Fights Break Sphere: Purple Thunder Emperor

Chapter 337 Helping My Race Become Great Again
"You mean Xiao Bai is a twenty-three-year-old Rank 8 alchemist?"

Inside the gloomy hall, eerie green soul flames flickered in the bronze lamps, casting flickering light on several figures in black robes.

Old Ghost Zhaixing knelt on one knee on the ground, cold sweat constantly seeping from his forehead, but he dared not wipe it away even once.

After escaping from the clutches of Luoshenjian, he didn't waste any time and went straight back to the Soul Palace headquarters. He immediately reported Xiao Bai's situation and was then inexplicably brought to this hall.

The moment he stepped into the main hall, he felt a pair of eyes, like those of an abyss, fall upon him. Though they revealed no aura whatsoever, they made him tremble all over, instantly feeling as if he had fallen into an ice cave, his hands and feet turning icy cold.

Moreover, out of the corner of his eye, he saw that his own temple master was also in the main hall, but instead of sitting in the highest position as usual, he stood respectfully to the side.

Behind him stood the deputy hall master, who also stood with his hands at his sides, his head slightly bowed, his expression humble.

A chill ran through him, and he quickly lowered his gaze, not daring to look curiously at the person in the lead.

The bizarre scene unfolding in the hall now completely overturned his long-held understanding.

Upon hearing the question beside him, Old Ghost Zhaixing shuddered and respectfully replied in a trembling voice:
"Yes, sir. This is what the half-saint powerhouse of the Phoenix Clan said when he recruited Xiao Bai. Moreover, it seems that when he was refining the eighth-grade pill, he used the blood essence of his clan."

Upon hearing this, a soft chuckle came from the black-robed figure at the head of the table. The person leaned forward slightly, a slight ripple appearing in their indifferent eyes, and a calm voice echoed in the hall:
"Hehe. The Phoenix Clan has always been very protective of their bloodline. If any outsider were to disturb their bloodline, it would be like digging up the ancestral graves of those flat-feathered creatures. This time is quite strange. They didn't immediately kill them, but instead took the initiative to recruit them. That's interesting."

After a brief pause, the voice continued:
"I heard from you before that the ancient clans have also shown up this time. Tell me what happened in the Fallen God Abyss!"

The man in the black robe raised his voice slightly, his tone suggesting a hint of interest.

The old ghost who picked stars bobbed his Adam's apple, his voice growing increasingly respectful as he recounted everything he had seen that day in the Fallen God Gorge without reservation.

"A little girl from the ancient clan, addressed as 'Miss' by a Dou Zun, with the Black Annihilation Army at her beck and call? Miss Xun'er, Gu Xun'er... Hehehe, interesting. I heard that Elder Gu has a daughter, it seems there's more to it than meets the eye."

"The Ancient Dragon of the Void... those mysterious figures have also shown up? They seem to be fighting amongst themselves."

The man in black robes listened while muttering to himself.

After the old ghost of the stars finished speaking, the black-robed man at the head of the table leaned back slightly on his throne and fell into deep thought.

"Surname Xiao. Ancient clan."

An eerie silence fell over the main hall, broken only by the occasional crackling sound of the burning soul fire.

The old ghost who picks stars kneels on the ground, even his breathing is extremely soft.

"You did well this time, you can go now!" After a while, the light in the black-robed man's eyes disappeared. He glanced at the Soul Hall Elder trembling on the ground and waved his hand.

"Thank you, sir. I'll take my leave now!"

A hint of wild joy flashed in the eyes of the old ghost who was picking stars. This praise came from a powerful figure who even the palace master had to treat with respect. Surely the reward from the palace would be substantial.

Xiao Bai is truly his lucky star!

At this moment, he realized that the important figure who was interested in Yao Chen must be this person.

After Zhaixing left, Hun Miesheng, the Hall Master of the Soul Palace who was standing to the side, couldn't help but step forward:
"My lord, a young lady from an ancient clan wouldn't take a fancy to a nobody like him for no reason. Even if he has some talent, should I send someone to Xiao Bai's family?"

