Battle Through the Heavens: Starting with Cao Ying as an apprentice

"The High Priest is currently in meditation and has instructed that he will not see anyone," the guard said, bowing his head.

Qian Xunji held up the letter in her hand: "Give this to my father, and he will understand."

The guard hesitated for a moment, then took the envelope, turned, and pushed open the door. The heavy palace doors slowly opened a crack, then slowly closed again.

Time ticked by. Qian Xunji stood outside the hall, his unease growing stronger. If it really was that person… if his father's description back then wasn't exaggerated… then today might be the day that changes the fate of the Spirit Hall.

After an unknown amount of time, the palace doors opened again.

This time, it wasn't a guard who stepped forward, but a blond old man—Qian Daoliu.

He was dressed in a simple white robe, holding the opened letter in his hand.

Qian Daoliu's gaze fell on his son, his voice calm and even: "Where is he?"

"The waiting room in the east wing. Father, it really is..."

"Walk."

Qian Daoliu didn't say much, taking a single step and already a hundred meters away. Qian Xunji hurriedly spread his wings to follow. The father and son transformed into two streaks of light, passing through layers of halls and rushing towards the waiting room.

Inside the east hall, the discussion between Yue Guan and Xuan Huo had reached a fever pitch.

The two even simulated the circulation of soul power in the center of the room, their golden and red auras intermingling and probing each other, the air filled with pure fire attribute energy.

Su Baichen sat quietly to the side, slowly sipping his tea, seemingly oblivious to everything around him.

Suddenly, he put down his teacup.

Almost simultaneously, the door to the waiting room was pushed open.

At the same time, Yue Guan and Xuan Huo withdrew their power, and the fluctuations in soul power within the room instantly subsided.

Yue Guan turned to look at the doorway, and when he saw who it was, his expression changed, and he hurriedly bowed: "High Priest! His Holiness the Pope!"

Qian Daoliu did not respond. His gaze swept over Yue Guan, lingered on Xuan Huo for a moment, and finally settled on Su Baichen's face.

An eerie silence fell over the room.

Qian Xunji stood behind his father, holding his breath. He saw his father's back straighten up in that instant—something that hadn't happened in decades.

Qian Daoliu's lips moved, as if he wanted to say something, but he didn't know where to begin.

Finally, he took three steps forward and, under Yue Guan's incredulous gaze, slowly bowed to the young man who looked no more than twenty years old.

"Senior, you've finally arrived."

The four words resounded like thunder in the waiting room.

Yue Guan suddenly looked up at the composed young man in white, then at the high-ranking elder bowing respectfully—the level 99 peerless Douluo, the true controller of the Spirit Hall, and the invincible Qian Daoliu.

Su Baichen smiled slightly and raised his hand to help.

"It's been quite a while since we last met on Poseidon Island!"

Qian Daoliu's body trembled slightly, but he maintained his bowing posture: "It has been almost four years."

The teacup clinked against the tray with a crisp sound. The golden chrysanthemum in Yue Guan's hand vanished into thin air; his mouth was open, but no sound came out.

Qian Xunji also stood there stunned. Although he had guessed it beforehand, seeing his father in such a state was still more shocking than he could have imagined.

Su Baichen sighed softly, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes.

"Get up. I have some things to discuss with you this time," he said in a low voice, then looked at Qian Daoliu.

Qian Daoliu straightened up and stepped aside to make way for him: "Senior, please move to the Elder Hall, it is quieter there."

Su Baichen stood up, and Xuanhuo silently followed. As they passed Yue Guan, Su Baichen paused slightly, gave the still-shocked Chrysanthemum Douluo a gentle smile, and then looked at Xuanhuo.

"Xuanhuo, you can stay. The Fiery Apricot and the Miraculous Chrysanthemum are both immortal herbs. You can exchange ideas more often."

Xuanhuo nodded upon hearing this.

Watching the three leave the waiting room, Yue Guan slowly straightened up and found that her back was soaked with cold sweat.

Looking at Xuan Huo, he smiled wryly and said, "Brother, your master is so strong, why didn't you say so?"

Xuan Huo rolled his eyes at Yue Guan.

"You didn't ask!"

Upon hearing this, Yue Guan glanced at Xuan Huo, then turned his gaze to Bai Yue'er, who was standing quietly to the side, and softened his tone.

"Little girl, where would you like to go for a stroll?"

Bai Yue'er looked up, her clear eyes filled with anticipation: "May I go to the Spirit Hall's library?"

"Haha, what's so difficult about that!" Yue Guan laughed loudly, flicked his sleeve, and a golden light flew towards Bai Yue'er.

“This is my token. Take it. The Spirit Hall’s library is divided into inner and outer sections. You can freely enter and exit the outer section with this token. As for the inner section, which contains rare books, if you want to see them, just show your token and someone will fetch them for you.”

Bai Yue'er reached out and caught it. The token felt slightly heavy in her hand. It was neither gold nor wood, and it was engraved with an exquisite chrysanthemum with a faint soul power fluctuation.

“If anyone makes things difficult for you, fight back. Don’t be afraid. I’ll take care of everything, including you.” Xuan Huo’s deep voice rang out as he looked at Bai Yue’er, his crimson eyes filled with unwavering seriousness.

"Yes, I've got it." Bai Yue'er gripped the token tightly, nodded earnestly, bowed slightly to the two of them, then turned and walked briskly along the corridor, her white skirt swaying gently with each step.

