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

The remaining Soul Clan powerhouses looked at each other in bewilderment, then hurriedly followed, quickly disappearing into the slowly collapsing Medicine Realm.

Chapter 391 Cause and Effect!

Shortly after Lei Zhen left, a figure in black appeared at the window.

Outside the window, Raijin's figure transformed into a bolt of lightning and disappeared into the ripples of space.

"The current situation is becoming increasingly unpredictable." Xuan Yi walked to Cai Lin's side, his gaze following the receding bolt of lightning, his tone filled with worry.

Cai Lin leaned against the carved window frame, her seven-colored snake tail swaying gently, and nodded, saying, "Indeed, all forces are stirring up trouble, and the once tranquil pool has been completely stirred up."

"How long will he... stay with the Ancient Dragon Clan of the Void?" Xuan Yi turned around, his brows furrowed with a mixture of confusion and urgency.

Su Baichen has been gone for quite some time now.

"He has not specified when he will return." Cai Lin gently shook her head, the pearl hairpin in her hair trembling slightly.

"His thoughts have always been difficult to fathom."

Xuan Yi pondered for a moment and asked, "Did he leave any words before he left? The Soul Clan has been making frequent moves, we can't be completely unprepared."

Cai Lin's eyes narrowed slightly. After recalling for a moment, she said in a low voice, "He did indeed instruct me. He said that no matter what, I must never touch the Tuoshe Ancient Jade."

"Now all the undercurrents and conspiracies on this continent revolve around those ancient jade pieces. As long as we don't step into this vortex, the White Dust Realm will be safe."

After hearing this, Xuan Yi slowly nodded: "Yes, staying out of it is the best policy. However... the tree may wish to remain still, but the wind will not cease. The Soul Clan may not let us be at peace."

A sharp glint flashed in Cai Lin's beautiful eyes: "Then we'll see if they have the guts to come and challenge us."

Then, her expression softened slightly, and she asked with concern, "By the way, how is Cao Ying doing now?"

Xuan Yi's face showed a hint of relief. She waved her hand and said, "She is fine now and has almost recovered. The sword energy left by her husband was quite miraculous. It only absorbed the fighting energy around her body and protected her source and meridians. It did not cause any real damage. She will recover after resting for a while."

"That's good then." Cai Lin breathed a sigh of relief.

A while ago, when Little Fairy Doctor returned carrying Cao Ying, whose face was ashen and who was barely breathing, everyone was truly shocked.

They learned from Little Fairy Doctor that they had actually encountered the Void Devouring Flame, a Nine-Star Dou Sheng in its early stages. If it weren't for Su Baichen's hidden sword energy turning the tide, the consequences would have been unimaginable.

Whenever she thinks about this, Cai Lin still feels a lingering fear.

Deep within the ancient realm.

Unlike the relative tranquility of the White Dust Realm, the atmosphere in the quiet room deep within the Ancient Realm was so heavy it was almost impossible to break.

Gu Yuan slowly opened his eyes, a deep and lingering worry on his brow.

The current situation on the mainland is extremely precarious for the ancient tribes.

The Soul Clan lurked in the shadows, watching with predatory intent, forcing the Ancient Clan into a full-scale defensive posture, where they had to be on guard against a deadly attack that could come from anywhere at any time.

This passive and defensive situation left the ancient clan chief exhausted.

He did try to break the deadlock; he sent a secret envoy to the ancient dragon island deep in the void, hoping to gain the support of the old dragon emperor, Zhukun.

However, Zhu Kun's reply was cold and direct, and its mockery seemed to be felt even across the endless void:

"You, Gu Yuan, even betrayed your sworn brother Xiao Xuan back then. If I, Taixu Ancient Dragon, were to stand on your side, wouldn't I be courting death and waiting to be schemed against and wiped out by you?"

These words were like sharp thorns, leaving Gu Yuan speechless and extremely frustrated.

With this path blocked, he then placed his hopes on the White Dust Realm.

Considering the relationship between Su Baichen and Xun'er, even if they are not married, they should be considered half members of the ancient clan.

If we could gain his public support, the situation would definitely change dramatically.

