Chapter 285: Xiao Yan? What a Letdown!
This was a mysterious world, its dense and pure natural energy saturating the air, far more concentrated than even the core of the Central Plains' Holy Pill City. Breathing it in felt almost euphoric, as though a single deep breath could boost one's cultivation significantly.
On the ground, vast mountain ranges snaked and sprawled like ancient dragons, their towering peaks piercing the sky like sharp swords. Clouds and mist wreathed their summits, concealing their true heights.
This was the Ancient Realm. Beneath the mountains lay vast plains where countless clansmen of the Ancient Race resided. Within the mountains, however, were secluded places where the Ancient Race's mighty experts cultivated in solitude. Numerous institutions and formidable individuals of the Ancient Clan were hidden among the seemingly endless peaks.
Atop one of these peaks, on a polished, jade green stone platform, sat Xiao Xun'er. She meditated in a cross legged position, her breath calm and rhythmic as the dense natural energy flowed into her body.
Just then, the mist around the platform stirred faintly, and a shadowy figure emerged from the white haze.
"Elder Ling, what brings you here?" Xiao Xun'er said indifferently, her eyes opening slightly. Her practice had been interrupted, so she needed a good explanation.
"Miss, would I dare disturb your cultivation without cause?" Ling Ying replied respectfully. This man, Xiao Xun'er's bodyguard, had previously clashed with Lu Bu several times at Jia Nan Academy.
"Speak. If it's about the clan, I'm not interested," Xiao Xun'er said coolly. She had withdrawn from the Black Submerged Army and avoided getting involved in its trivial affairs. She had even clashed with the Elder Council, leaving her relationship with them less than cordial.
Not that it bothered her. The Elder Council could only suppress her temporarily there was no way they could keep her down forever.
"Once I grow stronger, everything will change!"
"Yes," Ling Ying coughed lightly and said, "According to the latest intelligence, a young man named Xiao Yan has appeared in the Central Plains…"
At this, Xiao Xun'er's face didn't show any joy. Instead, her delicate features darkened, and she looked thoroughly displeased. "You're not talking about that guy claiming to have the potential of a Dou Di, are you?"
"Elder Ling, don't tell me you don't know that rascal is Lu Bu!" Xiao Xun'er said irritably.
When she first heard of this "Dou Di potential" Xiao Yan, she had been so overjoyed that she nearly sprouted wings and flown straight to the Northern Region of the Central Plains. However, it didn't take her long to realize something was off.
Her brother Xiao Yan wasn't the kind of person to act so arrogantly. Coupled with the fact that this rumor had spread around the same time Lu Bu left, it only took a bit of investigation to confirm her suspicions.
It was that rascal Lu Bu stirring up trouble again!
Now, within the Ancient Clans, the name "Xiao Yan, Dou Di Potential" was famous. Stories of his duel with Hun Yu where he fought Hun Clan's prodigy to a draw and eventually outwitted him had spread far and wide. Among the eight ancient clans, even ordinary clansmen knew the name "Xiao Yan, Dou Di Potential."
Because of this, countless young talents and strong figures from the eight clans were now eyeing Xiao Yan, eager to challenge this so called Dou Di prospect and test their strength against the man who defeated Hun Yu.
This left Xiao Xun'er fuming. She was itching to teach Lu Bu a lesson. It was all his fault for stirring up such chaos!
"Cough… Miss, you misunderstand," Ling Ying hastily waved his hands, scrambling to explain. "I was referring to a different matter. Recently, a young alchemy prodigy named Lu Bu has emerged in the Central Plains, claiming to stand at the pinnacle of alchemy and to be unmatched."
Xiao Xun'er's face turned even darker. It was Lu Bu again… Wait a minute!
Her delicate brows furrowed slightly. Usually, Lu Bu wouldn't flaunt his name so openly, which meant there must be another reason behind it.
"Elder Ling, are you trying to say that my brother Xiao Yan is in the Central Plains and is using Lu Bu's name?" Xiao Xun'er's mind quickly pieced the information together, instantly connecting the two events.
"Yes!" Ling Ying nodded hurriedly. He had barely managed to get a single sentence out before being interrupted twice, which was frustrating. Thankfully, his sharp mistress had figured it out on her own.
"Tell me everything from the beginning!" Xiao Xun'er demanded, her face lighting up with excitement.
Brother Xiao Yan had finally come to the Central Plains!
"Yes!" Ling Ying straightened and began recounting the intelligence he had gathered, including Mu Gu's pursuit, Yao Chen's capture, Feng Zun's rescue, and Xiao Yan's growing fame at Tianmu Mountain.
Listening to it all, Xiao Xun'er's eyes sparkled with joy. A radiant smile spread across her face. "Send word I'm leaving the Ancient Realm!"
"Yes!"
Outside the Yang Fire Altar in Ye City, Zi Yan rested her chin on her hands as she sat on Queen Medusa's lap, her small legs swinging back and forth. "This is so boring. Lu Bu, Xiao Yi Xian, and Sister Yun Yun have been in there for nearly an hour. Why aren't they done yet?"
She wanted to eat pills. She wanted medicinal dishes. She wanted tasty food she was starving!
