Half a month later, Li Mingke returned. No one knew how she managed to return after a thorough search by the Li family, the Demon Lord, the Immortal Lord, and many others.
When she got home, her face was ashen, devoid of any color. Her clothes were tattered, and her hair was disheveled and draped over her shoulders, covering most of her face. If one did not look closely, it would be almost impossible to recognize her as a human being.
She threw herself into Li Zengqing's arms, cried out "Mother," and then fainted.
*
Lin Banjian was the second child in the family.
She had an older brother and a younger sister; her family was of modest means. Her father delivered goods for the tavern on the street, and her mother worked as a janitor at a bookstore. They weren't so poor that they couldn't afford to eat, but they didn't have much money left over.
But she was the special one.
Her brother's name is Lin Zhiqiang, and her sister's name is Lin Zhile.
Only she is called Lin Banjian.
It's impossible not to receive questions from others.
At first, she would just shake her head and say she didn't know, but later when she found out the reason, she shut her mouth and remained silent.
She was born in the middle of the night. Her mother had a difficult childbirth and almost lost her life because of her.
When she was born, the midwife saw her strange eyes, screamed, and almost threw her out.
"Mother Lin gave birth to a monster!"
In remote, impoverished areas, certain customs and traditions are observed. Midwives dare not speak openly about these customs, but they secretly gossip about them behind the scenes.
"What a jinx! Coming in the middle of the night, let's call it Half-Seeing!"
Her parents didn't like her either, and that's why her name was chosen so casually.
There was a shaman in their village who said that the child couldn't be lost, or it would bring misfortune to the family. That's why her parents reluctantly raised her.
Her older brother, Lin Zhiqiang, is handsome and academically gifted, and his parents have high hopes for him; her younger sister, Lin Zhile, is sweet and lovely, and is very good at being charming, often making her parents smile from ear to ear.
She was the only one who wasn't good at studying and was also bad at speaking, so she was disliked by the whole family.
Because of her different eyes, she always subconsciously lowered her eyes and head, hunched her back, and dared not look people in the eye.
And because he did this so often, he was scolded for being useless.
Her parents' dislike for her was quite direct. They made her do all the housework, such as laundry, mopping, and preparing three meals a day. When they were angry, they would take it out on her, hitting and scolding her, saying that it was because of the sins they committed in their past lives that they had given birth to such a child in this life.
Because of his work, Lin's father would often bring home some good food from the bar, but there was never any for her. At the dinner table, she could only silently pick at the dishes closest to her; if she reached her chopsticks a little further away, she would get her hand slapped.
Sometimes, the mother would buy discounted books from the bookstore. Reading was, of course, the older brother's privilege. Of course, the younger sister, Zhile, would sometimes ask to read as well, and the mother would agree.
At first she was envious, but later she gradually became numb to it.
“I am a person who brought disaster to my mother. It is already a blessing that they did not abandon me.”
She could only console herself with such a weak reason, and then she became fearful again, afraid that she would really be thrown away, so she worked even harder.
Sometimes she would silently thank the fortune teller.
She traveled a very long way to see the sorceress who had saved her life, but the sorceress drove her away from afar and had the children living nearby hit her with branches and throw stones at her.
She was beaten black and blue and left heartbroken.
Because she had walked too far, and was wearing her brother's hand-me-down shoes that didn't fit, she developed blisters on her feet and cried secretly under the covers at night.
She felt a lot of pain, but she didn't know if it was physical or emotional.
Her older brother, Lin Zhiqiang, almost ignored her, acting as if she didn't exist in the family, even though she washed his school uniform and prepared his lunchbox.
Her younger sister's contempt and hostility towards her were much more direct. She would point at her and laugh, calling her an ugly monster, and deliberately causing trouble to frame her, etc.
Such incidents are countless.
She grew up like this.
When she was twelve, her brother Lin Zhiqiang was sixteen. The principal recommended him to study at a more prestigious college, saying that he would achieve great things in the future.
Meanwhile, her younger sister, Lin Zhile, was already ten years old. The little girl was quick-witted and never shy. One day, the township head took a liking to her and said that he wanted her to be his daughter-in-law.
"Her brother, Lin Zhiqiang, is the one recommended by the principal. If your brother-in-law becomes a high-ranking official in Jiangtian, you, the township head, are likely to rise rapidly in rank!"
