"Nan Nan?"
Hearing the weak voice in the broadcast, Lin Yu's brows furrowed tightly.
Live broadcasts spaced six months apart usually depict events from the future. Previous broadcasts had all shown scenes from the Absolute Tang Sect era, so it seemed likely this one would too.
If this broadcast was indeed set during the Absolute Tang Sect, then "Nan Nan"... could this possibly be about Jiang Nan Nan?
Lin Yu speculated as he listened to the frail voice in the broadcast.
The live broadcast continued.
As the voice murmured, the camera zoomed into a shabby wooden cabin, revealing its interior.
Inside the cramped and worn-out room, a modest bed was placed against the wall. On it sat a pale-faced woman in simple clothes, occasionally wracked by coughing fits.
Beside her, a young girl in a pink dress held a porcelain bowl filled with dark herbal medicine, carefully feeding her mother.
The girl looked around fourteen or fifteen, with a tall, slender figure, long golden hair tied into a single ponytail, and a complexion as fair as snow. She was beautiful and soft-featured, yet her gaze held a resilient strength.
Her mother's condition brought worry to the girl's face, but she remained firm as she spoke.
"Mom, Dad's gone. You're all I have left. As long as I'm alive, I won't ever give up on you!"
"Nan Nan..."
The mother's heart ached with a mix of sadness and gratitude, touched by her daughter's loyalty but pained by the burden she was putting on her.
"Mom, let's go to Shrek City. We can't find proper treatment here; only the doctors in Shrek City have the skills to help you," the girl urged, her determination unwavering.
With tears in her eyes, the mother nodded reluctantly.
She hadn't wanted to go through the hassle of seeking medical help. Her daughter had already collected herbs from the nearby hills and brewed countless medicines, but none had healed her.
She knew deep down that her illness wasn't something minor.
If it was as serious as she suspected, they'd need more than a diagnosis—they'd need an expensive treatment plan, one their meager means could never afford.
Yet, seeing her daughter's determination, she couldn't bring herself to refuse. With her daughter being a core disciple at Shrek Academy, surely they could afford to get her the help she needed...
Shrek City, huh? So this broadcast involves Shrek Academy again...
People watching the broadcast murmured among themselves, frowning.
As Jiang Nan Nan prepared to take her mother to Shrek City, the scene shifted to an infirmary within the city.
Jiang Nan Nan had brought her mother to a doctor who, upon examining her, could only sigh deeply.
"Doctor, what's wrong with my mother? Can she be cured?" Jiang Nan Nan asked, her voice filled with hope.
The doctor looked at her sympathetically.
"Your mother has had a heart condition since birth. With plenty of rest, she might have managed well enough. But with the years of overwork and lack of sleep, her condition has worsened, until it finally reached this state."
"So, Doctor… is there any way to treat her?"
Upon hearing it was a congenital disease, Jiang Nan Nan's heart sank. But she still held on to a shred of hope.
"I'm sorry, young lady. I'm afraid I'm not skilled enough to help your mother."
The doctor shook his head. "However, I've heard that the Mysterious Xuanwu Sect has a rare pill called the Xuanwu Divine Pill. It's said to be incredibly potent, and able to repair damage and strengthen the body. But… this pill is extremely rare, worth more than gold."
The doctor's words shattered Jiang Nan Nan's remaining hope.
She didn't even have a hundred gold soul coins to her name, let alone enough to buy the Xuanwu Divine Pill, nor did she know where to find it.
Poor girl...
People watching the broadcast were heartbroken at Jiang Nan Nan's determination to save her mother, even against hopeless odds. Many felt a pang of sympathy, especially Liu Erlong.
As a child, she had lived similarly to Jiang Nan Nan, with a background that wasn't entirely different.
Although Liu Erlong was born into the illustrious Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, her status as a daughter born out of wedlock had left her and her mother in a village, struggling to survive.
Watching Jiang Nan Nan, she saw glimpses of her younger self.
Back in the broadcast.
The Xuanwu Divine Pill seemed to be the only way to save her mother, but with its value beyond gold, Jiang Nan Nan was filled with despair. Yet, she didn't give up hope.
Knowing she couldn't afford or locate the Xuanwu Divine Pill on her own, Jiang Nan Nan made the hard choice to turn to Shrek Academy for help.
This wasn't a decision she made lightly.
Though her family was poor, her pride was strong. Her humble background had made her fiercely independent, but her mother's life left her with no choice.
So, setting her pride aside, Jiang Nan Nan approached her instructors at Shrek Academy for help.
However, to her shock, they turned her down. Not only did they refuse to help, but they didn't even bother to bring her request to higher authorities.
In that moment, Jiang Nan Nan felt completely crushed.
The viewers were at a loss for words.
Shrek Academy—renowned as the top academy in the land—wouldn't even extend a hand to a gifted disciple in need.
Watching, members of the Spirit Hall sneered.
If this were a Spirit Hall disciple, they thought, they'd have helped her without a second thought. It's a small price for someone with Jiang Nan Nan's talent, who could reach Spirit Sage in the future. For a mere sum, they'd have gained the loyalty of a future powerhouse!
But what followed shattered the viewers' perceptions further.
While Shrek Academy refused to help Jiang Nan Nan directly, they gave her another option: she could sell herself to the Mysterious Xuanwu Sect to obtain the Xuanwu Divine Pill.
Note: If you are interested, read up to chapter 373 at patreon.com/MythMosaic.