Battle Through the Heaven: Purple Heaven

Xun Er smiled brightly. " Xiao Bai gege, no need to be so formal with Xun Er!"

She cherished that Xiao Bai never pried into the origins of her gifts. She recalled the first time she gave him a Qi-Gathering Powder, fretting over excuses in case he asked. But he hadn't—just accepted what he needed and gently declined what he didn't. It made being with him effortless, free from the need to conceal or deflect.

Likewise, she never pressed him about his secrets. It was their unspoken understanding.

With a flick of her hand over her ring, Xun Er produced four scrolls on the table.

Xiao Bai eyed them, picking one up to examine.

Thunder Light Step, a high-tier Xuan Class combat skill, a movement technique. It opened two leg meridians, driven by lightning-attributed Dou Qi, granting speed like a flash of electricity—ideal for short dashes or agile shifts in battle.

He grabbed another.

Startling Thunder Palm, a high-tier Xuan Class combat skill, an attack technique. It cleared one meridian in each hand, compressing lightning-attributed Dou Qi into the palms for a swift, thunderous strike, delivering a lethal blow.

Xiao Bai reviewed the remaining scrolls, ultimately selecting Thunder Light Step and Startling Thunder Palm, handing the other two back to Xun Er.

"Just these two? Why not take them all? They're just gathering dust with me!" Xun Er had intended to give him everything, surprised he returned half.

"Too much to chew spoils the meal. These two are enough." Xiao Bai shook his head.

Seeing his resolve, Xun Er didn't argue, quietly storing the others away.

Xiao Bai gazed at the beautiful girl before him, her hands cradling her cheeks as she smiled at him. Sensing her realm, he teased, "Eighth-stage Dou Zhi Qi—our Xun Er's close to breaking through too, huh?"

"Mhm, I just broke through recently. Still a ways from Dou Zhe. Xun Er's talent can't compare to Xiao Bai gege, hitting ninth stage at ten!" Her eyes sparkled with a hint of admiration.

Xiao Bai's breath caught. If he didn't know she meant no harm, he'd have thought she was mocking him. Talent? Aside from that little dragon girl at Jia Nan Academy, who could rival her on this continent? Even with his cheats, he wasn't sure he'd outpace her before Dou Sheng.

Quickly changing the subject, he softened his voice. "How's your body feeling these days?"

A trace of pity laced his words. He'd witnessed her endure the agony of the heavenly flame's burning since childhood. Taming a flame wasn't easy—even with her father Gu Yuan's seal ensuring her safety, it couldn't erase the pain. This was, after all, the Golden Emperor Burning Flame, fourth on the heavenly flame rankings.

"It barely hurts anymore. No need to worry, Xiao Bai gege!" Xun Er shook her head, her lips curving slightly at the concern in his eyes.

"Good to hear."

"Oh, Xiao Bai gege, could you promise Xun Er something?" Her face turned serious, her hand grasping his.

"One thing? A hundred, a thousand—anything I can do, I'll do for you," he said, gently squeezing her hand, his tone indulgent.

Xun Er's heart leaped, but her expression stayed earnest. "Promise Xun Er you won't tell anyone the story from yesterday, okay?"

"Yesterday's story?"

Xiao Bai's brow furrowed, puzzled. He'd only shared Perfect World. Why would she ask him to keep it secret, and with such gravity? Sure, he'd slipped in some personal flair, but it shouldn't warrant this reaction. She wasn't the type to overreact.

Recalling the storytelling, he remembered her interrupting when he mentioned "Supreme." He hadn't thought much of it then, but now… This world had Supremes too. Did Xun Er know something? As a Gu Clan heiress, it wasn't surprising her clan held records of the Greater Thousand Worlds. The question was how much she knew.

The original novel didn't mention this, but it only followed the protagonist's journey, not the entire Dou Qi Continent's lore. I need to be cautious. Knowing the plot doesn't mean I control everything. That mindset will bite me eventually.

"I promise. I won't tell anyone that story," Xiao Bai said solemnly, understanding her request was for his safety.

Relief washed over Xun Er. From childhood, this boy's word was iron—once given, he kept it. The Dou Qi Continent's waters run too deep. If my guesses are right, even I might not protect you, she thought, gazing at him.

___

Half a year passed.

In a cave in the Xiao Clan's back mountains, Xiao Bai sat cross-legged on a massive boulder, his expression serene, exuding the peak aura of a nine-star Dou Zhe.

His body thrummed with vigorous vitality, his physical strength far surpassing six months ago. Without Dou Qi, I could crush that Elder Wang with one punch now.

"The Yi Wood True Thunder's body tempering is slowing. It's time to break through to Dou Shi," he murmured.

Over the past six months, his mornings were spent mastering combat skills, afternoons tempering his body with Yi Wood True Thunder, and nights cultivating Dou Qi and soul power—never slacking a single day.

Thunder Light Step and Startling Thunder Palm had reached great mastery, their power impressive. His Dou Qi hit nine-star Dou Zhe two months after his last breakthrough. He'd delayed advancing to Dou Shi to further strengthen his physique for the next thunder seed, but now he was ready.

Soul cultivation, however, had slowed since that hazy leap in realm. "Slow" was relative—compared to that bizarre sleep-induced surge, his progress was steady. Each session with Heavenly Heart Resonance Chapter brought a faint soul enhancement.

Unlike the original soul techniques, which absorbed stray spiritual qi to bolster the soul, this technique occasionally gave him a sense of merging with the heavens, akin to the "unity of man and heaven" from his past life's myths. It was profound, indescribable, yet fleeting. Is it real, or am I just exhausted?

Even now, Xiao Bai believed his last soul surge came from a single sleep, oblivious to the void he'd entered, chalking it up to a beginner's bonus from Heavenly Heart Resonance Chapter.