Lan Xuanyu Arrived on Heaven Dou Star (Two chapters combined)

Early on the third morning, Ye Zhiqiu was jolted awake by his communicator vibrating.

He picked it up and glanced at it. Dong Qianqiu had sent a message: "Ten o'clock, Simulation Pod, same place. Let's try something more exciting this time."

Ye Zhiqiu replied, "Sure," rolled over and lay there for another two minutes, then got up to wash.

By the time he arrived at the training room, Dong Qianqiu and Lan Mengqin were already there.

The two stood beside the Simulation Pods, huddled over the map selection screen on the console. Dong Qianqiu swiped across the screen while Lan Mengqin stood beside her with her arms folded, nodding now and then.

"You're here?" Dong Qianqiu heard his footsteps but did not turn around. Still watching the screen, she said, "Mengqin and I picked a new map—the Star Dou Great Forest from twenty thousand years ago. The strongest soul beasts are fifty thousand years old."

Ye Zhiqiu walked over and stood behind them to look at the screen.

The map preview showed a deep green primeval forest, its canopy so dense that it blocked almost all the daylight. Streams, swamps, and cliffs dotted the woods, along with scattered cave markers.

"Fifty-thousand-year soul beasts?" Ye Zhiqiu tilted his head and smiled. "Now that sounds interesting."

"Do you dare fight them?" Dong Qianqiu turned to look at him.

"Trying to goad me won't work, but since you want to fight them, let's do it."

Lan Mengqin opened the hatch of a nearby Simulation Pod. Before sitting down, she said, "If a fifty-thousand-year soul beast chases us, I'm not looking after you two."

"We'll see who ends up chasing whom," Ye Zhiqiu replied, opening another hatch and sitting down.

The hatch closed. Transparent gel slowly enveloped his body, and a metal mask descended. Everything went black, then brightened again.

The three emerged from a sparse patch of shrubs. Dark brown humus lay beneath their feet, soft and damp underfoot.

The air was humid and stifling, thick with the smell of rotting vegetation and earthy musk. Layers of canopy overlapped above them, scattering sunlight across the forest floor.

Ye Zhiqiu stood at the front, Absolute Blade already in hand. An extremely faint glow traced the edge of its white blade, its tip angled slightly downward.

Dong Qianqiu stood behind him on the left, Ice Spear in hand, a layer of white frost coating its tip.

Lan Mengqin stood behind him on the right, the Jade Phoenix Zither floating before her. Its strings trembled faintly, ready to be plucked at any moment.

"As agreed, I control the field, Qianqiu handles close combat, and Mengqin stays in the back. If we run into something tough, retreat. Don't try to tank it," Ye Zhiqiu said.

"Got it," both replied at once.

They followed a faint animal trail deeper into the forest. After about fifteen minutes, they encountered their first group of soul beasts.

It was a troop of Jade-Horned Apes. The adults stood about half as tall as an adult human, their bodies covered in short, iron-gray fur, with thick arms and sharp claws.

There were quite a few, roughly seven or eight, gathered around a large tree laden with red fruit.

Ye Zhiqiu signaled to the two girls, and Dong Qianqiu and Lan Mengqin both lowered their stances.

He moved first. Driving off the ground, he skimmed forward, Absolute Blade tracing a faint streak of white through the air. His first slash struck the chest of the foremost Jade-Horned Ape.

The instant the blade cut into it, the Jade-Horned Ape froze.

It never even had time to scream. A white line as fine as a strand of hair slowly appeared across its chest, then its entire body dissolved into motes of light.

Ye Zhiqiu drew back his blade and continued forward.

Before the remaining Jade-Horned Apes could react, Dong Qianqiu had already plunged into the fray. A sweep of her Ice Spear sent ice shards flying and forced the nearest few back.

A note rang from Lan Mengqin's Jade Phoenix Zither. A sound wave spread outward, enveloping the remaining Jade-Horned Apes. Those it touched stiffened slightly, their movements slowing noticeably.

The three worked together seamlessly, finishing the fight in less than three minutes.

"Let's go. Keep heading in." Ye Zhiqiu flicked away nonexistent drops of blood from his blade.

Along the way, they encountered several more groups of soul beasts, none particularly old. The strongest was a Jungle Python around three thousand years old. Ye Zhiqiu split it in half from head to tail with one slash, without even using a soul skill.

But the deeper they went, the quieter their surroundings became. The canopy grew denser, the forest floor darker. The animal trail gradually disappeared, replaced by thicker shrubs and vines.

Ye Zhiqiu slowed his pace and lowered his voice. "Something's wrong. It's too quiet. Even the birds have stopped calling."

Dong Qianqiu tightened her grip on her spear and scanned their surroundings. "Either there's nothing alive in this area, or... there's something big nearby."

Ye Zhiqiu briefly closed his eyes, and Gravity Wave silently spread outward.

Like an invisible net, Gravity Wave expanded in every direction with him at its center, covering a radius of several hundred meters.

