Battle Through the Heavens: Starting with Cao Ying as an apprentice

The heat between their skin was astonishing, as if they could burn each other through their clothes.

Su Baichen's mind went blank for a moment, and his remaining rationality teetered on the brink of collapse amidst this unprecedented intimate contact and the intense wave of internal and external attacks.

The soft body in his arms squirmed restlessly, each friction like igniting more sparks.

[Oh no! If this continues...!]

He tried to concentrate and circulate his energy to suppress the rampaging, eerie heat, but his vision blurred involuntarily. The warmth and breath of the person in his arms, along with their unconscious, dependent closeness, acted like the most lethal catalyst, quickly swallowing up his last shred of clarity.

【It’s over! 】

Meanwhile, the scene outside the door was completely different!

Two familiar figures stood in front of the door. Neither Cai Die nor Xuan Yi spoke, but listened intently to the faint sounds coming from behind the door, their expressions somewhat subtle.

A complex emotion appeared on Cai Die's face, a mixture of worry and unease.

She gently tugged at Xuan Yi's sleeve and asked in a low voice, "Sister Xuan Yi, is what we're doing... really appropriate?"

"What's wrong with it?" Xuan Yi turned her head and rolled her eyes at her without any politeness, but her tone was indifferent.

"When she came to us with tears in her eyes, earnestly begging for our help, didn't you say anything then?"

That happened a day ago.

Little Fairy Doctor suddenly came to them, her face showing the shyness and determination unique to a young girl. She revealed her deepest feelings for Su Baichen and asked the two for their help.

At that moment, Cai Die was not surprised at all—during the ten years that Su Baichen was traveling, Xiao Yixian often gazed into the distance in a daze, and the light in her eyes when she mentioned "Master" had long surpassed the ordinary master-disciple relationship.

However, since her older sister Cailin didn't say much at that time, she also tacitly remained silent.

Xuan Yi did hesitate at first. With one more person, there would be one more entanglement.

But then I thought, since Su Baichen already had Cai Die and the others by his side, it didn't seem to make much difference if he added Little Fairy Doctor.

She has always been confident in her importance in Su Baichen's heart, and this little ripple cannot shake the foundation.

When she saw the two men tacitly agree, the last trace of unease in Little Fairy Doctor's eyes finally disappeared, replaced by a do-or-die courage.

That courage is perhaps one of the reasons that moved them.

"Sigh..." Cai Die sighed softly, her shoulders drooping slightly, revealing a helpless expression.

"After all, I watched Little Fairy Doctor grow up. I just couldn't bring myself to refuse her when she pleaded so humbly."

She paused, looked up at Xuan Yi, and a hint of worry appeared in her eyes: "But if my brother-in-law finds out about this, he might really be furious."

"Tch, now you're scared?" Xuan Yi scoffed, poking Cai Die's forehead in annoyance.

"Too late! The powder Little Fairy Doctor used was personally refined by me. It's guaranteed to be colorless and odorless, and no one can detect anything amiss. Even I, the 'mastermind,' am not panicking, so why are you?"

Cai Die was taken aback, but after thinking about it carefully, she realized that it was indeed the case, and nodded in agreement: "That's right... with you in front, sister, I can take care of things."

Her gaze towards Xuan Yi held a hint of admiration.

This woman may seem carefree in her daily life, but when it comes to getting things done, she is bold and meticulous. She even prepared this kind of "assistance" herself, which is quite thoughtful.

"Besides..." Xuan Yi changed the subject, a meaningful smile appearing on his lips, a sly glint in his eyes.

"With Su Baichen's terrifying 'strength'... do you really think you can withstand him on your own?"

Cai Die's face flushed slightly, but she didn't hesitate and nodded frankly: "That... is indeed the truth."

But then she frowned and began to seriously consider things.

"But even with Little Fairy Doctor included, can the few of us really handle my brother-in-law?"

