Female Novel
Chapter 5409
Yolanda wanted to have Maria’s Lightning Struck Wood, but he couldn’t bring himself to ask for it. Afterall, it had been a cherished possession of Maria for over three hundred years, holding a profoundsignificance for her.
Yet, Yolanda understood that there was no need to rush. Even if Maria were to bestow the LightningStruck Wood upon him, he lacked the expertise to refine it. With this in mind, he gazed at Maria andposed a question that had been burning in his curious mind, “Miss Clark, I am genuinely intrigued. Howhave you managed to survive for over three centuries?”
Maria replied, “As I am not proficient in reiki and am no match for Morgana, Nujia has spent the pastthree hundred years constantly evading pursuit. However, the first two hundred years were relativelyuneventful. During that time, transportation was arduous and communication was underdeveloped. Itwas not easy for Morgana to track me down.”
With a thoughtful tilt of her head, Maria reminisced and recounted, “After my father’s funeral, as ayoung and powerless individual, I roamed through various remote locations in the southern province fordecades. To avoid arousing suspicion, my family would settle in one place for five to eight years beforemoving on. It was during that period that my family developed a fondness for Pu’er tea.”
“While traveling to different places, we took the opportunity to learn and experiment with the art ofmaking Pu’er tea. Eventually, we resided by Heaven Lake in the southern province for a few years,where I taught the local tea farmers how to enhance the quality of Pu’er tea.”
“After witnessing the tribulation of the Pu’er mother plant, my family felt as though we had lost ourspiritual sustenance. Following decades of evading capture, we managed to accumulate some wealthand acquire valuable experience in survival. We settled elsewhere for a few years before it was time tomove on. That’s when we left the southern province,” Maria continued, her voice resonating with theweight of countless experiences.
“Leaving the southern province, my family dared not venture back to the mainland. Instead, wejourneyed southward and further to Myanmar, dwelling in several countries within the Myanmar region.Finally, we resided in Penang for a while,” she added.
“Later, my family embarked on a journey to Brunei and Indonesia, followed by a boat trip fromIndonesia to India and finally traversing the Middle East to reach the Ottoman Empire. With the adventof the Industrial Revolution in Europe, my family was astounded by the rapid advancements in science,technology and academia. We began traveling to European countries, assuming different identities andstudying in numerous universities. But our time in Europe was cut short by the British invasion ofChina. Witnessing the hypocritical actions of the so-called British gentlemen, who colonized andflooded the world with opium, instigating the First Opium War, ignited a deep-rooted hatred within me.Hence, I left England and sailed to North America,” Maria explained.
“However, my family struggled to adapt to the environment in North America. It was a lawless landwhere white settlers incessantly seized territories, enslaved Black individuals and mercilesslyslaughtered the indigenous population. Bloodshed and chaos permeated every corner. Consequently,we boarded a merchant ship and ventured to Japan once the Civil War began,” she added.novelbin
“In Japan, during a phase of rapid cultural influence and assimilation, I observed the evolving nationallandscape. Intrigued by Europe’s accelerated progress after the Industrial Revolution and witnessingJapan’s remarkable transformation during the Meiji Restoration, I yearned to return to China andcontribute to my homeland. Hence, I traveled from Japan to Hong Kong Island, dedicating myself to theAzure Society,” Maria disclosed.
Yolanda was left speechless, utterly flabbergasted by Maria’s account. He had assumed she spent heryears evading capture in remote, inaccessible locations, never suspecting that she had traversed theglobe, perpetually at the epicenter of world affairs.
Moreover, Maria’s desire to aid China, aligned with Lucius Clark’s values, demonstrated that the applehadn’t fallen far from the tree.
Unfazed, Maria resumed her narrative, “Upon arriving at Hong Kong Island, my family establishedcontact with the Azure Society through previous connections. However, just as we were about to meetthem, we were ambushed by remnants of the Warriors Den. We barely managed to escape with ourlives.”
Curiosity getting the better of him, Yolanda inquired, “Was the secret leaked at that time?”
Maria nodded solemnly and expressed, “My family was unaware that Morgana’s agents had alreadybegun infiltrating the Azure Society.”
Continuing her account, Maria revealed, “Following that narrow escape, my family realized thatMorgana’s influence and schemes extended far beyond Asia, permeating the entire world. As a result,we sought refuge in the relatively underdeveloped regions of South America.”
“On the brink of the First World War, upon hearing of the last emperor’s abdication, my family rejoicedso intensely that we couldn’t close our eyes for three days. Filled with excitement, we took the risk andreturned to China, only to encounter the September 18 Incident,” she conveyed.
“After the September 18 Incident, sensing a sudden shift in the situation up north, my family returned toEastcliff,” Maria continued.
“With the advent of the July 7 Incident in 1937, as Japanese fascists launched an all-out invasion ofChina, coupled with the responsibility of caring for certain children, it was impossible for us to flee thecountry during the war. Therefore, we had to take them back to the United States, only leaving after theconclusion of World War II,” she revealed, surprising Steven.
Unable to contain his astonishment, Yolanda exclaimed, “You’ve been constantly on the run, yet youmanaged to care for children as well?”
Maria assumed a serious expression as she explained, “Throughout our years of travel and evasion,enduring hardships alone was truly arduous. At times, I suffered injuries, even breaking a leg, with noone to offer a helping hand. Consequently, my family began adopting abandoned infants and displacedorphans one after another. We raised them, provided them with education and taught them to read andstudy. When we were in a particular region, the children accompanied us. For those who displayednegative character traits, we left them with some funds and entrusted them to suitable individualsbefore moving on from the area,” she continued, her voice filled with compassion.
“As for those who stayed by my side, as I believed their character to be sound, I would reveal thesecret of my immortality at the appropriate time. After all, I had raised them since childhood. Evenwithout divulging the secret, their suspicions would arise due to my unchanging appearance,” Mariastated.
“Throughout our travels, my family amassed considerable wealth and acquired various assetsworldwide. Therefore, once these children passed certain tests and grew up, my family would providethem with wealth, opportunities and even entrust them with businesses. Over time, they flourished intheir own endeavors,” she elucidated.
Alder, bewildered, questioned, “Are all of them your adopted sons and daughters?”
Maria shook her head, replying, “Not entirely. I deliberately maintained a clear boundary to avoidexcessive sorrow when they passed away. Since their youth, they have referred to me as ‘Miss Nujia,’and even when they reach old age, they still address me as ‘Miss Nujia.'”