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

These words were resounding and powerful, like slaps to everyone's faces.

The group of people who had been chattering away were now filled with shame and lowered their heads, especially the one who had started it all, who wished he could disappear into the ground.

"Alright, now is not the time for you to blame yourselves."

Lei Dong suppressed his anger, sat back in his chair, and tapped his fingers lightly on the table, making a rhythmic sound.

"Since Mr. Su is temporarily unable to act, we must make a decision immediately. There are only two paths before us—to defend the Tuoshe Jade to the death, or to use it to save my father and the others' lives?"

As soon as the words were spoken, the room erupted into another heated discussion, which quickly split into two distinct factions.

The conservative elders insisted that the ancient jade was the lifeblood of the Lei Clan, and that the reason the clan leader was trapped was because he was determined to protect the ancient jade with his life. If it were handed over now, wouldn't that be betraying the clan leader's good intentions?

The more radical younger generation, however, argued that saving lives was the priority. They believed that if the clan leader were to meet with misfortune, they alone would be unable to protect the ancient jade and would ultimately lose both their wealth and their lives.

The two groups argued heatedly, their faces flushed and spittle flying, neither able to convince the other.

Just then—

"Bang!"

The door was suddenly pushed open from the outside, the loud noise interrupting the pointless argument.

An unexpected figure appeared at the door.

The newcomers were dressed in plain clothes and had cold expressions. They were the two prodigies who should have perished in the sea of ​​fire when the Spirit Clan was destroyed—Ling Yuhan and Ling Xi!

"Ling... Ling Yuhan? Ling Xi? You're still alive!" Lei Dong's pupils shrank, and he stood up with an incredulous expression.

Ling Yuhan remained calm, as if she had just gone out for a walk. She went straight into the room, found an empty seat with Ling Xi, and even poured herself a glass of cold tea to moisten her throat.

"Brother Lei Dong, it's been a long time." Ling Yuhan took a sip of tea, raised her eyes, and a mocking smile appeared on her lips.

"It seems that the men of your Lei family are not only incompetent in their work, but also so indecisive when it comes to making choices."

She put down her teacup, her crisp voice sounding particularly jarring in the quiet room: "Back then, my Spirit Clan, in our attempt to protect the so-called Tuoshe Ancient Jade, ultimately suffered the fate of annihilation. Isn't this bloody lesson enough to warn you?"

Everyone was stunned by these words, and no one dared to refute them.

Ling Yuhan stood up, her gaze sweeping over the faces of everyone present, and slowly said, "On the day the Spirit Clan's treasure vault exploded, my sister and I escaped through a secret passage. We faced death nine times out of ten, and were eventually rescued by Mr. Su, who took us into the White Dust Realm to live in anonymity. We cultivated day and night, hoping to one day avenge our grievances."

She paused, then her tone became resolute: "So, trust me, and trust your intuition as well."

"The White Dust Realm is worthy of our trust. Lady Cailin's words are true; let's exchange the ancient jade for the person directly!"

"Because people are the foundation! As long as people are alive, there is still a chance to reclaim the Tuoshe Jade; if people are gone, who will see that broken stone?"

She abruptly changed the subject, her gaze becoming profound: "Moreover, even if the Soul Clan obtains the ancient jade, they may not be able to use it. Don't forget, those two pieces of Tuoshe Ancient Jade in the hands of the Ancient Clan are not so easy to swallow!"

His words were like a wake-up call, completely shattering the conservatives' hopes.

The room was completely silent, save for the sound of heavy breathing.

All eyes eventually turned to Lei Dong.

His choice of which path to take is entirely up to him.

Chapter 405 Lingxi's Solution!

After Ling Yuhan's persuasion, a resolute look finally flashed in Lei Dong's bloodshot eyes.

He exhaled a heavy breath, as if using all his strength to give the order—exchange the Tuoshe jade for the person!

Watching the Lei Clan group walk away, carrying the radiant ancient jade, Lingxi, who had been holding her breath, finally let out a long sigh of relief. Her tense shoulders instantly relaxed, and she felt completely exhausted.