"Well..." Xuan Yi was taken aback by the question, and his previous ease faltered.

She raised her hand to touch her chin, her gaze drifting to the closed door, a rare hint of uncertainty in her voice, "It should... probably... be okay?"

After the words were spoken, silence fell over the corridor once more. The two exchanged a glance, one with a subtle expression, the other thoughtful, but both knew in their hearts that once this step was taken, there was no turning back.

As for what happens next, we'll probably just have to wait and see.

Meanwhile, Cao Ying, who was far away at the Cao family home, suddenly felt like she had been outmaneuvered!

It looks like something has been taken away!

Chapter 274 The Choice!

A long time has passed!

Su Baichen slowly opened his eyes, his vision gradually clearing. He propped himself up and sat up, the brocade quilt slipping off to reveal his strong upper body and the woman still sleeping soundly beside him.

Last night's fragmented memories flooded my mind like a tidal wave.

After the condensation of the core was completed, the disciple suffered a backlash from the evil fire, and he... everything that followed became blurry and scalding hot, leaving only the temperature of skin touching, rapid breathing, and the restlessness from the depths of his soul that made him completely lose control.

He suddenly closed his eyes.

[Su Baichen, you're a complete scoundrel!]

[Knowing that Xian'er was completely unguarded with you, knowing that she was innocent and naive, you still... you took advantage of her lustful desires and did such a beastly thing!]

She's the apprentice you personally trained!

Self-reproach clung to his heart like vines, tightening ever more. He turned his head to look at the still-sleeping Little Fairy Doctor.

That usually aloof and ethereal face now had a lingering blush, a few strands of hair clung to her sweaty forehead, long eyelashes cast faint shadows under her eyelids, and a faint, almost satisfied smile lingered at the corners of her lips.

But this satisfaction, in Su Baichen's eyes, was like a dull knife, repeatedly cutting into his conscience.

He quietly got up, trying not to make a sound, and after dressing himself, he sat on the edge of the bed, quietly watching Little Fairy Doctor, waiting for her to wake up.

After an unknown amount of time, Little Fairy Doctor's eyelashes trembled, and she slowly opened her eyes.

Those eyes, as clear as autumn water, were initially a little misty, but after seeing Su Baichen sitting by the bed, they instantly became clear, and then a complex and indescribable emotion surfaced—shyness, unease, attachment, and a trace of almost imperceptible cunning after a successful plan.

"Master, I..." Her voice was hoarse, weak from the experience of first love, as she struggled to sit up, but her brows furrowed due to her discomfort.

"Don't move." Su Baichen subconsciously reached out to support her, his fingertips touching her slightly cool skin, then quickly withdrew as if burned.

He lowered his eyes, unable to look any longer at her rounded shoulders exposed outside the brocade quilt, his voice low and hoarse: "Xian'er, I..."

A thousand words stuck in my throat, but in the end, they all boiled down to three words: "I'm sorry."

He raised his head, his eyes filled with undisguised regret and pain: "It was me... I was bewitched, I failed to guard my mind, and took advantage of you... I was worse than a beast. It's all my fault, and I'm willing to bear any consequences."

Little Fairy Doctor quietly looked at him. The elation she felt from her successful scheme suddenly seemed insignificant in the face of his heavy guilt, and she even felt a pang of heartache for him.

But she knew she couldn't be soft-hearted at this moment.

[As expected, Master thinks it's his fault... The powder Xuan Yi gave me, combined with my prior arrangements, is indeed very effective. However, it seems I need to add fuel to the fire.]

Her eyes quickly reddened, and glistening tears welled up, threatening to fall but not quite. Combined with her pale face and disheveled hair, she looked even more pitiful.

She bit her lower lip, her voice choked with sobs: "Master...you...you don't want to take responsibility?"

These words struck Su Baichen like a thunderbolt. He looked up at her abruptly and saw the tears she was holding back and the deep despair in her eyes. His heart felt as if it had been violently clenched.

