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

Yunyun felt the warmth from the back of her hand and listened to these almost vow-like words. The last trace of unease in her heart finally vanished, replaced by a sense of security from finding someone to rely on, as well as an indescribable shyness and joy.

She lowered her head, not daring to look into Cai Lin's smiling eyes again. She felt the heat that had just subsided return to her face, and could only respond softly, yet with perfect clarity, in a voice barely audible: "Mmm... Sister, sister..."

The moment she uttered that word "sister," the relationship between the two changed completely.

However, Cao Ying was shocked. The handful of sunflower seeds she had been happily cracking open in her hand suddenly fell to the ground with a "crash" and rolled everywhere.

Her mouth gaped open, her bright, beautiful eyes wide with disbelief and shock, and her small mouth formed a round "O" shape that she couldn't close for a long time.

My God! What...what did I just hear?!

Master's wife! Master's wife is finding women for Master! She's proactive! She's actively seeking them out! She's even offering advice and suggestions, going so far as to say things like "serving him in bed," "getting him pregnant in one go," and "conceiving him a child!"

This, this, this...

Cao Ying felt a rush of heat to her head, her mind buzzing, and her heart pounding so hard it felt like it was going to jump out of her throat.

This is absolutely shocking!

Big and round, and it's guaranteed to be ripe and sweet!

No, this is no ordinary gossip; this is an earth-shattering secret!

Most importantly, this scandal involved her own mentor!

It's the melon of her master Su Baichen, who is usually both dignified and gentle, and has extraordinary talent!

Cao Ying froze on the spot, even her breathing unconsciously becoming softer, afraid of being discovered by the two people in the courtyard. It felt as if countless little voices were screaming and racing wildly inside her, frantically refreshing her mind:

"Is this really something I can listen to for free? Without paying any price, like being silenced or something?"

"Does Master know that Mistress is 'helping' him like this behind his back?"

"Sister Yunyun... oh no, I guess I'll have to start calling her Master Yunyun from now on? This change in relationship is too exciting!"

"Sister Cai Die is also... Is Master's wife building a harem for Master with this move? Can Master... handle it?"

"What should I do now? Keep hiding? Or find a chance to sneak away? If I'm discovered, will my master's wife punish me to keep the secret?!"

Countless chaotic thoughts exploded in her mind, making her feel excited, scared, and thrilled to have discovered a huge secret.

She clutched her pounding chest and peeked through the gap in the curtains at the two women in the courtyard who had just established a "sisterhood."

Cao Ying ran to a corner, pressed her small chest, and panted heavily.

She felt that her understanding had shattered completely at this moment, like a glass cup struck by a giant hammer.

The conversation she had just heard kept replaying in her mind; every word felt like a red-hot branding iron, searing her thoughts.

Shouldn't women instinctively want their husbands to belong to them alone?

Aren't all those stories written in novels, performed on stage, and circulated among the people just about how the principal wife suppresses the concubines, how she guards them strictly, and how they fight to the death?

Even those who have a reputation for being "virtuous" are at most tolerant, but how could they be like the master's wife who takes the initiative, personally intervenes, and even teaches another woman how to "climb the social ladder"?

This is completely contrary to the laws of nature and human instinct!

Cao Ying felt her worldview crumbling, her philosophy of life cracking, and her values... oh, she hadn't figured out what to do about her values ​​yet. She just stared, her mind a complete blank.

The adult world is so strange, so complicated, so... hard to understand!

I'm still a child!

Cao Ying silently screamed in her heart. This level of "palace secrets" and "emotional strategies" was completely beyond the comprehension of a "simple girl" who was only interested in alchemy and cultivation.

She needs time to process this, she needs someone to explain it to her, she needs... she might need another handful of sunflower seeds to calm her nerves.

Meanwhile, thousands of miles away in the sky.

A streak of light pierced the azure sky and flew towards the city, moving with incredible speed yet carrying an air of leisurely ease. Within the streak of light were Su Baichen and Yao Chen.

suddenly--

"Ah—tch—!"

A loud and abrupt sneeze shattered the tranquility and reverie.

Su Baichen swayed slightly, quickly regaining his balance. He awkwardly touched his straight nose and muttered, "Strange, why is my nose suddenly itchy? With my current cultivation level, I should be immune to heat and cold and free from all diseases."

