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

Zhu Kun paused, looked at Zi Yan, and said with a mischievous smile, "This girl is still young and is in a critical period of growth. She needs a lot of energy and resources."

"Since she's with you, we can't let her go hungry. Consider these fighting skills as payment for her meals."

Upon hearing the words "food expenses," and glancing at Zi Yan beside him who was blinking her big, innocent eyes, Su Baichen's expression instantly fell, and the joy he had felt from obtaining a Heaven-Rank Battle Technique was greatly diminished.

Chapter 238 Poor Zi Yan!

"Damn it, this is unsportsmanlike!"

"Oh no! How could I have forgotten about this!" Su Baichen's heart skipped a beat.

He knew Zi Yan's appetite all too well; it was an absolute bottomless pit, probably no less than Xiao Jin's!

Thinking about having to feed these two big eaters in the future, Su Baichen suddenly felt immense pressure.

"Ahem... In that case, this junior will respectfully accept your offer. Senior, rest assured, Ziyan will never suffer any grievances while she is with me, and resources will be plentiful."

Su Baichen finally "reluctantly" accepted the scroll, patting his chest as a guarantee, though his tone sounded like he was "feeling both pain and pleasure."

Zhu Kun's eyes flashed with satisfaction when he saw Su Baichen accept the gift.

He turned his head, his gaze falling gently on his daughter Ziyan. The light in his hand gathered again, and a long spear, dark gold in color, with a lifelike dragon head carved on its shaft, exuding an aura of majesty and faint sorrow, slowly materialized.

Zhu Kun carefully handed the spear to Zi Yan, his voice much lower, filled with tenderness and longing: "Yan'er, this is your mother's symbiotic dragon spear—'Dragon Emperor's Weeping Blood'."

"Back then... a wisp of her remnant soul resided in this gun, thus preserving her."

"Keep it with you and take good care of it. The outside world is full of energy and has many rare and precious materials."

Zhu Kun also longed to keep his wife by his side day and night.

However, this ancient emperor's cave was sealed by the ancient emperor Tuoshe, leaving it completely desolate and unable to draw even a trace of energy, making it impossible to nourish his wife's remnant soul.

In order to give his wife a chance to return to the world, he had no choice but to painfully let his daughter take her away from this place.

At the same time, he also harbored a hope that Su Baichen, who had repeatedly created miracles and whose methods were unpredictable, might actually have a way to create miracles.

Having lived for countless millennia, Zhukun was already an ancient and shrewd dragon.

He had a strong intuition that Su Baichen's hidden secrets and potential were far more than what he had shown so far.

Looking at the dragon spear in front of her, which seemed to tremble slightly as if it were alive, Zi Yan could feel a faint but incredibly familiar fluctuation emanating from it.

She paused, looked up at her father, and saw the determination, expectation, and a trace of reluctance hidden deep in his huge dragon eyes.

She didn't say anything more, but nodded heavily, stretched out her small hand, and carefully accepted the "Dragon Emperor's Weeping Blood" spear.

The spear, once in her hand, transformed into a golden light and merged into her body.

With everything settled, the moment of parting finally arrived.

Su Baichen bowed deeply to Zhu Kun again, then took Zi Yan's small hand and flew upwards.

Just as their figures began to blur, Zi Yan suddenly shouted, her clear voice echoing in front of the empty cave:

"Dad! You wait! I will definitely become very, very strong, and then I will come back to save you! I promise!"

Just as Zhu Kun was about to turn around and return to the depths of the ancient emperor's cave to continue guarding, he heard his daughter's tearful yet incredibly firm cry. His massive dragon body trembled violently, and his mountain-like form seemed to freeze for a moment.

He slowly, very slowly turned half his body back, looking in the direction where his daughter and Su Baichen's figures disappeared. On his majestic dragon face, the corners of his mouth uncontrollably turned upwards, forming a huge and warm arc.

A glimmer of light seemed to flash across the golden dragon's eyes, only to be replaced by deep satisfaction and hope.

Silence returned to the ancient emperor's cave. But this time, there seemed to be a hint of hope in the air.

Upon returning to Canaan Academy, Zi Yan hurriedly greeted Su Baichen as soon as she landed, and her small figure disappeared into the depths of the academy in a flash.

