Abandoned Woman Busy Farming

Chapter 2327: Chapter 2326: Merfolk Blood

”Both you and I are mere mortals, living in this world of dust. Master, why concern yourself with the earthly or the ethereal? As long as we do good deeds, what difference does it make?” Bai Ruozhu advised.

Gao De was startled, and after a moment, he sighed, ”Bai, you are much more insightful than this monk.”

Though he said this, his expression remained one of pain.

Bai Ruozhu hesitated to bring up the matter of Master Pudeng, but eventually spoke, ”Master Pudeng is your senior brother, is he not?”

”Yes, my senior brother took great care of me. Do you know him, Bai? He was truly a kindhearted man.” Gao De’s eyes shone with admiration at the mention of his senior brother.

”We passed by Xinchan Temple before and stayed for a few days. Master Pudeng... has reached Nirvana.” Bai Ruozhu felt a pang of sorrow as she mentioned it.

”What!” Puming exclaimed, his body swaying as he nearly fell, until Qiu Zhi, beside him, held onto him, allowing him to steady himself.

He immediately pressed his palms together and began to chant silently, seemingly praying for Master Pudeng.

After a while, he lowered his hands, saying, ”My brother has indeed passed, but because...” He looked towards Bai Ruozhu, ”You promised him something. Did he have any last wishes?”

Bai Ruozhu then realized he was performing divination.

”I’m sorry, I promised him not to tell anyone,” Bai Ruozhu replied.

Puming nodded, saying, ”I asked too much. My brother has become a Buddha, able to predict countless changes. If I could have helped him, he wouldn’t have kept everything from me. Did he mention me before reaching Nirvana?”

”No,” Bai Ruozhu said sympathetically.

Puming’s face showed disappointment, seemingly more self-critical about his lost way.

”Master Pudeng could foresee many things; surely he knew your situation. Perhaps he saw this as a necessary trial on your path to enlightenment, or maybe he didn’t want anyone to disturb you,” Jiang Yichun interjected.

Bai Ruozhu realized, ”Maybe Master Pudeng had long predicted today’s events and didn’t want to divulge the heavenly secrets prematurely.”

Puming’s complexion improved slightly, then he sighed, ”Over the years, I’ve observed that the mother and son of the Fang Family are not evil people. The Luo Family is even more virtuous; it’s just that Aluo is mentally unstable, unaware of her actions each day. Her true intent is to soothe those vicious ghosts, gradually purifying their resentment.”

”Isn’t Aluo an ordinary person? At least she used to be, right? Why does her sleep cause people to enter the Illusory Realm?” Bai Ruozhu couldn’t fathom this.

Puming sighed, ”This is not Aluo’s wish either. Her husband Fang Qing is a merfolk.”

He glanced deeply at Jiang Yichun, ”There’s no need for me to explain about merfolk; I’m sure you’re all aware.”

Jiang Yichun casually acknowledged.

”It’s said that merfolk possess innate special abilities. Fang Qing likely had the ability to make people enter dreams. Once, Aluo was driven to near madness by others. When Fang Qing went to see her, she was so deranged that she didn’t recognize anyone and bit Fang Qing in desperation, and then...”

Puming shook his head, ”She drank merfolk blood.”

Bai Ruozhu asked in surprise, ”Would merfolk blood give her merfolk abilities? If so, wouldn’t everyone want to drink merfolk blood? And is Aluo’s ageless appearance also because of merfolk blood?”

”Not entirely. It’s rumored that merfolk blood is severely poisonous, a poison without cure. Just one drop is enough to take a life. But very few survive it. Aluo is one of the lucky few, and Fang Qing also gave her his most precious golden blood essence, allowing her to survive—ageless and immortal, with Fang Qing’s abilities. He died before turning thirty, instructing their child Fang Luo to take good care of Aluo before his death,” Puming explained.

”How do you know these details?” Jianqi questioned suspiciously.

Puming smiled bitterly, ”I’ve stayed here for over a decade, entering the Illusory Realm every night. After so long, many things I’ve seen in the Illusory Realm. Initially, I got lost in it, forgetting everything, but once I awoke, I remembered these things. You shouldn’t stay long, for if you often enter the Illusory Realm, you might lose yourself in it too.”

”Does Fang Luo have any special abilities?” Bai Ruozhu asked.

”It seems he doesn’t. He’s not a pure-blooded merfolk, but he’s still affected by the curse. And to my knowledge, he should be about twenty-eight or twenty-nine this year,” Puming said.

Bai Ruozhu couldn’t help but recall an animated film she watched in a past life, where those who ate mermaid flesh would become ageless and immortal. Most who ate mermaid flesh died painfully or turned into monsters, but a few survived. However, the survivors weren’t happy, because immortality was so lonely.

Back then, Fang Qing didn’t intend for Aluo to become ageless, but she accidentally drank his blood. He could only leave everything to Aluo, ensuring she had the ability to protect herself in the years to come. Thinking of scenes witnessed in the Illusory Realm, Bai Ruozhu admired Fang Qing even more; a man as devoted and steadfast as him was truly rare.

Jiang Yichun took a breath, ”Since everything is clear, I’ll go have a talk with Fang Luo.”

”He is very averse to people and matters of the outside world; be more considerate,” Puming couldn’t help but sigh again, ”Having seen much over the years, I feel the most pity not for Aluo, but for him.”

Puming didn’t elaborate further nor explain why he felt pity for Fang Luo, but Bai Ruozhu understood.

A child facing the pain of a mother’s mental instability and a father’s early demise from a young age, compelled to be strong for his mother. Later, to preserve his mother’s emotions, he had to impersonate his father, losing any semblance of his own life—a life solely dedicated to caring for a mother often not in her right mind.

Perhaps he also thought about starting a family, perhaps considered having children, but upon seeing his mother’s condition, he couldn’t bear to bring misery to another woman, knowing he could only live until thirty.

Thinking about himself, perhaps he also didn’t want his child to suffer as he has.

And his own life is nearing its end, likely feeling few regrets, but his greatest concern remains his mother.

”Today, I was drawn into the Illusory Realm from afar. I believe Aluo wanted to tell me something, intending for me to help her,” Bai Ruozhu suddenly realized, ”I think Aluo, despite being mentally unstable, is lost in the past, but retains a sliver of sanity, knowing her son struggles, understanding her son doesn’t have much time left, wanting me to learn the truth to help her son!”

Puming also displayed a look of understanding, raised his palms and bowed to Bai Ruozhu, ”If you are able, please take Aluo with you to see the outside world, to find a way to prolong his life.”