Chapter 360: Everyone Learned from the Same Person, and No One Can Break the Moves!
In a spacious private room, Lei Chen recounted his experience in the Void Thunder Pool with vivid detail. His storytelling was so engaging that the Gu Clan's commanders and the other member of the Lei Clan listened intently, their expressions shifting between astonishment and contemplation.
"A Dou Saint level Ancient Dragon senior is truly terrifying…" Lei Chen concluded with a sigh. "Had it not been for that senior's mercy, and the life saving elixirs gifted by the Grand Commander, both of us would have been doomed!"
"Haha… Senior Zhu Gang is right here in the Gu Sacred City. If you want to thank him for sparing your life, you can go directly to him," Lu Bu teased with a smirk, his tone filled with amusement.
"Uh…" Lei Chen froze, his face stiffening before forcing out a dry laugh. "I'll pass on that. My legs might start trembling the moment I see him…"
"Hahaha…" The crowd burst into laughter, and the luxurious private room was soon filled with a jovial atmosphere.
"So, that Ancient Dragon who tore through space was the same one Lei Chen encountered…" Gu Luan remarked with a hearty laugh. Then, as if casually, she asked, "Grand Commander, what made you visit the Void Thunder Pool?"
"Yeah, Grand Commander, isn't your specialty fire energy?" Shen Song asked curiously. "I remember… aren't you a pharmacist?"
"Huh? The Grand Commander is a pharmacist?" Yang Hao was stunned. In his mind, Lu Bu was clearly a straightforward brute, the type who would solve problems with dragon punches to the face. Pharmacists, who were meticulous and detail oriented, seemed to have nothing in common with Lu Bu except perhaps the use of flames.
"Oh… 'The pinnacle of alchemy belongs to none. At the sight of Lu Bu, all paths are undone,'" Lei Chen suddenly exclaimed, recalling something, his tone filled with surprise.
Lu Bu: "…"
"Hiss…" Several Black Abyss Troop members, including Ling Quan and Shen Song, gasped audibly. This wasn't right! The Grand Commander was already so fearsome in battle how could he also have such mastery in alchemy?
Qing Lin covered her mouth and chuckled softly but said nothing. Before arriving, she had assumed the geniuses of these Dou Di clans were unbearably arrogant. And to be fair, they were at least toward Xiao Yan. But in front of Lu Bu, they behaved like this? It was both surprising and amusing.
"Ahem… Back to the topic!" Seeing the conversation veer off course, Lu Bu rolled his eyes and swiftly redirected it. "I went to the Void Thunder Pool for training, of course!"
"Oh, I see…" The crowd nodded, dropping the subject. Training methods were private, and with a Dou Saint from the Ancient Dragon clan accompanying him, it was likely related to some dragon clan secret techniques. It wasn't something they should pry into.
"Ahem… Grand Commander, what's the strength of the Ancient Dragon clan's strongest member? Is Senior Zhu Gang the strongest among them?" Gu Luan asked curiously.
Hearing this, Qing Lin's delicate eyebrows furrowed slightly, and a trace of displeasure flickered in her eyes. This woman appeared casual, but her question was clearly an attempt to probe for information.
The others also pricked up their ears, eager to hear Lu Bu's response. The Ancient Dragon clan had been absent from the Dou Qi Continent for countless years, and while curiosity was part of it, the true goal of these Dou Di clans was to assess their strength.
"Oh, the strongest? That should be an old dragon," Lu Bu shrugged, as if oblivious to their probing. He continued, "A Nine Star Dou Saint near the peak, supposedly training in the void space…"
"Nine Star Dou Saint…!?"
The Gu Clan members and the two Lei Clan representatives froze in shock before collectively gasping. Their expressions were filled with astonishment and unease. Across nearly ten thousand years, the number of Nine Star Dou Saints on the Dou Qi Continent could be counted on one hand!
