Chapter 151: Ju Shoufen, Ju Chen, and Jia Wenhe
151 Ju Shoufen, Ju Chen, and Jia Wenhe
A week later, Jia Wenhe, Jia Shan, Cao Mao, Wei Yuan, the yin slaves, and all their children left the Myriad Cauldron Sect, riding ten carriages. The little geese were locked in a crate, and the group put it on the back of their wagons.
The girls ended up agreeing to move along with everyone since they were afraid of the internal conflict between the capital officials. Sooner or later, the Myriad Cauldron Sect would fall under the hands of the Yuan Clan. Therefore, before the chaos began, leaving the conflict area was a better choice.
When the gang was leaving the city, Ju Shoufen came to send them off. She was waiting for them in front of the gate.
Jia Wenhe and Jia Shan cupped their fists and saluted, "Thank you for coming to send us."
"You're too polite." Ju Shoufen saluted back. She revealed a sad smile, "I still can't believe that you're quitting. Wenhe, won't you reconsider?"
Jia Wenhe shook his head, "No. We're retiring from the cultivation world."
That was an excuse. Even though there were no people around, Jia Wenhe didn't want to leak any critical information.
"Oh? What about those kids?"
Ju Shoufen looked at the group of women, who were sitting inside the following carriages. Although she figured that they were Cao Mao's wives, the elder didn't pay attention to their faces or complexion.
"Oh, that? They're Cao Mao's wives. They're following Cao Mao."
"Ahaha! That brat is energetic, isn't he? Many people are looking for him, but no one has realized that he's right here." Ju Shoufen gazed at Cao Mao, who was driving the front carriage, "I'm also amazed that you've finished the 10,000 pills earlier than the schedule."
Cao Mao bowed to the elder, "It's thanks to your earth-grade cauldron. It is useful."
"True. Well, good luck to you," Ju Shoufen turned around and was about to converse with Jia Shan. But then, she recalled something. "Say, Junior Mao. Or should I call you junior Cao?"
"Please use my new name."
"Right. Junior Cao Mao, I heard that you have 14 wives, but I only saw 13 of them during my last visit. Is the other one okay? Is she alright?"
"Oh, her?"
Cao Mao had a wry smile on his face. He didn't know if he should introduce Ju Chen to Ju Shoufen.
Because of their surnames, Cao Mao had a feeling that they might be relatives. He also wanted to let them meet face-to-face, but Ju Chen's eccentric behavior might create a misunderstanding.
Currently, Ju Chen was completely brainwashed like other yin slaves. However, her mental state fluctuated, depending on her hunger. When she was well-fed, the vampire girl would behave like a docile woman. But when Ju Chen was hungry, she became a wild beast, and Cao Mao would suffer as she always came for his blood.
The system said it related to her mutated vampire bloodline. As long as Cao Mao couldn't purify the corrupted blood element Qi in her dantian, Ju Chen's aggressive behavior would remain.
But the ability to purify elemental Qi could only be acquired when one reached the 6th-stage. Cao Mao wasn't close enough with Jia Wenhe to ask for help. Also, Jia Shan was preserving his nascent soul's power, so he couldn't help either.
Now, the vampire girl was chewing a raw hind leg of a wild boar inside the third carriage. Her mouth and face were covered in pig's blood.
'Should I ask Ju Shoufen to look at her? Will that be too risky?'
Hesitated, Cao Mao probed Ju Shoufen, "Senior, by chance, do you have a relative or a missing family member?"
Ju Shoufen got interested. She smirked, "Actually, I do. Why? Does one of your wives have my surname or what?"
The elder was sharp. It was a bullseye.
All yin slaves in the two front carriages peeked outside, listening to the conversation. As Ju Chen never told anyone about her family background or how she had joined the Silver Phoenix Sect, everyone was curious.
Cao Mao glanced at Jia Shan and Jia Wenhe. They also looked at him, but their pupils expanded. Obviously, they wanted to know, too.
"How old is she?" Asked Ju Shoufen.
"I don't know. About 20ish, I guess."
"Oh? Where is she from?"
"Umm, I don't know. She never told me."
"… Interesting. What's her name?"
Since hiding the truth would be counterproductive at this point, Cao Mao confessed, "Her name is Ju Chen."
"…"
Ju Shoufen was silent. Her friendly eyes wavered for a second before she hid her emotion.
The Ju garden master smiled, "Never heard of her."
Cao Mao heaved a sigh of relief. He didn't notice that Ju Shoufen was on the verge of crying.
However, Jia Shan and Jia Wenhe didn't miss it.
Ju Shoufen drying laughed, "Where did you meet her, I meant, how does she become your wife?"
"Oh. It relates to the conflict in Mountain Goose City. I rescued her from the Silver Phoenix Sect's prison, and I'm taking care of her at the moment."
