Mom's Back. The Villain Triplets Are in Trouble.

Chapter 85: Chapter 84: This Method Is Good

”No, that’s not what I meant. Don’t get the wrong idea.” Tuoba Yan was a little flustered. ”I’m just surprised. You haven’t been back for so many years. My master and the others all thought you were...”

At this point, Tuoba Yan’s brow furrowed again, a hint of suspicion in his eyes. ”Are you really Gu Qingyin?”

Gu Qingyin knew what he was doubting. She sighed and, almost numbly, explained the whole story all over again.

Tuoba Yan was stunned as he listened. When he came to his senses, a guilty expression appeared on his face. ”I’m sorry. We wasted twenty years of your life...”

Gu Qingyin was stunned as well. ’How is this guy so different from what I imagined?’ she thought. ’He’s being so polite all of a sudden, I almost feel guilty myself.’

”It’s fine. Who could have expected this, right...?”

”Actually, before you left, my master performed a divination. He foresaw that this journey would have some twists and turns, but the hexagram showed there was no danger to your life, so...” Tuoba Yan said shamefully, ”we didn’t tell you.”

Gu Qingyin fell silent.

Huo Xingchen, listening from the side, furrowed his brow. His initial conviction began to waver. ’Could Gu Qingyin really be my mom? Did she really have to leave home for so long because of some bullshit mission?’

At this thought, a hint of darkness crept into Huo Xingchen’s gaze as he looked at Tuoba Yan.

Gu Qingyin was actually a bit dazed. Hearing about the divination, she couldn’t help but wonder if she would have changed her mind or refused the mission had she known beforehand.

The conclusion was: she wouldn’t have.

She still would have gone. It was just a divination that foretold some twists and turns. Given her confidence in her own abilities, she wouldn’t have paid it any mind. The final outcome would most likely have been the same: her chasing the Candle Dragon into the Different Space and missing out on twenty years in the mortal world.

Did she have regrets?

There was some sadness, for Huo Yunjing and for their three children.

But she didn’t regret it.

Her feelings for Huo Yunjing weren’t particularly deep, far from being unforgettable or all-consuming. Her three children had grown up healthy, and while they each had their own issues, it wasn’t too late to guide them.

Gu Qingyin had always been easygoing. To put it bluntly, she was thick-skinned and took all sorts of sudden changes in stride, making it difficult to provoke a strong emotional reaction from her.

Sometimes, she even admired herself for it. It was like she had a built-in filter for negativity; she would just solve the problem and be done with it, never wallowing in self-pity.

Perhaps because she had been silent for too long, Tuoba Yan grew even more flustered. ”Um... I can compensate you on behalf of the Mystic Association.”

Hm? Gu Qingyin snapped back to reality, inwardly stunned.

As far as she knew, the old-timers at the Mystic Association were all cheapskates who wouldn’t part with a single dime. ’This President Tuoba isn’t just generous with himself, but with others too? Would those old geezers even agree?’

With this in mind, Gu Qingyin couldn’t help but lift her head. She squeezed her eyes shut from the assault of colors, then quickly looked higher to meet Tuoba Yan’s eyes. ”What do you plan on compensating me with?”

”A Magic Artifact?” Tuoba Yan asked tentatively.

Gu Qingyin scoffed. She had been about to refuse, but something suddenly popped into her mind. Her tone shifted as she said, ”I want the Soul Mirror.”

Tuoba Yan’s eyes widened instantly, and his breathing grew heavy. ”Impossible!”

Beside them, Liu Ergou looked at Gu Qingyin with a face full of admiration. ’You’ve really got some nerve!’

The Soul Mirror was one of the three great Divine Artifacts of the Mystic Association. It was normally enshrined in the storehouse. If an ordinary Heavenly Master wanted to use it, they had to submit an application half a month in advance, and an Association elder would supervise its use.

You didn’t need to be a genius to know it was impossible for them to just give it away as compensation!

