Cecilia Gu and Molly Yun quickly exchanged a glance and shook their heads at the same time: "No!"
This is something we absolutely can't admit to.
If the family found out that the two of them almost didn't make it back from that primal tribe, they'd probably never let them out of the house again!
The Yun family's attitude has always been firm!
Getting their two daughters back was the greatest relief for the Yun elders—nothing was more important than their daughters' safety.
"I've seen that altar before," Mr. Yun said, not really thinking much about it. He just kept talking: "That tribe is split into two groups. One group never interacts with the outside world and always stays on their territory. The other group is just a handful of people who have some contact with outsiders. But it's rare—apart from some necessary academic exchanges, they never have any personal dealings with outsiders."
Cecilia Gu's eyes flickered: "Dad, what made you want to learn about that tribe? From what you're saying, they didn't want to talk to you at all, so how did you find all this out?"
"Oh, that? Naturally, it was because they wanted to buy a medicine from our Yun family," Mr. Yun replied casually. "Our family's medicine is famous all over the world. Whenever people have rare and difficult illnesses and want to seek a cure, they always ask the Yun family if we have a remedy for it."
Mr. Yun looked proud—this was the charm of the Yun family.
"So Dad just happened to deal with someone from that tribe once?" Molly Yun lowered her eyes and poured tea for Mr. Yun herself. "Did you ever go to that tribe, Dad?"
"No," Mr. Yun shook his head right away. "Their tribe has a barrier—without the High Priest's permission, outsiders can never find the location of their tribe, and even the people inside can't escape the maze he created."
Just as expected!
That day in the Primal Jungle, the High Priest was clearly leading them there on purpose!
Molly Yun nodded lightly at Cecilia Gu, showing that her guess was almost certainly correct.
That High Priest really is suspicious!
His partnership with Charles Yin is suspicious too!
"That tribe has existed for thousands of years—it's amazing that it's still around," Mr. Yun said. "Their High Priest is pretty extraordinary too. He has abilities that defy logic. Their sacred texts say the High Priest can communicate with heaven and earth and channel the power of the gods. Sure, that's probably exaggerated, but he must have some kind of power."
Cecilia Gu sighed inwardly.
He definitely has some kind of power!
Being able to control souls is already terrifying enough, okay?
"It's best not to get involved with people like that if you can help it," Mr. Yun concluded. "Cecilia, Molly."
"Hmm?" Cecilia Gu and Molly Yun looked up at the same time.
"You two are my only children, and I'm content with that," Mr. Yun said, holding both daughters' hands. "I don't expect you to accomplish anything earth-shattering. I just want you to be safe and sound."
"Dad," Cecilia Gu said with a smile, "aren't we doing great right now? Charles and I already have a bunch of kids. Sis is newly married, but Eric Jiang treats her so well! The Jiang family isn't the type to make life hard for their daughters-in-law, so my sister is just as comfortable now as she was before she got married. What do you have to worry about?"
"Yeah, I really shouldn't have anything to worry about," Mr. Yun sighed. "But I can't help but have something on my mind. You came back this time to see your grandmother because you had something weighing on you, right? You don't have to say it—I can guess. You're here for the next generation's Astrologer, aren't you?"
Cecilia Gu and Molly Yun's smiles faded. "Dad..."
Mr. Yun waved his hand. "You both know the Yun family's history well. Long ago, our family only married within to ensure the bloodline's continuity—and because only family would willingly protect the clan. Every generation's Astrologer devoted their life to the Yun family. That's the rule."
Molly Yun lowered her gaze and nodded. "Dad, I understand."
"Yuhan and Yinuo clearly didn't inherit that power," Mr. Yun said. "So the only possibility is your child, Molly. Now that you're married to Eric Jiang and you're the Jiang family's young mistress, the rule is that the Astrologer must bear the Yun surname and return to our family. Will the Jiang family agree to that?"
Molly Yun hadn't thought about this question before.
Right now, all she's worried about is her child—she doesn't want the kid to get mixed up with that mysterious High Priest. As for the surname, she really hadn't thought about it yet.
Cecilia Gu immediately said, "Dad, it's a bit early to worry about this—my sister isn't even pregnant yet!"
"Some things, you should give the Jiang family a heads-up about in advance," Mr. Yun said, sipping his tea with effortless elegance.
But his words weighed on Molly Yun's heart, making her feel inexplicably anxious.
