Tribe Adoption Section Two
Na Zhebu stopped at a place with lush aquatic plants. After the sacrifice, they set up tents and built simple sheepfolds and horse enclosures, and the tribesmen were busy from dawn till dusk.
Soon after, Sangzhu gave birth to a daughter. Although Ahmu'er was somewhat disappointed in his heart, he was still very happy to have had his first child at the age of forty or so, and his daughter was born beautiful and healthy, which made him quite pleased. The name is: Yuanyan.
Yu Xue Yu Yan slowly grew up under the careful care of Sang Zhu Ao Mu Er.
Yu Xue gradually understood things. She knew she wasn't the birth child of the tribal leader and his wife, although they treated her very well, there was always some difference. Yu Xue was young but naturally clever, she was grateful for the tribal leader's kindness and respected them a lot, and also got along with Yu Yan. Sometimes when she saw Yu Yan rolling around in their parents' arms, being spoiled, although her face didn't change, she felt very envious inside. But she couldn't do it herself, so she could only put on a mature appearance. The other children in the tribe never played with her, and whenever they saw her coming over, they would scatter without saying anything. As time went by, she understood that her origins were unusual, and was even more grateful to the tribal leader and his wife. At a young age, she had developed a strong character, helping the tribal leader and his wife with their busy work, never complaining. Fortunately, Yu Yan was very close to her, always following her around like a shadow.
Here is the translation:
Yu Xue was already six years old. The bell-shaped bangle on her wrist seemed a bit strange. When Sanzhu first took her in and tried to bathe and change her clothes, she wanted to take off the bangle but as soon as she applied some force, her hand went numb and she felt dizzy and disoriented, scaring her into never daring to touch it again. The tribe leader knew about this and ordered her not to tell anyone else. From then on, the bell became Yu Xue's trademark - wherever she went, the sound of the bell followed. The bangle below the bell strangely grew larger as Yu Xue's wrist grew thicker with age, always fitting tightly. One time, Yu Xue and Yu Yan were playing hide-and-seek. Just as she was about to lose again because of the ringing sound, she couldn't help but feel angry and said to the bell, "It's all your fault! If you're really a good treasure, you should listen to me - ring when I want you to, be silent when I don't." As soon as she finished speaking, the bell flashed with a burst of light, as if it had understood. From then on, the sound of the bell really did follow Yu Xue's wishes, ringing or being silent according to her mood. The tribe members found this even more bizarre and no one dared approach her.
The life of nomadic people is very hard. They move from place to place in search of water and grass. When they encounter natural disasters, epidemics among cattle and sheep, it's even more unbearable. But the children of the prairie are also strong, just like the roots of grass that survive under ice and snow, and next year will be lush and green again.
The head of the family had no male help, so he and his wife worked hard every day. Yu Xue started doing some household chores at the age of three: taking care of her sister, making milk tea, etc. When she was six years old, she became a skilled helper in both indoor and outdoor work. She took care of her sister, fetched water, cooked meals, picked up cow dung, cut grass for cattle, and worked from dawn till dusk without stopping. As a result, she developed a strong physique, taller than children of the same age, looking slender but actually having robust bones and great strength, with rosy cheeks and never getting sick.
That Zhebu is a small tribe with about 100 households and 700-800 people. Compared to those large Mongolian tribes, it can't be compared. The location is also remote, almost isolated from the world, and even the nearest tribe is hundreds of miles away. Therefore, Yu Xue sisters are nominally princesses but not even comparable to the maidservants of a medium-sized tribe's princess. Like other children in the tribe, they do everything by themselves without any pampering.
This summer, the grass is lush and green. In the distance, the sacred mountain rises steeply into the sky. Above the snow line, ice and snow stretch across the sky; below the snow line, however, life bursts forth, with greenery filling the eyes. The remaining momentum of the sacred mountain extends unceasingly to the grasslands, forming a series of high and low hills. Countless valleys are hidden among them, with lush forests becoming a paradise for flying birds and running beasts. Nearby, the hills turn into gentle slopes, trees become sparse, and pasture grasses thrive, occasionally dotted with small lakes like mirrors. Further down, it becomes flat plains, where flocks of sheep float like white clouds in the vast green sea of flowers everywhere. From time to time, tribespeople ride horses, loudly shouting at cattle and sheep, breaking the silence, with sounds echoing between heaven and earth.
The weather is so good, the sky is blue and white clouds, the air is filled with the fragrance of green grass and flowers. Yushan took her sister to do a big bad thing. She was picking up cow dung. Mongolians would not use precious pasture as fuel. Every household dried cow dung to make fire for warmth. When burning, the flame was small but the smoke was very large. Generally, it was the job of small children. Sometimes, people from the same clan would go to the forest together to cut down trees and repair fences, but this happened rarely. Before going, they had to offer sacrifices to the mountain god to avoid his anger, which was a lot of trouble. In the mountains, there were many ferocious beasts, wolves, tigers, leopards, and so on. Only brave warriors from the clan could enter the mountains together. The children usually followed the cowherds around the campsite to pick up some cow dung every day.
