Chapter 262: Xiao Yan My Name Is Lu Bu, Master of the Holy Gate
North of the Pill Domain, near Sibucheng, a lone figure leisurely strolled out of the city gate, making his way northwest toward Fallen God Ravine.
Fifteen minutes later, two bizarre looking men one fat, one thin also stepped out, pausing at the city gate. Fat Rat took a deep breath, then a cold smile spread across his round, honest looking face. His narrow, slit like eyes glinted with mockery.
"Fat Rat, where did that kid go next?" Beside him, the gaunt Dry Monkey scanned the bustling crowd and asked.
"Heh… That pretty boy idiot is heading to Fallen God Ravine!" Fat Rat's plump face twisted into a sinister grin. "That brat, he must've noticed us and wants to get rid of us. But… heh heh…"
"He's digging his own grave!" Dry Monkey sneered. "Let's go. I was getting bored anyway. Playing with this pretty boy should be fun."
"Heh heh… Hurry up. If the Domain Lord arrives first, we won't get to play at all!" Fat Rat cackled, his stubby legs moving surprisingly fast.
"Who told you to report to the Domain Lord so soon?"
Dry Monkey muttered under his breath, but he soon let out a strange chuckle. With his stick thin legs, he quickly followed. In no time, both vanished into the dense forest outside Sibucheng.
Deep within the forest, on the treetops, Lu Bu moved effortlessly. His hands were clasped behind his back as he lightly tapped the branches with his toes, his movement as graceful as a butterfly dancing among flowers. A faint crackle of thunder accompanied him, subtle sparks of lightning flickering underfoot as he wove through the thick canopy, not disturbing a single leaf.
Three Thousand Lightning Movement was indeed a fine footwork technique. It could be used for rapid acceleration as well as agile dodging. No wonder Wind Lightning Pavilion valued it so highly.
"Lu Bu, those two are following you," the voice of Heavenly Flame Venerable echoed in his mind, tinged with anticipation. "Honestly, I'm curious how they've been tracking you this whole time. They haven't used soul power at all, and their own soul strength is incredibly weak."
"Heh… We'll ask them soon enough," Lu Bu chuckled carelessly. Truthfully, he was curious as well.
Moments later, Lu Bu had entered Fallen God Ravine. The mountains grew dense and humid, the trees becoming slick with moisture.
At the same time, the aura of his pursuers ceased to be concealed. A powerful energy surged outward, startling the surrounding venomous beasts into scurrying back into their burrows.
"Two four star Dou Zongs? No wonder they're so bold…" Lu Bu sneered, stopping atop a sturdy tree trunk, waiting for the two to catch up.
A few breaths later, the fat and thin figures arrived. Seeing Lu Bu standing calmly in place, they exchanged glances before letting out sinister chuckles.
"Heh heh… You've got guts, kid!"
Dry Monkey's eyes gleamed with cruelty. "A mere one star Dou Zong, strutting around Fallen God Ravine like you own the place? You're the first idiot I've ever seen like this!"
"You two… venomous beasts of Fallen God Ravine?" Lu Bu examined them. Their smug expressions weren't feigned they truly believed they had the upper hand against him.
"Tell me, why are you following me?" Lu Bu nonchalantly examined his fingernails as he spoke.
"Might as well tell you heh heh…" Fat Rat grinned coldly. "You have the scent of the Calamity Poison Body on you. Our Domain Lord is very interested in it. Now, tell us where is the person with the Calamity Poison Body?"
"If you answer honestly, we'll let you live!"
Hearing this, Lu Bu's gaze darkened, his expression turning icy.
"Oh… So you're the subordinates of the Sky Poison Scorpion Dragon Beast?"
So it was the Sky Poison Scorpion Dragon Beast. Before he even went looking for it, it had come knocking on his door first.
Lu Bu's eyes grew even colder, a faint green flame flickering to life within them. The Sky Poison Scorpion Dragon Beast was already coveting the Calamity Poison Body?
Fat Rat and Dry Monkey's faces immediately changed when Lu Bu revealed their identity.
"Kid, who are you?!" Fat Rat bellowed, his stubby fingers clenching. A single handed war hammer materialized in his grasp.
Dry Monkey's eyes flashed with a cold gleam. A sharp, blue glowing dagger suddenly appeared between his fingers, spinning dexterously.
"You're the ones tailing me, and now you're asking who I am?" Lu Bu sneered, his fingers igniting with blue green flames. Instantly, the humid, cold air around them became warm and dry.
"Heavenly Flame?!"
Fat Rat yelped in shock, a shiver running down his spine. He was accustomed to damp, chilly environments this sudden dryness felt unbearably uncomfortable.
"This kid is dangerous!" Dry Monkey rasped in warning.
"Kill him!"
Fat Rat's eyes shone with murderous intent. With a thunderous roar, his round body surged forward in a straight line, his war hammer raised high, charging like an enraged bull.
