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

Before the words were even finished, the arms supporting Xun'er tightened simultaneously. Cao Ying and Little Fairy Doctor ignored the little one's weak struggles and cries, tacitly turning around and carrying her towards a brightly lit, elegantly decorated clothing store deep in the night market. As they walked, they chatted excitedly, completely ignoring Xun'er's protests.

“I passed by this ‘Neon Pavilion’ a few days ago and saw a pale yellow dress hanging inside. The neckline and cuffs were embroidered with lilies of the valley. It was so cute! Unfortunately, it was too small for me to wear.”

Cao Ying's tone was full of regret, but she quickly perked up again: "At that time, I thought that this dress would definitely suit Xun'er!"

"What a coincidence." Little Fairy Doctor smiled slightly and replied, "I also noticed that this shop has some very unique children's clothes. That light blue high-waisted ruqun is made of soft and light material, and the embroidery is also delicate. And that scarlet riding outfit is both heroic and charming. Tonight is perfect, let Xun'er try them on."

"Yes, yes, that's what I think too!"

"Imagine Xun'er wearing these dresses, with her hair in two buns and ribbons... how adorable she would be!"

"Just thinking about it is so interesting!"

The two talked more and more enthusiastically, and their steps quickened, as if they could already see Xiao Xun'er standing in front of them, dressed up beautifully like a delicate porcelain doll.

Straddled in the middle with her feet dangling in the air, Xun'er listened to her two older sisters' heated discussion, and then looked at the clothing store that was getting closer and closer, seemingly with its mouth wide open. Finally, she gave up struggling completely, her little face filled with utter despair.

"Hey! You've come to the wrong place! The Xiao family is over there! Over there!"

"I don't want to go in! I don't want to try on clothes! I want to go back!"

"Old Master Ling, Ling Ying! Help! Take me back to the Xiao family! If you don't come soon, your clever and lovely young lady is going to be 'ruined'!"

The girl's soft, pitiful cries for help faded into the noisy crowds and cheerful lights of the night market.

Chapter 115 Galeo's Suicide Attempt

In the shadow of a roof not far away, an aged figure, almost blending into the darkness, stood silently.

Ling Ying took in the "harmonious" scene on the night market street. Seeing her young lady, who was usually aloof and elegant in the ancient clan and mature and composed in the Xiao family, being supported by two girls without any image, baring her teeth and claws and "begging for help," she showed an extremely complicated expression.

He lowered his head, stroked his beard, and remained silent for a long time. A barely audible sigh seemed to drift on the night breeze.

"Ugh……"

That sigh contained helplessness, a wry smile, and ultimately a faint sense of relief.

"The young lady... seems to have not been this energetic, this childlike for a long time."

He recalled the solemn and magnificent palaces of the ancient clan, and the peers who either respected, distanced themselves from, or harbored ulterior motives because of Xun'er's noble status.

There, the young lady was always quiet, sensible, and even a little too composed.

She shouldered the responsibilities and expectations that came with her bloodline at a young age, carefully hiding away her childlike innocence and willfulness.

"Now, in this Gama Empire, in this small city of Wutan, she has met people like Miss Cao Ying and Miss Xian'er who are genuinely kind to her and willing to play with her."

Ling Ying's gaze returned to the bustling clothing store, her eyes softening considerably: "Although this way of playing around... is a bit peculiar."

He recalled several times before when the young lady had been dressed up in all sorts of excessively cute dresses and had her hair styled in complicated ways, looking like a New Year's picture doll and being dragged around to be shown off. In the end, she would always return to her residence with a sullen but secretly happy little face.

“However…” Ling Ying’s lips finally curved into a small, almost benevolent smile: “To see the young lady with such a vivid expression, to hear her shout like that in such a ‘furious’ state… perhaps, it’s not such a bad thing.”

"In the end, it was all good."

Ling Ying glanced one last time in the direction of the Rainbow Pavilion, listening to the faint sounds of girls' cheerful laughter and little girls' embarrassed grumbling coming from inside, before disappearing silently into the shadows like ink spreading in water.

In a small courtyard not far from the clothing store, a dozen men dressed in black gathered in the shadows at the alley entrance, a hundred paces away from the courtyard, like lurking beasts of the night.

They had just watched the three radiant girls enter the clothing store and were now quickly leaving, their footsteps so light they were almost inaudible.

The group arrived at an inconspicuous little house in the west of the city. The leader of the men in black made a gesture, and the group filed in.