"Phew—it's finally done! Thank goodness we didn't mess it up. This was the first task that Lady Cailin and Lady Xuanyi entrusted to us! I can't even imagine what the consequences would have been if we had failed." Lingxi patted her ample chest and said with lingering fear.

Recalling when Cai Lin and Xuan Yi found them not long ago, even with Ling Xi's carefree personality, her palms were still slightly sweaty.

Although the two sisters had lived in the White Dust Realm for quite some time, they knew the rules here well—as long as Su Baichen was not around, these two women were the uncrowned queens of this world.

"I was unaware of the arrival of the two ladies. I apologize for not being able to greet you properly."

Ling Yuhan was far more composed than Ling Xi at the time. She moved gracefully and elegantly, bowing with a gentle voice that carried just the right amount of reverence.

"It's alright. I've come here to entrust you with an important matter." The lady in black had a playful smile on her lips as her gaze swept over the two sisters.

Lingxi was filled with doubt. With the abilities of these two adults, was there anything in this world that they couldn't do and had to rely on their sisters?

Ling Yuhan, quick-witted, immediately grasped the key point in the words and respectfully bowed her head, replying, "Madam, you flatter me. I will never forget the kindness of being taken in by the White Dust Realm. It is only right and proper for me to do what I can for you."

Upon hearing this, Lady Cailin narrowed her beautiful eyes slightly and glanced at Ling Yuhan.

Cai Lin thought to herself: [Within my power? It's only right?]

She's good at talking, and knows how to keep a low profile.

Although Cai Lin noticed Ling Yuhan's cleverness, she didn't care.

The current situation is delicate. The most important thing is to get Lei Dong to willingly hand over the Tuoshe Ancient Jade to save people. As for whether the pawns are smart or not, it is irrelevant.

“This is what happened… It’s about the Thunder Clan…” Rainbow Scale slowly recounted the previous events and their plans.

After hearing the whole story, Ling Yuhan understood—the two ladies were using them to urge Lei Dong to make a decision.

Although she didn't understand why Bai Chenjie would give up the Tuoshe Ancient Jade that he had obtained, when living under someone else's roof, the worst thing to do is to ask too many questions.

She just needed to confirm one thing: doing so was in the best interests of the White Dust Realm.

……

Pulling herself back to reality, Lingxi looked at the task that had been completed so easily, still somewhat incredulous: "Miss, is this... the task is done? This is too easy! I thought it would take a lot of persuasion."

Ling Yuhan gazed at the deep night in the distance and said softly, "It is indeed simple for us. After all, Lei Dong and we are in the same boat, both suffering from the attack of the Soul Clan."

"Just now I sensed that he actually wanted to exchange the ancient jade for the person, and after I persuaded him, he went along with it."

She paused, a hint of sadness creeping into her voice: "The only difference is that the Thunder Clan still has a chance for redemption, while we, the Spirit Clan, are already..."

The mention of the Eldar seemed to freeze the air.

Compared to the already extinct Eldar, the Thunder Clan is in a much better situation!

The Lei Clan has powerful allies like Bai Chenjie, and its own strength is not weak either. Its clan leader, Lei Ying, is an unparalleled powerhouse at the late stage of the Eight-Star Dou Sheng realm.

And what about them? They were nothing more than two homeless lone geese.

Seeing this, Lingxi quickly grasped her best friend's cold hand and comforted her firmly, "Miss, don't lose heart! Although the Spirit Clan has been destroyed, we are still here! As long as our roots are not severed, the Spirit Clan will rise again! At worst... we can find another powerful tree to rely on!"

As she spoke, Lingxi's eyes darted around, as if she had suddenly thought of a brilliant idea. She leaned close to Ling Yuhan and whispered excitedly, "That's right, Miss! I've thought of a way to revitalize the Ling Clan!"

"What method? Tell me quickly!" Ling Yuhan's curiosity was piqued, and the gloom in her eyes dissipated somewhat.

“We can follow the example of the Xiao Clan!” Lingxi said mysteriously.

"Imitate the Xiao Clan? How can we imitate them?" Ling Yuhan frowned slightly. Although the Xiao Clan was once glorious, now there are only a few capable members. What is there to imitate?

"Hehe..." Lingxi leaned close to Lingyuhan's ear, her breath sweet as orchids, and mumbled something incoherently.

