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

She didn't elaborate, but Cai Die could see deep gratitude and complex emotions in her eyes.

At that moment, Cai Die suddenly understood that this aloof woman harbored untold stories and pain in her heart.

"Look! There are sugar figurines for sale up ahead!" Cao Ying suddenly turned around, excitedly pulling Cai Die and Yun Yun forward. "I want to buy a snake-shaped one, a bird-shaped one, and a master-like one!"

Cai Die stumbled as she was pulled along, but she and Yun Yun exchanged a smile, temporarily setting aside their suspicions. Yun Yun looked at Cao Ying's carefree figure, a hint of envy flashing in her eyes, but it quickly turned into determination.

Chapter 76 Yun Yun's Envy

The night was as dark as ink, spilling across the green tiles and eaves of the inn. The evening breeze carried the sweet scent of tuberose from the courtyard, rustling softly as it passed through the windowpanes.

Yun Yun returned under the moonlight, her dark skirt sweeping lightly across the stone path, leaving faint traces of her flowing garments.

She had just returned from scouting outside the city, and a trace of solemnity still lingered between her brows. But when her gaze fell upon the window of her room, which emitted a warm yellow light, that solemnity quietly melted away, replaced by a sense of understanding.

It was nearly midnight. The master would send a telepathic message if he needed anything. Cao Ying was already asleep, so only that person was in the room now.

Yunyun raised her hand and pushed open the door. The hinges made a slight creaking sound, breaking the tranquility of the room.

Under the lamplight, beside a pearwood wooden table, the young girl Cai Die was fast asleep, her jet-black hair cascading down her arms, a few playful strands of hair clinging to her smooth forehead, her long eyelashes fluttering gently like butterfly wings, and a faint smile playing on her lips. A small, glistening water stain could even be seen on her sleeve—she was clearly sleeping so soundly that she had accidentally drooled.

The sound of the door opening eventually startled the lightly sleeping butterfly.

She jerked her head up, her sleepy eyes filled with a hint of fear, and instinctively cried out, "Ah, who?!"

Rubbing her eyes, she hurriedly looked towards the door. When she saw that it was Yun Yun who had pushed the door open, her cheeks instantly turned bright red. She frantically straightened her clothes and disheveled hair, and secretly wiped the corner of her mouth with her sleeve, trying to cover up her earlier embarrassment.

"Oh, you're finally back!" Cai Die's voice was soft and sweet from just waking up, with a hint of barely perceptible grievance as she said, "I was almost falling asleep waiting for you. I thought you weren't coming back tonight."

As she spoke, her gaze unconsciously drifted to the table, as if afraid that Yunyun would see the marks she had left behind.

Yun Yun simply gave a soft "hmm," her gaze sweeping over the faint water stain on the table, but she didn't point it out. Instead, she walked straight to the chair opposite Cai Die and sat down.

She still carried the slight chill of the night dew, and the dark patterns embroidered on her black robes were faintly visible under the lamplight, making her already aloof temperament even more serene.

"You called me here to continue the topic we discussed during the day, right?" Her voice was calm and even, seemingly a question, but her tone carried an undeniable certainty.

When Yun Yun directly pointed out her purpose, Cai Die no longer tried to hide it. A hint of trepidation flashed in her clear eyes, but she still nodded vigorously: "Yes, I want to know."

She was simple and straightforward by nature, and couldn't keep anything to herself. She was afraid that Yun Yun's existence would threaten her position in Su Baichen's heart, but she couldn't help wanting to find out the truth, so she simply got straight to the point.

"Uh, you really are direct!" Yun Yun raised her eyebrows slightly, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes. She hadn't expected Cai Die to be so straightforward, without even the slightest bit of beating around the bush.

Upon hearing this, Cai Die scratched her head somewhat embarrassedly, a faint blush rising on her cheeks: "Um, Young Master said the same thing to me."

She recalled Su Baichen's earlier smile as he said she was naive and couldn't hide anything. The corners of her mouth unconsciously curved upwards, and she asked with a hint of seriousness, "But isn't it better to be direct? Say what you mean, so we don't have to guess."

