Little Sorcerer, Divine Doctor Chapter 1234 - 61: Same Blood, Different Fates

The pleas of the woman were met with utter indifference from the soldiers.

"Madam, please do not make this difficult for us. The clan leader is currently entertaining important guests. If he were to see you in this state, we would face his wrath again," the Sky Fox soldiers stated coldly as they pushed the woman aside.

"How dare you treat the clan leader's wife in such a manner!" the maidservant accompanying the woman berated them.

It was revealed that the woman, who bore a striking resemblance to Hu Jiusheng, was none other than Hu Ruolan, the wife of the Heavenly Fox Clan Leader.

Within the Sky Fox Tribe Country, there was no Emperor; instead, the clan leader and the Elder Council wielded the ultimate authority. The status of the clan leader's wife was comparable to that of an Empress, implying considerable prestige and power.

However, the woman before them held no such standing within the Heavenly Fox Palace.

Throughout the years, Hu Qianqiu had brought numerous Sky Fox beauties into his palace, showing no regard for the woman who held the title of clan leader's wife.

The underlying reason for this neglect was that this clan leader's wife, once celebrated as the most beautiful in the Sky Fox Clan, had given birth to a daughter deemed utterly useless.

Furthermore, it was rumored that this useless daughter, after becoming a Holy Daughter, had been sold off to the Wuji Continent, consequently losing her purity.

Although the clan leader had consistently worked to suppress this information, it had already permeated the Heavenly Fox Palace long ago.

Following the spread of this news, the clan leader's wife, already out of favor, found herself even more disregarded.

Even some of the newly acquired beauties dared to openly disrespect her.

Hu Ruolan yearned for her daughter and implored Hu Qianqiu repeatedly to dispatch individuals to the Wuji Continent to ascertain her daughter's whereabouts. However, each plea was met with a ruthless refusal from Hu Qianqiu.

"That useless girl is not worth the effort of sending anyone to search for her," Hu Ruolan clearly recalled Hu Qianqiu's heartless declaration.

Despite this, she remained persistent, seeking an audience with Hu Qianqiu every few days.

"Hu Ruolan, have you caused enough of a scene? Had it not been for the initial test confirming you as a Five-Tailed Heavenly Fox, I would never have married you. Do not forget, in terms of your origins, you are merely an orphan girl," Hu Qianqiu stated coldly as he approached.

Hu Ruolan was indeed an orphan.

She had been born in the wilderness and subsequently adopted by the previous Old Clan Chief of the Fox Clan. Growing up, she had developed a childhood friendship with Hu Qianqiu.

In earlier times, Hu Qianqiu had selected Hu Ruolan from a multitude of eligible maidens due to her gentle beauty, submissive nature, and the inherent Five-Tailed Heavenly Fox bloodline she possessed.

Hu Qianqiu had indeed cherished her for a period, especially after she gave birth to Hu Sheng, who bore the Six-Tailed Heavenly Fox bloodline.

However, everything shifted dramatically once it was discovered that Hu Sheng was a useless child.

For Hu Qianqiu, having a daughter deemed useless was a profound disgrace as the clan leader.

This matter had festered as a source of resentment for nearly twenty years.

Perhaps as a consequence of that useless daughter, despite Hu Qianqiu surrounding himself with numerous beauties over the years, none of his offspring inherited a high-level Heavenly Fox bloodline.

Let alone a Six-Tailed, not even a Five-Tailed could be found.

Hu Qianqiu attributed all these shortcomings to Hu Sheng.

In the initial months following Hu Sheng's disappearance, Hu Qianqiu experienced a sense of liberation.

The departure of that useless girl felt like a release for him.

However, subsequent information revealed that she had been sold to the Wuji Continent.

Even though Hu Sheng was considered useless, her beauty rivaled that of Hu Ruolan—captivating and exceptional. The fate of a Heavenly Fox woman falling into the hands of human men was invariably grim.

Consequently, upon learning that Hu Sheng had been sold to the Wuji Continent, Hu Qianqiu regarded her as effectively deceased.

