Wu Ya: Loyalty!

They transformed into streams of black crows that surged outward, carrying heart-quaking dark power and instantly dispersing every trace of poisonous miasma for miles around.

"Peep!"

Lu Cheng gave a low shout.

In midair, an enormous blood-red vertical pupil slowly appeared, sweeping over the forest below inch by inch like an eye of true sight, seeing through every secret.

"Found it!"

Within moments, Lu Cheng opened his eyes and pointed in a direction.

Meanwhile, the surrounding poisonous miasma doggedly closed in again.

Wu Ya dispersed the miasma as he led the way.

Lu Cheng glanced back at Zhang Lexuan. The beauty's gaze was stubborn. Though her Soul Power had long since run dry and her legs had gone weak, she refused to utter another word, desperately keeping up. Her little face was pale with exhaustion, a few disheveled strands of hair clung to her forehead with sweat, and she panted heavily.

"Trash."

Lu Cheng spat out the word.

Zhang Lexuan turned her head aside, lightly biting her red lip, her eyes reddening.

The next instant, however, Lu Cheng pulled her into his arms.

He followed closely behind Wu Ya.

"..."

Zhang Lexuan first went rigid, then went limp, though she still held her neck stiff and kept her face turned away, unwilling to look at Lu Cheng. This was the last of her stubbornness.

She felt the man's powerful presence. His clothes were as clean and fresh as ever, without the bloody smell she had expected.

It was just like when she was little, clutching his collar and curling up in his arms, endlessly breathing in his scent, which utterly captivated her.

"We're here!"

Several minutes passed.

Wu Ya came to a halt.

The surrounding poisonous miasma abruptly dispersed.

Seemingly sensing Wu Ya's formidable strength and the terror of his dark power, the many jade phosphorus seven-absolute flowers surrounding the valley trembled. How could they dare act arrogantly anymore?

"It's actually real..." Wu Ya's eyes filled with wonder.

Lu Cheng set Zhang Lexuan down and, paying her no further attention, walked straight inside.

The woman's complexion had improved considerably. Gazing at Lu Cheng's back, her eyes full of stubbornness, she continued limping after him.

"Who dares trespass here!"

A voice sounded, fierce on the outside but weak within. Merely hearing it was enough to tell that it lacked confidence.

That was only natural.

Although quite a few of the immortal herbs here had a hundred thousand years of cultivation, they were all penned-up poultry, flowers raised in a greenhouse. How could they have the slightest combat experience, not to mention that they were fundamentally unsuited to combat...

Faced with Wu Ya's dark power, they could naturally do nothing but tremble.

They feared being yanked out by the roots.

"Who are you?" Lu Cheng asked, looking at the large pink flower.

"I am the master of this place. Since you wandered in by mistake, I will spare your lives. Leave at once..." Youyou stared fixedly at Lu Cheng and the others, her voice solemn, though her petals were trembling.

"Youyou?" Lu Cheng continued.

"..."

"How do you know?!!" Youyou asked in utter shock. "You know me?"

"Of course I know the illustrious aromatic silk beauty," Lu Cheng said with a smile.

"Ahem, ahem, ahem. Am I really that famous in the outside world? Hehe..." Youyou's tone changed, and she giggled foolishly.

"Youyou..." A large fiery-red flower emerged from the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, her voice somewhat helpless.

Clearly, she also knew she could not rely on this fool in such matters.

So she asked, "What brings the three of you here?"

"Give him an immortal herb suited to the dark attribute."

Lu Cheng pointed at Wu Ya and spoke softly.

"All right!"

Jiaojiao wasted no words. Her fiery-red petals opened, and a dark-purple flower was handed over.

"This is an immortal herb with a pure dark attribute, called the Black Demon Flower. His Soul Rings are already full, so there's no need for him to absorb an immortal herb with cultivation."

Lu Cheng nodded, a trace of a smile on his lips.

He motioned for Wu Ya to take it.

"Swallow it. I'll stand guard for you."

"All right!"

Wu Ya took the small dark-purple flower, his eyes filled with fervor and excitement, even his voice trembling slightly. He cultivated dark power and had been stuck at the peak of rank ninety-four for decades. If nothing changed in the future, he feared he would never cross that threshold in his entire life.

But now... his opportunity had come.

He took a deep breath, saying nothing more.

Taking the small dark-purple flower, he swallowed it directly.

Dark power instantly spilled out in all directions, darkening the entire valley and coalescing into an enormous black crow whose blood-red pupils looked down upon the many immortal herbs.

"..."

"What else do you want?" Jiaojiao asked softly.

"I want you, infernal delicate apricot." Lu Cheng stared straight at her, his gaze earnest.

"What did you say?" Even Jiaojiao was somewhat stunned. "Human, I'm a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast. At your age, even reaching the Soul Saint realm would probably be a struggle, wouldn't it? Even if I sacrificed myself, you'd burst."

"Wrong..."

Lu Cheng's lips curved into a smile.

One after another slowly rose beneath his feet.

His presence as a peak Soul Douluo was laid bare. Even his severe injuries could not conceal his sharp edge.

Jiaojiao's pupils abruptly contracted.

What monstrous talent.

He seemed even more freakish than that person back then.

"I'm confident I can become a god. If you sacrifice yourself to me, I'm willing to grant you eternal life." Lu Cheng extended a hand with a smile.

"Become a god..." Jiaojiao trembled violently.

After those two Soul Beasts from the Star Dou Great Forest had sacrificed themselves to that person back then, even his chickens and dogs had ascended to heaven with him: they had become divine officials and enjoyed endless lifespans.

Moreover, if he truly became a god... she could also escape the restraints and imprisonment here and venture into the outside world without fetters.

This was indeed an immense temptation.

But she still hesitated.

After all, everything had happened too suddenly.

"Hum..."

An hour later, the dark power surrounding Wu Ya gradually withdrew into his body, clearly becoming purer and stronger. This seemed to herald the sublimation of his Martial Soul.

The next instant, that dark crow underwent an earth-shattering transformation. Intricate patterns were inscribed on its pitch-black wings, and its blood-red eyes became even more uncanny.

"Hah!"

Wu Ya shuddered violently.

"That feels amazing!"

His voice carried throughout the entire valley.

His eyes were filled with gratitude as he looked at Lu Cheng.

The bottleneck that had plagued him for decades was easily broken at this moment, as naturally as water flowing into a newly formed channel. Moreover, what this immortal herb had improved went far beyond his cultivation realm.

There was also the quality of his Martial Soul.

This was the most terrifying aspect of immortal herbs.

In other words, his future ceiling had been raised without limit.

Even Limit Douluo might not be beyond his reach.

"Rank ninety-six. Two ranks in one go?" Lu Cheng smiled.

"Thank you for this..." Unable to hide the exhilaration in his eyes, Wu Ya gave Lu Cheng a slight nod.

He truly could never fully repay this kindness.

"Heh, how affected," Lu Cheng said with a faint smile.

He looked at Jiaojiao again.

But she spoke first. "I'm willing to sacrifice myself."

"No, I meant... her."

As though he had expected this all along, Lu Cheng pointed at Zhang Lexuan behind him. "Give her an immortal herb too."

"Certainly." Jiaojiao nodded.

But Jiaojiao glanced at Lu Cheng, then at Zhang Lexuan. "Would you like to try the Lovesick Heartbreak Red?"