Chapter 1357 - 862: The Storm Approaches!

In the following period, Du Yu continued his cultivation under Master Qing’s supervision.

And it wasn’t that the Master urged Du Yu to train hard, but rather supervised him to rest appropriately and find a balance between work and rest.

This made Du Yu both love and hate her.

However, Du Yu chose to trust Master Qing and believe in her judgment.

It is worth mentioning that, by mid-April, a week later, Du Yu accomplished two significant tasks.

One was that he successfully advanced on the Spirit path, breaking through to the Peak Stage of the Demon Tamer.

If he advanced one more level, Du Yu could create a Spiritual Shield, also known as a Spiritual Energy Carpet.

The other was the arrival of a 15-person scientific research team sent by Fire Candle Silver Flower·Liao Sha.

Liao Sha was well prepared for this mission.

She equipped the team with 18 mechanical wild creatures, with Demon Beasts of all sorts of attributes and varying strengths.

Among the 15-person scientific team, in addition to 5 Demon Tamers, there were as many as 10 Spirit Soldiers.

With this special group, the Cold Qi could not approach, ensuring people and Demon Beasts did not lose their sanity.

It must be noted that only living beings who could cultivate energy could be invaded by Cold Qi.

In this regard, ordinary people were not weak. Instead, they had a "Hundred Poisons Immunity" constitution.

People had no means to welcome Spiritual Qi and Demon Breath into their bodies, therefore Cold Qi could not affect them.

Thus, the scientific team conducted a 15-day Demon Pet experiment on the Ashen World - Exile Island.

Due to Liao Sha’s special circumstances, she could not accompany the soldiers in the experiment, so Du Yu specifically sent the combination of Three Holy Han and White Jade Dragon to escort the team.

Du Yu let Three Holy Han ride the White Jade Dragon, hidden in the high grey fog.

While protecting their comrades, they could also transmit information in real-time.

Time flew by, and on the last day of April, Du Yu, Master Qing, and Saint Liao Sha went to retrieve this heroic team together.

The results of the experiment were quite surprising!

Out of the 18 mechanical Demon Beasts, 17 had no changes whatsoever.

Neither their bodily forms nor their Demon Skills lists had any variations; everything was as usual.

Only one Demon Beast had changed—the Intelligent Mechanical Demon Puppet!

It was a Spirit-level Intelligent Mechanical Demon Puppet, and in the world where Du Yu and others resided, this puppet originally showed no changes.

Thinking it might be because of its lower level, its reaction was relatively slow?

After all, Liao Sha’s Demon Saint·Intelligent Mechanical Demon Puppet was already a "battle-damaged version."

However, when the Spirit-level puppet entered the Ashen World, things dramatically changed!

Until the 15-day experiment was over and the team returned with the Spirit-level puppet, the Intelligent Mechanical Demon Puppet had completely rusted.

The rust was merely a superficial issue.

Its power certainly hadn’t ’rusted’!

On the contrary, the light in the gear-shaped eyes and holes of the Spirit-level puppet shone even brighter!

As everyone knows, Spirit-level Demon Beasts have a total of 6 Demon Skills.

Among the demon puppet’s list of skills, as many as 2 Demon Skills had changed!

Such results were jaw-dropping.

True knowledge is gained through practice: the Intelligent Mechanical Demon Puppet race is truly the most unique!

This race, as Liao Sha said, is the so-called "Pioneer." Not only do they have deeper perceptions of changes in the world, but they also have a unique connection with it.

Having reached such a result, Liao Sha was eager to return, and after repeatedly thanking Du Yu, she departed with her team and experimental samples back to Icefield Province.

This left Du Yu and Yang Qingqing baffled, silently marveling at the magic of the world.

Despite Yang Qingqing’s status as "Master Qing," she had always lived in the Twin Tree Realm.

Born here, raised here, and dedicated her life here.

Regarding matters related to Mechanical Civilization, with Yang Qingqing’s knowledge and experience, she truly couldn’t assist Liao Sha.

After the scientific team left, Du Yu and Yang Qingqing resumed their diligent training, not daring to slack off for a single day.

Apart from meditative cultivation, Du Yu also learned bow and arrow skills with Master Qing’s guidance, practicing together.