After the girl's figure disappeared around the corner, Yue Guan withdrew his gaze and looked at Xuan Huo with annoyance: "I say, Brother Xuan Huo, you really underestimate me, Yue Guan, don't you? I've been in the Spirit Hall for so many years, and I'm an elder and a Title Douluo, so I still have some influence. Who would dare to challenge my token?"

Xuan Huo crossed his arms, his expression unchanged, and simply said, "Master once said that there are always a lot of fools in this world, and they often appear in groups. With so many people coming and going in your library, who knows if there might just be one or two sitting here?"

"You!" Yue Guan was speechless for a moment, then curled her lips and scoffed.

"Tch! You can't reason with a stubborn guy like you!"

He raised his hand to smooth his golden hair, as if trying to brush away the gloom, and then looked out the window.

Sunlight streamed through the window frames, casting neat patches of light on the polished floor. In the distance, Bai Yue'er's figure was walking through the atrium towards the library's tall, domed building.

Yue Guan's lips unconsciously curled up slightly. That little girl was quite charmingly quiet.

However, Xuan Huo's words, though unpleasant to hear, were not without reason.

Within the Spirit Hall, factions are intricately intertwined, and there are quite a few arrogant and spoiled brats from other families who rely on their backgrounds.

His token could shield him from overt trouble, but it couldn't stop the watchful eyes and whispers in the shadows.

"Never mind." Yue Guan thought to herself, if some clueless person really did run into her and caused the little girl a minor loss, then she could step in and smooth things over. Perhaps that would make Xuan Huo and his unfathomable master owe them a favor. This deal didn't seem like a bad one.

A subtle, enigmatic smile flickered in his eyes as he raised his hand to pour himself another cup of tea. The rising steam blurred his handsome profile.

Chapter 200 The Deal!

Inside the Elder Hall, light streamed through the stained-glass windows, casting a tranquil and solemn dappled pattern.

A faint sandalwood scent filled the air, mingling with the slightly astringent taste of the tea.

"May I ask what brings you here, sir?" Qian Daoliu's calm and gentle voice broke the brief silence.

Su Baichen put down his teacup, the bottom of which lightly touched the smooth jade tabletop, producing a very slight crisp sound. He looked up, his gaze clear, as if he could see into people's hearts.

"I want to make a deal with you."

"What kind of deal?" Although Qian Daoliu was inwardly agitated, he did not show it on his face. He simply followed up with the question without probing further.

Caution is necessary when facing this powerful being.

"You should have reported my situation to your gods by now," Su Baichen said, his tone not a question, but a statement.

Qian Daoliu paused slightly, then nodded frankly: "Yes, sir. I just returned from your place and have already reported what I saw and heard to the gods through prayer."

He chose to be completely open, knowing that any scheming in front of such a person would be futile and could even bring disaster.

"The results of it?"

"There is no such person as 'Master' in the realm of gods."

Qian Daoliu spoke slowly, his gaze meeting Su Baichen's.

"According to the divine decree, Your Excellency must come from another... more powerful world."

"Hmm, not bad."

Su Baichen nodded slightly, seemingly unsurprised by the answer.

“I am indeed not a person of this world. Moreover, due to some reasons of my own, I will not stay in this world for long. I will have to leave in a few years.”

Qian Daoliu understood that the other party was making arrangements for what would happen after their departure.

"So, what can we do for the adults?"

Su Baichen gently stroked the warm cup with his fingers, his tone calm yet carrying an undeniable air: "On this journey, I took on a disciple, Bai Yue'er."

"Before she left with me, her cultivation level could only be raised to the high-level Soul Saint, and with a bit of luck, she might be able to reach the threshold of the low-level Soul Douluo."

(Note: This means providing the best resources and guidance, not forcing growth. Bai Yue'er will not improve her strength as quickly as the previous three.)

"Therefore, after I leave, I hope that the Spirit Hall can provide appropriate care for my disciple while he is training on the continent."

Su Baichen's gaze became focused, staring directly at Qian Daoliu.

"You don't need to protect her all the time, nor do you need to interfere with her growth trajectory. Just secretly lend a hand when she encounters an insurmountable life-or-death crisis to ensure her safety. Ordinary setbacks, competition, and even injuries are all part of the experience and don't need to be bothered with them."

After stating his conditions, he picked up his teacup again, took a slow sip, and left the other party to ponder in silence.

Qian Daoliu was indeed deep in thought. This powerful figure's demands sounded quite lenient, even "reasonable."

As long as they ensure that their disciples do not perish at critical moments, this level of care is not difficult for the Spirit Hall, given its resources and influence across the continent.

"As payment!"

Su Baichen's voice rang out at the right time, continuing Qian Daoliu's thoughts.

“I can give you a set of cultivation techniques and combat skills from my world. According to your terms, this should be considered… a ‘self-created soul skill’, right?”

After speaking, Su Baichen fell silent, simply sipping his tea quietly, as if what he had just brought up was a trivial chat.

Qian Daoliu's heart skipped a beat.

A cultivation technique from a higher world! This is far beyond any ordinary self-created soul skill; it may very well contain the secrets that will allow him to break through again and reach even deeper levels of power!

For the ancient and prestigious Spirit Hall, its value is immeasurable. To exchange a promise of protection, which would normally be granted on a case-by-case basis, for such an opportunity is simply…

Steady profit without losing!

The hall was silent for a moment, with only the delicate aroma of tea wafting through the air.