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

Chapter 166 Zi Yan, Unwilling to Leave

Faced with the conditions proposed by the spirit of the ancestral symbol,
Lu Yu's mind raced as he carefully considered the pros and cons.

"Given the current conditions, exchanging two Dou Zun-level strange flames plus one Dou Zong-level strange flame for a strange flame spirit with boundless potential is naturally an extremely worthwhile deal..."

"Leaving aside the power of the three flames fused together, the spirit of the strange fire itself is enough to help me do many things..."

"Whether it's quickly condensing the Buddha's Wrath Lotus to reduce the consumption of one's own soul power, or opening the inheritance of the ancient emperor Tuoshe in the future... the spirit of the strange fire can play a great role."

"Moreover, I am currently only one step away from becoming a Dou Zun, both in terms of Dou Qi cultivation and physical strength. Once I officially advance, high-grade spiritual artifacts will be of little use; only top-grade spiritual artifacts can perfectly amplify my combat power. At that time, I will have to remove a seal on it anyway..."

He thought to himself, "If I'm not mistaken, these five seals should correspond to the five stages of a top-grade spiritual artifact, a low-grade divine artifact, a mid-grade divine artifact, a high-grade divine artifact, and a top-grade divine artifact, and they will gradually be unsealed as my soul power increases."

"The spirit of the Ancestral Symbol must have guessed this as well. Since I will unseal it sooner or later, why is it in such a hurry? Is it afraid that I will not keep my promise?"

A thoughtful look flashed in Lu Yu's eyes. He recalled the verbal agreement he had made with the spirit of the Ancestral Symbol: if he helped it unseal all the seals, the Ancestral Symbol would recognize him as its master.

But this agreement is actually not binding at all; whether or not it is fulfilled depends entirely on one's own mood.

Thinking of this, Lu Yu looked up at the Fire Phoenix and tentatively said, "I can certainly help you break a seal, but only after the spirit of the strange fire has been successfully nurtured. Otherwise, if you regret it after breaking the seal, wouldn't I have wasted my time?"

Flames flickered in the Fire Phoenix's eyes, as if it had already seen through his concerns, but it did not object. It simply said slowly, "Alright, then so be it. Once the spirit of the strange fire is successfully conceived, you can unlock the first chain for me."

It paused, then continued, "Now, take out those three strange flames."

Upon hearing this, Lu Yu felt a sense of relief. Once the spirit of the strange fire was successfully conceived, any problems would be immediately apparent.

At that time, the spirit of the ancestral symbol will still be sealed. If there is a problem, I can always back out. I doubt the other party would do something so unwise as to end up with nothing.

Immediately, with a thought, three strange flames of different shapes emerged from his body: the pitch-black and eerie Netherworld Heart Demon Flame, the transparent and invisible Fallen Heart Flame, and the blood-red Blood Prison Burning Heart Flame.

These three strange flames correspond to the tempering of the soul, battle qi, and blood qi, respectively, perfectly covering the three fundamental cultivation foundations of essence, qi, and spirit.

If one could integrate them into one, their profound mystery would be immeasurable, and they would be considered among the most powerful even among different flames.

The fire phoenix gazed at the three strange flames, opened its beak, and spat out a wisp of extremely pure primordial fire, gently enveloping them.

Under Lu Yu's astonished gaze, the three strange flames, harmonized by this primordial fire, slowly merged and compressed, eventually transforming into a strange fire egg with mysterious white, red, and black patterns flowing across its surface, radiating a rich life force and powerful energy fluctuations.

"This is a seed of a different kind of fire, which takes a considerable amount of time to develop. It can take anywhere from several months to several years before it can hatch and take on a spiritual form."

The Fire Phoenix's voice carried a hint of barely perceptible weariness, "If you can find fire-attribute natural treasures to nourish this fire seed, the gestation process will be greatly shortened."

