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

Chapter 262 I was here first!On the morning of the third day, Shen Wen and Cao Ying left Cao City.

As the flying boat ascended, the giant city stretching hundreds of miles gradually shrank in their vision, eventually disappearing beneath the clouds and mist.

Shen Wen leaned against the porthole and suddenly smiled, saying, ”I heard that when Grandfather was still the Family Head, he was quite flamboyant—or rather, that has always been the style of the Cao Family.

Seeing him now, it’s a bit different.”

Cao Ying was pouring tea for him; her movements paused slightly upon hearing this.

She looked up at Shen Wen, a faint smile curling her lips as she handed him the teacup, her tone carrying a hint of insight:

”In terms of rank, you are also Grade 8. If you weren’t my husband, Grandfather would have to treat you as a peer when meeting you at the Pill Tower.

What would he be flamboyant about? Show off in front of a twenty-year-old Grade 8 Alchemist?”

Shen Wen took the tea and didn’t speak.

Cao Ying sat down beside him and continued, ”As for why he was so gentle—”

She shook her head, her tone indifferent:

”Simply because the Cao Family has no successors.”

Shen Wen looked up.

Cao Ying leaned against the back of her chair, her gaze fixed on the sea of clouds drifting past the window. Her voice was steady, as if she were discussing something that had nothing to do with her:

”My so-called cousin, Cao Xiu—Grandfather raised him from childhood, pouring in resources, providing instruction from famous masters, giving him the best of everything. And the result?”

She paused:

”A Seventh-Rank Alchemist. Without a special Opportunity in this lifetime, he will never cross the threshold of Grade 8.”

”It’s not just him.” Cao Ying withdrew her gaze and looked at Shen Wen. ”In the Cao Family’s current generation, every single one of them—the highest is only Seventh-Rank. Not a single one can even touch Grade 8.”

”But what do the Five Great Families of the Pill Tower rely on to stand firm? Alchemists. A Seventh-Rank can support a Family, but they cannot sustain a legacy.”

Her tone was calm, yet it carried a hint of chill:

”The Cao Family doesn’t want to fall behind or be pushed aside by the other families, so they have no choice but to find another way.”

Shen Wen understood.

Cao Tianxiong offered him such generous terms not because he liked him, nor because of Cao Ying’s Face.

It was because the Cao Family truly had no other choice.

A young man who could challenge Grade 8 and perhaps go even further, marrying the primary daughter of the Cao Family and willing to accept these resources.

For the Cao Family, this was cutting losses and making an investment.

Cao Ying looked at him, her lips curving slightly, her tone teasing:

”So, don’t think Grandfather admires you that much. What he admires is a Grade 8 Alchemist, not you, Shen Wen, as a person.”

Shen Wen smiled and didn’t respond.

He understood, of course.

It was just about interests.

He needed the Cao Family’s resources, connections, and intelligence network, while the Cao Family needed him as a card to stabilize their position for the coming decades.

Each taking what they needed, clear and simple.

It was better this way.

Could a Family Head who oversees such a large Family be someone who only cares about feelings?

If it were truly just about feelings, the schemes involved would be even greater!

If Cao Tianxiong really put on a benevolent front, talking only of feelings and not of interests, then he would truly have to weigh things carefully... Returning to the Shen Residence, life returned to tranquility once more.

For the next half month or so, Shen Wen spent most of his time at the Pill Tower, studying Alchemy with Xuan Danzi.

Xuan Danzi didn’t press him about his previous ”absence,” but simply taught as usual, sharing insights and occasionally giving pointers on the deeper applications of the Three Revolutions into Pill.

Shen Wen didn’t explain much either, focusing solely on absorbing the knowledge.

After all, Xuan Danzi himself was a Grade 9 Profound Pill; when it came to understanding Medicinal Pills—

Nowadays, perhaps only the emperor pill embryo within the Dou Di’s Immortal Cave could compare to him.

Studying Alchemy by day, handling affairs by night.

