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

Chapter 10 Dan Tower Infiltrator

Upon hearing this, Elder Mu Gu felt that Su Baichen might have information about Yao Chen, and thus Su Baichen was added to the Soul Palace's wanted list.

However, after several years of searching, they still couldn't catch it. In the end, Elder Mugu had to spend a lot of money, taking out several Rank 7 pills to hire a Dou Zun to catch it.

“Su Baichen… Yao Chen…”

The old man, Mu Gu, murmured to himself, his eyes gleaming with even greater calculation: "Finding you might lead to clues about Yao Chen. Even if we don't, your unpredictable alchemy skills and those strange puppet techniques will be of great value to the Soul Palace."

He put away the jade bottle, straightened his robes, and prepared to go and inquire about the results of the pursuit.

In his view, it should not be surprising at all for a Dou Zun to capture a Dou Zong.

However, he was unaware that the elder on whom he had placed such high hopes was currently raging in his own residence, and the feud between their Soul Hall and Su Baichen had deepened even further due to this failed pursuit.

Boom boom boom!

A slightly hurried knocking interrupted Elder Mu Gu's thoughts. He frowned slightly and looked at the door with some displeasure.

"Elder, news has come back from the team that was chasing Su Baichen."

A subordinate's respectful yet slightly nervous voice came from outside the door.

Upon hearing this, Elder Mu Gu's brows relaxed, and the slight displeasure in his heart was instantly replaced by anticipation.

He assumed the person had been successfully captured, and his tone softened slightly as he calmly said to the door, "Yes, come in and talk."

An envoy dressed in the robes of the Soul Palace entered with bowed head and stood respectfully below.

The old man sat up straight again, his fingers lightly tapping the armrest of his chair. With an air of complete control, he asked calmly, "Where are they now? In which cell of the main hall is Su Baichen being held?"

Upon hearing this, the subordinate trembled almost imperceptibly, and his voice lowered even further: "Reporting to the elder, they...they are currently in the third branch hall."

"A branch hall?"

The old man Mu Gu abruptly stopped tapping his fingers on the armrest. The person had returned, but instead of being brought directly to headquarters, they were staying at the branch hall? A strong sense of foreboding instantly surged into his heart, completely shattering his previous composure.

He sat bolt upright, leaning forward, his gaze sharp as a knife, fixed on the envoy below, his voice tinged with urgency and coldness: "What exactly happened? Where is Su Baichen? Has he been captured?!"

The subordinate, overwhelmed by Elder Mu Gu's sudden surge of power, knelt down with a thud, head bowed low, stammering, "Elder...Elder, please calm down! They...they didn't capture Su Baichen, and...and..."

"And what?! Speak! If you keep stammering, I'll skin you alive!"

The old man's anger flared up instantly, and he shouted sharply. He hated this kind of unfavorable news and hesitation during the reporting.

The subordinate kneeling on the ground trembled with fear, no longer daring to conceal anything, and said in a very fast voice, "Moreover, this operation suffered heavy losses! It is reported that several Soul Envoys were lost, many officials were seriously injured, and even... even the elder who led the team... suffered some minor injuries, which is a great loss of face!"

“Heavy losses…” Old Man Mu Gu repeated these four words, his face instantly turning so gloomy it could wring water out of it. He slowly leaned back in his chair, his fingers unconsciously tightening, leaving deep finger marks on the hard rosewood armrest.

He suppressed his surging anger, and his voice became unusually calm, yet chillingly cold: "Tell me everything you have received, word for word."

"Yes Yes!"

The subordinate dared not raise his head, and in a trembling voice reported in detail the information transmitted from the branch hall: how those seemingly ordinary clone puppets suddenly self-destructed, how astonishing the power of the explosion was, how heavy the casualties were, and how Su Baichen had disappeared without a trace...

After hearing the whole story, Elder Mugu remained silent for a long time, the air in the room seemingly frozen. Finally, he waved his hand helplessly and wearily, his voice hoarse: "...I understand, get out of here."

The subordinate felt as if he had been granted a pardon. He kowtowed several times and practically crawled out of the room, gently closing the door behind him.

In the silent alchemy room, only the heavy breathing of Elder Mu Gu could be heard.

His face was gloomy, his gaze unfocused as he stared into the empty space ahead, the key information from his subordinates' report echoing repeatedly in his mind.

"Puppet...explosion...all the targets were fake, and the final explosion delivered the fatal blow..."

He muttered to himself, his fingers gripping the armrest so tightly they almost crushed it: "What a shrewd scheme by Su Baichen! Even that brute suffered such a loss..."

A mixture of anger at being mocked and a deeper curiosity lingered.

He originally only wanted to find clues about Yao Chen through Su Baichen, but now, the methods and scheming that Su Baichen himself has shown have aroused his stronger interest.

"Su Baichen, Su Baichen, how many secrets are you still hiding? I'm becoming more and more interested in you." A dangerous glint flashed in the old man Mu Gu's eyes, the excitement and obsession of a hunter who has found a elusive but priceless prey.

