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

Chapter 116: Chapter 115: Master Acknowledged

Unlike the other items, the Divine Artifacts weren’t kept in glass display cases. Instead, they floated freely in midair. They looked quiet and unassuming, but the very fact they could levitate proved they were anything but simple.

Of the three great Divine Artifacts, besides the Soul Mirror, there was a sword and an umbrella.

Support, offense, and defense—it was a complete set. If a single person could get all three to acknowledge them as master, then no matter their previous strength, they would surely stand at the pinnacle of the Mystical World.

Unfortunately, over so many years, very few could even get one to acknowledge them, let alone all three.

’The Mystic Association members really are qualified treasure guardians,’ Gu Qingyin thought wryly. ’So diligent, always watching over them and never trying to claim them for themselves... because they aren’t strong enough.’

”Let’s begin.”

Gu Qingyin blinked. ”How do we start? Do I just go over and grab it?”

”...Just stand in front of the Soul Mirror.”

For once, Gu Qingyin obediently went and stood there.

The Soul Mirror slowly descended until it was level with Gu Qingyin. Before she could even react, a beam of warm, yellow light shot out from the mirror, enveloping her completely.

The next second, a tall, blurry figure abruptly appeared behind her.

The tall figure draped itself over her shoulders from behind. Long, powerful hands crossed over her chest, holding her in a tight embrace that screamed of possessiveness.

”A Fierce Ghost?!”

Elder Zhang instinctively fell into an attack stance.

Liu Ergou quickly stepped forward to block him. ”A misunderstanding! That’s Qing Yin’s ghost servant!”

He’d only found out later himself that Gu Qingyin’s ghost servant was her husband who had died young. He’d even secretly, resentfully compared them... Height, looks, wealth—he couldn’t measure up in a single category.

If Huo Yunjing were still alive, Liu Ergou could at least have claimed superiority in fighting side-by-side with her. But now... he probably couldn’t even win a fight against Huo Yunjing.

It was an utter and complete defeat.

At that moment, Liu Ergou’s already-broken heart broke all over again.

A ghost servant?

Elder Zhang studied the figure closely, then gave a slightly awkward cough and relaxed his stance. ”My apologies. I was too on edge.” He paused, then added, ”There are wards within the repository. Victims’ souls and Evil Ghosts can’t get in.”

Gazing at Huo Yunjing, Dongfang Ran’s expression grew even more complex.

The other elders might not know, but she knew the true identity of the ghost servant before her. As Gu Qingyin’s rival, she knew everything about her life after she had descended the mountain.

She had even kept a close watch on the Huo Family after Gu Qingyin disappeared. She wanted to see how long it would take for Huo Yunjing to forget Gu Qingyin. That wait lasted ten years.

Right up until Huo Yunjing died in a car crash, another woman never once appeared by his side.

To be honest, Dongfang Ran longed for that kind of devoted love and wanted it for herself. But after a few relationships that all ended unsatisfactorily, she stopped forcing the issue.

She paid little attention to the Huo Family after Huo Yunjing’s death. She never imagined that not only had he refused to be reincarnated, but he had also waited another ten years for Gu Qingyin in the mortal realm as a ghost soul.

Now, though they were separated by the veil of life and death, they were, in a way, reunited.

The onlookers all had their own mixed feelings, but no one was paying any attention to the thoughts of the person actually involved.

Gu Qingyin was about to die of anxiety!

’After this stupid mirror shone on me, I can’t move! Even Huo Yunjing behind me seems to be frozen, just hanging on me like a fool.’

’Hasn’t anyone noticed something’s wrong with me? Is anyone going to save me?!’ Gu Qingyin couldn’t help but suspect this whole thing was a conspiracy by the Mystic Association.

Just as Gu Qingyin was about to gather all her Spiritual Power to break free, the damn mirror in front of her finally made its next move.

The Soul Mirror floated a little closer, almost touching Gu Qingyin’s face. It wasn’t very large—just a vintage-style hand mirror, the kind with a wooden handle.