Inside the room, only an oil lamp was lit. In the dim light, a pale-faced boy sat on a sandalwood chair, slowly sipping his tea.

He looked no more than seven or eight years old, with unhealthy dark circles under his eyes, and long, slender fingers, yet his movements while holding the teacup were unusually steady.

"Young Master Galeo, we've found out everything."

The leader of the men in black bowed and reported in a low voice: "Those three girls have no background; they're just ordinary outsiders. We also discovered three other women in the courtyard where they live."

Another subordinate hurriedly added, his voice brimming with barely suppressed excitement: "Young Master, those three women in the courtyard are all quite remarkable! One has a cool and aloof air, one is alluring and charming, and the other is gentle and lovely. They are even better than the three we've been eyeing today!"

Galeo put down his teacup, the porcelain cup striking the wooden table with a crisp sound. An unnatural flush appeared on his pale face, and the corners of his mouth slowly stretched into a twisted smile.

A month earlier, when Su Baichen and his group had just entered Wutan City, Galeo had caught a glimpse of Cai Die's lively figure at the city gate. Being the kind of person who had a morbid obsession with beautiful women, he immediately ordered his men to secretly follow her.

Over the next few days, his subordinates kept reporting their new discoveries—Yun Yun, who had a noble temperament like a queen; Cai Lin, who had recently appeared; Cao Ying, who was playful and lively; and Xiao Yi Xian, who always carried a faint medicinal fragrance.

Especially Yunyun, whose colorful scales and butterflies were breathtakingly beautiful, each one keeping him tossing and turning at night.

Most remarkably, the only man among these beauties vanished without a trace a few days after entering the city. Galeo used his family connections to thoroughly investigate the backgrounds of these people, and the results were encouraging—at least within the Galeo family's reach, no valuable clues were found.

“Very good.” Galeo’s voice was soft yet cold, like a viper’s hiss: “A few of you come with me to that courtyard to arrest the people, and the rest of you go to that shop to arrest the three girls. Remember, be quick and don’t alert anyone else.”

He stood up, walked to the window, and gazed at the dark night outside, his madness growing stronger: "I've never seen such a beautiful woman before. The one with the most noble air in the courtyard, I'll send her to my father to win his favor. As for the rest, I'll take good care of them."

At this point, he turned around, his pale face appearing particularly eerie under the oil lamp: "Remember, the one in white must be brought before me intact. I want to personally peel away her arrogant facade."

The subordinates bowed their heads in agreement, none daring to meet the chilling light in their young master's eyes. In Utan City, the Galie family was the law, and young master Galie's perverse hobbies were no secret.

"action!"

At Galeo's command, the men in black split into two groups and silently disappeared into the night.

Galeo, accompanied by eight skilled men, moved like ghosts through the alleys of Utan City. They knew every street in the city like the back of their hand, and in less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, they arrived at the secluded courtyard.

The courtyard wall was not high, and the outlines of several houses inside could be vaguely seen. All the windows were dark, and not a single ray of light could be seen.

"Hahaha." Galeo chuckled softly, his voice full of smugness: "Heaven is on my side, they're all asleep. Go get them, and remember what I told you before, that woman in white is mine, and no one is allowed to touch her."

Eight men in black, like well-trained hunting dogs, silently scaled the courtyard wall, landing without a sound. They quickly dispersed, each heading towards their pre-assigned target rooms.

Alec, alone, tiptoed toward the main house—Yun Yun's room. The thought of that elegant woman in a state of panic made his blood boil. He could almost see her trembling and begging for mercy at his feet; the thrill of trampling her nobility underfoot almost made him shout with excitement.

Under the moonlight, Galeo's pale fingers slowly reached for the window frame, his fingertips trembling slightly with excitement. He had already imagined tonight's scene countless times in his mind: the white-clad woman's terrified eyes, her powerless struggle, and finally her desperate surrender...

Just as his fingers were about to touch the window, a chill suddenly shot up his spine and head.

It wasn't the coolness of the night breeze, but a chilling killing intent that penetrated to the bone.

Galeo turned around abruptly, his pupils suddenly contracting.

Under the moonlight, a figure in white had appeared three steps behind him, seemingly out of nowhere. The woman held a long sword, its blade gleaming coldly in the moonlight. Her face was obscured by the shadows, but her eyes were as cold as ice.

"Go to hell."

The cold, emotionless voice behind him was more chilling than any roar.

Chapter 116 Eliminate the Weeds at the Root

Galeo didn't even have time to see the sword light clearly; he only felt a chill on his neck, followed by a dizzying spin.

