Simultaneous Transmigration: From Douluo Continent to the Pinnacle

The golden rays of the setting sun filtered through the leaves of the plane trees in the inner courtyard of Canaan Academy, casting dappled light on the bluestone slabs. Lin Yao returned to his private courtyard in the afterglow. His body, clad in dark armor, glowed with a faint earthy yellow light from his recent mastery of the Earth Technique of the Five Elements Body Tempering Art. The fighting spirit swirling around him had not yet fully dissipated, and each step he took caused the ground to tremble almost imperceptibly. As his shoes crunched over fallen leaves, they carried the dusty scent of his recent training.

He had barely pushed open the courtyard gate when, before the creaking of the hinges had even faded, a petite figure in purple appeared like an arrow released from a bow, rushing into his arms with a sweet scent of grass and trees. "Lin Yao!" Zi Yan's soft voice was full of joy. She wrapped her arms tightly around his waist, so tightly that she almost embedded herself in his embrace, rubbing her cheek against his chest like a little animal separated from its master for a long time, gently sniffing the familiar scent of his battle aura. The ahoge on her head swayed gently with her movements, her purple eyes sparkled with dependence, and even the tips of her ears glowed with excited pink.

Lin Yao raised his hand and gently ruffled her hair. His fingertips touched the soft strands, and he could still feel the fine bits of grass clinging to them—it seemed this girl had just been rolling around on the grass in the yard waiting for him. His gaze shifted downwards, noticing her unconscious swallowing: her Adam's apple bobbed gently, her collarbone slightly protruding, and a barely perceptible longing lurked deep in her eyes, much like when she finished the pills. He immediately understood; this girl must have used up all the Qi-Gathering Pills he had prepared for her, and now she was craving the energy meal he had made.

"You've missed me this much after only a few days?" Lin Yao chuckled, gently brushing her nose with his fingertip, touching a warm, soft spot. Zi Yan, her secret exposed, blushed instantly, the color spreading like ripe berries to behind her ears. She still wouldn't let go of his arms, burying her face in his chest and muttering softly, "It's just been so long...you've been cultivating for so long." Seeing the girl's clingy demeanor, Lin Yao felt a surge of warmth in his heart. He gently patted her back to comfort her. The feeling of someone waiting for him at home, longing for his return, was far more reassuring than the monotonous grinding of battle qi alone in the training ground.

He led Zi Yan into the kitchen, his fingertips still feeling the warmth of her palms—the girl must have been running and jumping in the yard, her palms still slightly damp and sticky. On the stove were already dried dragon blood grass, dew-collecting flowers, and other medicinal herbs rich in energy, their leaves neatly arranged in a bamboo sieve, even the roots and stems trimmed clean. Beside them, in a ceramic basin, sat a fire-patterned rabbit leg hunted in the Demon Beast Forest, its meat firm and its skin still gleaming with fresh light—something he had specially asked an outer courtyard disciple to reserve for it. Lin Yao rolled up his sleeves, revealing his slender forearms, his fingertips glowing with a faint blue aura as he precisely controlled the temperature of the stove fire—the flames were just right, heating the bottom of the pot evenly without causing the medicinal herbs to lose their spiritual energy. When he picked up the cleaver to chop the herbs, the blade made no sound at all as it moved up and down, only a slight "rustling" sound as the herbs broke. This was the result of his ingenious combination of top-notch culinary skills in the urban world with his fighting spirit: he wrapped the blade with fighting spirit, which not only made the cuts smooth but also prevented the blade from colliding with the cutting board and making noise.

Before long, an enticing aroma wafted from the kitchen—a rich scent of meat mingled with the fragrance of herbs, drifting out through the cracks in the window. Even the sparrows in the yard were attracted, landing on the windowsill and chirping. The golden, crispy roasted rabbit leg was coated in a glistening herbal sauce, with droplets of oil still gently rolling on its surface. One bite revealed a crispy exterior and tender interior, the fighting spirit melting in the mouth, transforming into a gentle energy that flowed throughout the body, bringing comfort to every limb. There was also a sweet soup made with dew-covered flowers, its clear broth floating with pink petals like a sunset carpet. It was sweet and refreshing, carrying wisps of wood-attribute fighting spirit that slid down the throat, gently nourishing the meridians, making even breathing easier.

