Abandoned Woman Busy Farming

Chapter 2703: Chapter 2704: Chushuang’s Brother

”I know we’re putting you in a difficult position, but at the very least I need to know the reason, so I can judge whether we have the ability to take her away.” Bai Ruozhu said.

Ayi and her husband Ali exchanged a look, and in the end Ayi gritted her teeth and began to speak.

”Every once in a while, the clan will choose a Saintess, all picked from girls around five or six years old, and then they start ’cultivating’ them. But that so-called cultivation isn’t what it looks like on the surface, especially in recent years—we understand less and less, we don’t know what they’re doing to the Saintesses. Quite a few Saintesses have died one after another. When our people went to question them, the elders explained that the goddess didn’t choose her. They say it’s all for the sake of breaking the Curse on our clan, so everyone can live to a hundred; sacrificing a small number of people is worth it, and they hope the clan can understand.”

Ayi’s eyes reddened as she spoke, ”You know we can’t live past thirty, right? Every year some of our people die, so when they heard there might be a way to break the Curse and live to a hundred, many were excited. The elders even guaranteed that if the chosen Saintess passes all the trials, her parents will get priority to have the Curse removed.”

”Because chances to break the Curse are very rare, only a few people in the clan can get such an opportunity. But when I think that my daughter might die, I don’t want any hundred-year lifespan; everything we work for is just so she can be well, isn’t it?”

Ayi’s tears flowed down her face. ”The great elder once said that whoever can weave a piece of Seven-colored Shark Silk Fabric will have the Curse lifted for her. I’ve been weaving for many years; I should be able to finish it before I turn thirty. Seven-colored Shark Silk Fabric is extremely rare, but my eyes were born different, so I have this chance, and also...”

She paused for a moment. ”Only when the Jue Lingsha is finished and dyed with my blood and tears can it become a true Seven-colored Shark Silk Fabric. I’m going to die anyway. I’d planned to use these eyes before I die to complete one bolt of Seven-colored Shark Silk Fabric, and in exchange win our daughter Yunyun a chance to break the Curse. Neither Ali nor I want to live alone.”

Ali grabbed her hand. ”But now Yunyun is going to be chosen as Saintess. She may not live three more years. We absolutely cannot just watch her die like that.”

”What exactly do they do to the Saintesses in private? Has no one investigated?” Bai Ruozhu frowned. Why did she vaguely feel the elders were using the Saintesses as test subjects, like little lab mice?

”We don’t know. We can’t find anything out. The elders and the aristocrats hold high-level martial power and control the Barrier on the Island. Ordinary people can’t find out a thing.” Ayi shook her head.

”Please, take Yunyun away. In our next lives we’ll work ourselves to the bone for you.” As Ali spoke he was about to kneel again, but Jiang Yichun pulled him up.

Bai Ruozhu sighed. ”Do you know how the Curse first came about? Why don’t the elders resolve it at the root? Why don’t they go to the white dragon from back then and ask him to break the Curse?”

”We vaguely know a bit, but where could we possibly find that white dragon now? Besides, he hates the Merfolk to the bone; he would never agree.” Ayi shook her head.

It seemed that ordinary Merfolk like Ayi didn’t know much.

”Then do you know where the women of the clan are taken to give birth?” Bai Ruozhu looked at Ayi. She had given birth, so she must know.

”I’ve been there, but my eyes were covered. It felt like we went into some Array, and there was also a Barrier. It was a very hidden and sacred place. When I was giving birth I felt a gentle light shining on me, easing a lot of the pain.” Ayi said.

That had to be the Dragon Ball.

”If we can find that place and get one particular thing, maybe we can break your Curse. Then no one will have to die, and you won’t need to train any Saintesses.” Bai Ruozhu said.

Ayi and Ali both showed joy, but Ayi was smart; she quickly asked, ”Then why are the elders going to such great lengths to sacrifice those girls?”

Bai Ruozhu let out a cold laugh. ”Back then the Merfolk used love to deceive a white dragon. They used the white dragon’s Dragon Ball to turn their fish tails into human legs. But the Merfolk weren’t satisfied. They wanted their descendants all to escape fish tails and live on shore like humans. So they imprisoned the white dragon and seized his Dragon Ball. The place where you give birth should be where the Dragon Ball is kept. The white dragon hates the Merfolk and used his power to lay a Curse on you. But he said that as long as the Dragon Ball is returned, he can break the Curse. It’s just a pity your elders can’t bear to give it back.”

”Without the Dragon Ball, all children born afterward will have fish tails?” Ayi asked in shock. ”We Merfolk were originally human from the waist up with fish tails? But a little over ten years ago they even drove out a child because he was born with a fish tail. They said he’d bring disaster to the clan. The elders must know the truth, right?”

Bai Ruozhu sneered. ”Of course they know.”

Ayi collapsed to the side. ”Why do they keep lying to us? Even if we live in the sea, as long as the whole family can be together happily, what’s so bad about that?”

”In the past the Merfolk Palace was on the seabed. But the Merfolk put in so much effort and still never truly got to live on shore, and on top of that they sacrificed so many people. Was it really worth it?” Jiang Yichun sneered. So this was what the Saintess was used for. Then his mother must have suffered enormously.

Right now he wanted nothing more than to kill those elders and force out his mother’s whereabouts.

Ayi and Ali were stunned for a long time. After a while Ayi said, ”We’ve been kept completely in the dark. So this time you’ve come to help that white dragon?”

Bai Ruozhu looked at Jiang Yichun, and Jiang Yichun said, ”Not entirely. My mother was also a Merfolk Saintess. Her name is Chushuang.”

Ayi covered her mouth in shock, barely stopping herself from crying out. ”You—you’re Saintess Chushuang’s son?”

Jiang Yichun nodded. ”Do you know if she’s still alive?”

”Over ten years ago, the clan drove out a child named Duannian. Saintess Chushuang had a kind heart and tried her best to stop them, but the elders imprisoned her. After that, she never appeared in the clan again, and we don’t know if she’s still in this world.” Ayi answered. She looked at Ali. ”Chushuang also had an older brother. My husband used to be his attendant.”

Bai Ruozhu looked at Ali in surprise. So there was this sort of connection as well.

Ali’s eyes reddened. ”I haven’t seen Lord Fang Qing in so many years.”

”What did you say his name was?” Bai Ruozhu almost shouted.

”Fang Qing. ’Fang’ as in ’upright,’ and ’Qing’ as in ’blue surpassing indigo.’” Ali said.

Bai Ruozhu looked at Jiang Yichun. The two of them were both stunned. If Fang Qing was Chushuang’s older brother, then wouldn’t Fang Luo be Jiang Yichun’s cousin?

”Lord Fang Qing had a very good temperament. When I was five he took me to his side as an attendant, but he was ten years older than me. Most of the time he was teaching me to read and write, having me do some light chores. He and Lady Chushuang were very close, but he didn’t want Lady Chushuang to be chosen as Saintess. A few years later he suddenly told me to take good care of myself and that he wouldn’t be able to keep me by his side anymore, then he sent me back home. I was very sad at the time. A month later he escaped from Merfolk Island with Lady Chushuang, and only then did I understand he was afraid of implicating me.”