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

Just as the remnant soul's aura intensified, an extremely subtle yet powerful fluctuation that sent shivers down Su Baichen's spine quietly spread out.

This aura... is warm and peaceful, carrying a unique charm as if blessed by heaven and earth, something that ordinary dragons or powerful souls could never possess.

It's an auspicious beast! Moreover, it's a lucky beast born from the very origin of the Dou Qi Continent world!

[When Zhu Kun described the type of his wife earlier, the power he mentioned sounded familiar; now it seems to be the power of destiny.]

A vague sense of familiarity welled up in Su Baichen's heart.

Sensing this aura, he immediately connected all the clues—the fact that the remnant soul had remained intact for thousands of years was probably not solely due to Zhu Kun's power, but also stemmed from the immense yet restrained power of fortune carried by the remnant soul itself!

Upon this thought, alarm bells rang in Su Baichen's mind.

He immediately sent a stern command to Xiao Jin, who was dozing in the system space, with his mind: "Stay where you are, absolutely, absolutely do not come out!"

Just to be on the safe side, he even communicated directly with the system deep within his mind.

"Forcibly confine the space where Xiao Jin is located, severing all energy and aura connections between it and the outside world. This shall not be lifted without my permission!"

Zhu Kun's obsession with resurrecting his wife was deeply ingrained, transcending thousands of years of loneliness.

Su Baichen couldn't even imagine what would happen if Xiao Jin, who possessed a purer and more powerful auspicious beast fortune, appeared before Zhu Kun. Would this old dragon emperor, who was extremely eager to have his wife, resort to some forbidden ancient secret method to perform the act of "transferring flowers and grafting trees, exchanging life for life" in his extreme desire?

He didn't want to gamble, and he dared not gamble.

He came to this ancient emperor's cave to seek opportunities, visit a powerful patron, and hope to receive guidance from the senior Zhu Kun, not to gamble with Xiao Jin's safety!

"Su Baichen." Zi Yan's voice pulled him back from his chaotic thoughts. The girl looked at him again, her eyes burning with new hope.

"You have a way, don't you? You... can help my father get out of here?"

Upon hearing this, Zhu Kun shook his head with a wry smile, his massive dragon head conveying a sense of helplessness: "Daughter, your friend is exceptionally talented, reaching the Dou Sheng realm at such a young age is truly rare. But... the gap between Dou Di and Dou Sheng is as vast as clouds and mud."

"This restriction was left by the ancient emperor Tuoshe, and it cannot be broken without the power of a Dou Di. I am already very gratified that he came to visit me."

He had personally experienced the methods of a Dou Di and knew how unimaginable and almost rule-like that power was.

"I don't care about any of that!" Zi Yan stubbornly pursed her lips, not even glancing at her father, but staring intently at Su Baichen.

"I remember you're a formation master, with extremely high expertise in formations! You must have some way, right?"

"A formation master?!" Zhu Kun's enormous dragon eyes suddenly shrank as he stared at Su Baichen, his voice filled with disbelief and shock.

The array master, this ancient profession, has been lost to time on the Dou Qi Continent for countless years.

The array formations that remain on the mainland today are all ancient relics of our ancestors, and most of them have been greatly reduced in power due to the lack of inheritance and improper maintenance, with only one in ten remaining.

It's not that no one has tried to revive this path, but there are many obstacles.

First, the core tradition has long been interrupted, and some important core theoretical knowledge is incomplete.

Second, the materials required to set up the formation are rare and numerous, and the cost is bottomless.

Thirdly, and more importantly, the art of formations is extremely dependent on personal talent and comprehension. Without that spirituality and affinity, one may spend a lifetime trying to master it.

Such a rare and exceptional inheritor of the profession is standing right in front of me today?

Even the still lake of Zhukun's heart, which had been silent for thousands of years, couldn't help but ripple.

Perhaps... perhaps there is a sliver of hope?

Sensing Zi Yan's expectant gaze and Zhu Kun's shocked look, Su Baichen let out a soft breath and turned his gaze to the depths of this void space, to the location of the invisible yet unbreakable restriction.

“Uncle, could you please… activate this formation that’s trapping you one more time? I need to observe its complete form and energy trajectory as it operates.” He spoke, his voice steady and clear.