"Yeah, Nine Star Dou Saint," Lu Bu repeated casually, shrugging again. "There are plenty of other powerful members of the Ancient Dragon clan training in the void space. But now that a new Dragon Emperor has emerged, the clan has begun summoning those who have been training in the void back home."
"How do you know all this?" Gu Luan couldn't help but reveal a hint of shock on her face.
"Oh… I know the new Dragon Emperor. We get along fairly well," Lu Bu replied with a modest smile.
Gu Luan's lips twitched slightly. She finally understood why the Ancient Dragon Dou Saints treated Lu Bu with such deference.
"Ahem… The next match is between Black Abyss Troops Third Commander Lin Xiu and Falling Star Pavilion's Young Master, Xiao Yan!"
At that moment, a loud announcement echoed throughout the training ground, immediately drawing the attention of countless onlookers.
"Oh?" The group in the private room was taken aback before they all moved in unison, appearing at the window in a flash to watch the scene below with interest.
"Well, this should be entertaining…" Lu Bu chuckled lightly. It seemed Xiao Yan hadn't managed to avoid this fight after all.
But upon reflection, it made sense. This confrontation stemmed from Xiao Xun'er. As long as Xun'er didn't reveal her relationship with Xiao Yan, this battle wouldn't happen. Conversely… the fight was inevitable.
"Huh? Lin Xiu is a Six Star Dou Zun?" Lu Bu remarked in mild surprise.
Yang Hao was also a Six Star Dou Zun, but he ranked fourth, while Lin Xiu ranked third. As for second place… naturally, that was Gu Zhen.
"In combat, I'm indeed a bit worse than him," Yang Hao admitted with a shrug. Despite having similar bloodlines and cultivation levels, losing to Lin Xiu still left him feeling a bit frustrated.
"Heh… Let's see how arrogant Xiao Yan can be this time!" Ling Quan sneered coldly. Of all people, Xiao Yan's smugness irritated him the most.
"Don't underestimate Xiao Yan. He's no ordinary opponent…" Gu Luan said with a slight frown.
Before she could finish speaking, the figure of Xiao Yan appeared on the stage below, his face calm and expressionless.
"Huh? Master, I can't sense his cultivation level," Qing Lin said softly, her brows furrowing slightly.
"Neither can I…" Lu Bu replied with a faint smile, shaking his head. Xiao Yan's body was shrouded in a layer of soul power, strong and resilient, making it difficult to break through.
He could only penetrate it using his Devouring Power, but that wasn't necessary.
"Ha! Must be Yao Chen helping him," Ling Quan sneered. "Hiding under the protection of an elder's wings what a useless brat!"
"…"
The others fell silent. Were there any members of the Dou Di clans who didn't rely on their elders' protection?
"Ling Quan, you lose your head every time Xiao Yan's involved," Shen Song said irritably.
"I'm just stating facts. What's wrong with that!?" Ling Quan crossed his arms and retorted coldly, entirely unapologetic.
"…Fine, whatever," Shen Song muttered, giving up on trying to reason with him.
Boom!
While they were talking, the battle below had already begun. Lin Xiu and Xiao Yan exchanged pre fight taunts before releasing their auras, and powerful Dou Qi surged into the arena.
"Five Star Dou Zun at the peak?" Ling Quan's face darkened. Xiao Yan was only half a step weaker than Lin Xiu? How was this possible!?
"Lin Xiu is in for some trouble…" Yang Hao murmured, his expression turning serious. Xiao Yan had mastered the mysterious Three Thousand Flames Transformation technique and had an eighth tier peak alchemist as a mentor.
In terms of cultivation methods and battle techniques, Xiao Yan likely had little to no disadvantage. This fight could go either way.
Before he could finish speaking, the battle on the stage erupted!
Swish!
A sharp sound of breaking air rang out as silver light flashed around Xiao Yan's body. Lin Xiu's figure flickered with dragon snake shadows before both fighters disappeared simultaneously.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
A series of explosive collisions followed in quick succession, each accompanied by shockwaves and terrifying bursts of energy, shaking the stage.