Lu Yu took the palm-sized fire egg and carefully scanned it with his soul power. He did not detect anything unusual. On the contrary, he could clearly feel that the life force gestating inside was connected to his own aura and felt exceptionally close to him.

Even the soul imprints he had previously implanted in the three strange flames were perfectly transferred into this fire egg.

"After all, it was an ancestral talisman given by Ying Huanhuan, the matriarch of the Martial Realm. I must have carefully examined it in the simulation, and its character should be without any problems... Perhaps I am just overthinking it."

Lu Yu thought to himself, feeling a little more at ease.

He took the warm fire egg out of the Ancestral Symbol Space and carefully placed it inside the Floating Pagoda to nurture it.

After doing all this, he tidied his slightly disheveled robes, glanced around the quiet room to make sure there were no traces left behind, and then calmly pushed open the door to the quiet room.

Lu Yu strolled out of the quiet room. Warm sunlight streamed into the courtyard, and he could see Little Fairy Doctor and Zi Yan sitting at the stone table in the courtyard.

Little Fairy Doctor held a teapot and poured tea with elegant posture, while Zi Yan swung her legs and talked enthusiastically, her silvery laughter echoing in the courtyard.

"What are you chatting about so happily?" Lu Yu walked over with a smile and naturally sat down in the empty seat next to the stone table.

"Lu Yu, you're out of seclusion!" Zi Yan's eyes lit up and she immediately came over. "Sister Xian'er is telling me about the fun she had when she went to the Monster Mountain Range to gather herbs!"

Little Fairy Doctor pushed a cup of freshly brewed tea in front of Lu Yu and smiled gently: "Was your seclusion successful? Judging from your aura, you seem to have improved quite a bit."

Lu Yu took the teacup, inhaled the aroma, and felt quite pleased: "A little something. As for you all, haven't you been bored these past few days? Are you getting used to this inner region of the Pill Tower?"

The three of them basked in the afternoon sun, leisurely sipping tea and chatting. Little Fairy Doctor talked about several rare medicinal herbs she had seen at the trade fair in the inner region over the past few days, while Zi Yan chattered excitedly about several delicious and pure spiritual fruits she had recently discovered. The atmosphere in the courtyard was relaxed and harmonious.

However, this tranquility did not last long.

About an incense stick's time later, Lu Yu was picking up his teacup when he paused slightly. At almost the same time, Little Fairy Doctor's smile vanished, her delicate brows furrowing as she gazed into the distance.

Even Zi Yan put down the spiritual fruit in her hand, as if sensing something, and tugged at Lu Yu's sleeve somewhat uneasily.

"Lu Yu, I feel like someone is calling me..."

Zi Yan whispered, and a pair of golden dragon eyes suddenly appeared in her pupils. The ancient dragon bloodline in her body was faintly boiling, as if she had been summoned by something.

Lu Yu patted Zi Yan's small hand, signaling her not to panic, then looked up at the sky with a solemn expression.

In the distance, a black streak of light was tearing through the sky at an incredibly terrifying speed, hurtling toward the courtyard where they were!

The undisguised, vast dragon might crashed down like a tangible tsunami. Although it wasn't intentionally targeted, it still slightly distorted the space in the courtyard, making it difficult to breathe.

Almost at the same time that black streak of light approached, several figures clad in Danta silver armor suddenly appeared from the patrol points around the courtyard. The captain in the lead was a Dou Zun, and the rest of the team members were all at the Dou Zong level.

They instantly formed a defensive formation, their expressions grave as they blocked the uninvited guest outside the courtyard.

"Halt! This is a restricted area within the Pill Tower; trespassing is strictly prohibited!"

The captain of the guard gripped his weapon and shouted in a deep voice, his tone filled with vigilance. While maintaining full alert, he quickly sent a distress message to the Dan Tower headquarters, while another team member rushed towards Lu Yu's direction to report.

