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

"I don't know if we'll ever meet again." His voice drifted on the wind, carrying a hint of uncertainty.

"Let it be. All gatherings and separations in this world depend on fate. If fate brings you together, you will see each other even if you don't want to; if fate doesn't bring you together, you won't see each other even if you want to."

After saying this, he did not turn back and went straight into the inner room, leaving Xun'er alone under the dim light, standing in the direction he disappeared for a long time.

A morning breeze carried the faint sound of wheels rolling in the distance, pulling Xun'er back from her memories.

She blinked, the trace of moisture in her eyes vanished without a trace, leaving only a deep, unfathomable stillness.

She gazed at the smoke and dust that had long since disappeared at the end of the road, then turned to look at Xiao Yu beside her, whose expression was somber yet stubborn.

Finally, his gaze seemed to casually sweep over Xiao Yan, who was also somewhat heartbroken.

Chapter 162 The bullet Han Feng fired in the past struck Xiao Yan's brow.

At this moment, Xiao Yan was different from the others around him who were immersed in the sorrow of parting. Although he was also somewhat sad, deep in his young eyes was a kind of almost burning determination.

Last night, Yao Chen waited for him on the back mountain of the Xiao family. The moonlight was like water, casting the senior's slender and tall figure.

The senior colleague said that before leaving, there were a few things he wanted to tell him one more time.

Xiao Yan held his breath and listened intently, only to see Yao Lao lightly tap his forehead with his fingertip. A warm and powerful flow of information surged into his mind like a river flowing into the sea—it was the complete inheritance memory of alchemists from the first to the fourth rank, so precious that it could drive countless forces crazy.

Xiao Yan was deeply shaken; this generous gift, given without reservation, was far more profound than he had imagined.

Without any hesitation, he immediately knelt down to pay his respects, his voice trembling slightly with excitement: "Senior, please accept me as your disciple!"

Yao Chen stepped aside, a faint emotion, too subtle for Xiao Yan to fully decipher, flashed across his aged face. He simply waved his hand and said nothing more.

Xiao Yan was not discouraged. From the occasional snippets of information Cao Ying occasionally uttered, he pieced together a chilling conjecture: this unfathomable senior had been betrayed twice by those close to him.

As this thought flashed through Xiao Yan's mind, an unnamed fire flared up in his chest—although Yao Lao hadn't explicitly stated that he was taking on a disciple, how could his intentional or unintentional guidance, his earnest dedication to imparting all his knowledge, and his hidden expectations and care be fake? The senior clearly valued him.

The reason they refuse to accept it now is simply because... their hearts have been broken and they are afraid.

"What kind of nonsense is this!" Xiao Yan thought bitterly to himself.

[It was clearly the work of those two scoundrels at the beginning; their cold arrows, however, missed the second one and struck me squarely in the heart of the third person who wanted to become my disciple!]

(Knowing only that Yao Chen had been robbed twice, he secretly deduced that the senior had two rebellious disciples.)

Those two must be blind and deranged! A master like this is someone others would crave their entire lives, yet they've treated him so poorly.

Ultimately, Xiao Yan's attempt to become an apprentice failed, but he didn't leave empty-handed. He learned where Yao Chen and his group had gone—Canaan Academy.

The goal became clear in an instant, like a beacon illuminating the path ahead.

"Senior, just watch." Gazing at the figures in the sky gradually turning into black dots and finally disappearing, Xiao Yan slowly clenched his fist, his nails digging deeply into his palm, bringing a sharp, clear-headed feeling. The young man's heart surged with emotion, his conviction as solid as a rock.

I will study at Canaan College and go to your side. If once isn't enough, I'll try ten times; if one year isn't enough, I'll try three or five years.

Sincerity can move mountains. I refuse to believe that a heart that has been chilled cannot be warmed.

Senior, I want to take care of you in your old age!

A gentle breeze stirred the boy's black hair. He stood at the city gate, his back still somewhat slender, yet his spine was ramrod straight, as if he were already capable of bearing the storms and promises of the future.

I've always felt that there's a predestined master-disciple relationship between us.

This bond cannot be severed by others, nor can it be erased by time. I will wait until the day it blossoms and bears fruit.

He took a deep breath, suppressing the melancholy and admiration deep within his heart, transforming them into a burning passion. He turned around and took firm steps toward the path he had come from and toward the future that had already been set.

…………

As night deepened, the lights of an inn on the edge of the Black Corner Region flickered in the wind.

Yao Chen sat alone by the window, gazing at the blurry mountain shadows in the distance. The hustle and bustle of the daytime had faded away, but the image of that young man from Wutan City appeared more and more clearly in his mind.

