Once the Dou Ancestor–level power dissipated, the lion-emblem elder, now merely a peak Dou Emperor no longer posed much of a threat before Lin Yuan, who was operating two secret techniques simultaneously.
Cyan and violet wings spun at high speed as Lin Yuan's figure flashed like lightning, appearing instantly before the lion-emblem elder.
"Cloud Dragon Nine Manifestations."
Immediately afterward, Lin Yuan activated the Cloud Dragon Movement Technique, which he had been continuously refining. With a single step forward, nine figures appeared in an instant, surrounding the lion-emblem elder and launching a ferocious assault.
Already injured, the lion-emblem elder was quickly suppressed under Lin Yuan's close-quarters onslaught—empowered by overwhelming soul perception, exquisite footwork, and a powerful physical body. He was forced back repeatedly, unable to escape. In the moment he attempted to self-detonate and revealed a flaw, Lin Yuan seized the opportunity, driving a spiral force–empowered hand blade infused with Heavenly Flame straight through his heart. The lion-emblem elder was killed on the spot.
Lin Yuan decisively severed his head, then stored both his corpse and the previously slain bear-emblem elder's body into his storage ring before flying toward the Medusa Queen. By this time, she had already intercepted the tiger-emblem elder, who had been stalled twice by a Fifth-Grade magical beast under Qing Lin's control.
After Lin Yuan arrived, he and the Medusa Queen worked in perfect coordination, swiftly killing the tiger-emblem elder without much effort.
"It's over." Lin Yuan looked at the Medusa Queen with a relaxed smile and deactivated both Blood Origin Transformation and Qi Origin Transformation.
His aura weakened slightly. Lin Yuan retrieved a Dou Qi recovery pill from his storage ring and swallowed it, then took out the corpses of the Mu Lan Three Elders and began looting their spoils.
Looking at the three Mu Lan elders—each individually comparable to herself, and far stronger when united, the Medusa Queen recalled the battle and could not help turning her gaze toward Lin Yuan, a chill rising in her heart. This battle had, in truth, been decided the moment Lin Yuan finalized his meticulous plan. Thinking back on the layers of contingencies within it, even she felt a shiver crawl up her spine. As long as the Mu Lan Three Elders lacked an additional trump card or unforeseen variable, the moment they were lured out, they had already stepped into a dead end.
'So this is how an alchemist truly fights—investigation, planning, execution, contingencies. Completely different from the battle he once fought against me,' the Medusa Queen silently sighed.
'This man is truly terrifying when he stands as an enemy.'
Lin Yuan removed the storage rings from the Mu Lan Three Elders' bodies, selected one, and probed it with his soul power. Moments later, a scroll made from pale beast bone appeared in his hand. Blood-like characters were engraved upon it.
"Three Beasts Savage Art!"
After examining it, Lin Yuan nodded. "As expected, only one-third of the complete technique. The rest should be…"
He then retrieved two more beast-bone scrolls of identical design from the other storage rings.
"With this, the Three Beasts Savage Art is complete." Looking at the three scrolls, Lin Yuan revealed a satisfied smile.
He continued searching through the rings before saying, "Found it. Your Majesty, this is for you."
As he spoke, he tossed two cyan-red spiritual fruits to the Medusa Queen, the Soul Origin Fruits she needed.
The Medusa Queen caught them, smiling. "With this, the materials for the Heavenly Soul Pill are complete."
"Mm." Lin Yuan responded while flipping through the Three Beasts Savage Art. Then he said in a deep voice, "Now that everything is gathered, after a brief adjustment, I can begin refining the Heavenly Soul Pill for you within the next few days."
"What do you plan to do next? Weren't you very interested in Mu Lan Valley's Beast Spirit Gathering Origin Formation?" the Medusa Queen asked.
Lin Yuan took out a scroll from the tiger-emblem elder's storage ring and frowned. "This is only a portion. I'll need to make a trip to Mu Lan Valley to obtain the complete version."
"I'll go with you," the Medusa Queen proposed.
After thinking for a moment, Lin Yuan replied solemnly, "Mu Lan Valley poses no threat to me now that the Mu Lan Three Elders are gone. However, to be safe, I ask that Your Majesty remain outside to provide support. I also recommend that this operation be kept secret, this is my advice as the Fifth Elder of the Snake People."
"Hm?" Sensing the seriousness and deeper meaning in his words, the Medusa Queen asked in a low voice, "Can you explain your reasoning?"