"Bai Chen, I'm going back now! Dad gave me a lot of things, I need to digest them properly!" She left with these words, her tone not only lively as usual, but also seemed to have a touch of calm and responsibility that was rarely seen before.

Zhu Kun not only gave her inheritance and treasures, but also quietly placed a heavy burden concerning the future of the entire Taixu Ancient Dragon Clan on her shoulders.

She knew she couldn't just think about eating and playing like before.

As Su Baichen watched Zi Yan leave, he could sense the subtle changes in her. He felt both gratified for her and a touch of pity.

He stood there quietly, not having time to think much, when a very familiar voice, tinged with languor and charm, came from behind him.

"came back?"

Su Baichen's lips unconsciously curled up. He didn't even need to turn around; the resonance from the depths of his soul and that unique fragrance had already told him who the newcomer was.

"Hmm." He responded softly, then keenly sensed something, his tone carrying a smile and certainty.

When did you break through?

"I just stabilized my cultivation level yesterday." Cai Lin's voice carried a hint of relief. She slowly approached from behind, stretched out her slender arms, and naturally and affectionately wrapped them around Su Baichen's waist, gently pressing her cheek against his back.

"I originally wanted to find you immediately after breaking through to ask you about some knowledge about Dou Zun."

"But I couldn't find you anywhere. I asked Cai Die and found out that you went out on an errand with that little girl, Zi Yan."

There was a hint of barely perceptible resentment in her tone, a slight feeling of being left behind, but more than that, there was a sense of relief at finally seeing him return.

Su Baichen grasped her hand that was wrapped around his waist, turned around, and faced Cai Lin.

She wore a purple dress today, her face still stunningly beautiful, her brows now showing a deeper and more dignified air due to her transformation, but when she looked at him now, only tenderness remained in her eyes.

"I went to see Ziyan's father." Su Baichen did not hide anything. He pulled her to sit on the stone bench in the courtyard and told her in detail about his experiences over the past few days, including Zhu Kun's identity, strength, the reason for his entrapment, and the current situation of Ziyan's mother.

Cai Lin listened quietly. Even with her current Dou Zun mindset and extensive knowledge as Queen Medusa, when she heard the words "patriarch of the Taixu Ancient Dragon Clan," "late stage of Nine-Star Dou Sheng," and "Emperor Realm Soul," a look of shock couldn't be helped to appear on her beautiful face.

Her red lips parted slightly, and after a long while, she slowly exhaled.

"The emperor of the Taixu Ancient Dragon clan... a late-stage Nine-Star Dou Sheng, with an Emperor-level soul, coupled with the Taixu Ancient Dragon's innate powerful physique and control over the laws of space..."

Cai Lin murmured, still shocked, "Such an existence, it would be no exaggeration to say that he is the number one person in the world."

"Yes, we've reached the true pinnacle of this continent." Su Baichen nodded, his gaze once again fixed on the direction Zi Yan had left, his eyes filled with a distant longing.

"If it weren't for the formation of Emperor Tuoshe, the situation of this Dou Qi Continent would probably be very different."

Cai Lin followed his gaze, and the shock on her face was gradually replaced by a complex emotion, which included sympathy, pity, and a sense of shared suffering.

Zi Yan should have been a princess above all others, but due to various changes, she has become what she is today.

Chapter 239 Zi Yan's Change; Xun'er's New Name!

Cai Lin's mind conjured up the image of Zi Yan, who always had a smile on her face.

He glanced at Zi Yan again as she left, and sighed softly, "Zi Yan... her life story is so full of hardship, she's really pitiful."

My father is a top expert in this world, but he has been trapped underground for thousands of years and cannot get out!

The mother's only remaining wisp of soul is attached to the dragon spear!

The once unified and powerful ethnic group has fallen apart and descended into internal strife!

She herself had been living away from home since childhood, struggling to survive in the deep mountains and forests, completely ignorant!

If Elder Su Qian of Canaan Academy hadn't discovered her by chance and taken her back to the academy to raise her, given her condition at the time, she might have died silently in some unknown corner, as if she had never existed.

