Chapter 404: A Terrifying Chapter Title!
Hearing Lu Bu's words, the five members of the Gu Clan exchanged glances. Gu Qingyang and Gu Hua locked eyes, their brows furrowing slightly in doubt.
They had their reasons to be skeptical. After all, they had witnessed Lu Bu's schemes firsthand during their trip to the Heavenly Tomb. A mere Dou Venerate, he had dared to command the legendary Xiao Xuan to fight on his behalf.
Unlike Xiao Xuan, they didn't possess that level of courage, nor did they have the ability to bet on whether or not Lu Bu might dig a pit for them to fall into.
On the other hand, Gu Yao and Gu Xing both frowned deeply, though their responses differed. Gu Yao believed every word Lu Bu said without much hesitation.
In his time spent with Lu Bu, Gu Yao had come to understand the man's character. Sure, Lu Bu had a tendency to beat people up, act recklessly, and refuse to follow any rules. He was overbearing and unreasonable. But aside from those flaws, Lu Bu was someone who didn't have any glaring faults he was, in a way, a person whose flaws were overshadowed by his strengths.
As for Gu Xing, who had good relationships with the commanders of the Black Destruction Army especially Gu Yao he felt he understood Lu Bu reasonably well. At the very least, he'd never heard the others complain about Lu Bu's reliability.
So, while Gu Xing believed Lu Bu's words, the truth was, it didn't really matter if he did or not.
Gu Xing scratched his head with his large, fan like hands. Their team was capable of handling one semi saint at most. Against two, they'd already be overwhelmed, and with five semi saints, they didn't stand a chance regardless.
Meanwhile, Xiao Xun'er furrowed her delicate brows as her golden eyes flickered thoughtfully, as if she were contemplating something.
As the Gu Clan group fell silent in deliberation, Lu Bu shrugged and turned his gaze elsewhere. The central platform they were standing on spanned a hundred meters in diameter a spacious area. In addition to the Gu Clan and Lu Bu's group, there were several other powerful factions present.
"The Heaven Demon Phoenix Clan…" Medusa's cold gaze narrowed as her eyes flashed with an icy glint, locking onto Jiufeng and his group in the distance.
"This is the Heaven Demon Phoenix Young Clan Leader you mentioned?" Xiao Yi Xian asked, her eyes scanning Jiufeng with an icy indifference. "Judging by their current expressions, it seems they're looking for trouble."
She had already heard from Yun Yun and Medusa about the Heaven Demon Phoenix Clan's ambush on Lu Bu and his companions. This kind of grudge wasn't something that could be easily resolved.
"Isn't that better?" Medusa smiled faintly. "This is the perfect opportunity to wipe them out."
"Heh… Your Majesty, do whatever you wish," Lu Bu said softly, taking her hand and smiling. "You don't need to worry about retaliation from the Heaven Demon Phoenix Clan. They simply don't have the capability."
Medusa gave a gentle nod, her delicate hand tightening slightly around Lu Bu's. Her slender, enchanting eyes curved into crescent moons.
There was no rush. For now, their priority was to help him obtain the Bodhi Heart and Bodhi Seed. The rest could wait.
"One, two, three… four," Qing Lin murmured, counting softly. Her small face grew serious as she said, "The Heaven Demon Phoenix Clan has ten members here. The weakest among them is at the eight star Dou Venerate level…"
Despite their animosity, their strength was undeniable.
Lu Bu merely chuckled, paying them no mind. With his and Medusa's recent advancements, dealing with the Heaven Demon Phoenix Clan wouldn't be an issue.
Elsewhere, Xiao Yan's gaze turned somber as he stared at a group of black cloaked figures. His focus locked onto a black dressed, delicate woman, and he muttered, "She's here too?"
"Xiao Yan, you know her?" Gu Xing asked curiously.
"Lu Bu once said Xiao Yan was a lecher. Maybe they had a fling?" Gu Yao remarked thoughtfully, his tone entirely serious as if it were a valid deduction.
