Chapter 80: Bathing in the Lake

"It's a success."

Tianming Yun opened his eyes, a flash of dark purple flame flickering in his pupils. The process of refining the seventh-grade Beast Flame went smoother than expected. All of this was thanks to his oversized Soul Power and the formidable Earth Rank Qi Method.

The only regret he felt was that his Dou Qi level hadn't significantly improved; he remained at the level of a 3-Star Dou Master.

In fact, refining the fire seed, whether it's the Beast Flame or the Heavenly Flame, doesn't directly enhance the practitioner's Dou Qi level. In the original work, Xiao Yan was able to rapidly advance his level through refining fire seeds because of the bizarre effects of the Flame Mantra Qi Method.

If Yun Tianming were cultivating the Flame Mantra at this moment, refining the seventh-grade Beast Flame's fire seed would at least bring him a four to five-star Dou Qi level increase!

With this in mind, Yun Tianming suddenly felt a surge of envy and once again conceived the idea of obtaining the Flame Mantra.

Xiao Yan should be ruled out.

Not only does he have his grandfather around, but he also has a Gu Clan heiress backing him up.

If one were to provoke Xiao Yan now, and the Flame Mantra wasn't acquired later, but instead he gains his enmity, that would be a huge loss!

Han Feng could work!

Back then, Han Feng deceived his teacher and annihilated his clan, taking away half of the Flame Mantra from Yao Chen.

Although it's only half, since the system can repair jade slips and retrieve complete sets of Soul Techniques from fragmented pieces, it should logically be able to restore that half of the Flame Mantra into a complete Flame Mantra!

"If I remember correctly, Han Feng is now a Dou Emperor powerhouse, a sixth-grade Alchemist, thriving in the Black-Corner Region."

A cold light flashed in Yun Tianming's eyes.

Using the Soul Power of the late Mortal Realm to execute Soul Techniques, it would probably be difficult to defeat Han Feng. After all, the opponent's Soul Power itself is not weak and not as easy to deal with as Magic Beasts.

Yun Tianming estimated silently that he would need to reach at least the peak of the Mortal Realm to have a chance of severely injuring Han Feng with his Soul Techniques!

Furthermore, he had to consider Han Feng's influence as a sixth-grade Alchemist. To kill him, he would need to gather several Dou Emperor-level experts himself.

"Wait, am I getting arrogant again?"

"And always resorting to killing for treasures, my thinking is becoming more like that of the Dou Qi Continent."

Yun Tianming shook his head with a bitter smile.

As time passed, his thinking gradually localized, but he didn't consider it a bad thing. After all, this was a world where the strong preyed on the weak, and the strong were respected. Morality and laws didn't apply here.

Under his intervention, the Misty Cloud Sect avoided plunging into deep enmity with the Xiao Family. But let's not forget, in the original work, the eerie laughter of the Hall of Souls also targeted the Misty Cloud Sect!

The incumbent old Sect Master of the Misty Cloud Sect, Yun Shan, had been in seclusion for many years, with no hope of breaking through to the Dou Ancestor level. As his life approached its end, he succumbed to the temptation of the Hall of Souls, becoming their lackey. Collaborating with the Hall of Souls wasn't merely seeking protection from a tiger; ultimately, the Hall of Souls would devour the souls of all the elders, including Yun Shan, completely wiping out the Misty Cloud Sect!

Considering the timing, the Hall of Souls probably began clandestinely contacting Yun Shan, and it's unknown whether the old Sect Master would kneel down.

"Never mind, these matters are not something I, as a mere Dou Master, can influence."

"For now, the only solution is to continuously grow stronger. Becoming powerful myself is the only real solution!"

Yun Tianming contemplated within his heart. If he could prevent the infiltration of the Hall of Souls into the Misty Cloud Sect, that would naturally be the best outcome. In case it became impossible, he at least needed to take Yun Yun and Nalan Yanran away.

"Speaking of which, where did Sister Yun'er go?"

His gaze scanned around the cave, but he didn't see Yun Yun's figure. Then, at the entrance of the cave, he noticed Yun Yun's sword and the deployed Whirlwind Wall barrier. Yun Tianming's mind stirred, and he released his Soul Perception. Soon, he spotted Yun Yun's figure by a lake several hundred meters away.

"Sister Yun'er, are you bathing?"

"Women really do love cleanliness."

Yun Tianming couldn't help but imagine Yun Yun's graceful figure bathing in the water, and he suddenly felt a dryness in his mouth. Then, he vigorously shook his head, suppressing the impure thoughts in his mind.

He was a respectable person, how could he engage in the shameful act of peeping?

However, the Magic Beast Mountains were full of danger everywhere. It was reasonable for him to guard Yun Yun, wasn't it?

Hmm, yes, that's it!

With a righteous demeanor, Yun Tianming walked towards the direction of the lake!

"Splash!"

Yun Yun removed her clothes. After cleaning the sweat and dirt off her body, she plunged into the lake. Her hair scattered freely, and her pristine jade-like body was completely immersed in the icy lake water. Days of travel, coupled with the fierce battle against the Amethyst Winged Lion King, had left her exhausted.

With her Dou Qi sealed, in her most helpless moment, fortunately, Yun Tianming was by her side, making Yun Yun feel protected for the first time. She felt an inexplicable affection growing in her heart.

Tianming,

Ah, if only you had been born ten years earlier.

If that were the case, it wouldn't have been impossible.

Yun Yun, curled up in the water, hugged her knees, her eyes flashing with a hint of confusion.

Unaware and lost in thought, Yun Yun failed to notice a yellow shadow darting beneath the pitch-black lake. A pair of brown vertical pupils stared fixedly at Yun Yun. With short but powerful limbs, the creature moved swiftly underwater, silently approaching from below Yun Yun.

"Hmm?!"

With the perception of a Dou Emperor powerhouse, before Yun Yun's brain could command, her body reflexively rolled aside.

"Splash!"

A massive aquatic beast swiftly passed by, its sharp claws nearly grazing Yun Yun's head, cutting off a few strands of her hair.

Yun Yun's heart raced as she focused on the creature that attacked her—a flat-bodied aquatic creature with fins, gills, and limbs, resembling a combination of fish and beast.

"Fourth Rank Magic Beast: Yellow Dragon!"

This Magic Beast lurks underwater to ambush prey and is highly skilled at concealing its own presence. Despite carefully sensing before entering the water, Yun Yun failed to detect the Yellow Dragon hidden beneath the lake.

At this moment, Yun Yun was not only unarmed but also defenseless, with only her bare hands to face the adversary.

"Wind Force Push!"

One hand formed a seal while the other gathered a green cyclone to strike.

The Yellow Dragon charged straight ahead without dodging, directly smashing through the cyclone Yun Yun unleashed. Seeing the giant beast rapidly enlarging in her vision, Yun Yun's expression turned serious as she immediately activated her Dou Qi Armor.

"Bang!"

Yun Yun was hurled dozens of yards underwater by the impact, her green Dou Qi Armor shattered by the violent collision with the Yellow Dragon. Feeling a sense of impending danger, with the seal of the amethyst inside her body not completely undone, she could only exert the power of a Dou Grandmaster at the moment, which was fundamentally not a match for this Fourth Rank Magic Beast.

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