Xie Jiuniang finished her cultivation retreat and met her maid, He Xiang.
He Xiang asked respectfully, "Miss Jiuniu, would you like to eat something?"
"No need, I've taken a Fasting Pill." This Fasting Pill was still contributed by Xie Ying, and Jiuniang thought of something, "He Xiang, has anything happened in the family while I was in retreat?"
He Xiang hesitated and asked, "Should... should it be related to you?"
Upon hearing this, Jiuniang became interested and inquired, "Related to me? What is it?"
"It's just after you began your retreat, family members frequently came to visit," He Xiang thought for a moment and decided to tell the truth, "I suspect it's because of a rumor outside."
"What rumor?" Xie Jiuniang was surprised.
"Someone said that you have a Foundation Establishment Pill you can't use..." He Xiang sympathized with Miss Jiuniu.
This time, she was trapped by rumors.
In these days of retreat, people from the family had come over a dozen times, and there had always been people outside the courtyard waiting. Once the formation is closed, someone should know she had finished her retreat.
Xie Jiuniang's eyelids twitched.
Was trouble coming?
She did not believe that the major household had no hand in this.
But...
How to counterattack?
Jiuniang indirectly brought up a few points, but the scandal of her eldest uncle keeping a concubine actually hadn't been exposed.
That's odd!
In her previous life, it had already caused a stir at this time. Could there be some unexpected changes?
"Xiaojiu!"
Xie Siniang burst in briskly.
"Fourth Sister, why have you come?" Xie Jiuniang stood up with a welcoming smile.
"I had someone watching outside your room, and as soon as I heard you were out of retreat, I hurried over. Eh?" Xie Siniang exclaimed in surprise, "Xiaojiu, you've made a breakthrough! Wow, and you've even advanced two levels! Congratulations congratulations."
"Ah, just luck, just luck."
Xie Jiuniang smiled modestly.
She asked He Xiang to prepare some tea.
With a wave of her hand, Jiuniang brought out several large boxes of vestment robes and jewelry from her Storage Ring.
No less than five big boxes!
Xie Jiuniang patted her chest with a display of wealth and said, "Come on! Fourth Sister, pick whatever you like!"
Xie Siniang was firstly taken aback, then she laughed heartily, slapping Jiuniang's shoulder and saying, "Way to go, Xiaojiu, such spirit! But where did all this come from? They look familiar..."
"Didn't Second Uncle tell you?" Xie Jiuniang was surprised.
"No, he didn't. Tell me, tell me," Xie Siniang's eyes shone eagerly, waiting for her to explain.
Xie Jiuniang roughly described the situation, naturally leaving out what shouldn't be divulged.
Xie Siniang wanted to feel indignation for her, but since their grandfather had intervened, there was no room to maneuver. She cautiously asked, "You're not upset about losing the Cleansing Spiritual Grass?"
"Not upset at all."
On the contrary, Jiuniang was in a very good mood at the moment.
She had exchanged the Cleansing Spiritual Grass for the Time Leaf and also resolved her parents' issue.
Not a bad deal, right?
As for the matter of changing her talent, she remembered a few opportunities from her memory. Once she reached the necessary cultivation base, she would go to seize... ah, to obtain them.
In her past life, those opportunities belonged to others, but in this life, they're still unclaimed.
Opportunities, after all, belong to whoever gets them first!
At this moment, Xie Siniang was attracted by the heap of treasures and began to pick excitedly, "Wow, such treasures! All of them are great. Look at this newly designed light purple vestment skirt, it's priced at three to four hundred Spirit Stones in Xianling Pavilion."
"Not bad," Xie Jiuniang peeked and took a quick look.
In her past life, she had become picky, feeling it was just passable.
Having married Lin Wangchen in her previous life, she lived a life of luxury for a hundred years with no worries about resources. Subconsciously, she didn't want to wear other people's hand-me-down clothes, a little habit of cleanliness fostered by a life of wealth, perhaps also the reason she was disgusted by Xie Ying.
"Okay, I've chosen," said Xie Siniang, who only picked a vestment skirt and a headdress.
Xie Jiuniang's youthful face showed disdain as she picked up the best and newest vestment robes and jewelry on the spot, carefully selecting a large boxful.
"Take this box, Big Sister Four, and remember to wear them when you go to see Great Aunt. Help me infuriate her to death!"
