Prince Zhu Yan and Lady Ming Lang were most likely the past lives of Xia Xianning and himself. The Ghost Emperor was the one who supposedly perished together with Lady Ming Lang. And who was Prince Shaoyuan?
This is actually asking about Luo Yingbai and Xia Xianning, whether they are now human or divine, and if they intend to return to the Heavenly Court after learning the truth about their origins.
In fact, this question is not easy to answer. The Underworld is probing the two of them, not knowing that Xia Xianning and Luo Yingbai now only have a vague memory. Luo Yingbai is unclear about how he entered the cycle of reincarnation after perishing together with the Ghost Emperor, and Xia Xianning also cannot recall why he descended to the mortal world, and why in this life he can continue to be with Luo Yingbai.
In this situation, they would not completely reveal everything to the Underworld. On the other hand, they have already lived in the human world for over twenty years, each with family and friends, and in their hearts, they do not consider themselves as gods who have descended to earth because of that slight memory.
So Xia Xianning responds with the latter half of “Sheng Cha Zi”, indicating that past events are bygone, and they neither want to cause trouble nor help with anything, treating it as if it never happened. This way, no one can say anything more.
After the Black and White Impermanence left, Xia Xianning said: “Let’s go home. Since the Underworld has sent people, our teacher should have settled things and returned by now.”
Luo Yingbai nodded and asked while walking outside: “By the way, who is the Young Yuanshu Prince?”
Xia Xianning answered without hesitation: “My seventh brother.”
After saying this, he met Luo Yingbai’s gaze and paused, then corrected: “He’s the seventh son of the Heavenly Emperor, probably good friends with Ming Langyuan Jun. It’s said that the Purple Micro Great Emperor went mad because of him.”
After returning home, Xia Xianning originally wanted to spend some quiet time with Luo Yingbai, but found the Luo household unusually bustling when they entered.
The teacher’s wife had awakened, and two senior brothers were injured – significant events for the disciples of the Changliu Sect, who came to visit. As soon as they entered, they were surrounded.
Luo Yingbai sent several people away. Seeing Xia Xianning still conversing with others, he went up the side stairs to his room.
Once in his room, Luo Yingbai immediately sat on the bed, bending down to roll up his pant leg. The thick gauze was already seeping with blood.
He had climbed the stairs for too long, and his knee was a bloody mess. While it wouldn’t cause lasting damage, any careless movement while walking could cause the scab to crack.
When they were walking, Xia Xianning deliberately slowed his pace. His own injury was lighter, and since Luo Yingbai didn’t complain, he hadn’t realized how severe it was.
Luo Yingbai finally reached his room and hurriedly unwrapped the bandage to examine his wound.
Looking at the blood and horrific injury, he held the medicine but didn’t know how to apply it.
After fumbling for a while, he threw the medicine aside, lay back on the bed, and groaned, “It hurts so much—”
At this moment, his door opened, and someone quietly entered. Luo Yingbai quickly sat up, not yet having lowered his pant leg, and saw Jiang Yugai who had silently entered.
Their eyes met, and both froze.
Luo Yingbai’s emotions gradually calmed down as he listened to Jiang Yugai’s story.
From Jiang Yugai’s description, her relationship with Xia Changjing had always been lukewarm. But just as they were about to graduate and get married, Xia Xianning’s third uncle—who was Xia Changjing’s biological brother—returned from abroad, and thus a dramatic story was about to unfold.
Almost everyone in their social circle knew that the third young master had a nameless “white moonlight” in his heart—someone he had been thinking about for four years, having sworn to refuse any matchmaking or pursuit, and would only marry her.
When he returned and saw Jiang Yugai, he suddenly realized she was the goddess he had fallen in love with four years ago. Upon learning that Xia Changjing and Jiang Yugai’s relationship was merely a political marriage, he felt even more unbalanced and was unwilling to let her go. This caused several unpleasant incidents between the originally close brothers.
Jiang Yugai glossed over the details, saying vaguely: “Although my feelings for Xia Changjing weren’t deep, I basically had no impression of Xia Chang at all. Once engaged, we were engaged—how could a fiancé be exchanged like an object? Everyone understood this principle, but Xia Chang was unwilling to compromise. Ultimately, the Xia and Jiang families’ marriage alliance was dissolved. Two years later, I married your father.”
This could be considered a blessing in disguise. Both the Jiang and Xia families were more willing to prioritize their children over the marriage alliance—therefore, their engagement was dissolved smoothly, though somewhat embarrassingly.
When she reached this point, a slight smile appeared on Jiang Yugai’s face: “This incident was a big deal at the time, and everyone in our social circle knew about it. I’m very grateful to your father, who was willing to love me and help me deflect many rumors. Later, when we had you, I truly felt my life was very happy.”
Luo Yingbai wanted to say something but hesitated and didn’t interrupt. Jiang Yugai continued: “But when you were one year old, your father investigated a case about ‘borrowing life’. The murderer had killed 28 infants to create a magical array, trying to save his own child. Your father personally destroyed that array, and the murderer was sentenced to death. What we didn’t expect was that the murderer’s wife was actually the nanny we had hired to help take care of you. She took you away when your father wasn’t home, saying she wanted to take you to the abandoned array to commemorate her son.”
She paused and said: “She put sleeping pills in my drink. When I woke up and saw the note, I… even now, thinking back to that moment feels like a nightmare.”
She paused, then said: “His family has gone mad trying to resurrect their child. The murderer has been arrested, but his wife still won’t give up on that damaged formation. Following her husband’s method, she tried to repair the formation and wanted to throw you into it.”
It was a life-exchange formation where she wanted to trade your life for her son’s life, but your Uncle Xia instead exchanged his own life to save you, so we owe him a life!”
Luo Mingbai understood this point. Such a formation that goes against heaven and changes fate is least tolerated by heaven and earth. The life he owes is like a life tribulation that he will eventually have to repay—the only difference is who will repay it.
So the subtle point is whether Xia Chang’s saving of Luo Mingbai’s life should be credited to Jiang Yugai or Luo Mingbai.
It was obvious that he acted for Jiang Yugai. With this cause and effect between Xia Chang and Jiang Yugai, she was worried that her emotional entanglement with Luo Mingbai would implicate her son, so she had been intentionally or unintentionally distancing herself over the years.
When Jiang Yugai reached this point, she remembered what Xia Xianning had said to her after hearing about this matter.
Xia Xianning said that both she and Luo Mingbai had already died once and were now starting a new life, with their life tribulation resolved.
Some things, when evaluated after the fact, can be discussed from various perspectives, but for those involved, making a choice is extremely difficult.
