Sixth Master clearly knew something.
Otherwise, he wouldn’t have used the Thirteen Soul-Sealing Needles to seal her memories from before she turned five.
Once her memories had been unsealed, the seven masters saw that Feng Mingran was even calmer and more composed than they had expected, and couldn’t help but breathe a little easier.
As expected of the daughter they had raised themselves!
She was steady enough to keep her head and plan ahead!
“Sixth Master, when you found me back then, did you happen to see a well-looking couple nearby, along with three boys a few years older than me?”
Feng Mingran looked at Sixth Master.
What she really wanted to ask was whether he had seen her…
“I’m afraid not.” Sixth Master understood what she meant and hurried to answer.
Feng Mingran fell silent for a moment.
At least there was still hope they were alive.
However faint that hope might be, as long as there was even the slightest chance, she would find them!
Who had sent those assassins fifteen years ago?!
What had brought such disaster upon the Feng family?!
At five years old, she could only watch helplessly as those beasts tore apart the peaceful life she had cherished.
Fifteen years later, she wouldn’t spare a single one of them!!!
……
“Minger…”
“Xiaoranran…”
The masters seemed to want to say something, but hesitated.
“Do you all want to leave the mountain?”
Feng Mingran raised an eyebrow.
“Tch…”
“As if we’d dare… Your Grandmaster has got the few of us pinned down in these remote mountains…”
“Watch your disrespect, Junior Brother. It’s called ‘taking time to reflect’…”
A chorus of scoffs answered him.
That was right—Feng Mingran also had a “Grandmaster” she had never met.
What on earth had her seven masters done to commit such an outrage against their own master, that the legendary Grandmaster had “exiled” them to this “auspicious place”?
“Then how did Sixth Master…”
Feng Mingran left the question unfinished, but her meaning was clear.
“Your Grandmaster read the signs, sent word specifically, and had Old Six go pick up his granddisciple,” Fifth Master said with an air of deep mystery.
Well, it turned out this Grandmaster she’d never met was a fortune-teller!
Still, when she was too young to protect herself, this Grandmaster had given her a chance to live.
As for the time Sixth Master later went down the mountain and kidnapped someone for her birthday present, Feng Mingran privately reasoned that it was probably because Sixth Master was skilled in medicine. If Grandmaster caught him doing something wrong, he could take a beating—and had medicine to treat himself afterward.
……
The masters clearly understood their little disciple’s decision.
“Money makes the world go round. Xiaominger, take this black card. It works worldwide…”
With that, First Master pressed a black card into Feng Mingran’s hand.
“Power can make even demons bow. Raner, there are some numbers saved in this phone. They belong to people with a little influence; I’ve made notes beside them. They may come in handy if you ever need them…”
Another phone found its way into Feng Mingran’s palm.
She casually swiped through it, and her eyelid twitched.
“Xiaoran, remember the game Third Master used to play with you? Well, over the past few years, you’ve actually trained your own Peerless Elite Alliance…”
A ring signifying the Leader was slipped onto Feng Mingran’s thumb.
“Ran, Fourth Master has several bigger Weapons Vaults down the mountain—in Kyoto, Jiangnan, and overseas. He’s got people assigned to upgrade them regularly. You can go take a look when you have time…”
Another Fire Phoenix Ring was slipped onto Feng Mingran’s index finger.
“Xiaoranran, Fifth Master may not have much else, but I’ve got private planes and top-of-the-line cars in abundance. Oh, and I’ve also taken care of a place for you to live. This housekeeper is loyal enough; I’m sending him along with you…”
Fifth Master handed her the housekeeper’s contact information. Along with it came a long list.
“Xiaoranran, all Sixth Master has left is his medical skill. I’m passing this medical text on to you. In the end, everything else is just worldly possessions. Having a skill to rely on can be a lifesaver when you’re in need…”
The medical text, Sixth Master’s prized possession, landed heavily in Feng Mingran’s hands, its ownership now transferred.
He also gave her the set of Treasured Silver Needles he never let out of his sight.
Only with this set of needles could the Thirteen Soul-Sealing Needles be performed to perfection.
“Minger, if people leave me alone, I leave them alone. But if they come after me, I’ll poison them all! Half a lifetime of Seventh Master’s work is in here…”
Feng Mingran opened Seventh Master’s collection. The writing was vigorous and forceful, nothing like what one would expect from a woman.
It was packed with recipes for all kinds of poisons. The entries at the very end were clearly the most recent additions—there had to be at least a hundred of them.
There were also plenty of bottles and jars, all carefully packed away.
A single pill finding its way onto the market would probably have people fighting tooth and nail over it!
Seventh Master had laid bare every last secret she had.
“Masters…”
Feng Mingran rarely let her emotions show.
But facing the seven masters now, she could clearly feel warmth surging through her, and a faint glimmer of moisture passed through her eyes.
“Xiaominger, head down the mountain!”
First Master patted Feng Mingran on the back. Everything that needed to be said was understood.
“Minger, remember to miss Seventh Master.”
Seventh Master gave Feng Mingran no chance to refuse. She strode forward, scooped her up in her arms, and even gave her a little bounce.
“Get a good night’s sleep. You can head down the mountain tomorrow morning,” Sixth Master said, feigning ease.
Then he turned away.
He couldn’t let his Xiaoranran see that he was on the verge of tears!
Fifteen years ago, he had carried this child up the mountain with his own hands.
And just like that, fifteen years had passed!
Tomorrow morning, the child would be leaving the mountain.
The old man had said not to interfere too much in other people’s karma, or it would end in more loss than gain.
All his old companions could do was give Xiaoranran a little help along the way…
*
Early the next morning, Feng Mingran carefully prepared breakfast for her masters.
The mountain valley was as quiet as ever in the early morning.
A few exaggerated snores filled the air, each rolling snort seeming to say, “Don’t disturb my beauty sleep.”
Feng Mingran lowered her lovely eyes.
Her masters were such proud, stubborn old things…
All right, she’d just… let them be.
Feng Mingran casually picked up the backpack she had packed.
Well, time to go.
“Whoosh—”
A rush of air swept past.
Feng Mingran raised a hand slightly and caught an elegant-looking clutch.
When she opened it, she found every document she could need, all in order.
Her ID card, driver’s license, pilot’s license…
There was even a Kyoto University diploma!
The corner of Feng Mingran’s mouth twitched. Her masters might as well have prepared a marriage certificate for her too…
How thoughtful.
At the foot of the mountain.
For her, a former ace driver, the masters had prepared a self-driving car with no one at the wheel…