Chapter 208: Xiao Yan: "I Will Return as a King and Establish Order!"
In the valley, Medusa sat in Lu Bu's lap atop a large rock, slowly unfolding the letter. Lu Bu's arms were wrapped around her slender, soft waist, his chin resting on her smooth, fragrant shoulder as he leaned forward to read the letter over her shoulder.
"Don't move!" Medusa shot Lu Bu a glare, her delicate body shifting slightly to find a more comfortable position before she began reading.
However, as soon as the letter was unfolded, Medusa's body tensed up, and the gentle lines of her beautiful face turned sharp, her softness instantly replaced with a cold, stern demeanor.
The letter began with Yun Yun's greetings and an expression of longing. However, unlike her previous letters, this time her sentiments only took up a few lines. The rest of the letter detailed the current situation.
First, the situation of the Snake People Tribe: most of the tribe had already relocated from the Tagore Desert to their newly acquired territory in the Mulan Empire, as Yun Shan had promised them initially.
However, the remnants of the Mulan Empire's forces had not been eradicated. With support from the Luoyan Empire, they were continuously launching counterattacks against the Snake People Tribe's newly claimed territory.
While the Mulan Empire could do little against the Snake People Tribe in the desert, in open combat, they were fearless. The Snake People Tribe, still establishing their footing, had suffered significant losses. Fortunately, the continued support of the Jia Ma Empire helped stabilize the situation.
With supplies of various pills, equipment, and reinforcements from the Jia Ma Empire, the Snake People Tribe had withdrawn their lines, abandoning plans for further expansion of their new homeland. Unless the remnants of the Mulan Empire's forces and the Luoyan Empire's backing were dealt with, building a new home would be impossible.
Fortunately, the tribe had three Dou Huang level elders, along with their Great Commander, overseeing their new settlement in the Mulan Empire. Together, they had enough strength to mount counterattacks.
Faced with threats from the Luoyan Empire and the remnants of the Mulan Empire, the Snake People Tribe had set aside their grievances with the Jia Ma Empire to unite against these mutual enemies.
Historically, the surrounding four empires all had irreconcilable grudges against the Snake People Tribe. Of these, only the Chu Yun Empire maintained a tenuous alliance, while the Jia Ma Empire had the least enmity.
The reason was simple: the Jia Ma Empire was the weakest of the four empires.
Both the Mulan and Luoyan Empires had kept the Jia Ma Empire around as a buffer, hoping to pit the Snake People Tribe against them. By doing so, they could watch the two sides exhaust each other and then claim the spoils without lifting a finger.
Unfortunately for them, the Snake People Tribe, adept at surviving in the cracks, had a keen strategic vision. Combined with Medusa's overwhelming strength, they had managed to hold their ground.
However, the situation changed drastically with Yun Shan's return, Hai Bodong's reappearance, and the recovery of the Youhai Flood Dragon Beast's injuries. These developments gave the Jia Ma Empire enough strength to challenge the other two empires directly.
Unintentionally, this had pushed the other empires into a corner, resulting in the current stalemate.
Yet, despite their progress, the Snake People Tribe found themselves in a precarious position, split into two factions that couldn't support each other. The Luoyan Empire had repeatedly sent strong forces into the desert, attempting to wipe out the Snake People Tribe's remaining forces there.
Luckily, the tribe's long standing control over the desert allowed them to repel several attacks. However, the situation was unsustainable. Fighting on two fronts was draining their resources rapidly. The wealth the Snake People Tribe had built over years of effort was now nearly depleted. If this continued, they wouldn't be able to hold on much longer.
Lu Bu's brows furrowed deeply as he read. Something was off.
By all logic, the Jia Ma Empire and the Snake People Tribe were the aggressors. They should have held the initiative on the battlefield. How had the Luoyan Empire managed to seize control? Where had they found the strength to launch such a bold offensive against the Snake People Tribe's main base?
Was the Golden Goose Sect unafraid of a direct assault by the Jia Ma Empire, which could crush them outright?
The answer soon became clear as Lu Bu continued reading.
It turned out that the Chu Yun Empire, which had been largely inactive in this conflict, had finally made its move. The empire's strongest faction, the Ten Thousand Scorpion Sect, had allied with the imperial family of Chu Yun and the Luoyan Empire to form a coalition.
