Battle Through The Heavens : I Am The Thunder Emperor

Chapter 158: Escaping Death and Lu Man's Invitation

In the distant sky, the overwhelming auras of four Dou Emperor-level powerhouses filled the air, creating a suffocating pressure that made the beasts and everyone within the Myriad Beast Mountain Range tremble. The terrifying force bore down on them, making even breathing feel heavier.

"Lu Man, weren't you supposed to bring back the Tri-Flower Eyes of the Green Snake? How did you end up provoking so many powerful enemies and getting bullied like this? If word of this gets back, they'll laugh at you," the Eight-Winged Black Serpent Emperor's booming laughter echoed as its massive triangular pupils locked onto the Lion Head Elder and the Black Lizard Demon Serpent King.

Hovering beside the Eight-Winged Black Serpent Emperor's head, the woman in green, Lu Man, scowled in irritation at his mockery. She pointed to Qing Lin and Mu Yu, who were hiding behind a boulder. "You lazy bone, White Fang! I don't have time for your nonsense. Not only do we need to protect the owner of the Tri-Flower Eyes, but we must also ensure the safety of the boy beside her."

"Oh?" The Eight-Winged Black Serpent Emperor's triangular eyes narrowed as he glanced at Qing Lin, who was hiding behind the boulder. His thunderous voice grew more serious. "It really is the Tri-Flower Eyes, but why do we need to protect that boy?"

The Serpent Emperor's eyes filled with confusion as he wondered why the reason behind this massive battle wasn't just the Tri-Flower Eyes but also the boy.

"You're not wrong in sensing the Tri-Flower Eyes, but as for why we need to protect this boy…" Lu Man frowned slightly before forcing a smile. "You just need to know that these two Dou Emperors want him dead. If he dies, the owner of the Tri-Flower Eyes will bear a grudge against the Heavenly Serpent Mansion, which could cause trouble for us in the future."

Hearing this, the Eight-Winged Black Serpent Emperor's massive eyes flicked back to the boy and girl hiding behind the boulder. A trace of understanding flashed through his eyes. As a six-star magical beast, his intelligence was no less than that of a human, so he quickly grasped some of the underlying reasons.

"In that case, we'll protect the Tri-Flower Eyes' lover. Human love can drive people to madness. Besides, on the Northwest Continent, the Heavenly Serpent Mansion fears no one. Moreover, I sense a faintly familiar aura from that boy…" he mused.

"You feel it too?" Lu Man blinked in surprise, scrutinizing Mu Yu. "I also sensed a faintly familiar aura from him, though it's too weak to pinpoint. Now that you mention it, this boy is indeed extraordinary. Unfortunately, I've encountered too many powerful figures to recall exactly who this aura reminds me of."

After their brief exchange, the Eight-Winged Black Serpent Emperor turned to face the Lion Head Elder and the Black Lizard Demon Serpent King. His expression darkened as he spoke in surprise. "I expected as much from the Black Lizard Demon Serpent King; though it's also a six-star magical beast, that mongrel is hardly a match for me. But what's going on with this Lion Head Elder? How did this boy provoke so much trouble?"

"I'm not sure of the details myself, but that old man is one of the Mulan Three Elders from Mulan Valley, a peak Dou Emperor. That's why I need your help," Lu Man explained, her voice heavy.

"The Mulan Valley, huh? That's a formidable force. This boy must be something else to have angered them," the Serpent Emperor remarked, somewhat impressed.

"All right, enough talk. We've already caused quite a commotion here. If we delay any longer, the other two Mulan Elders might show up, and then we'll be in serious trouble," Lu Man urged, frowning.

"Understood. I've heard the Mulan Three Elders have a technique that allows them to combine their power perfectly, achieving the strength of a Dou Zong. Truly terrifying," the Serpent Emperor replied with a hint of apprehension.

"Be careful. These two aren't pushovers. I'll take the boy and the girl and get out of here," Lu Man said, nodding. Her wings flapped lightly as she flew to Mu Yu and Qing Lin's side.

"Don't worry. When it comes to speed, no one in the Dou Emperor realm can catch me, not even a peak Dou Emperor," the Eight-Winged Black Serpent Emperor replied confidently, waving his tail as he watched Lu Man fly away.

"You're not going anywhere! Leave the boy behind!" The Lion Head Elder's face darkened as he saw Lu Man flying away. With a shout, his cyan Dou Qi erupted once more as he shot forward like a bullet.

"Your opponent is me!" the Eight-Winged Black Serpent Emperor chuckled, his eight wings flapping simultaneously. In an instant, his massive body blocked the Lion Head Elder's path.

With a powerful swing of its tail, the Serpent Emperor unleashed such a force that the very air seemed to distort around it.

