Chapter 344: Qing Lin: "Sorry, I Came at the Wrong Time…"
Under Yun Yun's sharp gaze, Lu Bu felt a chill run down his spine. How had the gentle and sweet Yun Yun suddenly become so intimidating?
"Hmph!"
Yun Yun snorted coldly and raised her jade like hand. Two flames one blue and the other transparent floated out from Lu Bu's body, circling her like affectionate daughters. The scorching heat radiated outward, subtly enveloping Lu Bu's body.
No ulterior motives just the soul flames acting on their own. Yun Yun, as their master, had nothing to do with it.
Qing Lin stood to the side, arms crossed over her modest chest modest compared to the Queen, though next to Xiao Xun'er, one might argue the roles were reversed.
Her expression was calm as she observed everything without saying a word, in stark contrast to the past when she would have interceded on her young master's behalf.
Hmph… she didn't want any more sisters, especially not two of them at once!
"..." Lu Bu's mouth twitched. Women are terrifying!
"Ahem… Qing Lin, I'll leave these two to you!" Lu Bu coughed lightly and clenched his fist. He knew there was no explaining himself, so he might as well let the facts speak for themselves.
"Huh?" Qing Lin blinked, stunned by her master's words. But a flash of insight quickly crossed her mind, and surprise filled her face.
She immediately formed hand seals, her eyes glowing with a faint green light. Three small, verdant flowers slowly rotated within her pupils, emitting a strange and powerful aura.
"What… what is this?" Yao Rong's face paled as she instinctively took a step back. The eerie, unsettling energy radiating from those eyes made her shiver with fear.
"The Triple Jade Green Snake Flower Pupils? This is the legendary Triple Jade Green Snake Flower Pupils?!" Yao Zi, more knowledgeable than her sister, instantly recognized the power and cried out in terror.
Before her exclamation ended, two beams of green light shot out, enveloping the sisters. The overwhelming Dou Qi surging from their bodies came to an abrupt halt.
Simultaneously, green light flickered at their brows, where a small green flower slowly materialized. The already enchanting sisters now seemed even more alluring, their beauty tinged with an eerie, seductive charm.
Before long, the green light faded, leaving the sisters with mixed emotions. They weren't exactly furious after all, they were already under Lu Bu's control. But to be subdued by the Triple Jade Green Snake Flower Pupils on top of that? It was impossible not to feel some bitterness.
"From now on, you two will be responsible for protecting Qing Lin," Lu Bu said with a faint smile. "Don't worry, you won't be mistreated. I don't think either of you has taken a Relief Miasma Pill yet, have you? I'll make sure you get one in a few days."
At these words, the sisters' displeasure vanished instantly, replaced by joy. They bowed their heads and exclaimed, "Thank you, Master!"
Being bodyguards was far better than being mounts, especially for the woman of an 8th tier alchemist. That practically meant they were bodyguards to an 8th tier alchemist by extension.
And many would kill for such a position!
Qing Lin giggled, her hand seals changing as green light flashed, pulling the two sisters into the space within her pupils.
Yun Yun watched in astonishment, quickly understanding what was happening. Having spent so much time with Qing Lin, she knew the extraordinary properties of her Triple Jade Green Snake Flower Pupils particularly the mystical inner space they contained!
Once matured, the pupil space could not only store living beings but also absorb Dou Qi from snake type magical beasts within it, accelerating the pupil owner's cultivation speed.
Lu Bu had essentially given Qing Lin two powerful bodyguards who were also massive energy reserves!
"Hmph…" Yun Yun snorted, dissatisfied but begrudgingly impressed. At least he had acted sensibly this time.
"Hehe, Master, I'm a six star Dou King now!" Qing Lin announced proudly, her tone filled with excitement.
"Huh? So fast?" Lu Bu was taken aback. He had been away at the Dou Saint ruins with Zi Yan, the Queen, and Xiao Yi Xian for just over a month, yet Qing Lin had jumped two stars?
Her cultivation speed was faster than his own back then!
"Hehe…" Qing Lin chuckled smugly.
Still, her strength was notably weaker than it had been in the original timeline. The reason was simple: she lacked the trials and battles that had shaped her in the original story.
In the original timeline, she had ventured alone through the Central Plains, explored ancient ruins, fought the Nine Serene Underworld Python, and even dared to face off against Xiao Yan's group, which included four or five Dou Zuns.
She had commanded enough Dou Zun level snake magical beasts to form a small army, so her strength had been hard earned.
Now, under Lu Bu's protection, her life was joyful, comfortable, and safe. She no longer needed to struggle for power in a life threatening environment.
