Battle Through the Heavens: Beauties Abound Starting with Yunlan and Her Disciples

170: Section 170As the two chatted, their emotions deepened, and they unconsciously began a deep kiss, only slowly pulling apart after a long while.

”Sister, do you have any leads on treasures that can nourish the soul?” Yun Xiancheng was still very concerned about his progress in winning over the Medicine Lady.

Although this Tianshan Child Elder claimed she didn’t need gifts, women who say one thing but mean another should be relentlessly pursued with gifts.

”Not for the time being. In a place like this, no one would sell such a treasure in the short term. It seems the hope of purchasing one from the market has vanished.

We can only see if we can make a move on the ruins of predecessors.”

”Sister, can you still find the person who discovered that Black-rank High-grade Cultivation Method?” Yun Xiancheng asked.

Just now at the auction, Ya Fei mentioned that the method was found by an ordinary Hunter, and its origin was legitimate. Logically, if the place left by a predecessor was a cave dwelling, there should be more treasures.

”That person is a Hunter from the east of the city. Why? Is Little Brother Xiancheng entertaining the idea of searching for treasures in the ruins?”

Ya Fei was surprised by Yun Xiancheng’s idea, but she hurriedly said to him:

”Brother, do not harbor such thoughts. Normally, how could a Hunter go deep into the ruins of the Magical Beast Mountain Range and find a Black-rank High-grade Cultivation Method? There must be some hidden mystery in this.”

”The Mittel Family strictly adheres to neutrality and does not delve into the circumstances of sellers and buyers; this is the wisdom that has allowed us to develop in the Jia Ma Empire until now.” Hearing this, Yun Xiancheng nodded.

The matter of the Hunter finding a Black-rank High-grade Dou Technique was not discussed in detail in the original work, and he had no information. Exploring without information was somewhat dangerous.

He didn’t need to take risks. Winning over the Medicine Lady was a long-term matter; there was no rush.

”I will pay attention to the situation in other cities of the empire and use my influence to help you find treasures that can nourish the soul,” Ya Fei said.

”Mhm, good sister, thank you for the trouble. I have no way to repay you except by offering myself.”

Yun Xiancheng’s small hand wrapped around her waist, pulling her into his embrace. On one hand, his small hand wandered restlessly like a swimming dragon; on the other, he kissed the Beauty’s lips, exchanging fluids.

”Naughty brother.”

Ya Fei’s eyes were filled with spring-like affection as she hugged Yun Xiancheng back, her legs wrapping around his waist.

”Offering yourself and all that is too fast. Let me serve you first.”

She pushed out her peaks, opened her mouth slightly, and stuck out her tongue in a hint. Well, how could he refuse?

Yun Xiancheng took her hand and walked toward her room.

029 An Unexpected Event

That Hunter from the east of the city suddenly died recently.

His death was one thing, but somehow, rumors spread that the Mittel Auction House was the one behind it. In the embrace of Xiao Mei and Nalan Yanran’s loose clothing,

Yun Xiancheng listened to Ya Fei talk about the recent auction affairs.

”Clearly, this is a conscious smear campaign against us—but the question is, who?” Ya Fei sat cross-legged on the large bed, her jade feet pure and flawless.

Inside the room, the rich scent of night-blooming cereus and roses mixed with the fragrance of the sun. Everyone had long since grown accustomed to this fragrance; bathing in it, they felt incomparable peace.

”In Wutan City, it should be the three major families: the Xiao Family, the Jia Lie Family, and the Oba Family.” Hearing this, Yan Ran was also curious:

”Could it be that some family has grown ambitious and wants to replace Sister’s market?”

Yun Xiancheng furrowed his brows as a system notification flashed deep in his eyes. [Side Quest: Merchant’s Affection (Public Relations Crisis)]

[Your future lover, Mittel Ya Fei, has suddenly encountered a public relations crisis just as her career was booming. This is certainly suspicious. This public]

[relations crisis originates from an organization that doesn’t know its place and wants to replace the Mittel Auction House. These clowns have arrived just in time; perhaps they can become the stepping stone for you to fully enjoy Ya Fei.]

