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

Chapter 275 The Elder of Medicine's Shock, First Visit to the Eastern Region

Not long after, inside the main hall of Lingbao Pavilion.

At the banquet, dishes made from rare spiritual fruits and high-level magical beasts were served gracefully by the maids, and the fine wine in the jade pots exuded a refreshing aroma.

As the host, Lu Yu was about to raise his glass in a toast when Elder Yao smiled gently and spoke first: "I was able to recover smoothly thanks to your great help in the ancient ruins, young friend, in finding that gold-grade Soul Infant Fruit. I will always remember this kindness."

Upon hearing this, Lu Yu put down his wine glass and replied humbly, "Senior Yao, you flatter me. You have been kind to me by guiding me, and Brother Yan is like a brother to me. This is only my duty, nothing to mention."

The old apothecary's eyes gleamed with even greater satisfaction. He flipped his hand, and a jade bottle shrouded in pure energy appeared in his palm. "Young friend, you've put in a lot of effort. This 'Nine Revolutions Saint-Condensing Pill' is a precious pill I refined after breaking through to the Half-Saint realm. It's quite helpful for stabilizing the cultivation of low-level Battle Saints. I hope..."

Before Yao Lao could finish speaking, Lu Yu gently interrupted him, shaking his head and laughing, "I appreciate your kindness, senior. However, I have now reached the peak of the four-star Dou Sheng, so this pill is no longer very effective for me."

His words were calm, yet they sent a jolt through the hearts of both Yao Lao and Xiao Yan present.

Peak Four-Star Dou Sheng!

A flicker of undisguised surprise crossed Yao Lao's eyes, quickly turning into relieved admiration. He knew full well what this realm meant; his own ninth-grade precious pill was indeed no longer worthy of the other party's attention.

Xiao Yan, standing to the side, took a deep breath. Although he knew Lu Yu was exceptionally talented, he hadn't expected the gap between them to have widened to such an extent. Shocked, his eyes ignited with an even fiercer fighting spirit.

Lu Yu took in their reactions and continued with a smile, "Senior is currently at a crucial stage of recovering your strength and striving to become a Dou Sheng. This pill is perfect for you. Moreover, in the future, as you will be refining ninth-grade pills and striving for an even higher level of alchemy, improving your strength will be of paramount importance."

He spoke calmly, as if he were talking about a trivial matter, and said slowly, "As for pills, I am now able to refine ninth-grade Xuan pills, so I am not short of them for the time being."

"A ninth-grade Xuan Dan?!"

These four words resounded like thunder in the hall.

The muscles on Yao Lao's face twitched slightly, and his eyes, which had seen countless storms, were filled with disbelief.

He knew better than anyone what the words "Nine-Rank Profound Pill" represented—it was the pinnacle of alchemy on the Dou Qi Continent, a legendary realm that countless alchemists could never reach in their entire lives!
Even within his own medicinal clan, there are only two people capable of refining ninth-grade Xuan Dan.

The young man before him had not only reached the astonishing peak of the four-star Dou Sheng in terms of Dou Qi cultivation, but had also reached a level that he could only look up to in terms of alchemy!

"Ninth-grade Mystic Pill..."

Xiao Yan murmured these four words repeatedly, his face showing even more shock than when he learned that Lu Yu was a four-star Dou Sheng.

He couldn't help but shake his head and smile bitterly: "Brother Lu, you're really something... I thought I hadn't fallen too far behind in alchemy, but I didn't expect you to be able to refine even a ninth-grade Xuan Dan. Compared to you, my eighth-grade alchemist is simply not worth mentioning."

Lu Yu looked at Xiao Yan, his eyes filled with the same gentleness and encouragement as always: "Brother Yan, why belittle yourself? You possess multiple different flames and cultivate the Burning Technique, giving you a unique advantage in controlling the flames. Given time, surpassing me is just a matter of time."

"Moreover, the path of alchemy requires perseverance. With your talent and willpower, reaching the level of a ninth-grade Xuan Dan master is only a matter of time."

Upon hearing this, the shock in Xiao Yan's eyes gradually turned into determination. He nodded heavily and said, "Brother Lu is right. It seems I have to work even harder, otherwise I'll fall too far behind you."

Lu Yu then looked at Yao Lao again and said in a timely manner to ease the atmosphere, "Senior was a peak eighth-grade alchemist hundreds of years ago. Now that you have broken through to the ninth grade, your alchemy skills must have reached the pinnacle. Although I have been fortunate enough to touch the Xuan Dan realm, my foundation is still shallow. I will have many things to ask you for guidance in the future."

Upon hearing this, the old doctor gave a wry smile, knowing full well that it was the other party's self-deprecating remark.

An alchemist who can refine a ninth-grade Xuan Dan has already surpassed him in the art of alchemy.

He sighed deeply, his tone a mixture of emotion and relief: "Young Lu is too modest. One who is accomplished is a teacher. In the art of alchemy, I have nothing more to teach you. However, if you have any new insights in the future, I hope you will not hesitate to share them with me."

"You flatter me, senior. It is only right that we learn from each other."

Lu Yuqian responded gently, then his expression turned serious, "Once the matter of the ancient clan is settled, I will definitely have a good exchange of alchemy insights with you, senior."

"That's how it should be."

The old alchemist stroked his beard and smiled, his eyes rekindling with renewed enthusiasm and anticipation for the art of alchemy.

