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

Over the past seven days, the gloom on my daughter's face has gradually faded, and the lively and spirited Ya Fei has returned.

Ya Xue gently stroked her daughter's soft, long hair, her tone gentle yet stern: "You are going to see the young master, but you must remember that your benefactor does not like noise. Last time you asked so many questions that you almost disturbed his peace."

Ya Fei immediately stood up straight, her little face full of solemnity: "Daughter understands! This time I will definitely be good and won't say a word!"

Seeing her daughter's "pretending to be serious," Ya Xue's eyes softened with a doting smile. She took Ya Fei's hand and said, "Come, come with me to change your clothes. Your aunt has prepared the gifts, and then we'll set off."

Inside the room, Ya Xue was dressing her daughter. In the bronze mirror, the mother and daughter looked seven parts alike, but Ya Xue had fine lines at the corners of her eyes, marks of the pain of losing her husband and her tragic experiences.

Ya Fei was still in her budding youth, her eyes sparkling with innocent naivety.

"Mother, what kind of person do you think our benefactor is?" Ya Fei asked softly, her fingers unconsciously twirling a strand of hair.

Ya Xue paused, the image of that figure in white, pure white, flashing through her mind.

That great figure who gave them hope.

“Young Master…” Ya Xue carefully chose her words, “is an unfathomable person. He saved us, perhaps on a whim, or perhaps with a deeper purpose. But in any case, my daughter and I will spend our lives repaying this kindness.”

She didn't believe Su Baichen's claim that he only wanted them to make money for him. Would a powerful person lack money? Don't be ridiculous! How could she possibly believe that? Therefore, Ya Xue felt that Su Baichen must have other motives.

And then there's the former young sect leader of the Yunlan Sect, a Dou Huang powerhouse before she was even twenty, with unparalleled beauty and an ethereal aura. Only a woman like that is worthy of standing beside the young master.

As for herself, a widow over thirty with a child, all she could do was to do her best to manage the worldly business for her son and ensure her daughter had a bright future.

"Mother, what are you thinking about?" Yafei noticed that her mother was lost in thought.

Ya Xue shook her head and tied the last hair ribbon around her daughter's neck: "It's nothing. Come on, do you like this outfit?"

It was a pale pink dress made of the finest brocade, with elegant orchid patterns embroidered on the cuffs. When Ya Fei changed into it, she resembled a peach blossom just beginning to bloom on a spring branch. Ya Xue herself chose a simple, elegant moon-white long dress, her hair simply tied up in a bun, adorned only with a white jade hairpin.

When they emerged from the inner room, Yalan was already waiting outside. Behind her were two maids, each carrying three exquisite wooden boxes.

“Sister-in-law, these are the three best medicinal herbs in the storeroom.” Yalan opened the box one by one: “Three-hundred-year-old Purple Blood Ginseng, five-hundred-year-old Jade Bone Fungus, and this one… is the ‘Earth Core Fire Lotus’ that the Mittel family secretly kept back then. It is said to have been heated for eight hundred years.”

Ya Xue gazed at the fiery lotus, its entire body a deep crimson, with faint flickering flames, and was deeply moved. Such a rare treasure was something that might be a rare sight even in the Jia Ma Empire for decades.

The Mittel family treasured it and kept it extremely well hidden. If Yalan hadn't been a core manager, she would never have known of its existence.

"Sister-in-law, isn't this gift a bit too meager?" Yalan hesitated.

Ya Lan shook her head: "Little sister, no matter how generous the gift, it cannot compare to the kindness of the young master in saving our lives, much less the kindness of him helping me avenge my family and restore the Ya family's honor. Besides..."

She lowered her voice: "Someone like you, young master, would never be interested in ordinary things."

Yalan was silent for a moment, then finally nodded: "You're right. You should go out the back door."

Ya Xue and Ya Fei left the Ya residence quietly through the back gate and wandered through the streets and alleys of Jia Ma Holy City.

Ya Xue watched the scene rushing past her.

Seven days ago, she and her daughter were hiding in a cave in the suburbs, constantly worried about being hunted down by the Mittel family.

Seven days later, she sat in the best carriage in the Ya family and went to meet the mysterious benefactor who had changed everything.

Fate is truly mysterious and unpredictable.

"Mother, someone is following us," Ya Fei suddenly whispered. Although her cultivation level was not high, there were still some desperate people trying to harm them these past few days, which gave her a bit of the ability to foresee danger.