With this newfound strength, the Golden Goose Sect and the Ten Thousand Scorpion Sect were now attempting to turn the tide of the war. Their plan was to launch simultaneous offensives: one front would crush the Jia Ma Empire, while the other would encircle and destroy the Snake People Tribe's main base.
To achieve this, the ancestor of the Ten Thousand Scorpion Sect, Xie Bi Yan, had personally emerged from seclusion. Together with the sect master of the Golden Goose Sect, Yan Luotian, they intended to kill Yun Shan and Jia Xing Tian, the latter wielding the power of the Youhai Flood Dragon Beast.
Fortunately, the Chu Yun Empire's Poison Sect long allied with the Jia Ma Empire intervened at a critical moment. Their leader, the Heavenly Poison Lady, broke through to the Dou Zong realm and led her sect's forces in a direct assault on the Ten Thousand Scorpion Sect's headquarters in the Scorpion Mountains.
This forced Xie Bi Yan to retreat and defend his home, temporarily saving the Jia Ma Empire's front lines from collapse and shielding the Snake People Tribe's settlements from a full scale attack.
Once again, the situation was in balance, but the intensity of the war had escalated dramatically. Every battle saw Dou Wangs and Dou Lings injured or killed, while the low ranking soldiers were caught in a meat grinder of bloodshed.
In the letter, Yun Yun expressed her hope that Lu Bu would return to the Jia Ma Empire. A high tier alchemist like him could play a crucial role in the war.
Lu Bu's expression darkened.
Heavenly Poison Lady… a Dou Zong… This could only mean that Xiao Yi Xian's Woeful Poison Body had already erupted multiple times. If this continued, her life would be in grave danger.
"Lu Bu, what should we do?" Medusa's cold, elegant face bore traces of worry and killing intent. Her icy beauty carried a faint anxiety. Protecting the Snake People Tribe had been her life's mission, a goal she had pursued tirelessly until recently, when this man had entered her world.
"Has the tribe contacted you through their secret techniques?" Lu Bu gently kissed her fragrant hair, speaking softly.
"Not yet," Medusa replied, momentarily surprised. By all logic, the tribe's elders should have reached out by now.
"That means the situation isn't as dire as it seems," Lu Bu said calmly. "Don't worry. Once Zi Yan successfully advances, we'll depart immediately."
Medusa felt reassured by Lu Bu's steady demeanor, though her furrowed brows returned quickly. "But are we just going to sit and wait?"
"Of course not," Lu Bu chuckled. "Don't forget, I have a stockpile of medicinal ingredients. I'll start refining pills now to prepare for our return."
"You stay here and control the Earth Demon Puppet to guard Zi Yan. I'll head back to the valley where we stayed earlier to refine the pills."
"And what about you? Who will guard you?" Medusa frowned. She understood Lu Bu's intent he didn't want Zi Yan exposed to Xiao Yan and his teacher, so he preferred to separate from them.
"Did you forget? I still have a Heaven Demon Puppet and the Black Rune Puppet," Lu Bu replied with a grin. While he hadn't used the Rune Puppet much recently, it was still in good condition and ready for battle.
"Alright then. Be careful and don't overwork yourself," Medusa said softly, her heart aching slightly. She caressed Lu Bu's face tenderly.
"Don't worry," Lu Bu reassured her, gently kissing her hand before disappearing from the valley in a flash of lightning.
Medusa glanced at the Spirit Gathering Array where Zi Yan rested, then smiled wryly. "It's all up to you now, little one…"
Three days after Lu Bu left the Inner Academy with Zi Yan, Xiao Yan and the four Dou Zongs, led by Elder Qianmu, returned.
As a gesture of gratitude, Yao Lao retreated to a quiet location to refine pills for the four Dou Zongs. Meanwhile, Xiao Yan returned to their shared pavilion, eager to see Nalan Yanran again after their long separation.
With nothing pressing to do now, all that remained was to wait for his teacher to finish refining the pills so they could visit Lu Bu to have the puppet crafted.
As soon as he stepped into the pavilion, he was greeted by an excited Nalan Yanran.
"Xiao Yan! You're finally back!" she exclaimed, unable to contain her joy.
"What's wrong?" Xiao Yan's heart sank. Had something happened?
"The Jia Ma Empire is in trouble!" Nalan Yanran said as she quickly handed him her teacher's letter.
Reading through it at lightning speed, Xiao Yan's expression grew increasingly grim.
