Battle Through the Heaven: Purple Heaven

As Xiao Bai was lost in thought, a streak of azure lightning suddenly flashed through the darkness.

Yi Wood True Thunder!

At this moment, the blood in Xiao Bai's body was being evaporated by the Bing Huo Yang Lei, leaving behind a faint silver-white glow in what remained. Once all his blood seemed to have been tempered, the Yi Wood True Thunder in his liver began to stir.

The refined blood, flowing through his liver, was infused with the essence of Yi Wood, giving rise to new blood. This newly formed blood, like the tempered blood, was vivid red with a trace of silver.

As his blood volume gradually increased, Xiao Bai's withered frame slowly regained its fullness.

His consciousness finally regained control over his body, and the familiar pain surged back, making him instinctively draw a sharp breath. Examining his body internally, he saw the red-silver blood flowing calmly through his veins. Though unsure of what had happened, he had his suspicions.

Forming hand seals, he prepared to refine the Bing Huo Yang Lei in his heart. But as he began, he realized it was far more difficult than refining the Yi Wood True Thunder. Each strand of Bing Huo Yang Lei's essence entering his meridians felt like a thousand cuts, wreaking havoc on them and progressing at an agonizingly slow pace.

Xiao Bai had to mobilize the Yi Wood True Thunder in his liver to continuously repair the damage, careful not to let the two forces touch. In the Five Elements, wood fuels fire. If Yi Wood True Thunder merged with Bing Huo Yang Lei, it would amplify the latter's ferocity, making refinement even more arduous.

Hours passed, and Xiao Bai had only refined a tiny fraction of the Bing Huo Yang Lei—insignificant compared to the entire thunder seed. By his estimation, it would take at least half a year to fully refine it, meaning he'd endure this torment for that long.

Gritting his teeth against the searing pain in his heart, he struggled to his feet. Looking at the gray-white hair cascading over his chest and his slightly withered hands, a low, hoarse chuckle echoed in the cave.

Heh heh heh…

A touch of hardship? Nothing more!

He gently adjusted his oversized white robe and staggered out of the cave.

___

Outside, it was deep into the night. The moonlight was bright, draping the earth in a delicate white veil. A cool night breeze brushed past, slightly lifting Xiao Bai's spirits as he slowly descended the mountain.

Sweat dripped from his face with every step. Every few paces, he paused to catch his breath, letting the pain subside before continuing. The path down the mountain, which usually took mere minutes, felt endlessly long today.

Walking and stopping, he reached the lake where he'd once washed his face. The Xiao clan's neatly arranged courtyard was visible in the distance, and nearby stood a pavilion. Xiao Bai made his way toward it.

Suddenly, his brows furrowed, and he turned to look at a large tree several zhang away.

"Who's there?"

Xiao Bai's soul was powerful, and since practicing the Heavenly Heart Sensing Chapter, his spiritual awareness had grown even sharper. He'd sensed a gaze spying on him. Without bothering to identify the watcher—anyone skulking at this hour was up to no good—he laced his shout with soul force.

Though his voice was soft, it struck the person behind the tree like a thunderclap, leaving them dazed.

Xiao Yan, hidden behind the tree, rubbed his ears. Unable to sleep due to his cultivation troubles, he'd come to the lake for a walk, only to spot a white-robed figure descending the mountain. A ghost in the dead of night? The open terrain left him no choice but to hide behind a tree, praying the figure wouldn't notice him.

As the figure drew closer, Xiao Yan cautiously peeked out. The moonlight revealed gray-white hair and a bloodless face, pale as snow, moving sluggishly. Xiao Yan knew everyone in the clan, but this figure matched no one, convincing him it wasn't human.

Until the figure turned, its soft shout exploding in his ears like thunder. Thanks to his decent soul strength, Xiao Yan, a mere stage three Dou Zhi Qi, didn't faint.

"Bai… Bai-ge?" Xiao Yan asked hesitantly.

"Xiao Yan?" Recognizing the voice, Xiao Bai retorted, "What are you doing sneaking around in the middle of the night instead of sleeping?"

"I couldn't sleep, so I came to the lake for a walk. I saw a white-robed figure coming down the mountain and thought I'd seen…" Xiao Yan trailed off, scratching his nose awkwardly as he stepped out from behind the tree.

"What—thought it was a ghost!" Xiao Bai continued toward the pavilion, ignoring him. "Thought you saw a ghost, huh?"

Xiao Yan gave a sheepish laugh and followed toward the pavilion.

Up close, seeing Xiao Bai's state, Xiao Yan exclaimed, "Bai-ge, what… what happened to you?"

Inside his ring, Yao Lao was equally shocked. How did this boy, who even I find daunting, end up in such a state? And that faint aura of supreme yang emanating from him—it's burning my soul!

"What's with the fuss? Just a minor mishap in cultivation," Xiao Bai said, glancing at him. He entered the pavilion, sat on a stone bench, and let out a heavy breath.

Xiao Yan assumed Xiao Bai had pushed himself this far trying to break through to Dou Zhe, a flicker of empathy in in his eyes. We're in this together, Bai-ge.

Xiao Yan had once thought Xiao Bai was hypocritical, dismissing his actions. In the Xiao clan, Xiao Bai was always polite, refined, and warm, his smile like a spring breeze, earning him favor among the elders. But among his peers, especially the boys, he was the target of envy. Parents' lectures always began with:

"Look at Xiao Bai, so disciplined and talented!"

"If you had even a tenth of Xiao Bai's qualities, I'd be proud!"

This made Xiao Bai a figure of resentment among the boys, like an sworn enemy. If they could've beaten him, he'd have been ambushed long ago. The girls, however, adored him—his charm, looks, and talent were irresistible. If he hadn't shown clear preference for Xun Er, he'd have been swarmed by admirers.

And Xiao Yan? The clan's genius, the leader of the kids, shared their grudge against Xiao Bai. To his followers, Xiao Bai was both a rival and a common foe. Xiao Yan, the troublemaker, often led the kids into mischief, and when trouble arose, he took the blame as their leader. To the parents, he was the bad influence:

"He's a genius, the hope of the Xiao clan, and you? Nothing but trouble!"

"Your father's the clan leader, and you? A disgrace!"

This gave Xiao Yan a poor reputation among the clan, blamed for corrupting their children. Without his genius status, he'd have been ostracized long ago.

But when his cultivation plummeted, his so-called friends drifted away, and the clan's true colors showed. He learned the sting of betrayal and the fickleness of loyalty. Now, in the entire Xiao clan, only his father and Xiao Bai remained constant. Xiao Bai treated him the same as always, neither fawning when he was high nor shunning him when he fell.

This made Xiao Yan feel a pang of guilt for past conflicts. I only understood how it feels to fall after I did. His view of Xiao Bai softened, and he began calling him "Bai-ge" with newfound respect.