"Very good." Yun Yun looked at the pure light in her eyes, and the pent-up frustration in her heart caused by the investigation gradually dissipated, and her tone softened.

"Just keep being this way. Maybe the master likes your 'simple-minded' nature." She said, a faint smile playing on her lips, tinged with a hint of helplessness and genuine approval. Such a pure and unguarded nature is all the more precious in this complex world.

"Hehe, I'm glad you like it, young master!" Upon hearing this, Cai Die immediately smiled brightly, as if she had received the most precious praise, and couldn't help but scratch her head.

Although the word "stupid" sounded a bit awkward, as long as Su Baichen liked it, she felt there was nothing wrong with it.

After laughing, Cai Die immediately composed herself, her eyes filled with even stronger anticipation: "Now, can you tell me about you and the young master?"

Upon hearing this, Yun Yun picked up the teacup on the table, which had long since gone cold. She ran her fingertips along the fine lines on the rim of the cup, her gaze drifting towards the night sky outside the window, her eyes gradually becoming distant and profound.

She nodded gently and spoke slowly, her voice ethereal, as if telling a distant story: "I was originally the young sect leader of the Yunlan Sect. I grew up under the protection of the sect from childhood, with a noble status and surrounded by admirers. At that time, I thought that my life would follow a predetermined path, inheriting the position of sect leader and protecting the glory of the Yunlan Sect."

"But things are unpredictable. An investigation caused me to fall from grace." Her voice lowered, carrying an unspeakable heaviness.

“My master chose to abandon me and put me in danger. In the snake people’s dungeon, I tasted darkness and despair. It was dark and full of miasma. Every minute and every second was torture. I thought I would be trapped there forever until the last moment of my life, until my heart was filled with the will to die.”

As she said this, Yun Yun's fingertips tightened slightly, and the coolness of the cup seeped through her fingertips, bringing her back to her senses.

She looked up at the butterfly, the gloom in her eyes lessening and replaced by warmth: "Just when I was on the verge of collapse, my master appeared. He was like a ray of light, cleaving through the darkness of the dungeon and pulling me back from the abyss of despair. He gave me a new life, letting me know that I could live in another way."

"Later, he took me in and made me his maid." Yun Yun's tone returned to calm, but with a resolute determination as she continued, "The young sect master of Yunlan Sect died in the Snake-People's dungeon. Now, the only one alive is my master's little maid, Yun Yun."

She put down her teacup, her gaze falling on Cai Die's face, and said earnestly, "And you don't need to worry at all that I will affect your position in the master's heart."

“I can sense that the master has never treated you as simply as he would a maid. In his eyes, there is trust, doting, and the kind of cherishing one has for family.”

"Otherwise, why would he entrust his most valued disciple, Cao Ying, to your care?"

Cai Die listened quietly, her initially clear eyes gradually filling with tears. She could feel the pain in Yun Yun's words, the feeling of being abandoned by the closest person and falling into despair—just thinking about it made her heart ache.

When Yunyun recounted all of this, her tone was so calm that it was as if she were telling someone else's story. This feigned strength made Caidie feel a pang of sadness.

However, when she heard Yun Yun say that Su Baichen treated her like family, Cai Die's heart trembled, and the tears in her eyes stopped instantly. Instead, a warm current spread from her heart to her whole body.

She recalled Su Baichen's usual tolerance towards her, his helpless yet indulgent smile when she made mistakes, and how he always remembered to bring her little trinkets when he went out... It turned out that their relationship had unknowingly transcended that of master and servant, and had become like that of family.

Thinking of this, Cai Die's cheeks flushed uncontrollably, like a ripe apple. A jumble of thoughts involuntarily surfaced in her mind: Does the young master treating me like family mean… he also has different feelings for me? If in the future… could we…

"Cough cough cough-"

Seeing that Cai Die's cheeks were flushed and her eyes were glazed over, clearly lost in thought, Yun Yun couldn't help but cough a few times to interrupt her reverie.

Cai Die suddenly came to her senses and realized her lapse in composure. Her cheeks turned even redder, and even her ears were flushed.

She lowered her head in a panic, not daring to look Yun Yun in the eyes, her voice barely audible: "Ah, oh, it's alright now!"