He was once a prodigy, but after leaving the Medicine Clan, he cultivated on his own, achieving his current success through sheer hard work and perseverance. Meeting such a brilliant and talented junior like Lu Yu in his later years has rekindled his long-dormant competitive spirit.

After all, who isn't a genius at some point?
The old apothecary gathered his thoughts, glanced at the sky outside the hall, and said solemnly, "It's getting late. The affairs of the ancient clans cannot be delayed. Let's set off now."

Lu Yu understood and immediately nodded slightly to the disciple standing beside him.

Before long, two beautiful figures arrived as promised. One of them was dressed in a light white dress, with a cool and refined temperament; she was none other than Little Fairy Doctor. The other was dressed in purple, with bright and lively eyes, and a touch of spoiled charm; she was naturally Zi Yan.

Zi Yan gracefully leaped to Lu Yu's side, her bright eyes darting between Yao Lao and Xiao Yan before finally settling on Xiao Yan. A playful smile curved her lips: "Xiao Yan, long time no see! Looks like you haven't been slacking off these days. Your aura is much stronger than it was back in the Northwest!"

She and Xiao Yan had known each other since their time in the Northwest. Back then, she was just a little girl in the inner courtyard who craved pills. Now that they had met again, their conversation naturally carried a sense of familiarity and ease.

Xiao Yan smiled upon hearing this and cupped his hands in greeting to his old friend, saying, "Zi Yan, it's been a long time. Your fiery personality hasn't changed at all. Little Fairy Doctor, how have you been?"

His gaze also turned to the woman in white standing quietly to the side, and he nodded in greeting.

Little Fairy Doctor bowed slightly, a hint of gentleness flashing across her cool face, and said softly, "Master Yao, Brother Yan, how have you been?"

The old apothecary stroked his beard and smiled, looking at the two outstanding women before him with the kindness and admiration of an elder: "Both of you young ladies are even more charming than before. Ziyan is still as lively and lovely as ever."

"Now that everyone is here, we can continue our conversation on the way."

Lu Yu spoke at the right moment, drawing everyone's attention back.

With a casual wave of his sleeve, a deep and stable spatial rift silently unfolded in the center of the hall. The pure spatial power flowing within it made even the half-saint Yao Lao secretly startled.

"Senior, Brother Yan, let's set off."

Lu Yu stepped into the dazzling passage first, followed closely by Little Fairy Doctor and Zi Yan.

Yao Lao and Xiao Yan exchanged a glance, both seeing a hint of solemnity and expectation in each other's eyes. Without further hesitation, they stepped inside at the same time.

With a slight flash of light, the figures of the group completely disappeared from the hall, leaving only the spatial passage to quietly close, and the hall returned to calm.

……

Half a day later, in the central area of ​​the eastern region of Zhongzhou.

A vast grassland stretches out before you, its lush greenery seemingly overflowing the sky, and vibrant life flows through the air.

In the center of this grassland, a magnificent and imposing stone plaza rises from the ground, supported by countless towering stone pillars, hundreds of feet above the ground. From a distance, it looks like an ancient giant standing tall and firm, exuding a majestic and awe-inspiring aura.

At this moment, ripples spread across the space above the megalithic plaza, and amidst flashes of silver light, figures emerged and landed gracefully on the plaza. The once empty plaza was now teeming with people, and the clamor of voices coalesced into a rolling wave that soared into the heavens.

"laugh--"

Another spatial fluctuation occurred in mid-air, and several figures stepped out calmly and landed steadily on the platform. It was Lu Yu and his group.

Gazing at this completely unfamiliar scene, Lu Yu's eyes swept over the countless ancient stone pillars supporting the square, feeling the vicissitudes permeating the air, and a look of amazement flashed across his eyes.

He turned to look at the old apothecary beside him: "Senior, this place has an extraordinary aura. It must be the Ancient Stone Plaza leading to the Ancient Realm, right?"

The old doctor stroked his beard and nodded, his gaze fixed on the east, where the outline of a majestic city could be faintly seen at the edge of his vision.

A hint of reminiscence flashed in his eyes as he slowly said, "Indeed, this is the Ancient Stone Square. The city ahead is the entrance to the Ancient Realm—the Ancient Holy City. As expected of the oldest city among the eight ancient races, its grandeur is still awe-inspiring after so many years."

Xiao Yan raised an eyebrow. His keen soul perception allowed him to instantly detect dozens of powerful auras hidden in the surrounding space, some of which even made him feel a chill.

He lowered his voice and said, "There are quite a few powerful individuals in this square."

Zi Yan stood on tiptoe, curiously peering at the dense crowd in the square, and couldn't help but click her tongue in amazement: "There are so many people here! It's even more lively than when our Taixu Ancient Dragon Clan gathers!"

Little Fairy Doctor stood quietly beside Lu Yu, her white dress swaying gently in the breeze. She looked towards the direction of the Ancient Holy City, a hint of curiosity flashing in her cool eyes.

The old apothecary withdrew his gaze from the distance, looked around at everyone, and said, "Now that we've arrived, let's set off."

He paused briefly, then carefully explained, "The Ancient Holy City has strict rules, and outsiders are strictly prohibited from entering at will. Not only is it heavily guarded by the ancient clans, but it is also home to many powerful figures. Without a formal invitation from the ancient clans, even a peak Dou Zun expert would find it difficult to pass through this checkpoint."

At this point, Elder Yao looked at Lu Yu with a slight hesitation: "I came in a hurry this time and haven't had a chance to ask if you have any credentials to enter the Ancient Realm?"

(End of this chapter)