But after the initial excitement came a deep sense of unease. He knew that this defeat had alerted the enemy, making it even more difficult to find the deliberately hidden Su Baichen than finding a needle in a haystack.

Even the important hidden agent planted inside the Pill Tower failed to discover Su Baichen's specific travel route in advance, only vaguely transmitting news of his departure.

"The spy from the Dan Tower..." Thinking of this, Elder Mu Gu's eyes grew even colder. With this operation a failure, that spy had likely been exposed.

…………

Meanwhile, in the core area of ​​Danta.

Xuan Kongzi sat solemnly at the head of the table, below him was Xuan Yi, whose pretty face was frosty, and Tian Leizi, who remained silent to the side.

They have also received news that Su Baichen was ambushed by the Soul Hall. Although Su Baichen managed to escape using his methods, this incident is undoubtedly a slap in the face to the Pill Tower!

"The Soul Palace's reach has gone too far!" Xuan Yi's eyebrows furrowed, her beautiful eyes filled with rage. "Moreover, Bai Chen's whereabouts were quite secretive during his travels. How could the Soul Palace have tracked him so accurately? There must be a traitor within my Pill Tower!"

Xuan Kongzi nodded slowly, his expression equally grim. He said in a deep voice, "This matter must be thoroughly investigated! We will absolutely not allow the Soul Palace's tentacles to penetrate deep into the heart of my Pill Tower!"

A massive internal investigation was quietly but swiftly launched within the upper echelons of Danta.

With the few clues provided by Su Baichen before he left and the methods of Xuan Kongzi and others, the suspect was quickly identified as a junior elder who usually appeared to be diligent and of high status.

With irrefutable evidence, the junior elder initially tried to argue when questioned by Xuan Kongzi, but faced with the powerful soul pressure and the solid chain of evidence, he finally admitted, ashen-faced, that he had been bribed by the Soul Palace to pass on messages.

"You traitor!"

Xuan Yi was already furious. Thinking that Su Baichen had almost suffered because of this traitor, she was filled with fear and anger. Before Xuan Kongzi could announce the results of the punishment, she had already made her move in anger.

A fiery hand, formed from boundless battle qi, appeared out of thin air, carrying a terrifyingly high temperature capable of burning everything, and slammed down fiercely in the traitor elder's despairing eyes!

"Oh!"

With a muffled thud, the spy planted by the Soul Palace in the Pill Tower for many years was reduced to ashes by a palm strike from Xuan Yi, who was filled with rage, before he could even let out a scream. His soul and spirit were completely destroyed.

Xuan Yi snorted coldly, flicked his sleeves, and his anger subsided slightly. Xuan Kongzi and Tian Leizi exchanged a glance but did not stop him. Cleaning up the sect and deterring troublemakers was a swift and decisive move.

A purge was carried out within the Pill Tower, while the Soul Hall's operation was a complete disaster. Not only did they fail to capture Su Baichen, losing manpower and face, but they also removed an important pawn, severely humiliating the Soul Hall.

After this battle, Su Baichen's name has undoubtedly risen another level on the Soul Hall's list of those paying attention to him.

The undercurrents on the continent became even more turbulent because of the mysterious alchemist, Danta.

Chapter 11 The Wonderful Uses of the Heavenly Profound Pearl

In a small town on the edge of the Tagh Desert, yellow sand swirls in the air during the day, and the heat is scorching.

In the small courtyard where Su Baichen was temporarily staying, he closed his eyes and remained motionless.

An hour later, he slowly opened his eyes, a mysterious light flickering in them before disappearing. His aura seemed to completely merge with the surrounding air, leaving no trace.

He opened his palm, and a seemingly unadorned bead lay quietly in his hand—the Heavenly Profound Bead. After several days of refining it, he had begun to grasp the bead's mysteries and learned its first ability.

"It's pure stealth ability..." Su Baichen muttered to himself, his tone tinged with relief and satisfaction.

He had just finished another round of refining the Heavenly Profound Pearl, and his mind sank into his body, feeling the pearl that emitted a hazy glow.

Unlike the powerful Heavenly Profound Sword and the impregnable Heavenly Profound Cauldron that aids in alchemy, the Heavenly Profound Pearl has an extremely pure function—concealment.

It's not just a simple visual concealment, but a way to perfectly hide all the aura of the holder, whether it's fighting spirit fluctuations, soul power, or even traces of life, all of which can blend into the world without being revealed in the slightest.

"Wonderful, truly wonderful!" Su Baichen exclaimed inwardly, "With this pearl in hand, there is nowhere in the world I cannot go. The secret techniques of the Soul Palace that rely on tracking auras will probably be completely ineffective in front of the Heavenly Profound Pearl."

He couldn't help but recall his previous life on the run. If he had had the Heavenly Profound Pearl's help, he wouldn't have ended up in such a sorry state. "Ah, even the heavens are helping me! If I had known the Heavenly Profound Pearl had this ability, I should have refined it first."