Meanwhile, a fierce wind suddenly howled around Dry Monkey. His blue dagger glowed menacingly as he blurred into multiple shadows, vanishing into thin air.
Whoosh!
The next moment, a razor sharp wind blade shot toward Lu Bu's left flank, aimed precisely at his ribs. Dry Monkey had struck first, his blade emitting a soul piercing hum like the whisper of death itself.
A cruel smile stretched across Dry Monkey's ugly face.
A mere one star Dou Zong, even with a Heavenly Flame, what can he do?
Their strategy was perfect one attacking head on, drawing attention, while the other used speed and stealth to assassinate from an angle. Even if one attack failed, the other could immediately compensate. Their teamwork was impeccable!
This pretty boy is dead for sure!
Whoosh!
But suddenly, a subtle shift in the air made Dry Monkey's heart jolt.
A palm strike seemingly weak had inexplicably appeared right beside his face.
"What ?!"
His pupils shrank. In that instant, he saw Lu Bu's face calm, unperturbed, and laced with mockery.
SLAP!
A crisp sound echoed through the forest.
Dry Monkey's head snapped sideways as his face twisted unnaturally. Like a spinning top, he whirled uncontrollably through the air.
At the same time, Lu Bu turned slightly, raising his leg. With a sudden movement, he unleashed a devastating kick toward the oncoming Fat Rat.
"What?!"
Fat Rat's face contorted in terror. He tried to change course, but
Too late!
BOOM!
It felt like crashing into solid steel. A sharp pain shot through his skull, his nose flattening instantly. Tears welled up as his vision blurred from the sheer agony.
Lu Bu sneered, flexing his leg. His knee snapped forward
BANG!
A shockwave burst outward as Fat Rat's head snapped back. His entire body was sent hurtling through the air like a broken sack of meat.
"Huh, so he actually has a neck after all?" Lu Bu mused in surprise. He had never noticed it before.
But neither Fat Rat nor Dry Monkey could respond. One had a caved in face, his nose practically embedded in his skull, while the other's cheek was a bloody mess, barely recognizable.
Just then
"Hahahaha… Those two idiots weren't lying! You really do have the scent of the Calamity Poison Body on you!"
Just as this happened, the entire mountain seemed to tremble. A wildly arrogant laugh echoed like rolling thunder, accompanied by rippling sound waves sweeping through the air. In the distance, a blood red figure shot forward, carrying a thick, nauseating stench. Blood light surged, and toxic fumes filled the air.
"The Sky Poison Scorpion Dragon Beast…" Lu Bu's lips curled into a cold smile. "Perfect timing. I was looking for you."
"Master Yao, do me a favor don't let him escape!"
"Heh heh… I understand!"
On the eastern side of the Northwest Continent, deep within a mountain range not far from the Northern Region of Central Plains, a streak of light shot across the sky like a meteor chasing the moon.
Whoosh!
A faint sound resonated as Elder Mu Gu appeared inside a grand hall.
"Greetings, Elder!"
Inside the hall, numerous Protectors bowed deeply in respect.
"Rise," Mu Gu said indifferently, his gaze sweeping across the room. "I assume you all already know why I am here."
"Everything is prepared. Elder, please follow me Elder Hei Gong has been waiting," a Heaven ranked Protector stepped forward and led Mu Gu to a room.
"Elder, please enter. Elder Hei Gong is inside."
Mu Gu raised an eyebrow before pushing the door open. Inside, Elder Hei Gong was already seated with a stack of intelligence reports, as the Protector had stated everything was ready.
Mu Gu's figure flickered, appearing before him. "Hei Gong, who is the one controlling the puppet?"
"This matter is of great importance. One of our envoys was killed, an entire branch hall was destroyed, and even Old Ghost Zhai Xing and I barely escaped death. The Hall Master has already ordered us to capture him as soon as possible," Hei Gong said flatly, pushing a few documents toward Mu Gu.
"Based on our intelligence, the individual appears to be around twenty years old but possesses the strength of a Dou Huang. Such talent and cultivation level are exceedingly rare on the Northwest Continent," Hei Gong said seriously. "He wields a unique purple brown flame of immense power. Among those of the same rank, none can match him even Dou Zongs must retreat before him. My assumption is that this flame is a Heavenly Flame!"
"But our investigations into the geniuses of the Northwest Continent have found no match for him."
"You can't find his origins?" Mu Gu's eyes remained on the documents as he asked, but his brows furrowed purple brown flame?
Among all the flames ranked on the Heavenly Flame list, only the Three Thousand Burning Flame had such a color. But… that flame was still sealed deep within the starry void, unclaimed by anyone. There was no way someone had refined it.