Unfortunately, neither the Withered and Flourishing Bow nor the Life and Death Arrows showed any signs of advancing to a Holy Soldier level.

Du Yu was quite upset about this~

The fact that his Withered Arrow showed no sign of advancement was one thing.

But why was there no movement with Master Qing’s Withered and Flourishing Bow and Arrow of Glory either?

Was this prince’s daily suffering all in vain?

In each battle, Du Yu would end up shot into a sieve.

The unique Array of the Arrow of Glory allowed Master Qing to attack without hesitations!

In this process, Du Yu also experienced what "top-notch torment" really felt like.

The Arrow of Glory first pierced the target, then healed it.

So, Du Yu’s pain was real, and the soothing relief that followed was also real.

Du Yu genuinely thought that if this continued, he’d lose his mind sooner or later.

He wasn’t afraid of eventual relief, but feared the cycle of suffering every ten seconds!

How could anyone endure this!

Du Wang’s bittersweet days carried on until May 9.

The day marked the 30th day of joint training for the master and disciple.

On this day, the Jia Rong Grass reached the base of the Twin Trees and waved its deep red grass leaves towards the two battling individuals.

"Crack!" This was the sound of the Demon Breath Battle Robe shattering.

"Ssss..." This was the sound of the Arrow of Glory piercing flesh.

"Ugh." Du Yu stumbled, gritting his teeth in pain.

He grabbed the Arrow of Glory that pierced through his thigh, yanked it out, and tossed it aside.

The dense green Demon Breath surged, continually healing the blood-mottled wounds on his leg.

At the same time, the Twin Trees lowered a branch, retrieving the Arrow of Glory and handing it back to Master Qing.

Du Yu continued running, drawing his bow and arrow aimed at the elusive Immortal Shadow behind the tree.

"Damn it." Du Yu gritted his teeth, no matter how he aimed, the arrowhead pointed at the massive trunk of the Twin Trees.

No matter how fast he ran or how quickly he turned, Yang Qingqing could always respond in time, hiding behind the Twin Trees.

The gap between Demon Taming Emperor·Great Success and Demon Taming General·Peak Stage was glaringly evident!

What Du Yu prided himself most on was his Demon Pet!

Yet in pure skill contests, without the help of his Demon Pet, Du Yu was outmatched by Master Qing on a physical level.

Power, agility, speed, reaction, control power—everything was at a disadvantage, with no room for maneuver.

The master and apprentice circled around the Twin Trees for more than half a circle, like playing hide-and-seek, when Master Qing finally emerged.

As for why she showed up...

It was because the Twin Trees had returned the Arrow of Glory to her.

The moment the woman flashed out of the tree, the Withered and Flourishing Bow was drawn like a full moon, and the Arrow of Glory locked onto Du Yu.

"Gulp." Du Yu watched as Master Qing approached; he had been pulling the bow and nocking the arrow, yet was reluctant to release the string.

The Immortal Master before him was as elusive as wind and mist, unpredictable in her movements.

"Burning Sun! Burning Sun?" Du Yu called out in his mind.

"Hmm?"

"Open your eyes! Just this once, can you?" Du Yu watched anxiously as Master Qing got closer and closer, "She’s about to step on my face!"

"No way!" Little Fen Yang replied with a righteous face, "You need to spar properly with Little Aunt Qingqing, no cheating ~"

"I..."

Du Yu was stunned!

A dignified Demon Tamer like him—to say nothing of using the Demon Pet’s abilities—calling out the Demon Pet to fight was an unquestionable right!

How could that be considered cheating?

"Du Yu, Du Yu ~ I believe in you!" Little Fen Yang said with full confidence, "You can definitely hit her, just focus!"

Du Yu focused intently on the floating Immortal Master coming closer, constantly adjusting the direction with his left hand holding the bow.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

Du Yu’s heart beat violently, and just before the rival got too close, he released the string with his fingers.

"Thud!"

With a violent tremor of the string, the Withered Arrow shot out swiftly.

Yang Qingqing lightly tapped the ground with her foot, leaning slightly to the left while tilting her head slightly.

In an instant, the Withered Arrow brushed past her head.

But next, her eyebrows rose slightly.

