Chapter 32 Family Secrets are Gossip!
The extracted natural gemstones can be split into several equal parts through the links between the talismans. For example, if Xia Zhu and the others acknowledge Ying Ya's status as teammates, then that one red stone can be divided into four smaller pieces, with each person getting a share.
However, this only applies to teams, since most people are based in clans and are less willing to share the symbols of honor and ability with other clans.
Ying Ya no longer needed to hide in a corner to monitor Xia Zhu; the four-person team was now officially formed.
When they came out of the dream, only a few minutes had passed since they entered it. However, the snow had already started to fall. The night sky was clear and free of impurities, and the thin layer of snow covered the mountain, making Tiansun Mountain look simple and quiet.
The psychological impact of this dream was greater than the physical one. Since we had to set off again tomorrow, we all went back to our rooms to rest early.
Xia Zhu placed the newly acquired red stone together with the previous green stone. The room was dark, and the two stones emitted a faint glow. She couldn't help but think of the dreamer of this dream.
I don't know his name, which city he lives in, or whether he can quickly escape from the void after waking up. The precious thing about humanity is that it can always question this vast universe, about value, about itself, without shrinking back or being afraid because of its insignificance. This is a hymn to courage.
There was nothing wrong with it; on the contrary, Xia Zhu felt that this dream was particularly meaningful, a kind of exploration of self-awareness, and a positive and healthy one. Furthermore, through his dream, Xia Zhu reaffirmed his inner self and confirmed his direction for the future.
She will hold this burning torch with both hands, walk her own path with both feet, and time and time again, stand shoulder to shoulder with those she cares about. She has already firmly planted herself on the ground.
He is no longer a carefree person.
Early the next morning, the four of them climbed Tiansun Mountain. The higher they went, the stronger the wind became, and the snow dust obscured their vision. Although there were almost no people on the summit at this time, it still provided an extra layer of protection.
This is it!
They arrived at the edge of the cliff behind the mountaintop, where the wind gathered and swirled. They had to take each step carefully, or they might be blown off the mountain.
"Ah Zhu, do you remember why I told you we didn't take public transportation but went up the mountain?" The wind was so strong that they had to shout to talk to each other.
Xia Zhu shook his head blankly, thinking that it couldn't be that he could reach Riyue Mountain by jumping down from here.
Feng Feng untied the small cloth bag given to her by Feng Ye, took out a divine strategy from it, and threw it into the air. The paper turned into golden particles in the wind and disappeared. Then, a wind force formed under Feng Feng's feet, strong enough to lift her up and gently lift her off the ground.
"This is the Wind Chasing Path established by the Jiang family of Weishui. It's a limited mode of transportation within the Divine Blood Clan. The Jiang family are descendants of the Di Jun Clan, and their power lies in wind, rain, thunder, and lightning. They have set up entrances to the Wind Chasing Paths on the highest peaks in various places. You only need to consume one Divine Strategy to use it." After saying that, she rode the wind to Xia Zhu and handed her a Divine Strategy. "Scatter the Divine Strategy into the wind, and then clearly say the name of the destination mountain. You will arrive in an instant."
"But I have to remind you, you have to say the place name accurately. When Feng Mian was a child, he disappeared for several days because he mispronounced the name the first time he used the Chasing Wind Path. His father was so worried."
"Ah Zhu! Look at me! Our destination this time is—" Feng Feng hung on the edge of the cliff, arms outstretched, "Sun and Moon Mountain, Qingku Peak!"
As soon as she finished speaking, she transformed into a pale golden gust of wind, instantly pulling her into the clouds and disappearing from the three of them.
Ying Ya's oxygen tube seemed to be connected to Feng Feng. As soon as Feng Feng disappeared, Ying Ya immediately vanished into the wind, unable to leave for even a moment.
"You go first, I'll follow behind you." Feng Mian waved the Divine Strategy in his hand. He was worried that Xia Zhu might say something wrong in her nervousness. If it got out to other places or other families' territories, it would be like a lamb being led to the slaughter. Her identity would be exposed, and then things would be difficult.
