Chapter Twenty: How Can Two Babies Save Themselves?

Facing the peddler's cordial smile, Jiang Yunyun and Yiyun refused in unison. They were not fools; their father had specifically taught them never to consume anything offered by a strange cultivator. How could they possibly be duped?

The peddler did not seem annoyed. Still smiling, he took a bamboo tube, popped the top, and gulped the contents down himself. Seeing the peddler acting so normally—and considering he had drunk it himself—the two girls figured there must be nothing wrong with it. Thus, they each took a tube and drank. It could be said that while they had some defensive wariness against scams, it was not nearly enough.

In truth, they had weighed the situation: the peddler was short and slight of build. Even if he harbored ill intentions, were they, two grown young women, really unable to defeat a mere runt?

Before Jiang Haohao could even attempt to stop her second sister’s foolish impulse, she watched helplessly as both girls collapsed to the ground, dead to the world.

This brazen act of human trafficking terrified Jiang Haohao so much that she couldn't even make a sound. She hurriedly squeezed her eyes shut, pretending to see nothing at all.

Immediately after, a woman emerged from behind a nearby pavilion. She had a massive mole on her face, layers of deep wrinkles, and was dressed in plain clothes. Upon seeing there were actually three children, she gasped in surprise:

"Well, look at that! You’ve exceeded your quota—you’ve snatched three!"

With practiced, nimble movements that betrayed her as a repeat offender, she hid the two older girls inside the cargo boxes of the cart.

"This youngest one is raised so well; she’s plump, fair, and quiet as a lamb. She wouldn't be bad to keep for ourselves."

The woman rummaged through Jiang Haohao’s clothes, took one look, and sneered in disgust:

"What’s the point of raising a girl? No, that won't do!"

Jiang Haohao was paralyzed with fright by the woman’s touch, and even Jiang Xiaoguo, who lay beneath her, was frozen in shock.

"Hehe, this little doll will surely grow up to be a beauty. It wouldn't be bad to keep her as a child bride for our Dachu, and she can help with the chores. It's a good deal."

The woman was swayed by this suggestion. Her eyes darted around as she said, "Fine. If all else fails, we can sell her when she's older for even more money. Then we'll have enough to buy medicine for Dachu!"

The two of them nimbly hitched the cart, preparing to head toward the human traffickers. Jiang Haohao lay motionless in her basket. The cart reeked of a pungent, acrid smell, but she dared not make a sound. She was so small—how could she possibly be a match for these two? Was this really the end?

Suddenly, a voice echoed in her consciousness: "Master, don't be afraid! I will save you!"

Jiang Haohao looked at the little civet cat with lingering worry. *Oh, you’re just a nursing kitten yourself!*

How could two infants save themselves? But the situation was critical, and Jiang Haohao could think of no better plan. She channeled a significant amount of immortal water into Jiang Xiaoguo, hoping it would provide a much-needed boost.

She watched as Jiang Xiaoguo seemed to grow sharper after drinking the water, even gesturing for her to stay calm. Could it be that Jiang Xiaoguo’s abilities had leveled up as well?

The peddler drove the cart rapidly along the narrow path when a white civet cat suddenly bolted from the cart, teeth bared and claws out. It lunged at the peddler, slashing shocking, bloody gashes across his face. Before the peddler could react, the creature vanished with such speed that no one could tell where it had gone.

The peddler screamed in pain. *That cursed cat must be at the Foundation Establishment stage!* Otherwise, the skin of a cultivator at the peak of the Qi Refining stage like him could not have been scratched so easily by a common pet.

"Dear, are you alright? Is it serious?" The woman, finally reacting, hurriedly pulled the cart to a stop to check on him.

"Damn that beast! If I ever see it again, I'll make sure it dies a miserable death!" The peddler’s vicious gaze scanned the surroundings, only to discover a large, wealthy party approaching in an ornate sedan chair.

He immediately pretended nothing had happened, keeping his head low by the roadside and waiting patiently for the procession to pass. *What a cursed day,* he thought. *Usually, kidnapping a cultivator isn't this much trouble.*

The ornate sedan stopped beside the peddler’s cart. A slender, fair hand, white as jade, reached out, revealing a girl of exquisite and noble appearance. She was adorned with so much gold on her head, wrists, and neck that it was dizzying.

"Oh! Grandmother, that peddler is covered in blood. It’s an eyesore!"

The girl’s voice was crisp and melodious, yet it carried an edge of surprised shrieking and an unconcealed, reflexive disgust.

...

The midsummer afternoon was stiflingly hot. Several vigorous young men were lying in ambush in the mountain woods. Jiang Lin peered down at the travelers on the road, waiting patiently.

They weren't planning to do anything truly heinous. Take Jiang Lin, for example—his parents would never allow such a thing. They were waiting for the "boss" that Huazi had mentioned.

Huazi claimed his boss was the Third Elder of the Azure Dragon Sect, a renowned cultivation sect in the county. They intended to assist the Third Elder in gaining more influence within the sect, thereby earning his favor.

Anyone who wanted to achieve greatness had to be prepared to bleed and shout. Jiang Lin was not afraid of bleeding; he was only afraid of never having the chance to bleed for a cause. His father had taught him since childhood that one must always leave a retreat for oneself. This location was the most suitable spot, and today, they could only succeed; failure was not an option.

The wind blew, and the youth’s figure remained hidden among the trees, nearly impossible to detect.

...

The afternoon breeze carried a sticky, restless quality, but when the peddler looked up at the face of that delicate beauty, the irritability vanished entirely.

The awe in his eyes made him subconsciously want to snatch the girl away as well, but the thought lasted only for a fleeting moment before he returned to his facade of a simple, timid, and honest man.

At that moment, the missing civet cat reappeared in the shadows, fiercely scratching the peddler’s hand once more before darting into Jiang Haohao’s gourd dimension with lightning speed.

The peddler could no longer contain his cries of pain, and the woman beside him grew nervous, not daring to move. *What is my husband doing today? Dropping the ball at such a crucial moment—has he offended some deity?*

The old woman in the sedan chair was no ordinary person; she wore a massive string of prayer beads around her neck and had the air of a compassionate Bodhisattva. If that old woman found out what they were doing, they would be finished!

Just then, she noticed that the basket covered on the cart was not properly sealed, revealing a large gap! Her heart raced with tension. She instinctively reached out to cover it, but the man grabbed her hand and shook his head.

"My lady," the peddler said, "the trinkets in our boxes are the most fashionable items in the county right now. I dare not claim much else, but the quality is top-tier. We’ve been peddling for years, so the goods are guaranteed. Would you like to take a look?"

Old Madam Jiang’s attendant, Mother Xu, shot the peddler a glare and said with disgust:

"How dare you try to sell such trash to our mistress? We wouldn't even give these scraps to our maids!"

Just as she spoke, a baby rolled out of the poorly covered basket—a delicate, fair, and tender infant!