However, the people sent there were unable to even see Su Baichen, and only received the news that "Mr. Su has been traveling and has not returned."

He then tried to discuss the matter with Cai Lin and Xuan Yi, but they dismissed all his probing with a simple statement: "The harem must not interfere in politics."

"Alas... Is Heaven trying to destroy my ancient clan?" Gu Yuan sighed deeply, his heart filled with unbearable pent-up emotions and nowhere to vent his frustration.

Just then, the door to the quiet room was gently pushed open.

Gu Xun'er entered carrying a plate of delicate tea and snacks. Seeing her father's worried face, she asked softly, "Father, why are you sighing?"

Looking at his daughter's beautiful face, Gu Yuan's bitter smile deepened: "What else could it be? The Soul Clan is pressing us relentlessly, while our Gu Clan is constrained at every turn, unable to find a way out!"

Suddenly, something occurred to him, and a glimmer of hope ignited in his eyes. He leaned forward slightly and said, "Xun'er, tell your father the truth, Su Baichen... is he really not in the Baichen Realm?"

He remained suspicious, believing that Su Baichen's "disappearance" might just be a tactic.

Xun'er gently placed the tea and snacks beside her father, met his gaze, and said helplessly, "Daughter dares not lie to Father. Brother Baichen did indeed leave alone not long after Sister Cao Ying left."

"Where did he go? Do you have any clues?" Gu Yuan's eyes became even more urgent, as if he had grasped at the last straw.

Seeing this, Xun'er felt a pang of sadness and could only slowly shake her head: "Daughter... doesn't know. Perhaps only Sister Cailin and Sister Xuanyi, who are always by his side, know his exact whereabouts."

"What?" Gu Yuan's face darkened, his tone filled with anger and confusion:

"You are also his... Why do they know, but you don't? Could it be that my daughter, Gu Yuan's daughter, is inferior to them?"

Xun'er watched her father's anxious and flustered state quietly, her eyes filled with complex and indescribable emotions.

She didn't immediately refute him, but her gaze made Gu Yuan gradually feel uncomfortable.

"Am I... wrong, Father?" Gu Yuan's tone softened.

Xun'er's lips curled into a bitter smile. Her voice was soft, but every word was clear: "Father, do you know that Sister Xuanyi accompanied him step by step as he rose to power? She was deeply devoted to him and waited for him silently for more than ten years without any regrets."

"Sister Cailin has been with him for several years and has even given birth to his daughter's bloodline."

"And my daughter... what do I have to compare her to? Is it the length of time we met, the amount of effort I've put in, or... how much she means to me?"

She paused, looked at her father whose expression was changing, and continued, "Father may think that my identity as a young lady of the ancient clan is my greatest advantage."

"But do you know that when I first met Brother Bai Chen, he already harbored a deep sense of alienation and resistance towards me and towards our ancient clan?"

Gu Yuan's heart skipped a beat, and a vague guess emerged.

Xun'er nodded, confirming his guess: "He knew. He knew my identity from the beginning, and he also knew... everything the ancient clan did to the Xiao clan a thousand years ago."

“He doesn’t hate me, he’s afraid. He’s afraid that if he gets too involved with me, he’ll repeat the mistakes of the Xiao clan, and he’ll… be treated like you treated Uncle Xiao Xuan, Father…”

She didn't finish her sentence, but how could Gu Yuan not understand the implications?

Gu Yuan opened his mouth, but his throat was dry, and he couldn't utter a single word for a long time.

His daughter's words were like a cold mirror, reflecting the arrow he had shot after weighing the pros and cons back then.

It turns out that the arrow pierced not only Xiao Xuan's trust and the backbone of the Xiao clan, but also, a thousand years later, transformed into an invisible barrier, standing between his daughter's happiness and the vitality of the ancient clan.

The cycle of cause and effect, retribution is unhappy.

He slumped back in his chair, the room silent except for the faint echo of the arrow's cry that had pierced through a thousand years.

Chapter 392 The Soul Emperor's Speculation!

The Soul Clan's Grand Hall.

When Void Devouring Flame stepped into the Soul Clan's main hall, his footsteps carried an almost light rhythm.

