Chapter 87: "I'm Here to Beat the Soul Hall!"
"You… you…"
Protector Wu was utterly terrified. He had always believed himself to be the hunter, the one who would catch Yao Chen like prey. He thought he was the sparrow watching the praying mantis as it stalked the cicada.
But now, to his utter horror, he realized Yao Chen was no helpless cicada. Instead, he was the mantis under the sharp gaze of an even deadlier sparrow Lu Bu.
"Why do you look so unhappy?" Lu Bu asked, a faint smile on his lips. "Didn't you enjoy yourself when you were chasing me back then?"
As he spoke, the Spiritual Flame in his hand surged, burning Protector Wu's very soul.
"AAAAAAH!" Protector Wu howled in agony, the pain searing through his essence. The flames directly assaulted his soul, a pain unlike anything he had ever experienced.
"Lu Bu is finally stepping in!" Yun Yun couldn't help but smile, her lips curving into a faint grin.
"Tsk… That guy fights dirty," Hai Bodong said, glancing at Protector Wu, who was writhing in agony. He clicked his tongue. "I bet that feels great."
"Ha ha ha, Yun Shan, your backup isn't doing so well!" Jia Xing Tian laughed heartily, taking advantage of Yun Shan's distraction to land a solid punch that forced him to retreat.
Yun Shan's expression flickered. He wanted Protector Wu dead what use was an ally who brought such disgrace? But he also feared what might replace Protector Wu if he were to perish. Caught in this dilemma, Yun Shan hesitated.
"That… that's Lu Bu?" Nalan Yanran muttered in disbelief as she watched the figure of Lu Bu charging into the fray.
And he's… so handsome? Why had he been hiding his appearance under a mask all this time?
Beside her, Xiao Yan frowned, his mood instantly souring. That bastard, Lu Bu, always managed to irritate him.
Sensing Xiao Yan's sudden shift in demeanor, Nalan Yanran smirked faintly. Was he… jealous?
But her curiosity got the better of her, and she asked, "How can he hold his own in a Dou Zong level fight? Just how strong is he?"
Nearby, Mu Chen broke into a cold sweat as he watched the unfolding battle. He recalled the night when his son, Mu Zhan, had caused trouble. If not for Mittel Tengshan's presence, he would have personally stepped in to teach that "country bumpkin" Lu Bu a lesson.
Now? He was endlessly grateful he hadn't done anything foolish that night. Otherwise, he might have been slapped to death on the spot.
"Tengshan, you sly dog! You knew this all along!" Nalan Jie huffed, stroking his beard as his face flushed with indignation. "You've been hiding such a powerhouse in your family, and you didn't say a word!"
Thinking back to his boastful claims during the Alchemist Gathering, he felt waves of embarrassment. Hopefully, no one remembered that now…
"Hmph, if I had said anything, I wouldn't even be standing here right now!" Mittel Tengshan snapped. "Do you even know who you're dealing with? He's a Grade Six Alchemist and a friend of Hai Bodong. Why do you think Hai Bodong and Jia Xing Tian are fighting Yun Shan?"
Then, Tengshan grinned mischievously. "Speaking of the Alchemist Gathering, old man Nalan, your suggestion was genius. Asking a Grade Six Alchemist to join a competition meant for Grade Three alchemists? And having him 'learn' from them?"
Nalan Jie's face turned beet red, steam practically rising from his ears in fury. "I won't argue with you. My granddaughter is here; I'm not lowering myself to your level!"
"So, that bastard was using me as bait this whole time!" Xiao Yan grumbled, his fists clenched.
The moment Lu Bu had said "long time no see," Xiao Yan realized the truth. There was clearly bad blood between Lu Bu and Protector Wu.
Lu Bu's real goal had never been to protect Xiao Yan or help him escape from the Yunlan Sect. No, it was always Protector Wu!
Nalan Yanran, standing nearby, glanced at Xiao Yan with confusion. What was he talking about?
"You little scoundrel!" Yao Chen's spiritual form wavered as he glared at Lu Bu with a mix of frustration and helplessness. He could see it now.
This brat wasn't here to protect Xiao Yan; that was all nonsense. His real objective was to drag Yao Chen into a fight with Protector Wu, using him as bait. Not only that, Lu Bu had also used Xiao Yan as a shield.
To make matters worse, they had paid Lu Bu for his "help." Yao Chen felt his spiritual body trembling with rage.
My soul cultivation technique! My ancient alchemist inheritance!
