Battle Through the Heavens: Beauties Abound Starting with Yunlan and Her Disciples

364: Section 364After several months of living and cultivating together, Xiao Yan had long since come to view Ye Xinlan as her own younger sister, and her words were full of affection.

Ye Xinlan looked up, her delicate face flushed with excitement. She extended her slender, jade-like finger and pointed at a specifically circled area on the map.

”Sister Xiao Yan, we have only just entered the edge of the Central Region of the Central Plains! Look,” she said, pointing to the center of the map.

”The Pill Domain, where the Pill Tower is located, is situated at the very center of the Central Region. It can be called the heart of this continent. At the star chaser’s cruising speed of five times the speed of sound, I’m afraid we’ll have to fly for quite a while yet.”

”It’s that far?”

Hearing this, Xiao Yan couldn’t help but click her tongue. She had always heard people say the Central Plains was vast, but seeing the map today gave her a more intuitive understanding. ”Indeed,”

Ye Xinlan sighed with emotion.

”The combined area of the Eastern, Western, Southern, and Northern Regions of the Central Plains probably doesn’t even equal this Central Region. It is precisely because of this that this place is a true land of hidden dragons and crouching tigers.”

A hint of longing and gravity appeared on her small face.

”The One Hall One Tower, Two Sects Three Valleys that we are familiar with almost all have their sects established within the Central Region.”

”Besides them, there are many low-profile ancient sects with profound heritage. Their strength is likely not inferior at all to the Wind and Thunder Pavilion of the Northern Region.”

”One could even say that the Four Pavilions, like the Wind and Thunder Pavilion, are more like gatekeepers tacitly allowed by top powers like the Pill Tower to guard the four borders. Worldly ballads always mention them together, perhaps only out of consideration for their hard work in guarding the frontiers.”

These words left the Liu Sisters fascinated, yet also filled them with the trepidation of nearing home. The elder sister, Liu Qing, that valiant jade-faced spear, now had a soft light shimmering in her eyes.

She glanced at her younger sister beside her, then turned her gaze toward the handsome man not far away who was resting with his eyes closed, his aura as deep and steady as a mountain, and spoke softly:

”Xiancheng, Xiao Yan, Sister Xinlan, our home, Heavenly Yellow City, is not far from here.” ”Oh? We’ve arrived at your home?”

Xiao Yan was immediately interested. ”That’s great! We should go down and visit your parents!” Hearing this, the younger sister, Liu Fei, blushed slightly and shyly tugged at her sister’s sleeve, adding in a small voice:

”Our family... is a peripheral affiliate family of the Burning Flame Valley. If... if we could go home and visit, perhaps... we could even obtain some opportunities for you, Sister Xiao Yan, within the Burning Flame Valley.”

”Burning Flame Valley!”

Xiao Yan’s eyes instantly lit up, their brilliant radiance like two obsidians shining in the sunlight.

Xiao Yan clapped her hands excitedly.

”My Heavenly Flame Three Mysterious Transformations needs the inheritance of the Burning Flame Valley to be complete! If there’s a chance to enter and see if they are willing to teach me the methods for the Second and Third Transformations, that would be wonderful!”

She looked at Yun Xiancheng with anticipation, the desire and longing in her eyes almost becoming tangible.

Yun Xiancheng slowly opened his eyes, a gentle smile spreading through his deep pupils. He naturally wouldn’t refuse Xiao Yan’s request.

His fingers tapped lightly on the armrest, but another silhouette flashed through his mind.

Chu Yan Valley... Valley Master Tang Zhen’s daughter, she seems to be called Tang Huo’er? I remember she was a very cute girl. Since it’s on the way, let’s go take a look. He stood up, walked to the Liu Sisters, and took one in each arm, pulling them into his embrace. He felt their bodies momentarily stiffen before becoming

soft and submissive.

”Since we’ve arrived at your doorstep, how could we not go in and visit?”