"My sister's not just going to have one child," Cecilia Gu said, quietly holding Molly Yun's hand. "She's not like me—my body was ruined by medicine, so having two kids is already a blessing. With the Yun family looking after her, and since she's still young, she can have as many as she wants! If we pick one child to have the Yun surname, I don't think the Jiang family will mind."
"This is something you two will have to work out yourselves," Mr. Yun nodded.
"Dad!" Molly Yun couldn't help but ask, "Why are you so sure the next Astrologer will be my child? The Yun family has so many branches—couldn't it come from one of them?"
Mr. Yun immediately pointed upstairs toward the attic.
This chapter isn't finished yet~.~ Click next page to keep reading the exciting story!
Cecilia Gu instantly understood: "Is this Grandma's divination result? So, my sister's child really will be the next Astrologer?"
Molly Yun's heart started racing even faster.
The worst outcome would be just like this.
If her child really does become the next Astrologer... would that tribe's High Priest target her child?
"Are you two hiding something from me?" Mr. Yun asked, seeing both daughters looking worried. "Even if an Astrologer is born, they're still a Yun family child—why are you so nervous? Would the Yun family ever let your child be mistreated?"
"Dad, that's not what we mean," Cecilia Gu quickly explained. "My sister just... she's worried that having this identity might put pressure on the child. You know how it is—parents always want their kids to grow up happy and carefree."
Mr. Yun, being a man, wasn't that sensitive, but he believed his daughter's explanation. "You're a mom now too, so you understand how we feel."
"Exactly," Cecilia Gu said with a smile. "Dad, do you think if my sister's child inherits the bloodline, they have to become the Astrologer?"
"Yes," Mr. Yun was firm about this. "It's a responsibility that comes from the bloodline. For thousands of years, the Yun family's ups and downs have always had the Astrologer's protection. Speaking of which, our family has a beautiful legend about this."
"What legend?" Molly Yun asked casually.
"According to the records, about a thousand years ago, during a time of chaos when warlords fought endlessly and the people suffered, the Yun family chose to lay low. But the family's Astrologer was invited by a warlord to serve as his strategist. He had to go, because his beloved had been selected for the palace to become the warlord's woman. His beloved was the youngest daughter of the Yun family, his childhood sweetheart and fiancée."
Cecilia Gu and Molly Yun were instantly drawn into the story. "And then?"
"The Astrologer went to great lengths to make sure his fiancée wasn't chosen. He deliberately got close to the warlord's daughter, who ended up falling for him and insisted on marrying him. The Astrologer told her that if she could make sure the Yun family's youngest daughter wasn't chosen, he'd marry her. The warlord's daughter agreed and really did use her influence to make the Yun family's youngest daughter lose out."
"To keep his promise, the Astrologer married the warlord's daughter. But on his wedding day, he learned that his fiancée hadn't even left the palace before the warlord saw her and was so taken with her that he made her his wife on the spot. The mastermind behind all this was actually the warlord's daughter—the Astrologer's new wife."
Cecilia Gu and Molly Yun both held their breath.
They both had husbands they deeply loved, so they could totally understand that feeling of helpless struggle.
They were childhood sweethearts, destined to marry, but now one was the warlord's wife and the other was his son-in-law.
They could never be together again for the rest of their lives.
That kind of pain and torment, that struggle and despair—even though Mr. Yun didn't spell it out, Cecilia Gu and Molly Yun could feel every bit of it.
"Turns out, the warlord's daughter was jealous that the Astrologer never stopped thinking about the Yun family's youngest daughter. So she pretended to help him but secretly arranged for her father to meet the Yun family's youngest daughter, tearing them apart by force."
"And then what happened?" Cecilia Gu and Molly Yun asked again.
"After the Yun family's youngest daughter became the warlord's wife, she ended her life with a white silk ribbon the very next day. This act enraged the warlord, who swore to wipe out the entire Yun clan. That's when the Astrologer stepped forward, offering all his skills to help the warlord win the war, on one condition: the safety of the Yun family."
"The warlord agreed. The Astrologer kept his word and helped the warlord conquer all the lands along the Yangtze River. But just as the warlord was about to declare himself king, enemy troops suddenly appeared at the palace gates and set the whole place ablaze. The Astrologer, clutching his fiancée's memorial tablet, leapt from the city wall and, before dying, swore that every Astrologer from then on would never leave the Yun family and would devote their lives to it—as a way to atone."