Medusa rolled her eyes. While she knew Zi Yan was referring to the Poison Pill process, the phrasing still felt off.
"Quiet down. We're here to guard Lu Bu and the others," Medusa scolded, flicking Zi Yan on the forehead.
In truth, Medusa was well aware they didn't really need her to stand guard. With the Eight Star Dou Zun Taixu Ancient Dragon Hei Qing stationed nearby and the soul of Tian Huo Zun Zhe sealed in his storage ring, any potential threat would have been handled long ago.
Unless the Hall of Souls launched a full scale invasion, no one could breach a city protected by an Eight Star Dou Zun Ancient Dragon.
Even so, a faint sadness lingered in Medusa's heart. With the arrival of an Ancient Dragon elder, it was likely that Zi Yan would have to leave soon.
After so much time together, Medusa had come to see Zi Yan as her little sister. The thought of their imminent parting left her feeling inexplicably melancholic.
"I've grown far too sentimental…" Medusa rubbed her temples and let out a soft, self deprecating laugh. In the past, such thoughts would never have crossed her mind. She would have simply killed anyone who displeased her. As for people she liked? There weren't any.
Just then, two figures emerged from the altar. It was Lu Bu and Yun Yun. However, Yun Yun's face was pale, her complexion drained.
Though she could wield the Fallen Heart Flame in battle, her spiritual strength was not as refined as that of a true alchemist. The process had clearly taken its toll on her.
"Lu Bu!" Zi Yan's eyes lit up. She kicked off with her short legs and leapt into his arms, occupying the perfect spot both Medusa and Yun Yun would have liked to claim.
"I want to eat wait! You have something tasty on you!" Zi Yan's nose twitched as she clung to Lu Bu, sniffing him like a puppy trying to locate a treat.
Lu Bu's expression darkened as he grabbed her by the back of her collar and hoisted her away.
"Quick, show me! What's the good stuff?" Zi Yan flailed her arms and shouted.
"It's a Bodhi Seed!" Lu Bu said exasperatedly. Sitting beside Medusa, he retrieved a green, marble like object from his storage ring.
During the Poison Pill process, Lu Bu had refined the Bodhi Saliva with his Heavenly Flames. To his surprise, a small residue of impurities had crystallized into a Bodhi Seed, just as the original story described.
Though the seed was slightly cloudy and rough rather than clear and smooth, it emitted a unique fragrance filled with vitality and life force.
Zi Yan's large eyes gleamed as she stared at the Bodhi Seed, practically drooling. It didn't look pretty, but it smelled absolutely delicious.
Smack!
Lu Bu flicked Zi Yan on the forehead with an annoyed expression. "You can't eat this it's still useful!"
Zi Yan snapped back to attention, puffing out her cheeks and glaring at Lu Bu. Then, with an indignant shout of "Awooo!" she leaped onto Lu Bu's face, gnawing at him furiously in a fit of childish anger.
There was no need to worry about him getting hurt Lu Bu's body was tough, sturdier than even a magical beast's physical form.
"Alright, alright… Stop it! I'll give you something good!" Lu Bu quickly grabbed Zi Yan and pulled her away, rolling his eyes. This little troublemaker besides slobbering all over him, was there anything else she could do?
"What is it? What is it?" At the mention of something good, Zi Yan immediately stopped her tantrum. She dangled from Lu Bu's hand, her eyes sparkling with eager anticipation.
Lu Bu flicked his fingers, and a small bottle of warm, golden pills appeared in his palm. Zi Yan's eyes lit up with joy as she quickly snatched the bottle, poured out a few pills, and crunched on them noisily. Her big eyes narrowed into satisfied crescents as she enjoyed the taste.
"There's more to see. Let's take a look at what's in here." Lu Bu smiled, spreading his fingers to reveal a snow white storage ring emitting a faint chill.
At this, Zi Yan's excitement doubled. She loved rifling through enemies' storage rings, as it gave her a thrilling sense of treasure hunting.
"Let me see! Let me see!" Zi Yan quickly grabbed the storage ring, momentarily forgetting her beloved pills.
Lu Bu chuckled as he watched her eagerly take the ring. Ice River Sovereign wasn't truly dead he had merely been reduced to a different state of existence, and his soul imprint still remained on the storage ring. While Lu Bu could forcibly destroy it with his soul power, doing so would alert Ice River Sovereign's soul.
Zi Yan, however, was a different story. Her unique abilities allowed her to effortlessly bypass spatial barriers and retrieve the treasures within.
A faint purple glow shimmered on Zi Yan's delicate hand as she easily bypassed the ring's defenses, making it seem like just another low grade storage ring.
Yun Yun and Queen Medusa quickly gathered around. They, too, were curious about the wealth of a Central Plains faction leader.
"Ugh… More poison!" Zi Yan grimaced in disgust, baring her teeth. With a flick of her fingers, countless high grade jade boxes burst forth like a geyser.
Lu Bu waved his sleeve, his soul power activating to catch and steady them all.
