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

Chapter 188 Tongxuan Investment, and their successive departures.

“It is excellent that you have such lofty ambitions, young friend.”

Elder Tongxuan stroked his beard and pondered for a moment, then slowly nodded, a hint of genuine appreciation in his eyes. "Then I will await your good news in the Ancient Realm."

He then looked up at the sky and said calmly, "Tongyou, take these two back first."

As soon as he finished speaking, Elder Tongyou, who was high in the sky, flashed and appeared beside the disheveled Gu Qian and Gu Xu.

His expression remained gloomy, but he said nothing more. With a flick of his sleeve, a powerful spatial force enveloped the two of them.

With a distortion in space, the three figures vanished instantly, as if they had never existed.

Elder Tongxuan, however, did not leave. He smiled slightly at Lu Yu and Xun'er and said, "I will stay for a while. Firstly, to apologize to those two good-for-nothings and to guide you in your cultivation for a period of time; secondly, Xun'er needs an old man to keep an eye on her to feel at ease."

Upon hearing this, everyone present exchanged glances, none of them expressing any objection.

After all, if a semi-saint powerhouse wants to stay, they can't just kick him out, can they?

So, after Elder Tongxuan expressed his intention to stay temporarily, this kind-faced semi-saint settled down at Tianmu Mountain for the time being.

One day, on a mountaintop, Elder Tongxuan, Yaochen, Venerable Tianhuo, and Lu Yu sat together beside a blue stone.

Elder Tongxuan took a sip of tea and slowly said, "Young friend Lu Yu is determined to become a half-saint in two years, which is commendable. However, the path from Dou Zun to half-saint is by no means a simple accumulation of energy. The key lies in the 'Nine Revolutions to Sainthood' path."

He glanced at the three people who were listening intently and continued, "The so-called Nine Revolutions, as the name suggests, is the compression and condensation of Dou Qi through nine revolutions. The peak of Dou Zun and the true Saint Realm may seem to be only a step away, but in reality there is an immeasurable gap. Only by going through the Nine Revolutions can one truly cross this insurmountable chasm."

Upon hearing this, Yao Chen nodded with deep feeling: "What the elder said is absolutely right. Back then, I was trapped here and wasted hundreds of years before I finally glimpsed the realm of perfection, but I could not find the opportunity to break through to sainthood."

His tone carried a hint of regret, clearly indicating that he felt deeply pained by this.

Venerable Tianhuo added solemnly, "Indeed, many peak Dou Zun never complete a single 'revolution' in their entire lives, let alone the Nine Revolutions."

Elder Tongxuan nodded slightly and further explained: "The difficulty of the Nine Revolutions lies in compression and condensation. When the Dou Qi in the body of a peak Dou Zun expert is saturated and can no longer be increased, it is the beginning of the Nine Revolutions. One must condense and compress all the Dou Qi in the body to the extreme, so as to open up a space in the already full body to accommodate new Dou Qi."

"The rare resources consumed in this process far exceed those required to cultivate a peak Dou Zun expert. Therefore, resources are the first priority in completing the Nine Revolutions, while the profound methods are the second."

He looked at Lu Yu with a meaningful glint in his eyes and said in a deep voice, "The Nine Revolutions of Dou Zun may seem difficult, but it is actually about the compression and condensation of the essence of energy. It is not entirely without clues. I am not very talented. In the past, I summarized a set of techniques called 'Nine Elements Returning to Truth Technique' by borrowing the insights of my clan's predecessors and my own understanding. It can improve the speed of energy compression and condensation."

"I will give it to you today as a small compensation for the previous turmoil."

With that, a flash of light appeared at his fingertips, and a jade slip flowing with profound radiance floated toward Lu Yu.

"This……"

Lu Yu looked at the jade slip in front of him, which was obviously extremely precious and contained the cultivation insights of a half-saint, and a trace of hesitation flashed in his eyes.

He looked up and met Elder Tongxuan's smiling eyes.

Lu Yu instantly understood that the so-called "compensation" was just a convenient excuse. The true intention of this ancient clan elder was probably to make an early investment and show goodwill, as he had his eye on Lu Yu's potential.