"I see. That's good," Ju Shoufen laughed and waved her hand. "You guys have made a good call. Staying here would only bring trouble to your family. Once the Yuan Clan devours the sect, they will likely form another army and go to war with either Wei Huang or the Huangjin Sect. You guys better stay out of it."
Cao Mao nodded and bid farewell. The caravan proceeded forward.
As the carriages were moving, Jia Wenhe stayed behind. He turned to Ju Shoufen, "Are sure you're not coming with us? Isn't she your granddaughter?"
Ju Shoufen wiped the corner of her eyes, "I'll probably harm them if I go with you. If you leave alone, no one from the Yuan Clan will simply think that you're fleeing from the political world, and they'll ignore you. But if I go with you, they will suspect that our family is working for another force. Those greedy bastards will send experts to investigate, and Chen'er will get involved."
"Good insight, but it's your granddaughter we're talking about. Are you sure?"
"I have unfinished businesses with the Xu Clan and the Yuan Clan. I lost my daughter because of the Yuan, and the Xu Clan captured my precious Chen'er. Well, now that she's rescued, I can focus on destroying the Yuan Clan from within."
"It won't be easy. You're dealing with Yuan Hua's family."
"I know. That's why I can't let Chen'er get involved," Ju Shoufen took off her spatial ring. Then, she shoved it in Jia Wenhe's hands. "Give it to my granddaughter. This is something I can do for her."
"You should have given it to her yourself."
"How can I show my face to her when I let her mother died right in front of me."
"…"
Jia Wenhe was aware of the history between Yuan Hua's family members and Ju Shoufen. The incident happened at the Aves Continent Grand Tournament, hosted by a top sect from the holy land, where all representatives from all sects and clans fought for a grand prize.
As Jia Wenhe had already watched his hands from the clan conflicts, he chose not to say a word and accepted the spatial ring.
"I'll tell Chen'er about you and your Jia'er."
"Instead of telling her the truth, tell Cao Mao what happened at the tournament, so he won't join that stupid fight."
"Of course. But will you be alright without your precious treasures and weapons?"
"I'm not a fighter. I can only fight with pills and my intelligence. You go and don't come back."
Jia Wenhe circulated his Qi into the spatial ring and eject the only immortal-grade fan. He returned it to her, "You will still need this for your fight."
"…"
Ju Shoufen caught the fan. It was a black gold feature fan, which was made by the Sun Crow's features. The fan contained the will of the three-legged crow and his Origin Yang Essence.
Similar to CJ, Ju Shoufen was a vessel of a Dao God. The Sun Crow was her sponsor, and he gave her the feather fan as her personal weapon.
Any 7th-stage expert would be willing to risk everything for the fan had its existence been leaked to the public. But for Ju Shoufen, its value was something else.
The fan contained the soul of Ju Chen's mother. The dead soul merged with the Sun Crow Fan and became the weapon spirit.
Jia Wenhe only glanced at the fan with sad eyes. He walked away before he remembered the face of his deceased wife again.
"When you're done, come see your granddaughter with the fan."
Ju Shoufen shed more tears as she held on to the fan, "I know. I won't die!"
"You'd better be living when I come back!"
Ju Shoufen snickered even though she was still sobbing, "I thought you won't return."
Jia Wenhe sighed. He turned around and walked toward Ju Shoufen. Then, he hugged her.
"I might not be able to replace your dead daughter. But I'm still your son-in-law! Don't die, mom!"
Ju Shoufen looked up at Jia Wenhe before she wailed. The two hugged for an hour while the caravan was leaving them.
After crying enough, Jia Wenhe left his mother-in-law.
.
.
Ju Shoufen gazed at the departing adopted son while she embraced the Sun Crow Fan in her arms.
CAW (Mother, don't cry. You have me.)
"I know, Jia'er."
CAW (Now that we know Chen'er is alive and my husband is looking after her, we can finish what we're here to do.)
"Right," Ju Shoufen wiped her tears. "Yuan Shaoqing and Xu Xiuying have to die!"
Ju Shoufen stored the fan into her backup spatial ring. She flew into the city with determination.
.
.
Meanwhile, Ju Chen was still sitting alone in the third carriage, eating her favorite raw beef.
As the vampire girl was enjoying her food, she felt a prickle inside her head. By instinct, she stopped eating and gazed toward the direction of Ju Shoufen, who had already flown into the city. Her red eyes changed into black, reverting back to her original human eyes.
Ju Chen muttered to herself, "I'll be back when I'm strong enough, grandma. Please wait for me."
Ju Chen's black pupils reddened and reverted back to her previous vampire eyes. Her body spasmed and shook for a moment as something happened to her psyche.
Five minutes later, Ju Chen tilted her head and blankly looked at the Yeet City.
"What's grandma? Is it edible? What was I thinking again?"