Chapter 329: "Following Lu Bu Means Three Days Hungry, Nine Days Starving!"
"Lu Bu is finally making a move!" Xiao Yan, who had just exchanged blows with the Silvermoon Wolf Clan leader, suddenly had a glint of excitement in his eyes. His face showed a mix of anticipation and thrill.
There was something enigmatic about this man. Despite Xiao Yan's early stage spiritual sensitivity, he couldn't determine Lu Bu's exact strength an absurd phenomenon.
According to Yao Lao, Lu Bu was likely using some special cultivation method to conceal his true level. His real strength should be around the Four or Five Star Dou Venerate level.
Xiao Yan was half skeptical of this explanation. While Lu Bu's strength was undoubtedly tied to his cultivation, his full combat power definitely exceeded the Five Star Dou Venerate peak.
If Lu Bu could hold off and defeat Old Ghost Zhai Xing, it proved that his combat power could rival the peak of the Five Star Dou Venerate realm.
"I want to see just how strong you really are!" Xiao Yan thought, his gaze subtly shifting to the overwhelming and majestic aura emanating from Lu Bu in the sky.
On the other side, the Silvermoon Wolf Clan leader's face twitched. His breath came in short gasps, his Dou Qi stagnated under the oppressive aura of the Void Ancient Dragon, and his combat power as a magical beast Dou Venerate couldn't be fully unleashed.
"Well, that's fine… words are just words. No need to risk my life for this…" The Silvermoon Wolf Clan leader gritted his teeth, his aura suddenly surging as he launched another wave of attacks at Xiao Yan. However, his strikes strangely lacked the force they carried before, clearly holding back.
Similarly, the Earth Tiger Clan leader and Xiao Yan's Heavenly Demon Puppet were locked in combat, their clash growing more intense with increasingly dazzling moves, though neither side gained the upper hand.
Two attacks directed skyward enough to fulfill the promise to the Heavenly Demon Phoenixes without going all out. Why risk it when there was nothing to gain?
In simple terms, whether the Void Ancient Dragon or the Heavenly Demon Phoenix emerged victorious, they would side with the winner.
Meanwhile, Thunder Venerable roared ferociously, unleashing dazzling lightning alongside waves of fierce energy as he launched a storm of attacks at Wind Venerable.
Among the three factions, Thunder Venerable was fighting the hardest. Of all the players present, he was the one most deeply tied to the Heavenly Demon Phoenix clan.
However, despite his ferocity, Wind Venerable, being slightly stronger, managed to fend off Thunder Venerable's attacks with ease. Much like Xiao Yan, part of his focus was on the confrontation in the sky Lu Bu squaring off against the white haired Heavenly Demon Phoenix, who controlled the ancient phoenix ancestral soul.
"Hmph, you're courting death! How dare you act so arrogantly before my ancestral soul?" the white haired man sneered coldly, his hands rapidly forming seals. Golden light surged upward from the vast ancient phoenix remains below, enveloping him entirely in radiant brilliance.
With a low shout, he thrust his palm forward, releasing a massive golden beam of energy.
The Beast Spirit Barrier trembled violently, the immense golden energy carrying apocalyptic destructive power as it shot out like a golden rainbow piercing the heavens.
"And you dare flaunt such petty tricks before me?" Lu Bu sneered, bringing his hands together as waves of violet gold light surged outward.
"Immovable Azure Dragon Bell!"
A hundred foot long divine dragon coiled upward, roaring as it soared toward the heavens. With its ascent, its dragon might solidified into a massive, towering dark golden bell.
The bell's surface gleamed with a cold metallic luster, its sides covered in fine, intricate dragon scale patterns. A majestic, oppressive aura spread forth.
Clang!
The earth shattering clash rang out, its reverberations shaking the sky and echoing through the forest. The deafening sound waves rippled outward, sweeping across the battlefield like a tidal wave.
The Dou Venerate combatants below cried out in alarm, abandoning their fights to hurriedly dodge the shockwaves. Their movements were frantic and clumsy, entirely devoid of a Dou Venerate's usual composure.
Clang!
Another metallic clang echoed as the dark golden bell remained steadfast, its light flickering faintly but unbroken.
"Damn it… Huang Fei, hurry up and secure the Dragon Phoenix Origin Fruit… Damn it!" The black robed Heavenly Demon Phoenix cursed repeatedly, desperately urging his comrade.
