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

"By the way, how's the fusion of your soul and this body going?" Su Baichen asked seriously after seeing that Yao Chen was dressed properly.

Yao Chen closed his eyes and focused inward for a moment, then slowly opened them, his expression showing a hint of surprise: "I've fused about 80%, which is smoother than I expected. My strength has roughly recovered to the level of a six-star Dou Zun. Once my soul and body are completely fused, I should be able to reach the level of an eight-star Dou Zun, or even possibly recover to the threshold of nine stars."

Su Baichen nodded in satisfaction. The result was even better than he had expected, making his time spent setting up this heaven-defying formation worthwhile.

"Let's go." Su Baichen stretched his limbs and smiled at Yao Chen, "To celebrate your resurrection, let's find a place to have a good meal. Remember your favorite 'Eight Treasure Spirit Bird Stew' and 'Millennial Aged Wine'?"

Upon hearing this, Yao Chen's eyes flashed with a nostalgic light, and his stomach unexpectedly growled—this long-lost feeling of hunger made him feel both unfamiliar and delighted.

"You're right! We should celebrate! I've been so bored watching you eat and drink so well these past few days!"

The two looked at each other and laughed heartily, as if time had left no barrier in their friendship.

Before leaving, Su Baichen carefully inspected the valley. He first went to the valley entrance, formed hand seals to hide the spatial folds at the entrance again, and then set up three layers of illusion arrays.

Then return to the center of the magic array and retrieve the array base materials that have exhausted their energy—although these materials are now useless, if they fall into the hands of someone with a keen eye, they can still be used to deduce a lot of information.

Finally, he set up thirty-six concealment arrays around the valley, completely isolating the area from the outside world.

After finishing all this, Su Baichen clapped his hands in satisfaction: "This place has a special geological feature, making it a rare blessed land for gathering spiritual energy. Perhaps we can come back again in the future."

Yao Chen had also adjusted his state and become familiar with the basic use of his body. He reached out and grasped, feeling the energy flowing in the space, and said with a smile, "Let's go, I can't wait to taste the delicious food."

The two stood side by side, simultaneously raising their hands and slashing forward—

Stab it!

Space was torn apart like cloth, revealing a pitch-black crack. Chaotic spatial currents could be vaguely seen within the crack, but for the two Dou Zun, this was just an ordinary path.

They stepped in, and the crack slowly closed behind them, the valley returning to silence as if no one had ever been there.

Chapter 120 Wutan City Shakes

Meanwhile, tens of thousands of miles away in the Gama Empire, in the city of Utan.

This small town, located in a remote area, is currently experiencing unprecedented turmoil.

As the first rays of dawn pierced the Jia Lie family mansion, the screams of the night patrol guards roused the entire neighborhood. As people cautiously approached and peered through the open vermilion gates, they were met with a scene of utter devastation—

Corpses lay strewn across the ground, and blood flowed in streams.

From the gate to the inner courtyard, from the corridor to the hall, all of the hundreds of members of the Jia Lie family, along with their guards and servants, perished. What was even more chilling was that some of the dead had peaceful faces, as if they had quietly passed away in their sleep. If it weren't for the bloodstains on the ground and their frozen expressions of horror, one would almost think they were just asleep.

Galebi, one of the three great warriors of Utan City, was found in his room.

His body lay in the room, but it was headless; his head was still not far from the corpse, and one arm had been severed.

His eyes were wide open, and his face, which remained unseeing in death, was frozen in extreme terror, as if he had seen something unbelievable in the last moments of his life.

The news spread like wildfire, and within an hour, the whole city knew about it.

"Have you heard? The entire Jia Lie family was wiped out!"

"I've not only heard about it, but my cousin does business not far from the Jia Lie family's place. He went to see what was going on this morning and came back vomiting three times!"

"Who did this? That's too ruthless..."

"I don't know, but he must have been an extraordinary person. Galebi was a Grand Master, and he died so quietly!"

Teahouses, restaurants, and streets—every corner was abuzz with talk of this shocking tragedy.

Some people applauded – the Jialie family had been running rampant in Wutan City for many years, engaging in extortion, bullying men and women; others were worried – if they could wipe out the entire Jialie family overnight, dealing with the other two major families would probably be a piece of cake.

