Chapter 140

After worrying for more than two days, Yun Yaoyao had just finished lunch and was preparing to take a walk to work off the meal—and her sorrows—when she suddenly spotted a tall, ferocious-looking wild man charging toward her from not far away, carrying something that looked suspiciously like a sea urchin on his back and roaring all the while.

Yun Yaoyao quickly hid behind Niu Xiu’er. Her eyes widened, and a hint of excitement flickered within them.

Was she finally about to encounter an assassin bold enough to come after her?!

Niu Xiu’er clenched her fist, ready to strike, but when the man reached them, she abruptly stopped.

“Huh?”

“Your Highness, it’s the National Master!”

Yun Yaoyao stared in astonishment as the hedgehog-haired man climbed down from the Dragonshadow Guard’s back. He calmly gave her a slight nod, then pulled a small comb from his robes and hurriedly began fixing his hair.

She stepped forward in delight. “National—”

Before she could finish, he cut her off. “I know you’re very anxious, but don’t be anxious just yet.”

“This man’s qinggong is truly impressive. Riding on his back is practically like riding a motorcycle. Let me fix my hairstyle first.”

“Is there any water? Bring me a basin so I can wash my face.”

“I haven’t even rinsed my mouth. If I don’t, I’m afraid I’ll stink people out. Bring something for rinsing as well.”

“Since I’m rinsing my mouth anyway, I might as well have breakfast too.”

“Would you like to sleep a little longer?” Yun Yaoyao asked.

The ​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‍National Master nodded, his expression showing his appreciation for her thoughtfulness. “That would be excellent.”

Yun Yaoyao: “...”

In the end, he did not sleep. After washing up and getting dressed, the National Master once again returned to his usual appearance: an otherworldly, handsome man in flowing white robes.

He leisurely took a sip of porridge. “Ask whatever you’d like.”

Yun Yaoyao was equally blunt and asked the first question troubling her. “Am I human?”

“Pfft!”

The question startled the National Master so badly that he nearly sprayed out his sweet porridge. He gave her an amused, teasing look. “That is indeed a fine question. Do you think you’re human?”

Yun Yaoyao pondered for a moment, then said solemnly, “Whether I’m human remains uncertain. But with your incredible abilities and mysterious ways, National Master, you certainly aren’t human.”

The National Master let out a soft laugh at that answer. He did not respond directly. Instead, he picked up a piece of side dish and placed it in his mouth, savoring it carefully.

His robes were spotless, and his ink-black hair fell like flowing clouds. From a distance, he seemed aloof and untouchable, like an immortal beyond the mortal world. Yet up close, every word and action of his was down-to-earth and affable. Somehow, that did not clash with his ethereal aura at all. Rather, it gave him an air of carefree elegance.

“In this life, you are human.” The National Master raised his eyes and smiled warmly at Yun Yaoyao.

Yun Yaoyao asked again, “Then why did I transmigrate into this world? And why did Tu Shanjin and I exchange souls? What did you mean when you said last time that everything was destined by forces beyond our understanding?”

The smile in the National Master’s eyes deepened, accompanied by a trace of meaning Yun Yaoyao could not decipher. “Are the things you experience in this life not what you sought in your previous one?”

“All things in this world have causes and effects. The causes of your previous life have borne fruit in this one. Now that your boat has crossed ten thousand mountains, you should simply enjoy this life.”

The cause from a previous life? The fruit of this one?

Did that mean she and Tu Shanjin had known each other in their previous lives? Perhaps they had even shared a love story so unforgettable that it had been etched into their very souls?

Yun Yaoyao was both shocked and curious. Unable to restrain herself, she asked, “Could I really have been the Book of Life and Death in my previous life? I descended to the mortal realm and fell in love with Tu Shanjin, who was human. Our paths were forbidden to cross—the love between a celestial record and a mortal was destined to be rejected by Heaven’s laws. Then I was dragged back to the underworld, and the two of us began an epic, earth-shaking love story…”

The National Master burst out laughing. “That story of yours is terribly outdated. It’s so outdated my rheumatism is acting up just hearing it.”

Seeing that the National Master had no intention of revealing anything about their previous lives, Yun Yaoyao returned to the matter at hand and asked the question she cared about most.

“Will I ever return to the modern world?”

Until she understood where she would ultimately belong, the fog blocking Yun Yaoyao’s path forward would never disperse.

“You’ve come to the right person with that question.”