Yao Chen cursed under his breath. He had been utterly played by this boy, and now he had no choice but to stay and fight alongside him. If they didn't deal with Protector Wu here, the Soul Hall would eventually send reinforcements, and neither he nor Xiao Yan would survive.
"Damn it!" Yao Chen gritted his teeth. Not only had he been outsmarted, but he was also footing the bill for the privilege!
"It's really you… AAAAH!" Protector Wu's body convulsed violently as Lu Bu's arm, imbued with Spiritual Flame, burned its way through his chest.
The flames ravaged his soul, and the dense black armor formed by his secret technique began to crack and disintegrate.
"Please… you can't kill me! I'm from the Soul Hall!" Protector Wu shrieked desperately.
"Soul Hall? I'm here to crush the Soul Hall!" Lu Bu sneered, his hand within Protector Wu's body suddenly contracting. The Spiritual Flame compressed into a singularity before erupting violently.
BOOM!!
The explosion rang out like a thunderclap, shattering Protector Wu's black armor into countless fragments.
The once mighty figure of Protector Wu, who had loomed like a god of death moments ago, was blown apart, his remnants scattering across the battlefield.
Did that finish him off? No, probably not.
Lu Bu's gaze remained sharp. Cockroaches like this don't die that easily.
"Hai Bodong, Jia Xing Tian, keep Yun Shan occupied. Don't let him interfere," Lu Bu ordered coldly. "Protector Wu has soul devouring techniques. If he gets desperate, he might target Yun Shan to consume his soul!"
"Yun Yun, handle crowd control. Don't let anyone disturb the fight, especially that lackey down below!"
"Understood!" Yun Yun nodded without hesitation. She couldn't bring herself to raise her sword against her teacher, Yun Shan it would be both disrespectful and unfilial. But holding her position as support was something she could do.
Hai Bodong narrowed his eyes, a new wariness surfacing in his heart. This young man… was even able to give orders to Yun Yun?
How close were these two?
Hai Bodong shuddered slightly. This guy… had already pulled so many strings behind the scenes. How many people had Lu Bu brought under his influence?
"Haha, no problem!" Hai Bodong's eyes glimmered as he burst into laughter, fanning his icy wings to block Yun Shan's path.
"Why… why does he get along so well with my teacher?" Nalan Yanran exclaimed, her attention fixed on something entirely different yet oddly precise.
"They've known each other for a long time," Xiao Yan said with a snort, clearly annoyed. Right now, he was feeling particularly irritable and wanted to stir up some trouble for Lu Bu.
"You know about this?" Nalan Yanran's eyes sparkled with curiosity as she asked excitedly, "Tell me! My… my grandfather would be very interested!"
Nalan Jie shivered, a chill running down his spine as he felt the back of his neck prickle. Without hesitation, he made his escape. Gossip about Yun Yun and a peak Dou Huang? He didn't have the guts to stick around and listen.
Mu Chen and Mittel Tengshan also stiffened at the mention of such a topic. The three elderly men exchanged knowing looks before simultaneously spreading their Dou Qi wings and flying off, their movements perfectly synchronized.
"This is a matter between young people," they thought. "It's best for us old men to stay out of it."
"Yes, I know. If you want me to tell you, just ask," Xiao Yan said, his tone casual but smug.
"Alright, tell me, tell me!" Nalan Yanran urged.
…
Meanwhile, Yun Shan slowed his movements slightly after hearing Lu Bu's words. His gaze shifted to the battlefield where Lu Bu and the others were fighting. His eyelids twitched he could feel the restrictions left in his soul by Protector Wu. Those restrictions could easily harm him if triggered.
For a moment, he felt as if he had narrowly escaped handing over his life to that insidious man.
On the battlefield, the black armor shattered by Lu Bu dissolved into a cloud of black mist, revealing a shadowy, sinister looking middle aged man. His figure was so transparent it was nearly invisible. Though still alive, he was gravely injured.
"Hmph… Your luck is absurd. You're still alive after all that?" Lu Bu snorted coldly, his hands igniting with invisible, colorless Spiritual Flame.
"It's a soul body?" Yao Chen remarked in surprise, scrutinizing Protector Wu from head to toe. Apart from the large bag hanging at his waist, the man had no physical possessions. It seemed the chains from before were a manifestation of a unique Dou Technique.
"Hmph, a pathetic pawn serving a tiger," Yao Chen sneered with disdain.