Imperceptible undulations in the ground, the direction leaves stirred in the wind, the speed of shallow underground currents, the breathing rhythms of distant prey—all of it fed back into his senses through Gravity Wave.

Then he sensed it.

About two hundred meters to the northwest lay an enormous mass.

It rested in a depression in the terrain, breathing slowly and heavily. Each inhalation brought an extremely faint tremor through the ground, while each exhalation released a current of heat.

Ye Zhiqiu opened his eyes and glanced in that direction.

"There's something big over there," he said.

"How far? What level?" Dong Qianqiu asked.

"About two hundred meters. It's huge, and its breathing is very slow. It's probably dormant." Ye Zhiqiu paused, then added, "At least ten thousand years old."

"Fight or go around?" Dong Qianqiu asked.

Ye Zhiqiu thought for a moment, then smiled. "Why go around? Let's take a look."

They lightened their footsteps and passed through a dense patch of shrubs. Ahead, the terrain suddenly dipped into a shallow valley about half the size of a soccer field.

An enormous beast lay at its center.

It was about seven meters long and nearly three meters tall at the shoulder, covered in dark blue-green armored scales. Each scale was the size of a palm, its edges gleaming like metal.

Its four thick legs were curled beside its body, its claws sunk deep into the soil. Its long, thick tail ended in a bony hammer, and even a slight movement stirred a small cloud of dust.

Its head was long and flat, with a curved bony ridge on either side of its snout extending behind its ears. A dark red vertical line marked the center of its forehead, like some kind of symbol.

Lan Mengqin whispered, "A Titan Ironclad Dragon... one of the strongest ten-thousand-year soul beasts in the Simulation Pod. Adults range from twenty thousand to fifty thousand years old."

"Can you tell exactly how old it is?" Dong Qianqiu asked.

"No, but judging by its size, it's at least thirty thousand years old."

Dong Qianqiu drew a deep breath. "With defenses like that, my Ice Spear could probably only scratch its hide."

After all, even a Soul Emperor might not be able to contend with a soul beast of this level.

Lan Mengqin fell silent for a moment, then nodded in agreement.

"What about you?" Both turned to Ye Zhiqiu.

Ye Zhiqiu did not answer. He stood at the edge of the valley, his gaze resting on the Titan Ironclad Dragon.

Gravity Wave had already uncovered most of its details. Its weight, muscle density, skeletal strength, breathing rate, and heartbeat flashed rapidly through his senses as streams of data.

He silently assessed the situation.

Can this blade break through its defenses? I'll know once I try.

Ye Zhiqiu turned to the two girls. "Wait here. I'll go say hello first."

"By yourself?" Dong Qianqiu caught his sleeve, her disapproval clear. "Don't joke around."

"I'm just testing its reaction. If you come along, I won't be able to look after both of you. Relax. I never fight a battle I'm not confident of winning," Ye Zhiqiu said with a smile.

Dong Qianqiu pressed her lips together. She did not stop him, but she did not let go either.

Ye Zhiqiu glanced at her and softened his voice. "When have I ever lied to you?"

"...Fine."

They were in a Simulation Pod anyway. It would be fine.

Ye Zhiqiu turned and vaulted down from the edge of the valley, landing lightly on the grass below before walking toward the sleeping Titan Ironclad Dragon.

His footsteps were almost inaudible on the grass, but when he came within roughly thirty meters of the enormous beast, the Titan Ironclad Dragon's breathing rhythm suddenly changed.

Then it woke.

Its huge, previously closed eye slowly opened. The vertical pupil rapidly widened from a thin line into a broad slit, its cold yellow iris gleaming dimly in the shadows.

It raised its head slightly, its gaze settling on the tiny human ahead. Its nostrils flared, expelling a blast of hot, sulfur-scented air.

Ye Zhiqiu did not stop. He kept walking.

Thirty meters, twenty-five meters, twenty meters.

The Titan Ironclad Dragon slowly rose, its limbs supporting its enormous body. Its dark blue-green scales shone coldly in the sparse light. Behind it, its tail lifted slightly, the tip of its bone hammer tapping the ground with a dull thud.

The air grew heavy. Ye Zhiqiu felt it.

The oppressive aura came from its tremendous vitality and soul power, bearing down like a mountain. The closer he approached, the heavier it became.

Even Dong Qianqiu and Lan Mengqin, standing at the valley's edge, felt that pressure.

Yet Ye Zhiqiu's steps did not slow.

He stopped about fifteen meters from the Titan Ironclad Dragon and looked up into its cold yellow slit pupils. "That aura of yours is pretty intimidating, but it doesn't work on me."

Then he stepped forward, planting his right foot in the soft grass, and shot toward the Titan Ironclad Dragon like an arrow loosed from a bow.

The Titan Ironclad Dragon moved at the same time. It opened its jaws and unleashed a deafening roar that echoed through the valley, making the ground tremble faintly.

