Chapter 289: Brother, Stay Strong...
"Xiao Yan?!" The Soul Hall's Qinghai Elder froze in shock. Could Xiao Yan really be this handsome?
Wait! Why are there two Xiao Yans?!
"Xiao Yan? The one with Dou Di potential?!" The Crimson Flame Elder gasped, recalling the Soul Hall's Qinghai Elder addressing Lu Bu as Xiao Yan earlier. At the time, the elder hadn't given it much thought. However, now, faced with this sudden turn of events, the appearance of a second "Xiao Yan" left him utterly stunned.
"Dou Di potential, Xiao Yan?" Qinghai Elder's face darkened. He had heard rumors that the Nine Heavens Elder of the Soul Hall had once personally pursued Xiao Yan but returned empty handed, suffering a humiliating failure. Though the details of what transpired were unclear, the implications were significant far beyond what someone at his level as a Two Star Dou Zun could comprehend.
This individual was no ordinary opponent and could not be underestimated!
Qinghai Elder's gaze sharpened as his expression grew tense and solemn.
Listening to the Crimson Flame Elder's astonished murmurs and Qinghai Elder's cautious tone, Xiao Yan's mouth twitched, and his heart churned with a mix of helpless frustration and resignation. I am the real Xiao Yan! That's Lu Bu!
"You two are really something…" Lin Yan's face twitched as he couldn't help but mutter under his breath.
"He started it!" Xiao Yan snapped, fuming. Why does this always happen?! I'm Xiao Yan, not him!
"Then go confront him," Lin Yan suggested, pointing toward Lu Bu's retreating figure.
"Forget it!" Xiao Yan immediately backed down. Lu Bu's demeanor practically screamed danger. There was no way he'd voluntarily set himself up for a beating.
"Ahem, Lu Bu uh, Xiao Yan what's your connection with that other Xiao Yan?" Crimson Flame Elder cautiously asked Xiao Yan, having just recovered from his initial shock. He hadn't caught the earlier conversation between Lin Yan and Xiao Yan and remained thoroughly confused.
"Oh, Xiao Yan? He's a good man righteous, chivalrous, compassionate, a staunch defender of justice and enemy of evildoers like the Soul Hall. A true hero!" Xiao Yan hastily cobbled together some flattering remarks about himself, leaving Lin Yan rolling his eyes in silent exasperation.
"Ah, yes, his appearance alone handsome and noble, elegant and refined makes it clear he is nothing like the sinister Soul Hall." Crimson Flame Elder nodded in agreement, staring at Lu Bu's back with a tone of reverence.
Hearing this, Xiao Yan's expression darkened. Can't you just compliment me without bringing up appearances? Is this necessary?
For reasons he couldn't quite explain, Xiao Yan suddenly felt less fond of the Burning Flame Valley.
Meanwhile, Qinghai Elder's expression grew increasingly grim. Tendrils of black mist coiled between his fingers, forming intricate chains that slithered like venomous serpents.
"Stranger, this is a matter between the Soul Hall and that boy. I urge you not to interfere!" Qinghai Elder barked, his voice brimming with menace. To him, the black clad newcomer calling himself Xiao Yan seemed to be at the Dou Zun level a significant threat.
"If you insist on meddling, I advise you to think twice. Offending a force as powerful as the Soul Hall could cost you dearly!" he continued, his tone sharp and threatening.
"I've already offended the Soul Clan. Why not your Soul Hall too?" Lu Bu smirked, his voice dripping with mockery.
His words made Qinghai Elder's face twist in shock. The Soul Clan was no trifling foe, yet this man dared to provoke them? What's more, he even claimed to have eliminated some of their most promising members, such as Soul Li and Soul Ya, and orchestrated the demise of a prodigy like Soul Yu. Such audacious actions made his scalp tingle.
"If that's the case, then die!" Qinghai Elder snarled, his expression turning ferocious.
"Hundred Souls Locking Python!"
With a thunderous roar, black mist surged around Qinghai Elder, coiling into a vortex that emitted ear piercing wails. The mist enveloped countless black chains, which intertwined to form an enormous python. The serpent radiated a menacing, lifelike presence.
"Attack!" Qinghai Elder bellowed, commanding the massive python to lunge at Lu Bu with jaws wide open.
Meanwhile, the two shadowy figures flanking Qinghai Elder darted toward Xiao Yan and the others, their energy churning like rolling waves.
"That move..." Lu Bu raised an eyebrow. Hundred Souls Locking Python? He recognized it Wu Protector of the Soul Hall had used it in the original timeline as a finishing move to overwhelm Xiao Yan. Back then, Xiao Yan had been forced to unleash three or four Earth tier Dou Techniques to fend it off.
However, in Qinghai Elder's hands, it seemed to be more of a probing attack than a killing blow.
The chains clashed with a deafening clang, creating waves of sound that rippled through the air. A vast white mist erupted as the black python, brimming with murderous intent, charged toward Lu Bu.
