Chapter 313: Xiao Yan: I'll Secretly Advance and Shock Lu Bu!
"What riches? I'm so broke I'm about to beg for food!" Xiao Yan straightened his face, coughed lightly, and quickly replied. The surging Dou Qi in his body began to subside as he dispersed the strength brought by the Heavenly Flame Three Mysterious Change.
"Hmm…" Lu Bu kicked the half dead Earth Yellow Python at his feet and sneered. "You think you can hide this from me?"
"I'll tell you something: before you even picked up that Earth Core Jade Essence, I already knew about it. So, tell me, how much Earth Core Soul Marrow did you get?"
Xiao Yan's mouth twitched. "Not much, just a tiny bit…"
As he spoke, Xiao Yan flipped his hand, and a watermelon sized Earth Core Jade Essence appeared.
Lu Bu's eyes bulged. "Wow… That big?!"
The Earth Core Jade Essence he had painstakingly extracted from the Medicine Clan's fields and from Yao Tian's hands was barely the size of a human head. Yet here Xiao Yan casually pulled out one the size of a watermelon. Truly, the heavens favored Xiao Yan, force feeding him success.
Lu Bu couldn't help but feel envious… and indignant. This kind of "charity" was downright despicable!
A real man should rely on his own strength and hard work to earn his spoils, not accept handouts!
"Nice find," Lu Bu said, coughing lightly into his fist. "Xiao Yan, leave me a bottle of it, and I'll take the rest."
"What?! Lu Bu, are you robbing me?!" Xiao Yan's eyes widened in anger. "No way! You might as well kill me!"
"No?" Lu Bu snorted. "Didn't we have a deal? You still owe me some payments, don't you? And let's not forget I just saved your life. If it weren't for me, who knows what would've happened in your fight with Mu Gu? What if you ran out of Dou Qi and got eaten by a magical beast? That wouldn't be good, right?"
"So, what about repaying this life saving favor?"
Hearing this, Xiao Yan's face twisted into a grimace, on the verge of tears.
On Lu Bu's back, Zhu Yan giggled gleefully. Watching Lu Bu bully others was just too entertaining!
"Fine…" Xiao Yan sighed heavily, resigned. "What choice do I have? I owe you…"
Reluctantly, he made a cut in the Earth Core Jade Essence and carefully poured out a bottle of Earth Core Soul Marrow. But before he could react, Lu Bu had already snatched the Earth Core Jade Essence from his hands.
"Heh, good job!" Lu Bu laughed, shaking the jade essence in his hand. With this, he could help Qing Lin and Yun Yun advance to the Soul Realm.
Behind him, Xiong Zhan sniffed the air, his eyes glinting with hunger. The alluring scent of the Soul Marrow stirred a deep longing in his soul. It was no wonder even eighth tier alchemists coveted it so fiercely.
"Lu Bu, I have a proposition for you. Interested?" Xiao Yan suddenly asked, stowing away the remaining Earth Core Soul Marrow as his eyes lit up with an idea.
"Oh? You've got a deal?" Lu Bu raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Let's hear it."
"Mu Gu, of course!" Xiao Yan stroked his chin, mimicking Lu Bu's thoughtful demeanor, before breaking into a sly grin. "Let's team up to kill Mu Gu. I'll take his Heavenly Flame, and you can have his storage ring."
"That guy is an eighth tier alchemist from the Hall of Souls. Think of all the wealth in his possession it'll be worth a fortune!"
"If we pull this off, you'll make a killing!"
Hearing this, Xiong Zhan's eyes lit up with excitement. Who were the richest people in the world? Alchemists, of course! Especially high tier ones! If this deal went through and the little miss didn't object, he'd definitely want in!
"So that's the deal…" Lu Bu's expression turned odd. Xiao Yan really had a knack for scheming, almost reminiscent of his own tricks from the past.
Almost, but not quite perfect.
"Oh, did I never mention this before?" Lu Bu asked, feigning surprise. "I've already robbed Mu Gu twice. He's broke now there's nothing left to squeeze out of him!"
As he spoke, Lu Bu waved his hand, and a black, mist shrouded token appeared. On its front was an intricate depiction of a grand hall, with the characters "Mu Gu" elegantly engraved at the base.
It was Mu Gu's identification token.
"What?!" Xiao Yan's eyes widened in disbelief as he stared at the token. "How… How did this happen?"
Lu Bu had already fought Mu Gu… and won? Not just once, but twice?
"Well, the story's a bit long, so I'll spare you the details," Lu Bu said, shrugging with an air of feigned regret. "Anyway, this deal of yours isn't going to work out."
Hearing this, Xiao Yan's mouth twitched. He had just wanted to take advantage of Lu Bu for once. Why did it have to be so difficult?
"Of course, if you have a better offer, I'm all ears," Lu Bu added with a sly grin. "How about it? You're talking about a Heavenly Flame, after all a rare chance to boost your strength quickly."