Sensing the terrifying power behind the tail strike, the Lion Head Elder's expression changed. He quickly twisted his body to dodge, but while he managed to avoid the attack, he was forced to halt his pursuit.

"When did the Heavenly Serpent Mansion start interfering in Mulan Valley's affairs? Aren't you afraid of your leader's wrath?" the Lion Head Elder demanded, his voice tense.

The Serpent Emperor didn't seem concerned that his identity had been revealed. He laughed dismissively, "Our Heavenly Serpent Mansion's affairs are none of your concern. We're taking those two with us, whether you like it or not."

"Hmph!" The Lion Head Elder grunted in frustration, his face darkening. He turned to the Black Lizard Demon Serpent King and ordered, "Serpent King, I'll hold this one off. You capture the boy!"

Though the Serpent King wasn't thrilled about being commanded, he still nodded, knowing that the spirit fire was still with Mu Yu and that the Eight-Winged Black Serpent Emperor wasn't an easy opponent. His black energy wings flapped, and he glanced warily at the Serpent Emperor before flying toward Lu Man's position.

"Not so fast, mongrel!" The Eight-Winged Black Serpent Emperor snarled, his massive head snapping to the side as black flames erupted from his body. The flames gathered above his head, forming an enormous black energy serpent with eight wings.

With a flick of his tail, the fiery black serpent shot toward the Black Lizard Demon Serpent King, carrying a terrifyingly powerful force.

Seeing this, the Black Lizard Demon Serpent King hastily halted, summoning a black energy shield to block the attack.

"Boom!"

The two terrifying energies clashed in mid-air, holding against each other for a moment before exploding with a deafening roar. The shockwave from the explosion could be heard even from a kilometer away, sending the Serpent King reeling backward.

As the battle raged on, Lu Man quickly reached Mu Yu and Qing Lin. She looked at them both with a serious expression. "We don't have much time. Hold on tight, and don't let go."

Mu Yu and Qing Lin nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. As they clung to Lu Man, the three of them shot into the sky, heading away from the battlefield as quickly as possible.

"White Fang, I'm counting on you to hold them off!" Lu Man called back as they fled.

"Leave it to me!" The Eight-Winged Black Serpent Emperor roared, standing his ground against the Lion Head Elder and the Black Lizard Demon Serpent King, determined to buy Lu Man enough time to escape with Mu Yu and Qing Lin.

As the battle intensified behind them, Lu Man's wings beat furiously, pushing them further away from danger. She glanced down at Mu Yu, who was still calm despite everything. "You've really caused a lot of trouble, you know that?"

Mu Yu smiled faintly. "I'll make it up to you, I promise."

"You'd better. I've put a lot on the line for you," Lu Man replied, a hint of amusement in her voice despite the tension.

As they soared through the sky, the sounds of the battle slowly faded into the distance. For now, they were safe, but Mu Yu knew this was only the beginning of the challenges they would face.

"Hmph, just a lowly serpent. Let's see if you dare to act so arrogantly now," the Eight-Winged Black Serpent Emperor laughed loudly as he looked at the Black Lizard Demon Serpent King, whose face was now glistening with cold sweat. Although his strength wasn't vastly superior to the Black Lizard Demon Serpent King's, the respect for bloodlines among magical beasts allowed him to suppress the latter.

Watching the one-on-one duel between the Eight-Winged Black Serpent Emperor and the Black Lizard Demon Serpent King, Mu Yu couldn't help but feel a bit emotional. This serpent, who had suffered quite a bit at Xiao Yan's hands in the original story, was actually quite powerful. Considering that the serpent had survived an explosion caused by the fusion of two different Heavenly Flames, its strength was indeed remarkable.

It's worth noting that the Green Lotus Core Flame alone had the power of a peak Dou Emperor, and the Bone Chilling Flame, which was ranked even higher, was likely as powerful as a Dou Zun. Even though Xiao Yan couldn't fully control the Bone Chilling Flame that he inherited from Yao Lao, the fusion of the two flames produced a force that even a Dou Zong would have to fear.

While Mu Yu was deep in thought, Lu Man appeared, looking anxious. "We need to leave now. That guy, White Fang, won't be able to hold them off for long," she urged.

Understanding the gravity of the situation, Mu Yu nodded quickly. "Of course. Thank you, Miss Lu Man, and the Heavenly Serpent Mansion, for your help."

The Heavenly Serpent Mansion had sent two high-ranking Dou Emperors to retrieve the Tri-Flower Eyes of the Green Snake, showing how much they valued it. This also implied that the mansion had many powerful warriors. Although Mu Yu wasn't sure if there were Dou Zun among them, he was certain they had Dou Zong. However, being in the Mulan Empire, there was no guarantee that Mulan Valley would give face to the Heavenly Serpent Mansion.

With this in mind, Mu Yu handed Qing Lin over to Lu Man. "Miss Lu Man, you can carry Qing Lin. I'll follow closely behind you."