He lowered his head and pressed a light kiss on the foreheads of the similar-looking sisters, drawing shy, low exclamations from them. ”Let’s go and pay our respects to my father and mother-in-law.”

Having received Yun Xiancheng’s approval, everyone was overjoyed. The star chaser changed direction and slowly descended toward the location of Heavenly Yellow City on the map. As an important city under the command of the Burning Flame Valley, Heavenly Yellow City was far more grand than an ordinary city.

The city walls were high and imposing, and the city was bustling with heavy traffic and clamorous voices, a scene of prosperity. The Liu family estate was located in the central area of Heavenly Yellow City.

It lacked the luxury and ostentation of typical wealthy families, instead exuding an air of antiquity and stability everywhere, much like the heroic and restrained family style of the Liu Sisters.

When Liu Qing and Liu Fei appeared in front of the Liu family’s main gate, intimately clinging to Yun Xiancheng’s arms, the Liu family servants who had already received the news all showed expressions of shock and curiosity.

These two favored daughters of heaven of the Liu family had been the pride of the clan since childhood. When had they ever been so close to a man?

Who on earth was this young man they were surrounding like a treasure?

Passing through multiple courtyards, the three finally arrived at an elegant reception hall. At the seat of honor in the hall sat an elderly woman who appeared to be around fifty years old.

She wore a plain-colored long robe, her hair meticulously styled. Her face was weathered by time, showing her old age, but her eyes remained as sharp as an eagle’s, commanding respect without being angry.

She was the current Liu Family Head, the mother of Liu Qing and Liu Fei, and a powerhouse who had reached the strength of a four-star Dou Huang.

”Mother!” ”Mother!”

”Qing’er, Feier, you’re back.” A rare, loving smile appeared on the Liu Family Head’s usually serious face.

She gently patted her two daughters’ backs, feeling that their Dou Qi fluctuations were more condensed and powerful than when they had left home, and nodded with satisfaction. ”Good, you’ve both grown up, and your strength has improved quite a bit. It seems you didn’t neglect your cultivation at Jia Nan Academy.”

After some tender moments, the Liu Family Head’s gaze finally landed on the young man who had been standing quietly to the side with a smile from beginning to end. Her gaze was extremely sharp; with just one look, she saw Yun Xiancheng’s unfathomable cultivation and his extraordinary, transcendent temperament, as if he were a banished immortal

descending to the mortal world.

However, when her gaze swept past her two daughters as they looked at the young man,

and saw the admiration and dependence that were nearly overflowing from their eyes, the weather-beaten Liu Family Head couldn’t help but be slightly stunned.

She knew her own daughters best. Qing’er had a resilient nature, and although Feier was charming, they both had the pride of the Liu family in their bones. A man who could capture both of their hearts simultaneously, and even have them follow him in a posture almost like that of an attendant, was certainly no ordinary person.

Before she could even ask, Liu Qing blushed and took the initiative to introduce him: ”Mother, this is Yun Xiancheng, he is... he is our husband.”

The Liu Family Head’s brow furrowed slightly, but it soon smoothed out. She didn’t look at Yun Xiancheng but instead turned her gaze back to her two daughters and asked in a heavy voice:

”Are you both willing?”

”Yes!” Liu Qing and Liu Fei answered in unison, their voices firm and without the slightest hesitation. Seeing her daughters’ happy and determined expressions, the Liu Family Head fell silent for a moment.

She had read countless people in her life and could naturally see that her daughters’ feelings came from the bottom of their hearts and could not be faked.

She slowly shifted her gaze back to Yun Xiancheng and looked him over once more from top to bottom. That peerlessly handsome face, that air of being unfazed by favor or humiliation, that unfathomable strength... everything spoke of this young man’s extraordinary nature.

More importantly, from the way Yun Xiancheng looked at her daughters, she saw heartfelt doting and tenderness rather than simple possession and desire.

