Chapter Sixteen: The Third Kill at Xuanyuan’s Tomb

When her parents returned home that evening, Yu Qian successfully extended their lives once more. She exchanged two more peace talismans in the group chat and obtained two consecrated jade pendants from Guanyin.

Knocking gently on her parents’ bedroom door—“Knock, knock knock, knock knock knock”—she waited for their response.

“Come in.”

“Mom, Dad, you need to carry these talismans and jade pendants close to you every day.” Only after handing them over did she speak.

Yu Wen frowned as he examined the items in his hand. “Where did these come from?”

“On my way home, I met an old Taoist. He gave them to me, said they’re consecrated and can ward off harm. I tested them at home—the talisman resists fire and water, and the jade pendant doesn’t break when dropped.” Yu Qian wasn’t exactly lying; she’d exchanged them with the Grand Supreme Elder, who was, after all, an old Taoist.

“Met another immortal?” Knowing Yu Qian’s rebirth, her parents were not skeptical, believing she had the fortune to encounter immortals again.

“We’ll wear them every day. Do you have your own?” Wen Yu worried her daughter had given away everything and had none left for herself.

“I do, I do—it’s in my room.”

“Bring it over so I can see if you really have one. Don’t fool your mother.”

Hurrying back to her room, she grabbed her phone and exchanged another talisman and jade pendant with the Elder and Guanyin.

“Here, Mom, look—see?”

Carefully comparing it to her own, Wen Yu finally handed it back after confirming they were identical.

“Are you going back when the weather turns cloudy?” Yu Wen asked.

“Yes, I still have classes in the extracurricular program until New Year’s Eve, and then classes continue after school starts.”

“Do you want your mom to take you back, or will you go alone?”

“I’ll go by myself. Mom still needs to oversee things at the factory—if the goods aren’t shipped by New Year, we’ll miss the spring collection after the holiday.”

“Alright, I’ll take you to the station when it’s cloudy.”

Yu Wen felt at ease letting her travel alone. The child’s body housed an adult’s soul, and he wasn’t worried about her being duped. Society was still honest and kind; if anyone dared to act out, she could call out and help would come.

Yu Qian wasn’t upset about returning home alone. She understood deeply that her parents loved her, and their busy work was for her better life.

Besides, she’d spent a semester learning martial arts from Yang Jian and the others in the Small Wonderland. Though not up to those trained since childhood, she could easily handle ordinary people.

She slept soundly until morning, feeling refreshed.

After breakfast, Wen Yu went to the factory, while Yu Wen helped her pack her zither and newly bought winter clothes before escorting her to the station.

......

Once home, Yu Qian’s days settled into a routine.

Running—learning the guzheng—practicing dance—doing homework—watching TV—sleeping.

Of course, at night she would enter the Small Wonderland as usual, with teachers rotating to instruct her, never letting her rest until dawn.

Time passed swiftly. The day after the extracurricular program’s holiday, Yu Wen and Wen Yu returned home.

Grandfather and grandmother had already prepared all the New Year’s goods. Yu Wen took his wife and daughter to the exhibition fair, picking up some fireworks and firecrackers to play with at home.

He also bought a sofa set for the living room, crowding the already small space.

Originally, they planned to tear down and rebuild the old house, but this year, Aunt’s husband was overwhelmed with work and couldn’t spare a construction team, so they agreed to start after the New Year.

On New Year’s Eve, the five of them squeezed onto the sofa, wrapped in blankets, watching the Spring Festival Gala.

The Gala was still wonderful back then—songs matched the times and had melody, comedy sketches and crosstalk were full of laughter and punchlines.

Unlike later years, when the songs had neither nostalgia nor appeal to the young, and the sketches recycled internet jokes, less amusing than online banter.

Yu Qian had long forgotten the contents of the Gala from her childhood, but now she watched with delight.

After all, it was genuinely entertaining.

Besides, even if she didn’t watch, there was nothing else worth watching on other channels.

The family had no habit of playing cards.

Speaking of cards, Wen Yu had forbidden Yu Qian from learning since she was little, threatening that if she did, she wouldn’t be allowed to study.

Even at the moment of her death in her previous life, Yu Qian only knew one card game—Fight the Landlord—which her university roommates had managed to teach her after two days.

Near midnight, the outside grew lively.

She took out her phone, put on headphones, and started a group video chat.

The immortals, who hadn’t celebrated Spring Festival for years, enthusiastically gathered with their phones, squatting atop stone platforms to watch.

Yu Qian and Yu Wen went outside. In 2004, fireworks hadn’t been banned yet—flowers burst in the sky, one after another.

Families competed, each display bigger and more beautiful than the last.

They brought out their own fireworks, lit them, and watched them soar and explode.

[Little Cutie Jingwei]: “Wow, so beautiful. We never had fireworks in the immortal realm. I wish we could set them off there.”

[The Dumbest Fox Spirit in the Six Realms]: “Come on, your immortal realm is always bright. You wouldn’t see fireworks anyway, so what’s the point?”

[Troublemaker No. 1 Nezha]: “True, there’s no night in the immortal realm. Fireworks in the demon realm would look better.”

[The Dumbest Fox Spirit in the Six Realms]: “Forget it, the demon realm’s gates are closed now. Except for Ashura, there’s nobody there. Fireworks? Dream on!”

[Crimson Pearl Immortal Grass]: “Ashura could set them off alone.”

[The Dumbest Fox Spirit in the Six Realms]: “Come on, Ashura hasn’t made a peep for ages. Who knows if he’s even alive.”

[Old Taoist Grand Supreme Elder]: “Hey, Fox, you’re addicted to quarreling. Why are you causing trouble on New Year’s Eve?”

Admin [Nüwa] has muted [The Dumbest Fox Spirit in the Six Realms] for 24 hours.

[Shallow Water Fish]: “Pfft, muted again.”

Yu Qian typed a reply when she saw this. For the past six months, Su Daji had been incorrigible, always provoking others.

Whenever she riled up Nüwa, the goddess would brandish her blade and mute her.

But!

Once unmuted, Su Daji would still seek trouble!

[Demon King Ashura]: “Squeak…”

[Shallow Water Fish]: “……”

[Nüwa]: “……”

[Fuxi]: “……”

[Yama]: “……”

[Pangu]: “……A real one?”

Pangu had appeared—this was Yu Qian’s second time seeing him since joining the group.

The first time, she’d received his Marrow Cleansing Pill.

[Sister Is the Cutest Little Chicken]: “Whoa! Alive!”

After being muted, Su Daji tried lurking as the Pheasant Spirit, but was also exposed.

And then, to everyone’s amusement—

Admin [Fuxi] has muted [Sister Is the Cutest Little Chicken] for 24 hours.

[Demon King Ashura]: “Hehe, serves you right.”

Ashura added another blow.

Admin [Demon King Ashura] has muted [The Dumbest Fox Spirit in the Six Realms] for 7 days.

[Jade Bone, Ice Heart Little Pipa]: “Ashura, damn you!”

Admin [Demon King Ashura] has muted [Jade Bone, Ice Heart Little Pipa] for 7 days.

Wow, a triple kill—the three spirits of the Xuanyuan Tomb were all out.

On the other side, Su Daji was furious, jumping up and down, threatening to fight Ashura.

The Pheasant Spirit and Pipa Spirit stared mournfully at their muted accounts, unable to buy snacks from the group’s mini shop.

Most importantly, being muted for seven days meant no snacks at all.