The hall was dark, with only the ancient jade of the Medicine Clan, Tuoshe, gleaming with a warm luster in the hand of the Soul Emperor, shimmering with a faint halo as it swirled between his fingertips.

"Feeling better now?" The Soul Emperor raised his eyes, a knowing smile playing on his lips.

"Hmm." Void Devouring Flame sat down directly next to Soul Emperor and stretched.

"As you instructed, his life was spared."

He spoke in a flat tone, as if he were talking about a trivial matter.

Three days ago, he returned from the Medicine Clan, carrying with him lingering killing intent and anger. He found Hun Xuzi and immediately attacked him, almost burning Hun Xuzi to nothingness on the spot.

If it weren't for the Soul Emperor personally intervening, Soul Void Child would have had no chance of survival.

The Soul Emperor gently grasped the ancient jade in his palm, his gaze turning to the Void Devouring Flame, filled with inquiry: "Is that sword energy truly so powerful?"

Upon hearing this, Void Devouring Flame's expression suddenly darkened, and the temperature inside the hall seemed to drop several degrees.

"It's more than just impressive."

His voice was low and apprehensive: "Its sharpness is so great that it has a special ability to restrain the soul."

He described the scene in detail: the sword energy swept across the sky, first severing the momentum of the ancient jade as it was thrown, and then severing the remnant soul of the Medicine Emperor.

Even though he used the remnant soul of the Medicine Emperor as a shield and took the opportunity to devour some of its soul power to strengthen himself, he was still injured by the residual power of the sword energy. Although his soul's origin has been restored, the hidden pain has not yet subsided.

The Soul Emperor listened quietly, then tapped his knuckles lightly on the jade throne.

"First, it knocked the ancient jade away, then it killed the remnant soul of the Medicine Emperor, and finally it could injure you..."

His eyes gleamed with a dark light as he slowly said, "It seems that Su Baichen has not only reached the Nine-Star Dou Sheng realm, but his cultivation is at least in the middle stage, or even... higher."

After speaking, his gaze swept over the Void Devouring Flame seemingly casually, and deep within his eyes was a subtle scrutiny and comparison.

[Having the power to devour all things and enjoy the endless resources of my Soul Clan, yet still being caught up with and even surpassed by those who came after...] The Soul Emperor's thoughts stirred slightly, but he did not speak.

[Aren't you ashamed? You're second on the ranking of Strange Flames? I think you're second to last!]

Void Devouring Flame naturally sensed the meaning in that gaze. He snorted coldly, turned his face away, and a slight ripple of black flames around him revealed his inner frustration.

Seeing this, the Soul Emperor said no more and instead said, "Now that the matter has been exposed, there is no need to hide anymore. The collection of ancient jade must be accelerated."

"Understood," Void Devouring Flame replied in a deep voice.

The Soul Emperor suddenly spoke again, his tone carrying a rare solemnity and certainty: "Are you sure that there is something in the cave of the Ancient Emperor Tuoshe that can help me break through to the Emperor Realm?"

Void Devouring Flame nodded firmly: "The Emperor-grade embryonic pill is indeed inside, but its intelligence has already been awakened, and its strength is formidable."

"How strong? Is he stronger than me?!"

"Half-step Dou Di." The Void Devouring Flame uttered these four words, noticing the Soul Emperor's slight frown, and continued:

"Although it is only a nascent core, it has already taken a step into the Emperor Realm. But you can rest assured, as long as you have the complete Tuoshe Ancient Jade, I have a way to subdue it."

Upon hearing that the Void Devouring Flame had a way to subdue the Emperor-grade embryonic pill, the Soul Emperor breathed a sigh of relief.

"Half-step Dou Di..." Soul Emperor repeated in a low voice, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes.

He couldn't help but recall his battle with Xiao Xuan back then, when Xiao Xuan briefly touched this realm by burning his bloodline, and the terrifying pressure that brought him was enough to nearly kill him.

Thinking of the terrifying strength of that half-emperor, the Soul Emperor yearned for the strength of the Dou Di even more. He nodded with burning eyes and tightened his grip on the Tuoshe Ancient Jade: "Alright, then let's speed up and collect all the ancient jades!"