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

Zi Yan rolled her eyes, replying with her gaze: 【How should I know!】

She only came because she thought it would be interesting to watch, but who knew that Cai Die would act unpredictably and Xuan Yi would respond in a strange way.

Just then, Zi Yan suddenly had a flash of inspiration and realized the key point! Who is Xuan Yi? One of the giants of the Pill Tower, an eighth-grade alchemy master!

She let some pills slip through her fingers; enough to last her a long time, right?

Recognizing an older sister is like recognizing a meal ticket!

The equation instantly formed in Zi Yan's simple and straightforward mind, and her eyes lit up.

He immediately forgot about watching the show and ran after Xuan Yi and Cai Die in the direction they had gone, calling out, "Sister Xuan Yi! Wait for me! I want to see too! I'm also very interested in alchemy!"

Su Baichen was left standing alone in the empty corridor, the light of the luminous pearl casting his lonely shadow on the ground.

What on earth is going on...?

He scratched his head, looking confused.

Something feels off, but I can't quite put my finger on it...

It should have been him, with his long-lost companion in black, pouring out their hearts to each other, or dealing with the subtle potential relationships in the "backyard." How come the protagonist seems to have changed in the blink of an eye?

Instead, I became the one who was forgotten?

During the day, Xuan Yi really took Cai Die and Zi Yan to wander around the Pill Tower for most of the day.

From the magnificent front hall plaza to the heavily guarded alchemy pavilion, then to the alchemy area filled with the aroma of medicinal herbs, and even some uniquely scenic gardens within the tower, Xuan Yi, though not a man of many words, provided concise and insightful introductions, offering crucial guidance at key points, demonstrating both hospitality and profound knowledge.

Cai Die behaved well throughout, asking just the right questions and flattering in a fresh and refined way; Zi Yan, on the other hand, showed an extraordinary interest in everything that could be "eaten" (especially the place where high-grade pills were said to be stored).

The atmosphere was surprisingly harmonious.

Chapter 262 Reliving the Past!

It wasn't until evening that the three women, still feeling unsatisfied, returned to Su Baichen's room for dinner together.

During the meal, it was unclear whether it was Cai Die's "sweet girl offensive" that continued to work, or Zi Yan's straightforwardness in "being willing to abandon all morals for the sake of pills" that moved Xuan Yi, or Xuan Yi himself simply found it difficult to be truly cold and hard towards those close to Su Baichen.

Halfway through the meal, Xuan Yi put down her chopsticks, glanced at Cai Die and Zi Yan, and said indifferently, "You two girls are quite interesting. If you don't mind, you can call me elder sister from now on."

This can be considered a formal recognition of their status as "younger sisters".

Cai Die immediately fluttered over like a joyful little butterfly and hugged Xuan Yi's arm again, saying sweetly, "Sister Xuan Yi, you're so kind!"

The little devil in my head is already setting off fireworks to celebrate this partial victory.

[Haha, plan successful! The third-in-command position is secured!]

Zi Yan held up a bottle of sixth-grade pills that Xuan Yi had just casually given her, poured out one, threw it into her mouth and chewed it with a crunching sound, saying indistinctly but with utmost sincerity, "Sister Xuan Yi, you are so generous!"

Meal ticket verification successful!

Su Baichen watched this scene of "deep sisterly affection," her lips twitching slightly, and she could only offer a helpless bitter smile.

Isn't this development a bit too fast?

After dinner, Cai Die and Zi Yan tactfully (after receiving a subtle hint from Su Baichen) said their goodbyes and left.

Xuan Yi also stood up, glanced at Su Baichen, said nothing, and gracefully left.

Su Baichen remained alone in the room, watching as the mess on the table was cleaned up by the waiter, and the room returned to quiet.

His initial mixed feelings of confusion and amusement were gradually replaced by another emotion—anticipation, and a touch of the excitement one would expect from a long-awaited reunion.

He leisurely brewed a pot of tea, sat by the window, and watched the night deepen outside the tower, with stars twinkling in the sky.

A quarter of an hour passed, half an hour passed, an hour passed...

The person who was supposed to come back is nowhere to be found.

Su Baichen's composure gradually crumbled.

What the hell is going on?

He put down the teacup, which had long since gone cold, and paced around the room.

Shouldn't I be the star of today's grand reunion? I've waited and longed for this for so many years...

[Why does it feel like the rhythm completely went off ever since that girl Cai Die grabbed Xuan Yi's arm?]

He carefully reviewed the situation: "I was ignored for half the day, felt like an outsider at dinner, and now... where is my 'compensation time'?!"

A subtle sense of unease, as if I had been ignored or even "played with," welled up inside me.

【no!】

Su Baichen stopped in his tracks, his eyes narrowing.

[I've been left alone in this empty room for so long, this is outrageous! I have to get my revenge tonight!]

He's no longer the naive young man he used to be, someone who had to be careful and try to figure out what the other person meant.

Now, he has enough confidence and... "methods".

Su Baichen straightened his clothes, a confident smile appeared on his face, and pushed open the door to leave.