[Take responsibility? How could he not want to take responsibility? But this "responsibility" is so unfair to her!]

“I can take responsibility.” Su Baichen remained silent for a long time before finally speaking, his voice hoarse.

“But Xian’er, this is not fair to you. I am your master, yet I have done this to you. What will the world think of you? Your future…”

"I do not care!"

Little Fairy Doctor suddenly raised her voice, interrupting him.

She propped herself up, ignoring the quilt slipping off, and stared intently into Su Baichen's eyes, her gaze burning with intensity and determination, as if a fire were burning within them.

"I love Master! I've loved him for a very, very long time!" She no longer hid her feelings, pouring out the emotions that had been buried deep in her heart for many years.

“I know this might be against etiquette, and it might be criticized by others, so I have kept it hidden and only dared to stay by your side as your apprentice. I was afraid... afraid that you would only see me as your apprentice, and afraid that if I told you, we wouldn’t even be able to maintain this relationship.”

Her tears finally fell, not as an act, but as a genuine expression of her feelings: "But after you told me that you had seen my body that day, I could no longer hide it."

"I don't want to hide behind the identity of 'disciple' anymore, watching you from afar. Even if the result is not what I want, even if I get hurt in the end, I don't want to regret not fighting for myself!"

She took a deep breath and spoke clearly and firmly, word by word: "So, even without this incident, I have already decided that I will no longer suppress these feelings. I will pursue you, Master, openly and honestly."

The room was silent except for Little Fairy Doctor's slightly rapid breathing.

Su Baichen stared blankly at her, at her red-rimmed eyes, at the tear stains on her face, and at the unmistakable deep affection and courage in her eyes.

He suddenly realized that his little apprentice, whom he had always protected under his wing, had grown up without him noticing, had developed his own opinions, and had the courage to fly like a moth to a flame.

Those concerns and worldly views seemed pale and powerless in the face of her intense emotions.

After a long while, he reached out and gently wiped away her tears with his calloused fingertips, whispering with a sigh, "Silly girl..."

The tone conveyed helplessness, relief, and deep pity and acceptance.

Little Fairy Doctor felt the warmth of his fingertips and saw the icy guilt in his eyes gradually melt away, replaced by a tender emotion she had never seen before.

Overwhelmed with joy, she felt a lump in her throat and wanted to cry again, but this time it was tears of happiness.

"Sleep well, you're tired." Su Baichen's voice was gentler than ever before. He helped her lie down and carefully tucked her in.

"Mmm!" Little Fairy Doctor nodded vigorously, like a child who had received the most precious candy, and obediently closed her eyes.

Exhausted both physically and mentally, coupled with the relief of having her wish fulfilled, she quickly drifted off into a deep sleep with a sweet smile on her lips.

Su Baichen sat on the edge of the bed, looking at her peaceful sleeping face, his emotions churning for a long time.

It was guilt, responsibility, emotion, and a quietly growing feeling that even he himself had never deeply explored.

He knew that some things had changed completely from that moment on.

In the following days, in front of outsiders, Little Fairy Doctor still respectfully called him "Master" and observed the proper etiquette between master and disciple. Only occasionally, when their eyes met, a hint of intimacy that only the two of them understood would be revealed.

Su Baichen didn't ask why she chose to maintain the superficial master-disciple relationship. Perhaps she had her own considerations, or perhaps she still needed time to adapt.

He was willing to give her that space.

Xuan Yi and Cai Die saw everything but remained silent, tacitly agreeing to keep quiet.

When their eyes occasionally met Su Baichen's, they both looked away guiltily, not daring to look at him for long.

What are you saying? Are you suggesting that they conspired with Little Fairy Doctor to orchestrate this "accident"?

They don't have the guts.

Given Su Baichen's personality, if he knew he had been schemed against in this way, even if his initial intention was to "help him," he would probably be furious.