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

Chapter 223 A Beautiful Woman Visits, Tender Moments

A few days later,

Lingbao Pavilion, Tianmu Mountain.

The spatial fluctuations gradually subsided, and Lu Yu and Zi Yan stepped out of the spatial passage, returning to the Heavenly Mountain Platform of the Spirit Treasure Pavilion in the blink of an eye.

Before they could even see their surroundings clearly, a sharp whooshing sound and a sharp shout came from afar.

"Xiao Yan! You stop right there!"

Amidst the plaza ahead, a red figure streaked across like a fiery cloud, wielding a crimson whip that moved like a serpent, whipping it with scorching winds as it pursued a somewhat helpless-looking young man in black robes.

The girl in red, her pretty face contorted with malice, flicked her whip, which cracked sharply in the air: "We agreed on a friendly spar, why are you dodging me! You're not leaving until we've decided who's better!"

Xiao Yan, standing ahead, lightly touched the ground with his toes, his figure swaying erratically amidst the wisps of azure wind. He had mastered a certain movement technique to its extreme, his figure flickering like a ghost.

As he dodged the whip's shadow, he turned back with a wry smile: "Miss Huo'er, it's just a friendly spar, why take it so seriously..."

Before she finished speaking, the girl in red flicked her wrist, and her long whip instantly transformed into three crimson shadows, striking from the upper, middle, and lower parts of the body.

Xiao Yan had no choice but to lightly tap his toes, his figure drifting backward like a willow catkin in the wind, with a blue breeze flowing around him.

"Cut the nonsense!"

The girl in red frowned slightly, her attacks becoming even more fierce, and she shouted sharply, "Since you agreed to spar, you must finish the fight seriously!"

Just as a scorching burst of whip energy was about to strike Xiao Yan's clothes, Lu Yu chuckled and shook his head, saying:

"Who is this girl? How dare she chase after Brother Yan like this..."

With his keen perception as a Heavenly Realm soul, he could immediately tell that both of them were at the Seven-Star Douhuang realm.

But with Yan Di's true combat strength, he should be able to fight even against a Dou Zong level expert. How could he be forced into such a sorry state by a cultivator of the same level?

This is clearly a deliberate concession.

Before he could finish speaking, two stunningly beautiful figures quietly appeared beside him. They were none other than Little Fairy Doctor and Cai Lin, who had come upon hearing the news.

Little Fairy Doctor covered her mouth and chuckled softly, explaining, "This is Miss Tang Huo'er, the eldest daughter of Burning Flame Valley. She came to the pavilion half a month ago, saying that she came specifically to spar with Xiao Yan."

Cai Lin, standing to the side, crossed her arms and swept her cold, beautiful eyes over the two people chasing each other in the arena. Her red lips parted slightly, and her tone carried a hint of barely perceptible amusement: "You've certainly added a lot of liveliness to this Lingbao Pavilion."

As Xiao Yan fought and retreated, he sensed a presence behind him. Turning around, he saw Lu Yu and exclaimed as if he had seen a savior: "Brother Lu! You're finally back!"

Upon hearing this, Tang Huo'er put down her whip, turned around, her pretty face slightly flushed, and gracefully clasped her hands in a salute: "Tang Huo'er from Burning Flame Valley, I have come to pay my respects to Pavilion Master Lu on my father's orders. I was in such a good mood just now that we were exchanging sparring tips, please forgive me for making you laugh."

As she spoke, she would occasionally glance at Xiao Yan out of the corner of her eye, and the long whip in her hand would tremble slightly in the air unconsciously, clearly indicating that she was not yet satisfied.

"Of course, of course, as long as Miss Huo'er has fun..."

With an intrigued smile on his face, Lu Yu casually took out a jade chair from his storage ring and sat down, clearly ready to watch the show.

Seeing that Lu Yu not only showed no intention of dissuading him, but instead adopted a spectator's attitude, Xiao Yan immediately made a bitter face: "Brother Lu, that's not very nice of you..."

