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

"Hmm." Zi Yan lightly tapped the three characters "Feng Lei Ge" in the intelligence report and asked, "What connection does this Feng Lei Ge have with my Ancient Dragon Island, or with the White Dust Realm?"

"Your Majesty, the Wind and Thunder Pavilion is merely a small force in a corner of the Central Continent, relying on a few lightning-attribute techniques to establish itself. It has no connection whatsoever with my Ancient Dragon Island or the White Dust Realm."

"Feng Qing'er, a disciple of the pavilion, possesses the bloodline of the Heavenly Demon Phoenix and is a member of the Heavenly Demon Phoenix Clan," Hei Qing replied immediately, emphasizing the latter.

"It's good that we have no connection whatsoever." A cold glint flashed in Zi Yan's eyes:

"To dare to associate with the Heavenly Phoenix Clan is to court death!"

"Black Steel, while we're attacking those scruffy birds, have someone wipe out the Wind and Thunder Pavilion as well."

"Your subordinate obeys!" Hei Qing clasped his hands in a fist salute, his voice booming like a bell.

Zi Yan paused briefly, her gaze falling on Hei Qing, and asked seemingly casually, "You've been stuck at the peak of the Ninth Rank Dou Zun for quite some time now, haven't you?"

Hei Qing felt a chill run down his spine and respectfully replied, "Your Majesty is wise. It has indeed been quite some time. Fortunately, several elders in the clan did not abandon me and occasionally gave me some guidance, which allowed me to reach this level. However, the threshold of the half-saint realm is like an insurmountable chasm, which I have always found difficult to cross."

“Very good.” Zi Yan’s lips curled slightly. With a flick of her wrist, a pill the size of a longan, perfectly round, with the faint shadow of a Bodhi tree on its surface, appeared in her palm.

As soon as the elixir appeared, a wonderfully fragrant aroma filled the air.

“Bodhi…Bodhi Pill!” Hei Qing’s breathing suddenly became rapid, his eyes fixed on the pill, almost unable to look away.

Eighth-grade peak pills can greatly increase the success rate of advancing to the half-saint realm. For a peak ninth-level Dou Zun, it is nothing short of a supreme treasure, something that can only be encountered by chance and cannot be sought after!

“Once we defeat those scruffy birds, this Bodhi Pill will be yours.” Zi Yan’s voice clearly reached Hei Qing’s ears.

Overwhelmed by immense joy, Hei Qing suddenly knelt on one knee, his voice trembling slightly with excitement: "Your Majesty, I will certainly live up to your high expectations! I will fight bravely and never disgrace Your Majesty!"

Today, Ancient Dragon Island is teeming with powerful figures, with numerous Dou Sheng emerging. Without a stroke of luck, it would be as difficult as ascending to heaven for a Dou Zun like him to advance further.

Now that the opportunity is right in front of him, how could he not be filled with excitement and vow to serve to the death?

"Go and prepare." Zi Yan put away the Bodhi Pill and waved her hand.

"Understood! I take my leave!" Hei Qing bowed again, then stood up and, with high morale and eagerness, strode out of the hall to prepare to muster his troops.

Within the grand shadows of the main hall, the space rippled slightly, and several figures with auras as deep and imposing as mountains quietly disappeared.

They witnessed everything that just happened.

"Hahaha, how about it? My daughter's skills and demeanor are quite impressive, aren't they?" Zhu Kun stroked his beard, his face filled with undisguised pride and satisfaction, and turned to speak to the several true elders of Gulong Island beside him.

An elderly man dressed in a purple-gold robe, whose aura had reached the level of a Seven-Star Dou Sheng (Zhu Feng), stroked his beard and nodded, his eyes full of approval: "Decisive in killing, clear in rewarding and punishing, and knows how to win people's hearts. Not bad, not bad, much more composed and thorough than Your Majesty the Dragon Emperor back then."

Another elderly man with a refined appearance and strength reaching the eight-star Dou Sheng level (Zhu Li) nodded slightly and added, "That's right. Meticulous thinking and leaving no future troubles, this is the demeanor of a hero and the way of a king."

"Your Majesty, in the past, sometimes went too far..." He paused, not finishing his sentence, but the meaning was self-evident.

"Hey, hey, hey!" Zhu Kun protested, his eyes widening.

"Hey you two old folks, something doesn't sound right to me. Are you implying that I wasn't as good as my daughter back in the day?"

A high-ranking Battle Saint chuckled softly, his tone tinged with reminiscence and teasing: "Hehe, Your Majesty, why are you angry? What we said is all true. Back then, Your Majesty, in pursuit of your love... cough cough, in search of the Dragon Consort, you swept through everything in your path, defeating countless unruly and powerful magical beasts?"