The Jia Ma Empire was losing ground in the war. The situation was dire.
If the Jia Ma Empire fell… how could anything survive the aftermath of such a collapse?
Not only would the Xiao family face disaster, but even the Nalan family might not escape the calamity of war or the threat of annihilation. Xiao Yan could not bear the thought of such tragedies befalling his own family or the Nalan clan.
"Yanran, what are your thoughts on this?" Xiao Yan asked, his tone steady as his eyes flickered with contemplation.
He deeply understood that every crisis carried an opportunity. This war presented a chance for the Xiao family to rise, especially with him being a fifth tier alchemist and now a Dou Wang.
Seizing this opportunity, he was determined to lead the Xiao family back to the glory they enjoyed when his grandfather, Xiao Lin, was alive and to elevate them to even greater heights.
"I want to go back. I can't stay here in the academy, enjoying protection while the sect is fighting for survival," Nalan Yanran said firmly. As the young mistress of the Yunlan Sect, it was her duty to share the sect's hardships in times of crisis, not hide away.
"Heh… That's how it should be," Xiao Yan said with a faint smile. He knew he had to return before Lu Bu. If Lu Bu returned first, Xiao Yan would have no chance to make a name for himself no merit, no battle achievements and without those, the Xiao family's rise would be impossible.
Moreover, with the Dou Zong level combat strength he now held, Xiao Yan believed he could turn the tide of the war and elevate the Xiao family to one of the most powerful clans in the Jia Ma Empire.
"I'm thinking the same. Once my teacher finishes refining the pills, we'll head back to the Jia Ma Empire," Xiao Yan said solemnly.
Nalan Yanran's face lit up with joy. As expected, this was the man she had chosen someone perfectly in sync with her thoughts!
"Yanran, keep focusing on your training for now. I need to find Lu Bu," Xiao Yan said with a smile.
"Why are you looking for him?" Nalan Yanran asked, puzzled.
"That's a secret!" Xiao Yan replied with a mysterious grin.
With that, his figure flashed, and a pair of purple brown flame wings appeared on his back as he soared eastward to find Lu Bu and have the puppet crafted.
You didn't expect this, did you? The Dou Zong level power I now wield was made possible because of your help!
When I return with a Dou Zong puppet as my trump card, I will astonish the entire battlefield and shake the Four Nations to their core!
I will change the tide of this war!
Jia Ma Empire, Black Mountain Fortress
The Black Mountain Fortress was the most critical stronghold at the border shared by the Jia Ma Empire, Chu Yun Empire, Luoyan Empire, and Mulan Empire. Over the years, it had been fortified to the point of being impenetrable.
Due to its proximity to the Chu Yun Empire and the Tagore Desert, it had become the headquarters for the allied forces of the Poison Sect, the Snake People Tribe, and the Jia Ma Empire.
In a lavishly lit room, several individuals sat in tense silence.
At the head of the table was Yun Shan, the only Dou Zong present, but his face was pale, and his aura was unstable.
Seated beside him, Fa Ma, the president of the Alchemist Association, frowned as he handed Yun Shan a jade green pill. After Yun Shan swallowed it, his breathing steadied somewhat.
"Teacher…" Yun Yun furrowed her brows, unable to hide her concern.
"It's nothing, just some minor injuries," Yun Shan replied faintly. Despite the intense battles of late, he had made significant progress, advancing by one star to reach the level of a two star Dou Zong.
Had it not been for being surrounded by two Dou Zongs simultaneously, it would have been difficult to say who would emerge victorious between him and Yan Luotian.
"Yun Shan Sect Master, the battles in our new territory have been fierce, and the consumption of pills has been immense…" a gray robed elder of the Snake People Tribe said hoarsely.
"How many do you need, Elder Yin Shi?" Yun Shan asked solemnly. The Yunlan Sect's Medicine Hall alchemists were already working at full capacity, and the Alchemist Association's members were also tirelessly refining pills. But the dire situation meant there were never enough resources.
To be honest, Yun Shan hadn't anticipated the war would escalate to this extent. He had expected resistance from the Luoyan Empire, remnants of the Mulan Empire, and even the Chu Yun Empire's royal family, but the Ten Thousand Scorpion Sect's relentless involvement had been entirely unexpected.
