Chapter 223 - 222: Here to Find Mom

Chapter 223: Chapter 222: Here to Find Mom

After putting the diary away safely, Gu Qingyin spread out the yellow paper and vermillion she had just taken out of a delivery package and drew a Ghost Summoning Talisman.

Gu Qingyin took the talisman to the living room and lit it with a wave of her hand.

She sat on the sofa for a moment. A gust of wind swirled through the closed living room, and the temperature plummeted.

Gu Qingyin stared at the empty living room, stunned for a second. Then, it suddenly hit her—she didn’t have her Yin Yang Eye anymore. She couldn’t see ghosts. No wonder she’d thought the scenery everywhere had been so pleasant for the last few days.

With a sigh, Gu Qingyin opened her Yin Yang Eye.

When she opened her eyes again, a bizarrely shaped, big-headed wild ghost appeared in her vision.

Gu Qingyin stared at them expressionlessly for two seconds before saying coldly, "Back off. You’re too close."

The big-headed ghost floated back a meter, its gaze somber as it stared at Gu Qingyin. It didn’t speak, perfectly maintaining an eerie and terrifying atmosphere.

If Gu Qingyin hadn’t been used to such scenes since childhood, she might have actually been scared. As it was... she just found it laughable.

"I have two questions for you." Gu Qingyin wasted no words. "Where is the entrance to the Xuan Technique Association headquarters around here? And are there any well-known Heavenly Masters nearby?"

Of course, the ghost wasn’t that cooperative. ’Answer just because she asks? What does she take me for?’

"I can answer your questions." A tall, thin Ghost Shadow fluttered like a flag in the eerie wind, its voice just as unsteady. "What’s in it for me?"

Gu Qingyin had a sudden realization. ’Oh, right, you’re supposed to offer payment when you ask a ghost for information!’

In the past, any ghost she summoned would have been trembling with fear, eager to cooperate, terrified that if she was the slightest bit displeased, she’d "physically" send them to the afterlife.

It had been many, many years since a ghost had dared to speak to her like that.

Gu Qingyin couldn’t help but chuckle. ’It’s actually kind of interesting to get the rookie treatment for a change.’

For some reason, the tall, thin ghost felt a chill run down its spine. It immediately looked around warily, suspecting a trap. Perhaps there were powerful Heavenly Masters lying in ambush.

"What do you want?" Gu Qingyin asked, her interest piqued.

Now suspicious, the tall, thin ghost didn’t dare act so casually toward Gu Qingyin anymore. It answered cautiously, "Two fully charged Gathering Yin Talismans."

’That’s it? I thought it was going to ask for something outrageous.’

Gu Qingyin was a little disappointed. "Fine," she nodded. "Answer the questions first."

The tall, thin ghost said, "The Xuan Technique Association you mentioned must be the Heavenly Master Association, right? If so, the entrance is at the base of the city wall—over in the east, there’s an undeveloped, wild section."

Gu Qingyin nodded, gesturing for it to continue.

"As for famous Heavenly Masters around here..." The tall, thin ghost’s tone became reverent. "That would have to be the Huo Family. They’re an orthodox Heavenly Master Family, and their reputation and power are both top-notch. The Family Head of this generation is a rare Xuan Technique genius—he got his Special-level Heavenly Master Certificate just after turning thirty."

Gu Qingyin’s heart skipped a beat, and she couldn’t help but sit up a little straighter. "What’s his name?"

"Huo Yunjing!"

Hearing that name, Gu Qingyin was dazed. ’This parallel world’s Huo Yunjing is a Heavenly Master!’

’But on second thought, it makes sense. The Huo Family has been around for so long; a different choice at some point in their history could have completely changed the family’s path.’

The tall, thin ghost was still rambling on about this world’s legendary Huo Yunjing, but Gu Qingyin couldn’t hear a word of it.

’Should I go find Huo Yunjing? Would that be wrong? It kind of feels like I’d be cheating...’

’No! It’s not like I’m planning on doing anything! Huh? I wonder if this world’s Huo Yunjing is married.’

At this thought, her gaze darkened.