Xiao Yan's eyes flickered with hesitation, temptation clear on his face. Lu Bu wasn't wrong; Heavenly Flames were incredibly rare. And…
As the thought lingered, Xiao Yan instinctively touched his storage ring, his resolve wavering.
Oh? He still has some treasures in there… Lu Bu's eyes gleamed with anticipation, a sly grin spreading across his face as he waited for Xiao Yan to cave.
"Wait a second!" Xiao Yan snapped out of his daze, noticing the sly expression on Lu Bu's face. His eye twitched. Damn it, I came here to trick Lu Bu, so why am I about to fall for his trap?
"Cough… Let me think it over first," Xiao Yan said hurriedly before kicking off the ground and disappearing into the distance, his departure a little too rushed to seem natural.
"Ah, what a pity…" Lu Bu sighed, shaking his head in mock regret. He had really hoped to get some more goodies out of Xiao Yan.
"Lu Bu, what should we do now?" Zhu Yan asked, tilting her small face up, her lips curving into a soft smile. She enjoyed spending time alone with Lu Bu it reminded her of their days together at the Jia Nan Academy.
"Hmm… Let's take a stroll," Lu Bu replied with a smile. "Right now, my priority is to root out the Hall of Souls operatives hidden in the Pill Realm and eliminate them!"
But come to think of it… In the original story, the Hall of Souls had more than just Mu Gu operating in the Pill Realm. There were also several black robed figures.
Not to mention, among the top ten contestants in the Pill Gathering, apart from Mu Gu, there were several undercover agents from the Hall of Souls.
"Tsk, tsk… The Hall of Souls sure has its claws everywhere," Lu Bu muttered with a smirk. He waved his sleeve, causing ripples of spatial energy to spread out, enveloping Xiong Zhan, Zhu Yan, and himself before the three of them vanished into the void.
In a dense, verdant forest, bursts of Dou Qi clashed violently, sending shockwaves through the air. Shouts and battle cries echoed in all directions.
"Young Master, run!" A man's veins bulged on his blood red face as he roared, charging toward a black clad elder in desperation.
Behind him, two young men gritted their teeth and fled into the distance while three others desperately fended off the relentless onslaught of black mist.
"Self detonation? You're not worthy."
Mu Gu sneered, his palm slamming forward. Silver light erupted as spatial energy surged, forming countless sharp blades that gathered into a mountain like mass and crushed down with overwhelming force.
Boom!
The guard attempting to self destruct burst into a mist of blood, dissipating without causing the slightest ripple.
Mu Gu may have been a punching bag for Lu Bu, but he was still a three star Dou Zun, capable of effortlessly crushing these people.
"You Pill Tower brats, you're all staying here!" Mu Gu cackled coldly, his sleeve flicking as two black chains shot out like vipers, heading straight for the backs of the fleeing young men.
"Damn it!" Chen Xian and Song Qing's faces changed drastically as the sharp, ghostly chains behind them clung to them like shadows. No matter how many movement techniques they used, they couldn't shake off their relentless pursuer.
"Damn it..." A fierce light flashed in Chen Xian's eyes as he suddenly slapped Song Qing across the face.
"Chen Xian, you !" Song Qing's face twisted in shock as he instinctively dodged to the side, raising an arm to shield himself.
However, while Chen Xian's alchemy skills were inferior to Song Qing's, his combat abilities far surpassed him. Striking suddenly, how could a frail alchemist like Song Qing possibly defend himself?
Smack!
Song Qing tumbled through the air, but he wasn't completely defenseless. He pressed his palm against the ground to regain his balance. "Chen Xian, you cowardly "
Pfft!
Two chains mercilessly pierced through his forehead and heart. The anger on Song Qing's face instantly froze, and his entire body stiffened in place.
"Haha… Brother Song, thank you for saving my life!" Chen Xian laughed in delight before vanishing into the forest with a swift movement technique.
Mu Gu flicked his wrist, pulling Song Qing's soul from his body. Song Qing's ghostly wails of despair filled the air, but he was powerless as he was sealed into a soul pouch belonging to the Hall of Souls.
"Hmph… Two more to go!" Mu Gu sneered. If he couldn't capture Xiao Yan, could he not at least deal with these pampered little brats?
His next targets Cao Ying and Dan Chen, disciples of the Pill Tower's great elders. If he could capture them, even if he failed to obtain the Three Thousand Burning Flame or Xiao Yan's soul and Heavenly Flames, at least he could still secure his own life.
With a flick of his sleeve, the black clad figures around him vanished into his robe. With a single step, his figure blurred and disappeared.
"Once I extract the souls of those two women, I'll personally take Xiao Yan's life… Ke ke ke!"
…
Halfway up a mountain, Xiao Yan furrowed his brows as he scanned a parchment scroll. "Immortal Ascension Grass, Demon Blood Spirit Fruit Juice, Dragon Core Nine Leaf Ganoderma… These aren't things you can just pick up anywhere…"
He let out a slight sigh. They were both from the Jia Ma Empire, so why was Lu Bu off gallivanting across the world with his senior sister while he was stuck here doing all this work?
