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

Chapter 88 Shaping Spiritual Veins

Soon after,

On the outer courtyard's martial arts arena, the setting sun bathed the bluestone ground in gold. Two figures moved at high speed in the center of the arena, the resulting gusts of wind stirring up fallen leaves.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

Xiao Yan gripped the Xuanzhong Ruler tightly with both hands, the ruler leaving several afterimages in the air.

With a low shout, dozens of earthen-yellow wind blades burst forth from the ruler, tearing through the air with a sharp whistling sound.

These wind blades spread out in a fan shape, covering almost half of the training ground.

Lu Yu's lips curled slightly, and his figure suddenly became ethereal. With a light step, he left three solid crimson afterimages in the spot where he stood.

"Boom boom boom!"

The sharp wind blades slashed repeatedly at the afterimages, instantly unleashing a deafening roar. The crimson energy collided fiercely with the earthen-yellow wind blades, bursting forth with blinding light.

In that instant, Lu Yu's true form appeared to Xiao Yan's left, his right index and middle fingers joined together, and a wisp of crimson fire shot out like a venomous snake's tongue.

"clang!"

At the critical moment, Xiao Yan flipped his wrist, and the Xuan Heavy Ruler was just in front of him. The fire line struck the ruler, bursting out dazzling sparks.

The immense impact forced him back several steps, leaving spiderweb-like cracks in the bluestone ground beneath his feet.

"Brother Yan, be careful!"

Lu Yu suddenly stopped his movement and formed a strange hand seal in front of his chest.

In an instant, the air above the training ground began to distort, and visible crimson-gold energy converged from all directions, forming a constantly rotating energy vortex in his palm.

This is the starting stance of the intermediate-level Earth-rank combat skill, "Burning Heaven and Boiling Sea Palm".

Xiao Yan's pupils contracted slightly, and he immediately changed tactics. He quickly formed hand seals, and thirty-six points of light suddenly lit up around his body. These points of light twinkled like stars, and were connected by cyan energy, vaguely forming the shape of a swimming dragon.

"Activate the Meridian Opening Technique!"

With a low shout from Xiao Yan, the points of light suddenly brightened, and the surrounding天地能量 (heaven and earth energy) seemed to be summoned, spontaneously forming small whirlwinds that converged around him.

The surging energy fluctuations made his robes flutter and his hair move without wind.

"This is the method of opening the meridians?"

Across from him, a hint of curiosity flashed in Lu Yu's eyes, but his hands continued moving without pause. He suppressed his cultivation to the level of a five-star Great Dou Master, but that didn't mean he was weaker than anyone else.

He slowly opened his right hand, and crimson-gold battle qi condensed in his palm, gradually forming a small blazing sun that emitted a heart-palpitating energy fluctuation.

"Nine cycles of crimson gold, three cycles to destroy a city!"

Lu Yu suddenly leaped into the air, reaching a height of over ten zhang. He then flipped upside down, his right palm carrying the dazzling fiery sun, and smashed towards Xiao Yan like a meteorite.

Faced with this thunderous attack, Xiao Yan remained calm. He gripped the Xuan Heavy Ruler with both hands, and the dark red patterns on the ruler suddenly lit up.

As energy was continuously injected, the entire heavy ruler gradually turned from black to red, and finally emitted a terrifying heat wave like a red-hot iron.

"Flame Devouring Wave Ruler!"

Xiao Yan roared and swung the heavy ruler upwards with all his might. A dark red ruler beam several meters long shot out, melting the bluestone in its path.

The beam of light collided with Lu Yu's fiery sun in mid-air, unleashing a deafening roar.

"boom!!!"

A violent energy shockwave spread out in a ring, shaking the entire training ground violently. When the light faded, a charred crater several meters in diameter was visible in the center of the arena, the bluestone at the edges of which had turned into glass.

Amidst the smoke and dust, two figures stood facing each other. Lu Yu's sleeve was scorched at one corner, while Xiao Yan was slightly out of breath, but both of their eyes gleamed with excitement.

"good."

Lu Yu clapped his hands and said approvingly, "This strike has already touched the threshold of the Dou Ling realm."

"The fighting spirits I'm referring to here aren't those guys from the Jia Ma Empire, but rather the experts in the inner courtyard who have at least made it onto the power rankings..."

"With your current strength, if you were to participate in that so-called three-year agreement, Nalan Yanran probably wouldn't even be able to withstand a single move from you..."

Xiao Yan wiped the sweat from his forehead, grinned, and said, "Nalan Yanran? I haven't taken her seriously for a long time..."

As he spoke, he clenched his fist, feeling the surging battle qi within him: "My goal is no longer just the little Nalan Yanran..." "When the three-year agreement is reached, I will show the entire Jia Ma Empire just how wrong the Yunlan Sect has been!"