The black streak of light abruptly stopped in front of the guards, and as the light dissipated, it revealed the figure of a burly man as imposing as an iron tower.

Faced with the obstruction, the burly man's rugged face showed a hint of urgency, but he did not force his way through. Instead, he explained in a muffled voice, "My name is Hei Qing. I did not intend to offend the rules of the Pill Tower. However, after entering Zhongzhou, I clearly sensed that my clan's bloodline was here, so I came to see them. I have no ill intentions!" After speaking, his gaze turned to the courtyard not far away, eagerly searching for the source of the bloodline power.

At this moment, Lu Yu, having received a report from the guards, had already led Little Fairy Doctor and Zi Yan out of the courtyard.

Upon seeing Hei Qing's unique and powerful dragon aura, Zi Yan's face first showed surprise, followed by a sense of familiarity and curiosity that came from the depths of her bloodline.

Hei Qing's gaze instantly locked onto Zi Yan. Sensing the extremely rich bloodline of the Ancient Void Dragon, an uncontrollable excitement surged across his rugged face.

He suppressed his emotions and instead clasped his hands in a fist salute to Lu Yu, who was clearly in charge, and said in a much more solemn tone: "You must be the master of this place? I apologize for disturbing you, but I am anxious because I sensed that my kinsmen were scattered outside. I have come to verify this. I hope you will forgive me."

"Are you a member of the Ancient Dragon Clan of the Void?"

Lu Yu remained calm and asked the question without any haste.

Although this person exuded an extremely powerful aura, reaching the level of a seven-star or even eight-star Dou Zun, in the inner domain of the Pill Tower, which was essentially the Pill Tower's doorstep, Lu Yu was not worried that this person would dare to make a move easily.

"Exactly!"

Hei Qing's voice boomed like a bell, his gaze fixed intently on Zi Yan behind Lu Yu, "The purple-haired girl behind you possesses the pure bloodline of my Taixu Ancient Dragon Clan! She is a member of our clan who was lost and separated from us. Today, we sensed her bloodline and have come to retrieve her. We hope you will grant us this favor."

Upon hearing this, Lu Yu frowned slightly and turned to look at Zi Yan beside him.

She bit her lip, her fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of her clothes, lost in brief contemplation.

After a moment, she took a deep breath, raised her head, her eyes firm and clear, and tightly gripped Lu Yu's sleeve. Her voice trembled slightly but was extremely resolute: "I won't go with you! I don't know you. I want to stay with Lu Yu and Sister Xian'er!"

Lu Yu sighed softly, sensing Zi Yan's inner turmoil and struggle. He gently stroked the back of her hand, offering her silent support and comfort.

Then, he looked up at Hei Qing, his expression calm yet revealing an unyielding resolve: "Since Zi Yan has made up her mind, then please return. Since she is unwilling to return to her clan, I will naturally not force her."

Upon hearing this, Hei Qing immediately became anxious, his bronze face flushing slightly with excitement: "Your Excellency! She is from my Taixu Ancient Dragon Clan..."

"In short, we can't be left to wander outside!"

"Returning to her clan is the best choice for her! Donglong Island will definitely do its utmost to nurture her..."

Just then, a calm yet supremely majestic voice suddenly rang out from the sky: "Hehe, Elder Hei Qing, why the rush? Since the young lady herself is unwilling, and Elder Lu Yu has made his decision, in my opinion, it is best to respect their wishes."

The space rippled slightly, and Xuan Kongzi's figure appeared silently in the courtyard, a faint smile on his face, but his gaze was deep as he looked at Hei Qing.

Upon seeing Xuan Kongzi appear, Hei Qing's expression changed slightly, and his previously agitated emotions subsided considerably. He could exert pressure on Lu Yu, but he would never dare to act recklessly in front of the Pill Tower's giants.

Others may not know, but he comes from the Taixu Ancient Dragon Clan and knows how profound the foundation of the Pill Tower is. The Pill Tower Ancestor, who is rarely seen, is a real six-star Dou Sheng, and is definitely not someone that their Donglong Island can afford to offend.