Feng Mian had already imagined Xia Zhu being dragged into a laboratory, her body covered in various instruments and tubes, and having several large amounts of blood drawn every day for research.
Xia Zhu nodded, dispelling the little drama that had suddenly appeared, and threw Shence into the wind.
"Sun and Moon Mountain, Qingku Peak".
She felt a powerful push against her back, and then her body was suspended in mid-air. The wind howled in her ears, and the clouds and mist were everywhere. Since no one gave her a suffocating warning, she simply held her breath. She felt water droplets forming on her eyelashes and her glasses were completely white.
However, this situation only lasted for a few seconds. Other colors began to appear before her eyes until the clouds and fog dissipated, revealing a small patch of grass. The wind also slowed down, and she felt her body gradually regain its balance. Then, her feet slowly landed on the ground.
"Ah Zhu! Over here!"
As soon as she emerged from the clouds, she saw Feng Feng and Ying Ya beside her.
They are now on a small hilltop, the top of which is covered with a flat and soft grass. Many oddly shaped stalls are set up on the grass, and people of all kinds come and go. Xia Zhu, the Michelin tire person wearing a school uniform and carrying a backpack, looks like a normal person who has accidentally entered a two-dimensional holy land.
Okay, actually Xia Zhu's backpack is full of figurines and badges. Being a good student is just a disguise. This is her real territory.
Xia Zhu tightened the straps of her backpack. This was the first time she had seen so many descendants of the gods, most of whom were girls. They not only looked different from ordinary people, but their clothing also seemed to distinguish them according to different groups.
For example, the Feng siblings looked like they were visiting relatives in the city or local natives, while Xia Zhu, standing to the side, was a wild student they had snatched on the road.
She had thought about it carefully. Next time, she would have to wear a grass skirt and grass clothes, and if necessary, jump up and down, cover her mouth and scream, swinging back and forth among the vines. That would be more in line with her identity as a member of the Feng family.
It wasn't because she needed to hide her identity or pretend to be like that; rather, she had wanted to do it for a long time. Xia Zhu's dream was to be a wild monkey in the mountains, howling, baring her teeth, stealing fruit from passersby, and picking lice off each other when she was tired. Her monkey life was unrestrained, fulfilling, and wonderful.
The temperature here is different from the outside world. Even if I can't be a wild monkey, at least I can take off my school uniform and not seem so out of place.
The market is also part of the Nine Heavens Conference, which lasts for three days. The market will remain open throughout the conference. Although it will not officially start until the day after tomorrow, many stalls are already open on Qingku Peak. A stall fee of 50 Divine Strategy Tokens is required to sell anything and set your own prices. The currency is, of course, Divine Strategy Tokens. Occasionally, some rare treasures will appear in the Nine Heavens Market, although most of them are mixed with jade.
The Feng family once wanted to sell flower and grass seeds or poison-repelling vines at the market, but their efforts were unsuccessful; even a hero like them couldn't overcome fifty divine strategies.
Xiao Feng also said that in addition to the market, there will be an arena for these three days, which is a healthy competition among the younger generation of the family. Before the start of the competition, each team will invest a certain number of divine strategies as a prize. The winning side will take all of them. The amount can be chosen by the team itself, which can be considered as providing an opportunity to win big with a small investment.
However, the arena only has five participants, and they only have four, so unfortunately they couldn't participate.
Although there were many people at the market, the atmosphere wasn't very relaxed. I had expected it to be like the night market behind the school gate, at least lively, if not noisy, and certainly not like this, which was even a bit tense.
"Because this is the territory of the Ji family, descendants of Zhuanxu." Feng Feng excitedly led Ying Ya to find food stalls. Feng Mian followed Xia Zhu and landed not long after. He had obviously sensed the unusual atmosphere and planned to explain to the seemingly confused Xia Zhu.