"You may be impressive, but you usually just defeat them and that's it. You rarely exterminate them completely and wipe out their race."

“That’s exactly right,” another elder chimed in, his tone tinged with a hint of complaint.

"Your Majesty, you suddenly disappeared without a trace, leaving behind a huge mess. We old folks have been either searching for you everywhere or busy cleaning up the mess you left behind and mediating relationships with all parties. We've been running around like crazy."

"Even so, those forces that you once subdued, seeing that the Dragon Emperor had not appeared for a long time, became restless again and secretly colluded, which ultimately forced our Ancient Dragon Island to fall apart and suffer great losses."

"Yes, Elder Clan Chief, look at His Majesty." The high-ranking Dou Sheng who had spoken earlier now spoke with admiration.

"Plan carefully before acting, prioritize intelligence, and when dealing with hostile forces, either do nothing or act with overwhelming force to eliminate them completely and prevent future troubles."

"This decisiveness and ruthlessness are reminiscent of the Dragon Princess back then, which is much more reliable and powerful than your 'beat until she submits' approach back then!"

Chapter 396 The Soul Clan's Conspiracy!

Several reclusive experts from Ancient Dragon Island shared their thoughts, some complaining about Zhu Kun's "willfulness" in the past, while others sincerely praised Zi Yan's methods.

Zhu Kun's face flushed slightly as he listened to their words. He wanted to refute them, but then he felt that what they said seemed to make some sense.

Every time he was about to open his mouth, Jiang Mingyue, who was standing beside him, would glance at him with a smile and gently pinch the soft flesh of his waist with her fingertips.

Zhu Kun immediately fell silent, swallowing back the words he was about to say, and wore a bitter expression.

I have a bitter pill to swallow.

After the others left, Zi Yan seemed to sense something, her gaze seemingly unintentionally sweeping over a shadowy corner of the main hall, a faint, knowing smile curving her lips.

Immediately, she composed herself and turned her gaze back to the intelligence on the Heavenly Phoenix Clan on the table. Sharpness and fighting spirit slowly gathered in her dragon eyes.

…………

Meanwhile, deep within the Soul Realm, in a dark and gloomy hall.

A cluster of deep black flames pierced the frozen silence, landing before the massive bone base and transforming into a scroll gleaming with a dim light.

The figure of Void Devouring Flame coalesced from the flames, its voice carrying its usual indifference and a hint of amusement:

"Look at the message the puppets sent back—our 'young' neighbor is about to start stretching his muscles."

The Soul Emperor slowly opened his eyes and looked at the Void Devouring Flame. He stretched out his pale, slender fingers, grabbed the scroll in mid-air, and it fell into his palm.

His soul force swept over him, and a cold, emotionless smile gradually appeared on his lips.

"Heh... This little dragon emperor of the Taixu Ancient Dragon Clan is really not content with being alone."

He lightly stroked the three characters "Heavenly Demon Phoenix" on the scroll with his fingertips, his voice low and ethereal: "Its wings have only just hardened a little, and it's already thinking of pecking at the nest of the Heavenly Demon Phoenix."

Void Devouring Flame casually sat down to the side, a wisp of black flame that devoured all things swirling around his fingertips, tapping on the cold stone armrest: "The two races are sworn enemies, fighting for countless millennia."

"Now that Zhu Kun has returned, Gu Long Island has regained its power and is at its zenith. It's perfectly normal for that little dragon cub to want to take action against his old rival to establish his authority."

He paused, glanced sideways at the Soul Emperor, and asked tentatively, "So, what do you plan to do? Do the Heavenly Phoenix Clan a favor and give those scruffy birds a heads-up?"

Upon hearing this, the Soul Emperor gently clenched his fist, and the intelligence scroll in his hand instantly turned into the finest black powder, which scattered in a flurry.

His voice was calm, yet chilling: "A reminder is necessary, of course. Tell Huang Tian that the Soul Clan... will 'help' them."

Void Devouring Flame raised an eyebrow and let out an undisguised sneer: "Help? Soul Emperor, are you out of your mind like Gu Yuan?"

"To confront that old dragon Zhu Kun head-on for the sake of those fickle, opportunistic birds? And what about that even more troublesome Su Baichen?"

The Soul Emperor slowly raised his eyes, his gaze so cold it seemed to freeze the soul: "When did I say the Soul Clan would 'help'? When did I ever say we would personally come?"

The black flames at the tip of Void Devouring Flame flickered, and the mockery on his face faded slightly, turning into a knowing sneer: "That makes more sense. To offend both Zhu Kun and Su Baichen for the sake of those fancy-feathered beasts is indeed the act of a fool."

