Battle Through the Heaven: Purple Heaven

The next morning.

Xiao Yan lingered, his gaze reluctantly sweeping over his room.

"It's getting late. Time to go," Yao Lao said, floating beside him, stroking his beard. "You've got just over a year until the three-year agreement. To defeat that Nalan girl and clear your shame, you need to reach Dou Shi as soon as possible."

"With a Dou Shi foundation, your chances of using the Flame Mantra to devour a Heavenly Flame will be much higher. Only then can you be confident of winning."

Xiao Yan exhaled, his resolve hardening. "Teacher, I'll work hard!"

Yao Lao sighed. "If time weren't so tight and you hadn't yet been tempered by blood and fire, Jia Nan Academy would've been a good fit for you." He shook his head, recalling Xiao Bai's news.

Yesterday, Xiao Bai had told him about the Heavenly Flame Refining Qi Tower at Jia Nan Academy, home to the Falling Heart Flame, ranked fourteenth on the Heavenly Flame List. The news thrilled him.

The Falling Heart Flame, even if unobtainable for now, could boost Xiao Yan's cultivation speed immensely. It was, after all, dubbed a cheat code for cultivation.

But the tower was in the academy's inner court, inaccessible to Xiao Yan at his current level. Staying in the outer court for over a year would be less effective than taking him out for real-world experience, which would spur faster growth.

"Teacher, is the Falling Heart Flame really as amazing as Brother Bai says?" Xiao Yan asked, curious.

"It's remarkable. You'll see when you get to Jia Nan Academy," Yao Lao said, marveling at his disciple's luck. "You should thank Xiao Bai properly. For cultivating the Flame Mantra, he secured one Heavenly Flame and shared news of another!"

"Heh." A warmth flickered in Xiao Yan's eyes. With a cheeky grin, he boasted, "Don't worry! I'll just go easy when I beat him up later!"

Yao Lao rolled his eyes. This stubborn kid. He knew Xiao Yan lived in Xiao Bai's shadow—beating him was a fantasy; catching up was the real goal.

"Let's go. Catching that kid won't be easy. Train hard!" Yao Lao said, turning into a wisp of energy and returning to the ring. He hoped his disciple could one day stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Xiao Bai and refrained from dampening his spirit.

"Wait for it—I'll get there!" Xiao Yan muttered, a spark of anticipation in his voice. He stepped out, closed the door, and headed to Xiao Bai's residence.

Knock, knock, knock!

The courtyard gate opened, revealing a gentle woman in a white skirt.

"You're here for Xiao Bai, right?" Xiao Yi Xian asked, smiling at Xiao Yan.

"Heh, Sister Xiao Yi Xian, I'm here to say goodbye to Brother Bai!" Xiao Yan nodded, chuckling. I'm in awe of him. Getting Cousin Xun Er to personally bring her back? My jaw was on the floor when I heard!

"He left early this morning," Xiao Yi Xian said. "He asked me to tell you to train hard. He'll be there for the three-year agreement."

She knew a bit about Xiao Yan's situation. Xiao Bai's absence was due to her—her recent shortage of medicinal ingredients. Since the valley had what she needed, she'd asked him to harvest all the mature herbs there.

This trip could take a while, and leaving the herbs unharvested would be a waste. They'd regrow as long as their roots remained, and both she and Xiao Bai could use them for alchemy.

___

Beast Mountain Range, a small valley.

Xiao Bai toiled away, gathering herbs, his heart quietly weeping.

Back then, in that cave, I tricked Xiao Yi Xian into gathering herbs for me.

Now, one word from her, and I'm flying hundreds of miles to do it for her. Karma's a cruel mistress!

"Sigh, A-Wei is dead!"

Reflecting on days gone by, Xiao Bai let out a wistful sigh. Now, under the watchful eyes of two girls, any misstep drew piercing glares like sharp swords.

As he wallowed in nostalgia, a sudden surge of intense energy fluctuations rippled from deep within the Beast Mountain Range. Purple wings materialized, and he soared into the air, peering toward the source.

Far on the horizon, two powerful auras clashed, one cyan, one crimson, scattering the white clouds in the clear sky.

"Dou Huangs! And that lion!" Xiao Bai squinted, sensing the auras. The fire-attributed one belonged to the lion—he'd felt it while cultivating in the valley. The other… wind-attributed.

Could it be that woman?

He rubbed his chin, puzzled. By the original timeline, she shouldn't confront the lion for another month.

As he pondered, the battle intensified, both sides clearly enraged. Cyan and crimson energies intertwined across the sky, their collisions echoing like muffled thunder.

"Search! Find that human woman!" A furious, bestial roar reverberated across the distant horizon.

Xiao Bai shook his head. Different timing, same outcome—she's been sealed.

Say what you will, she's devoted to her disciple, nearly dying in the Beast Mountain Range for her.

At that moment, a wobbling black dot appeared in the sky, swaying like a drunkard. As it drew closer, it resolved into a cyan figure, struggling before plummeting.

Splash!

A burst of water erupted beneath a familiar waterfall.

"Tch, lucky you," Xiao Bai said with a playful smirk, flying toward the waterfall. If she'd fled deeper into the Beast Mountain Range, I might not have bothered.

Reaching the waterfall, he saw a beautiful woman in plain robes floating in the river, eyes closed, face pale, a bloodstain on her chest—clearly gravely injured.

