Mu Yin’s sharp cry rang out as I passed through the clouds, and the heavenly path instantly closed, completely separating me from the human world. I lay on that person for a long time before slowly sitting up and asking in a muffled voice, “How are you in the time and space from three years ago?”
The soul-catching hand didn’t move away, his tone still calm: “I detected your immortal energy stopped outside the ghost gate, so I was waiting outside. When I saw you come to three years ago, I followed.”
I pinched his fingers, moving his hand aside without looking at him directly. I slowly walked home, with the soul-catcher following silently, neither too close nor too far.
Passing the bamboo grove, hearing the mahjong tiles clashing, I shook my head.
If I wasn’t afraid of trapping Mu Yin and the others, I wouldn’t have used such an energy-consuming red lotus formation. My immortal energy was severely depleted, especially after not eating meat for over ten days.
Some stone seemed to block my path, and I tripped, my body falling forward, with the world spinning. Just before passing out, I saw the soul-catcher’s strong hands reaching out. I immediately thought I was done for. If this guy carried me back home from the bamboo grove, who knows what rumors would spread.
My divine lord’s life is truly bitter.
This sleep was not peaceful. I felt noisy sounds around my ears, seemingly someone calling me, but I couldn’t wake up. I searched in a vast snowy landscape for the voice coming from somewhere, falling and bruising myself.
I sighed and slowly opened my eyes. Jiang Hu’s pretty face was almost touching my nose. I twitched my eyebrows, “Jiang Hu, are you planning to steam me while I’m asleep or deep-fry me?”
Jiang Hu jumped three zhang away from me, saying: “Gouhun, I think even after a thousand years, no one would dare marry this neighbor of yours; she’s so fierce.”
I was stunned, almost springing up, clutching the blanket and glaring at him: “Who let you in!”
Gouhun’s hand didn’t stop mixing the medicinal powder. Instead, Jiang Hu sat down and shook his head: “You, truly heartless. You fainted in the bamboo grove, and it was Gouhun who carried you back.
I curled my lips and pushed him: “I’m hungry, make me something to eat.”
“Yes, as you command.”
As soon as Jianghu left, I lay down again, listening to the sound of the stone pestle grinding medicine. Then I sat up again, sitting on the edge of the bed looking at Gouhun. I was too lazy to drive him away or scold him. I tugged at the blanket, ready to completely ignore him. But as I was about to lie down, I felt something strange in my sleeve. I shook it, and out dropped… a duck egg?
I stared wide-eyed, poking the shell, with no response. I was speechless and turned to ask: “Gouhun, where did this come from?”
Gouhun walked over, looked for a moment, his eyes slightly narrowing: “I thought the ghost qi on you was because you’d been to the ghost realm, but it seems it was because of this.”
Seeing him about to throw it away, I suddenly remembered that odd duck and snatched it back: “This is mine, I’ll dispose of it myself.”
Gouhun looked at me for a long time, then said: “Fry it while it’s fresh and eat it.”
I bared my teeth: “How about I fry you instead?”
I withdrew my gaze and pushed him: “Go out, I need to change.”
Gouhun responded, pouring the medicinal powder into a bowl, mixing it with water and handing it to me: “Drink.”
I just glanced at it and felt my tongue turn bitter. But if I didn’t drink, he probably wouldn’t leave.
So I took the bowl and drank it in one gulp, almost wanting to chop off my tongue from the bitterness.
“Tea.”
I looked at the cup he handed over, but my eyes were fixed on his hand, steady and powerful, giving a sense of reassurance at first glance. I tilted my head and finished drinking, shoving the bowl and cup back to him: “Okay, now go.”
His fingertip brushing his mouth corner, Gouhun’s voice was flat: “Even drinking medicine gets it on your mouth.”
My face twitched, and I hugged the duck egg and turned away. Only when I heard the door close did I turn back.
Reborn, stay calm. This is a tender trap, a big bad wolf being all warm and caring to a little lamb. If you soften, prepare to be devoured.
Warning myself, I looked at the duck egg in my arms. I gathered the ghost qi around it and infused it with immortal qi. Soon the eggshell cracked, and a little yellow duck emerged. Just as I was marveling at how cute it was, it grew larger, eventually returning to that odd duck.
I said with some disgust: “When did you sneak into my sleeve? This is the divine realm. Aren’t you afraid they’ll turn you into braised duck?”
Yaya stretched its neck, its tiny eyes showing no fear, chirping: “Quack.”
Well, I can’t send it to the ghost realm, nor let anyone kill it. So I could only keep it as a pet, giving it some immortal qi daily to let it strut around the divine realm.
And so I became another strange tale in the divine realm.
Because while people keep dogs, cats, even pet pigs, no one has ever heard of someone keeping a duck…
My divine title spread throughout the realm.
Task Master suddenly leaned forward, slipped a jade token to me, and said seriously: “And you.”
I had a dark line on my face, while the other three couldn’t help but laugh. At this moment, my face must have turned pig liver color: “Little Task, aren’t you mistaken? I just recovered from illness!”
Task Master nodded: “No, you’ll all leave together later.”
We both asked: “Why?”
“Because you’re going to the same place, the same house.”
Fine, another bizarre family. I shook my head and turned to play mahjong.
“Rebirth King, what are you doing with mahjong?”
“Playing eighteen rounds, because after this I won’t be able to for seven days…”
A cold eye-knife stabbed from behind, with a crisp voice: “Oh, looks like Rebirth King is quite leisurely. When you return, I’ll find you several more tasks.”
I pushed the mahjong tiles seriously, hooked arms with Time Traveler and declared: “What mahjong? Let it all blow away! This god will definitely complete this mission perfectly, even if I die with my brain splattered!”
“Gah.”
Concubine’s Rebirth (II) Lin Family, whose ancestors were founding generals, with generations of military and literary talents, highly regarded by the previous emperor and respected by officials.
By Lin Zheng Yue’s generation, though not an official, he was skilled in business, monopolizing the imperial court’s cloth and kitchen supplies, thus considered wealthy and having some face in the court.
Lin Zheng Yue had one wife and three concubines, with one son and three daughters.
I floated on a cloud reviewing the materials and asked Time Travelerbeside me: “The Lin family’s records are quite extensive. Have you finished studying?”
“Done,” Time Travelernodded, closing the notebook. “I think the Lin family is bound to have a fierce conflict.”
“Why?”
Time Travelershrugged: “A piece of cake.” He looked at Gou Hun again, “You’re early, let’s begin.”
Gou Hun seized the soul, Time Travelerinjected a living soul, something they had coordinated thousands of times before. They quickly completed the task. By nightfall, it would be enough to keep the Lin family busy.
Time Travelersaid: “Gou Hun, are you staying to go back together, or will you submit the task first?”
Gou Hun glanced at me lightly and said: “I have other tasks, I’ll go back first.”
After Gou Hun left, Time Traveler sighed: “I thought with three missing one player, pulling Gou Hun would complete a mahjong table, playing for eighteen rounds. I didn’t expect the gambling-addicted Rebirth Kingto let him go.”
I said casually: “He doesn’t play mahjong.”