"No"

The man in black robes raised his hand to interrupt him, stood up, and his black robes fluttered without wind, the dark red and mysterious patterns on them twisting and flashing with a sinister and dangerous light.

"This time, I will go in person. Whether it is Di Yu or Xiao Bai, it is worth the trip."

"A twenty-three-year-old eighth-grade alchemist is no less capable than Yao Chen, and he is younger and has greater potential. This is crucial to the clan's future plans, and most importantly..."

"He's not like Yao Chen, who's both smelly and stubborn. This time he actually let the people from the Soul Palace go. Hehe, quite an interesting little guy."

"If his flute is the same as Xiao Xuan's, that would be even better. Using his descendants to help our clan become great again, I think even the clan leader would be very interested!"

The black-robed man's deep-set eyes gleamed in the shadows. Just thinking about that scenario filled him with excitement, a feeling of exhilaration that ran through him from head to toe.

With a spatial fluctuation, the figure in black robes gradually disappeared, seemingly impatient to verify something.

Glacier valley.

Half a month passed in a flash.

Inside the ice sculpture hall, Xiao Bai slowly opened his eyes, and two Tai Chi phantoms flashed by in his pupils.

"I've finally recovered. Next, I need to work on breaking through to the Dou Zun realm. This time, I'm afraid my seclusion will last quite a while."

Feeling the vastness and surging energy within his body, and the faint glow of his meridians, Xiao Bai exhaled a long breath of stale air.

During this period, apart from accompanying Xun'er and Xian'er on a stroll through the entire Ice Valley, he spent the rest of his time healing his injuries.

Xiao Bai leaped down from the icy platform and swept his soul power across the area, discovering that Xian'er was clumsily learning alchemy with a pill furnace, while Xun'er stood by, pointing and gesturing with a smile, which earned her occasional eye rolls from Xian'er.

He shook his head, not wanting to disturb them, pushed open the door, and vanished from the main hall in a flash.

The snow was white and the cold wind howled, swirling up thousands of piles of snow.

"Colorful scales, rhythmic sounds"

Xiao Bai stood with his hands behind his back on the summit of the highest peak in the Ice River Valley, his black robe fluttering in the wind.

He gazed at the northwest sky, his eyes deep and unfathomable, towards the direction of the Gama Empire, where the Xiao family resided.

"I wonder if my child has been born yet?"

"And the Xiao family, that 'firewall' of the Wu Ying seems to be crumbling."

The calamity that befell the Xiao family will come sooner or later, as long as the Soul Clan needs the Emperor Jade.

All he can do now is to draw the attention of the Soul Palace and make them think that it is far more beneficial to leave the Xiao family alone than to take action against them.

Now that everything has been done, and all the necessary clues have been left behind, all that remains is to see what the Soul Palace will choose to do.

If everything goes as he predicted, then the Soul Palace or the Soul Clan will most likely believe that the Xiao family's Imperial Jade is in the Ancient Clan.

"This girl"

Xiao Bai's brows twitched slightly, and he suddenly turned around. A small figure in green was approaching. His eyes flickered with thought for a moment, then paused, as if he had made a decision.

"Brother Xiao Bai!"

A clear, crisp sound rang out, and Xun'er, like a light butterfly, leaped between the steep cliffs. Her light blue dress stood out against the white snow, like a touch of spring in the cold winter.

"Slow down." Xiao Bai smiled slightly and reached out to catch Xun'er as she leaped onto the mountaintop.

After Xun'er regained her footing, she immediately looked Xiao Bai up and down. She sensed that he no longer felt weak. Her little hand unconsciously grabbed his sleeve: "Are you completely healed?"

Her eyes were full of concern, and she exhaled a few puffs of white mist as her red lips parted slightly.

Xiao Bai nodded, his internal energy flowing smoothly without any stagnation: "Yes, my meridians have fully recovered."

Xun'er's eyes lit up, and a bright smile instantly bloomed between her brows, but it quickly dimmed again.