The restrictions left behind by the ancient emperor Tuoshe are not only powerful but also possess the ability to conceal themselves. With Su Baichen's current level of cultivation, it is impossible to see the full extent of the formation without activating it. If one cannot even see the true form of the formation, how can one find its flaws and devise a way to break it?

"Trigger the formation? Hahaha, good!" Upon hearing this, Zhu Kun not only did not hesitate, but instead let out a low laugh, carrying a hint of self-mockery and magnanimity.

"Anyway, over the past few thousand years, I've tried to break free from and trigger this ghostly formation at least eight thousand times, if not ten thousand! Since you want to see, then see it clearly!"

A faint flame of hope rekindled in his heart.

Although Emperor Tuoshe was powerful, he ultimately became emperor through the way of fire, and may not have been proficient in the art of formations.

If this young man truly possesses unimaginable skill in formations, perhaps... he could find a tiny "gap" in that seemingly flawless restriction that even the ancient emperor himself hadn't noticed.

Even if there's only a one in a billion chance, it's worth a try! For freedom, and even more so, to truly leave this place, to resurrect my beloved, and to reunite with my daughter.

Chapter 235 Zhu Kun's attempt to show off fails!

Zhu Kun walked to the center of the open space, stood still, and his aura suddenly surged.

The surrounding air seemed to freeze for a moment, and then, with a flick of his body, he transformed into a dark golden dragon that was thousands of feet long!

The dragon's body was coiled up, its scales shimmering with a cold, metallic sheen in the dim light.

He looked up at the sky and let out a roar that shook the void. Then, with a swish of his dragon body, he soared into the sky in the purest and most savage way—no fancy fighting techniques, no complicated movements, just pure power and speed, simple and brutal to the extreme!

The dragon's shadow was like a golden lightning bolt tearing through the sky, about to break free from the constraints of this space.

However, just as he had moved about a hundred feet away from where he stood, a strange thing happened!

The once peaceful void suddenly twisted, and countless intricate and mysterious crimson patterns appeared out of thin air and intertwined, instantly forming a massive array that covered the sky.

A bright light shone from the center of the formation, accompanied by a rattling sound as if chains were grinding together from the depths of hell. Several thick chains, formed entirely of blazing white flames, shot out from the formation's eye like venomous snakes emerging from their holes!

These chains of fire moved so fast that they defied visual perception, seemingly ignoring spatial distance.

Although the giant dragon that Zhu Kun had transformed into had already rushed far away, the chains arrived first and caught up with the golden dragon shadow in an instant.

"Roar--!"

Zhu Kun let out a dragon roar filled with shock and rage, his fighting spirit surging violently as he tried to shatter the chains.

But those fiery chains, though seemingly illusory, were incredibly sturdy and possessed a strange power that could seal away all things.

The chains coiled upwards like serpents, instantly locking the dragon's neck, body, and claws. No matter how Zhu Kun struggled, the powerful battle qi bombarded the chains, only stirring up more intense flames, unable to damage it in the slightest.

The next moment, the chain was pulled back sharply!

That power was overwhelming and unstoppable, as if the entire world was suppressing him.

The colossal dragon, thousands of feet long, was like a kite caught on a string, helplessly pulled back from the sky and crashed to the ground, raising clouds of dust.

Nine-Star Battle Saint Late Stage - Taixu Ancient Dragon Emperor Zhukun VS Flame Chains.

As a result, the Flame Chains won decisively!

Just moments ago, it was so majestic, transforming into a dragon and soaring straight into the heavens, its aura practically shattering the firmament!

[And the result? His cool demeanor lasted less than three seconds before he was bound tightly by several chains that suddenly appeared, and forcibly dragged back… How embarrassing!]

Zi Yan, who was watching from the sidelines, stared wide-eyed, her small mouth agape in an "O" shape, her delicate face filled with disbelief.

Father's powerful and invincible aura just now, his majestic dragon-transformation and ascent into the sky, how could anyone have imagined that the ending would be so... hasty?

[This... this attempt to show off failed terribly!]

As the dust settled, Zhu Kun's somewhat disheveled figure came into view.