After a long time, the Liu Family Head slowly nodded, and a barely perceptible trace of approval appeared on her serious face.

”Very well.” She sighed softly, her tone no longer so cold. ”Since he is the person you chose yourselves, I won’t say anything more.” She paused and gave a slight nod to Yun Xiancheng, which served as a greeting from an elder:

”Although my Liu family is not some famous or powerful clan, we are not people who allow ourselves to be bullied. Since you have married my two daughters, you must treat them well. If I ever find out they have suffered the slightest grievance—”

She did not finish her sentence, but the warning in her eyes was self-evident.

Yun Xiancheng smiled slightly and took a step forward, respectfully performing a standard junior’s salute to his future mother-in-law. ”Please rest assured, Auntie.”

His voice was as warm and refined as jade, yet it carried a convincing power.

”Since Qing’er and Feier are my wives, I will use everything I have to protect them for the rest of their lives, never letting them suffer through the slightest storm.” These words were spoken neither humbly nor arrogantly, but with sincerity and full of confidence.

As the Liu Family Head looked at the young man before her, the last traces of doubt in her heart finally vanished without a trace. She could feel the sincerity in the young man’s words.

”Good, good, good.” She said ”good” three times in a row, and the expression on her face completely softened. ”Since you’ve come, you are the son-in-law of my Liu family. Don’t just stand there, sit down and let’s talk.”

449 The Liu Family Is in Trouble

”Since you’ve come, you are the son-in-law of my Liu family. Don’t just stand there, sit down and let’s talk.”

The words of the Liu Family Head were like a calming pill, causing the slightly tense atmosphere in the parlor to instantly relax. The sternness on her face had faded, replaced by the scrutinizing and satisfied look of a mother-in-law observing a son-in-law.

The sisters, Liu Qing and Liu Fei, were even more delighted. Grabbing Yun Xiancheng from both sides, they sat him down in the most prestigious guest seat.

A family banquet to welcome Yun Xiancheng soon commenced in the most elegant flower pavilion within the Liu Family estate. The Liu Family Head clearly held this new prospective son-in-law in high regard, as the standards of the banquet were extremely high.

The ingredients used were all natural treasures containing pure energy, and the cooking techniques were extremely sophisticated, appealing to sight, smell, and taste. During the meal, cups were exchanged, and both host and guests enjoyed themselves thoroughly.

The Liu Family Head frequently raised her glass to Yun Xiancheng. Although her words still carried a hint of an elder’s authority, her concern and intent to test him were undisguised. From Yun Xiancheng’s conversation, she could increasingly sense the young man’s extraordinary nature.

Especially regarding his unique insights into the path of cultivation, Yun Xiancheng spoke with ease and fluency. ”Xiancheng, I heard from Qing’er and Feier that you’ve traveled all the way here from Jia Nan Academy?”

The Liu Family Head took a sip of the mellow fruit wine in her cup, her eyes shining as she looked at Yun Xiancheng. ”I wonder, what are your plans for the future?”

Yun Xiancheng set down his jade chopsticks and gave a gentle smile, answering flawlessly.

”I plan to travel around the Central Plains to broaden my horizons. My final destination might be the Pill Tower.” ”The Pill Tower?”

A sharp light flashed in the Liu Family Head’s eyes, and she nodded in approval.

”A grand ambition! The Pill Domain is the holy land for Alchemists on the continent, a place where crouching tigers and hidden dragons reside. If you can make a name for yourself there, your future will be limitless. I...”

”...perceive that your soul power is solid and vast. Could it be that... you are also an Alchemist?”

As soon as these words were spoken, the gazes of the Liu Sisters also instantly focused on Yun Xiancheng, filled with curiosity and expectation.

Although they spent every day with Yun Xiancheng, they truly didn’t know if he was also proficient in the art of alchemy. Yun Xiancheng did not answer directly, merely smiling and shaking his head.

