Translator: CinderTL
Jiang Ye froze, startled by her words.
The safety of a million people in Ancheng?
What could that possibly mean?
"Auntie, please explain," Jiang Ye said immediately, his tone serious.
"I want to ask you to become Ancheng's brand ambassador," Chen Qingyun said solemnly. "For this, I'm willing to pay you an additional fifty million federal currency in endorsement fees."
Jiang Ye froze again.
Make him Ancheng's brand ambassador?
What does that have to do with the safety of a million people in Ancheng?
And besides, he already has an endorsement contract with someone else.
"Auntie, I have an endorsement contract with Director Chen Kang, a Star Practitioner from Penglai District," Jiang Ye said, shaking his head. "I'm afraid I can't endorse anyone else."
"That's no problem," Chen Qingyun replied. "He's also part of our Star Practitioner Center, so you don't need to worry about breaching your contract. Just transfer your image rights to me."
Jiang Ye was stunned.
Could things really be done like that?
"Auntie," Jiang Ye couldn't help but ask, "how does this relate to the safety of a million people in Ancheng?"
"Because of the Cosmic Void Passage," Chen Qingyun whispered.
"Cosmic Void Passage?" Jiang Ye's pupils constricted as he immediately recalled something. "Is it that permanent Cosmic Void Passage?"
"Exactly," Chen Qingyun confirmed.
"Through our exploration, we've gathered intelligence on the Cosmic Void Passage," Chen Qingyun explained. "The passage leads to an unknown world."
"There are traces of the Shadow Clan."
"Although we haven't encountered the Shadow Clan yet, all indications suggest a high probability of a Shadow Calamity erupting in the future," Chen Qingyun said gravely. "And it will likely be at least a Level 2 Shadow Calamity."
Jiang Ye's heart sank.
A Level 2 Shadow Calamity?
The last time, even a Level 1 Shadow Calamity had claimed so many lives.
If a Level 2 Shadow Calamity struck Ancheng, how many more would perish?
"If you become Ancheng's brand ambassador, it will attract many strong individuals to the city," Chen Qingyun said solemnly. "Then, if a Shadow Calamity erupts, we'll have sufficient strength to resist it."
"Alright."
"I accept your offer," Jiang Ye replied without hesitation.
When it came to the safety of his hometown, he naturally couldn't refuse.
Chen Qingyun then briefed him on the details of the endorsement.
Fifteen minutes later, Jiang Ye signed the endorsement contract.
"Jiang Ye," Chen Qingyun said solemnly as she stood up, "on behalf of Ancheng, I thank you."
"Auntie, you're being too kind," Jiang Ye replied, shaking his head. "This is my hometown, it's only natural for me to do my part."
"Mm."
"The fifty million will be transferred to your account soon," Chen Qingyun said with a smile. "If there's nothing else, you can go back now. Qingli is probably still waiting outside."
Jiang Ye nodded, said goodbye, and turned to leave.
But as he turned, his peripheral vision caught sight of a framed photograph on the bookshelf behind Chen Qingyun.
The photo showed two women posing together. One was Chen Qingyun herself, and the other was an exceptionally beautiful woman in a white dress.
Jiang Ye froze when he saw the photo.
"Hmm?"
Chen Qingyun followed his gaze and looked behind her. When she saw the photo, a flicker of emotion crossed her eyes.
"This is a photo of me with a friend," she explained.
"What's wrong?" Chen Qingyun asked, turning back to Jiang Ye. "Do you recognize her?"
"She looks a little familiar," Jiang Ye said, his expression puzzled.
"Familiar?"
Chen Qingyun's expression turned peculiar. "Her name was Zhou Lu," she said. "She was the executive officer here ten years ago."
"Zhou Lu? Ten years ago?" Jiang Ye's heart stirred.
A photo from ten years ago.
The fact that it was still displayed in her workspace suggested a close relationship.
But what caught Jiang Ye's attention was the white-dressed woman's resemblance to Chen Zilu.
"Ten years ago, I was Zhou Lu's deputy," Chen Qingyun said, her voice tinged with nostalgia. "She was far more capable than me. I learned so much from her."
"So, she's moved on to another position?" Jiang Ye asked curiously.
"She's... gone," Chen Qingyun replied, shaking her head. "She passed away ten years ago due to unforeseen circumstances."
"Passed away?" Jiang Ye's heart skipped a beat.
"Zhou Lu's life was full of hardships," Chen Qingyun murmured, as if compelled to share her memories. "She was just an ordinary person with a frail constitution."
"Her daughter was the same. From childhood, she suffered from a strange illness that caused bizarre symptoms to manifest on her body."
"A strange illness?" Jiang Ye frowned.