Zi Yan held the white porcelain bowl, sipping the sweet soup spoonful by spoonful. Her purple eyes curved into crescents, oblivious to the dab of pale pink broth at the corner of her mouth. "Delicious! A hundred times better than elixirs!" she mumbled indistinctly, her cheeks bulging like a squirrel stuffed full of food. After finishing a bowl, she looked longingly at the pot, her eyes brimming with anticipation, even tiptoeing slightly. Lin Yao, both amused and exasperated, picked up a clean handkerchief and gently wiped the broth from her lips. When his fingertips touched her soft cheek, he could still feel the slight warmth of her satisfied cheek. From then on, Zi Yan often clung to Lin Yao's side. She would either squat on a small stool by the kitchen door watching him cook, her chin resting on her knees, her eyes following his movements; or she would tug at his sleeve and beg for a "nutritional feast." She would even drag him to her side to accompany her during cultivation, claiming that "the aroma of food gives her more motivation to cultivate."

However, this girl never ate or drank for free. Before dawn, as the first hint of light appeared in the east, she would carry her small bamboo basket and tiptoe to quietly push open the courtyard gate—afraid of waking Lin Yao, who was still cultivating. Relying on her innate keen sense of herbs, she could find even the most hidden herbs, like the Cleansing Spirit Grass in the crevices of rocks or the Purple Heart Orchid growing on a steep slope, deep in the back mountains. Often, by evening, when the setting sun had dyed the sky orange-red, she would skip and hop back, her small bamboo basket overflowing, with leaves of several herbs peeking out from the edges. Sweat would bead on her forehead, and dirt would stick to her skirt, but she didn't care. She would present the herbs to Lin Yao like a treasure: "Lin Yao, look! This purple flower smells so good, can we make sweet soup with it?" Her eyes were full of expectation, and even her voice carried a hint of caution, as if she was afraid that the herbs she had found wouldn't suit his taste.

Time flies, and half a month has passed in the blink of an eye.

On this early morning, the mist had not yet dissipated from the open space behind the mountain, and the air still carried the damp scent of dew. Two figures were fiercely clashing, the sound of their clashing battle auras breaking the morning's tranquility. Zi Yan's purple battle aura transformed into sharp claws, whistling through the air as she lunged at Lin Yao. A faint aura of battle aura swirled around her fingernails, and her movements were several times more agile than half a month ago. Her battle aura had also become more refined—each claw strike was incredibly precise, no longer as chaotic as before. Lin Yao, on the other hand, suppressed his own battle aura to the same level as Zi Yan. His azure battle aura condensed into a shield in his palm, with faint patterns appearing on its surface, steadily blocking the claw strikes. The shockwaves generated by the collision of their powers swirled up the surrounding fallen leaves, sending them spinning in the air before gently settling to the ground, forming a thin carpet.

With a muffled "bang," both of them staggered back three steps, their feet leaving shallow marks on the ground. The aftershocks of their clash of fighting spirits caused tiny cracks to spread across the ground like a spiderweb. Zi Yan was panting, her chest rising and falling slightly, fine beads of sweat trickling down her forehead and dripping onto her collar. But her purple eyes shone with an astonishing brightness, like they were imbued with starlight, as she stared intently at Lin Yao, her voice filled with unbelievable excitement: "I... I actually blocked you?" Although she knew Lin Yao hadn't used any trump cards, or even fully revealed his true strength—after all, he had easily suppressed her before—for someone whose progress had been slow, this was a tremendous breakthrough, enough to make her ecstatic.

Lin Yao looked at her flushed cheeks with excitement, a gentle smile playing on his lips. "Quite a bit of progress. Your movements are more stable than before, and your battle qi is more solid. You deserve a reward." He took out an exquisite ice crystal box from his storage ring. The box still emitted a faint chill. Inside, he found a dessert that had never appeared on the Dou Qi Continent before—ice cream. The pale purple ice cream resembled melted amethyst, drizzled with a deep purple sauce made from purple heart orchids, and sprinkled with a few sparkling sugar granules. It shimmered enticingly in the morning light, and even the chill carried a faint floral fragrance.

Zi Yan leaned closer curiously, sniffing the air gently, her eyes full of doubt: "What is this? It's cool." She carefully scooped a spoonful and put it in her mouth. The cool, sweet taste exploded instantly, carrying a faint floral fragrance. Her eyes widened instantly, and even her eyebrows rose: "What is this? It's amazing! It's even better than sweet soup!" She ate it quickly, not even noticing the ice cream on her lips. She only felt that the cool food dispelled the heat after their fight, and even her battle qi became smoother. Watching her eat the ice cream like a little squirrel, Lin Yao felt gratified. He gently brushed the ice cream from her lips with his fingertips, the touch cool and soft. In the past half month, not only had Zi Yan made significant progress, but his own mastery of the Five Elements Body Tempering Technique had also deepened. The weightiness of the Earth Technique and the flexibility of the Water Technique intertwined within his body, the two forces flowing through his meridians like streams, constantly tempering his body—his strength had now increased several times over, and the boulder that he used to have to exert all his strength to lift, he could now easily lift with one hand; his battle qi had also stabilized from seven-star Dou Wang to eight-star, only one step away from Dou Huang, and the battle qi within his body was like a surging river, becoming more and more magnificent.

