Battle Through the Heavens: Marry Cao Ying, Reward is Devouring Ancestral Symbol

Chapter 259 Heading to the Cao FamilyCao Ying’s eyelashes fluttered slightly as she immediately grasped his intention.

Controlling the high-level members of the Nine Serene Earth Nether Python would not only solve Demon Crow’s predicament but also plant moles for future interference in their clan’s affairs.

”It’s feasible,” Cao Ying said after a brief thought. ”But we must be cautious. The Nine Serene Earth Nether Python is not like the Ice River Valley; they have a Dou Sheng sitting in command within the clan.

If we are detected, it will be a huge problem.”

”That’s why we start from the periphery,” Shen Wen said. ”First, we bait those Elders who have a decent status but aren’t part of the absolute core.

They travel freely, and their disappearance for a few days won’t immediately alarm the Clan Chief.”

Cao Ying nodded. ”I’ll have Demon Crow draw up a list as soon as possible.”

After saying this, she suddenly fell silent for a moment.

Then she spoke, her tone carrying a hint of playfulness:

”There’s one more thing.”

Seeing her expression, Shen Wen already had an ominous premonition in his heart.

”Old Lin said,” Cao Ying’s lips curled slightly, ”that you haven’t been focusing on Alchemy lately.”

She paused and emphasized her tone:

”The Old Ancestor is looking for you.”

Shen Wen: ”...”

He reached out to rub his brow and let out a long breath:

”There’s just too much to do.”

This wasn’t an excuse. The Hall of Souls, the Nine Serene Earth Nether Python, the spatial tunnels, the Northwest layout, Qing Lin’s matter... everything was piled up together, and he wished he could split himself into three.

Looking at his rare deflated appearance, the slight resentment Cao Ying had felt from him taking a concubine mostly dissipated.

”I know,” she said, her voice softening. ”So I didn’t accept any Alchemy invitations on your behalf.

As for the Old Ancestor, I’ve smoothed things over for you, saying you’re comprehending a new Pill Formula and shouldn’t be disturbed.”

Shen Wen looked up at her, his gaze filled with a touch of gratitude.

Cao Ying gave him a sidelong glance:

”But I can’t guarantee how long I can stall him.

What kind of insight does the Old Ancestor have? Once you stand before him, he’ll know at a glance whether it’s true or false.”

Shen Wen fell silent.

He understood Xuan Danzi’s painstaking efforts.

This Old Ancestor treated him very generously, teaching him core secret techniques like the Three Revolutions into Pill without reservation, truly training him as his successor.

And during this time, he indeed had been too distracted.

”...Once I’m done with this busy period, I’ll go apologize to the Old Ancestor,” Shen Wen said.

She had heard her husband say the words ”once I’m done with this busy period” no less than ten times.

Every time, he was sincere.

But the work was never finished.

She sighed softly:

”The number of capable people under us is still too small.”

Shen Wen comforted Cao Ying, saying, ”Don’t worry, take it slow. Our development is already considered fast; it’s just that the targets we’re benchmarking against are too large.”

Cao Ying nodded without refuting him.

She also knew in her heart that considering the time Shen Wen had started from scratch, the speed at which this Family business had expanded was already startlingly fast.

The Foundation that ordinary forces might not be able to accumulate in decades, they had achieved in two or three years.

It was just that their opponents were the Hall of Souls and those ancient clans that had occupied the Central Plains for thousands of years, so they naturally seemed stretched thin everywhere.

She was silent for a moment before suddenly speaking, ”My grandfather wants to see you.”

Shen Wen raised an eyebrow. ”Grandfather wants to see me?”

Cao Ying’s grandfather, the previous head of the Cao Family and a Grade 8 Alchemist, was also a renowned figure among the older generation of the Pill Tower.

Shen Wen had only caught a brief glimpse of him when he married Cao Ying.

At that time, the hall was full of guests, and the old man sat at the head, accepted the couple’s bows, said a few polite words, and had no further individual interaction.

Cao Ying nodded, her tone flat yet insightful: ”Think of it as securing the Cao Family’s investment.”