”Wutan City has three major families and some second-rate families. Regardless, they have already accepted the old order of the Mittel Auction House’s existence. The Mittel Auction House strictly adheres to neutrality and hasn’t leaned toward any side yet. Thus, from the current perspective, the city’s forces should not be the mastermind.”

Yun Xiancheng asked:

”Then Ya Fei, have there been any new ’guests’ in Wutan City recently?” Speaking of which,

reminded by Yun Xiancheng, Ya Fei expanded her scope of thought and indeed remembered something.

”At the auction a few days ago, there were people from a new mercenary group. They even bought Brother’s healing medicine.”

Ya Fei took several pieces of paper from her ring: ”I looked into some information later.” Xiao Mei took the documents and read in a delicate voice:

”Giant Shark Mercenary Group. The leader is a newly advanced Dou Ling. Previously, they were a wandering freelance mercenary group with five Great Dou Masters...” Ya Fei’s expression suddenly turned strange:

”This freelance mercenary group... they couldn’t possibly want to...”

Hearing this, Yun Xiancheng thought of the possibility of their actions:

”Challenge the authority of the Mittel Family, subdue the three major families, and dominate Wutan City.”

”The target they chose was carefully selected. Sister Ya Fei’s performance recently wasn’t very good, and the main family might not care too much about the situation here in Wutan City.”

Ya Fei’s face turned slightly red, and she gently patted Yun Xiancheng’s shoulder:

”I’ve already been trying every possible way to introduce products. Whether people buy them or not is beyond my control.” Yun Xiancheng hugged Ya Fei and said:

”It’s fine, I am your lucky star. Since this mercenary group has foolishly provoked us, watch your brother resolve it for you.” Ya Fei received long-awaited support from Yun Xiancheng’s eyes.

Since she came out from the family to work, her life had been filled only with setbacks and failures. For many years, she hadn’t been supported by anyone. ”Mhm, Sister believes in you!”

”A Dou Ling... that’s a bit tricky. Senior Brother is currently a Two-Star Dou Shi... should we look for Master?” While Yan Ran was considering whether to ask Yun Yun to step in and crush these mercenaries with one palm,

Yun Xiancheng shook his head:

”It’s just a Dou Ling; there’s no need to waste Master’s precious cultivation time. Besides... it’s not like Master hasn’t given us means of self-protection. If used properly, we can naturally handle them completely.”

Yun Xiancheng and Yan Ran went alone to the eastern part of Wutan City to see if the dead Hunter had left any clues. Xiao Mei, due to her low strength, was not suited for the risk.

Yan Ran’s mindset was somewhat active at this time, perhaps because of the adventure.

Days in the Cloud Mist Sect were comfortable and safe; for the young girl, she had never experienced such a thing. She held Yun Xiancheng’s hand with one hand and the mysterious iron sword box with the other.

According to the address given by Ya Fei, Yun Xiancheng quickly found the dead Hunter’s house. It was a wooden shack, cordoned off because of the death.

There were no onlookers around, likely because they felt it was unlucky. Before they even got close, a scent of blood wafted over.

The two figures flashed like ghosts and entered the wooden shack without disturbing the scene. As soon as they stepped inside, Yan Ran tightened her grip on Yun Xiancheng’s hand, her pupils showing a hint of shock.

Inside the wooden shack, a family of four had their necks neatly severed, heads separated from bodies, and blood splattered everywhere, covering the room. Without looking, they already knew the Hunter’s fifty-thousand gold coin card had been taken.

”A Hunter finding a Black-rank cultivation method was indeed magical. Looking at this situation... it was likely the people from the Giant Shark Mercenary Group who guided the Hunter to find the method, and then used the Hunter

as a white glove to send it to the auction, obtaining the money without exposing themselves at all.”

Seeing this scene, Yun Xiancheng spoke directly: ”A clever way of doing things.”

