Chapter 22: Xiao Yan's Little Schemes

Chapter 22: Xiao Yan's Little Schemes

The next day, Yun Yun slowly opened her eyes in the cave. She had been working to dissolve the seal within her body and estimated that in another three to four days, the seal would be broken.

"Brother Lu, are you here?" Xiao Yan's voice came from outside the cave.

Yun Yun raised her delicate eyebrows, stood up, and walked out of the cave.

"Lu Bu went out to gather herbs. What do you need him for?" Yun Yun asked curiously as she reached the entrance.

Xiao Yan held up some clothes and said, "I'm planning to wash some clothes. If Brother Lu has anything, I can take care of it as well."

Yun Yun looked at him, her beautiful eyes blinking in surprise, and then said, "I can handle this sort of thing myself. Thank you, though."

"Alright, then," Xiao Yan nodded and added, "If you don't mind, you might want to deal with your bloodstained clothes as well. Otherwise, they might attract magical beasts."

With that, Xiao Yan turned and walked away.

"Got it," Yun Yun replied. She returned to the cave, noticing Lu Bu's dirty clothes lying in a pile.

"I'm being too kind," Yun Yun muttered under her breath. In her life, she had never done something as mundane as washing clothes herself.

"Consider yourself lucky," she murmured as she gathered Lu Bu's dirty clothes and her own damaged dress, heading to the lakeside to wash them.

After bringing Yun Yun back to safety, Lu Bu had scattered medicinal powders and high grade magical beast dung around the area to ward off unwanted visitors. Ordinary magical beasts wouldn't dare approach this spot, so Yun Yun wasn't worried about being discovered.

However, she didn't notice that Xiao Yan had slipped into the forest, secretly collecting some of the medicinal powders and beast dung. This created a small gap in the protective barrier, allowing a few small magical beasts to sneak into the area.

Yao Lao didn't stop Xiao Yan. He only intervened in Xiao Yan's decisions when necessary, and besides… the boy was harboring resentment. If he didn't vent his frustration now, it could lead to inner demons in the future.

By the lake, Yun Yun was focused on washing the clothes. She didn't notice that a bloodstained scrap from her damaged dress had come loose and was floating downstream with the current.

In the bushes, Xiao Yan wiped the sweat from his pale face and exhaled deeply. "Damn it, using soul power is harder than I thought…"

Oblivious to all this, Yun Yun continued humming a light tune as she washed the clothes, unaware of the events unfolding around her.

Not long after, Lu Bu returned from the mountain range, carrying a large assortment of fire attributed herbs and magical cores. He planned to refine Burning Blood to accelerate his cultivation progress.

Seeing this, Xiao Yan quickly requested Yao Lao's help, as he also wanted Burning Blood to speed up his training. Before long, he disappeared into the depths of the Magical Beast Mountain Range.

Yun Yun remained unaware of these developments. After finishing her washing, she returned to the cave to continue dissolving the seal, shutting herself off from the outside world.

Outside the cave, Lu Bu summoned his spiritual flame and began carefully refining the herbs. While Burning Blood wasn't of a high grade, the process of making its fiery energy gentle and easy to absorb required considerable effort.

That said, with his current six star alchemist skills, Burning Blood was little more than a minor challenge for Lu Bu.

Before long, a blob of bright red, viscous liquid had formed. However, just as he was about to celebrate his success, rustling noises came from the shadows of the forest. Two glowing purple eyes appeared within the darkness.

Startled, Lu Bu quickly turned, his expression sharp as he stared at the source of the noise.

"Who dares disturb me?" Lu Bu barked, clearly displeased at being interrupted while holding the freshly refined medicine in his hand.

From the shadows emerged a massive lion covered in violet fur, its back adorned with wide, powerful wings. A sharp horn jutted from its forehead though it was broken at the tip.

The Violet Crystal Winged Lion King.

The ruler of the Magical Beast Mountain Range.

"And what brings the Lion King here?" Lu Bu asked calmly, his expression unreadable. The Violet Crystal Winged Lion King's strength was about four or five stars of the Dou Huang rank still not enough to pose a threat to him.

The Violet Crystal Winged Lion King regarded Lu Bu with a hint of surprise. This man was an alchemist, and the transparent flame in his hand was anything but ordinary.

"I assume you're aware of the battle this king fought a few days ago," the lion said, addressing Lu Bu with the utmost respect. Its deep, magnetic voice, tinged with a mature elegance, caused Lu Bu's eyebrows to lift slightly. However, he was still focused on his refining and showed little interest.

"My subordinates have informed me… that the woman is here!"