"What Brother Yan said is true,"

Lu Yu accepted the cup of tea offered by Little Fairy Doctor and slowly said, "Being able to spar with the young lady of Burning Flame Valley is a blessing that many people would rather die for."

He turned to look at the Little Fairy Doctor beside him and asked in a low voice, "But why is this Miss Huo'er fixated on Brother Yan?"

Little Fairy Doctor covered her mouth and chuckled, her eyes sparkling with a hint of amusement: "It's said that a few days ago, some clumsy fellow was practicing his skills at the hot springs behind the mountain when he accidentally bumped into Miss Tang bathing..."

"puff--"

Lu Yu choked on his tea, caught off guard, and Little Fairy Doctor quickly took out an embroidered handkerchief to wipe it for him. He looked up, then at the two chasing each other in the arena, a meaningful smile appearing in his eyes: "No wonder this guy only defends and doesn't attack..."

Cai Lin glanced at it lazily and said indifferently, "Remember to come back and handle the affairs of the pavilion after you finish reading. During your absence, there are a lot of matters waiting for approval in the pavilion."

Just then, Tang Huo'er's whip suddenly burst forth with a dazzling crimson light, and five flames transformed into ferocious fire snakes, surrounding Xiao Yan completely.

"Xiao Yan! You'll pay for this today!"

……

Half an hour later, in the council hall of Lingbao Pavilion.

Lu Yu sat in the main seat, looking at Tang Huo'er below, whose breathing had returned to normal after their "sparring," and asked with a smile, "Miss Tang, you must have come here for more than just to spar with Brother Yan, right?"

Tang Huo'er had now regained her dignified demeanor as the young lady of Burning Flame Valley. Upon hearing this, she said solemnly, "Sect Master Lu, you are wise. I have come here on my father's orders, and indeed, I have important matters to discuss."

As she spoke, she took out a jade box engraved with flame patterns. The moment the lid was opened, three crimson magic cores containing immense fire-attribute energy were revealed to everyone.

The pure energy fluctuations caused the temperature inside the hall to rise a few degrees.

“These are three eighth-order fire-attribute magic cores,” Tang Huo’er said solemnly. “Burning Flame Valley is willing to exchange them for your esteemed pavilion’s Spirit Gathering Array inheritance.”

Upon hearing this, Lu Yu lightly tapped the armrest with his fingertips, his gaze sweeping over the three high-quality magic cores, a glint of light flashing in his eyes.

He had long anticipated that, after the battle at Tianmu Mountain, the Lingbao Pavilion's array formation inheritance would inevitably attract attention from all sides.

As the most frequently used spirit array in the pavilion, the Spirit Gathering Array's ability to gather the energy of heaven and earth and improve cultivation efficiency naturally attracts the attention of many forces.

Fortunately, his semi-saint level strength has now spread, and those who dare to directly rob him like the Soul Palace are ultimately a minority. Most forces will choose to come and trade with sincerity, just like today.

He pondered for a moment, then said, "Miss Tang should understand that the Spirit Gathering Array is one of the fundamental inheritances of our Spirit Treasure Pavilion's array formations. I wonder if Burning Flame Valley has any other sincerity besides these three demon cores?"

Tang Huo'er seemed to have been prepared, and calmly added, "My father promised that if the deal is reached, Burning Flame Valley is willing to form an alliance with Spirit Treasure Pavilion and pay for the mining rights of three more fire-type mines."

Lu Yu raised an eyebrow slightly. The Blazing Flame Valley is located in the Scorching Flame Mountain Range, which is covered with volcanic lava. Its fire-type mineral resources are the richest in the Central Plains. Directly giving away the mining rights to three mineral veins is indeed a generous gesture.

"I have felt your sincerity."

Lu Yu nodded slightly and continued, "However, this matter is of great importance, so please allow me a few days to consider it."

He turned to the beautiful woman beside him, "Xian'er, take Miss Tang to the guest room to rest first, and make sure she is well taken care of."