"Netherworld Shura Hand!"
Lu Bu's eyes gleamed sharply. Taking a single step forward, his Dou Qi erupted like a storm, radiating a cold, murderous aura.
A massive, pale white hand materialized in midair, carrying immense force and murderous intent as it slapped toward the python.
"Hold them off for me. Don't let them escape!" Lu Bu commanded, his voice steady.
"Understood..." Xiao Yi Xian nodded gently. Her serene gaze shifted as her eyes glimmered with soft hues of gray and purple.
Boom!
The pale white hand clashed with the black python, unleashing a thunderous explosion. The collision created a dark spatial rift that swallowed the surrounding energy, sending razor sharp spatial fragments flying in every direction.
Caught off guard, Xiao Yan and his companions yelped in shock, scrambling to dodge the incoming debris. A direct hit from one of these shards could prove fatal.
The impact sent shockwaves rippling through the air, and both Qinghai Elder and Lu Bu were blasted backward.
The exchange ended in a stalemate.
"Damn it!" Qinghai Elder growled, his expression turning ugly. How is this possible?
His opponent was only a One Star Dou Zun, yet he managed to fight him evenly. This didn't add up!
"Ha! A Two Star Dou Zun of the Soul Hall? You're weaker than I expected," Lu Bu mocked, shaking his hand dismissively.
"Impudent brat!" Qinghai Elder roared, his face twisted in fury. Dou Qi erupted from his body as countless chains snaked through the air like serpentine shadows.
"Soul Chain Cascade!"
The chains released a dense, ominous black mist, spreading an eerie pressure that targeted the soul directly. The aura alone sent waves of pain and dread through those present, bypassing physical defenses.
"Hmph. Child's play!" Lu Bu sneered, clapping his hands together. A brilliant burst of purple black light surged from his palms, forming two crystalline seals that rapidly expanded to the size of a city gate.
The seals shot forward, colliding with the torrent of soul chains in a dazzling explosion of light and shadow. The overwhelming impact tore through the cascading chains, leaving the battlefield awash with violent energy.
"That technique..." Xiao Yan muttered, his lips twitching as he recognized the move. The Imperial Seal Art?
Lu Bu executed it effortlessly, summoning two seals with casual ease. This guy… he's terrifying!
What shocked Xiao Yan even more than Lu Bu's combat techniques was his strength he was already a Dou Zun!
Xiao Yan tightly pursed his lips. He had thought reaching the Dou Zong stage was already an impressive feat, but never had he imagined that Lu Bu had already taken a step further, advancing to Dou Zun a full realm ahead of him.
"Phew... It's fine. I have the Bone Spirit Cold Flame. I can catch up!" Xiao Yan took a deep breath, his eyes blazing with determination. The refinement of the Bone Spirit Cold Flame would not only boost his Dou Qi cultivation but also elevate his Flame Mantra to new heights.
Once his cultivation technique broke through to the Heaven Tier, it would be more than enough to suppress Lu Bu! After all, Lu Bu's Celestial Tyrant Fire Technique was only a mid level Earth Tier technique not worth worrying about.
That said, what shocked Xiao Yan most this time wasn't Lu Bu's Dou Zun level strength, but that strange purple black flame.
If he remembered correctly, only one flame of that color existed on the Heavenly Flames Ranking the 9th ranked Three Thousand Burning Flame.
"Damn it, so enviable!" Xiao Yan muttered, his eyes tinged with redness as he ground his teeth in frustration.
"What a powerful Dou Technique!" Crimson Flame Elder exclaimed, his expression changing drastically. The twin crystal imprints unleashed by Lu Bu were stronger than his Burning Valley's famed Taiyi Fire Spiral Palm. The sheer terror of the technique left him speechless.
"What kind of Dou Technique is that?" Lin Yan, still trembling, cried out in shock. As a mere Dou Huang, if not for Xiao Yan protecting him, even the residual waves from the technique's energy storm could have torn him to shreds.
Boom!
The raging energy hurricane swept through the air, destroying everything in its path, shredding all obstacles into nothingness. The storm, its momentum undiminished, surged toward Qinghai Elder.
Qinghai Elder's face twisted in alarm. His figure trembled violently as he left behind a series of afterimages, retreating rapidly.
Boom!!
The energy hurricane crashed violently into the spatial barrier Qinghai Elder had created. The supposedly unbreakable spatial domain shattered like glass struck by a hammer, splintering into countless fragments that scattered in all directions.
The hurricane continued to rage, shredding the remnants of Qinghai Elder's afterimages.
When the dust settled, Qinghai Elder stood disheveled and furious, his hair in disarray and his robes torn. His voice trembled with rage: "Damn it, what kind of Dou Technique is that?!"
The technique resembled the rumored Imperial Seal Art, but wasn't the Imperial Seal Art supposed to require complex hand seals to unleash its immense power? Yet, Lu Bu had simply clapped his hands together and unleashed two seals consecutively. How was that possible?!
