Chapter 397: Meeting Zi Yan!
Boom!
A thunderous explosion reverberated, shaking the heavens and the earth.
The scene blurred for everyone. In the blink of an eye, the ground quaked violently, the land overturned, and the once modest valley collapsed entirely, revealing a massive, bottomless pit.
In the sky above, Yao Chen and Xiao Yan stared in stunned silence. A Dou Saint? What happened to the Heavenly Demon Phoenix Dou Saint?
One punch and he was gone?
"Grand Elder?!" The Heavenly Demon Phoenix half saint finally snapped out of his stupor and screamed in disbelief.
How was this possible? That was one of their clan's three Grand Elders, a legendary Dou Saint, one of the fabled Heavenly Demon Three Phoenixes!
How could he be defeated with a single punch?
"What... What just happened?" Nine Phoenix and his companions also reacted, shrieking in panic as they stumbled over themselves, scrambling toward the enormous crater.
"Hahaha! Lu Bu, did I arrive too late?" Zhu Gang roared with laughter, his voice filled with exhilaration and even a hint of excitement.
"Thank you, Senior, for coming to my rescue!" Lu Bu cupped his hands in gratitude, smiling broadly.
He didn't think much of it and simply assumed Zhu Gang was reveling in his triumph over the Heavenly Demon Phoenix clan. But... seriously, you're a Dou Saint. Did you have to act so smug?
Behind him, Yun Yun and Medusa exchanged glances and exhaled deeply. For a moment, they had thought they were done for.
Then they remembered they had the Ancient Void Dragon clan backing them. The realization brought a faint smile to their faces.
In reality, Lu Bu wasn't just carrying Zhu Gang's spatial jade token. He also had ones belonging to Zhu Li, Zhu Xuan, and even Zhu Tao, a five star Dou Saint.
Not to mention one of the Heavenly Demon Phoenix's Three Phoenixes, Yinghuang. Even if the clan leader, Huang Tian, showed up personally, Lu Bu wouldn't feel the slightest bit intimidated.
"Is that... the Dou Saint from the Ancient Void Dragon clan we met back in the Ancient Realm?" Yao Chen and Xiao Yan exchanged glances, their hearts tightening.
Lu Bu had the ability to summon the Ancient Void Dragon Dou Saints at will?
"What's Lu Bu's relationship with the Ancient Void Dragon clan?" Xiao Yan's lips twitched as envy surged within him.
If I had this kind of backing, I would've stormed the Hall of Souls by now and taken the Hall Master's head myself!
Swish!
A piercing sound tore through the air as Yinghuang's figure emerged from the depths of the crater. His face was dark, his blood red eyes filled with rage, and his mouth twisted with fury.
His current appearance was downright pitiful his face was asymmetrically swollen, two front teeth missing, and twin streams of blood dripped from his nose like waterfalls.
"..."
Xiao Yan and Yao Chen exchanged another glance, then quickly averted their gazes. They couldn't help the smirks tugging at their lips, but they fought to suppress their laughter, their faces contorted from the effort.
Even getting beaten, Dou Saints do it with such flair.
"Who are you?" Yinghuang's voice trembled as he clenched his fists, his fury barely contained.
The punch from earlier had been devastating, not just in strength but in skill. The fact that the assailant had slipped through his spatial confinement without a sound meant they were clearly stronger than him.
"Lu Bu, are you in a hurry?" Zhu Gang asked, grinning wickedly. "If you are, I can send you all away right now. But if not... hehe, I'd like to play a bit more!"
As he spoke, Zhu Gang clenched his fists, his knuckles cracking audibly like firecrackers. A ferocious, beastly aura rolled off him, filled with savage brutality.
"Please, Senior, feel free to do as you like!" Lu Bu replied with a calm smile. Taking Yun Yun and Medusa by the hand, he gracefully retreated from the battlefield.
