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

"Don't disappoint me, Mittelshee."

The teacup was gently placed back on the table with a soft sound.

Then Su Baichen took out a jade token and said to it, "Cailin, check if Yunyun and Caidie are alright."

“If there’s nothing else, send one of them to the capital of the Gama Empire. There are some things for them to do.”

No sooner had she finished speaking than Cai Lin's voice came from the jade tablet again: "Alright, I'll send Yun Yun over there. Come back soon after you've finished your business. I miss you."

Upon hearing this, Su Baichen grinned.

Ah, it's so nice to have someone to love you, unlike some single people!

Chapter 135 The Mittel Family Takes a Desperate Step

Two days passed in the blink of an eye, and the third day of the mission quietly arrived.

The atmosphere in the council hall of the Mittel family headquarters was somber.

On both sides of the hall, twelve rosewood chairs were arranged in a row, and only eight core elders of the family were sitting there at the moment, each of them with a shadowy expression on their face.

Seated at the head of the table, Mittel Tengshan, dressed in a black robe with dark gold patterns, rhythmically tapped his fingers on the armrest. Three intelligence scrolls lay open before him, their wax seals torn open, the edges of the parchment slightly curled.

"asshole."

A deep voice squeezed out from his throat as Mittel Tengshan suddenly grabbed one of the intelligence reports, his gaze fixed intently on the few lines of text. His knuckles turned white from the force, and the veins on the back of his hand bulged.

"That wretched wench Mittelxue actually survived."

The air seemed to grow even colder. A white-haired elder on the left coughed lightly and cautiously spoke: "Clan leader, according to reports, all three assassins sent have disappeared. There are only signs of a struggle at the scene, but... there is no trace of a fourth party."

"No fourth party exists?" Mittel Tengshan suddenly looked up, his eyes flashing with cold light. "How is that possible? Does that mean that lowly woman killed them all? Do you think that's possible?"

"Who did it? Those remnants of the Ya family? Or..."

He paused, then suddenly sneered: "Or is it that our 'useless' Mittelwind has switched sides at the last minute?"

Another middle-aged elder bowed and said, "Mitelfeng is dead, headless. It is said that he was attacked by an unknown force."

“A master?” Mittel Tengshan slammed the intelligence report onto the table. “A woman married off by her family, a widow with a child to support, what kind of master could she possibly have protecting her? Unless…”

He suddenly stopped, a flicker of doubt in his eyes. Silence fell over the hall, broken only by the faint sound of everyone breathing.

After a long silence, Mittel Tengshan finally spoke again, his voice filled with suppressed anger and a hint of barely perceptible regret: "In just two days, she stabilized the mess that Ya family had made. Forty percent of the market resources, a full forty percent! Do you know what that means?"

He stood up, walked around the large rosewood table, and went to the window. Through the crack, he could see the Mittel family's magnificent courtyard, with its rockeries, ponds, corridors, and pavilions.

"Which idiot agreed to marry her off to Yatian?" Mittel Tengshan asked coldly, his back to the crowd.

The elders exchanged bewildered glances. The most senior of them, a grey-robed elder, slowly said, “It was a joint decision made by the previous clan leader and the elders' council. At that time, Ya Tian was already at the peak of the Dou Ling realm, just one step away from becoming a Dou Wang. Mittel Xue… she showed talent in business, but ultimately she was a woman, and according to clan rules…”

"Clan rules?" Mittel Tengshan turned around abruptly, his eyes blazing with anger. "Look at the Ya family now! Who enabled Ya Tian to break through to the Dou Wang realm so quickly? It was Mittel Xue who used resources to propel him forward! That guy only cares about cultivation; business, personal relationships, and resource allocation are all handled by Mittel Xue!"

He walked back to his seat, but didn't sit down. He placed his hands on the edge of the table, leaned forward, and glanced at each elder: "And now? Ya Tian is dead. The Ya family should have fallen apart and become meat on our plates. But that woman we looked down on changed everything in just two days."

A younger elder cautiously suggested, "Chieftain, we can continue to exert commercial pressure and mobilize more resources..."

“It’s no use.” Mittel Tengshan interrupted him, slowly straightening up with a strange smile on his face, a smile that was filled with self-mockery, anger, and determination: “Ordinary business tactics? You really think we didn’t try our best before? The Mittel family has dominated the business world of the Gama Empire for a century, and we can’t even beat a woman who has been expelled?”