"Don't get cocky!" Lu Bu flicked her forehead lightly. "Zi Yan gained a significant opportunity this time. By the next time you see her, even your Medusa sister might not match her."
"What?!" Qing Lin's eyes widened in shock. "That's not fair! I'll be the weakest again!"
"No way! I'm going to train right now!" Qing Lin declared and darted toward the training room.
"Wait! Here's a Lesser Boost Pill. Make sure to take it!" Lu Bu called out, tossing her a jade bottle.
"Got it!" Qing Lin caught it deftly and dashed into the training room.
Inside the pupil space, the two sisters exchanged a glance filled with envy. An advanced seventh tier pill, handed out as casually as if it were cabbage? Truly the extravagance of an alchemy master!
"Yun Yun, how about you? Has the Spirit Race bloodline improved your cultivation?" Lu Bu asked, gently holding Yun Yun's hand.
When he left for the Dou Saint ruins, Yun Yun had still been in seclusion, acclimating to the Spirit Race bloodline she had recently acquired. The process had taken time for her to fully integrate and control it.
Yun Yun smiled softly, releasing a subtle burst of energy. The sheer strength of it stirred the winds across the training ground.
"Dou King peak stage? Not bad at all!" Lu Bu's eyes lit up with approval. "I'll prepare a Destiny Pill for you. It'll help you break through to Dou Zun faster."
"No rush. I just broke through recently. It's better to stabilize my foundation before taking it," Yun Yun replied with a light laugh, her voice carrying a hint of excitement.
With the Spirit Race bloodline, her cultivation speed had finally caught up with Medusa's and Xiao Yi Xian's.
Although her starting point was lower, she was determined to catch up. Besides… Spirit Race combat methods relied not only on one's own power but also on Spirit Slaves.
Thinking of this, Yun Yun felt a rare surge of pride and delight. She was no longer the one desperately chasing Medusa and Xiao Yi Xian's backs!
"Shame about the lack of a clan pattern, though. Without it, you can't fully unleash the bloodline's potential," Lu Bu lamented softly.
"It's fine. We still have that woman's soul, don't we?" Yun Yun smiled faintly, showing no concern.
Lu Bu had explained the function of a clan pattern: its primary purpose was to amplify the power of the bloodline, allowing short bursts of extraordinary strength. To Yun Yun, however, it wasn't particularly necessary.
After thoroughly checking Yun Yun's condition to ensure nothing was amiss, Lu Bu returned to his room. Sitting cross legged, he summoned two magic cores into his palm with a flash of light: one earthen yellow and the other silvery gray. These were the eighth tier magic cores of the Earth Tiger Clan and the Silver Moon Wolf Clan, obtained from the Dou Saint Ruins.
From Lu Bu's palm, black threads of deep, consuming darkness extended, made entirely of pure devouring power from the Devouring Ancestral Symbol. These threads pierced deep into the two magic cores, voraciously consuming their immense and terrifying energy.
These were cores from eighth tier ferocious beasts, containing energy so powerful and volatile that, without the Devouring Ancestral Symbol, Lu Bu would have no choice but to rely on alchemy to extract their energy safely.
Of course, Void Swallowing Flame might also work for such a task, but… the Void Swallowing Flame was somewhat impractical. When weak, it was impossible to obtain. By the time one was strong enough to acquire it, reaching at least late stage nine star Dou Saint, its usefulness had significantly diminished.
As his thoughts wandered, Lu Bu gradually immersed himself in cultivation. His technique, Great Burning Origin Codex, a low level Heaven tier method, refined Dou Qi to a level of purity even half saints couldn't match. Yet, despite the vast energy within these two magic cores, they might still fall short of pushing him to six star Dou Zun.
Time passed quietly. The bright sun slowly descended, the sky dimming as night fell, cloaking the world in darkness.
Lu Bu opened his eyes. In his palm, the two once crystalline magic cores had been reduced to dull, gray powder.
"Still at the peak of five star Dou Zun… just a little short," Lu Bu murmured, watching as the powder was carried away by the wind.
Wait. Wind?
Lu Bu's gaze sharpened as he turned his head. Sitting on the windowsill was none other than Queen Medusa. Her long, slender legs dangled lazily, the hem of her tight cheongsam swaying gently in the breeze. The moonlight illuminated her flawless, jade like thighs, tantalizingly revealed as the fabric shifted, teasing the imagination like a cat's playful paw.
"Your Majesty, why have you come?" Lu Bu chuckled softly, walking over to remove the shoes from her feet.
