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

Chapter 209 The Four Pavilions Meeting, Yan Di Being Pursued

"Boundary-Breaking Talisman, Void Insect Robe, Myriad Souls Evolving Insect Chapter..."

“They’re all good things…”

Looking at the results of the simulation, Lu Yu's eyes flashed with an undisguised surprise, and he quickly weighed the options in his mind.

The Boundary-Breaking Talisman is a Supreme-level talisman. It was used in the simulation to successfully escape from the encirclement of the five great academies, indicating that its grade has reached at least the Earth-grade level.

After all, the deans of the five academies would be present during the Spirit Academy Tournament, and those were all genuine mid-level supreme experts. This talisman was undoubtedly an excellent trump card for survival.

The Void Insect Robe is a defensive insect garment of the quasi-supreme level. Converted to the Dou Qi Continent, it is a treasure garment of the half-saint level. Its greatest advantage is that it has no artifact spirit, does not require refining, and can be used immediately upon acquisition. It is a rare and invaluable protective weapon.

As for the final chapter, the Myriad Souls Evolving Insects Chapter, a supreme-level soul cultivation technique, it is something I currently lack.

He has now reached the late stage of the Spirit Realm, but the soul cultivation techniques he possesses, whether it is the Heavenly Fire Forging God Technique or the Soul-Slaying Sword Scripture, are all high-level Earth-rank, and the limit is to cultivate them to the peak of the Spirit Realm.

Without a higher-level cultivation technique, it will be difficult to improve one's soul cultivation quickly, so obtaining a Heaven-rank soul cultivation technique is imperative.

These three treasures correspond to the three major aspects of life preservation, defense, and cultivation, respectively. They are all of considerable value and are all things that I currently lack.

Lu Yu pondered for a moment, a resolute glint in his eyes.

"Although the Supreme-level Soul Cultivation Technique is good, there will always be opportunities to find it in the future; although the Quasi-Supreme Insect Robe has strong defense, it is probably not very useful against a true Dou Sheng powerhouse, and is like a chicken rib."

"I would rather choose this Boundary-Breaking Talisman. With this, I can go anywhere in the world as long as it's not a high-level Dou Sheng who personally takes action. I don't need to worry about those Dou Sheng experts from the Soul Palace coming to hunt me down."

With this thought in mind, Lu Yu made his final choice without further hesitation.

In an instant, a flash of silver light appeared, and an ancient and mysterious silver talisman materialized in his palm.

On the talisman, profound spatial runes flowed slowly like living things, emitting a heart-palpitating fluctuation—it was the Earth-grade spatial spirit talisman, the Boundary-Breaking Talisman!
After carefully examining the talisman for a moment, Lu Yu marveled at it, feeling the immense spatial power contained within. He then carefully stored this life-saving trump card into his storage ring.

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Several days later, Lingbao Pavilion in Tianmu Mountain welcomed several distinguished guests.

Venerable Wind of Starfall Pavilion, Venerable Sword of Myriad Swords Pavilion, and Venerable Thunder of Wind and Thunder Pavilion arrived as scheduled.

To Lu Yu's surprise, Yao Lao and Xiao Yan also came with Venerable Feng from the Starfall Pavilion.

After exchanging pleasantries and taking their seats in the hall, fragrant tea was served. After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Lu Yu and the other pavilion masters got down to business.

"Since you are here today, I will get straight to the point."

Lu Yu's gaze swept over the three pavilion masters and Elder Yao present, his expression solemn. "The Soul Palace is powerful, and its ambitions have long been obvious, as evidenced by its rampage across the Northwest Continent. It is feared that none of us can remain unscathed."

"I propose that the four of us secretly form an alliance, share resources and intelligence, and jointly deal with the threat posed by the Soul Palace and other forces in the Central Plains in the future. What do you all think?"

Before he could finish speaking, Venerable Feng declared, his voice resolute: "My Starfall Pavilion and the Soul Palace have an irreconcilable feud. There is no need to discuss this matter further. My Starfall Pavilion will definitely join us!"