Then it lowered its head and charged straight at Ye Zhiqiu.

Between the two fast-moving figures, the fifteen-meter gap shrank to less than five in the blink of an eye.

Ye Zhiqiu darted sideways, evading the Titan Ironclad Dragon's head-on collision. But as they brushed past each other, he turned his right hand, bringing Absolute Blade in from the side and slashing down at the armored scales along its neck.

An extremely faint sound rang out the instant the blade met the scales.

A fine slit actually opened through the middle of the dark blue-green armor, its edges perfectly smooth.

The blade cut in, sank into flesh, then emerged on the other side.

The Titan Ironclad Dragon suddenly lost its balance mid-charge. Its huge head tilted sideways, and its forelegs stumbled twice across the grass before it barely managed to steady itself.

It whipped its head around. The scales along the side of its neck had been sliced open, leaving a gash about a meter long that cut deep into its muscles.

Drops of blood trickled down the edges of its scales.

Ye Zhiqiu stood about ten meters behind it. Absolute Blade hovered quietly above his right palm, its edge spotless, without a single drop of blood.

He glanced down at the blade, then up at the wound along the Titan Ironclad Dragon's neck, and smiled amiably. "Your defenses really are impressive. You've got a few tricks up your sleeve."

"But this is as far as you go."

As his words fell, the Titan Ironclad Dragon abruptly turned. Its enormous tail swept toward him with a rush of wind, the bone hammer aimed straight at his waist and abdomen.

Ye Zhiqiu extended his left hand and activated Absolute Gravity.

"Stay."

The silver-gray orb in his palm brightened slightly, and a Purple Soul Ring rose around him.

Absolute Gravity!

The Titan Ironclad Dragon's sweeping tail abruptly dropped in midair, pinned down from above. It slammed into the ground, throwing up soil and gouging out a shallow crater.

Boom!

The Titan Ironclad Dragon's body sank as well. Its limbs bent slightly, and its back bowed beneath the invisible force.

Roar!

It let out a low, furious roar, pushing with all four legs to break free. But the force bearing down on it did not budge, pinning it firmly in place.

It raised its head, its cold slit pupils locking onto the black-haired, black-eyed human boy before it.

Ye Zhiqiu watched it and adjusted Absolute Blade in his hand, turning its edge slightly.

Then he pushed off the ground and charged again, Absolute Blade tracing a straight white line.

This time, he used his full strength, and his first soul ring lit up simultaneously.

Concept Severance!

The blade's path struck precisely at the wound on the Titan Ironclad Dragon's body. What it cut was neither scales nor flesh, but the connection between that wound and the soul power within its body.

The Titan Ironclad Dragon shuddered violently.

It felt as though something had drained away its soul power. The tough layer of soul power protecting its body vanished in an instant.

Its yellow slit pupils contracted sharply. Where had its soul power gone?!

Ye Zhiqiu gave it no time to react.

He rushed in front of the Titan Ironclad Dragon and raised Absolute Blade high. No flashy light shone from it, but the moment it descended, an exceptionally shrill whistle tore through the air.

The blade swept upward across the Titan Ironclad Dragon's throat.

This slash was far faster than the previous one, and fiercer than ever.

The blade sliced through scales, flesh, and bone with almost no noticeable pause. The resistance was so slight it could be ignored.

Even saying it sliced through iron like mud would have underestimated Absolute Blade.

The Titan Ironclad Dragon froze, its mouth slightly open. The outline of the long white blade reflected in its yellow slit pupils. Its entire body stood motionless, unable to make a sound. Then its enormous frame began to tilt and crashed heavily to the ground.

Boom!

Dust and broken stones sprayed outward, and the ground trembled slightly.

Ye Zhiqiu stood beside the Titan Ironclad Dragon's head, watching the light gradually fade from its yellow slit pupils.

He looked down at Absolute Blade in his hand. Its edge remained spotless, without blood or a single nick.

Ye Zhiqiu exhaled. "Not bad. Two slashes."

Then he turned and waved toward the edge of the valley.

Dong Qianqiu and Lan Mengqin stood on the jutting rock, wearing identical expressions. Their eyes were wide, their mouths slightly open, and neither managed to close them for quite some time.

Dong Qianqiu recovered first. She had thought Ye Zhiqiu would at least face a difficult fight. Who could have guessed it would be so easy?

Beside her, Lan Mengqin looked equally stunned. "You only used... two slashes?"

Ye Zhiqiu walked back to them, dismissed Absolute Blade, and slipped his hands into his pockets. "Two was just right. The first tested its defenses, and the second finished it off. Pretty smooth."

"And my first soul skill worked quite well. Once I severed its connection to its soul power, it became an ordinary wild beast with nothing but a terrifying body. Without soul power protecting it, breaking through its defenses became much easier for my blade."

Dong Qianqiu was silent for a moment, then could not help saying, "You freak."

"Thanks for the compliment."

"I really wasn't complimenting you."