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

"Yes, we'll set off once Cao Ying's strength breaks through to the Dou Zhe realm." Su Baichen made his decision. He planned to first guide Cao Ying to lay a solid foundation, and once she broke through to the Dou Zhe realm and had the ability to protect herself, they would then head to Qingshan Town to find Little Fairy Doctor.

Chapter 66 The theft was exposed

With the plan set, Su Baichen began meditating and cultivating. He had indeed neglected his cultivation during this period due to various commitments.

"I am now possessing a treasure, and I cannot protect it if my cultivation is not high enough. A common man is innocent, but he is guilty of possessing a treasure."

Su Baichen understood this principle very well. In the Dou Qi Continent, strength was the foundation of everything.

Without sufficient strength, even possessing numerous treasures will only bring about one's own demise.

He sat down cross-legged and began practicing the Heavenly Book technique.

As the cultivation technique was activated, the surrounding天地能量 (heaven and earth energy) slowly converged towards him, was absorbed into his body, circulated along specific meridian routes, and finally merged into his 气海 (qi hai).

However, just as Su Baichen was immersed in his cultivation, a sharp scream suddenly rang out in the snake-people tribe, breaking the tranquility of the morning.

"what--!"

Su Baichen's face showed displeasure at being interrupted during his cultivation. No one would be in a good mood if disturbed during deep cultivation. But the second scream that followed made him instantly embarrassed.

"Thief! All the gold coins in the vault are gone!"

Hearing the scream, Su Baichen finally remembered something he had forgotten—yesterday, in an emergency, he didn't have enough funds, so he "visited" the snake people's treasury and didn't even leave the gold coins inside.

Su Baichen touched his nose, a rare look of embarrassment on his face.

He could disregard other forces—after all, he had acted very discreetly, and even if they discovered him, they wouldn't dare to do anything to him. In this dog-eat-dog world, strength is the only truth.

But the snake people are different; this is Cai Lin's maternal home, and in a sense, they are also his "relatives." It's unreasonable and unacceptable for him to steal from Cai Lin's maternal home.

"Sigh, I still have some pills in my storage ring that I usually refine for fun. I'll give them to them as compensation." Su Baichen shook his head helplessly and made a decision: "Anyway, those pills won't have much effect on me, and Xiao Caoying is still too young to need them."

He focused his consciousness into his storage ring, taking stock of the pills inside. As an alchemist, Su Baichen had refined many pills during his practice. Although they were not of high grade to him, they were rare treasures to the snake-people.

"Six bottles of Grade 3 'Qi Condensation Pills' can help cultivators condense their battle qi; two bottles of Grade 4 'Barrier Breakthrough Pills' can assist in breaking through minor realms; and two bottles of Grade 6 'Imperial Supreme Pills' can permanently enhance the strength of a Dou Huang-level expert by one to two stars..."

Su Baichen counted the pills, his heart bleeding. Although these pills were useless to him, each one would be extremely valuable in the outside world.

However, considering the amount of gold coins he had stolen, Su Baichen gritted his teeth and decided to use these pills as compensation.

After all, the gold coins in the Serpent People's treasury are no small amount.

Having made up his mind, Su Baichen straightened his robes and pushed open the door to go out.

Outside the gate, the snake people were in chaos, with guards running around and elders gathered solemnly in front of the treasury.

"What happened? How could the treasure vault be stolen?" a snake-man elder demanded angrily, his voice filled with disbelief. The snake-man treasure vault was heavily guarded; it was impossible for an outsider to sneak in silently.

The snake-man guards protecting the treasury answered tremblingly, "Elder, we didn't find anything unusual last night. It was only when we changed shifts this morning that we discovered all the gold coins in the treasury were gone."

Su Baichen coughed lightly and stepped forward. The snake-people bowed to him. After all, he was not only Queen Medusa's friend but also the snake-people's benefactor.

"Lord Su Baichen," the elders of the snake-people tribe greeted him respectfully.

Su Baichen said apologetically, "I just heard a commotion, saying that the treasure vault has been robbed? To be honest, this matter is related to me."

Upon hearing this, the snake-people all showed expressions of surprise. Su Baichen continued to explain, "Yesterday, when I was refining pills, I urgently needed a large amount of funds to purchase auxiliary materials. Since I couldn't find the person in charge at the time, I borrowed some gold coins from the treasury. Here are pills of equivalent value as compensation."

As he spoke, he took out a bottle of pills that he had prepared beforehand and handed it to the snake-man elder. The elder took the pills, opened the bottle, and a rich medicinal fragrance immediately filled the air, invigorating everyone.

"This...this is a sixth-grade pill, the Imperial Extreme Pill?" The elder stared in shock at the pill in his hand, his voice trembling slightly. The Imperial Extreme Pill was a priceless treasure for a Dou Huang expert, capable of directly increasing their strength by one star, saving them years of arduous cultivation.