Unlike others, the Heavenly Demon Puppet didn't fear pain or injury. While other fighters instinctively retreated to avoid the destructive aftermath, the puppet seized the moment to launch relentless attacks with its iron fists.
Caught between the puppet's relentless assault and Lu Bu's oppressive aura, the black robed Phoenix found himself in dire straits. He was struck twice, coughing up blood. Even his powerful beast body couldn't withstand the iron blows of the dark golden puppet.
"Go all out! Use the ancestral soul to kill him!"
The black robed Phoenix was barely holding on under the puppet's ferocious attacks. He shouted urgently, knowing that if not for his superior speed, he might already be dead.
The white haired Heavenly Demon Phoenix's smug expression gave way to a colder, more emotionless demeanor. Enveloped by the ancient phoenix soul, his self awareness seemed to fade, as if entirely consumed by its power.
Roar !
A dragon's resounding roar pierced the heavens as violet gold light surged skyward.
Boom!
With a muffled sound, the golden energy unleashed by the ancient phoenix was instantly obliterated. The towering dragon bell shimmered faintly before gradually dissipating, its heavy presence slowly fading away.
"It was blocked…"
A flicker of anger crossed the white haired man's otherwise emotionless face. His attack couldn't even break through the dragon bell's defense?!
"Chirp !"
Tilting his head back, the white haired man let out a sharp, resonant phoenix cry. Countless specks of golden light rose from the ancient remains below, moving slowly yet inexorably upward.
In the blink of an eye, a golden phoenix formed from radiant light condensed into existence. Its enormous wings, vast as clouds hanging in the heavens, flapped once, causing the entire space to tremble violently. The terrifying display sent shivers down the spines of the assembled Dou Venerates.
"As expected of the Ancient Heavenly Phoenix. Even after being dead for so long, it still possesses such fearsome power!" Wind Venerable's face was solemn, his heart filled with shock. If it weren't for Yao Chen, he would never have wanted to provoke the Heavenly Demon Phoenix clan it was simply too terrifying.
A glimmer of joy erupted in Thunder Venerable's eyes, and he couldn't help but laugh heartily. "As expected of the supreme beast. My Wind and Thunder Pavilion chose the right ally!"
The Earth Tiger Clan leader and Silvermoon Wolf Clan leader exchanged glances, their eyes gleaming with deliberation. The scales of victory seemed to have tipped. Perhaps… they should bet more heavily on this side?
With that thought, their gazes flickered. In simple terms, whoever won, they would side with them!
"If the Ancient Heavenly Phoenix is this strong, just how terrifying must the Void Ancient Dragon, its equal in fame, be?" Xiao Yan felt his throat dry up. On this continent of Dou Qi, perhaps the only beings that could match the Void Ancient Dragon were those descended from the Dou Emperor's bloodline…
"Hmph… Did I not say? How dare you flaunt such tricks before me?"
Faced with the massive golden phoenix that blotted out the sky, Lu Bu, standing atop the dragon's head, merely smirked coldly. His arms, adorned with dragon shaped violet gold patterns, shimmered faintly as the tattoos began to move across his skin.
Roar!
A deep dragon's cry echoed out, reverberating through the souls of all present. In an instant, the oppressive aura of the Ancient Heavenly Phoenix was broken, and the Dou Venerates, who had been trembling under its presence, were freed from its intimidation.
Lu Bu's eyes gleamed brightly as radiant beams of light erupted from his body. Two violet gold dragon shaped energy patterns swirled around him, their heads and tails connected as they coiled at his side.
"Courting death!"
A low, ethereal voice emerged from the white haired man's lips. It was hard to tell if it was male or female, but the fury and killing intent it contained were unmistakable.
The golden phoenix flapped its colossal wings, stirring a massive surge of energy as a dazzling beam of golden light, bright as the midday sun, shot toward Lu Bu.
"Azure Dragon Heavenly Seal!"
Lu Bu's low voice echoed as his right palm clenched around the two swirling violet gold dragon patterns.
In an instant, his right hand began to expand at a terrifying speed. Within moments, it transformed into a massive dark gold dragon claw, hundreds of meters long.
The claw's scales shimmered with a metallic sheen, solid and lifelike, exuding an aura of absolute dominance as it coiled with dragon might.