The resources from the Cao Family’s side began to arrive one after another.

The channels for medicinal herbs were clear, and the intelligence network expanded further; whatever Materials were needed, a message sent would receive a swift response.

Efficiency was more than double what it had been before.

Naturally, the news spread as well.

The fact that Shen Wen enjoyed the same authority as Cao Ying and could mobilize Cao Family resources leaked out from somewhere, quickly becoming a hot topic within the Pill Tower.

“Have you heard? The Cao Family’s son-in-law can now directly access the Cao Family’s medicinal herb warehouse.”

“Not just the herb warehouse. I heard from a Cao Family deacon that even the intelligence network has been opened to him.”

“Tsk tsk, the Cao Family is betting everything on him.”

“Well, what else could they do? You know exactly what the younger generation of the Cao Family is like.”

“True. If it were me, I’d bet on Shen Wen too.”

For a time, the front of the Shen Residence became lively again.

People seeking an audience, bringing gifts, or trying to build connections arrived in an endless stream.

As usual, Cao Ying blocked most of them, keeping only the truly valuable interactions and categorizing them by urgency for Shen Wen to review when he had time.

Shen Wen didn’t care much for these things, continuing his work as usual. Affairs in both the Northwest and the Central Plains were proceeding in an orderly fashion.

However, there was one thing that put him in a good mood.

Dan Chen had been promoted to a Seventh-Rank Alchemist.

The news was delivered by Dan Chen herself.

That day, Shen Wen had just returned from the Pill Tower. As soon as he entered the residence gates, he saw a figure in light yellow rush out from the parlor and dash straight toward him.

“Brother Shen Wen!”

Dan Chen looked up, her eyes shining brilliantly, her Face filled with irrepressible excitement.

Shen Wen looked at her and smiled. “You succeeded?”

Dan Chen nodded vigorously, pulled out a brand-new Seventh-Rank Alchemist badge from her robes, and held it up before his eyes like a prized treasure.

“Look! I just got it today!”

Shen Wen took the badge, looked down at it, then looked back at Dan Chen, his tone carrying a hint of gratification:

“Congratulations, Chen’er. You’re Seventh-Rank now.”

Dan Chen’s cheeks flushed slightly, but her eyes curved into two crescent moons.

“Brother Shen Wen taught me so much; if I still couldn’t pass, I’d be too stupid.”

Shen Wen smiled and rubbed her head.

Dan Chen didn’t dodge, simply standing there obediently, letting his hand rest on her head, her small Face full of a satisfied smile.

Cao Ying appeared at the parlor door at some point, leaning against the doorframe and watching the scene, the corners of her lips curling slightly.

She didn’t speak to interrupt, just watched quietly.

Sunlight spilled down from the eaves, stretching their shadows long and intertwining them.

From the parlor, the faint sounds of Xiao Yi Xian and Cai Lin talking drifted out.

Life seemed to be just like this.

Peaceful, stable, and full of trivialities.

Shen Wen withdrew his hand and turned to walk toward the parlor.

Dan Chen followed behind him with light steps, but she soon became less happy because, at the dinner table, Cao Ying suddenly spoke up: “In a few days, a concubine-taking ceremony for Qing Lin will be held in the residence.”

“Ah?”

Dan Chen’s small Face immediately dimmed, and she couldn’t even eat her food anymore.

‘I was clearly the first one! Even in terms of knowing him, I knew Brother Shen Wen first!’

‘How is Qing Lin even faster than me!!’

Dan Chen grumbled incessantly in her heart, but she actually knew that the gap between her and Shen Wen wasn’t between the two of them, but rather the Dan Family!

If the Dan Family hadn’t been so concerned about status and titles, she would have married Shen Wen long ago, especially now that there was someone else named Tang Huo’er!

She knew that woman came here all day long whenever she was free, even more frequently than she did!

I have to hurry back and negotiate terms!

Cao Ying glanced at Dan Chen’s expression and revealed a slight smile.