The Soul Mirror circled Gu Qingyin’s head, examining her from top to bottom, left to right.

At first, Gu Qingyin didn’t know what it was trying to do. Then it dawned on her: the mirror was probably assessing her looks.

’For a second, Gu Qingyin found it both absurd and perfectly reasonable. It was a mirror, after all... A mirror my ass!’

’It has to judge its master’s looks before binding to them! No wonder it’s been locked up in a dark warehouse for so many years! Could its standards be any more ridiculous?!’

If Gu Qingyin could move right now, she would have given the Soul Mirror the biggest eye-roll of its life.

After a full minute, the Soul Mirror slowly backed away, then suddenly shot toward Gu Qingyin’s Dantian. It pressed against her and began to frantically drain her Spiritual Power.

Gu Qingyin jumped in alarm. The rate at which her Spiritual Power was draining was terrifyingly fast. It felt like a gaping hole had been torn in her Dantian, and there was no way to stop the flood.

An unknown amount of time passed. Just as Gu Qingyin felt she was about to be sucked dry, the Soul Mirror’s absorption of her Spiritual Power gradually lessened, finally coming to a stop.

Gu Qingyin heaved a sigh of relief, a hint of regret in her heart. ’Binding a Divine Artifact is way too much trouble.’

But now she was at the point of no return. Only the final step remained: soul-binding.

The Soul Mirror slowly flew back up, but it wasn’t as steady as before. It wobbled back and forth as if it were drunk.

’...A Divine Artifact can get drunk on Spiritual Power? Isn’t that a bit useless?’

Then, with a SWOOSH, the Soul Mirror flew over and pressed itself against the spot between her eyebrows.

The same scene as before played out again. Her soul power began WHOOSHING out of her like water from a broken dam.

Gu Qingyin tried to stop it, but after a few fruitless attempts, she got angry. Instead of trying to stop the flow, she increased the output.

’You want soul power, is that it? Let’s see if I can’t stuff you till you burst!’

Gu Qingyin was truly gifted. Her innate soul power was so abnormally immense that even her master couldn’t fathom its depths. She took this opportunity, partly to vent her frustration, and partly because she wanted to test her own limits.

Bombarded with so much soul power all at once, the Soul Mirror couldn’t help but tremble. Then it stabilized again, remaining pressed firmly against Gu Qingyin’s brow.

But soon, the Soul Mirror couldn’t hold steady. It felt a little... stuffed. After starving for so long, it had suddenly been served a feast it couldn’t quite digest.

The Soul Mirror hesitated, wanting to pull away. The binding process had progressed far enough to be considered complete.

It wobbled, and just as it moved less than a centimeter from Gu Qingyin’s brow, it was seized by some force and slapped right back into place!

The Soul Mirror shuddered. It was now absolutely certain: the binding was complete. There was now one more person in the world who could control it.

Gu Qingyin realized it too. She gave a cold smirk and was about to increase the output of her Soul Power, but the large hands draped over her chest lifted, and one of them grabbed the mirror’s handle.

Gu Qingyin froze. Huo Yunjing had straightened up and taken the Soul Mirror away.

”What are you doing?” Gu Qingyin turned to face Huo Yunjing, her brow furrowed in displeasure. ”I wasn’t finished yet.”

Huo Yunjing was also displeased. ”I don’t like other things touching you.” With that, he carelessly tossed the Soul Mirror away.

”Hey!” Gu Qingyin gestured with her hand, and the Soul Mirror looped through the air before returning to her grasp.

This made Huo Yunjing even more unhappy, but he didn’t dare try to snatch it away. He could only glare sullenly at the mirror.

The Soul Mirror trembled, then dissolved into motes of starlight that flowed into Gu Qingyin’s Dantian.

Gu Qingyin was stunned. ’So this is a Divine Artifact,’ she thought. ’It really is divine!’

The others were also in shock. Although the Soul Mirror was only a support-type Divine Artifact, it wasn’t something a Fierce Ghost could just grab and toss around at will! Just what was the origin of Gu Qingyin’s ghost servant?!