While the player is in Battle Through the Heavens, the system is in The Great Ruler.

Chapter 139 The Xiao Family's Recent Situation, and the Fragment of the Demonic Flame Map

A few days later,

The Mittel family, in a quiet and elegant courtyard.

In the courtyard paved with bluestone, several ancient trees cast dappled shadows. Around the stone table, Lu Yu, Xiao Yixian, and Hai Bodong sat, the aroma of tea wafting in the air, a gentle breeze blowing.

"Elder Hai, I'll need your continued attention to the affairs of the Gama Empire..."

Lu Yu picked up his teacup and said sincerely.

Upon hearing this, Hai Bodong stroked his long, snow-white beard and laughed heartily: "Hahaha, why are you being so polite with me? Once your Lingbao Pavilion is completed, I will personally escort the first batch of supplies over here."

A smile appeared in Lu Yu's eyes as he raised his glass in a toast and said, "That's excellent. Then I'll have to trouble Elder Hai."

Although Jia Xingtian had advanced to the Dou Zong realm after taking the Breaking Sect Pill, as the guardian of the Jia Ma royal family, he needed to be stationed in the empire and take care of the safety of various resource points. Naturally, the important task of transporting supplies could not be entrusted to him.

Among the collaborators of the Gama Empire, apart from Jia Xingtian, Hai Bodong is undoubtedly the best choice in terms of both strength and friendship.

The three chatted for a while longer. Lu Yu took out a warm jade box from his storage ring and gently pushed it in front of Hai Bodong: "Elder Hai, this is a Royal Extreme Pill. Consider it a token of my gratitude."

Hai Bodong opened the jade box, and immediately a fragrant aroma filled the air, the medicinal power flowing through him, causing him to gasp in surprise: "This..."

"Mr. Hai, there's no need to refuse."

Lu Yu stood up, cupped his hands in greeting, and said, "We still need to rush to Wutan City to pick up Brother Yan, so we'll take our leave now."

Hai Bodong solemnly put away the jade box and said loudly, "Very well! Then I will accept it without hesitation. I will definitely go to congratulate you on the opening of your Lingbao Pavilion."

……

Soon after,

Wutan City, Xiao Family Mansion.

Since the downfall of the Jialie and Aoba families, and after several years of development, the Xiao family now dominates Wutan City. The former tripartite balance of power is gone; the Xiao family's businesses are spread throughout the city, and its members are producing many talented individuals. The grand gates of the mansion are imposing, and carriages and horses come and go in an endless stream, a testament to its prosperity.

Throughout the city's streets, signs for Xiao family shops are ubiquitous, and passersby invariably display reverence when discussing the Xiao family. Xiao family guards patrol the streets from time to time, showcasing the family's current prestige.

At this moment, a man and a woman slowly approached the Xiao family mansion. The man was dressed in a blue robe, exuding an otherworldly air; the woman was dressed in white, pure and ethereal. The two stood out conspicuously before the vermilion gate.

"Halt! This is the Xiao family residence. Please state your name, guests."

The guards at the gate immediately stepped forward and raised their hands to stop them. Although their tone was respectful, their eyes still held a scrutinizing look. Since the Xiao family rose to prominence, visitors had come in droves every day, and the guards had long since developed a keen eye for detail.

Lu Yu smiled slightly, not annoyed at all, and casually took out a purple-gold token from his storage ring and tossed it over. The token drew an arc in the air, and the character "Xiao" was faintly visible under the sunlight.

The lead guard instinctively caught the token, and upon closer inspection, his expression changed slightly. This was clearly the highest-ranking guest elder token of the Xiao family! But the young man before him looked no more than seventeen or eighteen years old. When did the clan acquire such a young guest elder?

The two guards exchanged a questioning glance. The older guard cautiously clasped his hands and said, "Young master, we are truly sorry. Your token is indeed genuine, but... we have never seen you before. May we ask your name? The clan chief specifically instructed us to treat every token holder with caution..."

Upon hearing this, a look of understanding flashed in Lu Yu's eyes. It seemed that the Xiao family was indeed not what it used to be, even their access control was so strict now. He smiled gently and said, "My name is Lu Yu. Uncle Xiao should have mentioned me to you."

"Lu Yu?!"

The two guards exclaimed simultaneously, their expressions shifting instantly from wariness to shock, and then to respect. The older guard's voice even trembled with excitement: "So it's Guest Elder Lu! The clan chief did indeed repeatedly instruct us that you might return at any time, and that we must treat you with the utmost courtesy..."

The two immediately stepped aside to make way, bowed deeply, and said respectfully, "Please come in! The clan chief is currently in the council hall. Should we inform him immediately?"

Lu Yu waved his hand and casually said, "No need to disturb Uncle Xiao, we can go in ourselves."

With that, he led Little Fairy Doctor inside. The two guards watched them leave, and the younger guard couldn't help but whisper, "Captain, who exactly is this...?"

"Shh!" The older guard lowered his voice and said earnestly, "This man is a great benefactor of our Xiao family. I heard that the downfall of the Jia Lie family and the Aoba family was his doing. Every time the patriarch mentions him, he says he is the most esteemed figure in the Xiao family..."

