Battle Throught The Heavens: Reborn Yan Emperor Ts

"Hahahaha! Congratulations, Senior Xiao Yan, on your further breakthrough in strength!"

Liu Huabai and the great elder Liu Xincheng smiled broadly and clasped their fists in congratulations.

Xiao Yan returned their smiles warmly, exchanged a few casual words, and then left the ruined site with them.

Inside the Liu family's meeting hall, Xiao Yan and Liu Huabai sat at the head seats. Xiao Yan, still smiling, casually looked at Liu Huabai, who had been watching him intently. Finally, Xiao Yan asked,

  "I wonder what Master Liu would like to tell me. If you have something on your mind, just speak directly—I'm sure you wouldn't say anything unkind."

At these words, Liu Huabai's eyes narrowed slightly and his expression became momentarily uneasy. After a long pause as his thoughts raced, he managed a smile and said,

  "Yes, you are right. I do have some questions I'd like you to explain."

Liu Huabai's gaze turned somewhat evasive, but Xiao Yan was not concerned. He already knew that Liu Feng's attempts—as recorded on the golden plaque—to force him to swear the Heavenly Thunder Oath would eventually reveal the Liu family's true intentions. After all, that oath was originally meant to restrain Xiao Yan; if he hadn't discovered its secret, he would have become a puppet of the Liu family. Now, with the two Nine Heavens Divine Thunders in play, Liu Huabai also wished to know exactly what Xiao Yan was doing with the golden plaque.

Although Xiao Yan felt a twinge of dissatisfaction at the questioning, he reminded himself that he had secured the inheritance without losing anything, so he cared little about Liu Huabai's inquiry. After a brief pause, under Liu Huabai's nervous gaze, Xiao Yan replied calmly,

  "Yes, your Liu family's ancestors have basically achieved their goal."

Liu Huabai was momentarily speechless—his slightly open mouth remained that way as his eyes stared blankly at Xiao Yan, a sight that appeared rather ridiculous. Xiao Yan simply smiled, and Liu Huabai responded with a nervous grin. Instantly, cold sweat broke out on his face; he unconsciously sat up straighter. The corners of his mouth twitched into an awkward, almost tearful smile as he said,

  "I don't quite understand what you mean, Senior."

Xiao Yan's smile grew cold as his gaze turned piercingly sharp. Suddenly, Liu Huabai's face changed; his body trembled, and he quickly stood, bowing deeply in apology.

  "I apologize for any offense, Senior. Please forgive me—I simply hesitated for a moment. I hope you can bear with me."

Xiao Yan snorted, "Humph! Just understand—some things, if spoken aloud, can kill!"

No sooner had he spoken than the teacup in his hand exploded into powder and scattered in the air. At the same time, Liu Huabai's expression shifted again; his already slumped posture bent further, obscuring his view of Xiao Yan's face. Whether this was deliberate or not, it remained unclear. Unfortunately, as Liu Huabai lowered his head, he missed the playful glint in Xiao Yan's eyes.

Clearing his throat, Xiao Yan was about to continue speaking when Liu Huabai quickly fetched a fine teacup and prepared a cup of steaming hot tea for him.

  "Humph! For the sake of your ancestor's inheritance, I will spare your life today. But know this—your Liu family's ancestor is a great man. Unfortunately, his methods were too cruel. I made the Heavenly Thunder Oath this time, and I fear it is the first time I have been cheated!"

"Humph! As for you, descendant of the Liu family, Liu Feng must have explained his plan to you. Don't get your hopes up. I promised him I would protect your Liu family in times of crisis—that is the most I can do. So, I advise you to stop causing trouble for me when I'm away. Otherwise, even if you are bound by the Thunder Oath, I will still destroy your Liu family!"

Liu Huabai's face changed, though less harshly, and he rolled his eyes before bowing again to Xiao Yan. Finally, Liu Huabai calmed himself and said,

  "I understand that what you have done is the greatest concession to my Liu family. I will do my best to discipline my clansmen and prevent further trouble. If anyone violates this rule, I won't let them off easily!"

His decisive tone was unmistakable. Xiao Yan nodded slightly, then sipped a few more cups of tea, stood up, and slowly left the hall. Liu Huabai quickly followed.

After a while, Liu Huabai frowned as he glanced at the ruins beneath his feet, then looked up at Xiao Yan and asked,

  "I wonder what this is, Senior?"

Xiao Yan offered a slight smile but did not answer, moving on until he arrived at the library door.

Liu Huabai raised his eyebrows, recalling Xiao Yan's request from half a month ago, and shook his head in helplessness. The strong always care about certain things—even a modest family library, no matter how glorious its past, might now seem insignificant.

Liu Huabai quickly accompanied Xiao Yan to the library door. The plaque once symbolizing the family's legacy no longer hung there—it now resembled a simple attic. Standing in front of the door, Liu Huabai cast a series of mysterious seals on the wooden surface, sending out ripples like water waves.

