Chapter 385: "I Call That Heavenly Insight!"
"You... who are you? Aren't you afraid of Soul Clan and Soul Hall tracking you down for this?" The Nine Star Dou Zun elder growled fiercely, his wrinkled face twisted with rage and fear.
Yet, deep inside, his heart had already plummeted into icy depths. The young man standing before him exuded an aura of complete mastery, as though there wasn't a single flaw in his presence.
That alone was terrifying enough. But what made his scalp go numb was the fact that he couldn't sense this young man's strength at all it was as though he had no cultivation whatsoever.
There could only be two explanations: either this person had no cultivation, or his strength far exceeded the elder's comprehension, making it impossible to gauge.
Given the current situation, the second possibility was the only one that made sense.
Realizing this, cold sweat began dripping down the elder's face. He was by no means a prominent figure within the Soul Clan just an aging relic with barely enough talent to hold onto a position. He had thought being stationed at the rear lines was an easy, safe job. Never in his wildest dreams did he imagine he'd encounter a figure like this, sneaking in to obliterate the branch. This was absurd!
"Heh… a Nine Star Dou Zun," Lu Bu chuckled lightly, his gaze brimming with intrigue.
A Nine Star Dou Zun wasn't weak by any means. The Valley Master of Burning Flame Valley, Tang Zhen, was only a Five Star Dou Zun. Even Soul Hall's Nine Heavenly Sovereigns were typically Eight or Nine Star Dou Zuns.
When the Ninth Heavenly Sovereign first appeared, Lu Bu had barely managed to fend him off. If it hadn't been for Hei Qing's intervention, he might have died. But now?
"Damn it!" The elder's heart sank further as Lu Bu's gaze grew more mocking, more playful. He realized then and there that this young man wasn't going to let him off.
Swish!
Just as this thought crossed his mind, a golden flash streaked through his vision. Lu Bu's figure remained in place, but his form seemed almost translucent, like an illusion.
"An afterimage… is that the Heavenly Phoenix Clan's Demonic Phoenix Steps!?" The elder's expression changed dramatically. His strength might be lacking, but his knowledge was not. With just one look, he recognized the origin of Lu Bu's movement technique.
"Damn it, I'm out!" Panic overtook him. With a roar of desperation, he turned and fled, his figure moving like lightning across the sky.
Escape!
He had to escape!
If he didn't, he wouldn't just die there wouldn't even be a trace of his existence left.
Rip!
Just as his body began to retreat at high speed, a sharp sound of tearing fabric rang out. A spray of blood followed as the flesh on his back was torn open. Violet black flames seeped into the wound, causing him excruciating pain.
"Damn it…!"
Snap!
Before he could even finish cursing, a hand clamped down on his head. The figure of Lu Bu materialized in front of him, his mocking, devilish smile now terrifyingly real.
"Run? Do you really think you can escape?"
The elder's body froze in place, every inch of him paralyzed by the voice. It was as though his very blood had frozen solid.
"Bastard! I am a member of the Soul Clan! How dare you humiliate me like this!" For a moment, rage replaced his fear, a desperate attempt to mask his terror. His fury exploded, and the Dou Qi within his dantian surged like a tsunami, causing his veins to bulge as he prepared to self detonate.
"Self destruct? In front of me?" Lu Bu chuckled, his tone filled with disdain. "Are you underestimating me, or overestimating yourself?"
Before the elder could act, Lu Bu's grip on his head tightened. Invisible flames erupted from his palm, their scorching heat distorting the very air around them.
"AAAHHH!"
A piercing scream erupted from the elder as his self detonation was forcibly interrupted. The spiritual flames consumed his physical body, then began burning his soul, erasing every trace of him from existence.
Moments later, nothing but a faint trace of dust remained, slowly dispersing into the miasma filled swamp.
"The envoy is dead!?"
Cries of horror erupted from the remaining Soul Hall protectors. Like startled rats, they scurried in all directions, desperately seeking refuge in the shadows of the swamp's dense canopy.
"Hmph, you think you can run? Do you think I'm not here?" Xiao Yi Xian sneered coldly. A golden light flashed beneath her delicate feet as her figure darted forward with lightning speed.
Shhh! Shhh! Shhh!
A ferocious wave of killing intent erupted from her, accompanied by an icy chill that swept through the air. Within moments, the protectors hiding in the shadows let out screams of agony before their crimson eyes dimmed and went dark, their black mist dissipating into nothingness.
It was the same as what had just happened to the Soul Clan elder.
Boom!
Lu Bu stepped forward, conjuring a massive violet black fire dragon beneath his feet. The beast roared ferociously, then dove downward with incredible force.
The deafening explosion that followed was like a clap of thunder, shaking the swamp to its very core. The already half ruined hall was instantly reduced to rubble, leaving behind nothing but a massive crater.
From within the crater, a radiant, crystalline light began to emerge. The sight was almost hypnotic, filling the air with an intoxicating sense of serenity.
It was soul essence.