Su Baichen nodded: "Exactly. Besides that, there are some other pills, which should be enough to offset the gold coins I borrowed."

The snake-people elders exchanged glances, their anger long since dissipated. While the gold coins were plentiful, their value paled in comparison to these high-grade pills. Moreover, Su Baichen was a distinguished guest of the snake-people, with close ties to Queen Medusa; they hadn't dared to truly pursue the matter.

"Lord Su Baichen, you are too kind. You can simply take the gold coins you need. There is no need to exchange them for such precious pills," the Second Elder said respectfully.

Su Baichen waved his hand: "Of course. However, I hope that everyone will not spread the news about the pills, so as to avoid unnecessary trouble."

"Of course, take it as soon as possible if you can."

The elders nodded repeatedly, indicating they understood. In the Dou Qi Continent, everyone understood the principle that possessing a treasure invites trouble.

If the outside world were to find out that the Snake-People race possessed so many high-grade pills, it would likely attract the covetous eyes of powerful individuals.

After resolving the treasure vault incident, Su Baichen returned to his room and continued to think about his next plan.

He decided to stay in the Snake-People tribe for a while longer, partly to guide Cao Ying's cultivation, and partly to take this opportunity to plan his future path.

Although the Heavenly Book technique is powerful, its cultivation progress is relatively slow.

"However, the most urgent task is to help Cao Ying break through to the Dou Zhe realm," Su Baichen thought. Cao Ying possessed outstanding talent in alchemy and was his personal disciple, so he naturally had to nurture her with all his heart.

Su Baichen also has a detailed training plan for Little Fairy Doctor.

In the early stages, the Calamity Poison Body requires various poisons to activate and enhance it. He plans to collect some low-level poisons first, and then adjust them according to her actual situation after finding Little Fairy Doctor.

"I should also investigate the distribution of strange fires in the Northwest Continent in advance."

Su Baichen pondered. As far as he knew, there were records of strange flames such as the Azure Lotus Earth Core Flame, the Fallen Heart Flame, the Sea Core Flame, and the Three Thousand Burning Flames appearing in the Northwest Continent or the Central State.

These strange flames can not only upgrade the level of the "Divine Journey Fire Refining Technique", but are also treasures that alchemists dream of, and are also an aid to Xiao Cao Ying on her journey.

With that in mind, Su Baichen took out paper and pen and began to list out his next action plan in detail.

He first needs to wait until Cao Ying breaks through to the Dou Zhe realm, and then set off for Qingshan Town to find Little Fairy Doctor. Along the way, he can investigate the whereabouts of several different flames.

Before he knew it, night had fallen again. Su Baichen looked out the window; the snake-people tribe appeared exceptionally peaceful under the moonlight.

But Su Baichen knew that this tranquility was only temporary. In the near future (after returning to Zhongzhou), he would embark on a journey again, facing more challenges and opportunities.

Chapter 67 The Reappearance of the Colorful Scales

The moonlight, like a ribbon, silently streamed through the window lattice, elongating Su Baichen's shadow as he cultivated, casting it onto the bluestone floor.

The candles inside were not lit; only the faint blue light emanating from his aura emanating from him shone through the room. Xiao Caipan sat in the corner of the bed, its snake tail lazily draped over the pillow, its vertical pupils half-closed, occasionally yawning and flicking its tongue, appearing utterly bored.

Suddenly, she shuddered violently!

—It was as if an invisible current surged through the snake's body, and its once innocent and ignorant snake eyes suddenly became sharp as knives, warily scanning its surroundings.

Her gaze swept over the closed wooden door, the shadows of the trees outside the window, and the books piled in the corner, finally settling on Su Baichen. Confirming there was no danger, the sharpness in her eyes gradually melted away, transforming into a pool of spring water, so gentle it almost overflowed.

She gently swam to his shoulder, her cool snake scales touching his warm cheek, rubbing against him as if with longing, or perhaps with a sigh.

Su Baichen paused slightly as the fighting spirit circulating within his body paused, and he withdrew from his cultivation state, slowly opening his eyes.

What came into view was Xiao Cai affectionately rubbing her cheek against her own, the snake's forked tongue occasionally brushing against her, bringing a slight itch.

Su Baichen felt a warmth in his heart, a gentle smile appearing on his lips, his voice hoarse as if he had just woken up: "You little rascal, why aren't you sleeping anymore? Didn't you just finish eating two fire lotus seeds?"

He reached out a finger and gently touched Xiao Cai's snake head; it felt cool and slippery.

"Could it be that it digested too quickly and is hungry again?" he said, reaching for a few more lotus seeds.

But instead of climbing up his finger as usual, or responding with a soft hiss, Xiao Cai jumped off his shoulder and snuggled into his arms.

Su Baichen chuckled, thinking that the little guy was being spoiled and acting spoiled again. Usually, whenever it wanted something or felt bored, it would snuggle into his arms and rub against him like this.

