Chapter Two: Selling a Daughter?

Song Liyao glanced at her second daughter and asked calmly, “Where is Yiyun? How could she possibly let you take over the task of earning spirit stones today?”

Jiang Yunyun playfully teased her younger sister while whispering mysteriously to Song Liyao, “Mother, you don’t know. Everyone says Yiyun’s relationship with the disciple under Master Yinling is ambiguous. When Yiyun’s fiancé’s family found out, they insisted on breaking off the engagement!”

“The head of affairs rejected her, so that’s why I had to take her place.”

Jiang Haohai looked at her second sister, whose small, square face resembled their mother’s so closely. She had worried that her own appearance might be drifting further from their biological father’s features. But hearing about such scandalous matters involving Master Yinling’s household immediately perked up her ears.

Their mother cast a cool glance at her own daughter, sighed, and said, “You were the one who told her fiancé’s family, weren’t you? You need to stop doing things like this, or if it gets back to them, you’ll be implicated too!”

Jiang Yunyun pouted and replied, “Mother, she chose to do these shameful things herself. I didn’t lie. They even have love tokens now—I only made their romance known earlier than expected!”

Jiang Haohai was speechless. Though she kept quiet, she was utterly shocked!

She had thought her second sister merely a gluttonous, honest soul, but it seemed bad bamboo never produces good shoots after all!

The competition in this workplace was fiercely ruthless, dark, and painfully real!

She truly felt like she had stepped into a den of wolves, so scared that drool began to trickle from the corners of her mouth. Seeing this, Song Liyao mistook it for hunger and pinched a small piece of Lotus Immortal Peach Cake, popping it into Jiang Haohai’s mouth.

“Hmm, the child is hungry again. Let’s give her something to nibble on first.”

“Next time, don’t ever do anything like this unless you’re absolutely sure they can’t trace it back to you, understand?”

“You’re so foolish. Your father is so clever—you should learn from him. If the family’s curse talisman was given to your mother to drink, she’d just have to stay home and watch over her. Then this matter would be in your hands.”

Jiang Haohai was at a loss.

She often felt out of place in her family for not being twisted enough.

It turned out the biggest contrast in this family was their mother, who was also the kindest to her.

As the evening glow faded from the horizon, revealing a deepening blue sky, the tranquil atmosphere made the Jiang family’s small courtyard feel especially warm and cozy.

Their mother, sturdy and strong, was unlike the delicate female cultivators others saw. With one hand, she split firewood in two.

The eldest brother gathered the wood and neatly stacked it in the storage room.

The second sister held a large basin filled with the lowest-grade spiritual rice, scattering it to the seven-clawed Red Spirit Pheasants raised in the courtyard.

Their handsome father was skillfully chopping the captured Red Cloud Rabbit, occasionally glancing at the bamboo basket cradling the sleeping Jiang Haohai.

The cicadas chirped from the trees, mingling with the rustling leaves stirred by the breeze, setting a peaceful scene in the courtyard.

Ever since eldest brother found the Red Cloud Rabbit, Jiang Haohai had been eagerly anticipating tonight’s dinner.

Hoping to help the family grow stronger, she held the immortal water from her gourd in her spiritual sea, pondering the right moment to subtly add it to the meal.

As the weather cooled and stars gradually appeared in the sky, Jiang Haohai nestled in her basket, greedily savoring the harmony between humans and nature in their cultivation world. The surrounding spiritual energy was abundant, and under the moonlight, the gourd in her body glowed and spun faster.

Suddenly, she saw her second sister return from the inner room carrying a small cotton quilt, gently wrapping it around her. Jiang Haohai, feeling chilly, tried with her short, slender hands to lift it off but couldn’t manage.

Her second sister, Jiang Yunyun, sat down on a small bamboo stool nearby, silently watching her little sister’s frustrated struggles.

As Jiang Haohai wrestled with the quilt, the aroma of the Red Cloud Rabbit meat wafted through the air—dinner was finally ready.

Their mother cradled Jiang Haohai while cleaning the bowls and chopsticks. Taking advantage of the family’s busy attention, Jiang Haohai carefully waved her small hands over the prepared spiritual meal, infusing just a tiny bit of her spiritual spring water before being carried away to serve the rice.

Jiang Haohai thought, “Well, she’s still too young. I’ll take my time next chance.”

The family gathered neatly around the table, waiting for Song Liyao to serve the dishes.

In a poor cultivator’s home, meals had to be rationed carefully, and this was the prerogative of the family’s matriarch.

The largest, most substantial bowl filled with pure spiritual rice was served to their handsome father. Their mother said his health was poor and he needed nourishing spiritual meals to recover.

The next bowl, also large and filled with spiritual rice mixed with fresh green spiritual plants, went to eldest brother.

He was a growing boy, eating like a man, so he needed both energy and vitamins.

Then came second sister, who was given the same portion as eldest brother. When her turn came, their mother served herself a smaller portion with more spiritual plants and less rice.

Second sister complained she couldn’t finish it but carefully transferred spiritual rice to their mother, afraid of dropping any.

Though her mouth was watering almost as much as Jiang Haohai’s beside her.

Jiang Xu picked up the largest rabbit leg from his bowl, placing it in Song Liyao’s, then gave the other two to Jiang Lin and Jiang Yunyun, keeping the smallest for himself.

He urged everyone, “Alright, alright, eat quickly before it gets cold.”