”They could have just taken the money and left. Why smear the Mittel Auction House?” Yun Xiancheng whispered.

”Who cares what they’re thinking? Since they dared to make a move on our family, we’ll break their fangs.” Nalan Yanran had no interest in these twists and turns and spoke up.

Yun Xiancheng looked at Nalan Yanran, and a flash of inspiration hit him. That’s right, the butterfly effect.

Because of him, Ya Fei was reserved and self-respecting, leading to poor business management and a lack of recognition from the main family, resulting in her being semi-exiled here. She was seen as someone they could manipulate, which gave birth to their ambition.

If Ya Fei were the chief auctioneer of the Mittel Family, those mercenaries would have left long ago, not daring to touch her bad luck.

And because of his arrival, he refined healing medicine with better effects. The Giant Shark Mercenary Group bought the healing medicine and thus revealed their tracks.

All of this formed a web of causality—the butterfly effect caused by his presence. ”It started because of me, so it naturally ends because of me.”

Yun Xiancheng murmured softly, and the system in his eyes continued to churn out words.

[The Dou Qi here was left by a One-Star Great Dou Master. He easily slaughtered the family of a Hunter at the Dou Zhi Qi Second Stage. Analyzing Dou Qi]

[attributes... simulating combat style...]

The system was evaluating the situation here.

[Dou Qi collection is initially complete. The owner of this Dou Qi can be detected within a hundred-mile radius.]

Something like a radar appeared in Yun Xiancheng’s consciousness. At this moment, no enemy-like presence was visible on the radar.

The trail has gone cold... but no matter. As long as that Great Dou Master dares to come within a hundred miles of him, he can discover him immediately. ”I can’t see any clues.”

Nalan Yanran studied the scene for a long time before finally sighing helplessly.

”I have some idea now, but the murderer isn’t nearby. They’re likely in a hideout outside the city... they’re probably still preparing things, so we’ll just]

[wait for a while and see what else they plan to do.”

Yun Xiancheng smiled at Nalan Yanran.

The Giant Shark Mercenary Group’s next step would surely be to contact the families within the city, working from the inside and outside to seize hegemony over Wutan City. Well, since they provoked him, he should find a way to solve it.

030 Coming-of-Age Ceremony Approaches

Time passed day by day. Because of the external enemies, to avoid neglecting their cultivation, Yun Xiancheng, Yan Ran, and Xiao Mei began a state of bitter cultivation—the 24-hour kind. To the point that Ya Fei, after eavesdropping for a few days, didn’t dare to live next door to them. But after a few more days, she moved back and started eavesdropping again, with her hand reaching down while the people inside

were in battle.

It was autumn when Yun Xiancheng came to Wutan City, and now heavy snow was falling, signifying the approach of the year’s end. The situation in Wutan City had also undergone some changes.

After the Jia Lie Family purchased the Black-rank High-grade Cultivation Method, they opened a new healing medicine business. For a time, their momentum was unparalleled, faintly showing signs of becoming the number one family in Wutan City.

When the heavy snow began to dance across the sky, the Xiao Family’s year-end clan competition and Coming-of-Age Ceremony also drew near.

Before the Coming-of-Age Ceremony, the Xiao clan disciples had to undergo a test to determine their future path. ”Dou Zhi Qi, Eighth Stage!”

Xiao Yan sat cross-legged, feeling the Dou Qi within her body. Her heart was incredibly refreshed; jumping five stages of Dou Zhi Qi in a few months, such speed already far surpassed that of three years ago.

Of course, with various factors stacked, the current her and the her from three years ago were completely different. ”Senior Brother, are you coming to watch my test?”

Yun Xiancheng wore a black hood, with some snowflakes falling on his hair.

”Mhm. My lovely Junior Sister and her good sister are going to shine brilliantly; naturally, I have to watch.” ”I’m already at the Dou Qi Eighth Stage, the speed isn’t bad, right?”

