could obscure the planets around it, this barrier was too powerful a distraction. Only by resolving it could Zi Yan focus on the smaller target.
Xiao Yan was speechless. You always get the final say, don't you?
"Wait… why does this barrier also carry traces of Heavenly Phoenix energy?" Zi Yan asked, her young face filled with surprise.
Her words shocked the others. The oppressive aura clearly belonged to a Taixu Ancient Dragon why would there also be traces of Heavenly Phoenix energy?
"Let's go inside and take a look," Lu Bu said decisively.
Zi Yan nodded. She had come this far; there was no way she wasn't going to investigate.
With a small movement, she pricked her finger, and a thin line of purple golden blood dripped down. Guided by her fingertip, the blood traced a fine line across the barrier's surface.
Rip!
The golden barrier split open, revealing a narrow entrance.
"Let's move!" Zi Yan said firmly. Xiao Yi Xian carried her inside, followed closely by Lu Bu.
"Let's go too," Xiao Yan said, excitement creeping into his voice. The chance to glimpse the legacy of a Taixu Ancient Dragon was too precious to pass up.
The members of Falling Star Pavilion couldn't hide their faint excitement. They had seen the dominance of the Heavenly Demon Phoenix before, but it was rare to encounter a Taixu Ancient Dragon, a species that preys on the Heavenly Demon Phoenix.
Of course, Zi Yan didn't count while she was a Dou Zong with impressive strength, it was clear that she was just a juvenile dragon.
As soon as they entered the Beast Spirit Barrier, a vast and oppressive aura descended upon them. The two Dou Zong peak elders from Falling Star Pavilion nearly collapsed to their knees.
"What terrifying pressure…" Their faces turned grave, their eyes filled with astonishment.
The lush green grasslands and forest outside had completely disappeared, replaced by a crimson landscape. The blood red soil was littered with scattered, glowing white bones that emanated an eerie aura.
At the center stood a colossal altar, nearly 100 meters tall, giving off a mysterious and otherworldly vibe.
Ahead, Lu Bu, Xiao Yi Xian, and Zi Yan were surrounded by faint streams of dark golden light, unaffected by the oppressive aura. With a few quick leaps, they ascended to the top of the altar.
"It really is the remains of a Taixu Ancient Dragon and a Primordial Heavenly Phoenix," Lu Bu said, his gaze darkening as he looked out at the plain below.
Two massive beast skeletons, head to tail, lay intertwined. Their majestic forms radiated an overwhelming power that even the passage of time couldn't erode.
"I can't even imagine how powerful they were when alive…" Xiao Yi Xian murmured, her voice heavy with awe as her expression grew solemn beneath her white veil.
"So… this opportunity you mentioned is the Dragon Phoenix Origin Fruit?" Zi Yan said, her large eyes locking onto a two toned gold and purple stone platform at the altar's center.
Xiao Yi Xian turned her gaze, following Zi Yan's line of sight. On the gold and purple stone platform stood a peculiar tree. At the tip of its branches hung a singular, radiant fruit, glowing in shades of gold and purple. On one side of the fruit was the form of a Taixu Ancient Dragon, coiling endlessly in a sea of clouds. On the other side was a Heavenly Demon Phoenix, its wings spread wide as it let out a piercing cry toward the heavens.
However, the phoenix on the fruit looked slightly different from those they'd encountered before.
"Take it quickly!" Lu Bu ordered in a low voice, scanning the area. He was relieved not to find any meddling Heavenly Demon Phoenixes nearby.
"Understood!" Zi Yan's expression turned serious. This fruit had to be brought back to her clan. If they couldn't take it, it had to be destroyed falling into the hands of the Heavenly Demon Phoenix clan would only worsen the fragmented state of the Taixu Ancient Dragons.
Determined, Zi Yan's small face grew grim. Her thumbs twitched, and golden purple blood mixed with crimson began to seep from her fingers, slowly covering her tiny palms.
"Harvesting this requires a delicate process and time…"
"Don't worry, Zi Yan," Xiao Yi Xian assured her, her voice calm and steady.