This goodwill, though unspoken, is crystal clear.

Without much hesitation, he reached out and steadily caught the jade slip. He then bowed solemnly to Elder Tongxuan and said in a deep voice, "Junior Lu Yu thanks Elder for his generous gift! I will remember this kindness."

Upon seeing this, Elder Tongxuan stroked his beard, smiled, and nodded, a hint of satisfaction flashing in his eyes.

Some things don't need to be said explicitly; it's best if both parties understand each other without saying a word.

For him, befriending this young man in advance would be beneficial to his faction regardless of whether the nine-year agreement was fulfilled or not.

If successful, their faction within the ancient clan will naturally rise in status and become more secure; even if unsuccessful, given the talent and temperament he has shown, he will undoubtedly become a true Dou Sheng powerhouse in the future, making this good fortune a sure win.

As for people like Gu Qian, who only know how to stick to old rules and have a short-sighted vision, they are destined to achieve little. Even after living for hundreds of years, they are only a Dou Zun and deserve to be used as cannon fodder to test this kid.

Meanwhile, in another elegant room not far away, Xun'er and Little Fairy Doctor sat facing each other.

Xun'er held the teapot in her slender hand and poured a cup of tea for Little Fairy Doctor with elegant and natural movements.

She looked up at Little Fairy Doctor and said softly, "Thank you so much for taking care of Brother Yu these past few days, sister."

Little Fairy Doctor took the teacup, her gaze calm, and said lightly, "It's my duty, no need for thanks."

She paused, looked out the window at the group of people talking, and said in a calm tone, "Since he has chosen this path, the road ahead is destined to be full of thorns. Nine and a half years as a saint... is by no means an easy task."

Upon hearing this, a look of guilt flashed in Xun'er's eyes. She had always considered herself Yu-gege's virtuous wife, but such a conflict had happened right under her nose.

Recalling the magnanimity and dedication implied in Little Fairy Doctor's words "it is my duty," and comparing them with her own petty thoughts, she couldn't help but feel a little ashamed.

She lowered her eyes slightly, her voice soft yet sincere: "Sister is right. It was Xun'er who did not think things through earlier."

"From now on, I'll have to rely on you a lot to take care of Brother Yu. Xun'er will be returning to the Ancient Realm soon, and I'm afraid I won't be coming out for a while." Upon hearing this, Little Fairy Doctor sighed softly, reached out and held Xun'er's slightly cool fingertips, and said gently, "You and Lu Yu have been childhood sweethearts, and I never wanted to compete with you for anything..."

At this point, her tone shifted, carrying a hint of helpless reproach: "If anyone's to blame, it's that greedy guy. He already has someone as wonderful as you, yet he still came to provoke me..."

"If it weren't for me," Xun'er suddenly looked up, a rare glint of cunning in her eyes, "would you really be willing to give up on Brother Yu, sister?"

The words fell softly, catching Little Fairy Doctor completely off guard. Two blushes suddenly rose on her pretty face, like the brilliant sunset on the horizon. She subconsciously wanted to lower her head to hide it, but Xun'er's smiling gaze caught her firmly.

She unconsciously twisted the hem of her dress with her fingers, her voice barely audible, as she whispered in protest, "You...you're talking like that...how could I possibly be interested in someone as dense as him..."

“But I heard from Brother Yu,” Xun’er’s eyes sparkled, a sly smile playing on her lips, “that it seemed like it was Sister… who took the initiative first?”

Little Fairy Doctor's eyes widened suddenly, even the tips of her ears turning crimson: "He... he even told you this?!"

The words were barely out of his mouth when he realized his mistake and hurriedly tried to explain, "That's not how it is! That day was..."

Seeing her unusually flustered appearance, Xun'er finally couldn't help but chuckle, and the little bit of annoyance in her heart was instantly dispelled.

—————————————————————

Before long, in the blink of an eye, a month had passed.

On this day, everyone from Lingbao Pavilion gathered at the summit of Tianmu Mountain.

Elder Tongxuan looked at Xun'er and said gently, "Girl, it's time for us to go back."

