Battle Through the Heavens: Xiao Yan, I am your second master

"Teacher," Yun Yun said, bowing to Yun Shan.

"Elder Yun." Xiao Li greeted him with clasped hands. After all, Yun Shan had treated him quite well before, even though he always had a dark expression. But there was nothing he could do about it; after all, he had taken someone else's sweetheart, and no one would be in a good mood.

"Hmm~ An eight-star Dou Wang, with exceptionally dense fire-attribute Dou Qi within you. Looks like you've had a fortuitous encounter. I'm afraid it won't be long before you surpass this old man."

Yunshan slowly stood up, and in the blink of an eye, he was next to Xiao Li. The nine-star Dou Huang had more or less grasped the basics of spatial power.

"No matter what you achieve in the future, you must not let Yun'er down. If I find out that Yun'er has suffered any injustice at your hands, I will risk my life to seek justice for her."

Yunshan said seriously, "As the sect leader of Yunlan Sect and a teacher, perhaps such words are a bit much, but Yunshan is not only a teacher, but also more like a father. This is a father's warning."

"Don't worry, Elder Yun, I will definitely not let Yun'er down," Xiao Li said earnestly.

Upon hearing this, Yunshan's serious expression gradually softened.

"Elder Yun, since you've agreed to my relationship with Yun'er, you might find this useful." Xiao Li took out a cold jade box with extremely strong cold energy from his storage ring.

"This is?"

"It is indeed the Breakthrough Pill! My alchemy skills have greatly improved. This Breakthrough Pill can be considered one of the betrothal gifts for my future marriage to Yun'er."

Xiao Li said with a smile that as an alchemist, one should know how to make more friends, especially powerful ones. In Xiao Li's opinion, besides his family and teachers, Yun Shan was the one with whom he had the best relationship in the Jia Ma Empire.

The main reason is because of the relationship with Yun Yun. As long as Xiao Li and Yun Yun stay together for a long time, Yun Shan will definitely be an asset to Xiao Li.

As for the claim that the Yunlan Sect was one of the culprits who later destroyed the Xiao family, please, that happened many years later, and it was the Soul Hall that was behind it all. At that time, the Soul Hall hadn't even reached out yet.

Xiao Li remembered that Protector Wu was a Earth-level Protector, serving as a Protector at the Dou Zong level in the Soul Palace, and as a Venerable Elder at the Dou Zun level.

The Dharma Protectors are divided into three levels: Heaven, Earth, and Human, corresponding to high-level Dou Zong, mid-level Dou Zong, and low-level Dou Zong.

Yunshan was unlucky back then. He tried to break through to the Dou Zong realm but failed. Not only did his cultivation level plummet, but he also suffered a backlash. Protector Wu saved Yunshan's life, and Yunshan had no choice but to work for him.

Moreover, everyone knows the methods of the Soul Hall; it's impossible for them not to include something. Accepting the Soul Hall's power naturally comes at a price. Didn't you see that Yun Shan's soul and the souls of the Yunlan Sect elders were directly extracted?

Xiao Li then gave Yun Shan the Breakthrough Pill, allowing Yun Shan to break through to the Dou Zong realm sooner. Calculating the time, it would take about twenty years. In twenty years, Yun Shan should be able to break through to the three-star Dou Zong realm on his own. By then, even if Protector Wu came, he wouldn't be able to confront Yun Shan head-on.

There is a fundamental difference between a Dou Zong and a Dou Huang. A Dou Zong has no need to offend another Dou Zong unless their cultivation levels are vastly different; otherwise, they cannot fight to the death.

Moreover, Xiao Li was confident in his alchemy skills. Once he broke through to the Dou Huang level, he would most likely be able to start refining seventh-grade pills. However, the pill lightning was troublesome, and Xiao Li needed a Dou Zong expert to help him resist it.

So, who's suitable for the Gama Empire? Only Yunshan, of course.

As long as he can refine a seventh-grade pill, Xiao Li doesn't believe that with his support as a seventh-grade alchemist, Yunshan can't defeat a lowly laborer from the Soul Palace.

. . . . . .

"hiss--"

Yunshan gasped, his hands trembling as he took Xiao Li's jade box. He had been longing for the Breakthrough Pill for so long, and now it was finally in his hands.

Yunshan's original plan was to wait until Yunyun completed her trials at the Gate of Life and Death and became the sect leader before he went into seclusion to break through to the Dou Zong realm. However, breaking through to the Dou Zong realm was risky.

If you succeed in breaking through, then you've succeeded and become a true powerhouse on the continent. The Dou Zong realm is the watershed for powerhouses; only those at the Dou Zong realm can be considered true powerhouses!

Failure to break through will not only result in the backlash of the breakthrough, but also a drop in cultivation level.