The figure blended into the shadows of the corridor, silent yet with a clear objective.

A woman in black robes in her boudoir.

The room was decorated in an elegant and unique style, mainly in black, blue, and white. Ancient books and jade slips were displayed on the antique shelves, and a faint, calming medicinal fragrance filled the air.

Xuan Yi had just returned to her room when she casually took off her light gauze robe and draped it over the screen. She stretched lazily, her beautiful curves fully revealed beneath the close-fitting cheongsam.

After a busy day of shopping, although it wasn't much for someone of her cultivation level, the emotional ups and downs and the energy drain from dealing with her two "lively" younger sisters still left her feeling slightly tired.

"Sigh..." She sighed softly, walked to the dressing table, and began to remove the simple ornaments from her hair.

"It seems like I've forgotten something..."

The jade hairpin was removed, and her cascading black hair fell over her shoulders. The beauty in the mirror had a hint of confusion and... a blush that she deliberately ignored between her brows.

She shook her head, trying to dispel the unwarranted expectation.

However, Su Baichen's meaningful, suggestive, and intense gaze as he left once again intruded into his mind at an inopportune moment.

“Uh…” Xuan Yi paused, a faint blush rising on her face, almost invisible in the soft light of the luminous pearl.

"It seems... I went to the wrong room?"

Logically speaking, or rather, based on the hint that her nemesis gave before leaving, she shouldn't have come back to my place tonight.

The thought made her heart skip a beat.

"do not care!"

Xuan Yi shook her head, suppressing her romantic thoughts, and said to herself, "I've spent half the day shopping with my newly adopted sister, and I'm tired. I'm not going anymore."

As if convincing herself, she kicked off her high heels, her bare, delicate feet stepping onto the cool, smooth floor, preparing to walk towards the soft, wide bed, bury herself in the blankets, and shut out all disturbances, including that unsettling person.

However, in the instant she turned around—

Without warning, a pair of arms reached out from behind her, carrying a familiar warmth and an irresistible strength, and suddenly wrapped around her slender yet supple waist.

"How dare you not come..." A deep and familiar voice sounded close to her ear, and warm breath brushed against her sensitive earlobe, bringing a shiver.

"Then I'll have no choice but to... come and 'invite' you in person."

Xuan Yi's body suddenly stiffened. Before she could even cry out in surprise, she felt her body lighten as she was firmly lifted up by those arms and placed into a strong, warm embrace.

"Ah!" A short gasp finally escaped her lips, but the shock was quickly replaced by the relief of recognizing the person and a hint of expected embarrassment.

She instinctively raised her hand and wrapped it around the person's neck to steady herself.

Su Baichen looked down at the beauty in his arms, who, after shedding her cold and aloof facade from the daytime, revealed a rare hint of panic and a touching blush on her cheeks. His eyes darkened, and a wicked smile with a hint of punishment curled at the corners of his mouth.

"Because of your negligence today!"

He carried her and strode toward the bed, his voice hoarse and aggressive.

"I'm going to punish you properly tonight."

Upon hearing this, Xuan Yi's initial panic quickly subsided, replaced by a competitive spirit aroused by the provocation.

She tilted her head back, meeting Su Baichen's burning gaze. In those usually cool eyes, a defiant flame ignited. Her red lips parted slightly, and the words she uttered carried a haughty provocation: "Punish me?"

She deliberately drew out her words, her eyes sparkling with charm, yet also carrying a familiar, unique teasing tone that belonged only to the two of them.

"Are you... sure you can do it?"

Upon hearing this, Su Baichen's eyes suddenly darkened, like a night sky being tempered by fire, and he immediately embraced Xuan Yi to relive the sports of yesteryear!

The exercise continued until the wee hours of the morning!

On the bed, Xuan Yi collapsed, lying motionless on Su Baichen's chest.

Su Baichen stroked her hair with his hand and said gently, "Go to sleep, I'm back."

These few simple words are more powerful than any vow.

Xuan Yi lay on his chest, and upon hearing this, her long eyelashes trembled a few times.

She wanted to say something, like scolding him for being reckless, blaming him for making her so embarrassed, or telling him that she had actually...missed him a lot over the years.

However, my throat was dry and sore, and I could only make a few breathy sounds.

She opened her mouth, but in the end, all the words that couldn't be uttered were transformed into a subtle, almost imperceptible movement—she nodded gently.

She drifted off to sleep with a smile on her face!

Chapter 263 Cao Ying Arrives at the Pill Tower!

The next morning, Xuan Yi habitually reached out to touch the area beside him, but his fingertips only touched a cool piece of brocade, which felt empty.

She suddenly opened her eyes.

She was alone in bed, and the indentation on the pillow still held a trace of warmth, proving that last night's dream was not an illusion.

As for the floor under the bed, it was obvious that someone had already cleaned it up.

Shifting my gaze to the distance, on the square table by the window, several exquisite dishes were quietly laid out, wisps of white steam carrying the warmth of the air.

Where did that guy run off to again?!