A hint of helplessness and resentment flashed across his face. In the end, he could only clasp his hands in a fist and say to Xuan Kongzi, "President Xuan Kongzi, this matter is of great importance to my Taixu Ancient Dragon Clan. I hope you can do me a favor, otherwise I will have a hard time explaining to my clan when I return."

Xuan Kongzi stroked his beard and smiled calmly, not responding directly, but instead turning his gaze to Lu Yu and Zi Yan.

Lu Yu's expression was calm, but his tone was very firm: "Senior Hei Qing, Zi Yan's wishes are the most important. Since she does not want to leave, no one can force her to leave."

Zi Yan gripped Lu Yu's sleeve tightly and nodded vigorously, saying, "I'm not leaving! I want to stay here!"

Seeing that both sides were adamant, Hei Qing knew that he couldn't force the issue, so he could only sigh and show a look of compromise on his rugged face: "Since that's the case, I can't force it. But the fact that such bloodlines are scattered outside is no small matter. I need to immediately send a message back to the clan and ask the Grand Elder to make a decision."

He changed the subject, his gaze sweeping over Zi Yan, his tone becoming unquestionable: "Until the Grand Elder makes a decision, I will remain here to protect Zi Yan. This is my duty as a member of the Taixu Ancient Dragon Clan, and I hope you all understand."

Upon hearing this, Xuan Kongzi nodded slightly in agreement: "As long as Elder Hei Qing abides by the rules of the Pill Tower, it is perfectly fine for him to stay in the inner domain temporarily."

Lu Yu nodded in agreement, since having an eight-star Dou Zun expert protecting her wouldn't be a bad thing for Zi Yan.

Seeing this, Hei Qing said no more. He immediately took out a communication jade talisman shaped like a dragon scale, infused it with his divine sense, and began to transmit a message to the clan.

He then retreated to a corner of the courtyard, standing guard like a rock, his gaze never leaving Zi Yan's side.

Seeing this, Lu Yu shook his head and ignored him. He then cupped his hands to Xuan Kongzi and said, "It's such a small matter, yet the president has come in person. I feel really bad about it."

"Hehe, Elder Lu, you're too kind."

Xuan Kongzi stroked his beard and chuckled, saying in a gentle tone, "Since you are an elder of my Pill Tower, you are naturally protected by the Pill Tower. How can you allow others to disturb you at will? This is simply my duty."

After exchanging a few more polite words, Xuan Kongzi changed the subject and said with a slightly serious expression, "In addition, I have come here for another matter."

With a flick of his sleeve, three jade boxes emitting a faint glow appeared out of thin air and floated in front of Lu Yu.

"These are the complete medicinal materials needed to refine the Spirit-Pregnancy Powder."

Xuan Kongzi explained, "The tower values ​​this item highly and hopes that Elder Lu can begin refining it when he has the time. If you need anything, you can come to me at any time."

Upon seeing this, Lu Yu's eyes lit up, and he secretly praised, "As expected of the Pill Tower, their actions are so swift, gathering three sets of medicinal herbs in such a short time."

At this moment, Hei Qing looked at Lu Yu with some surprise and said, "Spirit-Nourishing Powder? Isn't that an ancient, lost medicinal formula? Are you an eighth-grade alchemist?"

He then shook his head. Being able to live in the inner region meant he was naturally an eighth-grade alchemist.

At this moment, he pondered to himself: So that's how it is. This person is actually an eighth-grade alchemy master who possesses ancient medicinal formulas. No wonder Zi Yan was unwilling to return to the clan; being by the side of such a person is indeed no less rewarding than being trained within the clan.

Having figured this out, a solemn expression appeared on Hei Qing's resolute face.

Getting Ziyan to return to her clan proved to be more complicated than he had anticipated.

(End of this chapter)