The Withered and Flourishing Arrow was obviously a feint; the Fire Arrow inside the Divine Demon Bow was the real killer move!

Du Yu’s "Rapid Fire" skill made Yang Qingqing quite pleased!

His left hand, grasping the bow handle, had already initiated the Array of the Divine Demon Bow, and at the moment the Withered and Flourishing Arrow was launched, Du Yu once again drew the bow and nocked arrows.

Du Yu’s movements were extremely swift, and this time, he shot out a whole row of arrows!

The woman secretly praised him in her heart, without making any further moves.

Almost simultaneously, the arrow in the center of the entire row of Fire Arrows struck her in the chest.

"Clack~"

The Fire Arrow was deflected, unable to break Emperor Qing’s defense at all.

In fact, this Fire Arrow was even bounced back into Du Yu’s arms.

Because the distance between the master and apprentice was less than three meters.

"Whoosh~" Although the Fire Arrow was deflected, the Twin Tree Array had already imprinted on Yang Qingqing.

The intense Demon Breath between heaven and earth rapidly surged into her body.

Du Yu’s body was tense, standing in place, feeling his temples throbbing painfully!

Just less than three meters away, the imposing figure of Emperor Qing suddenly halted.

Fortunately, she didn’t attack again, otherwise Du Yu knew what his fate would be.

Back when Master Qing contracted the Jade Gourd for the first time, she wanted to test the suction of the gourd.

When she found that Du Yu could escape the gourd’s pull, she switched to a shadow-following mode, making it impossible for Du Yu to evade her pursuit no matter how he dodged.

Du Yu had every reason to believe that if Master Qing continued attacking, he couldn’t possibly escape.

But come to think of it... you deserved it!

You kept flaunting until you were about to step on my face to shoot me! Got hit, didn’t you?

"Yay~!" Little Fen Yang cheered, "Hit it! Du Yu, you’re so weak!"

Du Yu: ???

Little Fen Yang giggled, "Couldn’t even break through Little Aunt Qingqing’s defense ~"

Du Yu rolled his eyes, how am I supposed to break her defense?

That’s Emperor Qing!

I’m just a humble General... Anyway, as a prince, I shot her!

Whether or not it breaks through the defense, that’s the Demon Soldier’s problem.

Divine Demon Bow: "..."

"Not bad." Yang Qingqing praised him.

The pressure was indeed a good catalyst for maturing skills.

She lowered her hand, picking up a Deep Red Grass blade that reached her hand.

Originally in a good mood, Yang Qingqing lightly furrowed her eyebrows.

Du Yu, who was beside her, also picked up a blade of grass and heard the latter part of the message from Jia Rong Grass: "...The situation at the front is tense, and the pressure on Gossoxone is increasing."

Du Yu pursed his lips; during the 30 days of cultivation with Master Qing, three more Bottomless Abysses had opened in the Western Continent.

On average, one opens every ten days!

Du Yu didn’t know how others felt, but to him, the Cold Tree was just like Master Qing just now, immensely strong and quite insistent, pushing boundaries!

"What else?" Yang Qingqing asked.

Jia Rong Grass paused, as it was merely a messenger.

All questions from Master Qing needed to be answered by Rotten Wood Sword Province, stationed at the Peak of All Mountains.

A few seconds later, Jia Rong Grass relayed Fu Jianzhou’s words: "Some situations have arisen in Bamboo Grove."

"Huh?" Du Yu’s heart tightened, "Has the Bottomless Abyss opened in Bamboo Grove?"

"No." Jia Rong Grass relayed, "Two hours ago, the Chi Bear Race started gathering their kin and forming battalions.

Bamboo Grove sent people to negotiate but received no response.

The Chi Bear Race has split into two battalions and is conducting large-scale combat exercises."

Du Yu’s breath halted!

Such a situation naturally reminded him of the Chi Bear Race from the Otherworld Continent·Ashen World.

When that world faced the massive invasion from the Youhan Realm, the Chi Bear Race was the first to react and the first to support humans!

Jia Rong Grass: "The Bamboo Grove Realm has sent a request, hoping the Little Junior Brother can provide assistance and negotiate with the Chi Bear Race."

Du Yu’s face turned serious: "Hmm."