Chapter 240: with translation of chapter title

Xue Feng's few words revealed the mystery of my origin.

Birth-bound Curse

ZuZu

"If not having children can maintain the original two lives, why must we use the Birth-Conjoining Curse?" I asked.

Four Grand Protectors

Since the physical conditions don't allow it, we shouldn't do it; why cruelly harm and deprive one of the twin sisters of their right to exist?

"I also asked this question of my great-grandfather." Snow Phoenix said, "My great-grandfather said, because at that time the Feng Clan still belonged to a matriarchal clan, your mother was the Phoenix Lord; after your mother died in difficult childbirth, the phoenixes were leaderless, and all major and minor affairs of the clan were temporarily handled by the four Grand Protectors, waiting for you sisters to break out of your shells."

Grand Protector

The Phoenix Lord should be hereditary; my mother was the Phoenix Lord, so between me and my twin sister, one of us must inevitably become the Phoenix Lord.

But because we are both remnant souls, only when combined do we become a complete existence, able to marry, have children, and propagate our lineage.

Feng Xianqiu

My sister was entrusted by our mother to go out, known to the clanspeople, while I was brought back to Dark Luxuriant Mountain by the Great Witch; from the very beginning… my identity was concealed.

Li Qingying

Lingdie Valley

Nether Realm

Valley Master

I asked: "Who did our mother entrust my sister to back then? Did you great-grandfather tell you?"

"It was the Right Protector." Snow Phoenix said, "But the Right Protector has long been dead, and his grandson took over his position."

Xuefeng Clan

Snow Phoenix clenched her back molars, almost grinding her teeth as she spat out three words: "Feng Xianqiu".

Dragon Bone Blood

So his name is Feng Xianqiu, and he is the current Right Protector of the Feng Clan!

Birth-bound Curse

As the heir of the Right Protector's lineage, Feng Xianqiu must certainly be in the know.

Everything made sense now.

I crouched down, sat beside Snow Phoenix, and asked another question I cared about: "As far as I know, I seem to have a marriage contract with Feng Xianqiu; do you know about this?"

"I know, the Great Ancestor said so." Snow Phoenix said solemnly, "It was his great-grandfather who, on his deathbed, forced Feng Xianqiu to swear an oath to marry you; few people know this, after all, your status lies there."

I furrowed my brows.

Did the old Right Protector, on his deathbed, force Feng Xianqiu to swear an oath?

In other words, it's not certain whether Feng Xianqiu ultimately entered into a marriage contract with me?

After all, at that time he and Feng Lixiu were already like dry wood and fire, in collusion.

I seemed to have grasped something, and for no reason I felt a bit panicked.

I steadied my mind and asked a very obvious question: "So, my twin sister is Feng Lixiu, right?"

Snow Phoenix froze, looking at me with some confusion.

It seemed to be saying, "Isn't this obvious?"

My heart turned over and over; it seemed Snow Phoenix knew a lot of the inside story, but there were some things she could not reach.

Even her Great Ancestor was the same.

I thought for a moment and then asked: "Who is your Great Ancestor? What is her standing in the Feng Clan? If I have the chance, may I visit her?"

Who would have thought, Snow Phoenix's eye sockets instantly turned red.

"Great Ancestor she..."

Snow Phoenix began to sob; needless to say, she had a very good relationship with her Great Ancestor.

Li Qingying pulled out a few tissues and handed them to Snow Phoenix: "Here, wipe."

Then she fetched a medical kit and began silently cleaning Snow Phoenix's wounds.

She has always been a person with a sharp tongue but a soft heart.

Snow Phoenix finally managed to steady her emotions, glanced gratefully at Li Qingying, and then said: "My Great Ancestor is old and in poor health; every three months I sneak into Lingdie Valley, secretly dig up some spiritual herbs, bring them back, and brew medicine for my Great Ancestor to drink."

Lingdie Valley belongs to the Nether Realm, bordering the Feng Clan, but I have never seen the valley's master, nor have I ever been caught; yet I never expected that last time I ran into Feng Lixiu there and almost got bitten to death.

So that's how things are.

I quickly said: "Those spiritual herbs you dug up back then are still stored with Uncle Huo; if you need them, I'll call Uncle Huo to have them delivered."

"I'm afraid they won't be useful anymore." Snow Phoenix's tears kept falling: "During the time I was rescued and taken to Dang Pu, the entire Snow Phoenix clan, over a hundred people, were all brought under Feng Xianqiu's control; my Great Ancestor was even thrown into a dungeon, the dungeon is damp and gloomy—even if they didn't subject her to severe torture, she couldn't last long, let alone... how could they not use torture?"

I silently reviewed it in my mind.

As for what happened in Lingdie Valley back then, Feng Xianqiu must have found out right away.

He also knew I had saved Snow Phoenix.

So after the operation in Tafengcun failed, he enacted this plan: control the Snow Phoenix clan, seize Snow Phoenix's beloved Great Ancestor and throw her into a dungeon, coercing Snow Phoenix to help him.

To save her Great Ancestor and the whole clan, Snow Phoenix ate ice silkworms, drank dragon bone blood, seized the opportunity, and fed me her blood.

It's impossible not to resent Snow Phoenix.

Although she has said a lot today, and it all seems coherent, I still won't fully trust her.

After all, one cannot be without a guard against others.

Having already suffered a loss once, I must at least take some precautions.

And her words also reminded me of what Feng Xianqiu said when he left.

He said, "A Li, you can't escape my palm; you will come back to find me."

Snow Phoenix had already been seriously injured that day when she left the pawn shop; if Feng Xianqiu wanted to capture her, it would be as easy as turning over his hand, so how could he let her keep going back and forth at the pawn shop's entrance?

The reason Feng Xianqiu didn't capture Snow Phoenix was to make her come beg me.

So, it's nine out of ten likely that Snow Phoenix's great-grandmother was captured.

But just for a great-grandmother I've never met, does Feng Xianqiu firmly believe I will definitely return to the Feng Clan?

No, that's clearly not enough weight.

Unless this great-grandmother's identity is directly related to my own vital interests.

Thinking this through, I further asked: "So, when my mother gave birth back then, your great-grandmother was also present, and she knows all of this, right?"

Snow Phoenix's answer was beyond everyone's expectations.

She said: "Sister, the Snow Phoenix clan is the most unique group within the Feng Clan; we do not obey the Feng Lord, nor are we under anyone's jurisdiction in the Feng Clan; we live at the foot of Cangwu Mountain, born to guard Cangwu Mountain!"

I frowned even more tightly: "Guard Cangwu Mountain? Doesn't Cangwu Mountain have a Great Witch?"

There is also Nirvana fire in Cangwu Mountain; not just anyone who wants to enter can enter.

Thus the Great Witch can keep to himself; why then does Cangwu Mountain need the entire Snow Phoenix clan to guard it?

Snow Phoenix replied solemnly: "Because our Snow Phoenix clan has always believed that when the Fire Witch God fell in Cangwu Mountain, her divine essence remains there in Cangwu Mountain..."