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

Chapter 171 The Pharmacist Who Lives Off His Wife

"It was just luck; I got some opportunities in Zhongzhou."

Lu Yu smiled and winked, his tone humble yet unable to conceal his composure.

He immediately stood up, solemnly bowed to the guests, and said with clasped hands, "Junior Lu Yu greets Senior Xuan Yi. Congratulations to Senior Yao Lao on regaining his body and returning to the Venerable Realm."

"Greetings, Senior Feng."

Xuan Yi nodded slightly, his gaze lingering on Lu Yu for a moment, a hint of barely perceptible admiration flashing in his eyes.

Yao Chen stroked his beard and smiled, "Young friend, there's no need for such formalities. I was able to be reborn thanks to the message you delivered back then."

Venerable Feng smiled nonchalantly and waved his hand, saying, "No need for formalities, young friend, please sit down."

After exchanging pleasantries, Venerable Feng expressed his liking for the tranquility of the place and decided to stay temporarily in a side room on one side of the courtyard.

Before Yao Lao could exchange more words with Lu Yu, Xuan Yi smiled and firmly took his arm, saying, "Senior Brother has just been resurrected and needs to rest and recuperate. There are some things I need to discuss with him in detail..."

Before he could finish speaking, he was pulled away, leaving the crowd staring at each other in bewilderment and the somewhat embarrassed figure of the old apothecary.

After everyone else had left, Lu Yu finally turned his gaze entirely to Xiao Yan. The two exchanged a smile, both seeing the感慨 (gǎnkǎi, a complex emotion encompassing both feelings and reflections) in each other's eyes. Eight months had already passed since their last parting in the Northwest.

"Brother Lu, your cultivation progress is truly astonishing. Every time we meet, it gives me a fright."

Xiao Yan shook his head and laughed, then stepped forward and patted Lu Yu's shoulder forcefully. His expression became more serious as he said, "I haven't been idle these past few days. I was lucky enough to finally find the wisp of 'Yin Fire' marked on the map, and it took quite a bit of effort to complete the Yin-Yang Twin Flames."

He paused, a hint of pride in his voice: "Now, my cultivation has barely reached the level of a Seven-Star Dou Wang."

Although he spoke modestly, the confidence and sharpness that had been forged through battles and trials were unmistakable in his words.

Upon hearing this, Lu Yu's eyes revealed genuine admiration: "The Yin-Yang Twin Flames are incredibly profound. Your ability to complete them is already a tremendous stroke of luck. In just eight months, you have leaped from a Seven-Star Dou Ling to a Seven-Star Dou Wang. Such progress can be described as miraculous."

"Don't flatter me, you're already a Dou Zun..."

The two looked at each other and smiled, as if they had returned to the time when they stood side by side in the Northwest.

They strolled to the stone table in the courtyard and sat down. Little Fairy Doctor had already thoughtfully prepared tea and served it to them.

As the aroma of tea wafted through the air, the two recounted their experiences, gains, and insights from the past six months, sometimes sighing and sometimes laughing heartily. The courtyard was filled with the joyful atmosphere of old friends reuniting.

The Venerable Wind, standing to the side, quietly watched the two young people conversing so amiably. He stroked his long beard, a complex yet warm look in his eyes, and sighed softly:
"That old fellow Yao Chen is really lucky..."

"Not only did he take on a good disciple, but he is also capable of inheriting his mantle and revitalizing the Starfall Pavilion..."

He paused, his gaze shifting between Lu Yu and Xiao Yan as they chatted, his tone filled with nostalgia and a hint of barely perceptible envy, "Look at how spirited they are, they're just like when I first met them."

"It's great to be young..."

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"So, the tomb of the Dou Zun powerhouse you found was actually the ruins of the Nine Netherworld Python clan? Not only did you obtain Yin Fire from it, but you also dug up their remains and extracted the essence blood of the eighth-rank Nine Netherworld Python, which you used to refine Elder Yao's body?"

After listening to Xiao Yan's account, Lu Yu couldn't help but show a look of surprise, and subconsciously asked, "Then what is Senior Yao's current cultivation level...?"

"Teacher is now at the peak of the Nine-Star Dou Zun."

Xiao Yan explained, "However, since my body has just been reconstructed, it will take some time to recover before I can fully regain my former peak strength..."

"Nine-star Dou Zun peak? Not bad. Add to that Senior Yao Lao's status as an eighth-grade peak alchemist, and Xingyun Pavilion is likely to shine brightly in Zhongzhou again."

"Congratulations, young master of Starfall Pavilion."

Lu Yu said with a smile.

A little embarrassed by the teasing remark, Xiao Yan touched his nose and awkwardly changed the subject: "Brother Lu, please stop making fun of me. Speaking of which, I heard you plan to establish the Spirit Treasure Pavilion's base in the Tianmu Mountains? Is that true?"

"It's true."

Lu Yu nodded and confirmed, "The Tianmu Mountains have a unique terrain and abundant energy, making them a good choice."

Upon receiving an affirmative answer, Xiao Yan's expression turned serious, and his tone became earnest: "When I came here, my teacher specifically instructed me that if you truly choose the Tianmu Mountain Range, my Starfall Pavilion will fully support you and will never stand idly by."

Upon hearing this, Venerable Feng stroked his beard and smiled, nodding solemnly in agreement, "Indeed, Yao Chen's meaning is the meaning of the entire Starfall Pavilion. Young friend Lu Yu, if you have any needs, please feel free to ask." Lu Yu nodded and smiled, "It's just a minor trouble; the Spirit Treasure Pavilion can handle it itself. But after Senior Yao's revival, have you considered what will happen next?"