A massive soul essence orb, nearly a hundred meters in diameter, hovered silently within the pit.
This was the culmination of countless souls collected by Soul Hall over the years. And now, it was all Lu Bu's.
"Heh heh heh…" With a wave of his hand, the orb disappeared into his storage ring. Lu Bu couldn't help but grin.
Swish!
A gust of wind signaled the arrival of Elder Qiu Mao. He had sensed the disappearance of the Soul Clan elder's aura and rushed back, only to find that Lu Bu had completely obliterated the branch hall.
"Elder Qiu Mao, shall we finish the job?" Lu Bu clapped the dust from his hands and smiled. "Let's eliminate the remaining protectors and erase any trace of our involvement. Flames like ours are easy to identify, especially for alchemists like us."
"Agreed, agreed… though you seem very experienced with this sort of thing," Elder Qiu Mao remarked, a trace of curiosity in his tone. Had Lu Bu destroyed Soul Hall branches before?
"Did you forget? I participated in rescuing Senior Yao Chen. He taught me all of this," Lu Bu said without missing a beat, pushing the blame onto Yao Chen.
"Ah, that makes sense…" Elder Qiu Mao nodded, completely convinced.
He had fought alongside Yao Chen before and knew the man's reputation as a sly, cunning master. It wasn't hard to believe that Yao Chen had passed on such methods to Lu Bu, who, despite his genius, lacked experience.
"Elder Qiu Mao, did any Soul Hall protectors manage to escape?" Lu Bu asked.
"None. Rest assured," Elder Qiu Mao replied confidently. "With my Soul Perception as an Eight Tier Alchemist, no mere protector could escape my notice."
"Good. Then shall we move on to the next Earthly Fiend Hall?" Lu Bu grinned.
In the distance, Xiao Yi Xian reappeared at Lu Bu's side, her face hidden behind a veil. Though her expression was unreadable, Lu Bu could sense her excitement.
"Haha, indeed we shall!" Elder Qiu Mao laughed heartily. His figure flickered as he began erasing the traces of their fiery destruction, leaving behind misleading clues for Soul Hall to chase after in vain.
"Let's go."
"Go, to the next Earthly Fiend Hall!"
…
One Month Later
Deep within a dense forest, at a Soul Hall outpost.
"Cough, cough, cough…" A ferocious looking old man with dark red eyebrows sat clutching his chest in the guest seat to the right. Violent coughs racked his body, and faint sprays of bloody mist escaped his lips, evidence of his severe injuries.
"This Heavenly Flame Envoy… who is he?" Sitting on the main seat, Bone Ghost, the Second Heavenly Sovereign of Soul Hall, furrowed his brows. His bony hand clenched the skeletal staff tightly, his expression dark.
He had never heard of a Six Star Dou Zun in Pill Tower named Heavenly Flame. Could this person be a secret weapon of theirs?
Hearing Bone Ghost's inquiry, the Fifth Heavenly Sovereign took a deep breath, suppressing the pain in his chest, and replied in a grave tone:
"According to the information our agents gathered in Holy Pill City, this Heavenly Flame Envoy is one of Pill Tower's reserve elders, assigned as a bodyguard to Lu Bu. His name hasn't been well known because he's always been following Lu Bu in obscurity."
"However, now that Lu Bu is away, mingling with Yao Chen, Xiao Yan, and the others, Pill Tower's Xuan Yi came up with a way to temporarily borrow him. That's how he's ended up on the battlefield."
"Lu Bu?"
The moment the name was spoken, all the figures present Bone Ghost, the Sixth Heavenly Sovereign, the Ninth Heavenly Sovereign, and others raised their brows in surprise.
This name had only come up recently, and now, after just a month, it was being brought up again.
"What's the background of this Lu Bu?" asked a middle aged man in a black robe seated in the first position to the left. He frowned slightly, puzzled. Unlike the others, this was his first time hearing the name.
"He's one of Pill Tower's reserve elders, a Five Star Dou Zun, and the one who ambushed Earth Scorpion, forcing him to self detonate to escape," the Sixth Heavenly Sovereign explained, his brows knitting tightly.
Swish!
As soon as these words were spoken, all eyes turned toward the second seat on the right, opposite the Ninth Heavenly Sovereign, where an elderly man with a long beard sat, his expression dark. This was none other than Earth Scorpion himself.
With the support of Soul Hall, and after a month of alchemical work, Earth Scorpion had managed to restore his physical body and was gradually recovering his strength through pill refinement.
"It's true!" Seeing everyone's attention focused on him, Earth Scorpion's eyes twitched. He spoke in a grave tone, "That man's combat strength is extraordinary. With just one move of Heaven Shattering Seal, he heavily injured me. In the subsequent battle, I was completely dominated. This man must not be underestimated!"
"Heaven Shattering Seal?!"
Soul Hall's members were taken aback, shock flashing across their faces.
"He's from the Ancient Clans?"
"Lu Bu… is that him?" The middle aged man in the black robe suddenly raised his brow, a look of surprise crossing his face.