Xiao Yan stood quietly behind him, glancing at a lonely pavilion amid the ruins, then at a golden plaque mounted on a bluestone wall. He sighed softly and extended his hand. With a low, muffled sound, a thumb-sized emerald-green flame rose from his index finger. Although small, the flame seemed to make the heavens and earth protest.

Stirred, Xiao Yan let his soul power flow with the flame, causing energy to cling to the bamboo forest ruins, slowly sinking into the ground until it vanished.

At that moment, Liu Huabai finally opened the library door. Xiao Yan looked at him—his nose dotted with beads of sweat—smiled slightly, and stepped inside.

Liu Huabai glanced at the ruins once more, sighed, turned around, and followed Xiao Yan into the library. Inside, neatly arranged storage shelves held ancient books on martial arts. In the innermost section, Xiao Yan noticed a long-unused shelf bearing four large characters: "Literary Classics."

Xiao Yan smiled; though such books might be of little practical use to a small family, they were exactly what he needed. He advanced to the storage rack, and with his white palms, gently flipped through the dusty old books. Finally, his gaze settled on an ancient, somewhat tattered volume in a corner.

Eagerly, Xiao Yan opened the book, revealing illustrations and explanations of various medicinal herbs and their effects. He flipped his palm, and a lush green medicinal herb with slender stems and leaves—about a foot long, with soil clinging to its vine-like roots—flashed out from the intermediate storage ring that Liu Huabai had provided.

Using the herb's pattern as a guide, Xiao Yan searched the book. Liu Huabai noticed that Xiao Yan had found something and was about to approach, but Xiao Yan waved his sleeves, and a curtain of Dou Qi rose three feet away, blocking further progress. The fighting spirit light curtain obscured the view, forcing Liu Huabai to wait patiently.

Wisteria Tendril: the main ingredient of the ninth-grade elixir Zixu Tianling Dan. It takes 100 years for its buds to sprout, 1,000 years for it to become full-grown, and 5,000 years for it to truly mature. During its seedling stage, the accumulated energy of heaven and earth over a thousand years can trigger a thunderstorm that baptizes the plant with thunder's power, refining its medicinal properties. If the wisteria tendrils survive this tribulation, they mature into fully developed wisteria spirit tendrils, which can transform into spiritual intelligence and walk among people. Their cultivation may even reach the level of a Fighting Saint.

Xiao Yan sighed; he had not expected that such a medicinal herb could, after a thunder tribulation, elevate one to Dou Sheng level. "Tsk tsk—my cultivation level has been reduced to that of a dog. Tsk tsk…" he murmured.

Evil Soul Demon Fruit: a necessary ingredient for the Ninth-Rank Emperor Pill. This first-rank herb absorbs the turbid spirits of all dead souls—or the undead souls of Dou Zong powerhouses for 1,000 years, or those of Dou Zun powerhouses for 100 years—to transform into a mysterious fruit. The Ink Blood Demon Tree bears fruit after 1,000 years, and it takes 10,000 years for one tree to produce ten fruits. Of these, only nine are usable; the tenth must be discarded, for anyone who uses it is doomed to die. The reason remains unknown; all who previously attempted the tenth pill exploded and died before its use. Thus, anyone who obtains an evil soul fruit of unknown origin discards it, as no one wishes to risk certain death.

Consequently, people avoid evil spirits and evil fruits at all costs.

Xiao Yan studied these herbs for several hours, growing both surprised and shocked. Several herbs long extinct on the Dou Qi Continent, and rare plants he had only heard of in legends, stunned him so profoundly that he nearly became numb. An entire afternoon passed in astonishment, and it wasn't until nightfall that Xiao Yan returned to the Liu family residence, his face shocked, with Liu Huabai equally perplexed. Unfortunately, Liu Huabai knew nothing and could only blink silently.

Truly, the strong are strange. When Liu Huabai escorted Xiao Yan away, they failed to notice that the ruins had transformed into a vast, lush green bamboo forest. It wasn't until the next morning that Liu Huabai recalled last night's events—recollections that shocked him greatly.

Indeed, the powerful can do anything! Strength is the true creator of the world; with strength, even nature is insignificant.

Liu Huabai sighed deeply, "The Liu family is still too weak!"

Over the next few days, Xiao Yan stayed temporarily with the Liu family, which pleased Liu Huabai. After all, as long as Xiao Yan remained, no one would dare trouble Qingyang City.

Time flew—ten days passed, and it had been a month since Xiao Yan arrived in this strange world. One day, while practicing, Liu Huabai awakened Xiao Yan with a smile:

  "Senior, tomorrow is Qingyang City's annual grand auction. Are you interested in participating?"

Xiao Yan raised his eyebrows, thought for a moment, then a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. He nodded to Liu Huabai, said no more, and resumed his practice.