Yao Chen, who was standing to the side, witnessed the whole scene. He was beside Su Baichen, and upon hearing this, he immediately revealed a playful smile, his white beard seemingly trembling with his laughter.

"Yo ho!"

Yao Chen dragged out his words, teasingly saying, "Young Master Su, could this be one of your little lovers, missing you from a thousand miles away? Tsk tsk, that's quite a powerful connection, able to make you respond even from so far away."

He paused deliberately, glancing at Su Baichen with a mocking look: "If the girl in black from the Pill Tower, or your Medusa Queen, found out, hehe... Su boy, your good days are probably over! Backyard fires are no joke."

Chapter 126 The Undercurrents of the Empire

Su Baichen rolled his eyes at Yao Chen's suggestion and said irritably, "Go away, you old rascal, stop spreading alarmist rumors."

However, instead of showing any fear, he raised a rather smug smile, even puffing out his chest, and said confidently, "So what if someone misses me? Doesn't that just prove that I, Su Baichen, am of outstanding character and extraordinary charm?"

"Doesn't this indirectly prove how insightful and correct their decision was in choosing me?"

The more he talked, the more sense it made, and his tone became increasingly "proud": "Shouldn't they be proud of this?"

"Isn't it an honor that your man is so outstanding and so missed?"

Clearly, after experiencing Xuan Yi's tender affection and Cai Lin's devoted love, Su Baichen has made significant "progress" in his cultivation of "thick skin" and "fallacies".

Yao Chen was so angry at his shameless remarks that he laughed. He glared at him and said, "Heh, you're just being cheeky! I'd like to see how your fantasy of a 'harmonious backyard' will be realized when you're surrounded by all sorts of beautiful women!"

"A woman's heart is like a needle at the bottom of the sea; when they start fighting over a man, you'll have a real headache!"

“How could that be!” Su Baichen answered decisively and confidently: “I have absolute confidence in Xuanyi and Cailin! I’ve already decided that from now on, we will entrust the entire rear area of ​​our family to the two of them.”

"Xuan Yi is calm and composed, fair in handling matters, and able to consider the overall situation; Cai Lin is cold on the outside but warm on the inside, decisive and reasonable, and also adept at managing internal affairs."

"With their combined strengths, mutual support, and complementary abilities, they can definitely handle this minor setback perfectly, ensuring their home is as stable as a rock!"

He spoke with great enthusiasm, as if he could already see the beautiful future of a happy family with a virtuous wife and filial children.

However, as soon as he finished speaking, Su Baichen suddenly seemed to remember something, turned his head, and looked Yao Chen up and down with a strange gaze.

He stroked his chin, his eyes filled with inquiry and a hint of... barely perceptible sympathy?

"Hey, Lao Yao," Su Baichen's tone became subtle as he asked, "Look, I now have Xuan Yi and Cai Lin, but you... haven't really mentioned your own partner much?"

He clearly remembered that in the original story, Yao Chen had feelings for Xuan Yi, but he restrained those feelings because he had to teach Han Feng.

But now?

Han Feng betrayed them early on and is probably hiding in the Black Corner Region now; Xuan Yi became his Daoist partner; as for "Sister Qing"... Yao Chen never even mentioned her.

A terrifying thought suddenly flashed into Su Baichen's mind, making him shudder.

Could it be... could it be that because of my appearance, the butterfly flapped its wings too violently, not only changing Yao Chen's fate but also... distorting his sexual orientation?!

Su Baichen's gaze towards Yao Chen suddenly became more complex, a mixture of shock, guilt, curiosity, and a hint of bewilderment as if asking, "Have I committed some terrible sin?"

Yao Chen felt extremely uncomfortable under Su Baichen's sudden and enigmatic gaze; even his soul seemed to tremble.

"You brat, what nonsense are you thinking about now!" Yao Chen scolded irritably, always feeling that Su Baichen was thinking of nothing good.

"N-nothing!" Su Baichen quickly looked away, coughed twice to cover up the turmoil in his heart, looked up at the sky, and said awkwardly, "Let's hurry up, we're almost at the Jia Ma Empire."

He then hurried forward and left quickly.

Yao Chen was left standing there, looking suspiciously at Su Baichen's suddenly accelerating back. He felt that the kid's eyes just now were very, very strange!