As the golden phoenix beam streaked toward him like a flash of lightning, Lu Bu let out a cold shout and unleashed a ferocious strike with his massive claw.
The heavens quaked, and the enormous dragon claw ripped through the air, tearing through space as it crashed against the golden phoenix in a collision that left the onlookers in awe.
Boom!
A violent shockwave erupted, accompanied by blinding light akin to the sun. A terrifying ripple of destruction spread across the battlefield.
"Damn it!" Xiao Yan and the others cried out in alarm. Dou Qi surged from their bodies as layers of spatial barriers formed in front of them, shielding them with all their might.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Rocks and sand were flung about, carried by fierce winds. The tiny stones slammed into their barriers like bullets, while others pelted the Beast Spirit Barrier itself.
"Damn it… Lu Bu actually has a move like this?" Xiao Yan was dumbfounded. He had thought Lu Bu would rely on his soul power, just like back in the Magical Beast Mountain Range, where he used soul soundwaves to deal with opponents.
With Lu Bu's Spiritual Realm level soul strength, even if he couldn't defeat the Ancient Heavenly Phoenix, he could at least buy enough time for Xiao Yi Xian to finish up, allowing them to retreat unscathed.
But who could've expected Lu Bu to pull out this terrifying move? The sheer power of this attack seemed capable of overwhelming even the Star Plucking Ghost, a peak Five Star Dou Venerate!
"Shatter!"
A sharp light flashed in Lu Bu's eyes as his five massive dragon claws clenched tightly.
Crack!
The steel like claw squeezed with immense force, and a sharp cracking sound rang out. The enormous Ancient Heavenly Phoenix let out a trembling cry as dark cracks spread across its entire body.
Moments later, the phoenix shattered into countless fragments, disintegrating into specks of golden light that scattered across the heavens.
"Pfft!"
The white haired man's body trembled, and blood spurted from his mouth. His face turned ashen, his aura rapidly weakening.
Thud, thud, thud!
Heavy footsteps echoed as the dark gold Heavenly Demon Puppet that had been struck earlier charged forward. Like a tank, it barreled toward the white haired man with unstoppable force.
"Stop!"
Huang Xuan let out a desperate cry as his golden wings flapped violently. Transforming into a golden streak, he dashed forward to grab the white haired man and drag him to safety.
"Hmph… Did you think I wasn't here?" Xiao Yi Xian's cold, melodious laugh rang out. Her voice was pleasant, yet the killing intent laced within it sent shivers down their spines.
Slash!
A streak of golden light mixed with gray energy flashed by. In an instant, blood sprayed forth as Huang Xuan's arm was severed at the shoulder while he was grabbing the white haired man.
"You… how do you know our clan's Heavenly Phoenix Steps?" Huang Xuan clutched his bleeding shoulder, his face twisting in shock and horror.
Before he could finish his question, his body froze.
Even more terrifying was the realization that during their previous battles, this woman had not used such a powerful technique. Her patience was horrifying.
"Heh… it's nothing special," Xiao Yi Xian replied with a faint, mocking smile.
"Since you're here, you might as well stay forever!"
A crisp, youthful voice rang out. Atop the altar, Zi Yan's small face was brimming with murderous intent.
Rumble!
As her words fell, a deafening roar erupted. The Beast Spirit Barrier trembled violently as violet gold energy surged upward like tidal waves from the colossal Void Ancient Dragon's skeleton below.
In an instant, a massive Void Ancient Dragon, no weaker than Lu Bu, materialized before everyone's eyes.
"R run! Quickly!" Huang Xuan's scalp tingled as a chilling sensation spread like electricity through his entire body.
Suddenly, his hand slackened, and the previously unconscious white haired man woke up. With a flap of his wings, he bolted forward, speeding toward the Beast Spirit Barrier's exit.
"Elder Huang Xuan, hold them off for me!" the white haired man shrieked as he broke away, leaving everyone, including Huang Xuan and the black robed Heavenly Phoenix, stunned.
Even the three from Wind and Thunder Pavilion were frozen in surprise.
On the altar, even Zi Yan's bloodthirsty momentum faltered for a moment. She hadn't expected this man to abandon his elder a clan member who had lost an arm saving him.
"Heh… Typical cowardly bird," Lu Bu sneered coldly. "Some things never change."