The National Master’s gaze swept past Yun Yaoyao and settled on a figure hurrying toward them from behind her.

“Under normal circumstances, you wouldn’t be able to go back.”

He slowly parted his lips, a smile appearing on his face as though he had not yet seen enough excitement.

“But now that your merit is complete, Yun Yaoyao, I can give you a chance to return to the modern world. Only one person can go. Do you want it or not?”

Tu Shanjin had just left court and rushed over as soon as he heard the news. The first thing he heard was this bolt from the blue.

His expression darkened instantly, and his heart clenched. “No!”

At the exact same moment, Yun Yaoyao nodded excitedly. “Yes!”

Tu Shanjin’s heart shattered into pieces.

In the Imperial Palace’s imperial garden, the vast ground had been arranged with peachwood stakes and wrapped in red thread, forming the shape of a yin-yang Eight Trigrams formation. Almost every two finger-widths along the red threads hung a jade tablet.

The jade tablets were pure and delicate. Whenever the wind blew, they gave off a clear, tinkling sound. At the same time, the characters engraved at the center of each tablet shifted and flickered rapidly.

The National Master stood before the formation with his hands behind his back, his expression solemn. “Are you ready?”

“Yes, yes!” Du Luoling stood at the center of the formation, unable to conceal her excitement. Her eyes were already brimming with tears.

She looked toward Yun Yaoyao and choked out, “Yun Yaoyao, once I’m back, I’ll burn you three sticks of incense every day and accumulate merit for you!”

“I’m also going to turn this whole experience into a novel. You, Yun Yaoyao, will be the protagonist!”

“Happiness came too suddenly! Dad! Mom! Your daughter is finally coming home!”

“Waaaaah…”

“All right, you’re going home. Don’t cry.” Yun Yaoyao chuckled, genuinely happy for her.

Beside them, Tu Shanjin kept a stern expression, maintaining the dignity expected of an emperor. Yet when he thought about how Yaoyao would finally be staying by his side for good, the smile on his face was impossible to suppress.

The previous moment had been hell. This moment was heaven.

A few days ago, Tu Shanjin had been so foul-tempered that he would have wanted to kick even a dog passing by. Today, however, everyone looked pleasing to him, and he wanted to reward everyone he saw.

Thus, Tu Shanjin graciously spoke up. “Du Luoling, I will grant you one wish. Before you leave, is there anything else you wish to accomplish?”

Du Luoling wiped away her tears and calmed her excitement.

She had already made arrangements for everyone who needed to be taken care of. As for any remaining wishes, she truly could not think of one. After all, her greatest wish was about to come true.

Wait…

Du Luoling suddenly thought of something, and her eyes lit up. “Your Majesty, this subject does indeed have one more wish…”

Tu Shanjin: “Speak.”

Half an hour later, the previously empty formation was piled high with boxes of gold, silver, jewelry, famous paintings, and rare treasures. Du Luoling showed no sign of being satisfied. She continued directing the Dragonshadow Guards to bring over ladders and stack the treasures even higher.

“Imperial Preceptor, with abilities as great as yours, you can send all of this over with me, right?”

The corner of the Imperial Preceptor’s mouth twitched twice. “I can.”

Du Luoling blinked at him pleadingly. “Just to be safe, Imperial Preceptor, please send me and all these treasures straight to my home. Oh, and make sure they don’t land on my parents when we arrive.”

The Imperial Preceptor closed his eyes and sighed. “All right.”

Du Luoling gave a silly grin, then filled all ten fingers with rings. Jade bracelets and bangles wound from her wrists all the way up her arms, while her hair was crammed full of hairpins in every color imaginable.

She looked just like a flamboyant turkey.

Du Luoling knew she looked absolutely ridiculous, but so what? She was rich now!

Even after returning to the modern world, she would still be one of those detestable rich people!

Dad! Mom!

And her best friend, whom she hadn’t seen in ages!

Just wait for her triumphant return, Du Luoling—she was going to take you all across the class divide, wine and dine you, and let you live the dull, dreary life of the wealthy!

Hahahahahaha!!!

The anxiety she’d felt at finally returning home was instantly drowned out by the blinding sparkle of money. Du Luoling wanted to wave goodbye, but discovered she couldn’t move her arm at all.

All she could do was blink at everyone, the smile tugging at the corners of her mouth impossible to suppress.

“Yun Yaoyao, Your Majesty, National Master, and everyone else—goodbye~”