Upon hearing this, Lu Yu shook his head and didn't say anything more.

Calculating the time, there are still eleven months until the three-year agreement is reached. Given Xiao Yan's current cultivation speed, he should at least be at the Dou Ling level by then, and might even be able to break through to the Dou Wang level…

By then, within the Yunlan Sect, unless Yunshan, who has been in seclusion for many years, personally takes action, even without Elder Yao's assistance, probably no one will be able to withstand this kid's sharp edge...

Thinking of this, Lu Yu took out a jade bottle from his storage ring and casually tossed it to Xiao Yan, saying, "That's enough sparring. This is my improved Qi-restoring pill. Its efficacy and recovery speed are 30% higher than ordinary Qi-restoring pills. The selection competition is imminent, so hurry up and recover."

"An improved Qi-restoring pill?"

Xiao Yan caught the medicine bottle, his pupils shrinking slightly. He had been studying alchemy under Elder Yao for over a year, and had only just reached the third rank. Improving a third-rank pill formula required at least the skill of a fourth-rank alchemist—and even then, a top-tier one!
He poured out a Golden Essence Pill and swallowed it, immediately feeling a surge of medicinal power rushing through his limbs and bones like a tidal wave. His consumed battle qi recovered at a visible speed, regaining more than 70% in just three breaths.

"This recovery speed..."

Xiao Yan was shocked to feel the changes within his body; it would take at least half a quarter of an hour for an ordinary Qi-restoring pill to achieve this effect.

The old doctor's voice echoed in Xiao Yan's mind: "Interesting... Replace the main ingredient, Snow Jade Ginseng, with Golden Thread Lingzhi, and supplement with Snow Jade Grass to neutralize it..."

He suddenly stopped and said meaningfully, "Little Yanzi, Lu's skills in alchemy have improved rapidly this past year..."

"This improved technique is probably beyond the reach of even ordinary fifth-grade alchemists..."

Lu Yu smiled without saying a word, but simply raised his chin towards the training ground and said, "Go on, the next selection is about to begin."

"Then I'll be going now, Brother Lu, see you in the inner courtyard!"

Xiao Yan nodded emphatically, turned around and strode away.

After watching Xiao Yan walk away, Lu Yu took out the jade slip containing the method for opening meridians from his robes. He gently stroked the smooth jade surface with his fingertips, a hint of anticipation flashing in his eyes:
"It's time... it's time to gather my own spiritual veins."

……

Soon after,

Lu Yu returned to the inner courtyard and went back inside.

As soon as I stepped into the courtyard, I saw Little Fairy Doctor and Zi Yan sitting opposite each other at the stone table, each holding a black or white chess piece, intently playing back and forth on the chessboard.

They weren't playing Go, but rather the game of Gomoku, which Lu Yu had taught them in his spare time.

"You're back?" Little Fairy Doctor looked up at the sound, a smile appearing in her purple eyes.

Without looking up, Zi Yan waved her little hand anxiously, saying, "Come quickly, come quickly!"

She stared at the chessboard, her little face scrunched up, and said with a frown, "Little Fairy Doctor is too cunning! Please help me take a look!"

"What's the rush? Let me catch my breath first."

Lu Yu smiled and shook his head, then walked to the stone table and bent down to examine the chessboard. Black and white pieces were intertwined on the board, the battle was fierce, and Little Fairy Doctor's white pieces were beginning to form a three-in-a-row.

He casually picked a grape from the fruit plate and popped it into his mouth, mumbling, "Ziyan, if you take this step here..."

He pointed to a spot on the chessboard and said, "That's when you fall into her trap."

Upon hearing this, Zi Yan's eyes widened. She examined the document carefully for a moment, then suddenly slammed her hand on the table and exclaimed, "Ah! So that's how it is!"

"I saw it coming a long time ago, Little Fairy Doctor, you're more cunning than a beehive!"

Little Fairy Doctor covered her mouth and chuckled, a sly glint in her grey-purple eyes, and said, "All's fair in war."

She turned to Lu Yu, handed him a cup of tea, and casually asked, "Is the matter settled?"

Lu Yu took the teacup, nodded, and said, "Hmm, that kid Xiao Yan has made considerable progress."

He took a sip of tea, then suddenly seemed to remember something and took out a jade slip from his robes, continuing, "By the way, I plan to try condensing a spiritual vein tonight..."

Upon hearing this, Little Fairy Doctor nodded, a hint of worry flashing in her eyes, and asked with concern, "Is there any danger?"

Lu Yu smiled and shook his head, saying, "The risk is not high; someone has already tried it."

He put down his teacup, got up and walked towards the cultivation room, instructing, "But don't let anyone disturb me tonight."

After saying that, he stepped into the indoor cultivation room.

(End of this chapter)