Now, having finally reunited with her father, she is not given a long reunion, but a heavier responsibility—to revive her clan, rescue her father, and nurture her mother's lingering soul... These burdens are far too heavy for Zi Yan, whose mind has only just begun to mature.

"Don't worry too much." Su Baichen noticed Cai Lin's low spirits, took her hand in his, and gently stroked the back of her hand with his fingertips, conveying warmth and strength.

“She is not alone. She has us, Canaan Academy, and Elder Su Qian. No matter how difficult the road ahead, we will help her.”

Su Baichen knew very well that Cai Lin's affection for Zi Yan was extraordinary.

Queen Medusa, who usually appears aloof and dignified, is always exceptionally patient with Zi Yan and even indulges her little whims.

The level of care she received was so high that even her younger sister, Cai Die, couldn't help but mutter to herself, revealing an envious expression.

(Cai Die once fiddled with her fingers in a corner: "My sister treats Zi Yan better than I do... I'm so envious!")

"Hmm." Cai Lin nodded upon hearing Su Baichen's words, her tightly furrowed brows relaxing slightly.

She believed in Su Baichen, believed in his ability, and believed he was willing to help Ziyan.

But then, she raised her head, her beautiful eyes looking directly into Su Baichen's eyes, filled with undeniable seriousness and determination, and added, "Helping her is fine, but the premise is that you can't put yourself in excessive danger. No matter what, you are the most important."

In Cai Lin's heart, Zi Yan is important; she is a younger sister who needs to be loved and an important partner.

However, Su Baichen's position is irreplaceable. If helping Ziyan comes at the cost of subjecting Su Baichen to unpredictable and enormous risks, then she would rather choose another way or temporarily stop it.

Her love was always passionate and filled with a strong protective instinct.

Feeling the deep and persistent concern in Cai Lin's words, Su Baichen felt a surge of warmth in his heart.

His smile softened further as he reached out and gently stroked Cai Lin's cheek, his fingertips brushing against her delicate skin.

"Yes, Your Majesty." His voice was deep and gentle, full of reassuring meaning.

"I will act within my capabilities and protect myself, so that I can better protect you all, right?"

As he spoke, he lowered his head and placed a gentle and precious kiss on Cai Lin's smooth forehead.

This kiss was devoid of any lust, containing only deep affection, commitment, and the warmth of mutual reliance.

In the days that followed, Zi Yan seemed to have shed much of her childlike nature overnight.

She reduced her daily playful moments to less than 20%, spending the rest of her time either meditating cross-legged in her quiet room, taking pills, or stroking the long spear in her room.

In those eyes that were always full of curiosity and mischief, a precocious worry and protectiveness gradually settled.

That afternoon, Su Ling'er leaned against a pillar in the corridor, looking at the empty courtyard with boredom. Finally, she couldn't help but snuggle up to Cai Lin, tilting her little face up with a puzzled look: "Mother, why hasn't Sister Zi Yan come to play with me for so long? Has she encountered some trouble?"

Cai Lin put down the scroll she was reading, gently brought her daughter to her side, brushed her fingertips through her soft hair, hesitated for a moment, and then replied softly, "She has some family matters to attend to and needs to focus on her cultivation now."

After speaking, Cai Lin seemed to remember something, took out a piece of ancient jade from her bosom, and handed it to Xun'er, who was standing quietly to the side.

"Xun'er, I borrowed this ancient jade from you last time, and now it's properly used and should be returned."

Xun'er nodded slightly, raised her delicate hand to accept the ancient jade, and felt a familiar coolness on her fingertips.

She didn't say much, but carefully tucked it into her sleeve.

"Ling'er, you and Xun'er play here for a while. Mother needs to go into seclusion for a short time."

Cai Lin bent down and gently rubbed her daughter's head, then cast a trusting look at Xun'er. Before she could disappear into the distance like a wisp of smoke, her figure swayed slightly.

As soon as her mother left, Su Ling'er blinked, and the feigned obedience on her face vanished instantly.

She excitedly tugged at Xun'er's sleeve, her eyes sparkling: "Sister Xun'er, let's sneak out to play! I know the flowers in the valley east of Canaan Academy are blooming, they're so beautiful!"