Chapter 170
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Chapter 170: The Story of Huo Yang
Xiao Yu was a young girl trained during the time of Water Calamity Farm.
She taught general knowledge classes and did not involve martial skills or Spiritual Law.
In the past, she had little pressure and not much to teach, but after Yun Ye announced the Perfect Spirit, her curriculum expanded significantly, and she even had to start learning from scratch herself.
Despite the increased workload, she remained spirited, which was truly gratifying.
The second classroom had no teacher.
The children were discussing among themselves and completing their assignments.
Yun Ye did not linger and moved on. In the third classroom, he saw Tong Huo Yang.
“Everyone, read quietly for a while; someone is looking for the teacher.”
Tong Huo Yang had already heard Yun Ye’s footsteps. Dressed in her white robes, she appeared quite serene. Upon seeing Yun Ye, she set her book down and came outside.
“Young Master Dao, is there something you need from me?”
Tong Huo Yang looked at the young man in front of her and asked.
She admired him greatly, so her attitude was very respectful, even a bit reserved.
“I do need your assistance, Huo Yang. Let’s go outside to chat; this matter is somewhat complicated. Please listen to me before making any decisions.”
Yun Ye smiled slightly and spoke in a familiar tone.
“Complicated? Young Master Dao, you aren’t here to propose, are you?”
Tong Huo Yang seemed to be pondering.
“Much more complicated than that.”
Yun Ye sighed and turned to walk outside. Tong Huo Yang was startled and hurriedly followed.
Inside the classroom, many children stretched their necks to watch, their eyes filled with curiosity.
Upon seeing this, their eyes widened in amazement and they exclaimed:
“It’s Young Master Dao!”
“Young Master Dao actually came to see Teacher Huo Yang! Are they friends? Or is it something else?”
…
Outside, Yun Ye explained the situation regarding the forbidden grounds of Chao Jiazhe in detail.
Tong Huo Yang’s expression changed completely upon hearing that Yun Ye had taken in a total of thirty-three women and children, and during that time, there had even been two infants.
Her lips quivered slightly, unsure of what to say.
“It seems you are aware of similar incidents.”
Yun Ye observed Tong Huo Yang’s expression carefully. The reason he approached her was not only because she had experience with such matters, but also to gain a deeper understanding of the family dynamics.
At the very least, he wanted to see the differences between the Chao family and the Tong family.
Tong Huo Yang sighed softly and said, “Young Master Dao, do you wish to hear about the Tong family, or do you simply need my help?”
“Both, but if you’re unwilling, that’s perfectly fine. Here in the Tomorrow Society, your past has no bearing on your present,” Yun Ye replied.
“Is that so…” Tong Huo Yang forced a smile. “The Tong family is probably no different than what the young master thinks. If you would like to hear, I am willing to share.”
Although she was gradually getting used to life in the Tomorrow Society and moving away from her past, memories are not something that can simply be forgotten. When mentioned again, it inevitably felt unnatural.
“There’s no need to force yourself. I have already obtained most of the information from the head of the Chao family. Knowing the inner workings of the Tong family makes no difference to me; it ultimately leads to the word ‘extermination’,” Yun Ye said.
“Extermination… then I must speak. They cannot die so easily. How can it be a simple extermination? Each person should face death in the most painful way possible; a thousand cuts are not excessive,” Tong Huo Yang murmured.
Yun Ye felt a chill. It seemed that although Xiao Yue’s demeanor was much calmer, her inner fury remained unchanged.
“Let’s start from the beginning; this may take a while. We can sit over there.”
Yun Ye and Tong Huo Yang made their way to a large tree not far from the school, where there was a wooden bench that could seat three people.
Once seated, Tong Huo Yang’s face was shaded by the leaves as she began to share her experiences in the Tong family with Yun Ye.
“To start, I must mention the system implemented by the Tong family, the distinctions between the direct line and the collateral branches.”
“Any family of cultivators generally has differences between direct line descendants and collateral branches. However, unlike other families, the Tong family recruits children from outside tribes, allowing them to form collateral branches with part of the family’s bloodline.”
“I was one of them. Although I was officially Tong Yuan’s adopted daughter, that was only after I had distinguished myself…”
“Children from the collateral branches start training in killing techniques from a young age, around three years old, and undergo their first assessment at five. I remember there were eighteen of us taking the test together, and by the end, only four survived.”
“Hmm, the assessment was simply a brutal fight to the last one standing. The last four would officially become members of the Tong family’s collateral branches. Among those eighteen, one of my very close friends died while trying to save me from a blade.”
Tong Huo Yang recalled this moment carefully but shook her head, feeling a heavy sadness wash over her as she couldn’t remember the details clearly.
Yun Ye listened intently as she continued.
“After we turned five, we began learning to read and started practicing the Qi Cultivation Technique. However, every so often, there would be assessments, and only the fiercest and strongest children would receive the best food… a portion of Superior Food.”
“During this time, I made a few more close friends. We held on together for Three Years and formed an alliance, vowing to stick together until the end.”
“Then, when we turned eight, we faced another assessment. This time, we could form teams of three to face others. The top three teams would gain the qualification to learn Spiritual Law.”
“We excitedly teamed up, confident we could defeat everyone else. But then… it seemed like we were deceived. After forming our team, the Tong family informed us that only one of us could win, becoming a guard or servant to the family.”
“So, I used all my strength to defeat my two friends and earned the opportunity to awaken my Spiritual Roots. In the following two years, I grew stronger and defeated others in subsequent assessments, which led Tong Yuan to adopt me as his daughter.”
“Though adopted daughter is just a title, I remained essentially a collateral member, yet my status was greatly elevated, to the point where even some inept direct line descendants had to bow their heads to me…”
“It was quite delightful.”
At this point, Tong Huo Yang paused. “However, my two friends weren’t so lucky. They were given to direct line members as playthings. One was tortured to death early on, and the other became pregnant at twelve and died after giving birth.”
“The collateral branches and direct line descendants are different. Collateral branch women, if lacking in talent, become mere playthings and breeding vessels. I should have realized why the trials at eight weren’t like those at five, where we had to kill each other. We had been deceived just moments earlier, yet no one reacted.”
Had they really not reacted?
Who knows; it is now beyond investigation. Not every tragedy has a protagonist who can unveil it.
At least Yun Ye, who claimed to be destined, did not wish to hear such a response.
Yun Ye fell into silence.
For a long time, he remained quiet.
“Indeed, extermination is too simple. You are right, Huo Yang…”