Stepping onto the water's surface, he slid one arm under her knees and another behind her shoulders, lifting her gently. Recognizing the area as where he'd practiced his Purple Cloud Wings, he headed straight for the cave he'd once stayed in.

He laid the woman on the same large stone he'd once rested on, studying her quietly. The Yun Lan Sect Leader, Yun Yun. Despite her disheveled state, her refined features, flawless skin, and regal aura marked her as a peerless beauty.

His gaze lingered on the bloodied claw marks across her chest, likely causing her pain, as her brows furrowed slightly, a trace of anguish on her pale face.

Suddenly, Xiao Bai's sword-like brows twitched. Sensing a subtle quickening in her heartbeat, he fixed her with an odd look. "Since you're awake, tend to your wounds yourself."

Her closed eyes snapped open, her gaze calm as she met the white-haired man's eyes. "You saved me?"

"Yep," Xiao Bai said, glancing at her before moving to gather leftover firewood from his last stay, preparing to light a fire.

Seeing no ulterior moves, the woman exhaled softly. Gravely injured and weak, she'd been on high alert.

She struggled to sit up but found her body numb. Closing her eyes to sense her condition, she gritted her teeth. "That damned beast sealed me!"

After a few futile attempts, she gave up, turning to the black-robed man. Noting his earlier restraint, she spoke softly, "Can you help me apply some medicine?"

Xiao Bai glanced at her, still stacking the wood into a pile. With a touch, a small flame sparked to life.

When he didn't respond, disappointment flickered in her eyes. She lay back, closing them to endure the pain and focus on breaking the seal.

"Can you sit up?" His voice broke her concentration.

Opening her eyes, she saw his handsome face close by, surprised. I thought he wasn't willing!

"No," she said, shaking her head. She'd tried—her body was too numb to move.

Xiao Bai nodded, gently tearing a section of her tattered robe. Beneath it, a pale blue metal inner armor gleamed with a watery shimmer, marred by five deep claw marks, blood seeping through.

Good thing she had this armor, he thought. Without it, she'd have been gutted.

"The wounds are under the armor," he said calmly, noting the faint blush on her cheeks. "To apply medicine and stop the bleeding, it needs to come off."

Her body trembled. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes. "Go ahead. Thank you."

Her long lashes quivered, betraying her inner turmoil despite her calm tone.

Supporting her shoulders to sit her up, Xiao Bai moved behind her, his eyes tracing her elegant curves. Taking a steadying breath, he grasped her collar, slowly peeling the robe down. He felt her tense as the fabric slid.

"Relax," he said, his voice slightly hoarse. "I'm a physician right now, and physicians don't see gender." I'm saying this more for myself.

She rolled her eyes inwardly. High and mighty as I am, what physician would dare say that to me? But hearing the tremor in his voice, she relaxed slightly.

He slid the robe to her snowy waist, gathering her cascading cyan hair to undo the metal clasps of her armor. At the final clasp, he moved carefully, wary of the taut armor snapping and worsening her wounds.

Despite his caution, removing it made her gasp in pain.

What a shame not to use this back for cupping therapy, Xiao Bai thought, admiring her flawless, faintly pink skin before shaking off the stray thought.

The fleeting notion dispelled much of his distraction. He draped a robe from his storage ring over her, arranging her hair, then helped her lie down.

She didn't resist, her face now flushed with a captivating blush, her earlier wariness toward Xiao Bai fading.

As she lay back, he gently parted the robe, revealing the wounds. A tantalizing curve and half a snowy peak came into view.

Xiao Bai's face remained composed, silently reciting the Clear Mind Mantra. Taking clean gauze from his storage ring, he wiped the blood around the wounds, asking lightly, "My method or medicine?"

Her eyes held a trace of confusion, so he explained, "My method will close the wounds instantly, no scars, but it's uncomfortable. Medicine takes days, and scars might linger for a while. Your choice."

She hesitated, then said, "Your method. Thank you." His careful actions had earned her trust—he didn't seem like a lecher, and rejecting his goodwill might seem ungrateful.

"Close your eyes," Xiao Bai said.

She kept them open, her faintly blue gaze fixed on him. He shrugged. Fine, watch if you want.

Forming a sword gesture with two fingers, green light glowed at the tips. He traced the wounds, a cool, tingling sensation spreading across her skin.

"Mmm…" A soft, involuntary moan escaped her lips, her face flaming with embarrassment. The sensation—itchy, numb, yet oddly pleasant—was overwhelming.

Xiao Bai nearly fumbled at the sound, his fingers twitching. Damn, a man starved of intimacy can't handle this!

He'd almost lost control. I've got plenty of beauties around me, but none I can touch. Xun Er's off-limits until she's a Dou Sheng, Xian Er until her Poison Body's controlled, and Cai Lin? That proud woman would kill me if I tried before she's ready. What a tragedy!

He considered making small talk to distract himself, but seeing her mortified expression—like she wanted to crawl into a hole—he stayed silent, fearing she'd lash out in embarrassment.

Laboriously treating all the wounds, he quickly closed her robe, exhaling in relief. "The external wounds are done. What's left is your internal injuries and that seal. We'll deal with those later. Rest for now—I'm stepping out."

He needed to escape the cave's charged atmosphere and get some air.

"Thank you," she said, her embarrassment easing as she saw his flushed face. Lying back, she gave him a radiant smile, her beauty breathtaking.

Xiao Bai's heart raced. Glaring at her, he thought, Smile? Keep smiling, and I might just take you right here! He turned and strode out of the cave.