After a long journey, Lin Xiu and his group finally arrived in the forest not far from the valley.
Everyone gathered under the trees.
"You rest here for a while, don't wander around. I'll go ahead to scout," said one of the elders.
He had a wood attribute, capable of manipulating plants in the forest to conceal himself, which to a certain extent could avoid being detected by others.
The other three elders had no objections. Clearly, before setting off, everyone had already been assigned their responsibilities.
"No need for that trouble," Lin Xiu said, looking towards the distant silhouette of the valley's peak.
Due to the elders' excessive caution, their current position was quite far from the valley.
Relying on his Soul Power, Lin Xiu could only sense a large number of auras in the valley, but distinguishing their strengths was difficult.
"No! Lin Xiu, you must listen to us." Immediately, a solemn-looking elder spoke up. "They are targeting you. Whatever happens later, you must return to the Academy immediately."
"Lin Xiu, I know you recently killed Yuan Yi, but this is the Black-Corner Region. Even he, despite his strength, isn't considered among the top-ranked experts. Your strength is formidable, but you must not let your guard down," another elder advised.
They all prioritized Lin Xiu's safety and were adamant about him avoiding any trouble. If Han Feng and his men were lying in ambush in the valley, or if the Gold and Silver Elders were present, Lin Xiu, as a Dou Emperor, wouldn't be able to change the outcome.
Before Lin Xiu could respond, the elder who went to scout ahead had already set off.
Not long after, the elder returned.
His expression was grim. "The news is true. Zi Yan has been captured!"
"I'll go rescue her!" Lin Xiu stood up immediately, but the two elders placed their hands on his shoulders, one after another.
"Calm down. Let Elder Chen finish speaking first," one elder advised.
If Zi Yan's capture was indeed true, those people demanding Lin Xiu's presence meant it wasn't just for a friendly chat.
There was definitely a conspiracy at play.
"Around the valley, there are many ambushes. There are at least fifty Dou Spirits and even more Dou Grandmasters, totaling nearly a hundred people. In addition, near the cage where Zi Yan is held, there's a tent. I couldn't see inside clearly, but everyone entering the tent had a deeply respectful expression."
Elder Chen explained everything he saw in detail.
The other three elders frowned deeply after listening.
This was a blatant attempt to lure them using Zi Yan as bait.
There was no hiding or pretense; it was openly laid out in front of them, challenging them to dare to come and rescue her.
"They dare to imprison Zi Yan in a cage?!" Lin Xiu's shoulders shook, his powerful aura making it impossible for the two elders to restrain him any longer.
Swoosh!
Before anyone could speak, lightning flashed before their eyes, and Lin Xiu's figure appeared dozens of meters away.
So fast!
The four elders were astonished.
"Oh no! Lin Xiu, don't act rashly, beware of traps!" One elder tried to shout to stop him, but it was too late.
"Alas, what should we do now?"
"Knowing the danger and still going ahead."
"Let's go together. We can't let Lin Xiu face this danger alone. If things go wrong, we'll cover his retreat."
The elders quickly made a decision.
One of them looked at Han Yue and the others, instructing them to choose the fastest among them to immediately return to the Academy and inform the Grand Elder of the situation.
Although the elders understood that the journey from the Academy to here was long, and it might not be possible to return in time with a message, they still decided to send someone back.
In case Lin Xiu managed to break through, at least the Grand Elder could provide assistance halfway.
Quickly, they selected Lin Xiu Ya with Wind Attribute to return to the Academy and deliver the message.
Dividing into two groups, they began their actions.
Lin Xiu showed no intention of hiding. Thunder roared all the way as he appeared in the sky above the valley in an instant.
Upon seeing Zi Yan imprisoned in the cage, he was immediately furious.
"Who did this?"
"Get down!"
Almost the moment Lin Xiu appeared, the guards responsible for the perimeter noticed him. Shouts and calls echoed through the valley.
The tent flap lifted, and everyone inside heard the commotion and rushed out.
"Lin Xiu!"
When they saw the young man high in the sky, expressions of surprise and joy crossed their faces.
They were surprised by the aura Lin Xiu exuded—it was indeed that of a Dou Emperor!
A Dou Emperor in his early twenties—a talent like this might not appear once in a thousand years in the Black-Corner Region.
They were also pleased because Lin Xiu seemed to have come alone.
"It really fits the saying, 'A young calf doesn't fear the tiger.'"
A hint of cruelty flashed in the eyes of A middle-aged man.
In his eyes, Lin Xiu was no different than three Sixth Grade Pills walking around.
Inside the cage, Zi Yan was awakened by the chaotic noise.
In midair, she saw a figure with green wings condensed on his back, looking remarkably familiar. It was very similar to their first encounter.
"Lin Xiu, they bullied me..." Zi Yan's voice was weak.
However, Lin Xiu's senses were incredibly sharp.
Listening to Zi Yan's recounting, his eyes filled with tangible killing intent, his voice striving to contain a hint of gentleness, "Don't worry, I'm here. None of them will escape today."
As his words fell, a harsh mocking laughter erupted on the scene.
"Kid, do you even consider the occasion when you boast? With so many of us here, you act like we're invisible?"
The middle-aged man seemed to find it amusing, bursting into hearty laughter, "I didn't know you thought you were a Dou Ancestor."
"It's really amusing"
"Does he think he's invincible in the Black-Corner Region just because he killed Fan Lao and Yuan Yi?"
"Facing death, hasn't he realized it yet?"
Others joined in the laughter.
Sometimes, when too many people gather, courage can also grow.
"Young man, today I'll teach you a lesson. Not everyone will fight you one-on-one. This is the Black-Corner Region, not your Jia Nan Academy."
Coldly observing Lin Xiu, the middle-aged man raised his hand and pointed fiercely at him.
A low shout echoed through the valley.
"Attack!"
Swish swish!
The next moment, gusts of vigorous winds rose up, and the air emitted piercing screams of being torn apart.
From all directions in the forest, shadows darted out.
Upon closer inspection, these shadows turned out to be thick crossbow bolts as thick as an adult's wrist.
Each bolt had a sharp and gleaming adamantine head, emanating a chilling cold light.
"Get ready to become a hedgehog."
Halfway up the valley, Han Beng coldly watched Lin Xiu, a smirk playing at the corners of his mouth.
These Adamantine Crossbows were something even a typical Dou King wouldn't dare to easily confront.
Due to their explosive force and high sharpness, just three Adamantine Crossbow bolts were enough to leave a Dou King scrambling.
This time, they had prepared fifty of them, fired from four directions.
Originally intended for Su Qian, but since he didn't show up, they would have to make do with Lin Xiu.
"Be careful!"
"Lin Xiu, I'm here to help you!"
Just as everyone thought Lin Xiu couldn't hold back, suddenly a strong surge of Dou Qi emanated.
Majestic waves of energy surged from afar, colliding with the crossbow bolts.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Explosions echoed, and various colors of Dou Qi energy burst in the sky.
The densely packed crossbow bolts were reduced to just a few that continued towards Lin Xiu. However, before they could get close, they were overturned by the Dou Qi he released.
"So, there are reinforcements."
The middle-aged man was initially surprised, but upon closer inspection, he saw they were all Dou Kings, and he resumed his cold smirk.
A few more to send to their deaths.
---
Check out my Patreon for up to 50 Advanced Chapters.
Link : patreon.com/AlbertTL