"You can keep up with my Dragon Serpent Step?" Lin Xiu's expression darkened as he growled. Even in their initial exchange, he had sensed Xiao Yan's overwhelming strength.
The scorching and violent Dou Qi clashed with an intense chill, making Lin Xiu feel uncomfortable with every exchange. He wasn't unfamiliar with battling someone possessing a Heavenly Flame. Back in the Southwest Region, he had even fought Lu Bu once. Oh, well… he hadn't lasted long enough in that fight to even see Lu Bu use his Heavenly Flame he'd been flattened by a Dragon Punch first.
That wasn't important. What mattered was that Xiao Yan's Dou Qi was as pure and abundant as his own, and he held no advantage in cultivation techniques.
"Heh… Dragon Serpent Step? You think I haven't seen it before?" Xiao Yan sneered.
He had already studied this movement technique thoroughly during his battle with Yang Hao. With his formidable soul power, expecting the Dragon Serpent Step to gain a speed advantage over him was nothing but a pipe dream.
"Compared to Yang Hao, your Dragon Serpent Step is far inferior. I could predict your next move with my eyes closed!" Xiao Yan smirked coldly as his strikes grew fiercer, sending powerful energy blasts directly toward Lin Xiu's face.
From the balcony, the Black Abyss commanders frowned. They hadn't expected Xiao Yan to match Lin Xiu so evenly.
"Did this kid have another stroke of luck?" Lu Bu muttered, a bit surprised. Back when they fought outside the Flower Sect, Xiao Yan had been at the peak of One Star Dou Zun. Yet, less than a year later, he had soared to the peak of Five Star Dou Zun. Who wouldn't suspect he had stumbled across some miraculous treasure?
"Master…" Qing Lin's emerald eyes glowed faintly as she furrowed her brows. "There's a strange, fiery red aura emanating from Xiao Yan. It feels both condensed and scorching."
"Oh? Did this kid find another Heavenly Flame?" Lu Bu guessed. For Xiao Yan, the fastest way to improve his strength was by devouring Heavenly Flames. But… there were no flames on the Heavenly Flame ranking that were blood red.
…
"Pitiful attempts at sowing discord!" Lin Xiu scoffed on the stage. "Do you think I don't know Yang Hao's strength? I don't need you to tell me who's stronger between us!"
"Just speaking the truth," Xiao Yan replied calmly, his expression unchanged.
Boom!
The two exchanged a direct blow. Azure light clashed with dark red Dou Qi, forcing both Lin Xiu and Xiao Yan to retreat.
Thud, thud!
Lin Xiu stabilized himself with a slight shake of his shoulders and smirked coldly. "Kid, don't think you can act so arrogantly just because you're using underhanded tricks to fight me evenly. The foundation of the Gu Clan is far deeper than you could ever imagine!"
With that, he clapped his hands together, shouting, "Mountain Crushing Seal, Ocean Flipping Seal!"
In an instant, two azure seals shot out like lightning, their speed and power astonishing.
Lu Bu twitched at the sight. Those movements looked oddly familiar...
"Hm?" Xiao Yan's eyes narrowed, his expression turning serious. As expected of a Black Abyss commander!
"So fast!" The Lei Clan duo exclaimed, their faces filled with shock.
"Lin Xiu's Emperor Seal Technique can condense seals that quickly?" Lei Chen's face darkened. It was the first time he had seen such an astonishing display.
Meanwhile, Yang Hao, Gu Luan, Shen Song, and Ling Quan exchanged awkward glances, their expressions a mix of amusement and helplessness. They, too, had once been in Lin Xiu's shoes.
"Mountain Crushing Seal, Ocean Flipping Seal!"
At that moment, Xiao Yan clapped his hands together as well. Mimicking Lin Xiu's movements exactly, he unleashed two dark red seals with terrifying force.
Boom!
Boom!
Two massive energy storms erupted on the stage, sending sand and rocks flying as violent winds howled.