A pang of regret crossed my mind, but it was quickly replaced by greater joy.

For Su Baichen, who possessed a great treasure and was being hunted by a behemoth like the Soul Palace, this was tantamount to having an excellent protective talisman. This ability was practically tailor-made for his cautious and averse-to-conflict personality.

Just as Su Baichen was secretly marveling at how to better utilize the Heavenly Profound Pearl, the door was suddenly pushed open with a "bang," bringing in a cool night breeze. A petite figure rushed in like a cheerful bird, her face beaming with barely suppressed excitement.

"Master, Master! I've reached the seventh level of Battle Qi!" Cao Ying ran up to Su Baichen, tilting her little face up, her big eyes sparkling, filled with the words "Praise me!"

Su Baichen snapped out of his reverie, looked at his disciple whose aura was still somewhat unstable due to his rapid breakthrough, and shook his head helplessly.

This girl's talent is truly astonishing. With the Foundation Establishment Elixir and her own hard work, she broke through to the sixth stage just a few days ago, and in just a few days, she has already rushed to the seventh stage. Such speed can truly be described as "terrifying".

He suppressed his surprise, a gentle smile appearing on his face, and reached out to ruffle Cao Ying's hair: "Yes, my apprentice is the best."

Upon receiving her master's affirmation, Cao Ying immediately puffed out her chin like a proud little peacock, saying smugly, "Of course! Don't you know who taught me?"

Seeing the little girl's easily satisfied and praise-suppressing appearance, Su Baichen smiled, but he still had to offer some pointers.

His expression turned slightly serious, and his tone became solemn: "Ying'er, it's a good thing that you've made a breakthrough so quickly, which shows that you are exceptionally talented and hardworking. But don't become complacent because of this and forget your roots."

He paused, and seeing that Cao Ying had stopped laughing and was listening attentively, he continued, "The Battle Qi stage is a crucial foundational period for honing your body and refining your Qi. Pursuing speed blindly is like building a tower on sand; it may seem tall, but its foundation is unstable. When you try to reach the Battle Master level or even higher, there will be endless hidden dangers. You must calm down and refine each stage of Battle Qi until it is perfectly smooth and solid. Do you understand?"

These words were like a cool spring, extinguishing Cao Ying's slight restlessness caused by her continuous breakthroughs.

She suddenly realized that she had indeed been focusing solely on improving her cultivation level these past few days, neglecting the importance of consolidating her foundation. If her master hadn't reminded her, the consequences would have been unimaginable if she had continued like this.

A flicker of fear crossed her face, but quickly turned to determination. She nodded vigorously, "Master, I understand! I will definitely consolidate my knowledge diligently and will not rush things!"

Seeing that his disciple had heeded his advice, Su Baichen nodded in satisfaction: "Hmm, it's good that you know your mistakes and can correct them. Go and cultivate to solidify your seventh-level cultivation. I have something to do later."

However, Cao Ying did not obediently turn and leave as usual. Instead, she stood there, twisting the hem of her clothes with her hands, her small face showing hesitation, stammering as if she wanted to say something but couldn't.

Seeing this, Su Baichen asked gently, "What's wrong? Is there anything else?"

Cao Ying raised her head, her eyes filled with expectation and a hint of pleading, and whispered, "Master... I... I want to go out with you! I feel a little bored staying here alone."

She didn't dare say that she was actually a little scared of being alone in an unfamiliar place.

Su Baichen was slightly taken aback upon hearing this. He had originally planned to explore the depths of the desert alone, and bringing Cao Ying along would inevitably be inconvenient.

But then he thought again, with his current cultivation level as a Dou Zun, there are very few beings around the Jia Ma Empire, not to mention the edge of the desert, even deep in the Tagor Desert, that can threaten him. Protecting a little girl is more than enough.

Besides, leaving her alone at the inn was indeed a bit unsettling; her strength was weak, and what if something unexpected happened...?

After a moment's consideration, Su Baichen looked at his disciple's expectant eyes and finally nodded: "Alright, then you shall come with me."

"Really? Thank you, Master! You're the best! I promise I'll be good and never run away!" Cao Ying jumped for joy instantly, the gloom on her face vanished, and her smile was brighter than the starlight outside.

Looking at his apprentice, now lively and energetic again, Su Baichen's eyes flashed with a hint of barely perceptible doting, and he gently shook his head. Let her take him along; perhaps it wouldn't be a bad thing for her to see the outside world sooner.

…………

A few days later, in the far-off and scorching center of the Tagor Desert.

A magnificent palace constructed from massive sandstone and rare minerals, like an ancient beast crouching in the sea of ​​sand, exudes a suffocating pressure under the scorching sunlight.

This is the holy city of the Serpent People, the palace of Queen Medusa.

Today, the atmosphere within the palace was exceptionally heavy and somber. Around the vast plaza stood powerful figures from various snake-man tribes; they possessed human bodies and snake tails, exuding formidable auras and sharp gazes. On the high platform in the center of the plaza stood an empty, magnificent throne inlaid with countless jewels.