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

"The spots for entering the Heavenly Tomb have long been divided up by the major imperial clans. Even our Thunder Clan, at its level, has barely managed to get two spots."

"Where did you get this 'descendant of the Xiao clan' who suddenly appeared?"

Su Baichen smiled mysteriously, held up three fingers, and shook them gently: "It's very simple. I made a deal with Clan Chief Gu Yuan using a freshly made Grade 9 Treasure Pill and two Grade 8 Seven-Colored Pills."

"A ninth-grade...precious pill?!"

Mang Tianchi gasped, freezing in place, turning his head to stare intently at Su Baichen as if he were seeing him for the first time.

"You've become a ninth-grade alchemist?!"

It should be understood that ninth-grade alchemists are extremely rare in the entire Dou Qi Continent, and each one is enough to make major forces fight tooth and nail for them.

The words "precious pill" in particular imply that the pill must have been imbued with sentience, making it priceless!

"Yes, I broke through a while ago."

Su Baichen nodded casually.

In fact, ever since his soul power broke through to the late stage of the Heavenly Realm, he has spent all his free time studying alchemy in the Heavenly Profound Pearl, and it took him several days to finally grasp the basics of the ninth rank.

Afterwards, his soul power broke through to the Great Perfection of the Heavenly Realm, and his control over alchemy was greatly enhanced!

In the past few days, he even had a friendly exchange with a reclusive ninth-grade alchemy master from an ancient clan.

Although I dare not say that I have mastered the craft, refining ninth-grade precious pills is no longer difficult, but I still need to work on the profound pills.

Once I accumulate more experience in alchemy, I should be able to refine Xuan Dan by then.

Seeing Su Baichen's matter-of-fact expression, Mang Tianchi was completely numb. After a long while, he managed to squeeze out a few words through gritted teeth: "You...you really are a monster!"

At this moment, facing this prodigy who seemed to have been blessed with extraordinary abilities all along, even someone as experienced as him could only feel a deep sense of powerlessness.

He even began to suspect that this person might also sneak into the Heavenly Tomb during this trip.

Chapter 329 Mang Tianchi Introduces a Partner!

In the center of the square, the first figure to step onto the stage was Ling Quan, the commander of the ancient Black Annihilation Army.

With a wave of his hand, the ancient clan elder who was presiding over the ceremony created a star chart that appeared out of thin air and floated in the air.

"Put it up!" the elder's voice boomed, devoid of any emotion.

Lingquan took a deep breath, suppressing his excitement, and nodded respectfully.

He stepped forward slowly and placed his hands firmly on the astrolabe.

In an instant, the star chart shone brightly.

With a clear buzzing sound, six illusory star images broke free from the star chart's restraints and slowly rose.

"Excellent! All six stars have appeared, a sixth-grade bloodline!"

A hint of satisfaction flashed in the eyes of the elder in charge of awakening, and then he shouted loudly, his voice filled with undisguised praise.

"Lingquan, a one-star Dou Zun, with a sixth-grade bloodline, bestowed with a golden clan emblem!"

A murmur of surprise and envy immediately arose from the audience.

With the strength of a one-star Dou Zun and the bloodline of a sixth-grade, he is definitely a standout among the younger generation.

Lingquan's face instantly lit up with barely suppressed excitement, his chest heaving slightly, clearly overwhelmed with emotion.

The awakened elder turned his head and nodded slightly to an old man holding a golden pen beside him.

The elder holding the pen understood, flicked his wrist, and the golden pen drew mysterious trajectories in the air, its tip as sharp as a knife, accompanied by the faint sound of a dragon's roar.

In the blink of an eye, a complex and ancient rune took shape, radiating golden light and transforming into a stream of light that precisely imprinted itself into Lingquan's brow.

Lingquan let out a muffled groan, feeling a warm current instantly coursing through his meridians, and his aura suddenly surged.

He stood up, his gaze sweeping across the room, basking in the admiring and envious looks coming from all directions, and a smile involuntarily crept onto his lips.

However, this sense of triumph did not last long.

Just as his gaze inadvertently swept over a corner of the audience, the smile on his face suddenly froze, and his pupils contracted sharply, as if he had seen something extremely terrifying.

Just a moment ago he was full of vigor, but now he looked like a chicken with its neck being choked. His face turned deathly pale, and almost instinctively he lowered his head and staggered off the stage.

This sudden turn of events silenced the entire audience, which then erupted into an even greater commotion.

"What happened? What's wrong with Commander Lingquan?"

"He seems...he seems to have seen something terrifying?"

"Where did he look? That was the direction he was looking just now!"

Countless gazes converged in the direction of Lingquan's last look.

Ultimately, all attention fell on that relatively quiet area—where a striking figure sat.

Within the ancient clan's camp, a young member lowered his voice and asked with surprise and uncertainty, "Who is that? Why is Commander Lingquan so afraid of him?"

"Shh! Keep your voice down!" Someone nearby quickly stopped them, looking puzzled.

"It seems to be... a friend of the young lady."

"What? Miss's friend?" Everyone gasped, then suddenly remembered something.

"I heard from my brothers in the clan that he was secretly summoned by the clan leader on his very first day in the Ancient Realm!"

"That's not all. My second uncle is an elder of the enforcement team. He said... that person is very likely a Dou Sheng powerhouse!" Another voice trembled slightly.

The mere mention of the title "Battle Saint" sent a shiver down the spines of even the most seasoned members of the ancient clans, who were accustomed to seeing geniuses.

That's someone who stands at the very top of the continental pyramid!

