Battle Through the Heaven: Purple Heaven

Snapping back to the moment, Xiao Bai gazed at Xun Er, his hand gently brushing her cheek. His eyes brimmed with boundless tenderness and affection. Catching her slightly startled look, he couldn't help but chuckle softly.

Xun Er studied him, a flicker of confusion in her eyes. But as his laughter rang out, she seemed to sense a shift in him. All this time, Brother Xiao Bai had carried a quiet loneliness, as if he didn't quite belong to this world. Despite his warm, jade-like demeanor and courteous manner with the Xiao Clan, his gaze was distant, like a deity observing the mortal throng below—detached, indifferent.

Except with her, where he softened slightly, no one in the Xiao Clan could truly reach his heart.

That look was familiar to Xun Er. She wore it herself in front of the rest of the Xiao Clan. But she was of the Gu Clan, their young miss, destined to one day leave the Xiao Clan for her family. That justified her distance.

But Brother Xiao Bai was different. Raised in the Xiao Clan, his origins clear, what could cause this sense of isolation, this aloofness that set him apart from the world? She didn't know.

It puzzled her, worried her, pained her. She'd always wanted to pull him from that solitude, to ensure he never felt alone when with her. With Xun Er here, Brother Xiao Bai won't be lonely!

Now, for reasons unknown, he'd broken free of that isolation himself. Surprise and joy surged within her.

Xiao Bai slowly slid his arms around her slender waist, drawing her gently into his embrace, tender and intimate. Leaning close to her delicate, pale ear, he whispered, "Thank you, Xun Er."

Xun Er stiffened at his sudden gesture, her instincts urging her to pull away. But his words stopped her, leaving her heart in a flustered whirl. She murmured, "Brother… Xiao Bai…"

Feeling her trembling in his arms, Xiao Bai gently released her.

As his hands left her waist, Xun Er looked up, their eyes meeting. A flush spread across her delicate face, her gaze darting away.

Amusement danced in Xiao Bai's eyes. He cupped her face, locking her gaze with his. "Xiao Bai gege!" she huffed, a hint of playful reproach in her voice.

Unfazed, his smile turned solemn, his voice warm but resolute. "In this life, if you cherish me, we'll walk hand in hand."

The gentle, unwavering words struck Xun Er like lightning.

She stared at him, her eyes shimmering with starlight, glowing with tenderness. Her lips curved upward, a chord deep within her heart struck fiercely. She'd thought his touch was a prank, but instead, he'd given her this.

"Xiao… Bai… gege…" Her voice, soft as a breeze from the heavens, carried endless devotion.

Their gazes intertwined, like two streams merging, gentle and clear.

Xiao Bai snapped out first. Any longer, and Ling Ying might pop out. He let her go. "Let's head home."

Xun Er realized they were still on the street. Her face flushed crimson, and she grabbed Xiao Bai, hurrying toward the Xiao Clan.

He let her tug his sleeve, chuckling at her flustered state. "What's there to be shy about? Look at me—I'm not shy!"

She shot him a glance, her mix of bashfulness and indignation so enchanting it nearly set his heart racing.

Not my fault, he thought. Dou Qi in this world nurtures too well. At thirteen, Xun Er could pass for a sixteen-year-old in his past life's eyes.

Sinful, sinful! She was still young—romance was fine, but nothing more. Even setting age aside, he couldn't touch her until she reached Dou Sheng.

Divine-grade Dou Di bloodline!

In the ancient eight clans, Dou Di bloodlines were ranked from one to ten, with one being the lowest and ten the highest. A tenth-grade bloodline, known as divine-grade, was nearly as potent as a Dou Di's, unseen in even the Gu Clan—currently the strongest of the eight—for nearly a millennium.

A divine-grade bloodline, if untainted before reaching Dou Sheng, guaranteed at least a high-tier Dou Sheng future. With Dou Di bloodlines thinning across the remaining ancient clans, each hoped for more high-grade bloodline bearers to ensure their strength and legacy.

The Soul Clan, to preserve their bloodline, wielded the Void Devouring Flame's power, turning their blades on other Dou Di races.

If Xiao Bai dared touch Xun Er now, her father, Gu Yuan, would carve him up without hesitation. A divine-grade bloodline, a millennium in the making, my daughter, and you ruin her like that? As clan leader and father, Gu Yuan would grind him to dust. Even if Xun Er pleaded, the Gu Clan would find ways to eliminate him.

Imagining that scene, Xiao Bai shivered, his fleeting urges doused, his heart calm as still water.

___

Xun Er led him back to the Xiao Clan, stopping at his courtyard gate. Her gaze lingered on him, noting the faint weariness in his face. "Xiao Bai gege, rest well today. Xun Er will come find you tomorrow!" With a light step, she turned and left.

Watching her skip away, Xiao Bai could tell from her gait she was in high spirits. Smiling, he entered his room, exhaustion hitting him. Time for a good sleep.

___

"Brat, think my Jia Lie Clan has no one to answer you?"

In a brightly lit hall in Wu Tan City, the Jia Lie Clan's elders gathered, hearing Elder Wang recount the day's events. Great Elder Jia Lie En slammed the table, roaring in fury.

"Wasn't that Xiao Bai stuck at ninth-stage Dou Zhi Qi, unable to break through? How's he beating a three-star Dou Shi now?" the fourth elder asked, puzzled.

"Likely a smokescreen by the Xiao Clan to fool Wu Tan City's factions, protecting their genius. But young blood runs hot—he slipped up," the third elder said, smug as if he'd cracked a puzzle.

Great Elder calmed, sneering, "The Xiao Clan's been cunning. It's not just Xiao Bai—what about Xiao Yan? Is he the same?"

"Clan Leader, if this is true, we must prepare. If the Xiao Clan rises, the Jia Lie Clan will have no foothold in Wu Tan City," another elder urged.

At the head of the table, Jia Lie Bi's eyes darkened. It wasn't just his nephew's broken legs—his elders' words echoed his fears. Among Wu Tan City's three clans, the Jia Lie Clan was the weakest. Their techniques were low-tier Xuan Class, while the Xiao and Ao Ba Clans wielded mid-tier Xuan Class. The Xiao Clan was tied to the Nalan family through marriage, and the Ao Ba Clan cozied up to the city lord, hailing from the Intel family, one of the empire's three great clans.

If the Xiao Clan's two geniuses were feigning weakness as a ruse, how could the Jia Lie Clan survive in Wu Tan City? Yet Jia Lie Bi was skeptical. If Xiao Bai and Xiao Yan were fine, why not send them to Jia Nan Academy or the Cloud Mist Sect? Why skulk in Wu Tan City?

He pondered but found no answers, shaking his head with a sigh. "Ten years old, ninth-stage Dou Zhi Qi… Why doesn't the Jia Lie Clan have such luck? The Xiao Clan's blessed with two." Envy stirred in him, followed by a venomous thought.