In his final moments, he saw his headless body slowly fall, blood gushing out like a fountain, soaking the bluestone slabs. Behind the corpse, a woman in white stood, sword in hand, her robes fluttering, untouched by a single drop of blood.

Yun Yun lowered her eyes to look at the corpse at her feet, her gaze completely unmoved.

Even as Galeo and his men approached the courtyard, her keen senses had already detected these uninvited guests. How could these mere Dou Zhe level weaklings possibly comprehend the perception of a Dou Huang expert?

She could have acted sooner, but she wanted to see what these people were up to.

In retrospect, the result was not unexpected; they were just a bunch of arrogant ants who didn't know their own limitations.

"Resolved?" A seductive voice came from the side.

Yun Yun glanced sideways as a red figure gracefully landed beside her. Cai Lin, dressed in a red dress, resembled a blooming red spider lily in the moonlight, breathtakingly beautiful, yet her eyes held undisguised killing intent.

"Those eight outside have all been dealt with." Cai Lin curled her lip, her tone full of disdain: "With such meager skills, you dare to plot against us?"

Yun Yun nodded slightly and sheathed her sword: "Yes, Mistress, I'll go tidy up first, so the courtyard doesn't get dirty."

"No need, Cai Die just came out of seclusion and has already taken care of it."

Cai Lin blinked, then suddenly laughed, "Tell me, if Su Baichen knew someone dared to plot against us like this, wouldn't Wutan City...?"

She didn't finish her sentence, but the meaning was crystal clear.

Yun Yun did not answer, but simply looked up at the bright moon in the night sky. Her cool profile looked like a jade carving in the moonlight.

Her gaze swept over the clan crest on the man's robes, and she immediately knew—he was from the Jialie family.

She had initially thought it best to avoid trouble and leave quietly, but given the current situation, that seemed unlikely. Since the other party was courting death, there was no need to leave any room for maneuver. Some people won't understand boundaries until they see bloodshed.

Thinking of this, a cold glint flashed in Yun Yun's eyes. She spoke softly, but her voice carried a resolute determination: "Mistress, I will eliminate the problem completely to avoid future trouble."

Before she finished speaking, her battle aura surged around her, and a pair of dazzling battle aura wings suddenly unfolded behind her, spreading out like clouds hanging from the sky, rippling with a chilling airflow in the night.

With a slight sway, she moved like a streak of dawn light, hurtling towards the location of the Jialie family.

The night was still long, and in some corner of Utan City, another group of people were rushing towards the clothing store.

But neither Yun Yun nor Cai Lin felt any worry. Some prey are destined to pay the price for their greed.

The moonlight gently shone on the bluestone slabs, washing away the last trace of blood.

…………

Outside the clothing store, Ling Ying's figure moved like a ghost, silently approaching the shadows in the corner of the wall.

He grabbed the man in black by the neck with one hand, his five fingers tightening like iron hoops, the fingertips almost digging into the man's flesh.

The man in black's eyes widened, a soft gurgling sound escaping his throat, but his struggling limbs went limp in an instant. A cold glint flashed in Ling Ying's eyes, and she suddenly exerted force with her wrist—

"Click".

The crisp sound of bones cracking was particularly jarring in the quiet alley. The man in black's head lolled to one side, and the breath of life vanished instantly.

"A bunch of ants, daring to harbor wicked thoughts towards Miss." Ling Ying released her grip, letting the body slump to the ground, her voice as cold as ice.

"They're really courting death."

Just minutes earlier, he had noticed something amiss with these men. They were sneaking around the clothing store, their eyes darting around, and they were carrying sleeping powder and ropes.

Ling Ying secretly approached and overheard them whispering as they discussed how to kidnap the three girls inside the store.

Without hesitation, without warning, Ling Ying moved like a cheetah in the night, her attacks instantly deadly. In just a few breaths, the men in black were all dead, without even a scream.

He looked up into the clothing store. Through the clear shop window, he could see Xun'er being surrounded by Cao Ying and Xiao Yixian, being manipulated like a doll as she tried on one garment after another.

The warm yellow light shone on the smiling faces of the girls, as if all the bloodshed outside had nothing to do with them.

Ling Ying shook his head helplessly, but a very faint smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. In fact, even without him, these three might not have been in any danger.

Although Miss is not even a Dou Zhe yet, Cao Ying is already a Da Dou Shi, and Xiao Yi Xian is also a Dou Shi. Dealing with those few small fry who were at most Dou Zhes just now is more than enough.