The news spread like wildfire, creating an exceptionally oppressive atmosphere in the neighboring Soul Clan camp.

Hunya stared intently at the figure in blue, forcing out a few words through gritted teeth: "It's him... Su Baichen!"

Standing beside him, Hun Li's eyes were so sinister they seemed to drip water as he said coldly, "Not only is he a Dou Sheng, but he's also a major criminal on the Soul Hall's wanted list! I just didn't expect him to appear here!"

On the other side, the Yan Clan area.

Huo Zhi blinked her big eyes and curiously tugged at Huo Xuan's sleeve beside her: "Brother Huo Xuan, is the person the clan leader specifically told us to be careful of him?"

Huo Xuan stared intently at Su Baichen and said in a deep voice, "That's right. Moreover, according to the clan's secret report, this guy possesses an extremely domineering purple-gold flame. Its power is probably no less than that of the top ten on the Strange Flame Ranking."

The commotion was even greater at the Lei Clan's seats.

"Lei Xue, could the 'once-in-a-millennium prodigy' that Elder Mang Tianchi mentioned be him?" Lei Luo craned his neck and asked incredulously.

Lei Xue rolled her eyes, remaining silent, but glanced at Mang Tianchi, who was chatting and laughing with Su Baichen. The meaning was crystal clear—[Nonsense, didn't you see your elders grinning from ear to ear?]

Not only these clans, but even the geniuses of the Medicine Clan, Stone Clan, and Spirit Clan, who were usually arrogant and contemptuous, put aside their contempt and looked at Su Baichen with complicated expressions.

There was apprehension, resentment, and above all, an indescribable sense of inquiry.

"Hey, Bai Chen, you've really become the center of attention this time."

"They're all watching you."

Mang Tianchi nudged Su Baichen beside him with his elbow, a smile on his face that suggested he was enjoying the show.

Su Baichen remained calm, picked up his teacup, took a sip, and rolled his eyes helplessly: "I'm not blind, I saw it a long time ago."

"Hey, don't be so quick to ignore it." Mang Tianchi leaned closer, lowered his voice, and gestured with his eyes in the direction of Lei Luo and Lei Xue.

“Look at these two from our Lei Clan, especially Lei Xue. Her talent is undeniable, and her looks are top-notch.”

"How about this, after the ceremony, I'll personally act as a go-between for you?"

"Bringing you into our Thunder Clan is a win-win situation, a huge profit for both of us!"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Yu, who was standing a little distance away, moved her lips as if she wanted to say something.

But when his gaze fell upon Su Baichen's calm and composed profile, he ultimately let out a soft sigh and chose to remain silent.

"Get lost." Su Baichen didn't even lift his eyelids, sending those two words straight through.

"No! Don't be so quick to refuse!" Mang Tianchi was still making a last-ditch effort, completely unaware of the murderous aura quietly approaching from behind.

"Our Lei Xue is really great! She has a good personality and is very capable. She's a perfect match for you..."

"Hey, you..." Su Baichen rubbed his temples, feeling a headache coming on, and was about to end the conversation.

Just then, a clear and melodious voice, tinged with a hint of coquettishness and reproach, rang out behind the two, instantly interrupting Mang Tianchi's incessant "sales pitch."

"Brother Bai Chen, I've been looking for you for ages!"

Su Baichen and Mang Tianchi turned around in unison.

Gu Xun'er, dressed in a light gold dress with flowing cloud patterns, moved gracefully through the bustling crowd like a forest sprite, and walked towards them with a slightly reproachful smile.

She first gave Mang Tianchi a slight bow, her voice gentle and melodious: "Xun'er greets the old dean. My name is Gu Xun'er."

Mang Tianchi's face, which had been wearing a teasing smile, froze the moment he heard the name "Gu Xun'er," his eyes bulging so wide they almost popped out of their sockets.

He scrambled to his feet, managing a dry laugh: "Ah, oh, so you're Miss Xun'er, the daughter of the ancient clan! My apologies for not recognizing you!"

Chapter 330 Gu Yuan's Dark Face!

Seeing this, Gu Xun'er didn't care about Mang Tianchi's loss of composure. Instead, she walked straight to Su Baichen, naturally stretched out her jade hand, took Su Baichen's hand and shook it gently, her tone carrying a hint of coquetry: "Hehe, Brother Baichen, why did you hide here? I've been looking for you for so long, making me wait so long."

Feeling the soft warmth in his palm and Gu Xun'er's intimate gestures, as if it were just the two of them, Su Baichen smiled wryly and let her pull him along.

Mang Tianchi, watching this scene, was utterly dumbfounded. His mind was in turmoil, and he roared, "Holy crap! No wonder they look down on our Lei Xue!"

So you'd already made your move, and you went straight for the daughter of an ancient clan!

[What the hell is this Su Baichen?! His luck with women is just too outrageous!]

At that moment, the entire venue seemed to fall silent.

Countless gazes swept back and forth between Su Baichen, Gu Xun'er, and the petrified Mang Tianchi, filling the air with an awkwardness and shock.

At the same time, on the viewing platform, the surrounding air seemed to freeze in an instant, and the temperature plummeted.

Gu Yuan sat in the main seat, his knuckles pale from excessive force. His usually dignified and composed face was now covered with bulging veins, like ferocious centipedes crawling all over his temples.

He stared intently at the viewing area in the distance, watching his beloved daughter sweetly holding the hand of Su Baichen, whom he had cursed countless times in his heart as a "pig who stole the cabbage"—standing beside him.

That scene was like rubbing salt into his heart and pouring vinegar on his wounds.