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

Chapter 201 Alchemy and Ambition

"I see."

"I'll go to the Northwest myself. Has the space wormhole been constructed yet?"

Lu Yu's voice lowered, and a cold glint flashed in his eyes.

“It has already been built and is ready to be used at any time. It is sufficient to support you to reach Tianya City in the Tianqing Mountains directly,” Cai Lin replied immediately.

Lu Yu nodded slightly, but did not set off immediately. After a moment's thought, he instructed, "Go and invite Senior Hei Qing over. He will need to accompany me on this trip. As for Tianmu Mountain..."

He paused, then continued, "Things are urgent, but a little time won't make a difference. Xian'er has already reached the peak of the Dou Zong realm, so I need to refine a 'Netherworld Soul-Eating Pill' for her first."

This Netherworld Soul-Eating Pill was an eighth-grade mid-level poison pill formula that Lu Yu obtained from Elder Xuanqing when he first joined the Pill Tower. He also received a set of precious medicinal materials as a complement.

Now that Little Fairy Doctor's cultivation has reached the peak of Dou Zong, taking this pill will allow her to use its immense medicinal power to break through to the Dou Zun realm in one fell swoop.

Upon hearing this, Cai Lin nodded, a hint of envy flashing across her beautiful eyes.

In the Central Plains, the Dou Zun realm is enough to be considered a strong person. Currently, apart from Lu Yu and Tianhuo Venerable, Lingbao Pavilion does not have a third Dou Zun powerhouse.

Immediately, she spoke again, suggesting, "This trip to the Northwest is not a solo endeavor. Why not bring along a few of the newly promoted Dou Zong elders from our sect? Firstly, it can help you quickly quell the situation and eliminate the villains; secondly, it can allow them to remain in the Northwest to bolster our strength and thoroughly solidify our foundation there."

Lu Yu thought for a moment and found this to be reasonable, so he nodded in agreement: "Alright. After I complete the pill, I will have them come to join me."

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After a few days,

At the summit of Tianmu Mountain, an ancient and simple medicine cauldron stands majestically, its purple-gold pagoda fire burning fiercely, scorching the surrounding space and causing it to distort slightly.

Inside the cauldron, a dark-colored pill, entwined with eerie, pale white patterns, was frantically devouring the energy of heaven and earth, emitting a powerful medicinal force and profound toxicity that made one's soul tremble.

Suddenly, thunderclouds gathered wildly in the sky, the thick black clouds seemed to crush the mountains, and a destructive aura permeated the heavens and earth.

The five-colored lightning bolts, like a roaring giant python, coiled with five destructive lights of silver, cyan, blue, red, and purple, tore through the sky and slammed down with a terrifying power that even Dou Zun experts would turn pale!

Lu Yu looked up at the sky, his eyes remaining calm and composed, even carrying a hint of indifference, despite the five-colored lightning that was powerful enough to kill an ordinary Dou Zun. He did not get up; instead, with a slight thought, a layer of crystal-clear crimson glass armor instantly covered his body.

With the enhancement of the glass armor, his aura suddenly became as heavy as a mountain. The next moment, he slowly raised his palm and casually struck out at the earth-shattering lightning tribulation.

An indescribable, immense power surged from his palm, instantly condensing into a colossal energy palm print that blotted out the sky, soaring upwards. This palm strike contained no complex combat techniques, only the purest, overwhelming force!
Boom!

The five-colored lightning, which would have made ordinary warriors prepare for battle, was as fragile as glass before this power. It exploded in mid-air with a deafening roar, turning into countless five-colored light spots, which then completely annihilated and vanished into nothingness.

The thunderclouds in the sky seemed to be wiped away instantly by an invisible giant hand, leaving not a trace, and the sky was clear again in an instant.

With a flick of his sleeve, the lid of the cauldron opened, and the Grade 8, five-colored "Netherworld Soul-Eating Pill," containing terrifying energy, obediently fell into a warm jade bottle.

Lu Yu turned around and handed the jade bottle to the Little Fairy Doctor who was eagerly waiting.

"If you take it and calmly refine it, you should be able to break through to the Dou Zun realm without any problems."

Little Fairy Doctor accepted the warm, smooth jade bottle, clearly sensing the immense energy it contained, and solemnly tapped it. A resolute light shone in her bright eyes as she softly said:
"By the time you return, I will have already successfully broken through to the Dou Zun level."

Upon hearing this, Lu Yu smiled gently and nodded slightly to her. Then, he turned around and glanced at the crowd that had been waiting quietly for a long time.

"Let's go, to the Northwest!"

Hei Qing, who had been itching for a fight, strode forward and said in a loud voice, "I've been waiting impatiently for a long time! Staying here on Tianmu Mountain all the time is making my bones feel like they're going to melt. It's time to find some ignorant guys to stretch my muscles!"

Zi Yan, who was standing nearby, immediately jumped over excitedly, grabbed Lu Yu's sleeve, looked up at him with her bright eyes sparkling with anticipation, and said, "I want to go too! I want to go too! Lu Yu, take me with you!"

Lu Yu looked down at her eager and anxious expression, and couldn't help but smile helplessly. He nodded, though: "Alright, I'll take you with me."

Now that Zi Yan has advanced to the Dou Zun level, she is strong enough to protect herself, so it's not unreasonable to bring her along.