"Hmph, do you think you can escape?" Zi Yan's eyes glinted coldly as she clenched her tiny fists and punched forward.
A muffled sound echoed, and two pitch black space fissures streaked forward with violent gales, tearing through the air like lightning.
Sensing the terrifying winds, the fleeing white haired man and Huang Xuan, who had just recovered, paled and attempted to dodge.
But how could they evade such an attack?
Crack!
Pfft!
Two dull sounds rang out in succession. The white haired man's chest was pierced clean through, leaving a gaping hole, while Huang Xuan, despite his greater strength, staggered as blood sprayed from his mouth. His face turned ashen.
Thud, thud, thud!
Heavy footsteps echoed again. A flash of brilliant golden light streaked through the air. In an instant, two heads soared into the sky.
"Bastard! You actually killed them?!" The black robed Heavenly Phoenix bellowed in fury, his eyes bloodshot. Violent energy surged around him, tinged with crimson and gold.
"He's going to self destruct?!"
"Damn it! He's going to self destruct?!"
Inside the Beast Spirit Barrier, everyone's pupils contracted as cold sweat poured down their backs.
This was a Six Star Dou Venerate self destructing!
And within the confines of the barrier, there was nowhere to run!
"Wishful thinking!" Zi Yan snorted coldly. Did they forget what Void Ancient Dragons were best at?
Her delicate hands shifted into a series of seals, and violet gold light intertwined with dazzling silver energy, forming a barrier as solid as the Beast Spirit Barrier itself.
"No! He's trying to destroy their bodies!" Lu Bu's pupils shrank, and he shouted urgently.
But before he could finish, a deafening explosion erupted. Golden light mingled with a bloody mist, rolling violently within the barrier. The ground beneath them caved in, forming a deep, bottomless pit.
Yet… not a single Heavenly Phoenix corpse remained!
"Damn it!" Lu Bu roared in fury, his sleeve flicking as the dark gold Heavenly Demon Puppet shot forward. Its razor sharp fingers slashed through the air.
"Wait "
The leaders of the Earth Tiger Clan and Silvermoon Wolf Clan wore terrified expressions, but before they could finish speaking, the puppet's dark gold hand pierced through their skulls. It extracted two glowing orbs a yellow one and a silver one both of which were Eighth Rank Magic Cores.
Thunder Venerable cried out in alarm, activating his Three Thousand Lightning Movement to its utmost limit as streaks of silver lightning crackled across the barrier.
Zi Yan sneered disdainfully. You're playing such tricks in front of me?
With a slap of her small hand, the Void Ancient Dragon's ancestral soul roared. A flash of violet gold light accompanied by a blood curdling scream erupted, followed by a sudden explosion of blood mist.
Zi Yan raised her hand, and from within the mist, a silver storage ring spiraled through the air into her grasp.
Meanwhile, Xiao Yan and Wind Venerable swiftly dispatched the three Dou Zong elders and Northern Pavilion Master Fei Tian from Wind and Thunder Pavilion.
"Let's go. It's time to find your Soul Infant Fruit," Lu Bu said nonchalantly as he collected the two Eighth Rank Magic Cores in his hand, glancing around the now silent battlefield.
Xiao Yan's mouth twitched, his face grimacing as he muttered to himself. After all that effort, he had gained nothing.
"Sigh… Following Lu Bu means three days of starvation and nine days of hunger…" Xiao Yan sighed dramatically, his tone laced with lamentation.
However, his "self muttering" wasn't exactly quiet. Even Zi Yan, standing atop the hundred meter altar, heard him. She cast him a cold glance but said nothing.
Xiao Yan shivered instinctively. Careful what you say around the senior! Or you might be the next meal!
"Are we going or not?" Lu Bu snapped impatiently.
"Yes, yes, of course!" Xiao Yan quickly replied, waving his hand to signal the Starfall Pavilion members to follow Lu Bu and his group.
As the group departed, the Beast Spirit Barrier gradually returned to its ancient stillness… or so it seemed.
About half an hour later, the barrier rippled slightly, and two figures, one cloaked in black mist and the other in white, appeared mysteriously. In their palms rested a single drop of glowing golden blood.
"Heavenly Phoenix blood…"
"What a terrifying battle…"
"At this level, only you and I could match it at full strength…" The raspy, aged voices spoke softly, heavy with solemnity as the figures observed the aftermath.
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