A cold glint flashed in Ya Xue's eyes: "Hmm, I sensed it too. Is it a remnant of the Mittel family, or some other force coveting our assets?"

The mother and daughter weaved through the complex streets. Ya Xue held her daughter's hand tightly, yet her heart remained unusually calm.

In these seven days, she had experienced too much—maneuvering against various forces, dancing on the edge of a knife, tearing the most delicious piece of meat from the Mittel family. She was already used to those open and covert attacks.

About fifteen minutes later, Ya Xue reported in a low voice: "It's done, Fei'er, the eyeliner has been removed."

Then Ya Xue and her daughter arrived at the garden that changed everything.

I saw that familiar wooden door. It was simple and unpretentious, standing out from the luxurious mansions around it, yet possessing a transcendent air about it.

She stood in front of the door, holding Yafei's hand, and was momentarily dazed.

Seven days ago, she and her daughter went into hiding, fleeing from their enemies.

Seven days later, she had become the head of a newly emerging powerful family in the Gama Empire, wielding a vast business empire that commanded the respect, fear, and obsequiousness of countless people.

The turning point in all of this was this door, this courtyard, and the person in the courtyard.

"Mother, knock on the door," Yafei whispered a reminder.

Ya Xue took a deep breath and raised her hand to knock.

However, just as her fingertips were about to touch the door, the door opened silently.

Chapter 143 Departure

The door slid open silently, as if pushed open by an invisible hand.

Ya Xue looked up and met a pair of calm, deep eyes from inside the door—it was Yun Yun.

She stood at the boundary between shadow and light inside the doorway, dressed in a spotless white robe, her long hair tied up with a simple wooden hairpin.

"Come in." Yun Yun's voice was flat and without any inflection, as if stating a long-established truth: "The master has been waiting for a long time."

After saying that, she didn't even glance at the mother and daughter outside the door before turning and walking into the depths of the courtyard, her clothes drawing a cool, detached arc as she turned.

Ya Xue and her mother Ya Fei exchanged a glance, both reading the same emotion in each other's eyes—a complex mix of awe, tension, and determination.

They straightened their clothes, took a deep breath, and nervously followed Yun Yun into the courtyard.

Su Baichen sat at a stone table in the courtyard.

"Greetings, young master!"

Ya Xue and Ya Fei bowed almost simultaneously, their voices respectful yet dignified. Their slight bows and elegant postures were habits ingrained in their very bones by years of aristocratic upbringing.

Su Baichen finally raised his head.

His gaze swept calmly over the mother and daughter, his eyes so deep they seemed to see into the most hidden corners of their hearts.

Ya Xue felt a slight shiver, not from fear, but from an instinctive reaction to being scrutinized by a higher being.

"Hmm." Su Baichen gently put down his teacup, the porcelain cup making a crisp sound as it touched the stone table. "Not bad, you actually exceeded the target."

His voice was flat, making it impossible to tell whether it was praise or merely a statement of fact. But Ya Xue's heart tightened.

"No, no, no." Ya Xue quickly stepped forward, her voice sincere and humble: "It was the young master's kindness that led him to send Lady Yunyun to protect us. Otherwise, my daughter and I would have died at the hands of Mittel Tengshan long ago."

As she spoke, she looked at Yun Yun, who was standing to the side, her eyes filled with sincere gratitude.

This gratitude was not feigned—that night, when Mittel Tengshan was about to kill, Yun Yun descended like an immortal, her sword flashing coldly, severing all murderous intent.

Ya Xue still remembers that when the woman swung her sword, her face remained calm and expressionless, as if she had not killed Mittel Tengshan, but a piece of trash.

Upon hearing this, Su Baichen's lips seemed to curve upwards in an almost imperceptible arc.

Ya Xue was adept at navigating social situations. She downplayed her own contributions and emphasized that all the success stemmed from others—this was both wisdom and a survival instinct.

Such a person can find their place no matter where they are.

"Alright, alright." Su Baichen waved his hand lightly, the gesture casual yet carrying an undeniable authority: "Although we helped you in this, it doesn't negate your ability. To not only reclaim all of the Ya family's assets in the capital within just seven days, but also to take over 30% of the Mittel family's assets—this kind of skill is not something everyone possesses."

He took out several jade bottles from his sleeve and casually tossed them to Ya Xue.

Ya Xue quickly caught it with both hands. The jade bottle felt warm and smooth to the touch, clearly not an ordinary item.

