Twelve years had passed.
Xu Shiyue must be twenty-six by now.
She wondered how he was doing these days.
But Xu Shiyue had always been more exceptional than her from birth.
Though they were twins, compared to her—sickly, foolish, abandoned by their father in the countryside to fend for herself after their mother’s death—Xu Shiyue had always been healthy, intelligent, beloved by all, someone she envied and looked up to.
Surely, Xu Shiyue must be living well now.
Yu Yang wanted to touch the Kongming Lantern, but when she raised her hand, it passed right through the lamp.
She withdrew her hand.
Ignited the Talisman Paper.
Yu Yang chanted: “Supreme Decree, Return to Your Body. Xu Shixing, Three Souls and Seven Spirits…”
The Talisman Paper burned her fingers, ashes scattering.
In the end, she didn’t utter the final two words.
Everything vanished.
Yu Yang sighed.
“If I really transmigrated back, I’d be the modern White Bone Spirit…”
Oh no, becoming spirits wasn’t allowed after the founding of the nation.
She simply couldn’t return.
After joking about herself, Yu Yang’s gaze fell upon the stack of yellow paper again.
Was the method to send transmigrators back really this simple?
Draw a talisman, take some blood, ignite the paper, chant an incantation—and it’s done?
She drew a few more talismans, trying to prick her fingertip for blood and adding her own hair.
Utterly useless.
“Seems only brow heart blood works. Indeed, the brow is Yintang Xue, the seat of Ming Palace—ultimately extraordinary.”
She looked at the Talisman Paper in her hand, then picked up a mirror, gazing at her reflection.
Both lifetimes plagued by illness and suffering.
She was truly weary.
But what if these mystical events happening to her now could save her life?
“Taiyin Black Ledger…”
Clouds hold the Beiyin God Emperor’s Court, Taiyin Black Ledger imprisons ghost spirits.
This phrase frequently appeared in this world’s supernatural fantasy novels.
The Black Ledger, also called the Book of Sins.
Legend said that humans hosted Three Corpse Gods, dedicated to recording all evil deeds committed in one’s lifetime.
These evil deeds would enter the Black Ledger, becoming Black Accounts, kept for reckoning upon entering the Netherworld.
She first saw the Taiyin Black Ledger ten days ago, on a courtesan, and was astonished to see “remaining lifespan not exhausted” written on it.
That courtesan’s Taiyin Black Ledger ended with: By judgment, Lan Cuisi, sinks into Ghost Path.
The next day, she heard that courtesan had gone missing.
Yesterday, that drunkard’s paper concluded with: By judgment, Wang Zhi, sinks into Ghost Path.
And behind that Taoist transmigrator was written: By judgment, Wei Suli, returns to human realm.
Returning to human realm, she could understand.
Presumably using these talismans to send transmigrators home.
But what could be gained from this? The court was currently searching for transmigrators; recklessly doing these things would likely expose herself…
Yu Yang tapped the table absently.
Speaking of which, the Li Dynasty’s National Preceptor was quite old—one hundred twenty-three years.
It seemed his longevity was precisely why he became National Preceptor.
The Taiyin Black Ledger stated: Meritorious Renovation Extends Life.
So, could it be that sending transmigrators who should return to human realm back would increase lifespan?
Yu Yang’s heart kindled with hope at this thought.
Seeing two remaining drawn talismans on the table, she simply rolled up several Talisman Papers and stuffed them into a Scented Pouch.
“If this world is already this mystical, maybe I won’t die? Perhaps I’ll live to a hundred?”
She’d carry these mystical items with her.
If she encountered a transmigrator next time, she’d give it a try.
What threats.
What fears.
If she wasn’t afraid of death, what was there left to fear!
She looked again at those Taoist books.
She turned back to flip through the pages.
The concept of the human body’s Innate Primordial Qi mentioned by Divine Doctor Ji also appeared in Taoist texts—she refused to believe she couldn’t find a way to replenish her own qi!
“Cheng Liu, we’re going out!” she called.
The Suming River flowed near Nanpu Mountain, its surface now shimmering under the blazing sun.
Yu Yang had spent the entire morning in town without encountering a single time traveler.
To soothe her restless mind, she decided to go fishing again.
Divine Doctor Ji had said that maintaining inner peace and preserving energy would help her survive.
Unfortunately, as the sun began to set and her bait ran out, she still hadn’t caught a single fish.
Yet her heart remained tranquil.
She told Cheng Liu to go back and fetch more high-quality bait.
“Get the most expensive kind,” she declared. “I refuse to believe I can’t catch even one!”
Cheng Liu twitched the corner of his mouth. “…Young lady, please calm down.”
Wasn’t this supposed to help her find peace?
How did she suddenly get angry about fishing?
Though it was strange—no matter what, the young lady never caught any fish. Not only did she fail to catch them, but the fish always managed to eat her bait.
Yu Yang shot him a sidelong glare.
Cheng Liu shuddered and took off running.
“Young lady, take care of yourself!!!”
Yu Yang continued staring at the fishing rod.
Seeing it remain completely still,
She simply stood up and moved to the shade under a tree to practice Tai Chi for strengthening her body.
As she moved through the forms…
A faint, weak call came from behind.
“Yu… Yang…”