Gu Qingyin tugged at the corner of her lips nonchalantly. ”I knew you weren’t sincere.”

Tuoba Yan’s expression shifted. He spoke with difficulty, ”I can’t make this decision on my own. It has to be put to a vote by the Elder Council.”

Gu Qingyin found this incredible. She even suspected that Tuoba Yan’s mind had gone haywire from spending too much time in this light-polluted environment.

But she didn’t let any of this show on her face. Instead, she nodded as if it were a matter of course. ”Make it quick. Don’t keep me waiting too long.”

Tuoba Yan: ”...Alright.”

Liu Ergou looked dazed, thinking he must be dreaming.

Huo Xingchen didn’t understand the details, but he knew only a fool wouldn’t take advantage of a good deal. He wasn’t a fool, so he chimed in, ”No later than half a month.”

Tuoba Yan shot him a glance, not wanting to acknowledge him, but then he inexplicably looked at Gu Qingyin again and nodded hesitantly. ”I’ll do my best.”

Gu Qingyin hadn’t expected things to progress this way. She blinked and said tentatively, ”Well then... we’ll be going?”

”Mhm.” Tuoba Yan glanced at the Monkey, who had started tumbling around with Little White at some point, and added, ”I’ll have Little White deliver its pet permit tomorrow.”

Gu Qingyin nodded and said politely, ”Thank you.” Then she turned to call for Mao Mao to leave.

At that moment, Mao Mao was standing on Little White’s back, surveying the room like a mountain king inspecting his territory. Upon hearing they had to leave, Mao Mao reluctantly patted Little White’s head.

Little White meowed and turned to lick its fur.

It was amazing. In just a short time, the two little animals had already bonded.

The three people and one monkey left. Tuoba Yan quickly pulled out his phone, opened the Elder Council’s group chat, composed a long message about Gu Qingyin’s return and her demand, and sent it, tagging everyone.

After a brief silence, the phone began to vibrate again and again.

Elder Zhang: How dare she ask for that!

Elder Wang: We may have made a mistake in judgment back then, but her master already came and raised hell once. What more does she want?!

Elder Miao: But if we don’t agree, won’t her master come beat down our door again?

Elder Zhang: There are so many of us. You think we can’t handle him!

Elder Miao: That’s what we thought last time, too.

With that said, the group chat fell silent again.

After a long while, a new message appeared.

Elder Dongfang: Agree to it for now. A Divine Artifact doesn’t just accept a new master that easily.

Elder Zhao: That makes sense! We agree, but if she doesn’t have the ability to take the Divine Artifact with her, then we can’t be blamed.

Elder Wang: That’s a good plan.

Elder Zhang: Brilliant!

The elders all voiced their agreement.

Tuoba Yan, who had been lurking, breathed a sigh of relief and replied: So when would be a good time for her to come and claim it?

Elder Wang: Let’s drag it out for a while. No rush.

Meanwhile, Gu Qingyin and the other two were unusually silent on their way back.

It wasn’t until they emerged from the small space and reappeared in the City God Temple that Gu Qingyin sucked in a breath and asked uncertainly, ”Did Tuoba Yan suffer a severe head injury at some point?”

Liu Ergou was also bewildered. ”This whole night feels like a dream. Is he really going to give you the Soul Mirror?”

Gu Qingyin let out a sharp laugh and said through gritted teeth, ”He’d better not go back on his word.”

Huo Xingchen looked at Gu Qingyin with a complicated expression, wanting to speak but holding back, then wanting to again.

Gu Qingyin lost her patience. ”If you have something to say, just say it! Stop dithering. You’re not acting like a man at all!”

Huo Xingchen’s face darkened. The words he’d been mulling over for a while finally tumbled out, ”Are you really my biological mother?”

Gu Qingyin rolled her eyes. ”I don’t have a son as angsty and foolish as you.”