The atmosphere in the meeting hall of the Xiao family mansion was so heavy it seemed to drip water.

Clan Chief Xiao Zhan sat upright in the main seat, clutching a detailed report that had just been delivered, his knuckles turning white from the pressure. Below him, the three elders and core members of the clan all wore somber expressions.

“There were no signs of a struggle at the scene,” Xiao Zhan said in a low voice.

"Everyone was killed instantly without any warning. The examination of Galebi's body showed that the wound had smooth edges, indicating that he was instantly pierced by something extremely sharp. He didn't even have time to use his fighting spirit to defend himself."

"A Dou Ling expert?" Elder Xiao Shan asked in a hoarse voice.

Xiao Zhan shook his head and pushed the report onto the table: "More than that. The residual aura at the scene was extremely weak, but the appraiser judged that it was at least the work of a Dou Wang level expert."

A collective gasp filled the conference hall.

A Battle King! In the Jia Ma Empire, a Battle King is already top-tier combat power, with no more than ten Battle Kings openly known throughout the entire empire. Why would such a powerful figure target a small family in Wutan City?

"Could it be that the Jialie family offended someone they shouldn't have?" Second Elder Xiao Lin speculated.

"Maybe." Xiao Zhan rubbed his temples.

"But that's not the point. The point is, what if their target isn't just the Galley family?"

One sentence sent a chill down everyone's spine.

Yes, the Jia Lie family, along with the Xiao family and the Oba family, are known as the three major families of Wutan City, and their strength is roughly equal.

If the other party could wipe out the Jia Lie family silently, it means they could also wipe out the Xiao family in the same way.

"Strengthen security." Xiao Zhan stood up abruptly, his voice resolute.

"From today onwards, the family will enter a state of highest alert. The number of patrols will be tripled, double guards will be stationed at all entrances and exits, and all defensive formations will be activated at night. In addition, send someone to the Obama family to see how they react."

Immediately after giving the order, Xiao Zhan seemed to remember something and continued, "Finally, make sure Xiao Yu gets along well with Xun'er."

As orders were issued one after another, the entire Xiao family began to operate at full speed, like a tightly wound machine.

Especially that last order, everyone knows what it means—if that ruthless person really comes, probably only Xun'er can save the Xiao family!

Meanwhile, on the other side of Utan City, the Oba family was also in a state of panic. The patriarch, Obapa, paced anxiously in the hall.

Everyone understood that the world in Wutan City was about to change.

…………

Xiao Yu, inside the room, gently exhaled a long breath, slowly waking up from her cultivation state.

She looked down at her hands, where a faint aura of battle energy seemed to flow between her palms, and a bright smile involuntarily spread across her lips.

Last night, she used the Foundation Establishment Elixir that Cao Ying had given her—the elixir was as clear as morning dew, with a subtle medicinal fragrance. Just by opening the bottle cap, one could feel the warm and nourishing power contained within, which was incomparable to ordinary elixirs circulating in the market.

After just one night of absorption and refinement, the bottleneck of the ninth level of Dou Qi that had trapped her for nearly a month was quietly loosened as if water had naturally flowed into a channel.

She could clearly feel that the fighting spirit within her body was much thicker and more concentrated than before, and she had already steadily stepped into the early stage of the ninth level.

The girl was overjoyed and wanted to tell her grandfather the good news immediately, but as she got up and pushed open the door, she was stopped in her tracks by the clansmen who were rushing around in the courtyard with panicked expressions.

The news exploded like a thunderclap in the morning mist—

The Jialie family was wiped out.

Her heart sank. Without thinking too much, she turned and walked towards Xun'er's courtyard.

Over the course of their time together, Xiao Yu had vaguely sensed that Xun'er was no ordinary girl. Her calm and composed demeanor, as well as the occasional unintentional aloofness and mystery, all indicated that she had an unknown background.

The same goes for Cao Ying and Little Fairy Doctor; behind them both seemed to stand unfathomable powerful figures.

At this moment, Xun'er was still nestled in her warm bed. She had returned too late last night and had been having trouble sleeping because of her nightmares. The two figures of those "devilish sisters" that gave her headaches kept flashing through her dreams, making her frown slightly.