Xie Siniang felt embarrassed to take them for free and hurriedly refused, "No, no, no, these could be sold outside for a big sum of Spirit Stones."
Xie Jiuniang understood her meaning but still shook her head before responding, "A girl's clothing and jewelry shouldn't be sold outside... It wouldn't be good if they were exploited by those with ulterior motives or collected by creepy men. I may not like Xie Ying, but I detest such matters."
"Xiaojiu is right, they shouldn't be sold outside," Xie Siniang shuddered at the thought.
Xie Ying held a much higher status in the clan than the two of them. If they were to tarnish her reputation, they might not be able to escape the consequences.
"If we can't sell to outsiders, then... selling to our own family members should be fine," Xie Jiuniang had already been plotting how to take another swipe at the main house.
She packed the remaining items and was about to leave when Xie Siniang grabbed her.
Xie Siniang warned, "Xiaojiu, there are many people outside with designs on you... "
"It's nothing," Xie Jiuniang interrupted her, "As long as I don't agree, they wouldn't dare to snatch, would they?"
"They wouldn't dare," Xie Siniang agreed.
"There you go, let's go! To the Youth Martial Hall."
The two sisters happily walked out hand in hand.
The Xie Family had a history of tens of thousands of years, with numerous collateral branches, but only one direct line remained.
Whether from the direct line or a collateral branch, all Xie Family children under the age of fifteen had to attend classes at the Youth Martial Hall.
At this time, outside the Youth Martial Hall, several people's thoughts were unsettled, and even the fighting on the sparring platform had lost its appeal.
Foundation Establishment Pill, ah, who could say they didn't need it?
"Big Brother Three, aren't you going to find Xiaojiu?" A few youths huddled together and whispered beneath the platform.
Xie Haozhi glanced at his younger brother and countered, "The gun shoots the bird that sticks its head out. Do you want to be that bird?"
"But if we're too slow, Xiaojiu might not be able to hold on," Xie Fifth frowned and said.
Xie Haozhi replied nonchalantly, "No worries, Xiaojiu is shrewd."
A child suddenly in possession of a Foundation Establishment Pill without any protection is like a child holding a gold brick in a crowded market.
Everyone is watching, everyone wants it.
Simultaneously, under an osmanthus tree on the edge of the square sat a haughty young girl, surrounded like the moon by stars.
A girl in pink rushed over and said, "Second Sister, why are you still sitting here? I heard that Xiaojiu is out of seclusion."
"So she's out, what's the hurry?" the haughty girl said without any intention of getting up.
The girl in pink asked puzzledly, "Don't you want the Foundation Establishment Pill? What if someone else gets it first?"
"Hmph! I've already spread the word, anyone who dares to snatch it is opposing me," the girl snorted coldly, with an obvious backstory, "Now we just wait for Xiaojiu to succumb to the pressure and want to sell it, then we'll make an offer. The Foundation Establishment Pill won't escape."
The other girls exchanged glances.
Just a few days ago, Second Sister hadn't said this.
What happened...?
Similar conversations were happening in several places.
Meanwhile, in the main courtyard of the large household, servants were haste fully reporting to their master. The main house was enjoying a stroke of luck; Xie Ying had been taken to the clan's secret place by the old ancestor.
They were just waiting for her to make a spectacular debut!
One of the ladies, previously quite pleased, almost lost her facade of gentleness upon hearing about Xie Jiuniang.
This person was none other than Xie Ying's mother, Chen Guan.
Desperately yearning for the Foundation Establishment Pill, she had nearly fainted from anger when it was snatched away, but after learning about her daughter's forthcoming great opportunity, destined to soar to the heavens, she calmed down.
She held back her impulses and refrained from seeking out Xie Jiuniang.
Her daughter's affairs were more important than a mere Foundation Establishment Pill, and it was essential not to make any missteps at a critical time.
But to be outwitted by a younger relative she once had in the palm of her hand was intolerable, so she secretly had the matter of the Foundation Establishment Pill spread far and wide.
Chen Guan thought she could just sit back and watch the drama unfold.
Instead, the blasted girl immediately went into seclusion!
After waiting for half a month, when she reappeared, she had risen two levels?
That damned girl must have used Ying'er's elixirs!
So infuriating!