"Horrifying patterns would appear on her face and body," Chen Qingyun explained, shaking her head. "They were truly terrifying to look at."
Jiang Ye furrowed his brow slightly but remained silent.
"Back then, I heard that Zhou Lu's daughter was often bullied at school. Several times, a group of classmates even threw her into the river, nearly drowning her. Zhou Lu was furious and stormed into the school, almost losing her job."
"After transferring schools multiple times, the same thing kept happening. The problem lay with her daughter. Each episode of that strange illness was terrifying."
"Fortunately, as her daughter grew older, the illness gradually disappeared."
"But who could have imagined that while her daughter recovered, Zhou Lu herself would fall seriously ill? Even the medical facilities in Donghai Province couldn't cure her, and she passed away shortly after."
"In short," Chen Qingyun sighed softly, "Zhou Lu's life was full of hardships."
Hardships? Jiang Ye thought. It was downright tragic.
Thinking of this, he couldn't help but ask, "What about Zhou Lu's husband? If his daughter was being bullied so badly, why didn't he intervene?"
"Her husband works in Donghai Province," Chen Qingyun replied, shaking her head. "He rarely comes back and never got involved in these matters."
"To be fair, Zhou Lu's daughter can't entirely be blamed for being bullied. That strange illness was truly terrifying."
"Even Qingli nearly cried when she first saw it," Chen Qingyun said, shaking her head.
Jiang Ye fell silent for a moment, lost in thought.
He asked, "After Zhou Lu passed away, did her daughter stay in Ancheng?"
"She stayed for a while."
"Her daughter left after junior high," Chen Qingyun recalled vividly. "I paid attention at the time. Even though her strange illness had disappeared, she was still ostracized by her classmates and didn't have any friends here."
Jiang Ye nodded and asked, "Do you remember her daughter's name?"
"Of course."
"Her name was Chen Zilu."
---
They took the elevator and left the building.
Standing in the elevator, Jiang Ye's mind was in turmoil.
The moment he saw Zhou Lu, he had thought of Chen Zilu.
Their resemblance was uncanny.
But he had never anticipated the details Chen Qingyun had revealed.
Senior Bai Gui, Jiang Ye thought, you said earlier that this was a symptom of God-Devouring Syndrome?
"Yes," Bai Gui's voice echoed in his mind.
"Patients with God-Devouring Syndrome experience periodic episodes of symptoms during childhood," Bai Gui explained. "These periods are known as the 'God-Devouring Periods.'"
"God-Devouring Periods?" Jiang Ye asked, puzzled.
"These periods are unique," Bai Gui elaborated. "Even without cultivating, patients experience excruciating pain."
"However, they typically last no more than a month before returning to normal."
"A month?" Jiang Ye's pupils constricted.
For a young girl of just a few years old, enduring such agony for a whole month... how unbearable must that have been?
"What about when they grow up? Will the God-Devouring Period still exist?" Jiang Ye couldn't help but ask.
"Some patients will still experience episodes," Bai Gui replied. "But the symptoms won't be visible on the surface, only the pain remains."
"I understand," Jiang Ye said, falling silent.
As they stepped out of the elevator, a young woman in a colorful silk dress, her legs as white as snow, approached them.
"Jiang Ye!"
"Did my mom give you a hard time?" Zhao Qingli asked curiously.
"No," Jiang Ye replied with a shake of his head and a smile. "Your mom even gave me fifty million."
"What?!" Zhao Qingli's face was a mask of shock.
Jiang Ye briefly explained the situation.
"No wonder," Zhao Qingli said, not dwelling on it. "Jiang Ye, are you free this afternoon?"
"What's up?" Jiang Ye asked, looking at her.
"I just saw that Ancheng has a new tourist attraction. If you're free, want to check it out together?" Zhao Qingli's eyes held a hint of anticipation.
"A tourist attraction?"
Jiang Ye paused, slightly taken aback. He had been planning to focus on his cultivation.
"Oh dear," Zhao Qingli said, noticing his hesitation. "You promised earlier that we'd do whatever I wanted for the holiday. If it's too much, we can skip it."
"Of course I remember. Let's go," Jiang Ye replied with a shake of his head and a smile.
During this trip back to Ancheng, besides visiting his parents, his main focus was spending time with Zhao Qingli. He was determined to fulfill any request she might have.
Time slipped by.
By the time Jiang Ye and Zhao Qingli emerged from the amusement park, it was already past six in the evening.
Today was Federal Memorial Day.
As dusk settled, the city came alive with festive lights and decorations, filling the air with a holiday spirit.
"Class monitor, my house is pretty close from here," Jiang Ye suggested at the park entrance. "Why don't you come over for dinner?"
"To your house?" Zhao Qingli paused, then murmured, "It's getting late. Would that be okay?"