Whether it was true or not wasn't his concern. Whether Xun'er believed it was another matter entirely. Besides, it was something Lu Bu had said, so it had nothing to do with him!
"Bullshit! Lu Bu is the real lecher!" Xiao Yan snapped in anger, pointing indignantly in Lu Bu's direction. "Look at how many women he's got with him…!"
Far away, Medusa and Xiao Yi Xian turned their gazes toward Xiao Yan. His mouth twitched as he quickly lowered his hand, pointing somewhere else instead.
He had to admit he was somewhat afraid of the infamous Medusa Queen of the Northwest Continent, especially now that her strength had grown so formidable.
Then there was the Poison Mistress. The memory of that devastating poison technique from their previous battle was still vivid in his mind.
Neither of these women was someone he wanted to provoke.
"Ahem… back to the point," Xiao Yan coughed lightly to cover his embarrassment. "That woman from the Soul Clan, I've fought her before. She's likely a nine grade bloodline. Very strong."
"Her name is Hun Tuo. Yes, she's a nine grade bloodline, but not particularly impressive," Gu Yao said disdainfully. "If I had a nine grade bloodline, I'd already be on par with Gu Qingyang and Gu Hua. Why would I be stuck like this?"
Xiao Yan frowned slightly, realizing Gu Yao's remark was directed at him.
"She's the youngest of the Soul Clan's nine grade bloodline members," Xiao Xun'er interjected with a soft smile, her tone serene and unaffected by Gu Yao's words.
"She's around the second or third transition Dou Venerate level. Decent, but compared to the other nine grade bloodlines, she's lacking…"
"Indeed," Gu Xing nodded. "Qingyang and Gu Hua are also nine grade bloodlines, and their strength far surpasses hers."
"Then why was Hun Yu so weak? He's also a nine grade bloodline," Xiao Yan asked, his brows arching in surprise.
Back then, Hun Yu had also been a nine grade bloodline, yet his strength had been unimpressive. If he hadn't been killed, his current level might only rival Gu Yao's, a far cry from Gu Qingyang or Gu Hua.
"That's because he was captured alive and imprisoned for a time, which prevented him from cultivating," Gu Yao said with a smirk. "And just so you know, I was part of the team that captured him. That's one of the reasons I was promoted to the Four Generals of the Black Destruction Army."
Xiao Yan's mouth twitched. He knew Lu Bu had defeated Hun Yu, but Gu Yao's words were cleverly phrased, leaving him unsure how to respond.
Gu Xing rolled his eyes but chose not to expose Gu Yao. With his bloodline and talent, Gu Yao's promotion was inevitable.
But Gu Yao didn't care about such details. The facts were facts, and no one could deny them.
"Let's talk about someone else," Gu Qingyang interjected, nodding toward the Soul Clan's group. He pointed at the gray robed man leading them. "That man's name is Hun Mo. He's a genuine nine grade bloodline and is as strong as I am."
At this, the Gu Clan members' expressions grew grave. None of them dared underestimate Hun Mo.
"Another nine grade bloodline…" Xiao Yan murmured, his brows knitting as he stared at Hun Mo. "Why does the Soul Clan have so many of them?"
From a distance, Hun Mo seemed to notice Xiao Yan's gaze. He turned slightly and cast a faint, mocking smile in Xiao Yan's direction.
"What sharp senses…" Xiao Yan muttered, a hint of alarm in his heart. There was Hun Yu, Hun Tuo, and now Hun Mo three nine grade bloodlines. Who knew how many more the Soul Clan had?
After all, aside from the Soul Clan themselves, no one knew where their domain's entrance was hidden.
"Indeed, the Soul Clan has an abundance of nine grade bloodlines," Gu Yao said, his tone unusually somber. For once, he found himself agreeing with Xiao Yan.
"Why not ask Lu Bu? He might know something," Xiao Yan suggested, rubbing his chin. After all, didn't Lu Bu claim to have special intelligence sources?
