Xiao Yan's Little Trick

The next day.

Inside the cave, Yun Yun slowly opened her eyes as she worked to dissolve the seal within her body. In another three or four days, she would be able to break it.

"Is Brother Lu here?" Xiao Yan's voice sounded from outside.

Yun Yun's delicate brows rose slightly. She stood and walked out.

"Little Bu went out to gather herbs. Why are you looking for him?" Yun Yun asked curiously as she reached the cave entrance.

Xiao Yan raised the clothes in his hands. "I was planning to wash some clothes. Give me Brother Lu's as well, and I'll take care of them while I'm at it."

Yun Yun looked at them, her beautiful eyes briefly blanking before she said, "I can handle that myself. Thank you."

"Oh, all right." Xiao Yan nodded, then said, "If possible, you should also deal with that bloodstained garment of yours. Otherwise, it might attract other magical beasts."

With that, Xiao Yan turned and left.

"All right, I understand." Yun Yun turned back into the cave and saw Lu Bu's dirty clothes tossed to one side.

"I really am too kind..." Yun Yun muttered. In all her life, this was the first time she had personally washed clothes.

"Consider yourself lucky..." Yun Yun gathered up Lu Bu's dirty clothes, picked up her own damaged dress as well, and went to the lakeside to wash them.

When Lu Bu had first carried Yun Yun back, he had scattered a great deal of medicinal powder around the area, along with some high-ranking magical beast droppings he had collected. Ordinary magical beasts would not come near this place, so Yun Yun was not worried about being discovered.

What she failed to notice was that Xiao Yan flashed into the forest and quietly removed some of the medicinal powder and magical beast droppings. The once-solid defenses now had a few gaps, allowing some small magical beasts to sneak in.

Yao Lao did not stop Xiao Yan. He would only intervene when Xiao Yan encountered danger; under normal circumstances, he would not interfere with Xiao Yan's decisions.

Besides... the young man had pent-up frustrations in his heart. If he did not vent them, his thoughts might become obstructed in the future.

By the lake, Yun Yun, who was washing clothes, did not notice that a small bloodstained scrap from the chest of her damaged dress suddenly came loose. It drifted quietly along the flowing water, floating into the distance.

Within the bushes, Xiao Yan wiped his pale face with sweat and let out a long breath. "Damn it, soul power is actually this difficult to use..."

Having lost her strength, Yun Yun sensed none of this and continued humming a tune as she washed the clothes.

Not long after, Lu Bu returned from the mountain range. He took out a large pile of fire-attributed medicinal herbs and magic cores. He intended to refine Burning Blood to speed up his cultivation.

Seeing this, Xiao Yan also made a request of Yao Lao. He needed the same thing to accelerate his cultivation, and before long, he too headed into the Magical Beast Mountain Range.

Yun Yun knew nothing of this. After washing the clothes, she returned to the cave and continued dissolving the seal, oblivious to everything outside.

Outside the cave, Lu Bu summoned Spirit Fire and began slowly refining the medicinal ingredients. Although Burning Blood was not high-grade, taming its violent fire-attributed energy into something mild and easy to absorb required no small amount of effort.

That said, Lu Bu was already a sixth-tier alchemist. Burning Blood was troublesome, but it was no difficult task for him.

Before long, a mass of thick crimson liquid had condensed successfully. But just then, rustling sounds came from the shadows of the forest, and a pair of bright violet eyes emerged from the darkness.

Having just refined the Burning Blood and not yet had time to rejoice, Lu Bu's heart suddenly tightened. He whirled around, his gaze sharp as he stared into the shadows.

"Who comes calling?" Lu Bu barked in a low voice. Holding the medicinal liquid in his hand, he was deeply annoyed that someone had chosen this moment to disturb his alchemy.

At that moment, the creature in the shadows slowly stepped out. It was a massive lion covered in violet fur, with a pair of broad wings on its back and a sharp horn on its forehead... though unfortunately, part of it had broken off.

The Purple Crystal Winged Lion King!

The ruler of the Magical Beast Mountain Range!

"Lion King, what brings you here?" Lu Bu asked calmly, his eyes flickering. The Purple Crystal Winged Lion King should be around a four- or five-star Dou Emperor. She was no threat to him.

The Purple Crystal Winged Lion King gave Lu Bu a surprised look. This man was actually an alchemist, and... the transparent flame in his hand seemed quite extraordinary!

"Your Excellency must know of this king's battle a few days ago," the Purple Crystal Winged Lion King said, showing an alchemist the utmost respect. Her magnetic, mature feminine voice made Lu Bu raise a brow, though he was in the middle of alchemy and had no interest for the moment.