As the blush-inducing words reached her ears, Ling Yuhan's originally pale cheeks instantly flushed red, the blush spreading all the way to her ears, and even her fair neck turned pink.

"What kind of terrible ideas are you coming up with!"

Ling Yuhan was both embarrassed and annoyed. She reached out to pinch Ling Xi's cheek, her voice changing tone.

"Oh dear, miss, this is such a terrible idea!"

Lingxi not only didn't dodge, but straightened her back, with an expression that said "I have discovered the truth," and even a hint of pride in her voice.

"This is a successful experience that has been proven in practice!"

"What?!" Ling Yuhan's beautiful eyes widened, her face full of disbelief.

“Miss Yunyun and Miss Xiaoyu, they have both succeeded!” Lingxi paused, her expression becoming increasingly resolute.

"Moreover, I have observed carefully that Qinglin, the maidservant beside Lady Cailin, seems to be taking this path as well. Even Lady Cailin has tacitly approved of it and even gives some pointers. This shows that this path is definitely feasible!"

Upon hearing this, Ling Yuhan remained silent for a moment, then shook her head with a bitter smile: "But what do I have to offer? In terms of appearance, I'm no worse than Qing Lin and the others, but I don't have an overwhelming advantage either; in terms of cultivation, I'm far inferior to them. What capital do I, a daughter of a vanquished clan, have to attract... his attention?"

“Miss, have you forgotten your biggest trump card?” Lingxi grabbed her wrist, her gaze burning as if she were looking at a gold mine about to be mined.

"Spirit Clan bloodline!"

"You are the first peerless genius in the Spirit Clan in a thousand years to awaken the bloodline of a ninth-grade Dou Di! This is your greatest asset! That is a top-tier Dou Di bloodline!"

Lingxi clenched her fist, her eyes gleaming with ambition: "As long as we use this as a stepping stone and sincerely serve the two ladies, given time, we may have a chance... At that time, we can not only protect ourselves, but also leave behind the seeds of revival for the Spirit Clan!"

A night breeze blew by, ruffling their hair.

Ling Yuhan stood in the wind, silent for a long time. In the depths of her originally dim eyes, it seemed as if two clusters of ghostly flames were flickering.

Struggle, weighing options, shame, longing... countless emotions surged within her.

This seemingly absurd, even somewhat offensive, suggestion might... truly be the only hope for the Spirit Race? She gazed at the majestic palaces of the White Dust Realm in the distance, biting her lower lip, her heart churning with turbulent emotions.

Chapter 406 Remnant Soul of a Dou Di - Gu Lingyi!

Meanwhile, within the ancient realm, cries of agony filled the air, and blood stained the sky.

The once solemn and majestic sacred land of the ancient clan has now been reduced to a hellish inferno.

The bodies of the elite younger generation of the ancient clans littered the earth, and their blood flowed and gathered into rivers, the pungent smell of blood almost suffocating.

Roughly estimated, nearly 40% of the ancient clan's geniuses were lost in this battle, and this number continues to rise as the Soul Clan's powerful warriors wreak havoc!

High above, Gu Yuan stared at the carnage below, his face so gloomy it was almost dripping with water. His fists were clenched so tightly that his nails dug deep into his palms, drawing blood without him even noticing.

"Soul Emperor, I, Gu Yuan, will swear an oath to you to the death today!"

With a roar, Gu Yuan rapidly formed hand seals, his fingertips radiating battle qi.

An incredibly profound and complex pattern instantly took shape and disappeared into the ancient sky.

The next moment, the entire sky trembled violently, and a huge array covering the heavens and earth appeared out of thin air, spreading an ancient and mysterious aura.

Just like other imperial clans, the ancient clan also possesses a secret technique passed down through generations, with a Dou Di level expert in charge—the Ancient Emperor Inheritance Formation!

Rumble!

The spiritual energy between heaven and earth in the ancient realm began to surge wildly, continuously converging towards the core of the formation.

Under the surge of that immense energy, a towering figure gradually solidified, its blurred face becoming clearer, and finally transforming into an old man in a green robe with piercing eyes and an imposing aura.

Ancient Emperor Gu Lingyi!