Battle Through the Heaven: Purple Heaven

Xiao Bai gazed thoughtfully at the talisman floating silently in the center of his sea of consciousness. It must've acted. His confidence in this sanctuary stemmed from the talisman claiming it as its domain—nothing could stir trouble here. He'd witnessed the purple lightning's might firsthand. Though restrained within his mind, its danger far surpassed yesterday's heavenly thunder.

When can I wield that purple lightning? he muttered, eyeing the talisman.

It remained inert, not even a flicker of electricity. Expected. Xiao Bai smiled faintly, turning to the barren sea of consciousness. His foundation was intact, the piercing headache merely a result of overstimulation. Relieved, he withdrew his mind.

Sitting cross-legged, he began cultivating the Heavenly Heart Sensing Chapter. Soul cultivation didn't require meridians, so restoring his soul force was the priority.

Yao Lao, sensing the soul cultivation, wasn't surprised. Since leaving Wu Tan City, Xiao Bai dedicated two hours nightly to it. Yao Lao had long ceased marveling. As for how Xiao Bai acquired a soul technique, he didn't pry. Everyone had their fortunes, and in the vast Dou Qi Continent, no powerhouse rose without one. Ancient clan members were born with such luck; others, like Yao Lao or Dou Zuns, had their own.

Xiao Bai shared this mindset. He couldn't halt cultivation while with Yao Lao, and knowing the talisman had disciplined the old man on departure day, he feared little. From the novel and their time together, he trusted Yao Lao's character—witty, unpretentious, and tactful, asking only what was appropriate. Xiao Bai found him pleasant company.

Amid the waterfall's thunderous roar, two days passed in a blink.

Xiao Bai rose from the boulder, feeling his nearly restored meridians. Stretching, his bones cracked like popping beans, the numbing pain nearly gone. He glanced at the cyan thunder orb back in his liver. Good job, Little Yi, he praised silently. Unlike Little Bing's initial torment, Little Yi had always aided him dutifully. If it could take form, he imagined a gentle, patient daughter—reliable yet heart-tuggingly delicate. Wonder how long that'll take.

Shifting focus, he checked his sea of consciousness. About a fifth of his soul force had recovered. Soul restoration's brutally slow. Two days of relentless cultivation yielded this, while Dou Qi would've recovered tenfold. The Heavenly Heart Sensing Chapter's unique ability to occasionally enter a fleeting unity-with-heaven state boosted recovery, but it was unpredictable and brief.

He suspected prolonged unity required breaking into the Spirit Realm. Post-recovery, he felt his soul nearing the peak of the Mortal Realm—a single trigger could push him to completion. If I could relive that first night with the Heavenly Heart Sensing Chapter… He chuckled, exasperated. That accidental breakthrough after a nap hadn't recurred despite countless tries.

Shaking his head, he set the puzzle aside. When I'm stronger, answers will come. "Senior, time to go!" he called, packing the cave's items.

At the entrance, Yao Lao, drifting above the waterfall, zipped into the black ring. Purple wings sprouted behind Xiao Bai, uninfused with Little Bing—the seed still needed rest. The Tagore Desert should perk it up. With a push, he soared skyward.

___

Jia Ma Empire, Mo City

Perched at the desert's edge, Mo City sweltered under relentless heat and dryness, often shrouded in sandstorms—a harsh environment. Such conditions should've made it desolate, but its position at the desert-oasis border, a vital trade artery to the empire, drew bustling crowds. Merchants and beast-hunting mercenaries thronged daily, fueling its prosperity.

Above, a purple streak flashed, landing a kilometer from Mo City. Xiao Bai, dust-worn, grinned at the golden city on the desert's fringe. "Finally here."

The past ten days had been grueling. Despite the lightning strike, his love for flight persisted, spurning beast mounts. Flying in bursts, he'd stop every 200 li to restore Dou Qi, unable to cycle it mid-flight with his current cultivation. "Finally here," Yao Lao echoed, exasperated—not for the Heavenly Flame, but for Xiao Bai's stubborn air travel.

Yao Lao had pitied him near Black Rock City, assuming ignorance of flight beasts, and suggested one. Xiao Bai ignored him, bypassing cities, extending their trip. A beast could've gotten them here five days sooner.

"Heh," Xiao Bai chuckled at Yao Lao's tone, aware of his thoughts but saying nothing. Flight was partly indulgence in his new wings, but mainly a calculated move. Each Dou Qi depletion and recovery purged residual heavenly thunder from his body. Little Yi had cleared his meridians, but his flesh held untapped energy. This half-month of exhausting flights had pushed him to peak nine-star Dou Shi, poised for a breakthrough to Da Dou Shi.

Finding a suitable spot, he'd attempt it. His enhanced physique, bolstered by the thunder, could match a Da Dou Shi in raw strength. A Dou Ling? Unclear without testing. Anticipation stirred for the next lightning seed.