BTTH: Purple Heaven Thunder Emperor

Time passed slowly, and in the blink of an eye, three days had gone by.

Inside the cave, Yun Zhi was dressed in a loose black robe, cinched tightly at the waist with a belt. The contrast of the dark fabric against her graceful, curvaceous figure made her appear all the more mysteriously alluring.

At this moment, she rested her cheek on her hand, sitting idly on a stone slab, staring blankly toward the cave entrance. Hidden within her beautiful eyes was a faint trace of worry.

She had no idea what that guy was up to—he would leave every morning for some time, never explaining where he was going. This was the Magical Beast Mountain Range, after all, and the subordinates of the Amethyst Winged Lion King were actively searching the mountains for her. If he ran into any of the Tier 5 Magical Beasts, wouldn't that be extremely dangerous?

Although Ah Niu was indeed mysterious—having silently dealt with two Tier 3 Magical Beasts that day—she didn't believe that someone under the age of twenty could possibly defeat a Tier 5 Beast, which was on par with a Dou Wang.

"You're back!"

Upon seeing the familiar figure return at the cave entrance, the worry in Yun Zhi's eyes was quickly replaced with joy, and she greeted him with a soft smile.

"Mm."

Xiao Bai glanced at her indifferently, then walked over to the fire pit. He took a few freshly caught fish, skewered them, and placed them over the flames to roast.

"Did everything go smoothly out there?"

Yun Zhi paid no mind to his cold demeanor. She stood up gracefully, a light fragrance trailing behind her as she moved to sit beside Xiao Bai, tilting her head slightly as she asked softly.

"Mm."

"…"

Seeing his half-hearted response, Yun Zhi felt a sense of helplessness.

"If you keep talking to me in that tone, then after we eat, let's part ways."

Xiao Bai continued flipping the fish over the fire, his expression emotionless.

Ever since that day, Yun Zhi had spoken to him in a soft and gentle tone, yet Xiao Bai could clearly sense a certain distance in her demeanor.

At first, he thought she was just feeling awkward, so he didn't take it to heart.

But three days had passed, and she was still like this—polite and gentle on the surface but cold and distant underneath.

Although he had some affection for her, he had his pride too.

If she didn't care, why should he keep sticking around like a fool?

Yun Zhi was momentarily stunned.

That was the longest sentence Xiao Bai had said to her in the past few days, but it left her feeling slightly uneasy.

After that day, she hadn't really known how to face him, so she had deliberately kept a bit of distance to cover up the awkwardness. But she never expected this little guy to actually want to leave over it!

"Sigh…"

Letting out a soft sigh, she recalled how he had saved her twice.

Even though he had been cold and sullen these past few days, his care for her had been meticulous.

Thinking about it, she relented, returning to her usual tone.

"Happy now?"

"Very happy!"

Seeing her drop the distant attitude, Xiao Bai immediately grinned.

"Come, come! Eat some fish!"

Yun Zhi rolled her eyes at him, feeling both exasperated and amused.

Ignoring her growling stomach, she huffed, "I'm not hungry. You eat."

But before she could refuse further, Xiao Bai directly brought a roasted fish to her lips, looking like he would shove it into her mouth if she didn't take it.

Left with no choice, she snatched it from him with a glare, secretly thinking, Just you wait! Once I recover, I'll make you pay for this!

"It's a bit hot, be careful!"

Xiao Bai, completely unfazed by her murderous glare, instead spoke warmly with concern.

"Have you ever seen a Dou Huang be afraid of a little heat?"

Yun Zhi shot him a sideways glance, looking at him as if he were an idiot.

Hearing this, Xiao Bai's eyes dimmed slightly, his lips moving as if he wanted to say something but ultimately staying silent. He simply turned back to tend to the roasting fish.

Seeing his sudden gloom, Yun Zhi was taken aback.

After a brief pause, she realized that her words might have been misunderstood, and a trace of guilt flickered in her eyes.

In a softer voice, she said, "Sorry, I didn't mean it that way…"

What she didn't see was the playful smirk in Xiao Bai's eyes as he turned away.

Right now, he was thinking that his performance just now definitely deserved an award!

Otherwise, she'd surely beat him to death!

"It's fine! I know you didn't mean it that way. It's my fault for being weak and too sensitive."

Xiao Bai waved his hand dismissively. He quickly recalled all the sad moments from his past just to keep himself from laughing.

"…"

For a moment, Yun Zhi couldn't tell if he was being serious or just messing with her.

This guy? Weak?

She didn't know his exact level, but for someone his age to take down two Tier 3 Magical Beasts in an instant, he would already be considered the strongest young expert in the Jia Ma Empire!

"Do you have a Master?"

Yun Zhi asked, her voice carrying a hint of anticipation.

Xiao Bai shook his head.

"No. I happened to stumble upon some fortunate encounters, so I've been training entirely on my own."