The township head, who was in her thirties and a very sharp woman, smiled broadly upon hearing this and looked at Lin Zhile with increasing satisfaction.
"Lele is still young!" Lin's mother complimented with a smile.
A cheerful atmosphere prevailed.
Except for Lin Banjian.
After my brother goes to Jiangtian to become an official, he definitely won't come back to this small place. My sister will be an official's wife, so she definitely won't live at home either. Therefore...
"Banjian, your parents will have to rely on you from now on!"
Lin's parents suddenly improved their attitude towards her.
I added more food for her and bought her new clothes.
But she wasn't happy.
She probably has a clear idea of her future.
But unexpectedly, just a few days after her twelfth birthday, her fate took a dramatic turn.
A uniquely designed, exquisitely beautiful, and extravagantly decorated carriage suddenly appeared in her dilapidated courtyard, as if it had fallen from the sky.
The horse pulling the carriage was tall and powerful, with well-defined muscles and a pure white coat, without a single stray hair. It held its head high, its nostrils occasionally flaring out hot breaths, the loud snorting revealing its dissatisfaction and disdain for its surroundings.
In contrast, what is truly astonishing is the enormous carriage in the back.
This carriage was like a miniature palace on the move! Its height was astonishing, far exceeding the size of any vehicle she had ever seen before; the walls were wide and thick, giving it an air of indestructibility; the roof soared into the clouds, seemingly reaching the sky. Some parts shimmered with dazzling light, making her wonder if they were truly made of gold.
The spectacular sight left her speechless for a moment.
Even the township head's procession wasn't this grand.
A group of well-trained individuals, dressed in uniform, upright attire, stood on either side, their expressions solemn, their eyes fixed firmly ahead. The car door opened, and a figure resembling an immortal stepped out.
Even years later, Lin Banjian could still clearly remember the stunning beauty he felt at that fleeting glimpse.
The man wore a long, lotus-white robe with subtle cloud patterns, its flowing sleeves giving him an ethereal, otherworldly air. A red jade headband adorned his forehead, further emphasizing his elegant and refined appearance. Sunlight bathed him, as if draping his entire being in a golden glow.
As he stepped into her yard, her gaze was involuntarily drawn to him. Watching him approach step by step, she even felt a pang of heartache—heartache for his shoes.
The soles of the shoes he was wearing were pure white, without a speck of dirt or dust.
What would such a celestial being do at her house?
Through the worm-eaten cracks in her courtyard gate, she saw a large, dark crowd outside. To her surprise, the village head was not standing at the head; she was standing on the edge of a corner, and there were many unfamiliar faces in front of her.
The village head's former arrogance has vanished without a trace. At only forty years old, she was now leaning on a cane, her back hunched over, like an old horse.
The township head was already covered in sweat, but she didn't care. If she was so nervous, one can only imagine how nervous everyone else around her was.
He was an official with a higher rank than the township head.
She thought.
Did you come from Jiangtian?
In fact, apart from Qinggeng, where her home was located, the only other place she knew was Jiangtian in the capital.
Are you here to see your brother?
Otherwise, she couldn't think of any other reason.
She didn't pay attention, lowered her head, picked up the basket full of pig feed on her back, and walked towards the backyard.
We have several pigs at home, and they're squealing and waiting for their meal.
Mu Jinyun surveyed everything in the courtyard.
He spotted the girl walking past him with her head down at a glance.
From birth, he felt an emptiness in his heart, as if something was missing, and that was indeed the case.
Years ago, he met someone from the Star-Picking Pavilion by chance. That person told him that he was missing three drops of his heart's blood. These three drops of heart's blood were crucial, especially for someone from a family of cultivators like him. Without these three drops of heart's blood, although it wouldn't hinder his cultivation, it would definitely cause serious problems when he ascended to immortality in the future.
Ascension—the ultimate goal of all cultivators, and his lifelong pursuit.
"Senior, how can I retrieve these three drops of heart's blood?"
"Find someone whose destiny is intertwined with yours..."
Why is his heart's blood inside someone else's body?
He didn't know, and the person didn't answer him.
How can I find her?
"She also has a pair of eyes that are absolutely unique in the world..."
And now, this person is standing right in front of him.
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