Although the old doctor beside him did not speak, he nodded slightly, his eyes flashing with cold light, his attitude self-evident.

However, the Sword Venerable of the Myriad Swords Pavilion and the Thunder Venerable of the Wind and Thunder Pavilion both showed hesitation.

Lei Zun Zhe pondered for a moment and said in a deep voice, "What Pavilion Master Lu said makes sense, but... the Soul Palace's forces are deeply entrenched and its strength is unfathomable. Is it too risky to openly confront them?"

Sword Venerable stroked his beard and echoed, "This matter indeed requires careful consideration. The alliance involves many aspects, and a single misstep could bring annihilation upon the sect."

Lu Yu had anticipated their reactions, so he wasn't surprised.

He smiled calmly and said in a composed tone, "I understand the concerns of the two Venerable Ones. Although the Soul Palace is strong, it is not monolithic and has many powerful enemies outside. Moreover..."

He paused slightly before presenting the conditions he had prepared: "If an alliance can be formed, I, Lu, though not very talented, am willing to use my status as an eighth-grade high-level alchemist to refine pills for our allies."

The old alchemist then spoke up, his voice steady, "That is also my intention. I am willing to use my peak eighth-grade alchemy skills to occasionally refine pills for my allies."

Upon hearing this, the entire hall fell silent.

The promise of an eighth-grade advanced alchemist, plus the promise of an eighth-grade peak alchemy master—such a condition is irresistible to any power on the continent!

Thunder Venerable and Sword Venerable exchanged a glance, both seeing the stirring and determination in each other's eyes.

Resisting the Soul Palace is certainly risky, but if we can gain the strong support of these two alchemy masters, the overall strength of the sect will surely take a leap forward. This deal is worth the gamble!
"Since Pavilion Master Lu and Venerable Medicine are so sincere, it would be impolite for our Wind and Thunder Pavilion to refuse again!"

Lei Zun Zhe laughed heartily and was the first to express his opinion.

"Our Ten Thousand Swords Pavilion is also willing to join the alliance and fight against the Soul Palace together!"

Sword Master followed closely behind, solemnly cupping his hands in greeting.

"Alright!" Lu Yu smiled upon seeing this. "In that case, let us make a pact here, form a secret alliance, and help each other in times of need!"

"Now that the alliance has been agreed upon, the next step is to discuss the specific details of the cooperation."

Venerable Feng stroked his beard and smiled, “The matters of resource sharing, intelligence sharing, and disciple exchanges all need to be documented in the drafting of regulations.”

Upon hearing this, the old doctor nodded: "That makes sense. Since the alliance is based on the principle of equality and mutual assistance, all parties need to show sincerity."

After much discussion, everyone finally finalized all the details. With the important matters concluded, the atmosphere in the hall immediately became much more relaxed.

Lei Zunzhe laughed loudly, "I have long heard that Feng Zunzhe's movement techniques are unparalleled in the Central Plains, and Jian Zunzhe's swordsmanship is divine. It is a rare occasion for us to meet today, so why not have a friendly spar?"

Venerable Wind and Venerable Sword exchanged a smile and said in unison, "That's exactly what we were thinking!"

The three Venerables are all now four-star Dou Zun, with comparable realms, and immediately agreed to go to Tianshan Platform for a competition and sparring.

Seeing them leave, Lu Yu finally had a chance to walk over to Xiao Yan, who had been standing quietly to the side, and patted him on the shoulder with a smile: "Brother Yan, I've kept you waiting. Come, sit down and let's talk."

As he spoke, he led Xiao Yan to sit down on a sandalwood chair to the side. Xiao Yan sat down as instructed, a smile appearing on his face: "Brother Lu is currently in charge of the Spirit Treasure Pavilion and is very busy with affairs, which I understand."

"No matter how busy I am, I can't neglect my brothers."

Lu Yu waved his hand and smiled, looking at him with concern, "I heard you went on a long trip a while ago? Did you have any adventures?"

