Chapter 3 How can it not make people feel chilled?
Qiu Ling scoffed, "Do you think anyone would want to marry me when, in others' eyes, I'm suffering from Devilish Qi intrusion and need a large amount of crystal stones to stabilize my Mental Energy Rank?
".The way I am now, I'm probably not even as desirable as an ordinary unmarried girl.
"Mother Qiu's heart ached. "No, that won't happen.
There are still several days left. We've even removed the Devilish Qi, so why would we be afraid of not finding a suitable marriage partner?
This is a woman's lifelong happiness, Ling Ling.
We should at least try our best and not leave any regrets!
"Qiu Ling looked at her. The Original Owner's father was a double A-Class Warrior, and her mother was a Pill Refining Contract Master.
They gave birth to her Elder Brother Qiu Ze and the Original Owner.However, the Original Owner's mother was already frail and didn't recover well after childbirth.
Coupled with the deaths of her two S-Rank husbands who successively died during missions, she passed away in grief when the Original Owner was four years old.Mother Qiu was Father Qiu's later wife, Bai Qin, who was also widowed and had a son.Bai Qin was kind-hearted and soft-natured, and she often suffered grievances from her in-laws and sisters-in-law.Her son, Wei Jing, had good Aptitude.
With his addition to the Vicious Beast hunting team led by Father Qiu, casualties were reduced, and the harvest was considerably more abundant.It's just that children are mostly hostile towards stepmothers.
The Original Owner and her Elder Brother were kind to everyone, but they couldn't control their aversion towards Bai Qin and Wei Jing.Qiu Ling smiled and said indifferently, "If it's a fiancé that Qiu Yi doesn't want, then I might as well follow the System's arrangements.
At least the husband chosen for me by the System has a very high compatibility score with me.Besides, I don't think my luck is bad.
Marriage is inherently a gamble!So, you don't need to worry about it.
"Mother Qiu sighed, "I just feel wronged for Ling Ling.
""Wronged about what? I actually think it's quite good.
Before, I was blind and foolish, unable to see who truly cared for me and who was using me as a fool.During this time, I've been nurturing my Mental Energy, which is perfect for seeing which of those so-called relatives are human and which are ghosts.I'm not going to be a pushover anymore!
"Mother Qiu knew she was strong-willed and nodded, "That's good too, but Ling Ling, don't keep your frustrations bottled up.
Speak up if something's bothering you."Qiu Ling stood up, "Okay, this afternoon, some parents will probably come to ask for crystal stones.
You should make a note of it.Later, when my Mental Energy is recovered and I refine Medicinal Pills again, they won't get any.
"Mother Qiu was startled, then said somewhat gritting her teeth, "Are there really such shameless parents?
""You'll know if you see them, won't you?
When I was doing well, they eagerly came to pour out their hearts and talk about favors.
Now that I have no use, they naturally don't want to be associated with me at all.What can we say to excuses like 'the child didn't know any better,' 'the adults didn't know,' or 'there are expenses at home'?
" Qiu Ling shrugged indifferently.Mother Qiu felt another wave of helplessness and heartache, somewhat understanding what Second Uncle Qiu had said about adapting to the disparity.Back in her room, Qiu Ling sat cross-legged on the bed.
The little figure in her Sea of Consciousness was also comfortable now, stretching lazily and beginning to clean, repair, and rebuild the Original Owner's chaotic and fragmented Sea of Consciousness little by little.She was accustomed to constructing her Sea of Consciousness in the form of a Formation.
This not only enhanced her Mental Energy, making it difficult for others to attack her Mental Energy, but also had a high possibility of trapping and even devouring opponents!
This was a delicate and massive engineering task.
Qiu Ling was not in a hurry, letting the little figure work unhurriedly.Sure enough, in the next two days, several groups of parents came at different times, asking Mother Qiu to return the crystal stones their children had given.Even with her psychological preparation, Mother Qiu was so angry she couldn't eat.Qiu Ling's mindset was stable.
Aside from coming out for three meals a day, she usually stayed in her room, researching the light brain on her wrist and curiously learning about this world.The Original Owner was a Pill Refining Contract Master, so her social circle was bound to be quite wide.
She had joined many group chats: Family groups, household groups, Pill Refining Contract Master groups, groups for buying Spiritual Plants or Medicinal Pills, and so on.Except for the household group, all other group chats were muted.Since the Original Owner returned from the Demonic Forest, the news of her being infected by Devilish Qi had spread through various groups.
Many people sent her private messages: some sympathetic and comforting, some gloating, and some stabbing her in the back.Qiu Ling looked through them one by one, and anyone who made her feel even a little uncomfortable was immediately blacklisted!
With the world quiet, she went to her Elder Brothers' training room at home and played a holographic online game that simulated fighting Vicious Beasts.As for Cultivating, that didn't exist. Anyway, people's lifespans in the Interstellar era only reached a maximum of over eight hundred years.In this life, she planned to consume Medicinal Pills all the way.
As her cultivation was pushed up, her lifespan would naturally also be extended.When her Sea of Consciousness was 30% repaired, Father Qiu, along with her Two Elder Brothers, rushed back the day before her eighteenth birthday.Normally, they would go to the Clan first and only return home after submitting the spoils from their expedition.Having received Mother Qiu's message, the three of them went straight home.
"Ling Ling, did you really completely remove the Devilish Qi?
" Father Qiu asked nervously.Qiu Ling was rummaging through the items the father and sons brought back: mostly crystal cores, hides, and bones from Vicious Beasts, as well as some edible meat.She nodded, "Of course.
I have no reason to lie about this. Look, I didn't take a single demon dispelling pill, I didn't roll around on the ground, and I didn't turn into an idiot!
"Qiu Ze squatted beside her, frowning deeply and clenching his fists as he asked, "Ling Ling, did your Mental Energy drop to C-Rank?
And did Qiu Yi steal your four fiancés?"Before Qiu Ling could speak, Wei Jing said in a deep voice, "Qiu Ling, I.
.. I can be one of your husbands! Our harvest this time was pretty good, and with the Family's savings, we should be able to hire two husbands with good Aptitude and abilities for you.
.."Qiu Ling quickly called a halt, looking at her Family's concern for her, and lightly chuckled as she repeated what she had told Mother Qiu.Hearing that she wanted to choose a System-matched marriage, several people disagreed.
After all, choosing a spouse requires multi-faceted consideration: appearance, Aptitude, Family background, character, ability, and so on.
How could one only look at compatibility scores?
Just as they were earnestly trying to persuade her, the Qiu Clan Chief arrived with some people.
"Qiu Zhan, no one wanted Ling Ling to have this accident, but it has already happened.
You must learn to accept reality.Previously, we sent a million crystal stones and some Spiritual Plants for her recovery and nourishment.This time, you should leave an extra 10% of the supplies you brought back.
.. You also know that the Qiu Family children's Cultivation resources are already not abundant.
We can't abandon them and only care for Ling Ling alone.
.."Father Qiu had already learned the details from Mother Qiu.
Ling Ling had previously enjoyed the Clan's resources, but her contributions to the Family were even greater.Now that her Mental Energy Rank had declined, the Clan members didn't even try to save her; they directly chose to abandon her!
How could that not make one's heart grow cold?He said coldly, "Clan Chief, the Flame Vicious Beast Hunting Team was organized by me.Before, I thought that Ling Ling's Alchemy consumed resources, so I handed over my hunting gains to the Clan.
It was merely moving things from one hand to the other, so I naturally didn't mind.Now my Ling Ling needs demon dispelling pills.
The supplies I hunted this time won't even buy a few, so I can't spare any for the other children in the Clan. "