Yao Chen genuinely likes Xiao Yan after spending this time together.

Although that kid was occasionally a bit cunning and liked to take advantage of others, and his behavior wasn't exactly upright, he could distinguish right from wrong when it came to matters of principle, and he possessed a rare sense of loyalty and tenacity deep down.

Moreover, this child's talent is truly astonishing—he just broke through to the Dou Zhe level a few days ago and awakened dual fire and wood attribute Dou Qi. His soul power is far superior to that of his peers, being both powerful and sharp. He is practically a perfect candidate tailor-made for the alchemist profession.

This talent is no less than Han Feng's back then, and perhaps even a bit more outstanding. (The solid foundation laid by the Foundation Establishment Elixir, coupled with Yao Chen's subtle guidance, allowed him to break through to the Dou Zhe realm earlier than his original trajectory.)

But whenever he had the thought of taking on a disciple, Han Feng's smiling face and that icy, piercing blade would tear through his memories without warning, bringing a suffocating heart palpitation. His outstretched hand ultimately froze in mid-air.

"So be it..." Yao Chen sighed softly, his voice echoing in the quiet room, carrying an indescribable sense of desolation.

"We were destined to meet, but in the end... we were not meant to be."

"What do you mean by 'destined to meet but not to be together'? Tell me about it." Su Baichen had also strolled over at some point and sat down opposite him.

During the day, he noticed that his old friend seemed a little absent-minded. He initially thought it was because he was thinking about that wretched Han Feng and was feeling emotional near the Black Corner Region, but now it seemed that he had other thoughts on his mind.

"It's nothing." Yao Chen glanced at his old friend and waved his hand casually. "I just remembered that little guy named Xiao Yan from Wutan City."

"Xiao Yan?" Su Baichen raised an eyebrow, slightly surprised, and said, "That kid?"

"Hmm. He has both wood and fire attributes, and his soul power is also outstanding. He's a promising talent for alchemy. But I..." Yao Chen stopped abruptly, a deep weariness and wariness flashing in his eyes.

Su Baichen remained silent for a moment. Of course, he knew what Yao Chen was "just" about. The scars left by that betrayal were too deep, so deep that even this once carefree and unrestrained Yao Venerable would instinctively shrink back when faced with an uncarved piece of jade.

"I understand what you're afraid of," Su Baichen said slowly, his tone much more serious than usual.

"I've kept an eye on that kid. He does have a lot of minor flaws, he's quick-witted and thick-skinned... but he's not fundamentally flawed when it comes to matters of principle. If you really want to take him in, that's not out of the question."

Speaking of Xiao Yan, Su Baichen actually still harbored some inexplicable anger.

He could clearly see the way that kid looked at his apprentice Cao Ying—he was clearly thinking of living off her, and even wanted to live off his precious apprentice! When he first noticed this, Su Baichen almost couldn't resist drawing his sword and chopping that little bastard to pieces.

This scene looked exactly like the beginning of some awful story. He was really afraid that one day that kid would come over with a grin and say, "Old Deng, is it okay if I put my will-o'-the-wisp... no, my alchemy furnace outside your house?"

What master could tolerate this?

However, despite his anger, Su Baichen had to admit that if he set aside this "warning" and looked at Xiao Yan's temperament, talent, and drive alone, his future achievements wouldn't be too bad if he had someone to guide him.

"Oh?" Upon hearing this, a hint of seriousness finally appeared in Yao Chen's eyes.

He himself had suffered many setbacks in judging people, but he had great faith in his old friend's judgment. If Su Baichen said "it's possible," then perhaps Xiao Yan truly possessed a quality he had never seen before, a quality worthy of entrusting with the inheritance.

"If you want to accept it, then accept it. Give each other a chance." Su Baichen patted his shoulder, his voice calm yet firm.

“…We’ll see, it’s up to fate.” Yao Chen stood up and walked into the inner room. His tone seemed calm, but his slightly quickened steps revealed an unusual loosening of his stance.

The night breeze blew through the window lattice. Yao Chen lay on the couch, and before closing his eyes, the stubborn yet fiery gaze of that boy in black reappeared once again.

Little one, you should know the way to Canaan Academy by now.

If you really manage to catch up...

I will first accept your title of "nominal disciple," and see how far our master-disciple relationship can go.

Don't let me down... Xiao Yan.

The last whisper faded into the silent night, carrying with it a long-lost, subtle expectation.

Chapter 163 The Egg That Resonates with the Jade Serpent's Three-Flower Pupil!