Hearing this, Zhu Gang's grin widened. His gaze turned sinister as he locked onto Yinghuang in the sky.
Above, Yinghuang's expression flickered. His face darkened, but his heart sank as he realized there would be no escape.
"Step back!" Yinghuang barked at his subordinates. With a flap of his golden wings, a terrifying surge of energy burst forth. Around him, vicious spatial rifts spread like spiderwebs.
Nine Phoenix and the other three retreated hastily, their faces pale. If Yinghuang was taking this seriously, it meant the opponent was no trifling foe.
A battle between Dou Saints was not something they could interfere with!
"Pitiful. A beast cornered is still doomed," Zhu Gang sneered. With a single step, he disappeared as the space around him rippled faintly.
Yao Chen's face grew solemn as his eyes gleamed with shock. The movement wasn't just fast it was as though Zhu Gang had vanished into the fabric of space itself.
As expected of the Ancient Void Dragon... Yao Chen thought, his heart trembling.
"Ancient Void Dragon?!" Yinghuang's pupils constricted as he screamed in realization.
Among the heavens and earth, only the Ancient Void Dragons could wield spatial power with such mastery.
"What? An Ancient Void Dragon?!" Nine Phoenix and the others paled instantly, fear and disbelief seizing their hearts.
Impossible!
How could the Dou Qi Continent still have a Dou Saint level Ancient Void Dragon?
Boom!
Yinghuang's instincts kicked in. His wings flashed, and he vanished like a ghost, leaving only a booming sound in his wake.
In the presence of an Ancient Void Dragon, the Heavenly Demon Phoenix's only saving grace was their speed. Yinghuang had no choice but to rely on his agility to evade and search for an opening to strike back.
But reality was cruel.
Just as Yinghuang moved, a whip like kick lashed out of nowhere, fast and brutal like a storm.
Boom!
The air trembled, and shockwaves rippled through space. Yinghuang let out a blood curdling scream as blood sprayed through the air. Several of his teeth flew out, and his face swelled symmetrically this time.
"Hehe, that's better. Nice and symmetrical now," Zhu Gang said, chuckling maliciously.
Yao Chen and Xiao Yan exchanged bewildered glances, their expressions a mix of disbelief and amusement.
A battle between Dou Saints... and it's just brawling?
In the distance, Nine Phoenix and his companions trembled uncontrollably.
This is outrageous! This is outright humiliation!
"You've gone too far!" Yinghuang roared, his teeth clenched. Black light erupted from his body as razor sharp energy filled the air.
"Rending Demon Claw!"
Yinghuang bellowed, his fearsome aura surging skyward.
"I'll show you 'rending'!" Zhu Gang sneered as he materialized in front of Yinghuang. His golden fist shimmered and slammed directly into Yinghuang's swollen face.
Boom!
With a sickening crunch, Yinghuang's nose shattered. He screamed again, and the overwhelming power of Zhu Gang's strike sent him hurtling into the ground, creating another massive crater.
"Elder Yinghuang?!" Nine Phoenix and the others cried out in horror. Was the Grand Elder truly defeated?
"That's enough. Now it's your turn," Zhu Gang said coldly, his voice sending shivers down their spines.
Overwhelmed with terror, the four scattered in all directions like startled sparrows.
Before they could get far, a powerful shockwave slammed into them.
Pfft!
All four coughed up blood, their faces pale as they crumpled to the ground, gravely injured and rendered incapable of fighting.
Nine Phoenix was in slightly better condition. Something had shielded him in the instant he was struck, so his injuries weren't as severe as the other three. However, having already been seriously wounded by Lu Bu, he wasn't in good shape either.
"Stop! You " Yinghuang, dragging his battered body out of the pit, had barely flown up when he saw the devastating scene in front of him.
Before he could finish his sentence, a powerful claw reached through the air and clamped firmly around his throat.
"Hahaha… Lu Bu, what do you plan to do with these mangy birds?" Zhu Gang laughed heartily, shaking the Heavenly Demon Phoenix in his grasp like a plaything.
