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

He slowly raised his hand, gently embraced her, and whispered, "Mmm."

To receive such pure and intense emotions is both a blessing and a responsibility.

Xun'er snuggled against him, letting out a satisfied sigh like a kitten, then looked up, her eyes sparkling with a hint of mischief and shyness.

Looking at her like this, Su Baichen couldn't help but imagine the expression on the face of the ancient clan's dignified patriarch when he learned that his "little cotton-padded jacket" was so "favoring outsiders." He shook his head and chuckled, teasingly saying, "If your father, the ancient clan patriarch, knew that his precious daughter was so 'filial,' he would probably wake up in his sleep and come to settle accounts with me with his sword."

"Hehe..." Xun'er wrinkled her small nose, stuck out her tongue, and smiled like a flower. In that appearance, there was no trace of the reserved and aloofness of the young lady of the ancient clan. She was completely a charming girl who had fallen in love and whose wish had been fulfilled.

She sat back down in her chair, holding the slightly cool tea, taking small sips, feeling a sweet aftertaste that reached the deepest part of her heart.

Meanwhile, in the distant ancient realm, within the core forbidden area.

Gu Yuan, the patriarch of the ancient clan, was meditating cross-legged in the quiet room. The space around him rippled slightly with his long breaths, and the vast battle qi flowed smoothly and freely.

However, without warning, his heart skipped a beat, as if gripped by an invisible hand. A sudden, inexplicable sense of unease and emptiness washed over him, abruptly interrupting his cultivation.

He slowly opened his eyes, a rare look of surprise flashing in his deep, starry gaze. Having cultivated to his level, his sudden inspirations and spiritual perceptions were never without reason; they often foreshadowed something.

"What's going on..." Gu Yuan frowned slightly and muttered to himself. The feeling was unusually clear, not a warning sign of impending danger, but rather like... something extremely important and precious was quietly slipping out of control and being "stolen".

This feeling was ethereal, yet it truly unsettled him.

Gu Yuan suddenly stood up and paced around the quiet room. The ominous premonition did not dissipate; instead, it lingered in his mind like a shadow.

"No, something must have happened!"

His gaze sharpened, and without further hesitation, he shouted in a deep voice towards the outside of the quiet room, "Someone come here!"

"Clan leader!" The Dou Zun powerhouse guarding the door appeared instantly, bowing and obeying orders.

"Go immediately to the ancestral hall's secret chamber and convey my verbal order: Elder Guyang must personally examine the fragments of the Tuoshe Ancient Emperor's Jade. Once he confirms they are safe and sound, report back to me immediately!"

Gu Yuan's voice was serious, carrying an unquestionable authority.

"Remember, I want Elder Gu Yang to see with his own eyes a definite report that Gu Yu is unharmed!"

"Yes! Your subordinate obeys!" The guard's heart tightened, and he dared not be negligent in the slightest. With a flash, he transformed into a streak of light and sped toward the ancestral hall.

The clan leader's seriousness, and even his direct mention of investigating the Ancient Emperor Jade, suggests that something truly significant has happened.

In the deepest part of the ancestral hall, outside the secret chamber, the light was dim, runes were faintly visible, and the defenses were tight.

Elder Gu Yang was sitting cross-legged on a futon at the entrance of the secret pavilion, closing his eyes to rest, but his inner peace was far from what he appeared to be.

Suddenly, he sensed a familiar and powerful aura rapidly approaching, and his eyelids twitched slightly.

"Elder Gu Yang!" The figure of the guard who had been protecting the Dou Zun appeared and bowed respectfully.

"By order of the clan chief, I have come to check whether the fragments of the Tuoshe Ancient Emperor Jade are safe and sound! The clan chief must confirm this immediately."

Gu Yang's heart skipped a beat, but his face instantly became filled with displeasure at being questioned and the solemn dignity of a guardian elder.

He slowly opened his eyes, his gaze sharp as lightning, sweeping over the newcomer. His voice deliberately carried a hint of displeasure at being disturbed and questioning: "Hmm? Why does the clan leader ask such a question? The ancient jade is enshrined here, heavily protected by restrictions, and I have been guarding it day and night. What problem could there be? Does the clan leader not trust me?"