He laughed, starting as a low chuckle, then growing louder and louder until it turned into a fit of maniacal laughter.

Laughter echoed in the empty hall, causing the candlelight to flicker and casting distorted, dancing shadows on everyone's faces.

As we laughed, the air actually turned cold. This isn't a metaphor; the temperature genuinely dropped.

Mittel Tengshan was enveloped in a faint icy blue battle aura, releasing the full power of a three-star Battle King. A thin layer of frost condensed on the teacup on the table.

The laughter stopped abruptly.

"Who would believe that?" he said softly, as if questioning himself, or perhaps questioning everyone else. "But it's the truth. This woman, the former eldest daughter of our Mittel family, now the widow of the Ya family, has defeated us in business."

He sat down again, his fingers interlaced in front of him, his expression returning to calm, but beneath that calm lay an unfathomable chill.

“So, we have to change our approach.” Mittel Tengshan’s voice was soft, but every word was clear: “Since commercial methods don’t work, we’ll use force. Clean and efficient, eliminating any future troubles.”

The gray-robed elder frowned: "Clan leader, this... if the royal family or other families find out..."

“Then don’t let anyone know.” Mittel Tengshan’s eyes were sharp as knives. “I’ll go myself.”

Everyone was shocked. A Dou Wang powerhouse and the patriarch of a family personally taking action against a woman who was nominally still of his own bloodline—this would be a huge scandal if word got out.

"Clan leader, please reconsider!" Several elders stood up at the same time.

Mittel Tengshan raised his hand to stop them from continuing: "What's past is past, what's done is done. Now is not the time to worry about saving face."

“If Mittel Xuezhen truly digests the Ya family’s 40% resources, and gives her another six months, no, three months, she can build another business force. At that time, the first thing she will deal with will be our Mittel family.”

He stood up, his black robes billowing even without wind: "Prepare yourselves. I'm leaving tonight. Only those in this room know this. If even a whisper leaks out..."

He didn't finish speaking, but the murderous intent in his eyes said it all.

"Go away."

At the same time, in a quiet courtyard in another corner of the capital, Yun Yun walked slowly towards the study in the back garden.

Today, she wore a light blue long dress, the hem embroidered with silver cloud patterns, which swayed slightly with her steps. Having been promoted to a two-star Dou Empress, her aura was even more restrained. If she did not deliberately release it, she would look no different from an ordinary woman, but her overall demeanor was ultimately extraordinary.

The study door was ajar. Yun Yun paused in front of the door, then raised her hand and knocked three times lightly.

"Come in," Su Baichen's voice came from inside.

Pushing open the door, one finds the study simply furnished, with only bookshelves lining the walls and a large desk in the center. Su Baichen is standing by the window, toying with a jade pendant in his hand. Sunlight streams through the window lattice, illuminating his profile and outlining his features.

Yun Yun stepped forward slowly, stopped three steps away from the desk, bowed, and performed a dignified and respectful bow.

"Owner."

Su Baichen turned around, his gaze falling on her. He scrutinized her for a moment, and a satisfied smile appeared on his lips.

"Two-star Dou Huang, not bad. It seems you haven't been slacking off during this time, and your foundation is very solid."

His praise was understated, yet it warmed Yun Yun's heart slightly. She maintained her bowing posture and replied softly, "Thank you for your praise, Master. Yun Yun dares not slacken, lest she fail to live up to your expectations."

"Alright, get up." Su Baichen walked behind the desk and sat down, pointing to the chair opposite him: "I need to talk to you about something this time."

Yun Yun sat down as instructed, her posture upright, her hands folded on her knees: "I wonder what business Master has with me?"

Su Baichen took out a scroll from the drawer and slowly unfurled it on the table. The painting depicted two women, one mature and one youthful, who shared a striking resemblance. The older woman's brows conveyed determination and wisdom, while the younger woman's eyes were clear, and her lips were slightly upturned, revealing a lively and quick-witted nature.

"I need you to protect two people." Su Baichen lightly tapped the two figures in the painting with his finger: "Mitel Xue and her daughter Ya Fei. They are currently in the capital, and their situation is not good."

Yun Yun's gaze fell on the painting, carefully noting the features of the two people before looking up and asking, "Is Master worried that their opponents might use force?"

“Yes.” Su Baichen nodded, leaning forward slightly: “The Mittel family can’t compete with Mittel Xue in business, so they might resort to desperate measures. A Dou Wang-level expert might not personally take action, but a Dou Ling-level assassination attempt is certain. Moreover, there might be more than one wave.”