In the distance, Xiao Yan and Yao Chen broke out in a cold sweat. The scene before them was chilling it was as if someone was holding up a chicken, asking the guest how they'd like it cooked.
The mighty Heavenly Demon Phoenix, before the Ancient Void Dragon, was nothing more than a helpless chick awaiting slaughter.
"Kill them all," Lu Bu said calmly. If they intended to kill him, he certainly wouldn't show mercy.
"Heh, that's exactly what I was thinking!" Zhu Gang grinned viciously, his eyes gleaming with murderous intent.
Xiao Yan and Yao Chen's faces changed dramatically. This was a Dou Saint and the young clan leader of the Heavenly Demon Phoenix. If they were really killed, wouldn't the entire Heavenly Demon Phoenix clan go insane?
"Stop!" A voice suddenly cut through the air as space was torn open. An elderly man in black robes appeared, his voice sharp.
"Teacher, who is that?" Xiao Yan asked in a low voice.
"One of the Heavenly Demon Three Phoenixes Kunhuang. He's even stronger than Yinghuang," Yao Chen replied solemnly.
"Heh… Another mangy bird!" Zhu Gang sneered, tightening his grip on Yinghuang's throat as he shot a disdainful look at the black robed elder.
Zhu Gang coldly examined the elder, his tone dripping with mockery. "I'm curious how did a mangy bird like you manage to break through my spatial barrier?"
From the moment Zhu Gang arrived, he had seized control of the spatial barrier Yinghuang had created. Within this radius of a thousand meters, the space was under his complete control.
Kunhuang, a mere late stage one star Dou Saint, shouldn't have had the ability to break through.
Someone stronger must have noticed this place... Lu Bu thought as his gaze landed on Kunhuang, a hint of suspicion forming in his mind.
"Honored guest, we have offended you, and for that, I sincerely apologize. On behalf of the Heavenly Demon Phoenix clan, I offer my deepest regrets," Kunhuang said, suppressing his fury and bowing slightly toward Lu Bu in the distance.
Lu Bu remained silent, casually picking at his nails with a faint smile. His eyes glinted with amusement as he watched Kunhuang, one of the so called Heavenly Demon Three Phoenixes.
What, one apology was supposed to smooth everything over? So if I had killed them, would you have just fined me a few drinks to settle the score?
Seeing this, Kunhuang's expression twitched. Letting out a sigh, he produced a golden brocade box with both hands and spoke solemnly. "This is a token of our clan's compensation. I hope you can forgive us and let bygones be bygones."
As he opened the brocade box, a burst of blue red light surged out, radiating a domineering, unyielding aura. Inside the box, a vividly lifelike Heavenly Demon Phoenix seemed to spread its wings and cry out.
"A ninth tier magic core?!" Yao Chen's eyes widened as his breathing grew heavy.
A treasure of this caliber... even he, the wealthy and renowned Medicine Saint, had never owned one. Such a core required the slaying of a Dou Saint level magical beast, and how many ninth tier magical beasts existed in the world?
"Heh, not bad. Quite sincere," Zhu Gang said with a slight nod.
Whoosh!
The brocade box flew toward Lu Bu, landing in his hand. He weighed it lightly and nodded with satisfaction. "Senior Zhu Gang, please release them."
As he spoke, Lu Bu made a casual gesture, and the spatial rings of the four Heavenly Demon Phoenixes, including Yinghuang, flew into his hand.
"These are the spoils of war. I trust you have no objections?" Lu Bu asked, shaking the five rings in his hand.
"None whatsoever..." Kunhuang replied, his voice strained as he suppressed his anger.
"Heh... Now get lost!" Zhu Gang sneered as he kicked Yinghuang, sending him flying.
Kunhuang's face twitched as he grabbed the injured Yinghuang and the half saint. Nine Phoenix quickly picked up the other two injured companions.