He wasn't lying—his cultivation method was unique, and he really had figured things out by himself.

"In that case… I have a place to recommend to you. There, you'll receive the best training possible. What do you think?"

Yun Zhi's beautiful face lit up with excitement, her eyes sparkling as she gazed at him—like she was looking at an unpolished gem with immense potential.

Hearing this, Xiao Bai felt that something was off.

Wait a minute…I want you as my wife, but you're trying to make yourself my Master?!

Xiao Bai rubbed his chin, pondered for a moment, then turned his head and asked, "Are you there too?"

Yun Zhi's eyes flickered slightly as she replied, "No! But I have a friend there. If you go, she will definitely take good care of you!"

Xiao Bai glanced at this "strict" woman, waved his hand, and said, "Not going, not going!"

"Why?" Seeing his refusal, Yun Zhi blinked in confusion.

"If you're not there, what's the point of going?" Xiao Bai said matter-of-factly.

Yun Zhi's face turned slightly red, then she became somewhat frustrated and scolded, "What exactly are you cultivating for? If I'm not there, you won't cultivate?"

For some reason, the more she spoke, the angrier she got. She couldn't help but stand up and say, "Exploring cultivation on your own is nowhere near as good as having someone guide you and provide you with the best resources! If something happens to you while cultivating alone, what then?"

"Uh… Yun Zhi, are you cursing me??" Xiao Bai was a little stunned, not understanding why this woman suddenly got mad.

"Pfft! Of course not, I'm just worried about you!" Yun Zhi said instinctively, somewhat agitated. But after speaking, she suddenly realized something was off, her expression freezing.

"What's wrong with me?" Yun Zhi wondered about her reaction—this was nothing like the calm and composed Sect Leader of the Yunlan Sect she was supposed to be.

She didn't know why, but seeing Xiao Bai's unmotivated expression filled her with an inexplicable sense of anger!

"It must be because he has so much potential. I just can't bear to see him waste his talent! Yes, that must be it!" After pondering for a long time, Yun Zhi secretly nodded to herself, finally finding a somewhat reasonable excuse to convince herself.

A playful glint flashed in Xiao Bai's eyes as he looked at the woman who had just been fuming with anger. He seemed to understand why she had been so upset earlier.

"What are you looking at, you unmotivated fool!" Yun Zhi snapped in embarrassment, feeling uneasy under his penetrating gaze. Annoyed, she scoffed and moved far away from him, elegantly picking up a piece of fish and eating it, ignoring him.

Xiao Bai withdrew his gaze from her and shook his head. This scene felt strangely familiar—he still remembered how, last time, he had rubbed his nose in front of Cai Lin and got scolded harshly. Now, because of a simple joke, he was once again being reprimanded by Yun Zhi.

That day, Yun Zhi didn't speak another word to Xiao Bai. After finishing her meal, she closed her eyes and focused on dissolving the seal. Xiao Bai didn't mind—if he really followed her expectations, wouldn't that mean going to the Yunlan Sect?

Among everyone in the Yunlan Sect, the only one he had any fondness for was the woman in front of him. As for the others, he didn't care about them at all.

—

Night fell, and the sky was filled with countless stars. The silver moon hung high, its faint, cold glow casting a soft veil over the Magic Beast Mountain Range.

In a small forest on the outskirts of the mountain range, the flickering campfire danced lightly, casting its glow on a youthful face.

"Master, we could enter the Magic Beast Mountain Range from near Wu Tan City, so why did we come all the way here?" Xiao Yan asked lazily, using a small stick to poke at the fire.

After leaving Wu Tan City, the initial excitement of venturing into the world with a sword had faded, and his enthusiasm had dropped significantly. The loneliness of the journey made him miss his time at the Xiao family.

"This is the eastern side of the Magic Beast Mountain Range. If you cross through here, you'll reach the Tagor Desert, which will be your final training ground," Yao Lao said with a smile.

"Cross through??" Xiao Yan almost jumped up in shock. He exclaimed, "Master, you must be joking! With my current strength, I can barely handle a First-rank Magic Beast in the outer region, let alone a Second-Rank one. How am I supposed to cross through the whole thing?"

"Only by facing danger can you fully unleash your potential!" Yao Lao said calmly. "My plan is for you to break through to Dou Shi in the Magic Beast Mountain Range, then head to the desert to devour a Heavenly Flame. After that, you'll gain experience and familiarize yourself with the upgraded Flame Mantra's power."

"Alright then..." Xiao Yan sighed helplessly, his lips curling into a bitter smile. It seemed that most of his time from now on would be spent in the mountains. Oh well, as long as his teacher was there, at least he wouldn't end up in a beast's belly.

"Look at you, so unambitious!" Yao Lao glanced at him, shaking his head in disappointment. "Both of you left Wutan City for the first time, but that brat Xiao Bai strutted through the Magical Beasts Mountain Range like he owned the place, picking fights with anyone he disliked without ever needing my help! Now look at you!"