"Imperial Seal Art, of course. Aren't you supposed to be a Soul Clan member? How do you not recognize it?" Lu Bu sneered, a mischievous grin tugging at the corners of his lips.
"Impossible! Absolutely impossible!" Qinghai Elder's old face turned beet red as he shouted, veins bulging on his forehead. "The Imperial Seal Art doesn't work like that! No one can use it like this!"
"Oh? And how many times have you actually seen the Imperial Seal Art in action?" Lu Bu smirked, clapping his hands together again with a resounding snap before shouting:
"Overturning Earth Seal!"
As his voice fell, a purple black crystalline seal, even more intricate and terrifying than the previous two, materialized before him. The seal radiated a monstrous energy wave that sent chills down the spines of everyone present.
"Damn it!" Qinghai Elder's pupils contracted violently. Whether or not this was the Imperial Seal Art, it was powerful enough to annihilate him.
"Go!" Lu Bu flicked his sleeve, sending the Overturning Earth Seal roaring toward Qinghai Elder.
"Let's see how many of these attacks you can unleash!" Qinghai Elder's eyes glinted with malice. Black mist surged from his hands, forming twin torrents of sinister energy that surged forward to meet the oncoming Overturning Earth Seal.
In Qinghai Elder's mind, Lu Bu's strength came solely from his high level Dou Techniques. Without them, he was nothing to fear!
"Die, you pale pretty boy! Once your Dou Qi is depleted, I'll make sure you die without a burial site!" Qinghai Elder growled inwardly, his gaze cold and vicious.
Boom! Boom!
The black torrents clashed with the purple black seal, triggering another violent explosion. Waves of energy rippled outward, wreaking havoc across the battlefield as shockwaves swept the area.
"Haha, again!" Lu Bu laughed heartily, his purple black Dou Qi surging like a roaring tsunami as a new vortex of energy spiraled around him.
Qinghai Elder gritted his teeth. I'll wait until his Dou Qi runs dry!
"What terrifying combat power. As expected of Dou Zun experts!" Crimson Flame Elder muttered, his expression heavy with tension.
"All these powerful techniques... doesn't he ever think about conserving Dou Qi?" Lin Yan's pupils shrank to pinpricks, his voice trembling with disbelief. Each of Lu Bu's attacks was a high level Earth Tier Dou Technique, yet he used them without hesitation, one after another.
"It's not a problem. He's an alchemist; who can outlast him in a battle of endurance?" Xiao Yan muttered, his eyes flickering with curiosity.
However, Xiao Yan couldn't help but notice something strange. He had practiced the Imperial Seal Art before and was acutely aware of how much Dou Qi it consumed. With Lu Bu's mid level Earth Tier cultivation technique, he should've been nearly depleted after unleashing two or three seals.
Back in the Black Corner Region, Lu Bu had executed a triple seal fusion move, only to collapse from exhaustion afterward though he recovered surprisingly quickly.
A frown crept across Xiao Yan's face. That was another thing Lu Bu's recovery abilities were extraordinary. Whether it was his Dou Qi during battle or his spiritual power after refining pills, he always replenished far faster than anyone else.
Boom!!
In the distance, a deafening explosion rang out as Lu Bu and Qinghai Elder were both sent flying.
The group looked up in alarm. Sure enough, Lu Bu's face had turned pale, and his body appeared drained.
Qinghai Elder, though battered and disheveled, still seemed battle ready.
"Heh heh, kid, you're finished!" Qinghai Elder cackled darkly. "Competing in endurance with me? Where does a mere One Star Dou Zun get the confidence to do that?"
The sound of clinking chains echoed through the air like a death knell as Qinghai Elder's chains slithered forth, aiming to finish Lu Bu off.
Crimson Flame Elder paled, despair rising in his heart. "This is bad! 'Xiao Yan' is out of energy. We're doomed!"
"Relax. He probably has some high grade pills on him…" Xiao Yan muttered, unconcerned.
But before he could finish speaking, the surrounding energy suddenly surged violently, converging toward Lu Bu's body like a tidal wave.
"What…? A Heaven Tier cultivation technique?!" Qinghai Elder gasped, his pupils shrinking in terror.
"Wait, what?! Heaven Tier?!" Xiao Yan's eyes bulged in disbelief.
Wasn't Lu Bu supposed to be using Celestial Tyrant Fire Technique, a mid level Earth Tier technique he'd stolen from his teacher?!
Sensing Xiao Yan's confusion, Lu Bu turned his head slightly, a playful smirk on his lips.
"Oh, didn't I mention? This Heaven Tier technique was a gift from little Xun'er. She's been cultivating it alongside me," Lu Bu said casually.
Xiao Yan's face turned as black as the bottom of a pot.
"What… what the hell is going on here?!" Xiao Yi Xian frowned slightly. Xun'er? Who's that?
"Brother, stay strong…" Lin Yan patted Xiao Yan's shoulder sympathetically, offering his condolences.
Xiao Yan's face darkened even further. What the hell is happening?!
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