”I have only dabbled slightly in the way of alchemy; I cannot be considered proficient. However, I do have a few friends by my side who have quite some insight into this path.” He spoke modestly, yet cleverly avoided the main point.

What kind of person was the Liu Family Head? She naturally heard the room for maneuver in his words, and her evaluation of him rose even higher. Neither arrogant nor impetuous, steady and restrained—he looked like someone who could achieve great things. It was a blessing for Qing’er and Feier to follow him. Xiao Yan, listening from the side, was secretly delighted.

In a certain sense, Lord Guan was only a one-star Alchemist, but he possessed a unique move that other Alchemists did not have.

She cleared her throat, just about to speak a few ”modest” words to add a bit more mystery to her husband, when a sudden burst of hurried footsteps and clamor came from outside the hall.

A manager of the Liu Family ran in with a panicked expression, not even pausing for etiquette, and reported directly:

”Family Head, this is bad! The Cheng Family... the Cheng Family people have brought Elder Chi Huo of the Burning Flame Valley and are aggressively storming our gates!”

”Hahaha! Liu Family Head, is there some joyous occasion at your residence today? It’s so lively, yet you didn’t think to invite me, Cheng, for a cup of celebratory wine!”

Accompanied by this harsh voice, the head of the other major family in Heavenly Yellow City, the Cheng Family, Cheng Yao, burst in with a group of people. The surrounding Liu Family attendants didn’t dare to block them at all.

Following behind Cheng Yao were several fierce-looking guards, as well as an elderly man dressed in an Alchemist’s robe with a haughty expression. Even more eye-catching was the red-haired elder walking at the very front, wearing the elder’s robes of the Burning Flame Valley.

His face was cold and stern, and his body radiated a hot and powerful Dou Qi fluctuation; he was clearly a Dou Zong of significant status. ”Cheng Yao? What have you come to my Liu Family for?”

The Liu Family Head’s face instantly darkened. The previous harmony vanished, replaced by cold vigilance.

She slowly stood up, her gaze like lightning as she stared directly at the uninvited Cheng Yao.

Within Heavenly Yellow City, the Liu and Cheng families had always been rivals who were friendly on the surface but discordant at heart, with constant overt and covert struggles over the years. Now that Cheng Yao had stormed in so ostentatiously, bringing an elder from the Burning Flame Valley, he clearly came with ill intent. Cheng Yao seemed not to notice the Liu Family Head’s ugly expression as he cupped his hands with a fake smile and said:

”Liu Family Head, don’t be so angry. I, Cheng, haven’t come today to look for trouble, but to handle official business.” He stepped aside and respectfully gestured toward the red-haired elder.

”This person, I presume I don’t need to introduce further? Elder Chi Huo of the Burning Flame Valley has graced us with his presence. Liu Family Head, why haven’t you paid your respects?”

The Liu Family Head’s heart sank. She naturally didn’t dare to slight the title of a Burning Flame Valley elder. Suppressing her inner rage, she bowed slightly toward Elder Chi Huo. ”I did not know Elder Chi Huo was visiting; please forgive my lack of a proper welcome.”

Elder Chi Huo’s expression was indifferent. He merely gave a light ”mm” and said no more, maintaining a business-like demeanor. Seeing this, the look of triumph on Cheng Yao’s face grew even stronger. He cleared his throat and said loudly:

”Liu Family Head, surely you know that a few days ago, Burning Flame Valley issued a widespread notice, seeking Alchemists of the sixth rank or higher to refine medicinal pills for the Valley Master. They also promised...”

”...that any subordinate family capable of inviting a Sixth-Rank Alchemist would be highly valued by the Burning Flame Valley.”

At this point, he pointed triumphantly at the haughty Alchemist behind him:

”This is Master Wu, whom my Cheng Family spared no effort to invite from the Pill Domain! A genuine Sixth-Rank Alchemist!” As soon as these words were spoken, the faces of Liu Qing and Liu Fei, who had just walked out from the back hall carrying fruit platters, instantly turned pale.