Just then, a chilling aura approached from afar. Hai Bodong led several powerful Dou Zong elders as they flew over and landed steadily in front of Lu Yu.

Hai Bodong cupped his hands and said in a deep voice, "Sect Leader, we are ready and can depart at any time!"

The elders behind him echoed in unison, their fighting spirit palpable.

They knew this trip was no small matter. The situation in the Northwest Continent had suddenly changed, and the Lingbao Pavilion branch had been attacked. This was a golden opportunity for them to make a good impression. Lu Yu glanced at the group before him and nodded slightly.

"In that case, let's set off."

The next moment, the spatial wormhole shone brightly, and the stable silver-white spatial power fluctuated violently.

Led by Lu Yu, Hei Qing, Zi Yan, Hai Bodong, and a group of Dou Zong powerhouses entered the distorted and rotating spatial passage one after another, disappearing in an instant and speeding towards the distant Northwest Continent.

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Meanwhile, on the northwestern continent.

Jia Ma Empire, Yunlan Sect.

A massive mountain stands alone on a vast plain, its steep slopes reaching into the clouds.

The mountain is dotted with countless hidden sentries. Anyone who steps into this place will be instantly monitored by sharp eyes from the shadows. The entire mountain has become a heavily guarded fortress.

This is the headquarters of the Yunlan Sect, Yunlan Mountain.

At the summit of Yunlan Mountain, a magnificent hall sits in the center, resembling a crouching giant beast, faintly exuding an aura of vicissitudes and antiquity.

Inside the main hall, the atmosphere was solemn. Everyone sat quietly, their eyes filled with reverence as they looked at the white-robed elder seated at the head of the table.

The old man's robes were adorned with swirling cloud patterns, and each sleeve was decorated with a sharp sword motif. As the sleeves fluttered, a faint, almost tangible, sword aura seemed to emanate from them. Although he had white hair, his face was delicate and ruddy, with a radiance like that of a young man.

Seated to the left of the old man was a woman dressed in a plain white dress. She was tall and graceful, her long, dark hair styled in an elegant updo, which accentuated her fair and slender neck.

The woman was exceptionally beautiful, with a refined and aloof air, like a solitary orchid in a secluded valley. Yet, at this moment, a hint of undisguised worry flickered in her clear, beautiful eyes.

It was Yun Yun, the current sect leader of the Yunlan Sect.

She pursed her red lips slightly, then leaned forward slightly, her clear, cool voice tinged with hesitation, and softly said, "Teacher..."

On the throne, Yunshan's gaze shifted slightly, his deep and sharp eyes, like hidden swords, suddenly falling on her.

Yun Yun took a slight breath and finally spoke, "Now that my Yunlan Sect has dominated the Jia Ma Empire, its prestige is at its zenith. This disciple believes... should we stop for the time being? There is really no need to continue expanding and forcibly swallowing up the three surrounding empires. A tall tree catches the wind, and may cause trouble..."

Before she could finish speaking, Elder Yun Ling, sitting on the other side, frowned deeply and suddenly rebuked her: "Sect Leader, you are mistaken! This is precisely the golden opportunity for our Yunlan Sect to rise up and unify the four great empires! How can we miss this opportunity because of womanly compassion?"

"Jia Xingtian of the Jia Ma Empire is dead, Wu Ya of the Chu Yun Empire is seriously injured and has fled back to the Lingbao Pavilion, and the Luo Yan Empire and the Mu Lan Empire are weak. This is the best time to annex them!"

Yun Yun's expression turned anxious, and she retorted, "Elder! Expansion is not just about annexing by force. Such domineering actions will only provoke backlash from all sides and cause widespread resentment. It is by no means a long-term solution!"

"Hmph, the strong are respected, that's an ironclad rule of the continent! With our former sect leader in charge, why should my Yunlan Sect be timid and hesitant!"

"This is not about being timid and hesitant, but rather..."

"enough."

Just as the two were locked in their argument, Yunshan, seated at the head of the table, finally spoke slowly. His voice was not loud, but it carried an undeniable authority, instantly silencing all other voices. The hall fell silent.

Yunshan glanced at Yunyun with indifferent eyes and said calmly, "I will make my own decision on the matter of expansion. There is no need to discuss it further."

He changed the subject abruptly, his tone leaving no room for argument: "Yun'er, what you need to prepare for now is your marriage to Gu He. He is now a sixth-grade advanced alchemist, and even a Dou Zong expert would have to treat him with respect. Marrying him would be a wonderful thing for you and for the sect."

Yun Yun's delicate body trembled slightly, her face paled instantly, and her lips moved, but under Yun Shan's indifferent gaze, she swallowed all her words, leaving only a deep sadness and bitterness in her eyes.

Have teachers these days become so unscrupulous in their pursuit of the sect's so-called "great cause"?

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After everyone in the hall bowed and left, leaving only Yunshan in the empty hall, he slowly spoke, his voice low and deep: "Come out."

The shadow behind him writhed, and a blurry black mist figure quietly emerged, hovering in mid-air. As the mist churned, its specific shape was obscured, with only two scarlet points of light appearing and disappearing within it, emanating a chilling aura.

"Yunshan, you're too slow."

A hoarse voice came from the black mist, carrying a hint of dissatisfaction, "The Venerable One is very dissatisfied. The 'offerings' from the Northwest Continent this year are far from enough."

(End of this chapter)