She naturally knew what Xiao Bai's recovery meant—he was about to begin his seclusion to attempt to break through to the Dou Zun realm, and it was time for her to return to the ancient clan.

"What are you thinking about?" Xiao Bai noticed the change in Xun'er's mood and asked softly.

Xun'er shook her head and forced a smile: "It's nothing, I just thought that Brother Xiao Bai is going into seclusion."

She paused for a moment, then said, "I should go back too."

A mountain breeze swept by, ruffling Xun'er's hair.

Xiao Bai reached out and brushed the stray hairs from her forehead. His fingertips touched her cool skin, and a strange sense of guilt flashed in his eyes.

"Xun'er, I have something to tell you." Xiao Bai took a deep breath, his voice low.

Xun'er pursed her lips, a strange light flashing in her eyes before she regained her composure, looked up in confusion, met his gaze, and smiled, "What is it?"

"That piece of jade from the Xiao family," Xiao Bai looked directly into Xun'er's eyes, "was taken by me."

"What?" Xun'er was stunned, not reacting for a moment. She thought he was going to confess to his past romantic entanglements.

Coming to her senses and carefully considering his words, her pupils suddenly contracted, her red lips parted slightly, and for a moment she was speechless.

She now understood what he meant by "jade".

Xiao Bai did not look away: "On the first day before we left Wutan City for Canaan Academy, I took that jade."

Xun'er's mind was in chaos. The Tuoshe Ancient Emperor Jade that the ancient clan had been searching for for many years had actually been in Xiao Bai's hands all along.

She instinctively took a half step back, but then immediately stepped forward and grabbed Xiao Bai's arm: "Do you know what that is?"

“I know.” Xiao Bai nodded. “The fragments of the Tuoshe Ancient Emperor’s Jade are each held by one of the eight clans.”

Xun'er's breathing quickened, and a complex light flashed in her eyes.

After a moment, she lowered her head, her eyes darting around, her voice barely audible:

"Actually, Xun'er also had her eye on that jade."

Xiao Bai chuckled, reached out and lifted Xun'er's chin, making her look at him: "I know, I saw Ling Ying that night."

"!" Xun'er's eyes widened.

Her cheeks flushed slightly, partly from the embarrassment of having her thoughts exposed, and partly from Xiao Bai's frank attitude.

She thought this secret would remain buried in her heart forever, but she never expected that her brother Xiao Bai already knew it.

"Aren't you angry?" Xun'er asked cautiously.

Xiao Bai shook his head: "It's only natural for people to act according to their own clans. Besides," he paused, "that piece of jade is more of a curse than a blessing for the Xiao family."

Xun'er nodded upon hearing this, then her little face suddenly turned serious.
"Brother Xiao Bai, you must keep that jade safe and sound, and absolutely do not let the news leak out. Otherwise..."

“I understand, otherwise I wouldn’t have taken it.” Xiao Bai nodded. “Besides you, few people know that it’s in my possession.”

Xun'er was relieved and didn't press him about who the few people were, believing that since he knew the origin of the ancient jade, he would naturally know its importance.

She touched her chin thoughtfully with her jade-like fingers, her beautiful eyes constantly looking at the man in front of her.

"Brother Xiao Bai, tell me, how many things are you still hiding from Xun'er?"

"Uh..." Xiao Bai was stunned for a moment, then suddenly felt a pang of guilt. "There isn't any left!"

"Really not?"

Xun'er's lips curled into a playful smile, a hint of resentment flashing in her eyes. Suddenly, she grabbed his arm, parted her lips slightly to reveal her small silver teeth, and bit his arm hard.

Xiao Bai's eyes trembled slightly, and he quickly relaxed the muscles in his arms. Since using the old dragon emperor's blood essence, his physique had been strengthened once again. If he didn't relax, that girl's little silver teeth would really hurt him.

"Hmm."

After a while, Xun'er opened her mouth, saw the small teeth marks on it, hummed softly, and then a trace of heartache couldn't help but rise in her eyes.