He looked at Yun Yun and asked calmly, "So, are you going to accept this mission?"

Chapter 136 Ya Fei's Vow

Su Baichen's words startled Yun Yun slightly. She hadn't expected her master to ask such a question—using an inquiring tone to give her a choice.

In her mind, it was only natural for a maid to obey her master's orders.

However, Su Baichen did not give a direct order, but first asked for her wishes.

"My master didn't force me; instead, he asked for my opinion..."

This realization stirred something within Yun Yun. She couldn't help but recall what Cai Lin had privately told her: "Your master, though seemingly capricious, is actually very loyal and devoted. If you do your job well and treat him sincerely, he won't treat you unfairly. Perhaps one day, you too..."

At the time, Yunyun took it as a joke, but now she suddenly understood something.

"He really didn't treat me like a dispensable maid..." As soon as this thought crossed Yunyun's mind, she felt her cheeks slightly flush.

She quickly lowered her eyes, afraid of being noticed anything amiss, but her heart felt as if it had been gently bumped by something, soft and warm.

"What Matriarch Cailin said might be right..." Her thoughts spread like wild grass, and when she realized it, her face was already a little hot.

"Cough cough—" Su Baichen's light cough pulled her back to reality.

Yun Yun looked up and met Su Baichen's slightly puzzled gaze. Only then did she realize that she had been daydreaming in front of her master, and her ears immediately turned red.

"Hey, what are you thinking about?" Su Baichen looked at her amusedly: "Are you going to answer or not? Give me a straight answer."

"I'll take it! I'll take it!" Yun Yun hurriedly replied, her voice slightly louder than usual, before quickly regaining her composure and saying solemnly, "I will do my best to complete the task assigned by Master."

Su Baichen then smiled, a smile filled with relief.

He was indeed as Cai Lin said, somewhat sentimental, and he had seen Yun Yun's efforts and loyalty over the past few days.

In his heart, he had long regarded these people who followed him as family, rather than simply subordinates or servants.

“Okay.” He rolled up the scroll and handed it to Yun Yun: “They are very good at making money, especially Mittel Xue, whose business acumen is extraordinary. She stabilized 40% of the mess at the Ya family in just two days. Most of my future resources will depend on their management.”

Yun Yun accepted the scroll with both hands and solemnly said, "Yun Yun understands. I will protect them and live up to my master's expectations."

"There's no need to be too nervous." Su Baichen leaned back in his chair, looking more relaxed.

"You only need to protect her from the shadows and avoid taking action unless absolutely necessary. Also, be aware of other potential forces. This matter involving Mittel Snow may involve more than just the Mittel family."

"Yes." Yun Yun carefully put the scroll away and then asked, "When should I set off?"

"Rest for a while now, we'll set off tonight. Here are their current addresses and contact information." Su Baichen handed over another jade slip: "If you encounter any situations you can't handle, send a message immediately."

Yun Yun accepted the jade slip, scanned it with her soul power, and the information was imprinted in her mind. She stood up and bowed again: "Then Yun Yun will go and rest now."

Su Baichen nodded and watched her turn and leave. As she reached the door, Yun Yun suddenly stopped, turned back, and whispered, "I'm so lucky to have met you, Master."

After saying this, she quickly left the study as if afraid of hearing a response.

Su Baichen paused, shook his head and chuckled, then looked out the window again. In the distance, clouds churned on the horizon, as if a storm was brewing.

"The world is about to change," he muttered to himself, a deep glint in his eyes.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Night fell quickly, and as the city lights began to twinkle, the Ya family's new residence appeared exceptionally tranquil in the moonlight.

Inside the room, the warm yellow light cast the silhouettes of the mother and daughter onto the carved wooden window, creating gentle ripples.

Consort Ya nestled beside her mother, her eyes sparkling with admiration. Although she didn't understand all the dense numbers on the account books, she could clearly sense the change in the atmosphere of the mansion over the past few days—the servants who had been bowing their heads had straightened their backs again, and the prying eyes outside the door had quietly receded a bit.

"Mom, you're amazing." Ya Fei's voice still carried the sweetness unique to children. She looked up, the candlelight dancing in her amber pupils: "You've recovered so many properties in just two days. The managers who came to report to you in the front hall were all extremely respectful to you."

Upon hearing this, Mittelxue paused slightly with her wolf-hair brush, leaving a tiny ink dot on the edge of the ledger.