The streets of Black Seal City are filled with a unique mixture of smells—the smoky aroma of roasted monster meat, the bitterness of herbs, the metallic stench of rust, and the lingering scent of dust and sweat.

The streets were crowded with all kinds of stalls. On the animal hides, strangely shaped ores, faintly glowing herbs, unknown bones and broken weapons were piled up haphazardly. Each stall owner looked at the passers-by with a wary and greedy gaze.

Like a bird released from its cage, Cai Die grabbed Cao Ying's wrist and darted into the crowd.

"Look over there! Those glowing stones!" Her eyes lit up as she pointed to a stall selling fluorescent stones not far away, and before Cao Ying could respond, she pulled her over and squeezed through the crowd.

Although Cao Ying was usually quite playful, she toned it down a bit at this moment and whispered a reminder: "Sister Cai Die, Master said it's not safe here..."

"Okay, okay!" Cai Die replied, already picking up a pale blue fluorescent stone and playing with it. The stone emitted a soft light in her palm, illuminating her excited face.

Su Baichen watched the two people's joyful backs and shook his head helplessly.

He turned to look at Cai Lin, who remained vigilant beside him. Cai Lin was frowning slightly, her gaze sharp as she scanned the malicious stares around her.

“Cai Lin, you should come along too,” Su Baichen said gently. “After all, this is the Black Corner Region, a place where evil people gather. The two of them are simple-minded and easily deceived.”

Upon hearing this, a hint of agreement flashed in Cai Lin's eyes. She knew her younger sister all too well—Cai Die seemed lively and clever, but in reality, she was quite naive, and would forget everything else when she encountered something new and interesting.

Although Cao Ying was intelligent, her cleverness was probably not enough in such a chaotic place.

"Yes, I understand." Cai Lin replied simply, her figure already drifting out like a wisp of purple smoke, quickly chasing after the two figures that were about to disappear into the crowd.

Su Baichen watched the three leave before turning to Little Fairy Doctor and Qinglin beside him.

"Let's go check out the Treasure Trove. I've heard that you often find unexpected treasures there."

Little Fairy Doctor's eyes lit up, and she nodded vigorously: "Great! I happen to need a few special medicinal herbs!"

Qinglin followed quietly behind the two, her unique emerald eyes curiously surveying her surroundings.

Her gaze would pause briefly when it swept over certain stalls, but quickly look away, as if she didn't want to cause trouble for Su Baichen.

The Treasure Shop is located on the east side of Black Seal City. It is wider than the main street and the stalls are much more organized.

The goods here are indeed rarer: strange insects still wriggling in special containers, exotic plants still glowing in crystal, mysterious stone slabs engraved with ancient characters... each one exudes an extraordinary aura.

Su Baichen strolled slowly among the stalls, his sharp eyes scanning each item. Years of experience had honed his discerning eye, allowing him to distinguish between genuine and counterfeit, superior and inferior goods at a glance.

"Master, look at this!" Little Fairy Doctor suddenly squatted down in front of a stall and picked up an inconspicuous gray stone.

"This is the core of the gray rock. The outer layer is a camouflage; the inside should contain chalcedony!"

The stall owner, an elderly man with only one eye, raised an eyebrow upon hearing this: "Young lady, you have a good eye, but the price isn't cheap."

After some haggling, Little Fairy Doctor traded a bottle of second-grade pills for the gray rock heart. She treasured the stone and put it into her storage ring, a satisfied smile on her face.

Su Baichen also acquired several decent materials: a small piece of star iron, three well-preserved night-glowing grasses, and a fire-attribute magic core. Although these items weren't top-tier, they were quite rare in a place like the Black Corner Region.

Only Qinglin followed quietly behind, without buying anything.

It wasn't that she didn't see things she liked, but every time she picked something up, she looked at the price and then quietly put it back. Su Baichen gave her quite a bit of pocket money, but she was always reluctant to spend it.

After wandering around for most of the hour, Little Fairy Doctor noticed that Qinglin was still empty-handed, so she stopped.

She thought for a moment, then took out the Spirit Snake Grass she had just exchanged for a Grade 3 elixir from her storage ring. The herb was coiled in the shape of a snake, with fine silver patterns on its leaves, and it emitted a faint fragrance.

"Sister Qinglin." Little Fairy Doctor handed the Spirit Snake Grass to Qinglin and said with a smile, "This is for you."

Looking at the fourth-grade medicinal herbs in front of her, Qinglin quickly waved her hand: "Little Fairy Doctor, this is too precious! You just spent so long haggling with that stall owner to get it, how can I accept it?"

"Oh, please accept it!" Little Fairy Doctor insisted on stuffing the spiritual herb into Qinglin's hand.