"As expected, excellent poisons!" Lu Bu's brows rose slightly in delight. This collection would serve as excellent resources for Xiao Yi Xian's cultivation. He didn't need to worry about running out of poisons for her training anymore Ice River Sovereign's collection, painstakingly harvested by Ice River Valley over many years, was exceptionally rare.
"There's more Ice River Valley's techniques." Zi Yan muttered, pulling out a white jade scroll radiating cold energy. Three large icy blue characters were engraved on its surface: Ice Sovereign Art.
"A high tier Earth level cultivation technique… and so many accompanying Dou Techniques?" Lu Bu's brows lifted, and a smile appeared on his face. These were good items. Qing Lin's Dou Qi attribute happened to be ice based, so when she eventually arrived from the Northwest Continent, this Ice Sovereign Art would be perfect for her cultivation.
"Ah! Finally, some treasure!" Zi Yan exclaimed excitedly, waving her hand as a large collection of medicinal herbs emerged from the ring. Just like the poisons before, they floated in mid air.
Now this was what she wanted!
"Little one, I'll make you a medicinal feast tonight!" Lu Bu said with a laugh, ruffling Zi Yan's hair.
"Okay, okay!" Zi Yan nodded enthusiastically, too excited to notice one obvious issue why did it have to be tonight and not now?
In the northwest of the Central Plains, a towering city wall rose abruptly from the plains. Beneath the tall city gates, streams of people came and went, forming a bustling crowd. On top of the walls, soldiers clad in fiery red armor patrolled, armed and vigilant.
"This is part of the area under the rule of Burning Flame Valley. Here, Burning Flame Valley's authority is absolute," Lin Yan explained to Xiao Yan as they walked together.
Burning Flame Valley functioned almost like an empire, appointing city lords to govern every settlement within its territory as extensions of the sect's will.
To be honest, Lin Yan found Xiao Yan's lack of preparation baffling. How had this kid not done any research before coming to the Central Plains? Xiao Yan wasn't just unfamiliar with the region's powerful factions sometimes he didn't even know his own location. It was beyond frustrating.
"So Liu Qing's family is under Burning Flame Valley's rule…" Xiao Yan murmured, finally understanding. No wonder Lin Yan had said he had connections within the sect.
"Hmm?" Xiao Yan suddenly frowned, his sharp senses picking up on something in the distance.
"What is it?" Lin Yan asked, puzzled. As a seventh tier alchemist, Xiao Yan's soul perception far exceeded his own and could detect things far beyond the reach of ordinary eyes.
"I can sense Liu Qing's aura over there, but he's surrounded by quite a few people. It looks like he's in trouble," Xiao Yan said, his brow furrowing slightly.
"Let's go take a look!" Lin Yan exclaimed, and the two immediately took to the air, flying toward the center of the city.
"Cheng Yao, according to the rules, this year's space tunnel is to be managed by my Liu family. What's the meaning of this?" Liu Qing glared furiously at a well dressed middle aged man in the distance.
"Hehe… Young man, you don't understand the art of seizing opportunities," Cheng Yao said with a faint smile. "Burning Flame Valley's need for alchemists has been public knowledge for some time. If your Liu family failed to take advantage of it, you have no one to blame but yourselves."
"Liu family brat, this does involve alchemists," said an elder in a crimson robe, his voice resonating powerfully across the plaza. "The Valley Master requires alchemists, and the Cheng family found one. Naturally, they should be rewarded."
"Elder Chi Huo, this matter arose suddenly. Could we not…" Liu Qing's face darkened. He had only recently taken over his family and was still working to consolidate his authority. This was the last thing he needed.
"Suddenly? What nonsense!" Elder Chi Huo's brows furrowed as he interrupted harshly. "The Valley has been broadcasting its search for alchemists to every major city and family for over a month. Even Ice River Valley heard about it!"
Liu Qing's face turned ashen. There were traitors in his family vermin, even! Someone was working against him from within.
"Hahaha… Liu Qing, why the frustration? It's just an alchemist. What's there to worry about?" A loud laugh rang out from the sky as Lin Yan descended with Xiao Yan in tow. "Have you forgotten? We've got Lu Bu!"
"What? Lu Bu?"
"That alchemy prodigy? The one claiming to be unmatched in the field of alchemy?"
"What arrogance… but I wonder if he's actually any good?"
"Shh! You said the same thing when that 'Dou Di potential' Xiao Yan was first mentioned. Look how that turned out!"
"Oh, right. Let's wait and see."
The crowd in Tianhuang City erupted in chatter, their expressions ranging from surprise to skepticism. Even Elder Chi Huo raised a brow in mild astonishment, his gaze landing on the black robed youth standing beside Lin Yan. He could sense a powerful soul force emanating from this young man it seemed the rumors of a prodigy were true.
Beside Liu Qing, Liu Fei tilted her head and glanced at the two figures in the sky. Her delicate face twisted into a mix of annoyance and disbelief. "Lu Bu? Isn't that Xiao Yan?"
She muttered softly, "I thought the real Lu Bu had come. What a letdown…"
In the dense forest outside Tianhuang City, a wisp of black smoke drifted silently through the trees.
"Ke ke ke… Lu Bu… no, Xiao Yan… I've found you…"
"Ke ke!"
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