He raised his hand, ready to gently tap its head as usual, and jokingly scold it for being "greedy".

But just as his fingers were about to touch the snake's head, Su Baichen's movements suddenly froze, and the smile on his face also froze.

A soft white light emanated from Xiao Cai's snake body, and in just an instant, the white light grew stronger and stronger, completely enveloping Su Baichen's embrace.

Su Baichen felt that Xiao Cai in his arms was getting heavier and warmer. The icy touch gradually faded away and was replaced by a delicate and soft warmth, as if he were holding a warm jade.

He subconsciously reached out and hugged "Xiao Cai" in his arms even tighter, his heart filled with doubt and unease, yet also with a vague sense of anticipation.

As the light faded, the room returned to its previous dimness, with only the moonlight still quietly falling.

Su Baichen blinked and looked down at his arms; the small, brightly colored snake had disappeared.

Instead, a stunningly beautiful woman took her place.

Her long hair cascaded down to her waist, jet black and glossy, with a faint sheen at the ends, like fine silk. It swayed gently with her movements, emitting a refreshing fragrance.

That face was absolutely stunning, with arched willow-leaf eyebrows, slightly upturned eyes that exuded natural charm, a delicate nose, and full, cherry-red lips that looked like ripe cherries, making one want to kiss her.

What is most striking are her eyes, like two pure rubies, their captivating charm seemingly able to bewitch and bewitch. Yet, deep within them lies a hint of mischief and cunning, like a little girl who has just pulled off a prank.

Her body was flawless, her skin as white as snow, as delicate as the finest mutton fat jade, gleaming with a lustrous sheen under the moonlight, without a single blemish.

Her neck was slender and long, her collarbone was delicate and beautiful, her chest was full and proud, her waist was slender and could be grasped in one hand, her buttocks were perky and round, her legs were long and straight, like carefully carved white jade pillars, her jade feet were small and exquisite, her toes were round and full, with a faint pink hue.

What shocked Su Baichen even more was that those long, slender legs were now tightly wrapped around his waist, their jade feet gently hooking his back, their soft bodies pressed completely against his.

The warm, soft touch, carried by a woman's unique fragrance, pierced through the thin fabric, almost instantly shattering Su Baichen's composure.

“Color, color, color scales!” Su Baichen’s voice trembled uncontrollably, his pupils contracted sharply, and his face was filled with shock and disbelief.

He opened his mouth, but it took him a long time to find his voice. He stammered, "You, you've recovered?!"

The face before me, those eyes, that familiar aura—who else could it be but Cai Lin?

Cai Lin's lips curled into a bewitching smile, her eyes sparkling with a mixture of amusement and a hint of mockery.

She stretched out her fair and slender hand, her fingertips carrying a faint coolness, and gently caressed Su Baichen's chest, slowly tracing circles on his clothes.

"Hmm?" Her voice was charming and alluring, like a nightingale singing in a valley, carrying a hint of languor and seduction: "Mr. Su, what do you think of me now?"

"Ah, wow—it's beautiful! Yes, it's very beautiful!" Su Baichen's mind went blank, as if struck by lightning, and his answer was slow and clumsy.

He could clearly feel the touch of the colorful jade hand. Although there was a layer of clothing between them, it felt as if the hand was directly touching his skin. The delicate and smooth feeling made him feel hot all over. The fighting spirit in his body became restless and began to wander wildly, especially converging towards his lower body.

His cheeks flushed instantly, his breathing became heavy, and his eyes darted away, unable to look directly into Cai Lin's captivating eyes. He could only stare intently at the blue bricks on the ground, his heart pounding wildly like a drum, the thumping sound echoing in his ears, almost drowning out all the other sounds around him.

"Really?" Cai Lin chuckled softly, her voice becoming even more alluring. She leaned down slightly, bringing her breath close to Su Baichen's ear, her warm breath tickling his earlobe. "But why do I feel like Mr. Su is in a lot of pain right now? What's wrong?"

As she spoke, her delicate hand slowly moved upwards, brushing across Su Baichen's neck, finally resting on his cheek, her fingertips gently caressing his burning skin.

The touch was soft and delicate, with a slight coolness that made Su Baichen tremble all over, almost causing him to lose control.

Su Baichen felt a surge of anger rush from his lower abdomen to the top of his head, his blood practically boiling. He gritted his teeth, his hands clenched into fists so tightly his nails almost dug into his palms, constantly telling himself, "Calm down! Su Baichen, you must calm down!"

"Cai Lin has only just awakened, so she must still be very weak,"

"Calm down, you bastard!"

The internal struggle was almost tearing him apart. On one hand, there was Cai Lin's enchanting figure and alluring charm, and on the other hand, there was rational restraint and heartache for Cai Lin.

He took a deep breath and slowly exhaled, repeating this several times until he finally managed to suppress the evil thoughts churning within him. Fine beads of sweat had already seeped from his forehead.