Chapter 35: The Arsonist, Xiao Huo Huo!
"What!?"
"You're saying that person has already left?" Gu Te slammed the table, glaring at the innkeeper with such fury that spittle sprayed all over the man's face.
"Are you sure you didn't see wrong?"
The innkeeper tilted his head back as far as he could to avoid Gu Te. If it weren't for the three star alchemist badge hanging on this madman's chest, he would've already called someone to kick him out.
"Sir, that gentleman did leave. He checked out half an hour ago," the innkeeper said, wiping his face with a hand and sighing. "I'm sure of it. That one star alchemist was strikingly handsome I remember clearly."
"Damn it, it's all Otto's fault!" Gu Te clenched his fists and cursed, "If that old bastard hadn't wasted my time, this wouldn't have happened!"
"No, I'll go find trouble with him… Ugh, forget it, I can't beat him." Gu Te sighed, slumping his shoulders as he shuffled back toward his house. After all, he was only a mere Dou Master, while Otto was a Dou Spirit.
However, Gu Te didn't notice that in a shadowy corner, a figure flickered briefly before following him from a distance.
…
The night was bright, with few stars and a radiant moon casting its gentle light across the ground. Even without a lantern, one could see the roads clearly. Tonight was a particularly pleasant evening.
In a secluded building in the southern part of the city, Gu Te carefully cradled a white jade box the size of a washbasin. His face was filled with obsession. "My treasure… My precious treasure…"
Gu Te cautiously opened the jade box, revealing numerous ice blocks. In the center of the ice was a small rouge colored jade bottle. This was none other than the Ice Spirit Cold Spring, a priceless treasure Gu Te had painstakingly acquired well, more like snatched from a fellow alchemist.
Bam!
A loud crash suddenly echoed as the door to his room was violently kicked open, doorframe and all.
Startled, Gu Te trembled and nearly flung the Ice Spirit Cold Spring away. Fortunately, his love for the treasure prevailed, and he immediately hugged it tightly to his chest.
"Otto, you crazy old man! What the hell are you doing!?" Gu Te roared instinctively.
He immediately assumed Otto was behind this. After all, he had kicked down Otto's door earlier that morning, so it would be entirely reasonable for Otto to seek revenge that same night.
However, what floated in from the doorway wasn't Otto but a figure cloaked in black, hovering above the ground. The hood obscured its face, which seemed like a deep black hole devouring all light.
"Damn it! Who are you?" Gu Te cried out in terror.
"Jie Jie Jie… Hand it over!"
Lu Bu let out a sinister laugh, reaching out with one hand. The Ice Spirit Cold Spring in Gu Te's arms was instantly snatched away and flew into Lu Bu's grasp.
"Ah! My treasure… My precious…" Gu Te screamed, but Lu Bu chopped him on the back of the neck with a single hand, knocking him unconscious.
Jie Jie, chuckling darkly, Lu Bu pulled out some rope and expertly tied Gu Te to a pillar, ensuring he was securely bound. Then…
"Jie Jie Jie… All of these are my treasures now!" Without hesitation, Lu Bu began packing up every single medicinal herb in Gu Te's house, stuffing them into his storage ring.
His soul power spread outward, carefully scanning every corner of the room.
"Huh? There's something here?" Lu Bu's brow furrowed as he sensed something unusual. He clawed at a section of the wall, ripping away a panel to reveal a palm sized jade box.
Opening the box, Lu Bu's face was instantly filled with astonishment.
Inside was a thumb sized gray stone, smooth and flawless like fine jade. However, a crack ran across its surface, revealing the scene inside a faint bluish glow pulsing gently like a living thing.
"A Na Ling?" Lu Bu muttered in surprise. He hadn't expected Gu Te to possess such a treasure.
To devour a Heavenly Flame, three things were essential: Blood Lotus Essence, Ice Spirit Cold Spring, and a Na Ling. According to Yao Lao, all three were indispensable. However, Lu Bu was somewhat of an exception with the Devouring Ancestral Talisman protecting him, the first two items weren't strictly necessary. But the Na Ling was different it was a must have. Without it, the flame seed would have nowhere to reside.