She stood up abruptly, looking flustered, and said, "You must be tired from going out to investigate. Get some sleep. I'm leaving now!"

Having said that, Cai Die practically fled, running hurriedly out of the room. The evening breeze blew in through the window, stirring the candlelight on the table. In the flickering light, Yun Yun's figure was reflected as she gazed at the doorway.

Yun Yun slowly got up, walked to the door and closed it. A complex emotion flashed in her eyes, which eventually turned into a deep envy.

Cai Die's simplicity and straightforwardness are things she has long lost; and the fact that Su Baichen cherishes and trusts her so unconditionally is what she now longs for.

She stayed by Su Baichen's side to repay his kindness and to pursue that light of redemption, never expecting anything more.

But seeing the butterfly's pure joy and dependence, she couldn't help but yearn for it—how wonderful it would be to feel so carefree and cherished.

Chapter 77 Little Fairy Doctor

The next morning, as dawn broke, Qingshan Town was still shrouded in a thin layer of morning mist.

In a secluded corner outside the town, a small courtyard enclosed by a bamboo fence was already bustling with activity. Various herbs were drying in the courtyard, and the faint aroma of herbs mingled with the scent of earth, quietly permeating the moist air.

Dr. Liu, dressed in a faded blue cloth shirt, was bending over, sorting through several hemostatic herbs she had picked the night before. Her movements were unhurried, her fingers brushing over the leaves as she skillfully sorted and arranged them, her expression focused and serene.

Beside the stone table sat a little girl. She rested her chin on her hands, her gaze unfocused on a cluster of purple daisies in full bloom in the corner of the yard, her eyes empty and devoid of anything, as if piercing through the flowers and plants before her and looking towards some distant and unreachable place.

The morning light outlined her slender figure and slightly pale face. Her silence and aloofness, which were beyond her years, made the whole courtyard seem exceptionally quiet.

After finishing his work, Dr. Liu straightened up, gently patted his lower back, and sighed inwardly as his gaze fell on the girl.

The child has looked like this ever since she rescued him from that poisonous mountain village a month ago.

It's as if his soul has been ripped from his body; he spends his days either staring blankly into the air or being absent-minded, unresponsive to external sounds and colors.

"Oh, poor child, witnessing the death of her loved ones at such a young age, such a blow is like a landslide and a tsunami, how can her tender heart bear it?"

A hint of pity flashed in Dr. Liu's eyes. He slowly walked to the girl's side, reached out, and gently stroked the top of her soft hair. His voice was extremely soft, as if afraid of disturbing her: "Xian'er, are you thinking about your family again today?"

The name "Xian'er" was given to her by Doctor Liu a few days ago.

At that time, an old man in town suffered a sudden illness and was sweating profusely from the pain. His family hurriedly carried him over.

After Dr. Liu treated him and gave him some medicine, the old man recovered in less than half an hour. He held her hand and thanked her profusely. The girl hid behind the door, watching quietly. In her usually dim eyes, a faint light unexpectedly appeared—envy, and perhaps a barely perceptible longing.

Doctor Liu observed this and a thought struck her. After seeing the patient off, she took the girl's hand and sat her down in the courtyard. Gazing at the fiery sunset, she said softly, "Since you're here with me, you should have a name. I see that you have a pure heart, clear eyes, and are quite intelligent, so how about I call you 'Little Fairy Doctor'? I hope that in the future you can have the benevolence of a healer and soothe the pain. In daily life, I will call you Fairy."

The girl neither nodded nor shook her head; her long eyelashes merely trembled slightly, almost imperceptibly.

"I...I..." Upon hearing Doctor Liu's voice, Little Fairy Doctor suddenly came to her senses. She opened her mouth, but her throat felt like it was blocked by something. She stammered for a long time, only managing to utter a few broken syllables, and her eyes reddened slightly.

Seeing her hesitant and tearful appearance, Dr. Liu felt a pang of sadness in her heart.

She knelt down to the girl's eye level, took her slightly cool hand in hers, and spoke even more gently, like a spring breeze caressing willow catkins: "Good child, don't think about it anymore. What happened that day wasn't your fault, nor is it something you can change. Try to let it go, okay?"