’Maybe I shouldn’t go after all. If I had to watch Huo Yunjing being all lovey-dovey with another woman, I’d definitely go crazy on the spot!’

’Even if this Huo Yunjing isn’t *my* Huo Yunjing, his face is the same!’

Gu Qingyin’s gaze firmed. ’It should be the same face, right? Maybe I should just meet him first and see.’

"...Are you listening to me? Hello?" the tall, thin ghost called out, dissatisfied.

Gu Qingyin snapped out of it. Clearing her throat, she asked, "Where does Huo Yunjing usually like to go?"

The tall, thin ghost subtly rolled its eyes. "How would I know that? You’re asking for way too much detail."

’That’s true,’ Gu Qingyin thought. It was just a wild ghost; it had probably picked up everything it knew about Huo Yunjing from rumors.

She went to the study and drew two talismans on the spot. Carrying the empty talismans, she went downstairs with the tall, thin ghost trailing closely behind her.

After a walk around the residential complex, the Gathering Yin Talismans were just about full.

After receiving its payment, the tall, thin ghost left, satisfied.

Gu Qingyin went home, washed up, and got into bed. She couldn’t resist doing a quick divination using the birth chart of the Huo Yunjing from her world. She was just trying it for fun and didn’t expect it to actually work!

Startled, Gu Qingyin quickly pulled back.

But it was too late.

In a courtyard within the Huo Family’s ancestral home in the distant suburbs, Huo Yunjing, who had been meditating, snapped his eyes open and looked toward the city.

His gaze seemed to pierce through space and time, landing right on Gu Qingyin.

In that instant, Gu Qingyin felt as if she’d been targeted. She subconsciously threw up a ward and concealed herself.

The moment she was hidden, she smacked herself on the head. ’Didn’t I want to find him? Why am I hiding?’

After hesitating for a moment, Gu Qingyin still didn’t take down the ward. She felt inexplicably guilty, though she wasn’t sure why.

"Forget it. I’ll deal with it tomorrow." Gu Qingyin flopped back onto the bed, pulled the covers over her head, and fell into an uneasy sleep.

The next day, a little after ten in the morning, Gu Qingyin was woken up by the doorbell.

She sat up groggily, exuding a foul mood as she shuffled to the door like a zombie.

The doorbell had been ringing nonstop, even before it woke her, for who knows how long. It sounded as if her life depended on it.

Gu Qingyin yanked the door open, eyes spitting fire. She threatened in a low voice, "You’d better have a life-or-death reason for being here, or else I’ll—!!!"

Seeing the person at the door, Gu Qingyin was instantly wide awake and instinctively tried to slam it shut.

The person outside raised a long, slender, jade-like hand, catching the door before she could. Then, with a calm expression, he spoke. "So you do know me."

Gu Qingyin stared at that incredibly familiar face and swallowed. ’How is even his height the same! But his aura is a little different, subtly.’

Acting as if he owned the place, Huo Yunjing walked right past the frozen Gu Qingyin and into the apartment.

Gu Qingyin snapped out of her daze, paused for two seconds before closing the door, then took two steps and stopped, cautiously sizing Huo Yunjing up.

Huo Yunjing turned to meet her gaze.

The two stood in silence as the atmosphere grew increasingly awkward.

Just as Gu Qingyin couldn’t take it anymore and was about to speak to break the deadlock, Huo Yunjing’s thin lips parted, and he spoke.

"Who are you? And how do you know my birth chart?"

Gu Qingyin was silent for two seconds. "If I said I guessed, would you believe me?"

Huo Yunjing: "Hah."

Gu Qingyin’s brow furrowed. She really couldn’t get used to seeing that face treat her with such an attitude.

Taking a deep breath, Gu Qingyin decided to just go for broke. "I guessed. Believe it or not."

With that, she turned to go back to her room and sleep.

Huo Yunjing didn’t stop her, but merely said in an unreadable tone, "A child named Huo Xingchen suddenly appeared at the Huo Family estate."

Gu Qingyin froze in place.

Huo Yunjing continued unhurriedly, "He says he’s looking for his mother."