Little Fairy Doctor gracefully agreed and gestured for Tang Huo'er to leave. After the two women left the hall, only Lu Yu and Xiao Yan, who had been huddled in a corner, remained. Looking at Xiao Yan's black robe, tattered by flames, and his handsome face covered in soot, Lu Yu finally couldn't help but burst into laughter:
"Haha, you've finally met your match!"

Xiao Yan rubbed his nose, feeling rather annoyed, his fingertips smeared with black ash. He complained irritably, "Brother Lu, you're still laughing! Just now, you saw me being chased all over the mountain by that girl, and instead of helping me out, you just sat there watching the show..."

He tugged at the torn sleeve of his robe, revealing a section of his arm marked with red welts from the whip's lash. His tone was tinged with indignation: "This girl's whip technique is truly formidable. If I were to go all out, I would inevitably hurt her. But if I just dodge, Brother Lu, you didn't see it. Her whip always targets tricky angles. My newly made robe is now completely ruined."

Upon hearing this, Lu Yu's smile widened, and he said, "I see that you are not seriously injured, just superficial wounds. You'll be fine after a few days of rest. If it were anyone else, they would probably be beaten to a pulp by Miss Huo'er. Brother Yan, Brother Yan, you don't know how lucky you are..."

"Do you want this blessing?"

Xiao Yan rolled his eyes helplessly, then straightened up and said, "Seriously, Brother Lu, can you take a look at this improved seventh-grade medicine prescription for me?"

He took out an ancient scroll from his storage ring, unfurled it, and pointed to the dense annotations on it, saying, "I've pondered this prescription for a long time. If it works, I should be able to reach the Nine-Star Dou Huang level after taking it. At that time, with the help of the Heavenly Mountain Blood Pool, I might be able to break through to the Dou Zong level in one fell swoop."

Lu Yu took the scroll and examined it carefully, his fingertips lightly tracing the still-wet ink of the annotations. A look of approval gradually appeared in his eyes: "Replacing the Crimson Flame Grass with the Mysterious Frost Fruit, which is of the same origin as ice and fire, not only mitigates the conflict of medicinal properties but also improves the efficiency of energy conversion. Wonderful! It seems that your skills in alchemy have improved quite a bit these days."

"How is it?" Xiao Yan watched Lu Yu's expression intently.

"It is certainly feasible."

Lu Yu handed the scroll back, saying confidently, "This improvement is truly ingenious. Go ahead and refine it. With your current fire control skills, the success rate should be over 70%."

He patted Xiao Yan on the shoulder, his eyes filled with encouragement: "Don't worry. If you encounter any problems during the refining process, come to me anytime."

Xiao Yan breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this, and carefully put the scroll away: "With Brother Lu's words, I can rest assured."

……

As night fell, Little Fairy Doctor gently knocked on the door and entered, placing an exquisite storage ring on the desk.

“Brother Lu,” she reported softly, “this is the Spirit-Nourishing Powder delivered by the Dan family and the Cao family this year, a total of thirty portions, all of which have been counted.”

Lu Yu put down the jade slip containing the Dragon Ascension Technique, but did not immediately take the storage ring.

He raised his head, his gaze falling on Little Fairy Doctor's gentle face. In those eyes, which were usually as gentle as water, there was clearly a longing and yearning that had not been seen for a long time.

"No rush..." A gentle smile appeared on his lips as he reached out his hand to her. "Take a good look at my Xian'er first."

The little fairy doctor blushed slightly, placed her soft hand in his palm, and was gently pulled into his embrace.

She nestled against his chest, listening to his familiar and powerful heartbeat, her nose filled with his reassuring scent, and the slight fatigue from handling cabinet affairs over the past few days seemed to vanish instantly.

"This seclusion seems to have lasted longer than usual," she murmured softly, a hint of coquettishness in her voice.