She paused, her lips curling into a faint, mocking smile: ”That brother of mine is a useless waste who can’t carry the Family business.

The Cao Family Elders aren’t stupid. Rather than betting on a direct grandson who can’t be helped up, they’d rather bet on you, the grandson-in-law.”

Shen Wen heard the coldness in her words and didn’t pick up on that topic, simply rubbing his chin.

If he could get the full support of the Cao Family, it would indeed save a lot of time.

The Cao Family was one of the Pill Tower’s Five Great Families, rooted in Holy Pill City for centuries. Their connections, resources, and intelligence networks were not something their newly established power could compare to.

If nothing else, the priority for medicinal herb channels and the allocation of Alchemy Materials alone could save him many detours.

As for core secrets.

The things that needed to be guarded by the Great Universal Salvation Technique would naturally still be managed by those he had converted, having nothing to do with the Cao Family.

”Then I’ll visit the Cao Family in two days,” Shen Wen said. ”I’ve been married to you for so long and haven’t made a proper visit; it truly is my oversight.”

Hearing this, Cao Ying’s lips curled up, the coldness in her eyes melting away, replaced by a playful smile.

”You don’t need to curry favor with the Cao Family.” She raised her hand and poked Shen Wen’s chest with her fingertip, her tone a bit coquettish. ”You just need to curry favor with me. Hmph.”

Shen Wen took her hand, didn’t say anything, and just smiled.

The next day, Shen Wen first sent a message to Xuan Danzi.

The letter was brief, but the meaning was clear.

The recent matters had temporarily concluded, and he could resume attending and studying Alchemy tomorrow.

The wording in the letter was respectful; he didn’t explain the reason for his previous ”absence,” but he also didn’t fabricate excuses to stall.

With Xuan Danzi’s insight, the truth would be known at a glance. Rather than wasting effort covering it up, it was better to be honest.

Once the message was sent, Shen Wen thought no more about it.

On the morning of the third day, he and Cao Ying left the residence together.

The flying boat traveled smoothly through the sky over the Pill Domain, with towns and spiritual fields stretching out below.

Cao Ying leaned by the porthole, her fingertips unconsciously tapping on the armrest. She looked composed, but Shen Wen could tell she was actually a bit nervous.

”Afraid your grandfather will make things difficult for me?” Shen Wen spoke up.

Cao Ying turned her head, her lips curving slightly, her tone relaxed: ”He wouldn’t dare. You are now a Grade 8 Alchemist, a Pill Tower Elder, and Old Lin’s Personal Disciple. Who in the entire Cao Family would dare to make things difficult for you?”

Pausing, she added: ”It’s just that my grandfather... at his core, he still has the style of a Cao Family Head. No matter how much he admires you, he’ll eventually want to talk about conditions.”

Shen Wen smiled and didn’t respond.

He naturally knew this trip wasn’t a simple Family visit.

He could probably guess what the Cao Family wanted.

The flying boat passed through a shimmering spatial barrier, and the scene before them suddenly opened up.

It was a city.

Not an ordinary city, but a massive architectural complex built against the mountains, stretching for hundreds of miles. The city walls were towering, the gate towers were majestic, and the pavilions and palaces within were layered one upon another, with Spiritual Qi permeating like mist.

Above the city gate, a huge plaque bore two words: Cao City.

The calligraphy was vigorous, faintly exuding a pill fragrance.

This was the Foundation the Cao Family had built over hundreds of years.

Standing by the porthole, Shen Wen’s gaze swept over that nearly boundless urban area, and his heart felt slightly solemn.

Everything within a thousand-mile radius belonged to the Cao Family.

This depth of heritage was not something the Family business they had built over the past two years could compare to.

The flying boat landed on a square specially cleared outside the city gates.

Both sides of the square were already filled with people.

Leading them were several white-haired Elders wearing dark robes with the Cao Family crest embroidered on their chests.

Behind them were dozens of deacons and managers, and further back were the neatly lined-up Cao Family guards.

They weren’t just for show, but were true elites with cultivation.