The young girl leaned toward Yun Xiancheng, using her fingertips to flick away the fallen snow on his hair while putting on an expression seeking praise as she looked at him.

”Not bad, it’s very fast.”

Yun Xiancheng praised her, while information about Xiao Mei and Yan Ran flashed in the corner of his eyes. Xiao Mei

Realm: Dou Qi Ninth Stage → One-Star Dou Zhe

favorability: 100/100 (Double flowers reflect the sun, locking the red railing; sharing grace, the soul of the jade palace.) Intimacy: 80/100 (Nine dreams condense the fragrant marrow; six palaces’ clear dew moistens the spiritual root.) Nalan Yanran

Realm: Five-Star Dou Zhe → Seven-Star Dou Zhe

favorability: 100/100 (One heart naturally tied to the ice-melting shadow; understanding words particularly born from the moon’s trace.) Intimacy: 80/100 (Do not speak of the eternal tales of E’ying; this body was originally at the Purple Cichen Gate.)

After dual cultivation with him, the two girls’ basic talent had improved. Coupled with the high intensity of five-fold cultivation speed, their progress was terrifyingly fast. Unfortunately, when Xiao Mei first condensed her qi cyclone, she was still in the middle of dual cultivation and didn’t use a Qi Gathering Powder as a safety net. The upgrade failed, causing her to fall back to the Dou Qi Eighth Stage

to start over.

However, being able to break through to Dou Zhe was a good thing. In the entire battle through the heavens world view, only failing to advance from Dou Zhi Qi to Dou Zhe would cause a drop in level. The two girls’ progress was pleasing,

and even he himself had reached Four-Star Dou Master yesterday.

That One-Star Great Dou Master from the Giant Shark Mercenary Group hadn’t come to Wutan City yet.

But by analyzing the situation in Wutan City, Yun Xiancheng also roughly knew that the Jia Lie Family had accepted the other party’s cooperation invitation. Perhaps in a while, the situation in Wutan City would change greatly—at that time, it would be the conflict to end all conflicts. Yun Xiancheng was confident in resolving everything in Wutan City.

”Let’s go, Senior Brother, watch your Junior Sister regain her name as a genius.”

The young girl happily held Yun Xiancheng’s hand, stepping through the snowy mountain scenery as they walked from the back mountain toward the Xiao Family’s Training Ground.

At this time, the Xiao Family’s courtyard walls were draped in a white coat, but the Training Ground had been meticulously tended to, without a trace of snow.

Xiao Mei was still in that peacock-blue dress, standing early near the direction of the back mountain. Seeing Xiao Yan and Yun Xiancheng, she happily ran over to greet them:

”Brother! Sister!”

Then she threw herself into Yun Xiancheng’s embrace, rubbing against his hand like a kitten.

”Good morning, Sister.” ”Good morning, Mei’er.”

Yun Xiancheng rubbed the kitten’s hair and said with a slight smile:

”Don’t lose face today; you must bloom proudly like a peacock.” ”Mhm.”

Xiao Mei nodded, and at the same time, she looked at Xiao Yan and said seriously, ”Sister, if anyone challenges you today, they have to get past me first.”

This year was the Coming-of-Age Ceremony for their generation. If they couldn’t reach the Dou Qi Seventh Stage this year, they would be exiled to the branch families.

And those who couldn’t reach the Dou Qi Seventh Stage, if they wanted to prove themselves, could only do so by challenging those who qualified, proving they could challenge above their level to stay in the Xiao Family.

Generally, this was very difficult to achieve and was just a formality.

But Xiao Yan had been at the Dou Qi Third Stage for three years, and reaching the Seventh or Eighth Stage in a few months might make other Xiao Family disciples think her Dou Qi was superficial. For Xiao Mei to say this naturally meant she wanted to help Xiao Yan guard the gate.

”No need, I can fight too.” Xiao Yan shook her head, preparing to refuse.

Xiao Mei held Xiao Yan’s hands with both of hers and explained:

”Sister! Just consider it a part of my atonement!” Since she put it that way.