Battle Through the Heaven: Purple Heaven

It was a quiet and serene night. 

Stars twinkled across the heavens, and a full moon hung high, casting a hazy veil over the earth.

On the rooftop of Xiao Bai's small courtyard, two figures sat close together—a dashing man and a charming young woman.

"Little Mistress, how was my performance?" The tiny golden dragon stood upright in the air, grinning with smug pride.

"Hehe, Xiao Bai gege, where did you find this little treasure?" Xun Er leaned against Xiao Bai's shoulder, her smile as radiant as a blooming flower. She gazed at the golden dragon, her voice light and teasing.

Xiao Bai studied the dragon, a flicker of curiosity in his heart. This guy's acting strangely today. Usually, it's all sharp-tongued quips that could infuriate anyone, but with Xun Er, it's oddly affectionate.

At Xun Er's question, Xiao Bai recounted the dragon's origins, keeping the explanation brief but clear.

"Golden lightning, hmm?" Xun Er tapped her lower lip with her finger, lost in thought for a moment before shaking her head. She had no answers about the creature's nature.

"Hey, Little Mistress, could you let me have a taste of that?" The golden dragon flashed a fawning smile. It had long sensed a vast, unique energy within Xun Er—an energy it craved.

"Little Gold?" Xun Er blinked, puzzled by what the dragon meant.

"You know, that really fiery stuff!" the dragon hurriedly clarified.

"Oh, you mean that?" A glint of gold flashed in Xun Er's eyes as she realized what it was referring to.

"Scram!" Xiao Bai snapped, flicking his sleeve to shoo the dragon away. So that's why it's being so nice—it's after Xun Er's Golden Emperor Burning Heaven Flame!

He turned to Xun Er, who looked hesitant, and said firmly, "Don't give it anything."

"Okay!" Xun Er's eyes crinkled into crescent moons at his protective anger, her heart warmed. She nodded obediently.

Xiao Bai let out a breath, then glanced at the now-bewildered dragon, softening his tone. "She can't use that energy right now."

Xun Er hadn't yet broken through to Dou Zhe. If she tapped into the flame, she'd suffer the agony of its searing backlash. She'd told Xiao Bai as a child that the pain would only fully subside after she reached Dou Zhe and cultivated her technique. He wasn't about to let her, out of misplaced affection, endure that torment for the dragon's sake.

Thinking quickly, Xiao Bai summoned Xiao Yi, a flicker of green light appearing as it materialized in the room below. He waved a hand. "Go on, play with Xiao Yi."

The golden dragon scampered off joyfully to join Xiao Yi.

"Xiao Bai gege, that's the first time you've ever snapped at me!" Xun Er teased, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

"Sorry," Xiao Bai said, rubbing his nose awkwardly. He'd been a bit too sharp in his urgency.

Xun Er shook her head, dropping the teasing. Instead, she reached out, her fingers gently tracing the silver pattern on his forehead. "Xiao Bai gege, can you tell me about this?" she asked, her voice tinged with curiosity.

She'd noticed the pattern when they reunited earlier, and it stirred her interest. It also reminded her of a year ago when he'd suddenly started wearing a headband—likely to cover this very mark.

In the Dou Qi Continent, forehead patterns were rare unless deliberately etched. Knowing Xiao Bai, she was certain he wasn't the type to carve such a thing himself.

"I don't know what it is," Xiao Bai admitted, a hint of frustration in his voice. "It just appeared one day after I practiced my cultivation technique."

He'd asked Yao Lao about it, but Yao Lao, perhaps due to his own diluted bloodline, seemed dismissive and unfamiliar with such marks. He hadn't shared much, only mentioning that he'd seen similar patterns on others, though different in style. Unlike those, which carried a faint trace of bloodline power, Xiao Bai's mark revealed no such energy.

Since Yao Lao confirmed it wasn't a clan mark of the ancient eight clans, Xiao Bai saw no need to keep hiding it. He'd only covered it initially to avoid worrying Xun Er.

"A cultivation technique?" Xun Er's brows furrowed slightly. She didn't recognize the pattern either. The Gu Clan had records of the eight ancient clans' marks, and Xiao Bai's didn't match any of them. She'd briefly hoped it might be a sign of a dormant Dou Di bloodline awakening, which would have thrilled her. A Dou Di bloodline would ease his path forward, given the extraordinary legacy he carries. But now, it seemed that wasn't the case.

"Does it intrigue you?" Xiao Bai asked, a spark of hope in his eyes. If anyone could shed light on this mystery besides Yao Lao, it was the girl beside him.

"I know a bit about certain runes, but not this one," Xun Er said, shaking her head. She'd already sensed it—no fluctuations, no trace of Dou Di bloodline energy.

A flicker of disappointment crossed Xiao Bai's face. He'd hoped she might have answers. Still, it wasn't a total loss. At least he could rule out the mark being tied to his own bloodline—it had to be a product of his cultivation technique. Its purpose would reveal itself in time, so he wasn't in a rush.

"But…" Xun Er cupped his face in her hands, studying him with a playful smile. "With this mark, Xiao Bai gege looks even more commanding!"

"Naughty girl," Xiao Bai said, lightly tapping her nose with an indulgent chuckle.

"Hmph!" Xun Er wrinkled her nose at him, letting out a soft huff.

"Xiao Bai gege, tell me about your journey. I want to hear everything!" she said suddenly, her tone eager.

A strange glint passed through Xiao Bai's eyes, and he sighed inwardly. Here it comes.

"Is something wrong?" Xun Er asked, catching his hesitation, her eyes filled with confusion.

"Nothing," Xiao Bai said, shaking his head quickly. He launched into a detailed account of his travels, leaving nothing out—except for a slightly polished version of his encounter with Medusa.

Xun Er let out a soft sigh, and Xiao Bai's body tensed.

As if unaware of his reaction, she spoke gently. "Xiao Bai gege, promise me you won't do something as dangerous as drawing lightning again, okay?"

"You don't know how scared I was, so scared…" Her voice faltered, her eyes reddening.

"I promise," Xiao Bai said, pulling her into a gentle embrace, his voice urgent.

Xun Er leaned quietly against him, saying nothing more, her gaze fixed on the moon above.

She'd wanted to scold him, maybe even ignore him for a few days. But the recent message from her clan silenced her. They'd summoned her to return once she broke through to Dou Zhe. She didn't want to go. She'd always thought they'd stay together forever, like when they were children. But now, the thought of leaving him—especially after his words at the gate about wanting a home of his own—made her heart ache too much to blame him.

Time slipped by unnoticed.

A muffled grunt broke the silence on the rooftop. Xiao Bai clenched his teeth, enduring the sharp pain. Not only did he not resist, but he relaxed the muscles in his neck to avoid hurting her.

That bite was merciless!