"I don't know, I'm not interested, and I have no idea," Lu Bu denied three times in a row. "Please leave and stop interrupting my alchemy."

The Violet Crystal Winged Lion King's pupils contracted slightly, a cold glint flickering in her eyes. She had already shown considerable respect, but this human didn't seem to care.

Inside the cave, Yun Yun, who was dissolving the seal within her body, suddenly felt a jolt of unease. An invisible pressure made her instinctively open her eyes.

"What's going on?" Yun Yun's expression changed slightly. Without her Dou Qi, she couldn't sense what was happening beyond her sight. But this overwhelming pressure… other than the Violet Crystal Winged Lion King, no creature here could produce such power.

"Damn it… have I been found?" Yun Yun's delicate face turned pale, and her slender figure trembled slightly.

She wasn't afraid. From the moment she chose the path of cultivation, she was prepared to face death. But… she worried for Lu Bu. He was still young, a genius who shouldn't be dragged down because of her misfortune.

As this thought surfaced, the conversation outside the cave reached her ears, making her face turn even paler. It really was the Violet Crystal Winged Lion King!

"What should I do?" Yun Yun bit her lip as her usually calm demeanor gave way to panic and helplessness.

"I don't know. I have no idea. Please leave!" Lu Bu's voice rang out from outside, denying three times in a row.

"That fool…" Yun Yun bit her lip tightly, her eyes welling with tears. He's just a Dou Practitioner! Facing the Violet Crystal Winged Lion King would only get him killed!

"I can't let him get dragged into this!" Yun Yun's expression suddenly turned resolute. Without further hesitation, she stepped out of the cave.

Outside, the Violet Crystal Winged Lion King was staring at Lu Bu with her piercing gaze. "Human, I am here for revenge. I do not wish to become your enemy. Do not force my hand!"

She had heard rumors about this area. The battle here some time ago had left her deeply wary. Even though the young man before her appeared to be no more than an ordinary youth, the Violet Crystal Winged Lion King dared not let down her guard.

"Lion King, I'll say it again: I don't know the woman you're looking for," Lu Bu said in a cold voice. Beneath his feet, faint silver lines of light spread outward, accompanied by a low humming sound. "We have no quarrel. Please leave."

Soul power?

The Violet Crystal Winged Lion King's pupils contracted further. Could this man truly be one of the combatants from that battle?

Deep, rumbling breaths echoed from her chest. If the woman wasn't here, she risked offending a formidable opponent a powerful alchemist at that.

But if the woman truly was here… she might face retaliation from two Dou Huang level entities in the future. That wasn't just troublesome; it could cost her life.

The Violet Crystal Winged Lion King's violet eyes flickered as she hesitated, torn between retreat and action.

At that moment, a clear and melodious voice suddenly rang out. "Violet Crystal Winged Lion King, I'm here! Don't trouble him!"

Lu Bu's mouth twitched. This foolish woman…

"She really is here!" The hesitation in the Violet Crystal Winged Lion King's eyes turned into sharp, chilling resolve. Letting out an enraged roar, purple flames surged around her as waves of heat radiated outward.

"Despicable human, prepare to die!" she bellowed, her furious roar reverberating through the valley.

Surging violet flames gathered in her claws as the Violet Crystal Winged Lion King flapped her mighty wings. In an instant, she appeared before Lu Bu, her powerful paw slamming toward his face with a force strong enough to shatter mountains.

The Lion King clearly understood her advantage: her mighty physical strength. Against a soul focused alchemist, physical combat was the perfect counter.

"No! Stop!" Yun Yun screamed in panic.

She hadn't expected the Violet Crystal Winged Lion King to ignore her and attack Lu Bu instead.

But as the Lion King's deadly blow approached, Lu Bu's eyes flashed with a sharp glint. Gathering his soul power into his right fist, he threw a punch with all his strength.

Boom!

The Violet Crystal Winged Lion King's ferocious expression froze. Her forward momentum halted abruptly, and her massive body was sent flying backward. With a thunderous crash, she smashed into the forest, crushing countless trees in her wake like a typhoon.

Yun Yun was dumbfounded, her beautiful face frozen in shock. For a moment, her expression twisted in disbelief, looking rather comical.

"Lu Bu… h he…" she stammered. Wasn't he just a Dou Practitioner? How could he be so powerful?

Lu Bu frowned slightly. This is going to be troublesome… His mind raced as he suddenly wobbled. His body trembled, and with a muffled "poof," he spat out a mouthful of blood. His face turned pale as paper, and he fell weakly into Yun Yun's arms.

"S save me…"

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