At this, Gu Qingyang and Gu Hua exchanged looks that screamed disbelief, while Gu Xing and Gu Yao were equally unimpressed.
Lu Bu wasn't a member of an imperial clan. It was one thing for him to know secrets about heavenly treasures, but expecting him to uncover information about the Soul Clan?
That was laughable. Even the Gu Clan couldn't achieve that. How could Lu Bu?
"Don't just focus on the Soul Clan," Gu Yao said, coughing lightly to change the subject. He pointed toward another group. "They're not our only competitors."
When it came to Lu Bu's abilities, no one wanted to comment further. After all, what if that guy decided to punch someone again? This wasn't just a possibility it was a certainty!
"Huh? The Yao Clan?" Xiao Yan followed Gu Yao's gesture, looking toward the group of alchemists, surprised. It was common knowledge that alchemists were not known for their combat abilities. Why had the Yao Clan come to participate in something like this?
"The allure of the Bodhi Seed is no joke… even Yao Ling came." Gu Xing pointed toward a beautiful woman with sky blue hair among the Yao Clan members, smiling.
She was renowned as the Yao Clan's most likely candidate to break through to the Emperor level in soul power.
"Oh, so her name is Yao Ling…" Xiao Yan murmured in realization.
"Ha! And you say you're not a lecher!" Gu Yao took the opportunity to mock him.
Xiao Yan glared daggers at him. "There's something peculiar about her soul energy it seems to affect other souls in… Never mind. You wouldn't understand, anyway. You're not even an alchemist!"
Gu Yao felt indignant but had no way to refute this. After all, this was a matter of professional knowledge. But then, his eyes lit up with an idea. He couldn't argue with Xiao Yan, but Lu Bu could! After all, he was also an alchemist.
"Is that so? No wonder Lu Bu said he wanted to eat her…" Gu Yao muttered in an enlightened tone.
The moment these words left his mouth, Xiao Yan's eyes lit up with excitement. "Is that true?! I knew it! Lu Bu is such a lecher!"
If Medusa or Xiao Yi Xian were to find out, wouldn't Lu Bu be in for a world of trouble?
Xiao Xun'er frowned slightly at the conversation but didn't interject.
Meanwhile, Gu Qingyang, Gu Hua, and Gu Xing perked up in interest, urging, "Tell us more, Gu Yao! Quickly, explain in detail!"
"Hmph, where are your minds wandering?" Gu Yao snorted. "When Lu Bu said he wanted to eat her, he meant it literally. He said Yao Ling would taste good."
He also said Ya Fei was… silky smooth. Xiao Yan rolled his eyes at the memory but immediately understood what Gu Yao meant.
"Eating humans… he'd actually do that?" The three commanders of the Gu Clan reacted with slightly serious expressions.
"Well, back in the southwestern region of Central Plains… here's what happened…" Gu Yao scratched his chin and recounted the incident where he, Lu Bu, and Gu Zhen caused trouble in the Yao Clan's medicine fields.
By the time he finished explaining, the Gu Clan members were visibly disappointed. They had expected something truly shocking, only to find out it had been nothing but a bluff.
"Ugh… Let's stop talking about Lu Bu and focus on the Bodhi Tree," Xiao Yan coughed lightly, realizing the group's conversation had revolved around Lu Bu far too much. It was absurd!
"We can't talk about it; we can't even get close to the Bodhi Tree," Gu Yao replied irritably.
Before Lu Bu and Xiao Yan's arrival, the Gu Clan, along with the Soul Clan, the Heaven Demon Phoenix Clan, and a few hidden factions of the Central Plains, had tried charging through the beast tide multiple times. Every attempt had failed miserably.
The beasts here had no reasoning, no fear of strong cultivators. Once intruders entered their territory, the crazed beasts would swarm and attack relentlessly.
