“Let’s take her back and treat her wounds first,” ordered the leader who was dressed in gray clothes.
“Don’t be afraid. We are with the Rebel Army now, those beasts won’t be able to trouble you again,” said Cui Cui’s mother. She called several women over and they helped Yun Jiuge get into the house. They began to clean and dress up Yun Jiuge’s wounds.
Yun Jiuge watched the women’s organized and nimble movements. The medicine they prepared was also prescribed correctly, so she quietly let them treat her wounds.
“Do you not remember what had happened?” asked Cui Cui’s mother. She asked Yun Jiuge repeatedly if she remembered how she got injured. When she did not get an answer from Jun Jiuge, she assumed that she was hurt by the soldiers.
Just as Yun Jiuge was about to doze off, someone offered her a pillow.
Yun Jiuge took it without hesitation.
“Those Wretched Evil Doers must have fed you the Soul Forgetting Water. They wanted you to forget your past. That way, they can make use of you however they want,” Cui Cui’s mother said. As Yun Jiuge listened to Cui Cui’s mother cursed the soldiers, she finally figured out what the seed was about.
In this part of the world, a person’s status was designated by their skin color.
The darker their skin color, the lower their status. The lighter their skin color, the higher was their status.
If one had fair skin, one could enter the palace and be chosen as the imperial concubine.
Initially, everyone thought it was a blessing to have a girl with white skin in their family. They would take extremely good care of her, in the hope that when she reached the age of 16, she could be sent to the palace to become a concubine who would be loved and revered by many.
The natural environment here was rather strange. Once a girl turned eight years old, her skin would gradually become gray. The number of white-skinned nobles who would grow to sixteen was extremely rare.
White-skinned nobles were very delicate. Not only did they have very little strength, they got injured easily too. They could not do anything laborious and they hardly lived beyond the age of sixteen.
Although these white-skinned nobles were physically weak, they were extremely intelligent. Even if they did not enter the palace as concubines, they would still gain status at home, some even led as head of their families.
Some did so well that they not only became the favorite in their family, they became very popular in villages and towns.
But all this changed one day when a wealthy family was exterminated for having secretly hidden a white-skinned noble in their family.
Only then, did the people realized that their white-skinned daughters were used as seeds for the devil when they were sent to the palace as concubines. All of them would die horribly in the palace.
Since then, the number of white-skinned women decreased dramatically.
Except for those evil folks who exchanged their children for wealth, others with a conscience were not willing to send their beloved children into the palace as they would surely perish.
Some white-skinned children would try their best to grow into gray-skinned people after they learned the truth.
With insufficient white-skinned women in the palace, the widespread rampage began. Even children who were not yet eight were not spared.
Chaos erupted in the Imperial Court and the people could no longer live in peace.
The corrupted officials would exploit the people under the pretext of searching for seeds. They used the search order as an excuse to blatantly massacre and steal. They were merciless and cruel.
During this terrible time, the Rebel Army appeared. They went around rescuing white-skinned women. They killed the brutal Envoys and helped to arrange shelter for the people.
“Don’t be afraid, although it is a bit difficult to turn gray-skinned at your age, there are many talented people in the Rebel Army. I am sure there will be a way to help you. When you become gray-skinned like us, you need not fear being sent to the palace or being bullied anymore, “Cui Cui’s mother comforted Yun Jiuge.
Yun Jiuge was not a native of this land, she couldn’t possibly turn gray but she chose not to explain herself.
“This place is very strange,” said Zi Shang. He went on to say, “Their Fiendish Qi comes from the same place in the Fiendish Corpse Secret Realm. They are likely descendants of the cultivators who were trapped in the Fiendish Corpse Secret Realm. For us to leave this place, we need to get into the palace and find out what is going on. I do not think that the emperor is ordering the killing of white-skinned women without a reason.”
“Even if we were to enter the palace, we have to wait until my cultivation level returns. Otherwise, wouldn’t I be courting death, going in looking like I do?” Those soldiers that they had encountered, showed no mercy to any white-skinned people.
“You are right, of course,” said Zi Shang. He needed to quickly recover too. Otherwise, if something were to happen, he would not be able to save Yun Jiuge.
These gray-skinned people’s medication was very effective, the injuries Yun Jiuge sustained healed rapidly.
At the same time, the Rebel Army was helping the villagers prepared for their move to the shelter. Every family packed up things that could be used and carried heavy loads on their backs. Even a broken pot was precious and taken along.
Yun Jiuge who had recovered followed the Rebel Army and the villagers as they went up a big, high mountain.
The mountain track was steep and difficult to walk on. Those villagers had to haul themselves up, each carrying several large packages.
But they were walking with vigor, without the slightest trace of fatigue. Even Cui Cui, who had just recovered, carried her family’s lamb as she followed the large group from behind.
Yun Jiuge, a cultivator, was surprisingly the weakest. Cui Cui’s mother comforted her, saying that she was much stronger than most of the other white-skinned nobles.
When Cui Cui was white-skinned, she could walk on flat ground only for a few minutes before she became too exhausted. She certainly would not have been able to carry a lamb on a mountain track like she was doing now.
Yun Jiuge thought that after practicing the Ten-thousand Beast Technique, her physical fitness was much better than the ordinary folks, but she was nothing in front of these gray-skinned aunties!
“Zi Shang, these gray-skinned people are awesome. After awakening, they have great strength, the ability to not fall ill, and possess a strong reproductive ability. It can be considered as an excellent evolution, so why do the emperor regard the gray-skinned people as lowly and white-skinned folks as people of higher status?” said Yun Jiuge. She found it odd.
These gray-skinned folks were just ordinary people and yet they were so strong. With good seeds, they would be even more extraordinary.
If someone trained them well, they would be able to cultivate a powerful and terrifying army that could surely overthrow the major Sects outside.
“I too, find it strange. The only way to find out why is to enter the palace,” he replied. Zi Shang too had recovered somewhat, but he was still too weak to manifest himself and to follow Yun Jiuge physically.
“If this place is connected to the Fiendish Corpse Secret Realm, then what do we do if we can’t catch the opening time of the Secret Realm to leave this place?” asked Yun Jiuge. She was worried as only seven days remained before the Fiendish Corpse Secret Realm would re-open.
“It doesn’t matter, our lives are more important. Let’s proceed one step at a time,” Zi Shang said. He was not in a hurry. It was not a big deal as there would always be a next time when the Fiendish Corpse Secret Realm would re-open again.
“Well, I don’t have so much idle time to waste in this damned place,” replied Yun Jiuge. She thought about it and decided to talk to the leader of the Rebel Army. It would be better if they could cooperate.
With the help of Cui Cui’s mother, Yun Jiuge would soon get to meet the leader of the Rebel Army.
After dinner, Cui Cui’s mother took Yun Jiuge to a tent and said quietly, “The leader is inside. Talk to him about any difficulties that you are facing. I am sure, he will help you out.”
“Thank you,” said Yun Jiuge as she smiled gratefully at Cui Cui’s mother. Then she walked into the tent alone.
A tall, well-built man was standing inside the tent. He had a bronze mask on his face so Yun Jiuge could not see his face at all. He spoke in a cold, monotonous voice, “I heard that you have something to discuss with me.”
“Yes, my Lord. Although I have lost most of my memory, I vaguely remember that I have a sister who’s amongst the captured white-skinned people, I need to go back and save her. Could you please help me?” asked Yun Jiuge as she looked earnestly at the leader.
