On the day of childbirth, when the midwife brought the newborn baby in front of her, Li Jinghuai looked at the red, wrinkled little face and couldn't help but feel a twinge of hesitation in her heart.
She carefully touched the baby's cheek with her finger and murmured to herself, "Is this... really Yanling?"
Why does she look... a bit less than beautiful?
Perhaps because Song Yanling had been so imposing in the past, Li Jinghuai swallowed the second half of her complaint back into her stomach.
With the arrival of this little life, the heavy sadness in Li Jinghuai's heart was truly diluted a great deal. Her days had a new hope, and the trivial busyness filled the empty hours.
It wasn't until the baby's full - moon feast that her features gradually grew more distinct. The familiar, somewhat heroic and lively expression became clearer and clearer. She looked exactly like Song Yanling when she was a child.
Li Jinghuai often stared at her in a daze while holding her.
Later, when the child began to babble and learn to speak, the first complete sentence she uttered wasn't the usual "father" or "mother". Instead, with those bright eyes that resembled the late person's, she looked at Li Jinghuai and clearly said,
".....I will always protect you."
Hearing this, Li Jinghuai was suddenly stunned. A great deal of sourness and ecstasy instantly seized her heart. She hugged the child tightly, tightly into her arms. Tears silently slid down and dripped onto the child's soft hair.
"Yanling," her voice choked with sobs, but with the great relief of having something lost and found again, "you're finally... back."
Of course, all these were things to come. In the long years to follow, they would still rely on each other and protect each other, continuing their unbroken bond in another form. This friendship that transcended life and death would finally achieve perfection in the warmest way.
........
As soon as Shen Cuiyu returned to the academy, she took out the time - reversal talisman paper and pasted it on the time - reversal mirror. A spiritual light circulated, and the scene of that day reappeared in the mirror. Her eyes were firmly fixed on Liu Ruyan as she began to observe her expression.
After repeating this several times, Shen Cuiyu finally noticed something strange!
She found that at the moment when Liu Ruyan fell silent, her expression was very strange. It wasn't simply being in a daze. She would sometimes squint her eyes in confusion and sometimes widen them in sudden realization...
Moreover, occasionally, her lips would move extremely slightly. Hardly any sound could be heard, as if she was talking to herself silently or having a brief Q&A with an invisible object.
Liu Ruyan's appearance didn't seem like she was analyzing cause and effect at all. Instead, it seemed like she was listening to someone...
Shen Cuiyu frowned, and doubts welled up in her heart.
What could it be?
Was it a high - level ghost or god secretly sending a message? But if there was a ghost or god of such a rank approaching, as a celestial master who could communicate with the underworld, she couldn't have remained completely unaware.
So, was it a magical treasure with a spirit? But in both her past and present lives, Shen Cuiyu had never seen Liu Ruyan wearing or using any special magical tools. Could it be an ordinary - looking object that actually concealed a mystery?
"What on earth does she want to get from me with such elaborate schemes?" Shen Cuiyu murmured to herself.
As a person from the mysterious sect, she specialized in communicating with the underworld, relying on her own talent and the power of her soul. Looking at her past and present lives, the biggest difference was that in her past life, she had a high spiritual power cultivation, while in this life, with a complete soul, she had awakened a rare constitution that could directly communicate with the yin and yang worlds, and thus relied less on spiritual power.
Shen Cuiyu recalled Liu Ruyan's mode of action in this life. It was indeed different from her flamboyant behavior of frequently seizing opportunities in her past life. She had become more cautious and targeted.
Shen Cuiyu thought for a moment, and a thought flashed through her mind like a bolt of lightning. Could it be that what Liu Ruyan really fancied was actually her spiritual power?
Thinking of this, Shen Cuiyu's eyes suddenly sharpened. If so, the secrets on Liu Ruyan were far more dangerous than she had imagined. She must find out the nature of that "thing" as soon as possible, or there would surely be endless troubles.
…………
Early the next morning, when the academy disciples gathered in front of the Quest Ranking Board as usual to check the task rankings, almost everyone was stunned by a name that had suddenly shot up -
The Shen Cuiyu group had successfully completed the Class - A task "Ghost Trouble in the Wen Mansion" and had jumped from the third - last place to the 103rd place!
"103?!! Am I seeing things? Weren't they at the bottom before?"
"A Class - A task! They actually completed a Class - A task!"
"Jumping up more than a hundred places in one go?! This is too outrageous!!"
The crowd instantly erupted. It was normal for the rankings on the Quest Ranking Board to change, but such an astonishing leap was the first in the academy in recent years! What was even more unbelievable was that the group that had completed the Class - A task was the once - most - looked - down - upon Shen Cuiyu group!
Someone couldn't help but question, "I remember that Liu Ruyan also went to assist. Shouldn't she also have contributed to this?"
Only then did everyone react. They subconsciously looked for Liu Ruyan's name on the Quest Ranking Board and found that the ranking of Liu Ruyan's group had only risen a pitiful five places. Compared with the leap of the Shen Cuiyu group, it was simply insignificant. But since she had only gone to assist, no one doubted Liu Ruyan's strength.
Those disciples who had previously asserted that Shen Cuiyu was bound to fail and even wanted to quit midway were now blushing and completely speechless.
In the lecture hall, Mr. Yan publicly commended them. His voice was loud and full of undisguised admiration. "Shen Cuiyu, Zhong Shengwan, Dongfang Xiao, and Pei Yu, you were entrusted with a crucial task this time. You not only found out the truth that Wen Zimo had brutally killed his wife and imprisoned her soul but also helped the wronged soul clear her name, maintained the order of yin and yang, and enhanced the reputation of our academy! You are truly the models of our academy!"
The point rewards for the Class - A task were truly generous. Shen Cuiyu's rank had actually been promoted from the Yellow Rank to the Mysterious Rank!
As soon as this news spread, it caused a great deal of exclamation among the disciples. You should know that the academy had a strict hierarchical system for disciples, and it was very difficult to be promoted. Shen Cuiyu had only been in the academy for less than a month and had already been promoted one rank. This was truly unheard of! For this reason, Shen Cuiyu's name had been mentioned in the general - knowledge talismans for several days, and the discussion about her remained high!
The person who came to deliver the Mysterious - Rank waist token was still the familiar Xu Qingfeng.
He looked at Shen Cuiyu, who was still calm and natural, and felt a sense of admiration in his heart.
As the saying goes, one should look at a person with new eyes after three days. But Shen Cuiyu's speed of progress was not only eye - opening but also jaw - dropping!
This was a Class - A task, and it was their group's first mission. She had actually completed it!
Being promoted one rank half a month after entering the academy, Shen Cuiyu was definitely the first person since the academy was founded. From then on, the rumors that had once secretly ridiculed her for getting into the academy by relying on her family background were self - refuted.
He respectfully presented the brand - new identity jade token with both hands. His voice was full of amazement and emotion. "Junior Sister Shen, it's a pity you didn't enter the academy a year earlier."
Shen Cuiyu took the jade token. It felt warm to the touch.
Although there was only one character's difference between the Mysterious Rank and the Yellow Rank, the treatment was very different. Just looking at this identity jade token, the Mysterious - Rank token was pitch - black, made of special spiritual jade. It was extremely exquisitely crafted and emitted a fine and subdued glow in the sunlight, showing the different identity and status of the token - holder.
Hearing this, she felt a bit curious. "Senior Brother Xu, why do you say so?"