As he spoke, he flipped his palm, causing a slight ripple in space. A fragment of a phantom, enveloped in soft light and radiating an ancient and obscure aura, appeared briefly above his palm. Its unique and mysterious aura, though faint, was undeniably real.

He demonstrated it very quickly, almost in the blink of an eye, and then quickly put it away, his movements fluid and natural.

"Elder, please calm down. The clan leader did not mean that." The guard, a Dou Zun, quickly explained, feeling that the clan leader might be overthinking things. Elder Gu Yang had been guarding this place for over a hundred years and had never made a mistake.

"But the clan chief suddenly had a feeling, as if he had a bad premonition. In order to be on the safe side, he ordered his subordinates to come and check to confirm."

"I see." Elder Gu Yang's expression softened slightly, but his brows remained furrowed, as if he were blaming the clan leader for making a mountain out of a molehill. He waved his hand.

"Now that I have seen it, I will go back and report to the clan leader that Gu Yu is safe and sound, and that he can rest assured. It is my duty to ensure that Gu Yu is not harmed."

"Yes! Your subordinate takes his leave!" The guard, a Dou Zun, dared not linger and quickly departed after bowing once more.

Only when the guard's aura completely disappeared from his perception range did Elder Gu Yang's straight back relax almost imperceptibly, and his palms, hidden in his sleeves, were already slightly sweaty.

[That was close...]

He breathed a sigh of relief.

Why would the clan leader suddenly have such a sudden whim, pointing directly to the ancient jade? Could it be... that he's discovered something? That shouldn't be the case; I've been so discreet, even the records of my retrievals are flawless...

He forced himself to calm down, scrutinizing every detail to make sure nothing was overlooked. It seemed it really was just a momentary fluctuation of the clan leader's spiritual perception.

Even so, those few moments had still made his heart pound.

Inside the quiet room, Gu Yuan received a report from the guard.

"Clan leader, Elder Gu Yang has confirmed that the fragments of the Tuoshe Ancient Emperor Jade are safely placed in the secret pavilion, with a stable aura and intact protection. The elder also demonstrated the aura of the ancient jade, confirming that it is indeed genuine."

Upon hearing the definite answer, Gu Yuan's tightly furrowed brows finally relaxed a little, and the lingering sense of unease seemed to fade somewhat.

He waved his hand: "I understand, you can go now."

"Yes."

The guards withdrew, and the quiet room returned to silence. Gu Yuan stood with his hands behind his back by the window, gazing at the northwest sky, the direction from which his daughter Gu Xun'er was located.

It seems I was overthinking it...

He thought to himself.

[The ancient jade is a precious artifact of the clan, guarded by Gu Yang and protected by layers of restrictions; it should be absolutely secure. Perhaps it's because I've been thinking too much about Xun'er lately, which has worn down my mental state, causing this occasional discomfort and this unfounded premonition.]

He took a slow breath, trying to completely suppress the lingering unease.

Perhaps it was because I was under too much pressure, and I occasionally experienced stagnation during my cultivation, which affected the clarity of my mind.

However, he was unaware that his daughter's heart had been stolen and that she was turning against him!

Chapter 226 The Ice Dragon King's Helplessness!

Inside the Heavenly Profound Pearl's small world, above the Yin-Yang Eye of Ice and Fire, Su Baichen sat cross-legged.

His body was like a bottomless abyss, frantically devouring the surrounding energy.

The extreme energies of ice and fire converge here, forming a strange energy vortex, which he absorbed entirely into his body, transforming it into pure fighting spirit that circulated throughout his limbs and bones.

Time flowed quietly in this small world. After an unknown amount of time, Su Baichen slowly opened his eyes. A glint of gold and silver flashed in his eyes, as if ice and fire had found a balance in them.

He raised his hands, and two balls of energy slowly condensed in his palms—his left hand was icy cold, and his right hand was scorching hot; the two completely opposite forces coexisted perfectly in his hands.

"Phew, I've reached the late stage of a one-star Dou Sheng." Su Baichen exhaled a breath of turbid air, his voice tinged with emotion.