"How… How do you know the Emperor Seal Technique?" Lin Xiu stared at Xiao Yan in shock. "How do you know this move?"
The first question was about the technique itself, while the second referred to the uncanny way Xiao Yan had executed it flawlessly, as if it were second nature.
"Heh… Black Abyss Troops? Nothing but trash!" Xiao Yan sneered. "Of course, I took it from the Soul Hall. You couldn't even protect your own techniques!"
On the balcony, the Black Abyss commanders frowned. The Emperor Seal Technique wasn't just any skill it was a powerful combat technique comparable to the Heaven Rank. Each seal was at the High Earth Rank and immensely powerful, making it a valuable and rare asset.
"You believe him?" Lu Bu rolled his eyes. "Xun'er gave it to him. Oh… by the way, before I even became the Eighth Commander of the Black Abyss Troops, your young mistress had already given the Emperor Seal Technique to me."
Without hesitation, Lu Bu sold Xiao Xun'er out completely.
"What? The young mistress gave it to you?" The commanders were stunned. Their concerns dissipated, but they couldn't help feeling exasperated. What was going on?
"Wait, that's strange…" Gu Luan frowned, her curiosity piqued. "Why did the young mistress give you the Emperor Seal Technique before you joined the Black Abyss Troops?"
A woman's intuition was sharp, and she had caught a critical detail.
"Uh… Well…" Lu Bu froze, unsure how to explain. He couldn't exactly say that Xun'er had snuck into his room and ended up being cornered by him.
If they followed up with, "Why did the young mistress sneak into your room?" he'd be utterly cornered.
The more he explained, the messier it would get!
"Ahem… Why are you talking about me? Focus on the fight!" Lu Bu snorted, forcibly ending the discussion. If anyone pressed further, he'd just punch them.
The group exchanged glances, their thoughts muddled. The relationship between their young mistress and Lu Bu was… complicated.
…
"You're full of crap!"
On the stage, Lin Xiu was furious. He clapped his hands together with a loud smack and roared, "Mountain Crushing Seal, Ocean Flipping Seal, Earth Shattering Seal!"
Three azure seals shot out instantly, their destructive force enveloping Xiao Yan completely.
"Hmph…" Xiao Yan sneered and mirrored Lin Xiu's actions. He clapped his hands together and roared, "Mountain Crushing Seal, Ocean Flipping Seal, Earth Shattering Seal!"
Three dark red seals tore through the air like lightning, meeting Lin Xiu's head on.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Three massive explosions rocked the stage. The sturdy arena, designed to withstand the power of Dou Zuns, was left riddled with craters and cracks.
"Heh… Looks like we both learned from the same person. I can't break your moves," Xiao Yan mocked with a smirk. "So, Commander Lin, do you have any new tricks?"
"Hah! Seems like you've been beaten up by the Grand Commander too!" Lin Xiu suddenly stopped being angry and smirked coldly, firing back.
"You're full of crap!" Xiao Yan roared, enraged. "I haven't been beaten by Lu Bu. You Black Abyss Troops are the ones who've all been beaten by him!"
"…Yeah, so what?" Lin Xiu shrugged, showing no intention of denying it.
Except for Gu Luan, every one of them had taken a beating from Lu Bu at some point. It was the truth, and there was no point in arguing. Besides, with the Grand Commander watching from above, who would dare deny it and risk another thrashing?
Xiao Yan: "…"
He was speechless.
"Alright, enough chatter!" Xiao Yan took a deep breath, his hands forming seals. "It's time to end this!"
As soon as he finished speaking, deep blue flames erupted from his body, surging into the sky. At the same time, his Five Star Dou Zun aura skyrocketed, rapidly climbing to match Lin Xiu's Six Star Dou Zun level.
"As expected… The Xiao Clan's bloodline has been awakened," Lin Xiu muttered, his expression darkening as he watched Xiao Yan bathed in blue flames.
The Grand Commander was right after all.
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