Xiao Yan nodded and explained, "That's true. Some time ago, I went to the Burning Flame Valley with my teacher, hoping to try to exchange for the original fire seed of the Nine Dragons Thunderfire, but unfortunately, we were unable to do so in the end."

He paused slightly, then smiled slightly: "However, this trip was not entirely fruitless. My teacher obtained the complete Heavenly Fire Three Transformations inheritance for me, so it was not a wasted trip."

At this moment, the old apothecary walked over slowly, stroked his beard and smiled, "It's not just a worthwhile trip, this kid also brought back that girl from Burning Flame Valley."

"That brat Tang Zhen is cursing in the Burning Flame Valley every day. If he weren't no match for me, he probably would have destroyed the Starfall Pavilion."

Xiao Yan immediately looked embarrassed: "Teacher, please stop teasing me..."

Lu Yu raised an eyebrow, showing interest: "Oh? Is that so? Brother Yan, tell me in detail."

Xiao Yan rubbed his nose and explained, "When we were leaving, we happened to run into several young Dou Huangs from the ancient clans who came to challenge us. The disciples of Burning Flame Valley suffered several defeats in a row, and the situation was rather unfavorable. Since I had just received their inheritance, I stepped in to help and luckily won a few matches."

The old apothecary added with a smile, his eyes full of teasing: "This move was quite something. That girl from Burning Flame Valley is quite straightforward. She lost decisively and then watched this kid's fight the whole time. Later, I don't know how, the two of them took a liking to each other."

"That girl has been pestering me to come to the Starfall Pavilion, ostensibly for 'exchange and learning,' but in reality, she's been hanging around Xiao Yanzi all day, giving him a real headache."

The old apothecary stroked his beard and chuckled, his tone tinged with schadenfreude. He teased, "That kid Tang Zhen even privately suggested to me that if Starfall Pavilion and Burning Flame Valley could form a marriage alliance, and Little Flame would marry his girl, they would be considered family. At that time, he would naturally be willing to hand over the Nine Dragons Thunderfire to Little Flame for refining."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan's face grew even more embarrassed, and he sighed helplessly, "Teacher, please stop teasing me... That Miss Tang is so enthusiastic, I... I really can't handle it. The reason I came to Lingbao Pavilion with you this time is also partly because I wanted to... avoid the limelight for a while."

As he spoke, he glanced at Lu Yu somewhat embarrassedly.

Clearly, the fierce "offensive" of the senior sister from Burning Flame Valley made even the usually composed Flame Emperor feel somewhat overwhelmed.

"Oh? Is that so?"

Upon hearing this, Lu Yu's eyes flashed with interest, and he then smiled and said, "Although there are quite a few people with the surname Tang in Burning Flame Valley, as far as I know, Valley Master Tang Zhen seems to only have one daughter. If you marry that girl, you can gain the full support of Burning Flame Valley, which will be of great benefit to you in the future. Moreover, isn't the Nine Dragons Thunderfire... something you've always longed for?"

Xiao Yan's bitter smile deepened as he said helplessly, "Brother Lu, why are you teasing me like Teacher does? I naturally crave the Strange Flame, but how can such a serious matter as marriage be treated so lightly? I... I really don't want to make such a hasty decision."

He rubbed his temples, looking quite troubled, and sighed before continuing, "To be honest, I have no ill feelings towards Miss Tang herself. She is straightforward and talented... But precisely because of this, I am even less willing to use this matter as a bargaining chip to obtain the strange fire. If it is a marriage based solely on interests, it would be too disrespectful to both her and me."

Upon hearing this, Lu Yu smiled and nodded, a hint of approval flashing in his eyes. He said, "It's truly commendable that you have this thought and are not swayed by external things. Matters of the heart cannot be forced; it's best to let things take their natural course."

He immediately changed the subject, shifting the conversation and asking in a relaxed tone, "It's been a long time. Have you had any new insights into alchemy lately?"

Mentioning alchemy, Xiao Yan's helplessness vanished considerably, and his eyes lit up: "I did gain some insights. In Burning Flame Valley, I observed their unique methods for processing some fire-attribute medicinal herbs, which was quite inspiring. In addition, I also gained some new understanding of the flame transformation during 'Core Formation'..."

