Lu Bu: This Is How We Say Goodbye Back Home

In a mist-shrouded valley, inside a bamboo hut.

Lu Bu slowly floated into the air. Within his dantian, his qi vortex began spinning rapidly, flinging out the Purple Fire it had been nurturing.

The Purple Fire seemed to freeze for a moment after being thrown out, then began swelling wildly. Its scorching heat instantly started burning Lu Bu's dantian and qi sea.

"Hmph, you still want to run wild? Suppress!"

Lu Bu sneered as the Devouring Ancestral Talisman appeared above the Purple Fire, scattering streams of Devouring Power. In an instant, the previously raging Purple Fire became as docile as a little lamb.

With a thought from Lu Bu, his spiritual awareness wrapped around the Purple Fire and began circulating through his meridians to refine it. At the slightest hint of disobedience, the Devouring Ancestral Talisman flashed with black light. The Purple Fire trembled in terror and could only allow itself to be refined bit by bit, unable to muster the slightest resistance.

Outside the bamboo hut, Xiao Yi Xian occasionally glanced inside. She had sensed the scorching heat coming from within long ago. Though she did not know what was happening, she could not help worrying about Lu Bu.

"What exactly happened? Everything was fine before, so how did it suddenly..." Xiao Yi Xian muttered. Then her expression stiffened. The heat waves inside had vanished; his cultivation should have ended.

The moment the thought arose, Lu Bu had already pulled open the door and walked out. "What is it?"

"Nothing... I sensed flames, so I came to take a look..." Xiao Yi Xian said, about to leave, but Lu Bu grabbed her hand and gently wiped at the corner of her mouth.

"Y-you... what are you doing?" Xiao Yi Xian quickly stepped back, but Lu Bu sniffed the faint black powder on his fingertips and frowned.

"Did you take poison again?"

Xiao Yi Xian froze for a moment, then sighed. "After the Calamity Poison Body awakened, these poisons gained a different kind of attraction for me. I can't control it..."

Lu Bu held her wrist and sensed her condition slightly, only to fall speechless. Xiao Yi Xian was already a six-star Dou Shi, while he had been a four-star Dou Shi a month ago and was now only a five-star Dou Shi.

"As expected of the Calamity Poison Body..." Lu Bu muttered with a frown. He had not shown Xiao Yi Xian the Pill Refining Method for Poison. The medicinal ingredients it required were far too horrifying. He feared Xiao Yi Xian would not be able to accept them and would lose hope, so he had kept it from her. He only told her that he had found a solution and that he would explain the details when the time was right.

Xiao Yi Xian did not really believe him. She only took it as Lu Bu trying to comfort her, and there was nothing Lu Bu could do about that. He felt quite helpless.

"Have you packed everything?" Xiao Yi Xian waved her jade-like hand in front of Lu Bu, pulling his mind back.

They had cultivated here for a month. It was time to leave and travel.

"Ahem... I have." Lu Bu turned back and smiled.

"Then let's go." As she spoke, she took out her bamboo whistle and summoned the blue eagle magical beast again.

"So, we're parting ways..." Lu Bu sighed deeply. It would have been great if Xiao Yi Xian could stay by his side. She specialized in poison and would be a great help to him.

But... she simply refused no matter what. Sometimes, Lu Bu even had the urge to tie her up and take her away.

"Mm... we're parting ways..." Xiao Yi Xian was equally reluctant. Lu Bu was her only friend, but she could not harm him.

"Come, give me a hug." Lu Bu spread his arms and smiled. "This is how we say goodbye back home."

"Pah... You can hug me, but don't get handsy." Xiao Yi Xian spat irritably, yet still stepped into Lu Bu's embrace.

"Hehe..."

"Damn it... I told you not to get handsy..." Xiao Yi Xian pressed down on both of Lu Bu's hands in annoyance.

"We have another custom before saying goodbye back home..." Lu Bu puckered his lips and grinned.

"Pah, what kind of custom is that?" Xiao Yi Xian's pretty face flushed crimson.

"There is. It was brought over from somewhere else," Lu Bu said shamelessly with a grin.

Xiao Yi Xian rolled her eyes at him, lightly kissed his cheek, then quickly retreated from his embrace.

"Ah, this..." Lu Bu smacked his lips, still wanting more.

"You lecher!" Xiao Yi Xian poked Lu Bu in the forehead and said crossly.