The Liu Family Head’s heart also sank abruptly. She seemed to have already anticipated what Cheng Yao was going to say next. Sure enough, Cheng Yao’s gaze turned toward her, carrying undisguised greed and schadenfreude.

”According to the rules of Burning Flame Valley, families that are highly valued have the priority right to the distribution of resources within the valley. And the management rights of the Heavenly Yellow City Spatial Wormhole are among them. Liu Family Head, your Liu Family has controlled this wormhole for nearly ten years, hasn’t it? Now, it’s time for a change of hands.”

”Cheng Yao, don’t even think about it!” Liu Qing, having a fierce personality, immediately rebuked him.

”The management rights of the Spatial Wormhole rotate every ten years. The term isn’t up yet, so on what basis should they be handed over to your Cheng Family!”

”On what basis?” Cheng Yao sneered.

”On the basis that my Cheng Family can share the Burning Flame Valley’s burdens! On the basis that my Cheng Family has invited Master Wu! If your Liu Family is unsatisfied, then invite a Sixth-Rank Alchemist out for me to see!”

The Liu Family Head’s face turned ashen.

The Alchemist her Liu Family patronized was merely a high-tier fifth-rank; the distance to the sixth rank was still an unreachable chasm.

With this happening so suddenly, where was she supposed to find a noble and peerless Sixth-Rank Alchemist? Cheng Yao was clearly counting on this. He turned to Elder Chi Huo and bowed.

”Elder Chi Huo, you’ve seen it. The Liu Family cannot produce a Sixth-Rank Alchemist. According to the rules, the management rights of this Spatial Wormhole should rightfully be transferred to my Cheng Family. I ask the Elder to uphold justice for my Cheng Family!”

Elder Chi Huo frowned slightly. He had come this time only to verify the Alchemist’s rank and didn’t want to get too involved in the disputes of subordinate families. But since Cheng Yao had brought up the rules, it wasn’t good for him to show favoritism. He could only look at the Liu Family Head and say in a deep voice:

”Liu Family Head, the rules of Burning Flame Valley cannot be violated. Does your Liu Family... have any objection?” This seemed like an inquiry, but it was actually a final ultimatum.

The Liu Family Head clenched her fists tightly, her nails digging deep into her palms.

The Spatial Wormhole was the most important strategic resource in Heavenly Yellow City and the Liu Family’s largest source of income. If it were snatched away by the Cheng Family, the blow to the Liu Family would be devastating.

But facing an elder of the Burning Flame Valley, how could she resist? For a moment, the atmosphere in the entire hall became heavy to the extreme.

The people of the Liu Family all wore expressions of indignation and despair, while those on the Cheng Family’s side were all triumphant, as if they had already seen the dawn of victory. At this tense moment, a calm and indifferent voice leisurely rang out, breaking the dead silence.

”Who said the Liu Family hasn’t invited an Alchemist?”

Everyone looked toward the source of the voice and saw that Yun Xiancheng had stood up at some unknown point. His expression was calm, and there was even a faint, lingering smile at the corner of his mouth.

It was as if this crisis, which was enough to decide the fate of the Liu Family, was nothing more than a harmless farce in his eyes.

Ignoring the suspicious and uncertain gazes of Cheng Yao and the others, Yun Xiancheng walked straight up to Elder Chi Huo, nodded slightly, and said composedly:

”The Alchemist invited by the Liu Family is weary from her journey and is currently resting in the back courtyard. She will be here shortly. I ask the Elder to wait for a moment.” Hearing this, Cheng Yao was first stunned, then burst into loud laughter filled with disdain and mockery:

”Kid, what kind of thing are you? How dare you make such wild boasts here! ’Weary from her journey’—I think there’s simply no one at all, and you’re just putting on a bluff!” Master Wu, whom the Cheng Family had invited, also stroked his beard and let out a cold snort with his nose pointed toward the sky.