Upon hearing this, Xun'er's eyes dimmed slightly, knowing that the matter could not be changed. She walked up to Lu Yu and whispered, "Brother Yu, Xun'er will be waiting for you in the Ancient Realm."

Lu Yu nodded emphatically, his gaze resolute: "Two years from now, I will personally go to the Ancient Realm to fetch you."

Without much sentimentality, the two looked at each other and could see the trust and determination in each other's eyes.

Then, Elder Tongxuan waved his sleeve lightly, and a spatial passage slowly took shape. He nodded to Lu Yu, then led Xun'er, who kept turning back to look at him, into the passage and disappeared.

At the summit, Lu Yu stood still, gazing at the gradually dissipating spatial ripples, his eyes deep and thoughtful.

Little Fairy Doctor linked her arm with his, feeling his muscles tense slightly, but she didn't say anything to disturb him, simply staying quietly by his side. She knew that any words would be superfluous at this moment.

After a long while, Lu Yu finally withdrew his gaze, took a deep breath, and the profundity in his eyes cleared. He turned to look at the woman beside him and gently patted the back of her hand: "Don't worry, I'm fine."

Just then, Xiao Yan and Yao Lao stepped forward.

Xiao Yan patted Lu Yu on the shoulder and said with a smile, "Brother Lu, the refining of the Spirit-Nourishing Powder is complete. My teacher and I should return to the Starfall Pavilion. If you need anything in the future, just send a message."

Upon hearing this, Lu Yu's lips curled into a rare smile: "What, you can't stand it after only a few days? Last time, I don't know who said they wanted to stay in my cultivation room for a few more days."

"That's because the energy here is particularly concentrated."

Xiao Yan chuckled, then said seriously, "Seriously, Brother Lu, if you ever need anything in the future, just send me a message. Even if we're separated by thousands of miles, I, Xiao Yan, will definitely be there as soon as possible."

The old doctor stroked his beard and smiled, his eyes revealing the loving kindness of an elder: "These two little fellows are quite compatible."

He turned to Lu Yu, his tone gentle yet solemn: "Young Lu, the journey to the Ancient Realm is no small matter. If you encounter any difficulties, please don't hesitate to ask. Although I am not very talented, I can still offer some assistance in the art of alchemy."

Upon hearing this, Lu Yu felt a surge of warmth in his heart. He exchanged a fist bump with Xiao Yan, then bowed solemnly to Yao Lao: "I will remember Senior Yao Lao's teachings. As for Brother Yan..."

He paused briefly, a glint of light flashing in his eyes, and continued, "Come find me at Tianmu Mountain when you are about to break through to the Dou Zong realm. I'll reserve the best spot for you at the Tianshan Blood Pool."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan's eyes lit up immediately, and he laughed loudly, "Brother Lu, you said it yourself! I really won't hold back then!"

He naturally knew how miraculous the Heavenly Mountain Blood Pool was for breaking through to the Dou Zong realm, and such a promise was invaluable.

The old doctor stroked his beard and nodded, his eyes full of satisfaction: "Young Lu is very thoughtful. With the help of the Heavenly Mountain Blood Pool, Xiao Yanzi will surely achieve twice the result with half the effort when he breaks through to the Dou Zong realm."

Lu Yu smiled slightly: "Brother Yan's talent is already extraordinary. Even without the help of the Blood Pool, breaking through to the Dou Zong realm is only a matter of time. I am just adding icing on the cake."

Xiao Yan replied earnestly, "I will remember Brother Lu's kindness. After I break through to the Dou Zong realm, I will definitely have a good spar with you and see who is better!"

"I'm ready anytime." A fighting spirit flashed in Lu Yu's eyes, and then the two looked at each other and laughed.

After exchanging a few more pleasantries, Xiao Yan and Yao Lao transformed into streaks of light and departed.

Lu Yu gazed in the direction they had gone, a smile playing on his lips.

Little Fairy Doctor said softly, "You are truly exceptional in your love for Xiao Yan."

Lu Yu withdrew his gaze and said in a gentle tone, "Those worthy of our friendship should naturally be treated with sincerity. Moreover, given Yan's character, if I ever need his help in the future, he will certainly do his best to assist me."

(End of this chapter)