Until a rapid knocking sound rang out, accompanied by Xiao Yuqing's clear voice:

"Xun'er, are you awake? It's me, Xiao Yu, something terrible has happened!"

Xun'er rubbed her eyes groggily, got out of bed barefoot, and slowly opened the door.

She squinted subconsciously, her face still showing lingering sleepiness, her pink lips slightly pouting, her voice soft and indistinct: "Cousin Xiao Yu... I came back very late last night, and I haven't had enough sleep yet, why are you disturbing me..."

Seeing her bewildered expression, Xiao Yu felt both anxious and helpless. She lowered her voice and said, "The Jia Lie family was wiped out last night! And..."

As she spoke, she subtly observed Xun'er's reaction.

Xun'er's sleepy eyes snapped open the moment she heard the words "Jialie Family." Just then, a soft, steady voice transmitted to her ear—Ling Ying's voice:

“Miss, this old servant is here. What happened last night was…”

Ling Ying's telepathic message was concise and clear, truthfully recounting how Jialiebi had attempted something malicious the previous night but was killed by Yun Yun's lightning strike, and even the scene of the entire clan's annihilation that Ling Ying witnessed this morning.

Xun'er listened quietly, her innocent face gradually becoming calm, even revealing a hint of coldness that was incongruous with her age.

A mere local bully dares to set his sights on her... He's utterly ignorant and arrogant.

But the thought that Sister Yunyun had wiped out her entire clan, and that he had nowhere to "repay" this "kindness," caused his displeasure to turn into a faint sense of helplessness.

Seeing that she was lost in thought with her eyes downcast, Xiao Yu couldn't help but call out softly, "Xun'er, are you listening?"

"Cousin Xiao Yu, I'm listening." Xun'er raised her small face, her expression having returned to normal. She waved her hand casually, her tone light, as if she were talking about something completely ordinary.

"It must be that the Jia Lie family has committed too many evils and has finally been punished by heaven. We don't need to care."

Seeing her reaction, Xiao Yu's vague guess became clearer—Xun'er might know something, or even that this matter might be related to her.

But before Xiao Yu could voice her question, Xun'er let out a lazy yawn, her eyes showing signs of drowsiness again.

"Alright, alright, Cousin Xiao Yu, I want to continue sleeping, don't disturb my sweet dreams."

With that, she gently closed the door, leaving Xiao Yu, who was full of doubts, outside. Xiao Yu stood outside, staring at the closed door, and finally just sighed softly before turning and leaving.

Inside the door, Xun'er lay back on the soft bed. Before closing her eyes, a faint, meaningful smile appeared on her lips.

Chapter 121 The Grand Elder's Guesses (1)

After leaving Xun'er's residence, Xiao Yu walked through the Xiao family courtyard and headed towards the residence of the eldest elder deep within the family compound.

She walked lightly, her skirt swaying gently with each step, her face beaming with uncontainable joy.

Pushing open the rustic wooden door, a familiar courtyard layout comes into view. Several old plum trees stand quietly in the corner, and an unfinished chess game sits on the stone table.

Elder Xiao Shan usually enjoys reading and playing chess here, savoring the rare moments of tranquility.

"Grandpa, I've come to see you!"

Xiao Yu's clear voice broke the tranquility of the courtyard. She strode across the pebbled path toward the gray-robed old man sitting under the plum tree reading a book.

Elder Xiao Shan raised his head, revealing a kind yet dignified face. Time had etched deep and shallow wrinkles on his face, but his eyes remained bright and sharp. Seeing his granddaughter, he put down the ancient book in his hands and smiled with satisfaction.

"Why did you come so early today, Yu'er?" Xiao Shan asked gently, gesturing for Xiao Yu to sit down on the stone bench opposite him.

Xiao Shan is genuinely proud of his granddaughter.

Among the younger generation of the Xiao family, apart from the former genius Xiao Yan and the mysterious Xiao Xun'er, Xiao Yu's talent is the most outstanding.

What's even more remarkable is that this girl not only cultivates diligently, but also has a pure and clear mind, making her far superior to her younger brother who only knows how to cause trouble all day long.