"Curse you! You dare humiliate me like this?!" Protector Wu clenched his fists, his sinister face twisted with murderous intent.
"Yun Shan, get over here and help me kill these two bastards!" Protector Wu screeched, black mist surging from his hands as two black chains extended outward.
"Protector Wu, I'm on my way…"
"Hahaha! Yun Shan, you think it'll be that easy?" Hai Bodong's long spear suddenly radiated with light, its tip condensing a sharp, frosty spear beam that roared forward.
"Hai Bodong, you're courting death!" Yun Shan roared furiously, gathering terrifying gusts of wind in his palms as his overwhelming attack took shape.
"Grand Tornado Slash!"
"Yun Shan, don't get cocky!" Jia Xing Tian bellowed, as the enormous tail of the Serene Sea Flood Dragon he commanded lashed out like a whip, striking Yun Shan's body with a resounding BOOM.
A muffled explosion echoed through the air, and Yun Shan was sent flying like a kite with a snapped string.
"Protector Wu, hold on! I'll shake off these two fools and come to help you!" Yun Shan cried out in despair, his voice tinged with frustration at his inability to aid his ally.
The Serene Sea Flood Dragon tilted its head, confused, as it looked at its tail. "I… didn't even hit him that hard," it seemed to think.
Jia Xing Tian and Hai Bodong exchanged glances, realizing something was off. Then, understanding dawned on them, and they grinned.
"Let's play along!"
"Hahaha! Yun Shan, you'll never get past us!" they shouted in unison.
With that, the two Dou Huangs and the massive Flood Dragon drove Yun Shan further and further away from the battlefield, their fight becoming more and more distant.
"Protector Wu!" Yun Shan called out.
"Don't worry about me!"
"Yun Shan, come help!"
"Hang in there. Don't worry about me!"
"..."
"Don't worry about me~!"
Before long, Yun Shan, Jia Xing Tian, Hai Bodong, and the Serene Sea Flood Dragon had completely vanished from everyone's sight. The only thing that lingered was Yun Shan's pitiful, anguished cries echoing through the mountains.
Protector Wu, left behind, stood there dumbfounded, his face frozen in disbelief.
From another part of the forest, Mittel Tengshan and the other two elderly men stroked their beards in unison, nodding approvingly.
"Impressive. Yun Shan is much more mature than us," one of them said.
"Indeed. Yun Shan has a keen eye for strategy. He's truly worthy of being a Dou Zong," another agreed.
"A Dou Zong is truly terrifying," the third concluded.
…
Back on the battlefield, Yao Chen smirked, the pale flames of Bone Chilling Flame coiling around the Heavy Xuan Ruler in his hand as he sneered viciously.
"Hehehe… Protector Wu of the Soul Hall, you're done for!"
Yao Chen might not be able to take on a Soul Hall elder, but a mere Protector was well within his capabilities.
Protector Wu's expression shifted. He turned to flee but immediately froze as Lu Bu drifted over, his wings carrying him effortlessly through the air. The invisible Spiritual Flame flickered menacingly in Lu Bu's hand, his gaze full of mockery. He was clearly ready to strike at a moment's notice.
"Surrender. I'm quite interested in the Soul Hall. You might have some useful information for me," Lu Bu said, his tone playful and taunting.
"You two… You're forcing my hand!" Protector Wu's body trembled as the aura of his soul grew increasingly desperate and frenzied.
"Don't let him cast his Dou Technique!" Lu Bu's pupils contracted as he shouted, thrusting his palm forward.
A sharp hiss rang out as a formless Flame Serpent shot forth, its gaping maw aimed directly at Protector Wu.
At the same time, a blazing white flame slash shot out from Yao Chen's ruler.
"Jie jie jie… If you want to kill me, you'll lose a few teeth in the process!" Protector Wu cackled, shaking the large bag hanging from his waist.
Suddenly, countless souls erupted from the bag, a swarm of ethereal entities that blanketed the sky, forming a barrier between Lu Bu and Protector Wu.
Hiss! Hiss!
The Flame Serpent tore through the obstructing souls, reducing them to ashes as it surged toward Protector Wu. Simultaneously, Yao Chen's flame slash closed in from the other side.
"Jie jie jie… I'll show you the price of defying the Soul Hall!" Protector Wu snarled, his voice dripping with malice. Below the mass of souls, a blood red formation appeared.
The spectral figures were suddenly cloaked in a crimson glow, their once aimless movements becoming wild and frenzied as they lunged forward with bloodlust.
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