Instantly, her tender, smooth feet cool as jade were revealed in his hands. Lu Bu's lips curled into a playful smile as he gently caressed them, clearly relishing the sensation.
"Hmph… I thought you'd go to Yun Yun's room tonight," Medusa huffed softly. Her red painted toes curled slightly, a mix of contentment and displeasure in her voice.
"Yun Yun's bloodline isn't fully matured yet. For now, dual cultivation is out of the question," Lu Bu sighed regretfully, shaking his head.
A seventh grade bloodline like Yun Yun's would only mature upon reaching peak Dou Zun, at the Transition Stage. Xiao Xun'er, for example, had a divine grade bloodline that required an even higher level of cultivation to mature fully.
In the original story, Xiao Xun'er's bloodline didn't reach full maturity until she stepped into the Dou Saint realm. For most people with ordinary Dou Di bloodlines, reaching Dou Saint meant their bloodline had already been mostly exhausted and no longer provided much benefit.
Sometimes, certain gifts of fate were simply unattainable. They were the privileges of natural born talent.
"Oh? Is that so?" Medusa's beautiful eyes lit up at his explanation. In one swift motion, her long legs hooked around Lu Bu, pulling him close as she gazed down at him with a sly smile. Her delicate fingers brushed against his face as she teased, "So, does that mean you're mine again tonight?"
"… And Xiao Yi Xian's," Lu Bu corrected, holding up a finger.
"Hmph, I came first, so you're mine!" Medusa scoffed, her voice laced with domineering confidence. Raising a slender hand, she removed the hairpin from her bun. Instantly, her waterfall like black hair cascaded down her back, filling the room with an intoxicating fragrance.
"Lu Bu, help me cultivate tonight!"
Her finger tilted his chin upward as she leaned in close. Her expression was filled with an alluring blend of commanding authority and possessiveness, yet her loose, flowing hair added a touch of delicate femininity.
Two opposing qualities graceful strength and gentle vulnerability merged perfectly in Medusa at this moment. She was both a queen and a wife.
Feeling her smooth, supple legs pressing against his neck, Lu Bu smirked. "Woman, you're playing with fire."
"Oh? I'm not ah!" Medusa's words of defiance were abruptly cut off as a shiver ran through her body. A rosy flush crept up her cheeks.
"Don't touch me there!" Medusa squirmed as Lu Bu's hand found its way to the golden threaded sash of her cheongsam, skillfully loosening it. His fingers brushed against her slender waist, teasing the sensitive skin beneath.
"Heh…" Lu Bu chuckled, clearly enjoying himself. He knew Medusa inside and out every weakness, every soft spot. Her waist was one of them.
And just like that, a single move had her completely under control.
Come to think of it, why was her waist so sensitive? Did she have too much ticklish flesh there?
"Is that it?" Lu Bu teased, his grin widening. "You think you're ready for dual cultivation with just this?"
"You…!" Medusa's face flushed crimson, her chest heaving with indignation. The commanding aura she had worked so hard to project crumbled entirely under Lu Bu's teasing.
Outraged, Medusa tightened her grip with her legs, pulling Lu Bu even closer until his face was practically buried against her flat stomach.
"Enough! Tonight, I'm on top!" she growled fiercely.
"Is that so?" Lu Bu laughed, a glint of mischief in his eyes.
"Master, are you there? I just broke through to seven star Dou King!"
A crisp, lively voice rang out as Qing Lin pushed open the door and hopped in only to freeze mid step.
Their gazes met.
The air grew still.
The two women stared at each other in stunned silence, their expressions frozen.
Qing Lin's delicate lips parted in disbelief as her wide, innocent eyes took in the awkward position Lu Bu and Medusa were in. Was this what her master and Medusa sister were like in private?
Medusa's crimson lips twitched. Qing Lin wasn't supposed to be here. Wasn't she supposed to be in seclusion?
A deep blush spread across Medusa's face like wildfire. The white jade of her legs, still hooked around Lu Bu's neck, turned faintly pink. Even her once cool toes were now burning hot.
"S sorry! I didn't mean to interrupt!" Qing Lin stammered, her face flushing red as she hastily raised her hands to cover her eyes.
…Though the gaps between her fingers were suspiciously large. Large enough for Lu Bu and Medusa to clearly see the three tiny, spinning flowers in her Triple Jade Green Snake Flower Pupils.
Medusa's already red face darkened. This girl… was just like Lu Bu utterly incorrigible.
"Heh heh…" Lu Bu smirked, his voice filled with schadenfreude.
(Chapter End)
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