"Qianqiu, I ask for nothing more than for you to dispatch someone to inquire about Hu Sheng's whereabouts. Last night, I dreamt that Sheng'er said she had returned," tears streamed down Hu Ruolan's face, resembling a cascade of broken pearls.

Her disposition was inherently gentle. When the Old Clan Chief was still alive, she had a protector.

The Old Clan Chief, concerned she might face mistreatment, had specifically entrusted Hu Qianqiu with her care. The early years of their marriage were harmonious, but everything deteriorated once Hu Sheng was declared useless.

Her husband, whom she loved, began addressing her coldly and took many other women into his favor.

To all these changes, Hu Ruolan harbored no resentment, silently nurturing her daughter and living a life of quiet contentment alongside her child within the Heavenly Fox Palace.

Suddenly, however, her daughter vanished without a trace.

This event felt like the sky itself had collapsed for Hu Ruolan.

Throughout the years of her daughter's absence, she wept daily.

Hu Qianqiu insisted her daughter was long dead, yet the previous night, she had a vivid dream where her daughter, Hu Sheng, stood before her, alive and well.

She remained unchanged, her voice gentle as she called out, "Mother, Sheng'er has returned."

Bound by the ties of blood, Hu Ruolan harbored an unwavering conviction that her daughter would never betray her—she must have returned.

"You are dreaming, Hu Ruolan; abandon this delusion. Not a single soldier will I dispatch to search for her. I deeply regret not ending her life when it was discovered she was a useless girl! Currently, the Old Clan Chief of the Jiuluan Clan graces the Heavenly Fox Palace with his presence; do not stir up any trouble. If you do, I will banish you from this palace!" Hu Qianqiu’s voice boomed with cruelty as he ordered Hu Ruolan’s escort back to the palace.

Hu Ruolan gazed upon the magnificent palace, her heart turning to ice.

Hu Qianqiu had never held genuine affection for her or their daughter.

"Gui Zhi, pack my belongings," Hu Ruolan commanded. Her eyes, having shed an ocean of tears, were now dry and incapable of producing another drop.

She felt certain her dream had not been without reason.

"Madam? What are you doing?" Hu Ruolan’s maid looked on, utterly bewildered.

"I am departing the Heavenly Fox Palace. This place is no longer a home for me," Hu Ruolan responded with a sorrowful smile.

Hu Qianqiu was solely consumed by his status as the Heavenly Fox Clan Leader, and with the Heavenly Fox Saintess Selection underway, he would never concern himself with their daughter, Hu Sheng.

Leaving the Heavenly Fox Palace, whether venturing into the Eight Desolates or the Wuji Continent, she would find Hu Sheng’s whereabouts, even if it meant risking her own life.

That very evening, the mistress and her maid packed their belongings and departed the Heavenly Fox Palace with utmost discretion.

Lingering at a secluded side gate of the palace, Hu Ruolan paused for a moment, a flicker of hesitation in her demeanor.

For decades, since her marriage to Hu Qianqiu, she had not set foot outside the Heavenly Fox Palace.

The Hu Capital had seen better days, and at this juncture, she had no clear idea where to begin her search for their daughter, Hu Sheng.

Lost in her thoughts, Hu Ruolan ambled through the streets of Hu Capital with her maid in tow.

As dusk began to settle, the vibrant streets of Hu Capital teemed with a multitude of people.

Owing to the Heavenly Fox Saintess Candidate Selection Ceremony, Hu Capital was swarming with individuals from distant capitals and other regions.

Weaving through the throng, her thoughts fixated on the daughter she had seen in her dream the previous night, a wave of sorrow washed over Hu Ruolan, and she inadvertently lost sight of her maid, Gui Zhi.

"Hey, watch where you are going! How dare you collide with me!"

Before Hu Ruolan could fully comprehend her surroundings, she found herself on an entirely unfamiliar street, amidst the chaotic bustle, having bumped into a man with a rugged countenance.