"The days ahead are long, and you must learn to look forward. I think your parents in heaven would wish for their beloved daughter to be safe and happy, instead of being haunted by nightmares and living in sadness and fear."

The words "Father...Mother..." were like pebbles thrown into a still lake, instantly stirring up a storm in Little Fairy Doctor's heart.

Her small body began to tremble uncontrollably, her eyes filled with immense fear, as if she saw poison gas filling the sky.

Moreover, deep within that fear, there seemed to be another, even heavier emotion—guilt! A profound sense of guilt, almost consuming her, made her lower her head sharply, bite her lower lip tightly, and dare not look into Dr. Liu's eyes again.

Dr. Liu keenly noticed the complex and indescribable look in the girl's eyes. Besides the expected fear, there was also such a deep sense of guilt.

This immediately aroused suspicion in her heart: "Sigh, what else happened in the village that day that left Xian'er with such a deep, even self-reproachful, shadow? Could it be..."

Her mind raced, but she knew it was not the right time to delve into the matter, so she could only let out a helpless sigh.

She got up, walked to the stone bench next to her, sat down, picked up a yellowed medical book, but couldn't read a single word. Her gaze kept drifting to the lonely figure who was still immersed in his own world.

Just then, a clear and gentle male voice rang out from outside the fence, breaking the stagnant silence in the courtyard at just the right moment.

"Excuse me, is Dr. Liu currently in the hospital?"

Doctor Liu looked up at the sound, and Little Fairy Doctor also subconsciously looked in the direction of the sound. There, outside the fence gate, stood four figures.

The leader was a man, around twenty years old, with a handsome face. He wore a moon-white robe and a brocade belt around his waist. Although he did not carry any conspicuous weapons, he had a calm and composed demeanor in every gesture, and a gentle smile that was as pleasant as a spring breeze was on his lips.

Standing beside him were two women, both exceptionally beautiful. One was dressed in a light blue dress, with a beautiful face and skin as white as snow. Her brows exuded both gentleness and a subtle air of dignified nobility. The other was dressed in a fiery red dress, with a tall and graceful figure, bright and striking features, and a lively temperament.

The most eye-catching was a little girl nestled beside the woman in purple. She looked about the same age as Little Fairy Doctor, dressed in a light purple dress. Her big, bright, and intelligent eyes were blinking, and she was curiously looking at Little Fairy Doctor, her eyes darting around as if she were pondering some quirky ideas.

These four people possessed extraordinary bearing, as if they had stepped out of a painting, making them completely out of place in this simple, even somewhat impoverished, farmhouse courtyard.

Physician Liu was taken aback and dared not be negligent. He quickly stood up and stepped forward, bowing slightly as he said, "I am Physician Liu. May I ask what brings you distinguished guests to my humble abode?"

Having practiced medicine for many years and seen the world, she knew that the people in front of her were no ordinary people. They were probably powerful cultivators or from noble families. Her tone became respectful and cautious.

Seeing that Doctor Liu looked nervous, Su Baichen's smile became even gentler, and his voice was clear and reassuring: "Doctor Liu, there's no need for such formality or nervousness. We have come here not to cause trouble, but because we have something we would like to discuss with you... and this young lady."

He paused slightly, his gaze passing over Physician Liu and landing precisely on Little Fairy Doctor, who had instinctively shrunk down and tried to minimize her presence since they appeared, sitting by the stone table behind her.

"We?" Dr. Liu keenly noticed that the other party used "you all" instead of "you," and her heart first relaxed, then tightened again.

She quickly calmed down, her mind racing: she was just a small-town doctor, nothing special, what merit did she have to trouble such a person to come all the way here to "discuss" something? If it wasn't for her, then the target could only be... She subconsciously turned to the side, casting a probing and slightly protective gaze at Little Fairy Doctor.

Su Baichen followed her gaze and met Little Fairy Doctor's eyes, which were filled with panic and timidity. He softened his tone, as gentle as a spring breeze: "Doctor Liu is right. We have come here for this girl."

Chapter 78 The Power of Physique

As soon as he finished speaking, the courtyard fell into an eerie silence, where even the rustling of leaves in the wind could be clearly heard.