Yu Xue carried a large bamboo basket on her back and held a wooden shovel in her hand, scooping up cow dung into the basket whenever she saw some. Yu Yan followed beside her, carrying a willow basket and picking wild mushrooms from the grass. The two of them gradually walked further and further away.
Jade Snow saw that the basket was already full and helped Jade Goose pick up the mushrooms. Last night, a small rain fell, and overnight, many mushrooms sprouted. The two sisters would occasionally find a cluster and couldn't help but excitedly cry out. Looking at their harvest, they decided it wasn't bad and prepared to head home. As soon as they stood up, they saw that dusk had fallen all around them and didn't know when they had arrived in a small valley, but they were lost.
The sky had darkened. In the center of the valley was a small lake with clear and deep water, surrounded by tall grasses and shrubs, and beyond that was a dark forest. The two sisters heard rustling sounds coming from the forest, and through the gaps in the trees, they could see countless wild beasts staring at them with their piercing green eyes, making their hair stand on end.
Yu Xue hastily pulled Yu Yan towards the outside of the valley. Suddenly, a loud beast roar shook the air, causing birds to scatter and a white-browed tiger to burst out from the forest, chasing after them. The two girls were young and couldn't run fast. Just as the tiger was about to catch up, Yu Xue somehow found the strength to lift up a dung basket and fling it at the tiger's face. The tiger easily dodged it but became even more enraged, letting out a low growl before pouncing on the two girls again. Yu Yan cried out in shock and fell to the ground. In the midst of danger, Yu Xue instinctively shielded her sister with her body, eyes closed, waiting for death as the tiger's bloody mouth drew closer, its stench filling her nostrils. Unconsciously, she raised her right arm to protect her head and face.
Although she closed her eyes tightly, she still felt a dazzling red light flashing before her eyes. The air suddenly became scorching hot. When she heard the tiger's sudden and mournful cry, she opened her eyes out of curiosity. She saw that the big tiger was burnt to a crisp, its fur blackened, and it stumbled away. In front of her, a large bird floated in mid-air. Its entire body was covered in golden red feathers, with layers of flames rolling on its back, and it had a beautiful long tail feather behind it. The bird looked at Yuxue with its intelligent and dynamic black eyes for a moment, then nodded three times and suddenly let out a soft chirp before transforming into a ball of fire that rushed towards her. Yuxue didn't have time to be surprised before she felt her head become hot, followed by a cool sensation, as if a refreshing spring had flowed through her mind. Then, a loud rumbling sound echoed in her brain, and countless graphic characters rotated and rushed towards her in confusion. Her legs softened, and she fell to the ground, losing consciousness.
Dazed and confused, I don't know where I am, it's like a void space. All around is fog, Yu Xue is running around in vain, can't find her sister Yu Yan anywhere. Suddenly the fog disperses, and a beautiful woman appears before my eyes. She wears white clothes, her skirt fluttering as if she's about to float away on the wind. Her posture is noble and holy, her face seemingly both sad and happy, silently gazing at Yu Xue.
Jade snow had never seen her before but felt extremely familiar as if she had seen her thousands of times in her dreams, and the words came out of her mouth:
"Are you my mother?"
The woman was still silently looking at her, and although her lips didn't move, a gentle voice echoed in Yu Xue's heart.
"Child, I am your mother. By now, you must have grown up and Mother really wants to take a good look at you. Don't be surprised, this is just an image of Mother left in your mind, actually, I'm not here. Mother's time is limited, you must listen carefully to what Mother says."
Jade Snow nodded with tears in her eyes. Her Chinese was limited to her own name, but strangely, she understood every word her mother said.
"Child, the legends of gods and demons in this world may have many untrue parts, but most are real. I am a cultivator who practices Taoism. The gods that people talk about come from this. However, my skills are not yet refined and I have not achieved great success. When the time comes for me to pass on my knowledge to you using the Supreme Dao Law, the seal will be lifted. You must practice well. Perhaps one day we can meet again as mother and daughter, remember! The bell on your wrist is an ancient treasure that I unintentionally obtained, called the Sealing Beast Bell. It can seal all kinds of demons and beasts, its uses are endless. I have already found a way to make it recognize you as its master, and also obtained the consent of the Phoenix, a divine beast, to protect you completely. However, this bell's power is too great, and my cultivation is not enough, so remember not to use it carelessly, or you will suffer from backlash and be in danger. Child, also remember that people's hearts are treacherous, always leave some room for doubt. Even if you meet someone on the right path, don't easily trust them or show off your skills. Especially, never use the Sealing Beast Bell in front of others, if you attract envy, disaster will befall you. Remember! Time is up, I'm leaving now. Practice well and take care!"
Yu Xue listened to her mother's words, nodding and crying. Suddenly, she saw two lines of clear tears flowing from her mother's eyes, and her body slowly became transparent and dissipated into thin air. She cried out: "Mother!" and jumped up. Then she suddenly woke up, realizing it was just a dream, still lying in the tribal elder's tent.