"The Ji family of Puyang controls the Wu Ji Heavenly Gate on Sun and Moon Mountain, a place where divine strategies can be exchanged and communication between heaven and earth can take place. Their clan's power of physiognomy is the icy currents of snow and ice, ruling over winter, and protected by the demon god Xuan Niao. The human god Zhuanxu was chosen by the chief god and given a natural physiognomy, capable of sensing physiognomy power. Later, he created the Yin-Yang calendar and made the time for entering the dream world independent of the human calendar. His rule is strict and he upholds the law, so the atmosphere in the Ji family has always been so tense and serious. Mistakes are not allowed here. They are all walking codes of law. If you make even the slightest mistake, you will be directly captured by the Ji family's cicada catchers and subjected to cryogenic treatment."
"When the decision was made last year to hold the Nine Heavens Conference at Riyue Mountain, the head of the Ji family proposed to cancel the market, arguing that the market was a mixed bag and there was a risk of illegal transactions. This news caused a huge uproar. In the end, fearing public outcry, the market was saved by the heads of the other families."
"Zhuanxu?" The Feng family are descendants of Taihao, the Ying family are descendants of Shaohao, and now Dijun and Zhuanxu have appeared. No wonder Feng Ye asked her if she had heard of the myths and legends. Now it seems that those legends are probably true.
She suddenly thought of something.
"Therefore, the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors were all women."
“Of course.” Feng Mian shrugged, seemingly finding the question unworthy of discussion. “Human society cannot provide concrete, verifiable evidence regarding their gender. Most historical records are fabricated, as if the ruling class was defined as male from the day these myths were born, and power struggles only occurred under a single gender. Oral transmission can lead to ambiguity and errors, but the first thing to be proudly and openly written down was the gender of these leaders.”
"Because emperors can only be male? That's called superficial understanding."
Xia Zhu nodded vigorously, giving Feng Mian a look of approval, like that of a good brother.
"I haven't explained the three systems, five surnames, and eight factions to you in detail before. Based on cultural geography, this land in the East has been divided into three major systems: Huaxia, Dongyi, and Miaoman. For example, we and Ying Ya belong to the Dongyi system."
"The three lineages each gave rise to five surnames: Jiang, Ji, Feng, Ying, and Yun. Each surname has different branches. For example, the Ji surname in Puyang is descended from Zhuanxu, but the Ji surname in Kongtong is descended from the Yellow Emperor. You will understand when you encounter more unidentified officials in the future."
"The descendants of Zhuanxu are so serious and rigid, not just because their power is a freezing cold current, but there's another reason behind it. Those who want to know, please breathe~" Feng Feng suddenly appeared out of nowhere, with a string of unknown creatures between his four fingers, like a slightly larger cicada. "Grilled green cicadas, want a skewer? Eating them will bring you good fortune."
Increase your fortune? Xia Zhu should try it.
It didn't taste strange at first; it was like fried cicada pupae. Surprisingly, it was quite fragrant after chewing it.
"What's the secret?" She actually loved listening to gossip.
Feng Feng looked around, then leaned his head against Xia Zhutou's and said in a voice only they could hear, "It is said that the female cultivator of the Zhuanxu clan gave birth to four sons, three boys and one girl. Only the youngest daughter inherited her Ice and Snow Affinity Power, so she was highly valued. However, she developed an incestuous relationship with her second brother. Their love caused chaos within the clan and even affected the safety of the mortal world. As a result, they were both punished and their souls were destroyed. Before his death, the second son made a curse that the Zhuanxu Ji family would be perpetually plagued by internal strife and enemies."
"That's why female cultivators established moral norms that distinguished between men and women and respected seniority, prohibited intermarriage within the clan, and divided professions into classes."
"In later generations, every head of the family strictly adhered to the law, enforced it with unwavering integrity, and was impartial and incorruptible."
The two looked at each other, like members of a village intelligence station, exchanging heated discussions through their eyes.
"Gossiping about the Ji family here? Aren't you afraid of getting caught by the cicada catchers? Cicada catchers, cicada catchers, they're after you, you little cicada that keeps chirping everywhere."
Feng Mian, seemingly deaf to everything, was actually keeping a close eye on things the whole time. He wisely chose to take sides first, so that if he were caught, he wouldn't be frozen for three days and three nights, which no one could bear.
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