"This person calls himself the Master of the Holy Gate and goes by the name Lu Bu," Hei Gong said with a deep frown. "However, in all my years in the Northwest Continent, I have never heard of any faction called the Holy Gate, nor of any Dou Huang by the name Lu Bu."
"Holy Gate? What does that mean?" Mu Gu finally lifted his head from the papers, looking at Hei Gong with mild amusement.
"He claims that all his subordinates are Dou Shengs," Hei Gong replied.
"Heh heh heh…" Mu Gu chuckled, his face full of amusement. "Young people these days are getting more and more arrogant…"
Before leaving the Central Plains, he had heard that someone in the Northern Region had proclaimed himself a future Dou Di, even boasting that he dared to destroy the Hall of Souls.
And now, here in the Northwest Continent, another person was declaring himself the Master of the Holy Gate, claiming that all his subordinates were Dou Shengs.
How interesting.
These two could be considered a crouching dragon and a young phoenix both equally deserving of a beating.
"Heh… Indeed, incredibly arrogant," Hei Gong sneered. "But I suspect this name is an alias. His true identity remains unknown."
"Capture him and interrogate him. We'll know soon enough," Mu Gu said indifferently. "Where is this so called Master of the Holy Gate, Lu Bu, right now?"
"This person is extremely cautious and elusive. His general area of activity is here," Hei Gong said, unfolding a map before Mu Gu.
"That's quite close to the Central Plains…" Mu Gu's expression darkened.
"Yes. My subordinates are currently searching for him "
"No, pull them back!" Mu Gu interrupted, his voice heavy. "I'll handle this personally. Your men are too conspicuous and might alert him."
"…Understood!" Hei Gong responded. Though he was also a Dou Zun like Mu Gu, the latter was an eighth tier alchemist, a treasured figure among the higher ups. He didn't dare disobey.
However… from what he knew, Mu Gu had lost his physical body not long ago. Though his Dou Qi had recovered, could his new body handle this mission?
Beast Region, Deep Mountains
Boom!
A muffled explosion erupted, followed by a shrill, agonized cry that quickly faded into silence.
"Bah! Damn mutt!" A hulking man spat on the ground, cursing as he wiped fresh blood off his body. "Not bad, it actually managed to injure your granddaddy, Hei Qing…"
He then crouched down, grabbing the massive bird beast's lifeless body.
Just then, a terrifying and domineering aura surged across the horizon, approaching at breakneck speed. The overwhelming pressure sent countless magical beasts howling in fear, forcing them to prostrate themselves, not daring to lift their heads.
"Hmph… Guess you're lucky." Hei Qing grumbled. His powerful arms flexed as he made a grasping motion, tearing open a pitch black spatial crack. His figure flickered, vanishing into the void.
"I heard that damn bird mention a Void Ancient Dragon appearing in the Central Plains… Let's see who it is. Could it be some brat from the island running around unsupervised?"
Hei Qing muttered, his body transforming into a colossal Void Ancient Dragon. With a flick of his tail, he disappeared into the boundless void.
He never suspected it could be anyone from the other three Dragon Islands. Those islands had Dragon Kings leading them, and their arrogance prevented them from ever mingling with humans. If anything, they were probably plotting each other's downfall.
As the spatial fissure slowly mended, the newly arrived Heaven Demon Phoenix could only stare at its fallen kin's corpse, letting out a furious, helpless shriek toward the heavens.
Northern Region of the Central Plains, Tianbei City
Inside a spatial wormhole, an old man and a young man stepped out.
The young man scanned the vast plaza before chuckling. "Heh… So this is where that guy made a name for himself? Uncle Nan, see anything interesting?"
"Young Master… It's been several days already." The old man sighed helplessly.
"Never mind. Let's visit the Hong Clan and ask them directly," the young man, Nie Yang, said with a smirk. With a light tap of his toe, he shot into the sky. He was, astonishingly, a young Dou Zong!
The citizens of Tianbei City gasped in shock. Not long ago, they had just witnessed the overwhelming power of a young Dou Zong and now, another one had appeared!
Meanwhile, at Wind Lightning North Pavilion's North Thunder Tower…
High in the sky, space rippled as black fissures slowly formed. A figure in blue robes stepped out of the void.
"North Pavilion Master Fei Tian, I am Mo Yu. I seek an audience."
A calm voice echoed through the air. The next moment, lightning flashed as Fei Tian, clad in silver robes, appeared.
"This junior greets the Nine Heavens Revered Elder. May I ask what brings you here?" Fei Tian bowed respectfully. He knew exactly who this man was a high ranking figure from the Hall of Souls.
That brat had finally provoked the Hall of Souls.
And they hadn't just sent anyone they had dispatched a Nine Heavens Elder!
"I hear you had dealings with the one claiming to be a future Dou Di. Tell me everything."
Fei Tian's eyes flickered. After a brief pause, he nodded and replied, "Yes, Senior!"
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