"What happened next?"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan was slightly taken aback, clearly not having thought about this point in depth.

However, Venerable Feng's expression suddenly turned serious, and he said in a deep voice, "Young friend Lu Yu's concerns are very valid. Back then, when Yao Chen encountered misfortune, the Soul Hall was behind it all. Now that he has been successfully resurrected, given the Soul Hall's vengeful and unscrupulous nature, they will never let this go. I'm afraid they will soon notice and take action."

"Has Senior Medicine Master considered how to proceed?"

Lu Yu raised an eyebrow and then pressed for an answer.

Upon hearing this, Venerable Feng's expression immediately turned extremely strange, as if he wanted to laugh but forced himself to hold it back, his eyes darting away.

Xiao Yan coughed slightly, looking a little embarrassed, touched his nose, and said in a low voice, "My teacher... plans to ask Aunt Xuan to introduce him to the Pill Tower and formally join as an elder..."

"So you wanted to be a kept man..."

Upon hearing this, Lu Yu was taken aback at first, then a knowing smile appeared on his face.

He recalled how, when Xuan Yi had dragged Yao Lao away without a word, Yao Lao had shown helplessness but hadn't resisted at all, and couldn't help but shake his head and chuckle:

"This is indeed a brilliant idea! With the Pill Tower as our backing, we are safe and sound; with a confidante like Senior Xuanyi taking care of us, it's extremely beneficial; and we can avoid the trouble of traveling around and focus on studying alchemy, enjoying a peaceful and happy life."

He chuckled and patted Xiao Yan on the shoulder, teasingly saying, "Senior Yao's move was both brilliant and decisive! Truly admirable!"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan's face immediately turned bright red, as if he had been told something he was ashamed of. He opened his mouth, but couldn't help but whisper in defense of his teacher.

They said things like this wasn't about "living off a woman," but rather a strategic alliance, and that the teacher and Aunt Xuan were a match made in heaven.

But halfway through her sentence, looking at Lu Yu's ambiguous smile and recalling how the teacher had half-heartedly agreed and even seemed to enjoy it when Aunt Xuan pulled her away, she couldn't find a strong enough reason to refute him.

In the end, he could only awkwardly touch his nose, swallow back the words that were on the tip of his tongue, his face filled with a complicated expression that said, "You're right, but my teacher is definitely not that kind of person."

"Your teacher used aphrodisiacs the first time he slept with them. Do you think I don't know what kind of person your teacher is?"

"Brother Yan, you're still too young..."

A playful smile played on Lu Yu's lips as he glanced at Xiao Yan's flushed face and shook his head with an air of nonchalance.

Immediately, he sighed deeply, his tone full of the irony of someone with experience, and said in a deep voice, "Brother Yan, some things are better left unsaid. Isn't Elder Yao's arrangement a good thing both publicly and privately?"

Xiao Yan was speechless after being shut down by his words. Recalling Yao Lao's unreliable past and the current situation of "living off a woman's money," he could only hold his breath and gulp down a mouthful of cold tea on the table.

"Stop drinking."

Seeing this, Lu Yu stood up with a smile, a hint of eager fighting spirit flashing in his eyes, and said loudly, "What's the point of just drinking tea? It's been a while, come on, let me see how much your skills have improved!"

Before he finished speaking, he moved slightly and lightly flew to the open space in the center of the courtyard. His fighting spirit surged slightly, and a vast aura belonging to a Dou Zun powerhouse spread out like a tide, but he controlled it precisely within the scope of the sparring.

He beckoned to Xiao Yan with his finger and said with a smile, "Don't worry, I will suppress my cultivation to the Dou Wang level so that you can unleash your full potential."

Xiao Yan's competitive spirit was also aroused by him. He instantly forgot his embarrassment and his eyes burned with fierce fighting spirit.

He put down his teacup, slammed the heavy ruler on the ground with a loud thud, and said in a clear voice, "Alright! Then please give me some pointers, Brother Lu!"

The next moment, he shot out, his Xuan Heavy Ruler wrapped in scorching black and white flames, and with an indomitable momentum, he slashed straight at Lu Yu!

In the courtyard, the fighting spirit surged instantly!
"Well done!"

A gleam of excitement flashed in Lu Yu's eyes. With a slight thought, he quickly suppressed the surging Dou Zun aura around him, precisely holding his strength at the level of a Seven-Star Dou Wang.

At the same time, a ball of icy blue flame rose from his palm, exuding extreme cold, and instantly condensed into a crystal-clear longsword with a flowing cold light.

With a flick of his wrist, the tip of his sword traced a mysterious arc, instantly transforming into countless icy blue sword energy threads that shot towards Xiao Yan's vital points like a sudden storm!

It is the Heavenly Dragon Flame Finger, which transforms the finger into a sword!
Faced with the overwhelming, chilling sword energy, Xiao Yan remained remarkably calm. He suddenly stomped his feet, and a thick, solid, earth-yellow vortex of energy rose up, lifting him up and instantly increasing his speed!
Taking advantage of this sudden acceleration, he wielded the Xuanzhong Ruler with impenetrable force, deflecting and shattering every incoming sword energy thread. The whistling wind from the ruler carried an unprecedented composure and confidence.

(End of this chapter)