Lu Yu chuckled softly, his chin gently stroking the top of her head, his arms encircling her slender waist, pulling the beauty even tighter into his embrace. "Yes, that's why, as soon as I came out of seclusion, I couldn't wait to see my precious fairy every moment."

His warm breath brushed against her reddened earlobe. "You've had a hard time these past few days."

"What's with the 'baby'? It's so cheesy..." Little Fairy Doctor's ears flushed crimson. She gently pushed against his chest, but he grabbed her wrist in return. Feeling the warmth of his palm, her eyelashes trembled, and her voice lowered, "I'm happy just to be able to help you..."

The candlelight flickered, illuminating her shy and bashful profile. Lu Yu gazed at the girl in his arms, her youthful demeanor softening, and couldn't resist lowering his head to kiss her.

"Well……"

Little Fairy Doctor's beautiful eyes widened in surprise, then slowly closed them, letting him gently take hers. She awkwardly responded to the long-awaited kiss, her hands, which had been resting on his chest, unconsciously climbing up to his shoulders.

After a long while, Lu Yu reluctantly stepped back slightly, his forehead gently touching hers, his voice low and gentle: "I've missed you so much these past few days."

The Little Fairy Doctor's breath was slightly ragged, her face flushed like a peach blossom. She buried her burning cheeks in his neck, her voice barely a whisper: "I...I want to too..."

The moonlight outside the window was perfect, and a murmur suddenly rose from inside the room.

----------------------

The next day, it was still dark.

Little Fairy Doctor leaned lazily against Lu Yu's chest, her fingertips unconsciously drawing circles on his firm chest, her face still flushed from last night.

Lu Yu toyed with a strand of her cascading black hair, the delicate medicinal fragrance lingering in her hair. Suddenly remembering something, he chuckled softly:
"Speaking of which, what do you think of the deal that girl Tang Huo'er proposed yesterday, Xian'er?"

He twirled his fingers around her hair. "Exchange the mining rights to three fire-elemental veins for the inheritance of my Spirit Treasure Pavilion's Spirit Gathering Array."

Upon hearing this, Little Fairy Doctor raised her pretty face, her eyes regaining some of their usual clarity and wisdom.

She hesitated for a moment, her voice still carrying a hint of morning softness: "Burning Flame Valley is located in the Blazing Fire Mountain Range, and its fire resources are indeed exceptionally abundant. The mining rights for three veins are quite a generous offer... however,"

She shifted her tone slightly and continued her analysis, "The Spirit Gathering Array is, after all, one of our key assets in attracting powerful figures from all sides. If it's easily revealed, I'm afraid..."

Her unspoken meaning was clear: although Lingbao Pavilion was only a newly emerging force, it had already become very powerful. The reason why it was able to gather so many strong people was not only due to its unique pills, but also because of the cultivation environment provided by the Spirit Gathering Array.

Once other forces also master this method, this advantage will be greatly diminished.

Lu Yu nodded in agreement, then said thoughtfully, "That makes sense. But... what if we only get a simplified version of the array diagram?"

Little Fairy Doctor's beautiful eyes lit up, and she asked in return, "What do you mean?"

"A small spirit-gathering array that only has half the effect of the original..."

Lu Yu's lips curled slightly as he said, "It will satisfy Burning Flame Valley without shaking the foundation of my sect. Besides..."

He lowered his head and lightly pecked her lips, "And you can get three mineral veins for free."

Little Fairy Doctor's face lit up with joy, but then she hesitated and said, "What if they don't agree?"

"disagree?"

Upon hearing this, Lu Yu chuckled and said, "There are plenty of fire-type mines in the world, but the Spirit Gathering Array is unique to my Spirit Treasure Pavilion. If we don't cooperate with Burning Flame Valley today, other forces will come to our door with sincerity tomorrow."

"When all the forces in the Central Plains use the weakened version of the Spirit Gathering Array and their cultivation speed increases significantly, if Burning Flame Valley wants to maintain its prosperity, it will be begging us for a trade."

"This business has no problem finding a market."

……

(End of this chapter)