"I've already told my parents to prepare extra dishes," Jiang Ye said with a grin. "The more the merrier!"
After a moment's hesitation, Zhao Qingli nodded. "Alright, let me call my mom first."
She stepped aside to make a call to Chen Qingyun.
A moment later.
Zhao Qingli jogged over, her pretty face beaming with joy. "My mom said yes! Let's go!"
She suddenly paused. "Should we bring anything?"
"No need," Jiang Ye said with a smile. "Let's hurry before the food gets cold."
"Okay!"
The two headed toward Taoyang Community.
"Mom, Dad, I'm home!"
Taoyang Community, Building 12, Apartment 606.
Pushing open the old iron gate, the enticing aroma of cooked dishes immediately filled the air.
"Jiang Ye!"
"Xiao Ye!"
"Brother!" Everyone in the apartment sprang to life.
But soon...
"Who's this?" Li Anping asked, her expression puzzled as she noticed the girl hiding behind Jiang Ye.
"She's a classmate," Jiang Ye explained with a smile. "We came together, and I invited her for dinner. Mom, Dad, you don't mind, do you?"
"Welcome!"
"Of course we don't mind!" Li Anping quickly replied, her smile widening. "Come in, come in!"
"Auntie, Uncle, please don't be so formal," Zhao Qingli said hastily.
"Brother!" A clear, crisp voice rang out.
Jiang Ye looked up, his eyes lighting up instantly.
A fair-skinned, strikingly beautiful girl stood gracefully in the living room.
It was Jiang Ting.
After not seeing her for over half a year, she had blossomed into an even more radiant young woman, her figure beginning to mature.
"Tingting," Jiang Ye said, walking over and playfully patting her head. "You've grown so much."
"I'm almost fifteen!" Jiang Ting huffed.
She was already in her second year of middle school.
"Brother!" Jiang Ting, unfazed by the teasing, glanced at Zhao Qingli standing nearby. "Is she your girlfriend? She's so pretty!"
"Girlfriend?" Jiang Ye turned to look at Zhao Qingli.
Zhao Qingli, who had been chatting with Li Anping, shot him a glare.
"Not yet," Jiang Ye replied, turning back to Jiang Ting with a grin.
Behind him, Zhao Qingli stiffened, her face flushing crimson.
Fortunately, Jiang Dahai's voice rang out at that moment: "Dinner's ready!"
The family quickly gathered around the table.
Jiang Ye led Zhao Qingli to their seats last.
"Xiao Zhao, don't be so formal," Jiang Dahai said to Zhao Qingli with a smile. "We're all very casual here. Just make yourself at home."
"Mm, thank you, Uncle," Zhao Qingli replied, nodding quickly, her cheeks flushing slightly.
"Haha, what a shy girl," Jiang Dahai chuckled, giving Jiang Ye a thumbs-up. "Good eye, son."
Zhao Qingli's face instantly burned crimson, her cheeks glowing like fire.
Even Jiang Ye couldn't keep his composure. He cleared his throat awkwardly and said, "Dad, stop talking nonsense."
"What nonsense? I didn't say anything," Jiang Dahai chuckled. "After dinner, you two should go out and enjoy the evening. Have fun!"
"Come on, let's drink!"
Boom!
Outside the window, colorful fireworks exploded across the night sky.
Today was Federal Memorial Day.
A day for families to gather.
While Jiang Ye, Zhao Qingli, and the others were having dinner...
In the outskirts of Ancheng...
Nestled among the rolling mountains stood a grand villa, built into the hillside and overlooking the twinkling lights of the city below.
Inside the villa...
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Whoosh! A graceful figure in white wielded a long spear, silver light flashing with each fluid movement, her movements as elegant as a startled swan.
After a long while, Chen Zilu stopped her training and lowered her long spear.
Alone, she walked toward the door.
Fireworks bloomed in the night sky.
Beautiful.
But she was the only one home.
On a long night filled with fireworks, being alone always made it easy to recall many things.
The girl stood forlornly at her doorstep, gazing blankly at the brilliant fireworks in the night sky, lost in thought.
A flicker of light passed through her peach-blossom eyes, and memories buried deep within her mind surfaced with each burst of fireworks.
"Ugly freak! You dare glare at me? I'll beat you to death!"
A boy grabbed the girl by the hair and slammed her face against the wall.
Her face was covered in blood, a truly pitiful sight.
"Disgusting thing."
"Ugly freak."
"Who wants you here? Get lost!"
A group of boys and girls stood around, pointing and laughing at her.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry..." the girl whispered repeatedly, apologizing.
"Get out of here!" Someone kicked her, sending her sprawling to the ground.
Struggling to her feet, she stumbled away, running as fast as she could.