At this moment, Lu Yu and Little Fairy Doctor had already crossed the courtyard and were heading towards the inner courtyard. The guards along the way saw the two of them, and although they looked puzzled, none of them dared to stop them because of their composed demeanor.

Before long, the two arrived outside the Xiao family's council hall. Before even entering, they could hear voices coming from inside.

"Clan Chief Nalan, this matter is over. Yan'er has already said that it's all over. Why bother coming in person?"

Xiao Zhan's voice was steady but carried a hint of detachment.

Immediately afterward, a slightly hurried voice rang out: "Clan Chief Xiao, the Nalan family did not consider the matter of annulling the engagement back then. I have come here in person today with sincerity."

Lu Yu and Little Fairy Doctor exchanged a glance and stopped in their tracks. Inside the hall, Nalan Su was having several brocade boxes brought in. When the lids were opened, medicinal herbs, magic cores, and rare materials were revealed one by one.

"These small gifts are offered as an apology. If Clan Chief Xiao does not find them offensive, the Nalan family is willing to restore the old friendship with the Xiao family," Nalan Su said sincerely.

Xiao Zhan shook his head and said calmly, "Clan Chief Nalan is too kind. However, the Xiao family no longer needs these items, so please take them back."

Nalan Su's expression changed slightly, and he wanted to say something more, but Xiao Zhan had already raised his hand to signal that the guests should leave. Helpless, Nalan Su could only sigh and turn to leave with everyone.

Just as Nalan Su and his entourage were leaving the council hall, they brushed past Lu Yu and his companion. Nalan Su paused, his gaze lingering on Lu Yu for a moment, a hint of doubt flashing in his eyes, but he ultimately didn't ask any further questions and hurriedly left with his men.

Lu Yu smiled slightly and led Little Fairy Doctor into the hall.

"Uncle Xiao, it's been many years. How have you been?"

Xiao Zhan looked up at the sound, was taken aback at first, then exclaimed with delight, "Xiao Yu?!"

He strode forward and carefully examined Lu Yu, his eyes filled with satisfaction. "Good, good! I never imagined you'd grow up so much since we parted years ago!"

Lu Yu smiled and said, "Uncle Xiao is even more dashing than before. It seems that the Xiao family has developed quite well in recent years."

Xiao Zhan laughed loudly, "This is all thanks to your help back then. By the way, Yan'er just returned a few days ago and is currently cultivating in the backyard. I'll send someone to fetch him right away."

Before long, Xiao Yan rushed over. Upon seeing Lu Yu, his eyes lit up with surprise: "Brother Lu!"

The three sat down and reminisced. Xiao Yan recounted his experiences of the past few days, while Lu Yu briefly shared his recent news. When Xiao Yan heard that Lu Yu had broken through to the sixth-star Dou Zong level, his eyes were filled with admiration: "Brother Lu is truly amazing!"

That evening, the Xiao family hosted a banquet in their honor. For the next few days, Lu Yu and Little Fairy Doctor stayed at the Xiao family's residence, exchanging skills and ideas with Xiao Yan, which was quite pleasant.

Five days later, early morning.

A thin mist lingered before the Xiao family's gate. Lu Yu stood with his hands behind his back, his blue robe fluttering slightly in the morning breeze. Little Fairy Doctor stood quietly beside him, her white dress as pure as snow.

"Brother Yan, the time has come," Lu Yu said gently.

Xiao Zhan stepped forward and patted Xiao Yan's shoulder heavily with his rough hand. A hint of reluctance flashed in the eyes of this usually dignified clan leader, but he simply said in a deep voice, "Go."

Xiao Yan grinned, revealing his signature sunny smile, and said, "Father, just wait and see what surprises your son will bring you back."

Seeing this, Lu Yu's lips curled into a slight smile. He raised his right hand, and instantly, ripples spread across the surrounding space, a powerful spatial force slowly enveloping the three of them. "Uncle Xiao, take care."

Before the words were even finished, the three figures had already faded away in the spatial ripples, leaving the spot empty.

Xiao Zhan stared at the spot where the three had disappeared for a long time before turning back to his residence. In the morning light, the clan leader's back looked exceptionally upright.

……

Half a month later,

Black Corner Plain.

As far as the eye could see, the world was shrouded in monotonous darkness. The somber sky hung low, meeting the vast black plains, creating a suffocating atmosphere of oppression. On this cursed land, even the wind carried the stench of blood; no wonder it gave birth to those chaotic rules that struck fear into the hearts of all.

"Shh!"

On the once silent plain, ripples suddenly appeared in the air. Three figures stepped out from the void, their robes fluttering in the sweltering wind.

"Brother Lu, what's wrong all of a sudden..."

Before Xiao Yan could finish speaking, his pupils suddenly contracted.

The once clear sky was now completely swallowed by the surging black mist. The mist writhed like a living thing, and in the blink of an eye, it obscured the entire sky. As far as the eye could see, there was only chilling darkness.

"boom!"

A black hurricane descended from the sky, like the gaping maw of an ancient beast. Wherever it passed, three feet of ground were scraped away, and hard black rocks turned to dust in the wind.