A few days later, Lin Yao stood before the Star Pavilion, gazing at the distant, mist-shrouded peaks. The mountain wind whipped his robes, making them flutter. He gently rubbed the storage ring in his palm, thinking to himself: Time is almost up. Staying in the academy any longer will only slow my progress. He turned and walked resolutely towards Su Qian's residence—he decided to ask the Grand Elder of the Inner Court for leave, planning to travel for two or three years. Ostensibly, it was to find an opportunity to break through to the Dou Huang realm, to see the outside world, and to accumulate more practical experience; in reality, he wanted to plan ahead and actively seek opportunities—the Star Palace wouldn't reopen anytime soon, and the academy's resources were limited. Working in isolation would only slow down his progress. Only by taking the initiative, venturing into the depths of the Demon Beast Forest, into those unexplored secret realms, could he grow stronger faster and have enough power to protect those he wanted to protect.

Su Qian sat at the stone table, a freshly brewed cup of tea before him, the tea leaves slowly unfurling in the water. Listening to Lin Yao's thoughts, his hand paused slightly, the scalding tea splashing a few drops onto the stone table, leaving faint marks. He looked up at the young man before him, barely in his early twenties, an eight-star Dou Wang with a composure and foresight far beyond his years. The unwavering determination in his eyes reminded him of his own youth. "Traveling is good," Su Qian said slowly, his voice carrying the weight of age, his eyes full of approval. "An eight-star Dou Wang is at the perfect time to broaden his horizons and build a solid foundation. Traveling more, seeing more, experiencing some real combat—it will greatly benefit his breakthrough to Dou Huang. The training grounds in the academy can never compare to the storms of the outside world."

Lin Yao took the opportunity to mention that he might take Zi Yan on a trip in the future so that she could see the outside world and broaden her horizons. Upon hearing this, Su Qian lightly tapped his fingers on the stone table, making a "tap-tap" sound. His brows furrowed slightly, and his eyes became more serious. "Zi Yan's background is not simple. The aura she possesses is definitely not something an ordinary magical beast can have. Right now, your strength is still too weak. If she goes out with you, once someone with ulterior motives notices her special nature, she will inevitably attract covetousness. At that time, you may not be able to protect her." He pondered for a moment, his fingers lightly tracing the stone table, and finally said, "Wait two or three years until you return. If you can break through to the Dou Huang realm and further improve your strength, it won't be too late to take her on a training trip then—sharpening the axe won't delay the work of chopping wood. There's no need to rush." ​​Lin Yao understood. Su Qian's concerns were not without reason. Although his current strength was comparable to an ordinary Dou Zong, in front of those old monsters in the Soul Palace, he was only at the level of an ordinary protector. If they really encountered danger, even he might not be able to escape unscathed, and he indeed could not completely guarantee Zi Yan's safety. He nodded slightly, accepting Su Qian's suggestion.

Back in the courtyard, Lin Yao told Zi Yan about Su Qian's decision. The girl was sitting on the swing in the yard, holding a blade of grass in her hand, swinging it idly. Upon hearing that Lin Yao was leaving alone for two or three years, the blade of grass in her hand snapped in two with a "snap," and the swing stopped instantly. She slowly turned around, her eyes dimming instantly, like starlight obscured by dark clouds. Her fingers gripped the hem of her clothes tightly, her knuckles turning white, and she muttered softly, "I want to go with you too... I'll be very good and won't cause you any trouble." Her voice was tinged with grievance and a barely perceptible sob, even her eyes were slightly red, making her look heartbreaking. Lin Yao's heart softened. He squatted down to be at eye level with Zi Yan, gently placed his hands on her shoulders, and said earnestly, "When I come back, I will definitely take you all over the Dou Qi Continent to see the deserts of the Jia Ma Empire and the prosperity of Zhongzhou. You must cultivate diligently these two years. When we meet again, you might be stronger than me. Then you can protect me, okay?" His voice was gentle, carrying a soothing power, and he patted her shoulder lightly with his fingertips.

To appease Zi Yan, who was dependent on him, Lin Yao spent the next half of his time...