It was infuriating!
"Hmm?" Suddenly, a gentle breeze carried a faintly fragrant scent. Xiao Yan's expression shifted. He closed his eyes slightly and took a deep breath.
The next moment, his eyes snapped open, shining with excitement. "Dan Spirit Essence! That's the scent of Dan Spirit Essence!"
"Hahaha! Heaven doesn't treat me poorly after all!"
Xiao Yan burst into laughter, his frustration immediately vanishing. Dan Spirit Essence was precisely what he needed to refine Earth Soul Marrow.
He already had Heavenly Agate Essence back in the Black Corner Region, he had traded for a piece with Lu Bu. It was still sitting safely in his storage ring.
Now, if he could obtain Dan Spirit Essence, breaking through to the Spirit Realm of soul power and advancing to an eighth tier alchemist would be within reach!
Without hesitation, Xiao Yan spread his soul perception outward, tracking the source of the fragrance. He would quietly advance his rank and then amaze Lu Bu and astonish everyone!
Flutter! As Xiao Yan moved away, a white pigeon hidden in the trees cooed twice before spreading its wings, flying toward the heart of the Ten Thousand Medicine Mountain Range.
There, deep in the core region
…
Clear spring water trickled down from the mountain, flowing over stones and pebbles before pooling into a tranquil pond.
Beside the pond, a massive boulder stood about ten meters high, its surface covered in moss. In the center of the boulder was a stone cavity.
Inside the cavity, a thick, viscous green liquid gleamed faintly, its intoxicating fragrance drifting through the air.
"Heh heh… It really is Dan Spirit Essence!" Xiao Yan rubbed his hands together. What a treasure!
But he didn't act recklessly. After years of searching for rare herbs, he knew that the more precious the ingredient, the more likely it was guarded by a powerful magical beast.
Sure enough, as soon as he spread his soul perception, he detected a strong presence lurking beneath the pond's surface. A faint blue scaled form rippled through the water, blending with the current.
"Huh?" Xiao Yan raised an eyebrow. Scales with snake like patterns, a blue hue, and traces of tiger markings...
A Mystic Water Tiger Jiao!
"A powerful beast indeed!" Xiao Yan grinned and rolled up his sleeves, preparing to take it down directly.
The Mystic Water Tiger Jiao was strong, but so was he. With the strength of a nine star Dou Zong, he could even take on an eight rank magical beast though if possible, he'd rather not fight it head on.
"No! I can't be reckless!"
Suddenly, Xiao Yan's eyes flickered with cunning, and he crouched back down. If he fought now and caused a ruckus, what if Lu Bu showed up?
No way!
If Lu Bu found out, he'd definitely take half of it!
"I need to be smart about this…" Xiao Yan's eyes gleamed as he whispered to himself.
With a wave of his hand, he retrieved a small fruit bearing tree from his storage ring. The tree was completely blue, and a single round fruit dangled from its branches.
A Water Cloud Drunken Immortal Fruit a delicacy irresistible to water type magical beasts. Its juice contained a potent sedative strong enough to lull even a seventh rank beast into brief slumber.
"Heh heh…"
Xiao Yan carefully planted the tree near the pond, then quietly retreated into the bushes, lying in wait.
An hour passed.
No movement.
It was as if the Mystic Water Tiger Jiao didn't exist at all.
Xiao Yan frowned, inhaling deeply to suppress his impatience.
Splash!
At that moment, a massive, ten meter long blue serpent slowly emerged from the pond. Its mouth opened, and a beam of blue light shot out, forming a barrier around the Dan Spirit Essence.
Then, its serpentine tail flicked as it slithered toward the Water Cloud Drunken Immortal Fruit, swallowing it whole.
"Heh heh…" Xiao Yan grinned. Success!
As soon as it consumed the fruit, the Mystic Water Tiger Jiao's body stiffened. A wave of dizziness clouded its eyes before it collapsed limply, sliding back toward the pond.
"Perfect!" Xiao Yan whispered excitedly.
With a thunderous crackle of lightning, he activated Three Thousand Lightning Movement, his figure becoming a blur as he shot forward. With a single punch, he shattered the blue barrier. Then, his flame wrapped fingers dug into the boulder, prying loose a chunk of stone.
Thick, fragrant essence dripped from the stone's crevice, its intoxicating aroma filling the air.
"A treasure… my treasure…" Xiao Yan chuckled in delight.
"Hahaha! Xiao Yan, congratulations on striking it rich again!"
A booming laugh echoed from the void, startling Xiao Yan so much that he nearly dropped the Dan Spirit Essence.
Spatial ripples spread, and Lu Bu appeared with an excited expression, accompanied by Zi Yan.
"You… YOU AGAIN?!"
Xiao Yan almost cried.
Why hadn't he just fought the Mystic Water Tiger Jiao directly? Why had he gone through all the effort of drugging it?
Wasn't it just to avoid attracting Lu Bu?!
Yet Lu Bu still showed up…
(End of Chapter)
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