Yao Lao shook his head. Truly, without comparison, there'd be no sense of disparity. When he had traveled with Xiao Bai before, he hadn't thought much of it at the time. But now, after setting out with Xiao Yan, the difference was glaring.

Back then, Xiao Bai had been decisive, doing whatever he wanted with clear goals. Aside from that one time he courted death and got struck by lightning, Yao Lao hadn't needed to worry about him at all.

But this little guy here? He needed everything planned out—his itinerary arranged, safeguards in place, and guidance for cultivation. It was exhausting!

Xiao Yan rolled his eyes. Who wanted to be compared to that monster?

Before entering the Magic Beast Mountain Range, Yao Lao had told him a few stories about Xiao Bai's exploits. That guy didn't even bother picking up first- and second-rank Magic Beasts' magic cores—he just zapped them into ashes with a single bolt of lightning! When Xiao Yan heard that, he was green with envy.

If he had known Bai-ge was that rich, he would have gone to rob him ages ago!

"You have two older brothers in Stone Desert City, right? We can visit them on this trip."

"Big Brother and Second Brother…" Thinking of the two brothers who had always treated him well, Xiao Yan couldn't help but feel a bit excited.

"Starting tomorrow, I'll guide you in gathering some medicinal ingredients to speed up your cultivation. Besides your talent, pills are also essential," Yao Lao said thoughtfully.

"Nalan Yanran must be doing the same, right?" Xiao Yan raised an eyebrow with a smirk.

"Heh, she's in the Yunlan Sect, relying on that Gu He—a mere sixth-tier Alchemist. How could he compare to me?" Yao Lao said arrogantly, making sure to express his disdain for the so-called 'Pill King' Gu He.

Xiao Yan had nothing to say to that. He simply gave a thumbs-up, showing his utmost respect to an eighth-tier Alchemist.

"By the way, carry this on your back from now on. Even when you sleep, you're not allowed to take it off!"

A massive black ruler flew out from an ancient-looking ring.

—

As the moon set and the first rays of dawn emerged, Xiao Bai surveyed the valley where he had been gathering medicinal herbs. He had been collecting them lazily for the past few days, but the valley was only so big—sooner or later, he would run out.

After taking one last look at the valley, he leaped into the air and departed. Who knew when he would return?

Landing near a waterfall, Xiao Bai made his way toward a cave. It was time to check on Yun Zhi's progress in unsealing her power. If she still couldn't break the seal by tomorrow, he would have to step in himself.

After all, this was already the fifth day. The day after tomorrow, he was supposed to head to Jia Nan Academy. If he didn't return tomorrow, those two girls would probably come hunting him down!

After their last encounter, Xun'er had given him a Soul Jade and asked him to imprint a soul mark on it, allowing her to monitor his safety. Xiao Bai didn't refuse.

That was probably the only reason the two of them hadn't shown up yet. Otherwise, knowing Xun'er's temperament, even if she didn't come in person, Ling Ying would probably already be lurking nearby.

When Xiao Bai entered the cave, he found himself staring into a pair of light blue, beautiful eyes.

The moment their gazes met, the clear, lake-like eyes shifted away as if nothing had happened.

"Ahem… How's the seal inside your body coming along?" As the man, it was up to Xiao Bai to break the awkward silence.

"Tomorrow... I should be able to undo the seal," Yun Zhi said softly after a brief pause.

"That's good!" Xiao Bai sighed in relief. If she still couldn't break the seal by tomorrow, he'd have a hard time explaining. If he didn't help, he wouldn't be able to wait for her to undo it herself. But if he did, he'd have to explain why he'd stood by idly all this time.

"You seem very happy," Yun Zhi glanced at him and said in a calm voice.

"Shouldn't I be?" Xiao Bai pointed at himself, puzzled. Did this woman's brain get sealed along with her power?

"Hmph!" A barely audible snort escaped her lips, and she seemed to glare at him slightly, leaving Xiao Bai feeling utterly baffled.

"Once I recover tomorrow, I'll go after that lion. You should stay far away—don't get too close!" Seeing his puzzled expression, she sighed inwardly, a trace of softness flickering in her eyes as she gently reminded him.

"Don't need my help?" Xiao Bai asked, his eyes brimming with amusement.

Yun Zhi shot him a sidelong glance. She had been about to snap that he'd only be a nuisance, but then, as if remembering something, she stared at him intently. He... might actually be of some use.

"Purple Spirit Crystals are usually found in the lion king's cave. Tomorrow, I'll lure the lion away, and you can search the cave for them. If you wouldn't mind..." After a moment's consideration, she nodded and said, "Take this crystal. It will grow warm when near a Purple Spirit Crystal—it'll make your search easier."

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