Upon hearing this, Lu Yu also enthusiastically shared some of his experiences and insights from refining eighth-grade pills recently.

As the two younger generation exchanged their insights, the old physician would occasionally chime in with a smile, his words often hitting the nail on the head and getting straight to the point, greatly benefiting both Lu Yu and Xiao Yan.

The three of them sat together, temporarily putting aside trivial matters such as alliances, strange fires, and marriage, and immersed themselves in the discussion of alchemy, quickly becoming engrossed in it.

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After a few days,

As dawn broke and a light gray tinged the sky, a thin layer of dust filled the air at Tianshan Terrace, where a friendly sparring match had just ended.

Lei Zun Zhe was the first to stand up, his body shimmering with lightning. He clasped his hands in a fist salute and said with a smile, "I have benefited greatly from this exchange. I have important matters to attend to in the pavilion, so I will take my leave now."

Before he finished speaking, his figure had already transformed into a bolt of lightning and vanished into the horizon in an instant.

The Sword Venerable stood there, his entire being like an ancient sword that had sheathed its edge. He simply nodded slightly to Lu Yu and said succinctly, "Sect Master Lu, farewell."

It instantly transformed into a sharp and unparalleled sword light, tearing through the sky and disappearing into the distance.

Venerable Feng smiled nonchalantly and flicked his sleeve, saying, "Young friend Lu, when you have time in the future, you must come and visit my Starfall Pavilion. I will definitely share some of my treasured wine with you."

He patted Lu Yu on the shoulder, and his figure vanished quietly from the spot like a free and unrestrained breeze.

Yao Lao watched the three leave, stroked his beard and smiled, then turned to Lu Yu and Xiao Yan: "The alliance is newly established and there are many trivial matters to attend to, so I will not bother you any longer. It just so happens that some old friends at the Pill Tower have invited me, and I need to go and have a chat with them."

He looked at Xiao Yan, his tone gentle yet pointed: "You should stay in the Spirit Treasure Pavilion for now. The energy here is abundant and will benefit your cultivation. As for when to return... that's up to you. Just don't keep that girl from Burning Flame Valley waiting too long; everything needs an explanation."

Finally, he smiled at Lu Yu and said, "Young friend Lu Yu, I'll leave this lad in your care."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan sighed softly and respectfully replied, "Teacher, rest assured, this disciple understands."

The old doctor nodded with satisfaction, said no more, and the space around him rippled slightly before his figure disappeared into it.

In the blink of an eye, only Xiao Yan and Lu Yu remained in the bustling Tianshan Terrace Square. The lively atmosphere from before seemed to have cooled down somewhat.

Xiao Yan let out a soft breath and looked towards the distant horizon. In his eyes, which always burned with a determined flame, a rare trace of helplessness and barely perceptible confusion was revealed.

“Brother Yan,” Lu Yu walked to his side, naturally putting his arm around Xiao Yan’s shoulder, and said with a hint of teasing, “If you ask me, you should just give in. Tang Huo’er is talented, beautiful, and her background in Burning Flame Valley is beyond reproach. Others would be begging for such a good deal.”

He leaned closer and chuckled in a low voice, "Besides, there's nothing shameful about being a kept man, and being a kept man from Burning Flame Valley is a skill in itself!"

Xiao Yan gave him a resentful look and said irritably, "Brother Lu, stop teasing me. If you really think it's good, why don't you go? I promise to put in a good word for you with Valley Master Tang."

Lu Yu laughed heartily upon hearing this: "That would depend on whether Miss Tang likes me or not. And isn't your type the one she's interested in, Brother Yan?"

He deliberately sighed and shook his head, saying, "Such good fortune is beyond my reach. I'll leave it to someone destined for me."

Before he could finish speaking, he had already turned and walked away, waving at Xiao Yan: "I'm leaving, I'm leaving, your sister-in-law Xian'er is waiting for me to eat..."

(End of this chapter)