"Screee!"

At that moment, a clear eagle cry rang out beyond the valley, breaking the mood between them.

"I should go..." Xiao Yi Xian said softly.

"Take care."

Xiao Yi Xian nodded. With a light tap of her foot, she landed on the eagle's back, waved to Lu Bu, and turned into a streak of blue that vanished into the sky.

"I should go too." Lu Bu tapped the ground with his foot. The Purple Cloud Wings manifested behind him, and he beat them as he soared into the air.

Black Stone City was a large city in the eastern Jia Ma Empire. Within it was a fairly prominent family: the He Family.

Its patriarch was a four-star Dou Wang and had once crossed paths with Xiao Yan, who would later become a Dou Emperor.

Of course, Lu Bu had no interest in them. He was interested in Gu He's younger brother, Gute. Well... more precisely, he was interested in the Ice Spirit Cold Spring in Gute's possession.

He could definitely trade that thing to Xiao Yan for something. When the time came, he could name an exorbitant price. Xiao Yan and Yao Lao would have to give him what he wanted; they had no choice.

Of course, Lu Bu also intended to obtain an alchemist's certification. An alchemist's status was incredibly useful. Wherever one went, people would look upon them with respect, sparing them plenty of unnecessary trouble.

Several hundred meters outside Black Stone City, Lu Bu descended and landed within the forest before entering through the city gates on foot.

Emperor Wu was staying in the Misty Cloud Sect, and the Misty Cloud Sect possessed power capable of rivaling the imperial family of the Jia Ma Empire. Lu Bu could not be too conspicuous. What if news of him reached Emperor Wu's ears?

After entering the city and replenishing his supplies—water, food, clothing, and the like—Lu Bu headed straight for the Alchemist Guild.

At the Alchemist Guild, Lu Bu falsely reported his age, claiming to be in his twenties rather than seventeen or eighteen. Moreover, he had not put on a show during the assessment like Xiao Yan had, so he did not cause any stir.

Besides, he was only taking the assessment for a First Grade Alchemist.

After leaving word at the Alchemist Guild that he wished to exchange Blood Lotus Essence for a Fourth Grade Pill Recipe, Lu Bu vanished.

His purpose was simple: lure the snake from its hole!

An hour later, at the Alchemist Guild, in Vice President Otto's office.

Bang!

With a tremendous crash, the door was kicked open. A slovenly old man rushed in anxiously.

"Otto, where is the person who wants to trade Blood Lotus Essence?" The scruffy old man's face was flushed red as he braced himself against Vice President Otto's desk and pressed him repeatedly.

"Gute, you old bastard! You kicked my damn door apart!" Otto slammed his hand on the desk and shot to his feet in fury. Dou Qi surged from his body, instantly turning him into a man wreathed in flames.

"Quit babbling about that!" Gute urged impatiently. "Tell me where the Blood Lotus Essence is! I've nearly bought up all the Coptis Essence in Black Stone City and still haven't found it!"

"Hehe!" Otto immediately stopped being angry. He withdrew his Dou Qi, crossed his arms, and sat back in his chair with one leg over the other, sneering.

"Gute, is this how you ask someone for help? Is this your attitude when asking for help?"

The slovenly old man named Gute twitched at the corner of his mouth. "Forget it if you won't tell me. I'll go find Foklan!"

"Have you forgotten?" Otto said blandly as he picked at his nails. "This old man is the vice president in charge of trade. I haven't even reported this to the president yet."

Gute: "..."

Damn it, I actually forgot about that!

"Fine, what do you want?" Gute looked dejected. When asking for help, one had no choice but to bow one's head.

"Fix the door and come in again." Otto pointed at the doorway and smiled. "Remember to be polite~"

Gute's mouth twitched, veins bulging on his forehead, but he obediently fixed the door. Then he respectfully knocked, entered properly, and offered his greetings honestly.

Before rare treasures of heaven and earth, he was exceptionally obedient.

"Mm, your performance was quite good." Vice President Otto stroked his beard, nodded, and smiled, looking as gratified as though he were watching his own child grow up. "This is where he is staying. Go find him yourself." Otto handed over a slip of paper with a smile.

Gute curled his lip and cursed the petty old man inwardly before running out.

Outside the Alchemist Guild, Lu Bu watched Gute rush out and slowly followed after him.

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