The family ate slowly and gracefully, savoring the rare third-grade spirit beast meat. Their demeanor was refined and gentle, a stark contrast to their usual fierceness.

They all felt the extraordinary increase in spiritual energy, and the Red Cloud Rabbit soup tasted sweeter and clearer than ever. They thought it must be because it had been a long time since they last had such a dish or perhaps their father’s cooking had improved.

After finishing the meal, they brought out the Lotus Immortal Peach Cake second sister had brought home, sipping the pure mountain spring water and enjoying the sweet dessert. Full and content, everyone silently praised: Master Huoyun’s spirit beasts were delicious, and Master Yinling’s immortal cakes were exceptional!

Watching them eat with such relish, Jiang Haohai eagerly anticipated tasting the mother’s milk infused with the Red Cloud Rabbit flavor.

While diligently working, she noticed today’s milk was richer in spiritual energy, much more nourishing than before.

It seemed her little act, though minimal, had a significant effect!

She wondered if her parents had noticed...

Immersed in the joy of a full stomach, Jiang Haohai suddenly heard the courtyard’s formation alarm, signaling an unfamiliar visitor.

The family hurriedly cleared the table and used the Clear Wind Technique to erase the lingering scent of meat when a knock came at the door.

“Ah, is Daoist Song home? Aunt Liu has come!” came the call.

Jiang Lin, seeing no trace of their feast, calmly opened the small courtyard gate.

Aunt Liu entered, dressed in a bright red silk robe, exuding the air of a commoner merchant. Her face was heavily powdered, cheeks rosy red, and a large black mole adorned her chin.

If Jiang Haohai were honest, the sight was a bit overwhelming.

Aunt Liu glanced disdainfully at the table, then gave a sharp smile and said, “Daoist Song, are you eating?”

Song Liyao stood and warmly invited Aunt Liu inside.

“Already finished. Aunt Liu, what brings you here today?”

Aunt Liu gave a disdainful glance at the skinny little Jiang Haohai in Song Liyao’s arms, then scrutinized Jiang Yunyun, who was holding the pure mountain spring water.

She finally said, “Daoist Song, I have great news!”

“The Foundation Establishment elder Zhou in Five Elements Mountain City is recruiting maids for his cave dwelling. Judging by Yunyun’s honest and proper face, I’m sure he’d be interested.”

“To me, this second daughter going to enjoy life at a big shot’s home and you getting twelve spirit stones is the real good news!”

“And twelve spirit stones! That’s enough for cultivating or to buy a well-bred partner for Linzi at the market!”

“It’s not that I’m biased, Daoist Song, but you’re a good person, never quarrel, honest. That’s why I came to your family first. Otherwise, some other Daoist would have snatched her away by now!”

Jiang Haohai was stunned. Was this old woman seriously dealing in human trafficking?

She really wanted to curse the demon spirit!

Aunt Liu, seeing the family’s silence and Jiang Haohai’s wide-eyed stare, continued, “Daoist Song, there’s nothing to think about. Look at your youngest daughter—oh, she’s far too thin! Holding her, I’m afraid she’ll break!”

“Take those spirit stones, raise the child properly. Besides, you can’t stop your second daughter’s bright future. What can she get from living with you anyway?”

The mood grew heavy. Jiang Haohai felt stifled in her mother’s embrace.

“Mother, I’m willing. Once we get the spirit stones, I’ll fatten little sister up.”

Jiang Haohai felt sad. Her usually mischievous, scheming second sister seemed confused today, even willing to sell her to fatten her up.

She was terrified that her foolish second sister might really be sold off. The tiny infant, unable to speak, could only express herself with loud wails.

The entire courtyard echoed with the baby’s shrill cries, leaving the family anxious and helpless.

Song Liyao, losing patience with Aunt Liu, said coldly, “Aunt Liu, don’t ever consider such matters for our family again. Please leave.”

Jiang Xu showed no expression. “Aunt Liu, our family is not so desperate as to sell daughters. Please go.”

Eldest brother, silent and sullen, grabbed Aunt Liu and marched her outside.

By the time Aunt Liu realized it, she was already at the courtyard gate. She dropped all pretenses of kindness, spat on the doorstep, and cursed loudly as she left:

“Pah! Born cheap trash! Better if you all died young, forever stuck in this broken village, never to advance. Should have died long ago…”

Second sister Jiang Yunyun held the heart-wrenchingly crying little sister, soothing her with a trembling voice:

“Alright, Haohai, sister isn’t leaving, don’t cry anymore. Sister won’t go…”

The family was truly poor. Father’s health was bad, his path to Foundation Establishment seemed hopeless. Mother put her own cultivation on hold to save spirit stones for father’s treatment.

Life as a low-ranking cultivator was indeed hard.

Jiang Haohai, still crying uncontrollably, suddenly noticed thick mist swirling inside her spiritual sea’s gourd. When the fog cleared, the small pool of spring water emitted a faint purple-golden light, startling her into silence.

She sensed the colorful gourd undergoing a tremendous transformation, intuitively realizing it might be evolving itself!

What kind of divine treasure was this?

Could it be about to produce seven gourd siblings?!

She joked happily to herself and laughed aloud.

Seeing her little sister stop crying and even laugh after she promised not to leave, Jiang Yunyun laughed too.

But the tears kept flowing. Jiang Haohai tasted them with her tongue—they were bitter and astringent.