Lu Bu gently patted Zi Yan on the head but said nothing. His meaning was clear: no one would dare take her opportunity away.
Zi Yan nodded. With her blood covered hands forming intricate seals, her waist length ponytail unfurled and began to float, her aura surging powerfully as she began the process.
Below the altar, Xiao Yan and the others slowly ascended, finally seeing the full view of the area. They couldn't help but gasp.
"To think… an actual Taixu Ancient Dragon and a Primordial Heavenly Phoenix fell here…" Xiao Yan muttered, stunned by the sight of the two legendary skeletons.
Since learning of Lu Bu's connection to the Taixu Ancient Dragons, Xiao Yan had tried to gather information about the mysterious race. However, the dragons' elusive nature made it nearly impossible to find anything.
The only information he had unearthed was about their ancient adversaries, such as the Primordial Heavenly Phoenix, the Ancient Heavenly Serpent, and the Nine Colored Sky Swallowing Python.
Crunch!
Xiao Yan reached down and grabbed a bone as thick as his waist. With a sharp pull, he yanked it from the crimson soil. The icy, jade like texture of the bone felt remarkable in his hands, and the oppressive aura it emitted weighed heavily on his mind.
"As expected of the Primordial Heavenly Phoenix… truly incredible," Xiao Yan murmured, his expression solemn as he cradled the massive bone, his thoughts unclear.
On the altar, Lu Bu ignored Xiao Yan's antics. With a flick of his finger, ten silver figures appeared, standing tall and upright in midair.
These were the ten Earth Demon Puppets.
Lu Bu wasn't particularly interested in the puppets themselves but rather in the formations they contained.
Focusing his soul energy, he flicked his finger again, sending a beam of light into the chest of the leading puppet. A complex circular formation emerged, glowing faintly.
Lu Bu's eyes lit up as he immersed his mind into the formation, studying it intently.
Below, Xiao Yan glanced at the ten silver puppets and raised an eyebrow. These puppets seemed far from ordinary.
"Lu Bu, what's so special about these puppets?" Xiao Yan couldn't help but ask. Lu Bu wouldn't have gone to such lengths for mere peak Dou Zong puppets, would he?
"Want to see for yourself?" Lu Bu chuckled. With a thought, the ten puppets shifted, forming a strange formation in midair.
In an instant, silver light surged. Streams of energy moved like giant serpents between the puppets, converging on the leading one.
Under Xiao Yan's astonished gaze, the silver glow faded from the leading puppet, replaced by a dazzling golden light. Its aura surged dramatically.
Xiao Yan's jaw dropped. With the formation's enhancement, the puppet's strength had leapt from the peak of Dou Zong to the level of a two star Dou Zun, surpassing his own combat power.
"No wonder you went to so much trouble for these puppets!" Xiao Yan gritted his teeth, his envy palpable.
"Keep it low key…" Lu Bu said with a sly grin. What Xiao Yan didn't realize was that Lu Bu's true interest lay in the formation itself, not the puppets.
The formation, though specialized for puppets, had a strict requirement: perfect power balance. Without evenly matched participants, the formation couldn't achieve its full potential.
This limitation meant Lu Bu would either have to craft identical puppets or replace one or two Earth Demon Puppets with Heaven Demon Puppets. Any more would destabilize the formation.
"Sigh… If only the Heaven Earth Balance Array were here," Lu Bu muttered. That ancient array was unparalleled in equalizing power levels.
Before Lu Bu could lose himself in nostalgia, the space around them suddenly trembled violently.
A crack appeared in the Beast Spirit Barrier, and a group of figures surged through. At the front was Thunder Lord Lei Zun Zhe, accompanied by the Heavenly Demon Phoenix clan.
Lu Bu glanced at Zi Yan, his expression darkening. "They really know how to pick their timing…"
Zi Yan was at the critical stage of harvesting the Dragon Phoenix Origin Fruit. Any disruption now would be disastrous. And, of course, the Heavenly Demon Phoenix clan had chosen this exact moment to appear.
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