Although she felt very sad and wronged, Fang Yun'er quickly wiped away her tears and accepted her fate of being abandoned.
She always knew she was unpopular.
Because she was from a collateral branch of the family, was born mute, and wasn't particularly gifted, none of her close elders held any status, and her mother was merely one of her father's unfavored concubines...
But she happened to have a face that evoked pity in me.
This face didn't bring her much benefit or advantage; instead, it attracted a lot of attention, and even made her the target of jealousy and ostracism from many women in her clan.
Unless there are special circumstances, Fang Yun'er generally dislikes going out.
She only knows sign language.
She gestured wildly, but apart from Uncle Li, who had looked after her mother since she was a child, no one was willing to watch or understand her.
Unfortunately, this is a special case.
She had no choice but to join the other collateral branches of the group and travel together to Azure Wave City.
This is because the annual assessment for the Fang Household's main branch in Azure Wave City has begun.
Even though Fang Yun'er herself wasn't particularly talented, every member of the Fang Lineage who was sixteen years old or older had to go to the main branch for the final bloodline test and assessment.
Thinking about what she was about to face, Fang Yun'er's face paled, and she wrung out the blood-stained handkerchief in her hand.
She has to pass the test.
Her mother was not valued at home and was always in tears. It pained her to see this, but she was powerless to do anything about it. The only way to help her mother was to pass the test so that the servants, who treated her mother differently based on her status, would be more lenient with their money and not mistreat her too much.
She and her mother already didn't have a very good life.
If she fails this assessment, the Fang Household will most likely cut off all resources for her and her mother.
She herself didn't care.
However, her mother's qualities were really poor. She was only taken into the Fang Household by her father because of her appearance. Without sufficient resources, she would have to face the possibility that her mother would leave her early.
Thinking of this, Fang Yun'er's shoulders trembled, and several large tears fell again.
'Should I really avoid causing trouble?'
A sense of despair began to fester in her heart. Fang Yun'er bit her lip tightly, her face turning even paler with the turmoil in her emotions.
"Miss, you..."
Beside him, Uncle Li, who had been left behind, seemed to realize something, and his expression changed drastically.
He was about to take two steps forward when Fang Yun'er's thin shoulders begin to tremble violently.
She hurriedly covered her lips with the handkerchief, and with each cough, the bloodstains spread even deeper.
"Miss!"
Uncle Li hurriedly called out, probed his Storage Bag with his Divine Sense, and immediately took out a bottle of pills.
The brown pill was fed to Fang Yun'er's lips, but she raised her hand to stop it.
Fang Yun'er gently shook her head at Uncle Li, extremely weak, yet still managing a weak smile.
She is very weak.
Even though she had been insulted and slandered by others, she never lost her temper or retaliated against anyone. But only Uncle Li, who had taken care of her since she was a child, knew how stubborn Fang Yun'er was. Once she made up her mind to stick to something, no one could persuade her otherwise.
Fang Yun'er put the pill back into the bottle and gestured to Uncle Li.
'The ingredients for the Blood-Replenishing Pill are expensive, and our stock is running low.'
'I'm fine, don't worry.'
'We still have to cross this Desolate Forest and thousands of miles of barren mountains; we must use it sparingly.'
But the more she said that, the more heartache appeared in Uncle Li's eyes.
He had been taking care of Fang Yun'er since she was born. Because Fang Yun'er had been roughly examined with a Spirit Stone when she was born, her aptitude was average, so she did not receive any favoritism from her father.
The Fang Household head of the Fang family in Jinglan City has too many children.
Fang Yun'er's mother was merely a concubine, and her status was only that of a singer. She was all alone and had no support. Her child was also of poor quality. It was perfectly normal for the mother and daughter to be abandoned.
Uncle Li, who possesses the cultivation level of Great Emperor, stays by Fang Yun'er's side because Fang Yun'er's birth mother saved his life.
From the time Fang Yun'er could remember, the person who spent the most time by her side was Uncle Li.
Unfortunately, what is Great Emperor anyway?
At several hundred years old, with the cultivation level of Great Emperor, he was considered to have a low cultivation level even in Jinglan City, let alone in a place like Azure Wave City. Therefore, even if Uncle Li possessed the cultivation level of Great Emperor, he could not protect Fang Yun'er.
Uncle Li knew this, but even so, he never backed down in the slightest.
Now, as the collateral branch of Jinglan City went to Azure Wave City for assessment, he took on the heavy responsibility of personally escorting Fang Yun'er to Azure Wave.
Even if the journey is fraught with danger, even he could perish.
But there was no other way.
The dangers along the way are even considered part of the assessment.
If the Fang Lineage members are unable to overcome the crisis, the main branch of Azure Wave City won't even bother to give them a second glance.
The Fang Household family is an extremely large and powerful Lineage.
Even those from collateral branches wield considerable influence in Jinglan City.
Not to mention the main artery.
Along the way, from Jinglan City to Azure Wave City, they had to cross Desolate Forest. Needless to say, the forest was filled with poisonous gas, miasma, and demons. In some places, it was even tainted by broken Principle, making it impossible to use Spiritual Power. It was extremely difficult and dangerous.
Fang Yun'er's only reliance, besides Uncle Li, was her own Qilin Dragon Horse.
She knew that these were simply not enough.
Therefore, she gave up almost all her wealth, hoping to catch up with the main group of the collateral branches.
But unexpectedly...
I was abandoned halfway there.
It's just because I saved someone...
Was it really because I was meddling?
As the thought flashed through her mind, Fang Yun'er's breathing became more rapid, and her chest even heaved. She barely pressed her aching chest and shook her head with a bitter smile.
I'm afraid not.
They probably already had the idea of abandoning themselves long ago.
This man in white was merely a prelude.
Even if there's no man in white, there's a man in black, or something else entirely.
She was naive, thinking that if these people accepted her Spirit Stone, they would really be willing to take her along through the Desolate Forest. Little did she know that even if she died here, no one would stand up for her. They probably had that in mind all along.
"Miss, these people have gone too far!"
"Once I arrive at the Fang Household's main residence, I will certainly report this matter to the head of the household!"
Uncle Li stood to the side, indignant, his fists clenched, but the tension on his face betrayed his uncertainty and heaviness.
Undoubtedly, he was thinking about it too.
Will those two really ever get to live with their master?
After taking a deep breath, Fang Yun'er reached out and gently touched her chest, shaking her head again in sign language.
"Don't be angry, Uncle Li. Things will work themselves out. We'll arrive safely."
Uncle Li was even more helpless.
He always felt helpless about Fang Yun'er's naivety and kindness, yet he couldn't bring himself to criticize her. After all, she, like her mother, was such a delicate and gentle woman.
But this kind of personality won't be easy to manage on the land of the Divine Continent...
Thankfully, he's still around; he can still make some decisions.
Thinking of this, Uncle Li couldn't help but look at the white-clad man who was still unconscious behind Fang Yun'er, and felt even more helpless.
"I will definitely protect you until you reach Azure Wave City."
"But what about this person?"