Xiao Yan's Adam's apple bobbed, and fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead: "This is... Black Storm?"

"It's alright. It's rare to encounter a black storm. I'll lead you through it."

Lu Yu smiled calmly and made a hand seal with his right hand. A completely black pagoda appeared in his palm, with inscriptions flowing across its body, exuding an aura of power that suppressed heaven and earth.

"town!"

With a soft shout, the black tower swelled in the wind, instantly transforming into a colossal tower hundreds of feet tall, enveloping the three. The runes on the tower shone brightly, remaining unmoved in the raging wind.

"go!"

The black tower transformed into a streak of dark light, weaving through the gaps in the storm like a fish. Those black hurricanes, powerful enough to tear apart a Dou Huang, couldn't even scratch the paint off the tower's surface.

About half an hour later, the storm gradually subsided. The black tower broke through the last wind barrier and landed steadily on the ground. Lu Yu waved his sleeve lightly, and the giant tower transformed back into a stream of light and disappeared into his dantian.

"Black Seal City is just ahead."

Lu Yu pointed into the distance and said with a smile, "The preparations for this year's auction should be almost complete. Wuya and the others should have left behind quite a few interesting items as I instructed."

"Let's go take a look."

……

Blackseal City, a colossal behemoth built of obsidian, lies at the edge of the plain. The banners that once marked the eight gates on its towering walls are long gone, replaced by the emblem of a nine-story, exquisite pagoda—the new symbol that now rules Blackseal City.

Outside the city gate, countless black dots crawled like ants. Caravans, mercenaries, outlaws... all sorts of people flowed into that dark, gaping maw.

"call out!"

Three streaks of light pierced the sky, passing directly over the queuing crowd and disappearing into the city, leaving only a token engraved with a nine-story pagoda suspended above the city gate.

Instead of stopping them, the city gate guards all knelt on one knee. A few newcomers were about to complain when their companions quickly covered their mouths—in the Black Corner Region, the only person who could command such a grand gesture from the Black Seal City guards was that mysterious new master.

Soon after,

Black Seal City, City Lord's Mansion.

When Wuya received the message, he suddenly opened his eyes while he was cultivating, and rushed over without even having time to straighten his robes.

The moment he pushed open the hall door, his pupils contracted slightly—the familiar figure in a blue robe at the head of the table was leisurely sipping fragrant tea.

"Mr. Lu... no, your subordinate Wuya greets the Pavilion Master!"

This usually imposing Black Seal City Lord was now kneeling on one knee, his forehead almost touching the cold floor tiles.

"Get up, my Elder Centipede."

Lu Yu lightly lifted his fingertips, and a gentle stream of fighting spirit steadily lifted Wuya.

After the battle at Canaan Academy, when Lu Yu proposed to build up his own power, the Lord of the Heavenly Centipede Mansion brought all his forces to surrender. Considering the need for management, Lu Yu specifically appointed Cai Lin as the military supervisor.

For Lu Yu, Wu Ya's loyalty wasn't the key factor—what he valued was Wu Ya's perfectly timed ambition and his inescapable dependence on him. It was he who enabled the Heavenly Wu Mansion to dominate the Chuyun Empire, and it was he who could readily support other forces to rise to power.

Wuya was indeed clever. When he first submitted, he even proactively requested that a different kind of fire be implanted within his body as a restraint. This pragmatic awareness still earns Lu Yu's admiration.

How are the preparations for the auction going?

Lu Yu put down his teacup, the bottom of the celadon cup touching the table with a crisp sound.

"Lord Pavilion Master, everything is ready: Golden Essence Pill, Purple Jade Barrier-Breaking Pill, and Emperor-Breaking Pill..."

"Today is the first appearance of our Lingbao Pavilion in the Black Corner Region. As per your instructions, all kinds of pills have been prepared, as well as the low-level Earth-rank, attribute-free cultivation technique Xuanhuang Jue, the low-level Earth-rank combat skill Thunderous Thousandfold Slash, and five sets each of high-level Profound-rank cultivation techniques and combat skills..."

Wuya spoke cautiously.

"Hmm, have you found the thing I asked you to find?"

Lu Yu nodded, then asked in a deep voice.

Upon hearing this, Wuya's expression turned serious, and he said, "Reporting to the Pavilion Master, we found it. That item was auctioned off by an unknown rogue cultivator. He deliberately offered a high price because he saw that we were specifically looking for it."

"Your subordinates have already taken care of him and disposed of the body. Please rest assured, Master, the origin of this thing is now absolutely innocent!"

As he spoke, Wuya's expression hardened, and he immediately took out a sandalwood box from his storage ring. He held the box with both hands and respectfully presented it to Lu Yu: "Sect Master, please take a look, this is what you requested."

As the wooden box slowly opened, an ancient, fragmented map lay quietly on the brocade. The edges of the scroll were jagged, clearly indicating that it was a piece torn from a complete map.

The most striking feature is the lotus pattern that appears and disappears in the picture, which gleams with an eerie light under the illumination.

The remaining picture of the Pure Lotus Demon Fire!
(End of this chapter)