"This trip was worth it." Lu Bu chuckled softly, proceeding to dismantle every wall in the room and scrape every hidden treasure into his storage ring.
"A great haul…" Lu Bu smiled as he turned to leave the house. But then… his steps came to a halt.
Since he was already here, he might as well leave something behind!
Lu Bu's eyes glinted mischievously as he pulled out a brush and ink, writing a line on the pillar where the unconscious Gu Te was tied:
The arsonist is none other than Xiao Huo Huo!
"Perfect!" Lu Bu laughed, lighting a fire starter and tossing it onto the wooden house. As flames engulfed the structure, he strode away and disappeared into the night.
Minutes later, the house was ablaze, its flames reaching high into the sky and illuminating the darkness.
At the Alchemist Guild, Frank and Otto stepped out of their office, staring at the southern part of the city in surprise.
"Old Otto, isn't that Gu Te's house?" Frank asked uncertainly.
"That's definitely his house," Otto replied with a peculiar expression. "Did someone raid his treasure room? Who would be so thoughtful as to help us settle a grudge…"
"Waaahhh! My treasure! My precious treasure!"
Before Otto could finish speaking, a heart wrenching wail erupted from the southern part of the city. It was like the mournful cry of a cuckoo bird, so sorrowful that it tugged at the heartstrings of anyone who heard it.
"Ahahaha…!" Otto burst into laughter, slapping his thigh. "That old geezer's treasure trove finally got looted! Hahaha!"
"Otto, stop that. We're members of the Alchemist Guild we've undergone strict training. We mustn't laugh… Hahaha…" Frank said, attempting to pull Otto along.
"Hahaha, come on, let's go visit our old friend. Hahaha…"
"Remember, we absolutely mustn't laugh! Hahaha…"
…
The next day, the culprit, Lu Bu, arrived at the center of Black Rock City. He made his way to the "airport" to board a flight to the Tagore Desert.
Of course, on the Dou Qi Continent, such places weren't called airports they were known as flying transport stations, responsible for air transportation, mainly passenger services.
Strong individuals like Dou Masters and Dou Spirits, who occasionally needed to travel quickly and had money to spare, often chose this mode of transportation.
Although Lu Bu could fly himself, it was exhausting to travel long distances through wind and rain. It was both tiring and wasteful of Dou Qi. If he could spend money to save energy, why not? Unless, of course, he was broke.
Thanks to his status as an alchemist, Lu Bu was granted VIP treatment and boarded the exclusive alchemist flight, free of charge.
The perks of being an alchemist were undeniable it saved him a lot of trouble.
As the flying magical beast took off under the beast tamer's guidance, heading east toward the Jia Ma Empire, Lu Bu gazed out at the shrinking Black Rock City. He thought to himself that it would've been nice if Xiao Yi Xian were here. Traveling alone could be lonely, and having a companion to chat with would make the journey more enjoyable.
Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, Lu Bu settled into a meditative pose and began cultivating. Cultivation was the best way to pass the time, and before he knew it, an entire day had gone by.
…
Three days later, the flying magical beast landed steadily in the heart of Mo City, one of the largest cities on the edge of the Tagore Desert. Perhaps because he wasn't the protagonist, Lu Bu hadn't encountered nearly as many troubles as Xiao Yan during the journey.
The alchemists traveling with him were generally well behaved, except for one or two who flirted with their maids. The others were quiet, and no dramatic aerial bloodshed occurred.
After leaving the city center, Lu Bu wandered leisurely through the streets, purchasing snake repellents and high grade magical beast dung to protect his campsite.
He had already prepared rations and other supplies in Black Rock City. Now, all he needed was a map.
After asking around, he learned of a shop called "Ancient Maps," which was said to have the best maps in all of Mo City. The shop's maps were so detailed they bordered on the absurd, far surpassing even the Jia Ma Empire's official offerings.
Lu Bu was speechless after hearing this. If he guessed correctly, the shop likely belonged to Hai Bodong. But still… what kind of "secluded retirement" was this level of fame?
"Whatever… Not my problem. I just need a map." Muttering to himself, Lu Bu made his way toward the Ancient Maps shop.
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