Only after advancing to the Dou Sheng realm did he truly understand the difficulty of the cultivation path.

Every step forward requires massive resources, and every level of mastery requires a deeper understanding of the laws.

Even with the cultivation technique "Heavenly Book" in hand, without guidance from predecessors, he could only grope his way forward in the dark.

"After becoming a Dou Sheng, every step is like walking on thin ice," Su Baichen muttered to himself, his gaze fixed on the distance.

Resources, techniques, insights, and opportunities—none of them can be missing.

If it weren't for treasures like the Heavenly Profound Pearl Small World and the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Eye, his cultivation speed would probably be several times slower.

Even so, as one's cultivation level increases, the resources required also increase exponentially.

Thinking of this, Su Baichen sighed softly.

"It seems I really should go and see that senior in a few days."

Pulling his thoughts back, Su Baichen's gaze fell upon the Yin-Yang Well of Ice and Fire below.

The Ice Dragon King and the Fire Dragon King were busy in the medicinal herb field. These two dragon kings from Douluo Star had become unusually docile since they returned from the Lake of Life.

Even when Su Baichen planted the mark in their souls a few days ago, they accepted it without any resistance.

What surprised Su Baichen even more was that ever since the two dragons met Zi Yan—the descendant of the Dragon Queen of the Taixu Ancient Dragon Clan—their attitude could only be described as one of awe.

Perhaps due to the bloodline connection between dragons, the ice and fire dragons always kept their heads down in front of Zi Yan, not daring to be negligent in the slightest.

"Ice Dragon King, Fire Dragon King, you two come here," Su Baichen called down.

Two beams of light flashed, and two figures, one blue and one red, appeared before him, transforming into human form.

The Ice Dragon King wore an ice-blue dress and had a cool and aloof demeanor; the Fire Dragon King wore a crimson armor and had a hint of arrogance between his brows.

However, at this moment, both dragons wore respectful expressions.

"What are your orders, sir?" the two dragons asked in unison.

Su Baichen examined them for a moment and said slowly, "I see that you have been behaving well recently. When the time is right, I will help you rebuild your physical bodies and send you back to Douluo Star."

These words, spoken casually, sent a jolt through both dragons.

Saving them was indeed just a spur-of-the-moment decision by Su Baichen.

At that time, he had just transmigrated to Douluo Star and lacked companions. Seeing that the two dragon souls were barely surviving in the Yin-Yang Well of Ice and Fire, he casually put them into the Heavenly Profound Pearl.

It's not entirely untrue to say they're kept as pets.

But things are different now.

With so many important people around them, the presence of these two dragons naturally diminishes.

Rather than letting them be "gardeners" here, let's give them a chance and send them home.

"This, my lord, actually we..." Upon hearing this, the Fire Dragon King's face showed urgency, as if he wanted to say something.

But the Ice Dragon King suddenly interrupted: "Thank you for your grace, my lord! My brother and I will never forget your kindness in saving us!"

As he spoke, the Ice Dragon King secretly glared at the Fire Dragon King. His gaze was sharp, carrying an undeniable warning.

The Fire Dragon King opened his mouth, but ultimately lowered his head and said nothing more.

Su Baichen took all of this in stride, but didn't point it out. He simply waved his hand casually and said, "Do as you please."

Before he finished speaking, his figure had already disappeared from the Heavenly Profound Pearl.

Seeing Su Baichen leave, the Fire Dragon King finally couldn't help but ask, "Sister, why did you agree? The Silver Dragon King is still waiting for our news, waiting for us to win over the Lord to the Soul Beast Clan!"

After returning from the Lake of Life, they did indeed have a mission—Gu Yuena hoped they could win Su Baichen's favor, and even hinted that the Ice Dragon King could use some "special means".

After all, a powerful being who can travel between worlds is crucial to the future of the soul beast race.

Upon hearing this, the Ice Dragon King looked at his younger brother as if he were a fool.

Are you stupid? Are you stupid?

Before she finished speaking, she raised her hand and struck the Fire Dragon King twice on the head.