A spatial rift opened once again, and the Heavenly Demon Phoenixes fled in disgrace, not daring to utter a single threat.
So, someone stronger really is watching... Lu Bu thought, his eyes narrowing as he glanced at the spatial rift that had suddenly appeared. A cold smile tugged at his lips.
"Hahaha… Lu Bu, do you have anything pressing to do next?" Zhu Gang turned to him with a wide grin.
"Not really," Lu Bu replied with a light smile.
"Oh? In that case, how about visiting Dragon Island?" Zhu Gang asked, his grin widening. "Lately, Her Majesty the Dragon Emperor has been missing you dearly."
"Zi Yan's out of seclusion?!" Lu Bu exclaimed, visibly surprised.
Behind him, Yun Yun and Medusa's eyes also lit up. It had been so long since they last saw Zi Yan.
"Haha, the Dragon Emperor isn't in life or death seclusion. Of course she'd come out eventually!" Zhu Gang laughed heartily.
"In that case, let's go," Lu Bu said, glancing at the two women behind him. Seeing his look, Yun Yun and Medusa both nodded slightly.
"Hahaha! Wonderful!" Zhu Gang cheered, his excitement palpable as he burst into laughter.
With a wave of his sleeve, a spatial tunnel appeared instantly.
Exchanging a glance, Lu Bu and the two women couldn't help but feel bewildered. Zhu Gang seemed... overly enthusiastic.
"Oh, wait!" Lu Bu suddenly stopped and looked toward Yao Chen and Xiao Yan in the distance. "The Bodhi Ancient Tree has the ability to turn people into puppets. Under its control, there are at least five or six half saint puppets. If you lack sufficient strength, I advise you not to go to the Wild Ancient Region."
Hearing this, Yao Chen and Xiao Yan's expressions darkened. They wanted to stop Lu Bu to ask for more details, but before they could, he and the two women had already followed Zhu Gang into the spatial rift and disappeared.
"Is he telling the truth?" Xiao Yan's face was grim. If so, how were they supposed to obtain the Bodhi Seed or the Bodhi Heart?
Was it really a treasure meant only for the destined?
"Lu Bu might withhold information, but he never lies," Yao Chen replied, his eyes flickering with thought.
Hearing this, Xiao Yan's face grew even more somber. While he was glad to learn something about the Bodhi Ancient Tree from Lu Bu, the information itself was far from comforting.
…
Void Space, Dragon Island.
The moment Lu Bu and his companions landed, an aura descended upon them.
Whoosh!
A figure appeared before them. It was Zhu Tao, the five star Dou Saint of the Ancient Void Dragon clan. However, his appearance was less than dignified his face was bruised and swollen, and his front teeth were conspicuously missing.
"Heh… Zhu Gang, you sure ran fast!" Zhu Tao growled, grabbing Zhu Gang by the neck, his expression cold.
"Senior Zhu Tao, we have guests! They're here to see Her Majesty the Dragon Emperor!" Zhu Gang cried out in alarm.
"Spare me your nonsense. I can see Lu Bu just fine I'm not blind!" Zhu Tao snapped, tightening his grip on Zhu Gang's neck. "But you're coming with me! You think you can run after that beating?!"
With that, Zhu Tao dragged a squirming Zhu Gang away, leaving Lu Bu and his companions standing there in stunned silence.
"No wonder Zhu Gang was so cheerful earlier..." Lu Bu muttered, his expression complicated.
"Ahem... Looks like another elder has returned," Medusa said, coughing lightly.
"Where's Zi Yan?" Yun Yun asked, glancing around. Unsure what to do next, she suggested, "Should we head to the place Zi Yan arranged for us before?"
"Ahem… Lu Bu, long time no see," a calm voice interrupted.
The Third Elder, Zhu Li, appeared and said, "Come with me. I'll take you to see Her Majesty the Dragon Emperor."
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