In the morning, Alchemist Ning is waiting for Old Hu at his stall. He is anxiously waiting. He is looking left and right. Most of the stalls already open, why is Old Hu is not here?
Half an hour later, a cow carriage arrives. Brother Hu comes alone to open the stall.
"Little Hu, where is your father?" Alchemist Ning stretch his neck to find Old Hu.
"Oh! Uncle Ning. Father? Father receives a large order and is busy to complete the order."
"I just want to meet your father!" Alchemist is frustrated. He waited for a long time but the person did not even come, "Where do you live?" Alchemist Ning also did not feel well. His heart feels unease.
Brother Hu gives his address to Alchemist Ning and Alchemist Ning rushed to Old Hu's house.
"Old Hu! Old Hu! Where are you?!"
"Who is yelling? I am at the back!"
Alchemist Ning runs to the back of the house, "Old Hu! You must help me!"
Alchemist Ning tells Old Hu everything. Old Hu listens attentively.
"You really..." Old Hu said with a sigh, "It has been a long time since this kind of thing happen. You know that the villages near the forest are not ordinary. Most people did not notice or notice it but kept quiet about it. We, the villagers are protected. I also did not know what kind of power protect us but it exists. Most hunters can sense this energy that protected them during hunting."
"Then, what should I do? I have this energy in my body. Will I be the same as the girl Hong Lian?" Alchemist Ning's face is pale when saying this. Will, he die of hunger like Hong Lian?
"No. The energy in your body will be gone after some time if you did not interfere anymore. As for the girl, heh! It will be hard because she offend a lot of people. She must ask for forgiveness or just wait until the energy is gone from her body. If that girl wants to survive this curse, she must earn everything herself. We peasant are not worthy." Old Hu pats Alchemist Ning's shoulder and continues to work.
Seeing that Old Hu is ignoring him, Alchemist Ning goes back to the city. He relay what he heard from Old Hu to Grandpa Hong and state that he did not want to interfere with this problem anymore.
Grandpa Hong asked Father Hong what did Hong Lian do at Xiao Village? Father Hong tell Grandpa everything that happen that day.
"Stupid! Utterly STUPID! Hong Lian is cursed because of her mouth!"
Grandpa Hong is so furious and slaps Hong Lian hard on her cheek, "How can I send you into the palace if you are cursed? Hong Lian! All my plans! Our Hong Family plan is ruined because of you!"
Hong Hua and the others that dissatisfied with Hong Lian gloat over Hong Lian's misfortune. Hong Hua's brain is thinking about how can she send her own daughter into the palace.
In a few hours, Hong Lian is sent out from the house with a few servants to stay in a village. Hong Lian begs for help from her family but all of them avoid her like a plague.
From a noble person to a mere villager, this change is too shocking for Hong Lian. She is just dreaming to be an empress a few days ago. What crushes her more is that the Hong Family announces that she is died because of sickness. Hong Lian faints after hearing it from her servant.
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The wind sways Li Zian's dark purple hair. She is standing under a tree not far from a river. She sees a beautiful girl trying to catch some fish. There are two girls with her. They are cheering for the beautiful girl and teaching her how to catch the fish.
After that, the beautiful girl and her two friends go into the woods to pick some wild fruit and vegetables. Then, they will go home to cook the fish and vegetables.
"The curse should wear off after three days but you make it for three years," Zhong said while observing the beautiful girl.
"Hong Lian, a person like her is like a mother seed. She creates resentment and amplifies the resentment of her servants. Right now, the servants can barely tolerate it but what happens after a few years? Her family environment has created an arrogant and prideful person. A selfish person and will do anything to get what she wants. A person that disregards other people. With the curse, I hope she will learn to be sensible and learn to respect other people." A gate opens in front of Li Zian and Zhong and both of them leave that place.
Hong Lian is cooking fish soup with the guide from her servant since she cannot consume other people cooking and everything she cooks must be caught by her own hand or planted herself. Luckily, she can eat wild fruit and vegetable so before her vegetable garden is produced, she is able to eat fruit and vegetables.
Li Zian and Zhong arrive at a stage in Bao Hall. All six hundred slaves are standing in this hall. Everyone is looking at her. Then, under Ling Min Zhe's command, all of them bow at Li Zian.
"Everyone is here?" Li Zian is sitting on a big and exquisite chair. It added the air of mystery around Li Zian. Chu Ju reported, "Yes, Master!"
"Good. Begin."
Ling Min Zhe nodded and step forward, "A week ago, the first test has been conducted and half of you passed the test. Today, we will be conducted the second test. Those that passed the first test, step out! Go to the right of the hall. Stand in front of the door."
Three hundred slave moves to the right of the hall. The others that did not pass the test look at them with envy.
"Before we proceed with the test, I want to ask, who want to forfeit. If you stop here, you are still considered as master's blood assistant."
Li Zian speaks in a stern and cold voice, "The second test is to choose any of you to be my soul assistant. This position is dangerous and you will lose your freedom."
When the slaves hear this they are a bit puzzled. They already a slave. Freedom? They never have it.
Li Zian continues, " As a blood assistant, you will establish a blood contract with me. It is just a basic slave contract but as soul assistant, you will sign a soul contract with me. You will give me both of your body and mind to me. What you do and think, I will know. Any betraying thought..." Li Zian did not continue but every slave can imagine what happen.
The slaves are all shocked. Soul contract? Then, they really lose their freedom. The slaves now understand. Right now, they are only restricted to serve their master physically but if they have to give their soul, is there any meaning in living?
Some of the slaves is thinking to forfeit and some of them did not care. Some slaves were filled with determination. Whether it is soul or body, they cannot run from this place so why not climb higher? They are being taught how to read and being trained in martial arts, never once they are being mistreated. To serve a good master is their greatest glory.
Twenty slaves move out from the group and return to the middle to regroup with the others.
"Alright! The second test will begin as soon as you pass through the door in an orderly manner. Three slaves hesitate and did not take the test.
Zhong's eyes glint with mischief. Li Zian did not notice this but she already make a few adjustments on the test so Zhong's hope can be considered crushes. Well, let's not tell him now. He will know after the test.
The test begins. Li Zian closes her eyes to observe the exam. The other slaves are sitting right now. They are whispering to each other and making bets on who is able to pass the test and how many can pass the test.
Half an hour later, a slave comes out screaming, "Ahh!" It is sharp and pierces the ears. After coming out he is just screaming and running randomly. Ling Min Zhe commands a few slaves to restrain him. It took four strong slaves to completely restrain the slave. That slave is struggling on the floor. He is mumbling incoherent words. Black aura circling him.
Ling Min Zhe squat and puts his palm on the servant's glabella, "This slave here is overwhelmed by resentment energy and this disturbs his mind." He channels his spiritual energy into the slave and a minute later the slave slowly stops struggling and closes his eyes. He is snoring lightly.
Ling Min Zhe tells them to put the slave at the corner. After saying that, five more servants come out screaming. Ha calmly arrange for the slaves to help him. The slaves are amazed at Ling Min Zhe's calmness.