Lu Man's beautiful eyes flashed with surprise. As a Dou Emperor, even if she wasn't known for her speed, she didn't expect a young Da Dou Shi like Mu Yu to be able to keep up with her. However, remembering how Mu Yu had managed to evade two Dou Emperors on his own, she assumed he had some tricks up his sleeve and nodded in agreement.

"Alright, I'll carry Qing Lin. Just make sure you keep up," Lu Man said, casting Mu Yu a deep look before taking Qing Lin into her arms. With a gentle flap of the green Dou Qi wings on her back, she quickly took off, soon becoming a distant shadow in Mu Yu's eyes.

Watching Lu Man and Qing Lin disappear into the sky, Mu Yu turned his gaze back to the Eight-Winged Black Serpent Emperor, who was valiantly holding off the two powerful opponents. Silently expressing his gratitude, Mu Yu spread his Purple Cloud Wings and took off in pursuit of Lu Man.

As Lu Man flew, she sensed someone rapidly closing in on her. Surprised, she glanced back and saw Mu Yu, who had managed to keep up with her. When she saw the Dou Qi wings on his back, her shock was unmistakable.

"Dou Qi wings? Is he a Dou Wang? No, that's not right..." Initially, she thought Mu Yu had somehow broken through to the Dou Wang level. But upon closer inspection of the energy flow in his wings, she realized, astonished, "This is a rare flying Dou Technique. Who is this kid?"

As Lu Man marveled at Mu Yu's abilities, he steadily closed the distance between them. Although he was only a Da Dou Shi, his flying speed had once surprised even Yun Yun. Now, after breaking through to the Da Dou Shi level, his speed was just barely enough to keep up with a Dou Emperor, though he still lacked in endurance and explosive power.

When Lu Man saw Mu Yu catching up to her, the surprise in her beautiful eyes deepened. Curious, she asked the young girl in her arms, "Qing Lin, who is your young master? Is he the heir to some great family or power?"

Hearing Lu Man's question, Qing Lin tilted her head, her big eyes blinking as she replied, "Sister Lu Man, young master comes from a family called Xiao in the Jia Ma Empire."

"The Xiao family?" Lu Man racked her brain. The Heavenly Serpent Mansion was located on the Northwest Continent, so they were familiar with the powerful sects and families in the region. However, she had never heard of a powerful Xiao family.

"Qing Lin, what's the highest level of strength in this Xiao family?" she asked.

"From what Captain Xiao Ding said, the strongest in the Xiao family is Master Xiao Zhan, and I think he's a Five-Star Da Dou Shi," Qing Lin answered innocently.

"A family whose strongest member is only a Five-Star Da Dou Shi?" Lu Man was taken aback, her beautiful eyes filled with confusion, and a few black lines appeared on her forehead. She had been trying to figure out if the Xiao family was some kind of ancient, powerful clan, only to learn it was a tiny family with just a Da Dou Shi as its strongest warrior.

On the Northwest Continent, families like that weren't as numerous as grains of sand but were still considered insignificant.

The more she thought about it, the more Lu Man was impressed by Mu Yu. Coming from such a small family and achieving such feats, his potential was astounding. If he were to join the Heavenly Serpent Mansion, his accomplishments would likely be even greater.

With this realization, Lu Man began to think that perhaps Mu Yu's value might even surpass that of the Tri-Flower Eyes of the Green Snake.

"Sister Lu Man, young master is amazing! You won't regret gaining his favor," Qing Lin praised with a bright smile.

Seeing Qing Lin's admiration, Lu Man chuckled and patted the little girl's head. Looking back at Mu Yu, she said, "Let's head to the outskirts of the Myriad Beast Mountain Range. It's safer there."

Mu Yu nodded in agreement. The Myriad Beast Mountain Range was vast, covering nearly a fifth of the empire. Once they reached the outskirts, even Mulan Valley and the Serpent Clan would have a hard time finding him.

As Mu Yu's figure disappeared into the towering mountains, the chaos he had caused ended with his resounding victory.

After flying for nearly half a day, the three of them finally reached the outskirts of the Myriad Beast Mountain Range. Mu Yu had chosen a direction leading to the most remote area on the map, seeking a secluded environment.

As the scorching sun gradually set and slipped below the horizon, Mu Yu and his companions were far from the battle's epicenter.

After flying for some time, they spotted lush greenery once more. In the distance, a towering mountain slowly came into view, its peak just barely visible.

Landing on the mountain, Lu Man gently set Qing Lin down. She turned to Mu Yu, who had been flying for half a day, his face pale yet still determined to keep up. A hint of interest flashed in her eyes as she smiled and asked, "Mu Yu, would you be willing to join the Heavenly Serpent Mansion?"

(End of Chapter)

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