"How...how could this be?" Granny Chen stared at the painting in disbelief, muttering to herself, "Although it wasn't shown this year, I saw it last year. Could it have been switched?"
"What do you mean? Grandma Chen is saying that when I saw it last year, there were people in the painting, but now there are no people?" Qian Youxue looked at the painting carefully. There was scenery in the painting, but no people at all. And Grandma Chen said that there were people in it before, so this painting was switched, right?
The old lady closed her eyes in pain, and tears flowed down again, falling onto the Yin-Yang Sword. The Yin-Yang Sword, which had been quiet, suddenly trembled.
Does this sword recognize my grandmother?
Qian Youxue swallowed hard in surprise. She knew about sword spirits, but she never expected that her grandmother's tears would awaken one.
After the old lady felt the sword tremble in her hand, the sadness on her face disappeared, replaced by a relieved smile. She exclaimed repeatedly, "Good! Good! This has fulfilled your grandfather's wish."
Qian Youxue was a little confused and looked at her grandmother in bewilderment, hoping that her grandmother could explain things more clearly.
At this point, the old lady knew she shouldn't hide anything any longer, so she slowly spoke: "Now that the Yin-Yang Sword has found you, you are the Qian family's designated successor. If I'm not mistaken, you should have seen that shadow, right?"
When Grandmother learned about the Shadow, Qian Youxue's eyes widened and she immediately nodded, then told the two of them everything about how Sai Miaoshou had barged into her courtyard that day.
The old lady and Granny Chen broke out in a cold sweat after hearing this. Sai Miaoshou was a high-level alchemist, yet he had actually poisoned Youxue. They could guess without even thinking that Qian Youxue's life was hanging by a thread.
"May our ancestors bless Youxue, granting her good fortune after surviving this calamity!" The old lady prayed, clasping her hands together.
After Qian Youxue finished speaking, she realized something and stared at the painting in disbelief. Then she looked at her grandmother and didn't know what to say.
The old lady seemed to have accepted the reality of everything, and her tone became calmer: "The Qian family was once an extremely mysterious family, just like the Dongming and Shanhai families. By your grandfather's generation, the Qian family began to interact with the outside world in order to survive. The Qian family is skilled in incantations, and your grandfather was the heir of that generation. The Qian family is not only skilled in incantations, but also possesses the Yin-Yang Sword passed down through generations. The power of the Yin-Yang family is very strong, and it has long been the target of various families. When your grandfather and I met, he was the best in the family, with first-rate spiritual power and incantations. If he hadn't been ambushed and seriously injured, and the Yin-Yang Sword hadn't gone missing, the Qian family would never have fallen. Moreover, each generation of the Qian family has a successor, and this successor will only appear after the age of fourteen. This is also a curse written by the Qian family's ancestors to protect the young."
"It only becomes apparent after the age of fourteen. What if this person is a good-for-nothing?" Qian Youxue muttered to herself. Which great family doesn't start by nurturing their children? Isn't the Qian family patriarch a little too confident?
hehe……
Granny Chen was amused by Qian Youxue's tone of voice.
The atmosphere immediately eased considerably, and the old lady's expression softened considerably. She shook her head, slowly sat down, and then said, "The Qian family's ancestor has sharp eyes. There has never been a fool among those chosen. Even if there really is a fool, as long as the lineage is maintained, there will be a successor in his next generation."
"Then how do we know who the successor is?" Qian Youxue asked curiously, thinking to herself that the Qian family patriarch was quite domineering, able to create such a curse.
The old lady glanced at Granny Chen, who then stepped forward to help Qian Youxue undress.
Qian Youxue took a few steps back in fear. The marks from last night were still on her body. How embarrassing it would be if her grandmother and Granny Chen saw them.
The old lady seemed to realize something as well, and waved her hand, saying, "Never mind, go back and see for yourself. Every successor of the Qian family will have a red flame mark on their chest."
Red flames!
Qian Youxue blinked. She had indeed noticed the red flame mark on her chest. She had been thinking of finding out what it meant, but she had been too busy to think about it. So that's what it was all about.
But Aunt Meng said she was adopted, so how come she has the mark of the Qian family heir? Could it be that Aunt Meng is lying?
By the way, I haven't had a chance to ask Yunhe what he found out last night. This whole thing is just too strange.
"It's strange that you were chosen by the Qian family. Although you all have good aptitude, your father's aptitude is mediocre. After all, there has never been such a precedent before. Now it seems that the ancestors of the Qian family are blessing us and don't want the Qian family to be ruined by this old woman." As the old lady spoke, she recalled various past events.
"Are there any other members of the Qian family besides us?" Qian Youxue wondered.
"Yes, the Qian family is very large. However, after your grandfather was hunted down, the rest of the Qian family went into seclusion. The true direct descendants... alas... are all dead." The old lady gasped sadly.
"Grandfather was being hunted down, did Grandmother have any suspects?" Qian Youxue asked again.
The old lady shook her head and remained silent. However, Granny Chen, who was standing beside her, seemed to have thought of something and muttered to herself, "Once, I overheard the old master talking about a woman he used to be with in the study. Could it be..."
"Who is it?" Qian Youxue pressed.
The old lady and Granny Chen both shook their heads. Then, the old lady continued, "Your grandfather is a very meticulous person. After the two families arranged the marriage, I never saw him have any intimate contact with any woman. Although I had heard some rumors before, I believe your grandfather would not lie to me."
After saying this, she paused and continued, "Until that person is found out, you must not let anyone know your identity. However, I am curious, why did Master Sai set her sights on you?"
Qian Youxue suddenly realized what her grandmother was saying. Why couldn't she start with Sai Miaoshou and find the person who leaked the Qian family's secret?
Yes, that's Sai Miaoshou. I wonder if what she put on him worked. If it did, things will be much easier.
However, what is certain is that even if she is not her adoptive father's daughter, she must be a member of the Qian family; otherwise, she would not be the inheritor of the Qian family's secret.
"Youxue, I've told you everything I need to say. Promise me you'll stay alive no matter what. If you run into Sai Miaoshou again, just give her the Yin-Yang Sword. This treasure recognizes whoever it is; otherwise, it's just a piece of junk." The old lady earnestly instructed Qian Youxue, afraid that the child might act foolishly if she encountered danger.
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