"My subordinates said... that woman is here!"

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

The Purple Crystal Winged Lion King's pupils narrowed, cold light flickering within them. She had already shown him plenty of respect, but unfortunately... this man did not seem inclined to accept it.

Inside the cave.

Yun Yun, who was dissolving the seal, suddenly felt alarm rise in her heart. The invisible pressure made her open her eyes instinctively.

"What is this?" Yun Yun's expression changed slightly. Having lost her Dou Qi, she had no way to sense anything beyond her field of vision. But... aside from the Purple Crystal Winged Lion King, no other creature here could produce such an invisible and powerful pressure.

"Damn it... have I been discovered?" Yun Yun's pretty face instantly turned pale, and her delicate body began trembling uncontrollably.

She was not afraid. From the day she embarked upon the path of cultivation, she had already prepared herself to die in battle. But... she was worried about Lu Bu. He was still young, a genius. He should not perish after being dragged down by her.

As soon as the thought arose, the conversation outside reached her ears. Yun Yun's face turned even paler. It really was the Purple Crystal Winged Lion King!

"What should I do?" Yun Yun bit her red lips. Usually aloof and detached, she was now panicked and at a complete loss.

"I don't know, I have no idea, please leave!" Lu Bu's triple denial suddenly came from outside the cave.

"This fool..." Yun Yun bit her red lips tightly, a mist of tears rising in her eyes. He was only a Dou Master. If he faced the Purple Crystal Winged Lion King like this, he would die!

"I can't drag him down!" Yun Yun's expression suddenly hardened. She stopped hesitating and strode out of the cave.

Outside the cave.

The Purple Crystal Winged Lion King stared intently at Lu Bu. "Human, I came here only to settle a grudge. I do not wish to be your enemy, so do not force me to act!"

She had heard a few things about this place. Even she had been shaken by the battle some time ago. Although the person before her looked like a mere young man, the Purple Crystal Winged Lion King still did not dare let down her guard.

"Lion King, I'll say it again: I do not know who the woman you seek is." Lu Bu's voice was low as glowing patterns slowly spread beneath his feet, accompanied by a faint hum.

"You and I have no quarrel. Please leave."

Soul power?

The Purple Crystal Winged Lion King's pupils shrank. Could this person truly be one of the parties from that battle?

Low, heavy breaths rumbled from the Purple Crystal Winged Lion King's chest. If that human woman was not here, she would offend a powerful expert, and one who was also an alchemist.

But if that human woman really was here... then she would have to face two Dou Emperor-level beings in the future. It would not merely be troublesome; she might even lose her life.

Violet light flickered in the Purple Crystal Winged Lion King's eyes. For a moment, she wavered, utterly conflicted.

However, just then, a woman's sharp cry rang out. "Purple Crystal Winged Lion King, I'm here! Don't make things difficult for him!"

Lu Bu's mouth twitched. This stupid woman...

"So you really are here!" The hesitation in the Purple Crystal Winged Lion King's eyes instantly turned into sharp, icy light. She let out a fierce roar as Purple Fire coiled around her body, and scorching heat waves rushed forward.

"Despicable human, die!" The Purple Crystal Winged Lion King threw back her head and roared. Her violent beastly howl echoed throughout the valley.

Surging Purple Fire gathered around her forepaw. The Purple Crystal Winged Lion King beat her wings sharply and appeared before Lu Bu as though teleporting, her powerful foreclaw slamming viciously toward his face.

She knew her advantage well: her powerful physical body. And the weakness of an opponent skilled in soul power was precisely their body.

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

She had not expected the Purple Crystal Winged Lion King to attack Lu Bu first rather than immediately trying to kill her.

Yet faced with the Purple Crystal Winged Lion King's nearly lethal strike, a gleam flashed through Lu Bu's eyes. Soul power gathered around his right fist as he threw a savage punch!

Bang!

The Purple Crystal Winged Lion King's ferocious face suddenly froze. Her charging momentum came to an abrupt halt, and then her body flew backward with a thunderous crash, smashing into the forest.

Her enormous beastly body plowed through the woods like a typhoon, destroying countless trees.

Yun Yun stared dumbly, her lovely face twisting into a rather comical expression.

"Little Bu... th-this..." Wasn't he a Dou Master? How could he be so strong?

Lu Bu's mouth twitched. Cursing the trouble inwardly, his eyes spun before his body shook. With a pfft, he spat out a mouthful of blood. His face instantly turned pale as gold paper, and he collapsed into Yun Yun's arms.

"Save... save me..."