lder generation in the palace all support the elder princess, believing she is the rightful eldest daughter. The second princess only holds the position of a legitimate daughter because of the Empress...She tossed a pillow down, testing for hidden weapons. After confirming there were none, Ripple jumped down.

The entire secret room was about one hundred square meters, with a height of three meters. You could still see the surrounding stone walls, clearly indicating that it was excavated from the canyon. Inside, there were boxes piled high with gold and silver treasures, as well as jade artifacts and antiques. There were also sacks of grain, cloth, and salt, all obviously looted. The things inside were very messy.

Ripple waved his hand directly, putting everything into his own space, and then left the largest house. He circled around in the counterfeit village, grabbed some food, and then went back to find the group of little ones.

When the ripples returned to the top of the canyon, the children were still asleep. Only the boy at the front slept restlessly, his brow furrowed tightly, as if he had been having a bad dream.

Liàn Yī put down the bag behind her. Inside were steamed buns, mantou, and glutinous rice cakes, as well as roasted chicken and cured pork, clearly meant for her by the bandit. These children only ensured they wouldn't starve to death, after all. The thin porridge made from miscellaneous grains was so clear that she could count the rice grains individually; Liàn Yī disdainfully skipped it.

"Wake up!"

Ripples patted the boy's face, waking him up.

When the other party opened their eyes, they were a little dazed. After seeing it was Ripples, they immediately sat up and retreated by rubbing on the ground before bumping into the other sleeping companions.

"Wake them up!"

Ripples commanded directly.

The young man knew that he was no match for the red-cloaked female warrior before him, so he could only resign himself to waking his companions.

All the children woke up and stood in two neat rows, staring at the ripples silently. They hadn't forgotten the scene they had witnessed before falling asleep. The beautiful young lady before them was an existence beyond their comprehension in their eyes.

"Come, eat your fill, I'll lead you down the mountain."

The ripples drew back the burlap sack, and she began to distribute food. When everyone had something in their hands, she produced a waterskin and handed it to the boy at the head of the group.

"Just eat! Don't choke, and take care of them."

"Heroine, where are you taking us"

The boy took a bite of the steamed bun and blurted out, "Anyway, things can't get any worse."

"Of course, it's to get you out of this den of thieves! Don't you want to be sold anymore"

Ripples raised an eyebrow and said.

""

The boy fell silent.

The other children ate silently, their hands clutching the white steamed buns. They had only ever seen grown-ups working outside eating these, while they themselves struggled to earn any money. They could only afford gruel made from coarse grains, barely enough to fill their stomachs. Occasionally, they might get a piece of stale meat, which was already a luxurious treat. So, they all chewed slowly and carefully, afraid that if they finished this meal, there wouldn't be another.

"You are the oldest of these children, you should have a good idea whether this village is good or bad. Where did all the other children who went to the village with you end up Do you know"

“I don't know, I only know that every once in a while, Aunt Feng and Uncle Wutong would take away a group of people. They said those people had grown up, ate more, and the village couldn't afford to support them, so they should go out and earn money to support themselves. But I saw them being drugged and stuffed into sacks, and I don't know where they were taken.”

"I'm terrified, but I don't have the strength to save them. I can barely even take care of myself, and I dare not leave here. All I can do is try to keep the remaining children as far away from those people as possible, especially the girls. I'm afraid they'll be abused."

The boy swallowed the food in his mouth in three or two bites and blurted out the secret he had been hiding in his heart.

"You're still doing your best, don't blame yourself for this. You've done well."

The ripples waved goodbye.

"Is the heroine going to take us to the government office"

"For those who have been abducted or stolen, we will do our best to send them back to their parents. As for those who have sold themselves, I will find a suitable place for them and give you all a way out."

"Lady Hero, can I be your disciple I want to be as strong as you and not be sold around."

The boy stared intently at the ripples, his eyes glittering with a burning desire for great power.

How old are you this year

He asked directly.

"Twelve years old."

"You're a little old to start martial arts, I'm afraid you'll have to endure some hardships."

Ripples truthfully tell the story.

"I'm not afraid of hard work!"

“I cannot make any promises to you right now. You need to pass a test before you have the opportunity to become my student.”

"Yes, I will definitely seize this opportunity."

The boy clenched his fist, his eyes shining brightly.

"Big sister, can I follow you too"

The little girl who had once been so bold now asked in a small voice. She too wished to be like the Red-Cloaked Heroine, able to fly up from the bottom of the gorge, so that no one could ever confine her.

"You're the same, you need to pass the test to follow me. Even if you can't learn martial arts, I'll find a good place for you."

Liàn yī didn't refuse at all. This time, she came out with Zhēn Auntie, and she had the mission of accepting disciples for Sù nǚgōng. The children's ages were suitable, and if their aptitude was also suitable for martial arts practice, she wouldn't mind taking them in. As for the rest, it would be perfect for Wang Yàozǔ to display his talents, and everything was arranged.

"Achoo!" Wang Yaizu sneezed, then looked around but didn't notice anything unusual. He rubbed his nose and jumped back onto the carriage, suddenly an exclamation rang in his ears.

"Ah!!!"

And it wasn't one person, but a group of people. Wang Ya zu immediately followed the sound and looked up. A huge shadow fell from the direction of the canyon onto the place where the carriage was parked, startling him so much that he cried out:

"Lady Zhen!"

Wang Zhenzhen had already heard the commotion. Before Wang Ya zu spoke, she nimbly jumped out of the carriage and saw Lian Yi dragging a giant ring. The ring was made up of numerous little people tied together one by one.

The ripples were now using the canyon wall to gain momentum as they descended, and Wang Zhenzhen met them halfway, her toes lightly tapping the ground as she caught the first girl thrown by the ripples.

Putting the girl down, she went to pick up the second, third, and so on until Lianyi carried the last six children to the ground. Only then did Wang Zhenzhen stop her work.

"Aunt Zhen, you worked hard!"

"Where did you get so many little radish heads"

Wang Zhenzhen stroked her long skirt and then spoke.

"Those rescued from the bandit's lair were all likely children from the nearby area. Some had been kidnapped, others stolen or sold. I took them all."

Ripple clapped her hands and said.

He immediately glanced at the children sitting on the ground. Some were pale with fright, some were full of excitement, and some still seemed unsatisfied. At a glance, one could tell they were all different.

Wang Yaizu was so excited that his head almost reached the sky. He looked at the steep canyon wall and couldn't figure out how this female hero had managed to bring down twenty or so children with such ease.

"Auntie, there are some good prospects in here. If it's possible, I want to send them back to Sù Nǚ Gōng."

The ripples directly transmitted the sound into his secret, telling Wang Zhenzhen.

"Okay, you look at the selection, I have no objection. It's best if they don't have any family ties, that way after we raise them, they will be more loyal to the Xu Nu Palace."

"Understood!"

Just as the two of them had settled on a candidate, a flurry of hurried hoofbeats echoed from the canyon.o go into seclusion for a while to research the upgraded version you mentioned. I won't be looking at your Knight Rank evaluations, and I wish you all the best."Ripples watched the door slam shut with...