He had regained his human form, his robes were slightly disheveled, and his face alternated between red and white.

He glanced at the slowly disappearing flame array in the air with lingering fear, then subconsciously looked at his daughter, only to meet Zi Yan's shocked and almost stunned gaze.

"..."

Zhu Kun's face flushed, and his embarrassment almost spilled out.

He coughed dryly, trying to save face, and turned his gaze to the void where the formation had disappeared. He muttered angrily, "That old bastard Tuoshe Ancient Emperor! He couldn't even make a guard formation aesthetically pleasing and practical. All he does is this kind of insidious sneak attack stuff!"

After he finished cursing, he seemed to feel that his reason was not sufficient, so he quickly adjusted his expression and instantly put on a hopeful, even slightly ingratiating smile, looking intently at Su Baichen beside him.

"Ahem... Su boy, how's it going? Did you see the formation activate just now? Do you have any clues on how to break it?" Zhu Kun's tone carried an imperceptible urgency and expectation.

Upon hearing this, Su Baichen withdrew his gaze from the void and looked at Zhu Kun. He first nodded, then slowly shook his head, a look of helpless regret on his face.

"Senior Zhukun, I see it clearly. But this formation... I can't break it." Su Baichen's voice was calm, but it made Zhukun and Ziyan's hearts sink at the same time.

"This formation is closely connected to the core of the Tuoshe Ancient Emperor's Cave, which is also the key to the Ancient Emperor's Cave—the Ancient Jade."

"Its core is based on the ancient jade. It is almost impossible to break the formation from the outside unless... a corresponding ancient jade is used to open or dismantle its core."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Kun's eyes flashed with obvious disappointment, but after all, he was an old dragon emperor who had lived for countless years, and his temperament was extraordinary.

He took a deep breath and quickly adjusted his mindset, even comforting Su Baichen and his worried daughter.

"It's alright, it's alright!" Zhu Kun waved his hand, feigning nonchalance.

"That Tuoshe Ancient Emperor was, after all, a Dou Di powerhouse at the pinnacle of the Dou Qi Continent. It would be strange if the formation he casually set up could be so easily seen through and broken. I was just too impatient."

"Huh? Even Boss Su can't do anything? Then... then Father, what will you do?"

Upon hearing Su Baichen's affirmative answer, Zi Yan's face immediately fell. The joy she had felt just moments before because her father was about to be freed vanished in an instant, and her voice was filled with frustration and worry.

"My dear daughter, don't worry, and don't be discouraged." When Zhu Kun saw his daughter looking sad for him, the embarrassment and disappointment in his heart were immediately dispelled by a warm current, and his voice became much gentler.

"I've been here for so long, a few more years won't make a difference. There's no such thing as a dead end, I'll find a way out sooner or later, trust me."

Seeing the tender scene of father and daughter comforting each other, Su Baichen suddenly chuckled.

"Um, I mean, you two... didn't you completely understand what I said?" Su Baichen touched his nose, his tone slightly amused.

"Hmm?" Zi Yan looked up with teary eyes.

"?" Zhu Kun looked at him in confusion.

Su Baichen held up two fingers and said slowly, "What I'm saying is that with my current abilities, I can't 'break' this foundational array connected to the ancient jade. But—"

He paused deliberately, and only continued after seeing the two dragons refocus their gazes: "I never said that we couldn't let Senior Zhukun 'escape'."

"You can save my father?!" Zi Yan's eyes widened suddenly, her dejection instantly replaced by unbelievable joy, and she almost jumped up.

Zhu Kun's dragon body trembled, and a terrifying light flashed in his eyes. His joy was evident: "Is this true? Su boy, don't try to fool this old man!"

"Naturally true."

Su Baichen nodded firmly and continued, "The formation is inanimate, but people are alive. Breaking the formation is not easy, but if it helps you escape from here, I still have a way."

"Then what are we waiting for! Brother Su, please save my father now!" Zi Yan was extremely anxious. She grabbed Su Baichen's sleeve, her eyes full of trust and pleading.

"Now? Not now." Su Baichen shook his head, a look of helplessness on his face.

Chapter 236 Zhu Kun's Fury: My Family Has Split!