Seeing this, Xiao Bai remained silent, but his eyes held a hint of guilt and pity.

And so, the sun set in the west.

The snow-capped peaks were gilded with gold, and the two stood side by side, their shadows stretching long across the snow.

"Brother Xiao Bai," Xun'er called softly, resting her head on his arm.

"I'm setting off back to the Ancient Realm tomorrow."

"How long will you be in seclusion this time?" Xun'er looked up, her eyes filled with reluctance.

Xiao Bai pondered, "Breaking through to the Dou Zun level is no easy feat; it can take anywhere from a few months to much longer."

He didn't finish speaking, but Xun'er understood what he meant.

A night breeze began to rise, causing the two men's robes to flutter.

Xun'er suddenly threw herself into Xiao Bai's arms, hugging his waist tightly: "I'll miss you."

Xiao Bai gently stroked her long hair, inhaling its fragrance: "I will miss you too. When I emerge from seclusion, I will go to the Ancient Realm to find you."

"Really?" Xun'er tilted her head up, her eyes sparkling.

Xiao Bai nodded solemnly: "I promise."

Xun'er felt much better immediately and took out an exquisite jade pendant from her bosom, handing it to Xiao Bai:

"Keep this safe. When I'm not around, it'll be a trump card in case we encounter a powerful enemy we can't defeat. You can't refuse!"

Xiao Bai took the jade pendant. He saw that it was carved with exquisite patterns, and it was warm to the touch with faint energy fluctuations. This time, he did not refuse.

Night fell completely, and starlight shone down.

The two sat on a flat rock on the mountaintop, Xun'er leaning on Xiao Bai's shoulder, gazing at the starry sky.

"Brother Xiao Bai, have you finished telling the story you told in Wutan City last time?" Xun'er asked softly.

Xiao Bai smiled slightly, recalled for a moment, and continued the story of the baby, which seemed especially precious under the starlight.

Xun'er listened intently, sometimes chuckling softly, sometimes sighing.

As night deepened, Xun'er gradually became sleepy.

The illusory Tai Chi diagram beneath Xiao Bai spun, shielding her from the wind and snow, and held her tightly in his arms.

In her drowsy state, Xun'er heard Xiao Bai whisper in her ear, "Sleep, I'll watch over you."

Although the wind was biting cold that night, the warmth of each other's bodies made the night feel like spring.

The following morning, sunlight shone on the snow-capped peaks, reflecting a dazzling light.

"Awake?" Xiao Bai looked down, his smile warmer than the sunshine.

Xun'er nodded, then suddenly realized that parting was imminent, and her mood instantly plummeted.

The two returned to the main hall of the Ice River Valley, where Little Fairy Doctor had already prepared breakfast.

Seeing the two of them come in, she greeted them with a smile: "You've come at the right time, the porridge is still warm."

The three of them ate breakfast in silence, the atmosphere somewhat somber.

Finally, Xun'er stood up and looked deeply at Xiao Bai, as if she wanted to etch his image into her heart.

Suddenly, she tiptoed and gave Xiao Bai a light kiss on the lips, then quickly turned and flew towards the Black Annihilation Army's ranks.

Xiao Bai stood there, watching the beautiful figure gradually walk away until she disappeared into the wind and snow.

After a long pause, Xiao Bai withdrew his gaze and looked at Little Fairy Doctor.
"Xian'er, I'm going into seclusion to try and break through to the Dou Zun level. It might take a long time."

"I will guard the main hall and not let anyone disturb you." Little Fairy Doctor smoothed a strand of hair behind her ear, her eyes gentle.

"Okay!" Xiao Bai gently hugged her, then walked into the main hall, and the hall doors slammed shut.

In the side hall, Little Fairy Doctor studied the scroll Xiao Bai had given her while keeping a watchful eye on her surroundings.

She knew that in the days to come, protecting Xiao Bai during his seclusion would be her most important task.

The snow and wind continued, and the Glacier Valley returned to its usual tranquility.

But beneath that seemingly calm surface, a transformation is quietly taking place.

(End of this chapter)