"What bad luck, running into that ugly freak again."
"Her mother's dead too, right? Now no one will want her."
"Serves her right."
A chorus of voices trailed behind her.
The girl didn't look back, running as fast as she could.
She ran and ran until she reached the foot of the mountain and saw her family's grand villa.
The villa was enormous and brightly lit, every light blazing.
"Mom," she murmured, climbing the mountain path.
When she finally reached the villa and stepped through the front door, she found it completely empty.
Before going to school, the girl always made a habit of turning on all the lights. That way, when she returned home at night, she could see the warm glow from afar, as if someone were waiting for her with a hot meal, eager for her return.
But the truth was, there was no one else in the house anymore.
No one waiting for her.
"Mom... it hurts so much," the girl sobbed softly, wiping bloody tears from her face as she sat by the front door.
Boom!
A brilliant firework suddenly exploded in the night sky, its thunderous roar shaking the air.
The girl looked up, her eyes red-rimmed.
She knew no one was waiting for her at home.
She knew her mother was gone.
Fireworks lit up the sky, while the lights of countless homes twinkled below the mountain.
The girl sat alone by the grand villa's entrance, silent, as loneliness washed over her like a rising tide.
Today was Federal Memorial Day.
It was also the anniversary of her mother's death.
"Mom," Chen Zilu murmured softly, gazing at the myriad lights twinkling below in the city.
Her mother was the only warmth in her heart.
That's why, despite the city holding so many painful memories, Chen Zilu returned every year on Federal Memorial Day.
Even though not a single one of those lights was lit for her.
"Mom," Chen Zilu whispered again, her eyes fixed on the distant, dazzling lights. She unconsciously raised her hand and clutched the stellar radiance at her chest.
She paused, startled.
Looking down, she saw the stellar radiance glowing softly against her chest, flickering gently in the night.
It was the necklace Jiang Ye had given her.
A faint smile touched Chen Zilu's lips.
She carefully closed her palm around the necklace, cradling it in her hand as if it were a precious treasure.
After a moment, Chen Zilu turned to look back at the grand villa behind her.
In the past, every Federal Memorial Day had been spent here, practicing her spear techniques alone in silent solitude.
The long nights stretched on, her only companion the spear.
But today...
For someone so accustomed to being alone, she felt a pang of loneliness.
Chen Zilu pulled out her phone and opened her contacts.
Staring at the few names listed, she fell into a long silence.
At this time, everyone else would be with family and friends. Who would want to chat with her?
Even her close friend Zhao Yingluo would be busy with her own affairs.
Suddenly, Chen Zilu's gaze flickered to one particular contact.
"Jiang Ye."
Chen Zilu stared at the number, her peach blossom eyes swirling with complex emotions.
She had always kept to herself, rarely chatting with others, and few people could truly connect with her.
Jiang Ye was one of the few people she talked to frequently, though most of their conversations were under the guise of tutoring.
Still, they had good conversations.
A pity.
Since Jiang Ye had entered university, this only person she had ever enjoyed talking to had rarely contacted her.
"He's probably cultivating," Chen Zilu murmured, setting down her phone without disturbing him.
She knew how unpleasant it was to be interrupted during cultivation.
Actually, being alone wasn't so bad. It gave her time to think deeply and recall those rare moments of happiness.
Like now.
The girl stood quietly at her doorstep, her slender figure enveloped by the thick night. Gently stroking the necklace at her chest, she no longer felt lonely.
A moment later, Chen Zilu's figure flickered, and she vanished from the grand villa.
She wanted to go for a walk.
On the streets, the lights were just coming on, and people bustled about.
It was Federal Memorial Day, and many families and couples were out enjoying the evening.
This thrilling sense of danger, heightened by the festive atmosphere, only came once a year.
Chen Zilu walked alone through the crowd, clutching a gift box in her hand.
"I'll bring him some Ancheng specialties," she thought. "He'll be so surprised, won't he?"
Lost in thought, the girl wandered aimlessly.
Her right hand gripped the gift box, while her left hand gently touched the necklace at her chest.
As her gaze swept over the couples and families lining the streets, she realized she was the only one walking alone. Yet, she didn't feel lonely.
Suddenly, she stopped.
Her eyes scanned the bustling crowd, piercing through the throng until they landed on a familiar figure in the distance.
(End of the Chapter)
---------------------------------------------------------
Continue Reading (𝙎𝙔𝙎𝙇𝙄𝙈𝙄𝙏) on CinderTL• ⓒⓞⓜ
Read Ahead to Ch595 • 𝕱𝖗𝖊𝖊 𝕮𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗𝖘 • No Login
🎉 10,000 Chapter Discount is Live. Ends June 2.
---------------------------------------------------------