You could kill countless beasts, but the moment you got injured by even one of them, you were doomed. The beasts could afford endless mistakes, but intruders could make only one. The price was their lives, leaving behind nothing but bleached bones.
"Gu Yao is right. These beasts are just too insane," Gu Hua sighed. "We couldn't even catch a glimpse of the Bodhi Tree before the beast tide forced us to retreat."
"These wounds are proof of that," Gu Xing said, rolling up his sleeve to reveal three deep claw marks on his muscular arm. The wounds were still faintly glowing with a dark light, preventing them from healing completely.
Despite his robust physique, Gu Xing hadn't escaped unscathed from the frenzied beasts.
Xiao Yan's heart grew heavy. He was beginning to grasp the terrifying nature of the beast tide. Even the most talented younger generation of the Gu Clan was powerless against it.
"Heh… the Soul Clan didn't fare any better," Gu Yao sneered. "They thought they were strong enough and tried to brute force their way through. And the result? Well…"
Gu Yao cast a mocking glance toward the Soul Clan. Hun Mo, who often looked down on the Gu Clan, had led the charge himself. The outcome? Several of their members had died, and now they were behaving far more cautiously.
"This is troublesome…" Xiao Yan muttered, his expression darkening. If even the Soul Clan and Gu Clan both superpowers couldn't deal with the beast tide, then attempting to push through alone was practically a death sentence.
"How wide is the beast tide?" Xiao Yan asked, trying to gauge the situation.
"No one knows," Gu Hua said helplessly. "We managed to push forward a few hundred meters before we had to retreat. We couldn't even see the edge of the tide, let alone the massive Bodhi Tree itself!"
"Looks like we'll have to rally everyone together and make a combined effort to break through the tide," Xiao Yan shrugged.
"Don't worry. If you've thought of it, others have already considered it," Gu Yao said bluntly, showing no interest in humoring Xiao Yan's idea.
"What I'm really curious about…" Xiao Yan ignored him and turned his gaze toward Lu Bu. "What will Lu Bu do? That guy never takes the conventional path."
In Lu Bu's group, Qing Lin suddenly floated into the air, her gaze fixed toward the north. In her emerald eyes, three small flowers began to spin slowly.
Just then, a faint flash of light appeared on the distant horizon, accompanied by an imperceptible ripple of energy.
"Ugh…" Qing Lin suddenly let out a muffled groan, her face turning pale as her body trembled and fell from midair.
Lu Bu swiftly caught her in his arms.
"Are you okay, girl?" Lu Bu asked urgently, his soul energy pouring out to examine her condition.
"I'm fine…" Qing Lin shook her head weakly.
Lu Bu nodded, relieved. Aside from some slight disturbance to her soul, she seemed unharmed.
"What about the beast tide?" Medusa, reassured that Qing Lin was safe, asked the pressing question.
Qing Lin rubbed her temples and answered with some difficulty, "The beast tide stretches between us and the Bodhi Tree for at least three thousand meters. It's so dense that it's impossible to count the number of beasts…"
Hearing this, Medusa and Xiao Yi Xian's expressions grew grim. How could they possibly get through such a massive horde?
Seeing the worried looks on her master and the two older sisters' faces, Qing Lin added, "I saw a tree that seemed to connect heaven and earth. It was thousands, if not tens of thousands, of meters tall!"
Her face was still pale, and a trace of shock lingered in her voice. The sheer size of such a colossal object naturally evoked an instinctive fear and awe in anyone.
And knowing that it was a divine object that appeared only once every ten thousand years added even more weight to the scene.
"Don't worry," Lu Bu said, patting her gently on the back to comfort her. "I've got a plan!"
He understood the fear that came with seeing such enormous things. In his past life, even facing something as mundane as a truck had elicited that same feeling.
Nowadays, whether it was training with Medusa, Xiao Yi Xian, or Yun Yun, he saw that they occasionally experienced this unease as well.
But as far as obtaining the Bodhi Heart was concerned, Lu Bu was confident he could pull it off.
(End of Chapter)
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