Immediately, he leaned forward slightly, his deep, fiery eyes locking onto the Soul Emperor, his tone turning solemn and inquisitive: "So, what is your real goal? Don't tell me that you went to great lengths to arrange for puppets to infiltrate, just to be a quiet spectator on the stage of the Ancient Void Dragon and the Heavenly Demon Phoenix."

He knew this man in front of him all too well.

The Soul Emperor never does anything meaningless, nor does he let go of any possible opportunity.

Watching from the sidelines? That's definitely not his style.

Soul Emperor met the scrutinizing gaze of Void Devouring Flame, slowly leaning back in his chair, the bone seat emitting a soft friction sound.

"That little dragon queen is Zhu Kun's only daughter, his precious jewel. Su Baichen also values ​​her highly."

He spoke slowly and deliberately, as if stating a fact that had nothing to do with him.

"Are you out of your mind? You still want to harm her?" Void Devouring Flame felt a chill run down his spine, and his tone suddenly became serious.

If this were to happen, the consequences would be unimaginable.

"No." The Soul Emperor decisively denied it, a calculating glint flashing in his eyes:

“Taking direct action against her would be too costly and too risky. Zhu Kun may not personally take action in this battle, but he and Su Baichen will definitely be keeping a close eye on her.”

"Abducting someone right under the noses of two beings of equal caliber? We currently... are not confident enough, and there is no need for that."

Upon hearing this, Void Devouring Flame felt a slight sense of relief. Zi Yan was indeed a very valuable bargaining chip, but she was also a powder keg that could explode at any moment.

To harm her would be tantamount to declaring war on both Ancient Dragon Island and the White Dust Realm. The ancient clans would certainly not stand idly by. If the three major forces joined forces as a result, even with their profound foundation, the Soul Clan would be in a completely passive position.

“Since the target isn’t her…” Void Devouring Flame’s mind raced, and a name that was almost forgotten but crucial suddenly flashed through his mind.

His pupils contracted slightly as he looked at the Soul Emperor, a smile involuntarily creeping onto his lips.

A smile that was both fiery and icy finally appeared on the face of the Soul Emperor.

“That’s right, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.” His voice was low, tinged with suppressed excitement:

"When the Ancient Dragon of the Void and the Heavenly Demon Phoenix go to war, the moment the flames of war are ignited, the eyes of the Central Continent and even the entire continent will be drawn to it. Everyone's attention will be focused on that ancient feud."

He stood up, and the dark hall seemed to tremble slightly at his movement.

"That will be the perfect time for Operation Shadow. While everyone's attention is elsewhere, we will seize the opportunity with lightning speed to retrieve all the fragments of the Tuoshe Ancient Emperor Jade from the Ancient Clan, the Flame Clan, and the Thunder Clan!"

The black flames in Void Devouring Flame's eyes intensified, and he finally understood the Soul Emperor's entire plan.

Using a war that could shake the continent as cover, they secretly carried out their plan!

The goal is to find the ultimate key that holds the secret to becoming an emperor!

"Once the eight jades are combined, the gate to the ancient emperor's cave will open for me."

The Soul Emperor walked to the only dark window in the hall, looking out at the empty distance beyond the Soul Realm. His voice was filled with undisguised ambition and desire: "Everything within the cave, the opportunity to break through to the Dou Di realm, will belong to me."

He slowly turned around, the shadow outlining his tall and dangerous figure, his tone resolute and brooking no argument:

"Once I achieve the position of Dou Di... Gu Yuan, Zhu Kun, Su Baichen... at that time, they will all be nothing more than ants that I can destroy at will."

Inside the main hall, only the low voice of the Soul Emperor and the silent black flames of the Void Devouring Flame could be heard.

As Gulong Island prepares to send troops, a silent storm is brewing that will sweep across the continent.

Chapter 397 Huang Tian's Unwillingness

Deep within the Heavenly Demon Phoenix Clan, inside the Myriad Phoenix Palace.

Huang Tian slowly opened his eyes from the stone seat where he had been in seclusion, his golden-red pupils reflecting the flickering flames of battle qi in his palm.

When the flames reached a certain critical point, they suddenly dissipated, turning into countless fireflies that disappeared into the ancient phoenix patterns on the four walls of the hall.

"The six-star barrier has trapped me for a hundred years."

He clenched his fingers, the knuckles cracking crisply, and a hint of undisguised dejection flashed across his dignified face: "Ancestors above, where does the future of our clan lie?"

The sound echoed in the empty hall, but no one answered.