Yunshan witnessed his master, Yunyan, the seventh generation sect leader of Yunlan Sect, fail to break through to the Dou Zong realm, and her cultivation level dropped to the eight-star Dou Huang realm. She died not long after.

At this moment, the Breakthrough Pill plays a crucial role. This pill doesn't increase raw strength, but it can increase the success rate of a peak Dou Huang (Battle Emperor) when advancing to Dou Zong (Battle Master). Furthermore, it guarantees that even if the user fails to advance to Dou Zong, their strength will remain stable at their pre-advancement level, without any decrease in rank!

Such effects have made many peak Douhuang experts envious.

Many powerful Douhuang cultivators fail to break through to Douzong, perhaps because they are just one Breakthrough Pill away from success. Fear during the breakthrough leads to failure, but with a Breakthrough Pill as a safety net, they have no worries and can move forward bravely, making it easier to succeed.

"This, I cannot accept. I cannot accept something for nothing. I am not the kind of person who would take something for nothing. I am ashamed to accept this from you." Yunshan's reason finally prevailed over his greed, and he pushed the Breakthrough Pill back.

"Oh, Elder Yun, how can you say that? Your breakthrough to Dou Zong is of great benefit to me. I will have to rely on you a lot in the future."

Xiao Li hadn't expected Yunshan to be so principled at this moment. The better, it meant that Yunshan was more worth investing in!

"What do you mean?" Yunshan asked, puzzled.

"I refined this Breakthrough Pill. Elder Yun knows the quality of the Breakthrough Pill, right? It's a peak sixth-grade pill. My next step in alchemy is to break through to the seventh grade."

However, seventh-grade pills have already begun to possess some intelligence, and most importantly, refining seventh-grade pills will attract pill lightning, which the boy currently lacks the ability to resist.

Therefore, I need Elder Yun's help to resist the Pill Lightning. Of course, it won't be for nothing; I will refine some suitable pills for Elder Yun's cultivation as compensation. What do you say, Elder Yun?

Xiao Li's words greatly appealed to Yun Shan. He had never seen a seventh-grade pill before, but the books said that seventh-grade pills could indeed attract pill lightning, and that its power was considerable. Even a Dou Zong expert could be injured if not careful; how could a mere Dou Huang withstand pill lightning?

"He wants me to help this kid withstand the Pill Lightning after I break through to the Dou Zong realm. That brat has a good plan, huh? Oh well, he can't exactly torture this old man like me, can he?"

Yunshan thought to himself, hesitated for a while, and finally decided to help Xiao Li. After all, the two of them might become closer in the future. According to Yun Yun's idea, she might have decided that she would be with Xiao Li for the rest of her life.

Yunshan glanced at Yunyun holding Xiao Li's hand, feeling somewhat displeased.

"Since that's the case, I'll reluctantly accept it." Yunshan accepted the cold jade box containing the Breakthrough Pill.

Breaking through to the Dou Zong realm is not something that can be achieved overnight. Yun Shan felt that he had not yet reached the peak of Dou Huang. After the Strongest Tournament, Yun Shan would prepare to break through to the Dou Zong realm. With the Breakthrough Pill, Yun Shan's confidence was much greater.

Xiao Li smiled, finally completing a crucial step. With Yun Shan's abilities, one Breakthrough Pill should be enough, right? If not, he could refine another one for him. As a Dou Huang powerhouse who was about to break through to Dou Zong, Yun Shan should have collected the ingredients for the Breakthrough Pill, right?

"Yun'er, show Xiao Li around the sect. I need to cultivate now," Yun Shan said, waving his hand. His meaning was clear: he wanted the two of them to get to know each other better.

"Yes." Yun Yun bowed to Yun Shan and then left with Xiao Li.

The two arrived at Yunlan Square again, where a huge stone monument caught their attention.

The first sect leader of Yunlan Sect: Yun Potian

Second Sect Leader: Yun Yanrou

. . . . . .

Sixth Sect Master: Yun Aokong

Seventh Sect Master: Yun Yan

Eighth Sect Master: Yunshan

Yun Yun's name was not on it. She is still the young sect leader. Once she passes the final test to become the sect leader and completes the trial of the Gate of Life and Death, she will become the ninth sect leader of the Yunlan Sect.

"Hmm? Yun'er, why is there such a dense aura of icy battle qi in the sky above?"

Xiao Li suddenly sensed a strong icy aura emanating from the summit of Yunlan Mountain. As a cultivator of fire-attribute battle qi, Xiao Li was particularly sensitive to this opposite attribute.

"Oh! That was from the battle between Senior Ice Emperor and Teacher. The battle ended with Teacher's victory," Yun Yun replied.

"Oh, so it's you, Refreshed Guy! My apologies for not recognizing you sooner."