In a desolate wilderness, the night was as dark as ink, with shadows of trees swaying. A beautiful woman in red was frantically fleeing through the woods, carrying a girl of about ten years old. Her red dress was torn in several places by thorns, appearing like blooming bloodstains under the moonlight.

Behind the two, a dozen men in black followed closely. They held weapons that gleamed coldly, their eyes fierce, and they pressed closer step by step.

"Quick! We can't let them escape, or we won't be able to explain to the patriarch!" The masked leader's voice was hoarse, filled with chilling killing intent.

As soon as the words were spoken, the men in black accelerated in unison, their fighting spirit surging beneath their feet, the sound of their footsteps crushing fallen leaves as dense as rain.

"Mother, put me down... If you take me with you, neither of us can escape." The girl raised her pale face, tears welling up in her eyes, but she held them back from falling.

Upon hearing this, the beautiful woman not only did not slow down, but bit her tongue and forcibly activated the little remaining fighting spirit in her body, increasing her speed by three points. With a sudden turn, she grabbed her daughter and dodged behind a giant tree that would take three people to encircle, while quickly taking out a dark purple jade pendant from her bosom and crushing it forcefully.

A pale purple mist spread out, completely concealing the presence of the two people.

Almost simultaneously, a dozen dark figures swept past the tree, the gust of wind they created ruffling the beautiful woman's disheveled hair. They didn't stop, continuing their pursuit forward until their footsteps faded into the distance.

Only when she could no longer hear the pursuers did the beautiful woman slowly breathe a sigh of relief, her body going limp and almost collapsing to the ground. She slid down against the tree trunk, still holding her daughter tightly in her arms.

"Fei'er, don't talk nonsense." The beautiful woman stroked her daughter's cheek, her fingertips trembling slightly, but her eyes were as gentle as melting snow in spring: "You're all I have left now. Without you, what meaning is there for me to live?"

The girl shuddered, jerked her head up, and the last glimmer of hope in her eyes shattered completely: "Could it be that Father...he..."

She couldn't continue speaking; her throat felt blocked by something. She could only bury her face in her mother's arms, her thin shoulders trembling violently, but she bit her lip tightly, refusing to cry out.

The beautiful woman, Mittelshe, held her daughter tightly, her fingertips digging deeply into her palms. The night wind swept through the woods, carrying the faint howls of wolves in the distance. Her thoughts were pulled back by the mournful sound, involuntarily returning to that blood-stained night.

—Let's rewind to last night.

In the dimly lit study of the Ya family mansion, Mittel Xue nestled in her husband Ya Tian's arms, tears still glistening in the corners of her eyes.

"Brother Tian, ​​my family back home..." Her voice was barely audible, filled with worry.

Ya Tian sighed softly, his rough hand stroking his wife's long hair. How could he not understand his wife's worries?

Since the mysterious disappearance of the Supreme Elder Haibodong, the influence of the Mittel family has plummeted. Although the patriarch Mittel Tengshan has tried his best to support it, the glory of the former one of the three major families of the Jia Ma Empire has been greatly dimmed.

In the past few days, Tengshan has sent three secret letters, all of which hint that Yatian should lead the entire Ya family to merge with the Mittel family in order to weather the storm together.

Chapter 127 The mantis stalks the cicada (1)

Looking at his wife in his arms, Ya Tian remained silent for a long time before finally speaking, his voice hoarse: "I don't want the Ya family to become a vassal of any power."

"Although I am only a one-star Dou Wang, the Ya family's century-old foundation cannot be ruined in my hands."

He looked down at his wife in his arms. She was originally the jewel of a collateral branch of the Mittel family, who married him against her family's wishes. Over the years, they had supported each other through thick and thin, and she had never uttered a single complaint.

Mittel wiped away her tears and forced a smile: "I understand. From the day I married you, I have been a member of the Ya family. I just... I just feel sorry for the current situation of my people."

Ya Tian felt a pang of pain in his heart and hugged his wife even tighter. How could he not know the turbulent undercurrents beneath the empire's seemingly calm surface?

Xiao Lin, the patriarch of the Xiao family, died suddenly, forcing the Xiao family to evacuate the capital overnight. On the way, they were ambushed by a mysterious force, resulting in heavy casualties.

With the loss of a Dou Huang-level expert, the Mittel family's businesses have been steadily eroded.