"You've heard of this person?" Bone Ghost and the other Heavenly Sovereigns immediately asked. Being a member of the Soul Clan, he likely had access to different channels of information compared to Soul Hall.
"Yes, this man is the Grand Commander of the Black Abyss Army of the Ancient Clans. His strength is extraordinary…" the black robed man explained.
"So that's it…" Upon hearing this, Bone Ghost, the Sixth Heavenly Sovereign, the Fifth Heavenly Sovereign, and even Earth Scorpion all nodded in realization.
The Black Abyss Army was a famous force of the Ancient Clans, and as its Grand Commander, it made sense for Lu Bu to possess such impressive combat prowess.
"No matter his background, whether he's from the Ancient Clans or not, the fact remains that Lu Bu is our enemy. Eliminating him is our only option!" Earth Scorpion said in a deep voice, his tone filled with hatred.
If it hadn't been for Lu Bu's interference, neither he nor his brother would have been defeated. Their third brother wouldn't have died. As long as this man lived, Earth Scorpion would never sleep soundly.
"Special forces are already assigned to deal with the Black Abyss Army. If Lu Bu crosses our path, we'll kill him. If not, there's no need to waste resources chasing him. We should focus on our own objectives," Bone Ghost said indifferently.
Hearing this, the others nodded in agreement. His logic was sound. They weren't afraid of the Black Abyss Army, but they also wouldn't go out of their way to provoke them. If they could eliminate Lu Bu, they would. If not, there was no need to pursue the matter further.
"For now, our top priorities are twofold: first, eliminate this Heavenly Flame Envoy. If he's not dealt with, the northern battlefield is as good as lost. The Soul Hall can't spare any more reinforcements to turn the tide."
When the Soul Hall dealt with the Ling Clan, their forces were scattered, and weaker individuals didn't require many high ranking fighters to subdue. But now, against the Stone Clan, the weaker Dou Zun and Half Saint forces were idle, while the Dou Saint level fighters were being heavily deployed elsewhere. Currently, the strongest forces Soul Hall could muster were Bone Ghost himself and Soul Clear Saint.
"Second, eliminate Xiao Yan!"
"Lu Bu may be powerful, but he's merely a minor annoyance. Xiao Yan, on the other hand, is a grave threat. With his bloodline restored, he poses a significant danger and cannot be allowed to live!"
"From our analysis, Xiao Yan likely inherited Xiao Xuan's legacy, which led to his bloodline's rebirth. The events of Xiao Xuan's era must not be repeated!"
"Indeed, Bone Ghost speaks the truth!" the black robed Soul Clan envoy agreed, his tone grave. While they usually didn't take the Xiao Clan seriously, a descendant who had inherited Xiao Xuan's power was an entirely different matter.
Xiao Xuan was once the pinnacle of the Dou Qi Continent, a supreme figure who nearly ascended to Dou Di. His legacy was not something they could ignore.
Hearing Bone Ghost's reasoning, the rest of Soul Hall nodded in agreement. Among their enemies, only Xiao Yan was worth their concern. The others, including Pill Tower, were of little importance.
A bunch of idiots… Earth Scorpion's lips twitched, veins bulging on his forehead as he cursed silently.
He had already detailed Lu Bu's strength and used himself as an example to demonstrate the man's threat. Yet, these fools were still fixated on Xiao Yan, an Eight Star Dou Zun. Were they blind?
Earth Scorpion wanted nothing more than to grab Bone Ghost by the collar and demand whether he'd lost his mind.
"Scorpion Brother, what are you thinking about?" Bone Ghost suddenly turned his gaze toward him, his tone light, yet his expression unreadable.
Earth Scorpion's heart skipped a beat, but he kept his face calm, forcing a smile. "I'm thinking about Heavenly Insight, of course!"
"Heh… I know you're eager for revenge." Bone Ghost's expression remained unchanged as he chuckled. "Here's what we'll do: now that your physical body is restored and your strength is almost back, why not accompany the Fifth and Ninth Heavenly Sovereigns to the Xuyu Mountains?"
"Wound that Heavenly Flame Envoy without killing him. If my guess is correct, they will contact Lu Bu. That will be your chance to exact your revenge."
"Very well!" Earth Scorpion agreed firmly. With the support of the Fifth and Ninth Sovereigns, he had nothing to fear from Lu Bu or Pill Tower. As for the Fifth Sovereign's injuries… they didn't matter. As an Eight Tier Alchemist, he had nothing to worry about.
"Now then, let's move on to another matter," Bone Ghost said, scanning the room. "Over the past month, the Heavenly Sovereigns and envoys stationed at our Earthly Fiend Halls have been falling one after another. Their soul flames extinguished. It's clear they've been killed."
"This matter concerns the clan's grand plans and must be thoroughly investigated!"
As he spoke, Bone Ghost's eyes burned with fury. The veins on his gaunt forehead bulged, and his killing intent swept through the hall like a chilling wind. Someone dared to massacre Soul Hall members?
Unforgivable!
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