Lin Yuan nodded and explained in detail, "Your Majesty, you have always wished to lead the Snake People out of the desert. The deaths of the Mu Lan Three Elders may be an opportunity that can be exploited. At present, only you, Qing Lin, and I know of this matter. I believe Mu Lan Valley will also want to suppress the news to avoid unnecessary trouble and scrutiny."
"If the information leaks, forces such as the Jia Ma Empire, the Chu Yun Empire, and the Golden Goose Sect will intervene. The Mu Lan Empire would fall into chaos, and the surrounding regions would be thrown into turmoil as well. At that point, the Snake People's involvement would only complicate matters further, entangling multiple factions and reigniting tensions between humans and snake-kind."
"However, if only we and Mu Lan Valley possess this information, it becomes an extremely valuable bargaining chip. Once Your Majesty completes your evolution, you can leverage this advantage to negotiate with Mu Lan Valley, forcing them to allocate a territory for the Snake People to inhabit—thus fulfilling the long-cherished wish of successive queens. In that scenario, the issue remains confined to the Snake People and Mu Lan Valley alone, making it far easier to resolve."
"Therefore, I suggest that Your Majesty refrain from appearing this time. If negotiations are needed in the future, deep-seated hatred between both sides would only increase uncertainties. It's better that they direct all their resentment toward me."
After hearing this, the Medusa Queen looked deeply at Lin Yuan. After a moment of contemplation, she nodded.
'When he's on your side, this man is truly reliable.'
Soon after, the two of them flew together toward Mu Lan Valley.
Deep within Mu Lan Valley, the treasury gleamed with dazzling brilliance.
Lin Yuan's figure moved through it like a ghost. His hands swept past one treasure after another, storing them all into his storage ring.
At his feet lay the Mu Lan Valley Master, sprawled on the ground, his face deathly pale, clearly having lost all ability to resist.
Unlike other factions, the true decision-makers of Mu Lan Valley were the Mu Lan Three Elders. The Valley Master was merely responsible for administrative affairs, and his cultivation was only at the level of a four-star Dou Emperor.
This time, Lin Yuan had used the Hidden Abyss Art to conceal his cultivation, infiltrating Mu Lan Valley without a sound. When he discovered the Valley Master alone, he acted decisively—ambush, sealing, poisoning—each movement flowing seamlessly into the next. With little effort, he successfully subdued him.
Afterward, through a mixture of coercion and inducement, Lin Yuan forced him to lead the way to Mu Lan Valley's treasury, where the plundering began.
"Medicinal ingredients—mine. Looks like I can refine another Breaking Origin Increase Qi Pill."
"Cultivation techniques, Dou Techniques, secret arts—mine."
"Beast Spirit Gathering Origin Formation… found it." Looking at the scroll before him, Lin Yuan revealed a satisfied smile. His greatest objective in coming to Mu Lan Valley had been achieved.
The Mu Lan Valley Master could only watch as the treasures accumulated over countless years were stripped away one by one, his heart feeling as though it were being carved apart by knives. Each precious item embodied Mu Lan Valley's painstaking efforts, yet he could do nothing but watch them disappear into the other party's storage ring.
At last, Lin Yuan's plundering came to an end. He turned toward the Mu Lan Valley Master lying on the ground and returned the severed heads of the Mu Lan Three Elders to him.
After a moment of thought, Lin Yuan said, "Valley Master of Mu Lan, as an enemy of the Mu Lan Three Elders, I had the ability to wipe out Mu Lan Valley entirely. I chose not to do so, and you bear some credit for that. As long as your lineage is not extinguished, cultivation techniques, Dou Techniques, and secret arts can all be recopied into new scrolls, and spiritual medicines can be gathered again. Mu Lan Valley still has a chance to rise once more."
The Mu Lan Valley Master glared fiercely at Lin Yuan and asked, "Who are you exactly? What kind of grudge do you have with Mu Lan Valley?"
Lin Yuan thought for a moment, then, suddenly amused, decided to leave behind a benevolent lie.
He spoke slowly, "I am a seeker of vengeance. My homeland was destroyed by the aftermath of a battle involving the Mu Lan Three Elders. By fortune, I was taken in by a powerful master, and now I have come to exact revenge. Remember this well—when you engage in future battles, always be mindful of your surroundings. The next one might not be as reasonable as I am."
"Now, let me see what Mu Lan Valley will become without the Mu Lan Three Elders… and whether you can lead it through this crisis. I look forward to it."
----
For additional chapter's
Join pateron.com/Translaterappu