The Ten Thousand Scorpion Sect had no real need for the vast territories of the Jia Ma or Mulan Empires, which didn't produce poisons. Even if they won these lands, they would have to painstakingly transform the terrain to make it suitable for cultivating poisonous plants and breeding venomous creatures.
In Yun Shan's estimation, the Ten Thousand Scorpion Sect should have seized the opportunity to overthrow the weakened Chu Yun Empire and establish their dominance. Historically, such betrayals were common. In fact, the current Jia Ma royal family had risen to power in this very manner, which is why Jia Xing Tian had always been wary of the powerful noble clans.
Even if they didn't rebel, the Ten Thousand Scorpion Sect should have at least remained neutral, as they had in the past.
But against all expectations, the sect was now fully committed to fighting the Jia Ma Empire, even mobilizing their ancestor, Xie Bi Yan, to the frontlines. This development had caught everyone off guard.
"At least 100 bottles of third tier healing pills and Qi recovery pills," Elder Yin Shi said.
Fa Ma frowned and smiled bitterly. "Elder Yin Shi, we don't have that many third tier pills…"
"What…?" Yin Shi's expression darkened.
"How about this: 70 bottles of third tier healing and Qi recovery pills, with the rest substituted by second tier pills," Yun Yun suggested. "Third tier pills aren't easy to refine, and our alchemists have been working tirelessly. We simply don't have enough stock."
"We can provide as many first tier pills as you need."
Yin Shi's expression shifted before he sighed bitterly and nodded. "Very well…"
"And what about the medicinal ingredients from the Snake People Tribe?" Fa Ma asked. While they handled the refining process, they relied on others for ingredients. In addition to their own collection efforts, the Snake People Tribe was expected to supply materials since they lacked alchemists themselves.
"Here!" Yin Shi took out a storage ring and tossed it toward Fa Ma.
In a corner of the room, an elderly woman silently observed the proceedings. Her hands resting on the armrest emitted a faint purple glow and an eerie scent, a clear sign of her formidable strength.
She was the Poison Sect's envoy, responsible for maintaining communication. Compared to the others, the Poison Sect's situation was slightly more stable.
Ten Thousand Scorpion Sect, Deep Within the Scorpion Mountains
Inside a dimly lit chamber filled with countless jars and bottles of venomous substances, an elderly figure applied medicinal salves to his body with a sullen expression.
"Ke ke ke… Xie Bi Yan, you're looking rather pitiful," a sinister voice echoed from the darkness.
"Iron Guardian, you're awfully good at mocking me," Xie Bi Yan retorted sourly.
"Don't worry. In a few days, I'll take action and ensure your sect achieves eternal glory. No one will be able to stop you!" the Iron Guardian promised.
"Good!" Xie Bi Yan nodded slightly.
"Ke ke ke…" In the shadows, the Iron Guardian's scarlet eyes gleamed with satisfaction.
The current state of the battlefield? That was his doing. This development would not only fulfill this year's soul collection quota but also set the foundation for next year's harvest!
Eastern Valley of the Inner Academy
In a valley scattered with shattered beast corpses, the air reeked of blood. Yet, the pungent stench was overwhelmed by the rich medicinal aroma wafting from within the valley.
These magical beasts had been drawn to the valley by the enticing scent of medicine.
Boom!
A column of light shot into the sky as Lu Bu's expression remained calm and focused. His fingers moved rapidly as he controlled the Heavenly Flame to refine the pills within the cauldron.
At this point, he had lost count of how many sixth tier pills he had refined.
During this period, aside from helping Xiao Yan craft a mid tier Earth Demon Puppet, he had spent all his time immersed in refining pills.
He focused on crafting pills for energy recovery and healing wounds essential necessities on the battlefield. These were not tasks to be taken lightly.
Above the valley, a radiant figure flashed across the sky. Medusa hovered in the air, her enchanting eyes filled with concern as she watched Lu Bu prepare to collect another batch of pills.
For over ten days, Lu Bu had been refining pills without pause. The intensity of this work was comparable to when he had refined the Tianyun Pill, pushing his limits once more.
Sensing her gaze, Lu Bu looked up and met Medusa's tender, mesmerizing eyes.
"What's wrong?" Lu Bu asked, a hint of weariness in his voice, though he still had energy to continue.
"Zi Yan seems to be nearing her breakthrough. Do you want to come and see?" Medusa asked softly.
"Hmm?" Lu Bu's brow arched. "Let's go take a look!"
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