"Here are two bottles of Foundation Establishment Elixir." Su Baichen's voice came unhurriedly: "They can accelerate the cultivation speed of the Battle Qi stage. Give them to Ya Fei. Her cultivation talent is not good, and her foundation is not solid. With the help of these elixirs, her cultivation of the Battle Qi stage should be much smoother."

Upon hearing this, Ya Fei's eyes lit up immediately, and she instinctively gripped her mother's sleeve tightly.

She had been stuck at the sixth level of Dou Qi for several months and was struggling to find a breakthrough opportunity. This Foundation Establishment Elixir was like sending charcoal in snowy weather.

"The remaining bottles of pills," Su Baichen continued, turning his gaze to Ya Xue, "are some auxiliary pills for cultivating at the Dou Ling stage, and a Dou Wang Breakthrough Pill that can increase your success rate by 30% when you break through to Dou Wang. They are a reward for you."

Ya Xue's hand holding the jade bottle trembled slightly.

"Battle King Breakthrough Pill!" This level of pill is a priceless treasure in the entire Jia Ma Empire.

Many powerful cultivators at the peak of the Douling realm never obtain one in their entire lives, ultimately watching their lifespans run out and dying with regret.

And now, this precious elixir has come into my hands so easily.

Instead of feigning refusal, she bowed deeply and said, "Ya Xue thanks you for your generous gift, young master!"

She understood that it was better to accept it readily than to feign modesty.

Strength is the foundation of everything—only by becoming stronger can she better manage the business, complete the tasks assigned by the young master, and truly repay this kindness.

Su Baichen looked at Ya Xue's reaction and a hint of approval flashed in his eyes.

Intelligent people often communicate without many words. Ya Xue's choice proved that she hadn't misjudged her—she was a woman who knew how to weigh the pros and cons and knew what opportunities were most worth seizing.

"The matter of the Gama Empire is almost settled." Su Baichen stood up, stretched, and looked as relaxed as if he had just completed a trivial task. "I'll stay for another year, and then I should go back."

"Young Master is leaving?" Ya Xue was startled and blurted out instinctively.

Su Baichen is leaving in a year? This news caught her completely off guard.

Although this young master is mysterious and unpredictable, it is undeniable that with him around, the Ya family has the most solid backing.

If news of his departure were to spread a year from now, those temporarily dormant enemies would likely pounce like hungry wolves and devour the Ya family, who had just gained a foothold, leaving not a single bone behind.

“That’s right.” Su Baichen walked to the edge of the pond and looked down at the koi swimming in the water. “My home is temporarily in Wutan City. Seven days ago, I was passing through the Jia Ma Empire when I happened to encounter you and your daughter being chased…”

He paused, turned around, and looked into the distance: "So now that everything is over, after I've stayed here for a year and helped you establish yourselves, it's time for me to go back. There are people waiting for me at home."

As he spoke, a rare glint of tenderness flashed in his eyes. Though it was fleeting, Ya Xue keenly caught it—it was a kind of concern, a kind of bond, an emotion completely different from his usual indifference and aloofness.

"But don't worry." Su Baichen seemed to see through her worries and continued, "I will leave you three Douhuang-level puppets. However, these puppets are sealed in a special way, and their energy is limited. Each one can only be used at full power once. I hope you will make good use of them and provide me with more gold coins and resources."

Three Douhuang-level puppets at once!

Ya Xue's breath hitched. Although each device could only be used once, this meant that the Ya family had three chances to turn the tide.

At critical moments, the deterrent power of a Douhuang-level puppet is enough to make any force think twice before acting.

"Rest assured, young master!" Ya Xue knelt on one knee, her voice firm and powerful: "Ya Xue will do everything in her power to live up to your expectations! All of the Ya family's businesses will prioritize supporting you!"

This was not an empty promise. Ya Xue knew that from the moment Su Baichen saved her and her daughter, the fate of the Ya family was inextricably linked to this mysterious young master. Their fates were intertwined; one's prosperity was the other's, and one's loss was the other's. Only by exerting every effort could they survive, and thrive, in this grand scheme of things.

Su Baichen nodded, seemingly quite satisfied with the answer. He was about to turn around when he suddenly remembered something and looked at Ya Xue again.

"Oh, right, there's one more thing!"

His tone remained calm, but Ya Xue keenly sensed a difference—a rare, warm emotion.