Chapter 1: Reborn Adorable Baby Descends the Mountain and Has Her Lucky Koi Fortune Stolen

Taizhen Temple.

Three-year-old Yan Luo blinked her large eyes as she watched her master, Daoist Ziyang, take out two jade plates, one red and one black.

"You two will be descending the mountain soon. As your master, I grant you two dharma tools to aid in your protection. The Koi Luck or the Yin-Yang Eyes—which one do you want?"

Beside her, her senior sister of the same age, Chu Yue, immediately reached out and pointed at the red jade plate: "Master, I want the Koi Luck!"

Hearing this, the sharpness in Yan Luo's dark, watery eyes receded.

So, Senior Sister Chu Yue had also been reborn.

In her past life, at this very time, the family of the Duke of Zhong had been judged by the State Preceptor to have an excess of Yang and a deficiency of Yin, condemning them to twenty years of extreme misfortune.

The only way out was to adopt two young girls with suitable destinies as foster daughters to ward off the calamity.

The Emperor, sympathizing with their family's history of loyalty, immediately sent people to find suitable girls.

That was how Yan Luo and Chu Yue were chosen.

In her past life, Chu Yue enjoyed her master's favor and snatched the Yin-Yang Eyes first.

She believed the Yin-Yang Eyes would allow her to command ten thousand ghosts, making her knowledgeable of heaven's will and expert in feng shui, thus earning her widespread admiration.

Little did she know that once the Yin-Yang Eyes were opened, all they would attract were fierce ghosts!

Because she could see ghosts, the ghosts naturally knew she could see them, and thus they clung to her.

From the moment Chu Yue became bound to the black jade plate, not a single day passed without something filthy following her.

Ghosts from all directions treated her like fresh, tender meat, clinging to her back to suck away her spiritual energy and cultivation!

Consequently, Chu Yue died shortly after her coming-of-age ceremony in her previous life; she had a very short lifespan.

As for Yan Luo, she took the red jade plate that Chu Yue didn't want. Relying on the great fortune of the Koi, she not only overcame countless hardships but also helped the Duke of Zhong's family turn misfortune into blessing. She gained the love of the entire family, and even the Crown Prince held her in high regard.

Yan Luo knew that with this rebirth, Chu Yue would definitely fight for the red jade plate.

The fanaticism in Chu Yue's eyes was almost impossible to hide: "Master, I want the Koi Luck! Give the Yin-Yang Eyes to Junior Sister!"

Daoist Ziyang looked toward Yan Luo: "What do you think?"

Yan Luo's small body was as thin as a bean sprout, and her ill-fitting Daoist robe slumped loosely on the ground.

She tilted her head, her bun slightly askew, and her dark eyes blinked twice against her fair face.

As if pondering for a moment, she said sweetly, "Master, I'll listen to you."

Master Ziyang's cultivation was limited; in his view, there was no difference between the two dharma tools.

However, he favored Chu Yue; no matter what she wanted, he would present it to her with both hands.

As for Yan Luo, he was merely asking her as a formality.

Daoist Ziyang's expression turned slightly serious: "The Koi Luck requires a certain level of cultivation to master, otherwise, it will cause a backlash. Yan Luo, your cultivation and talent are both inferior to Chu Yue's, so give the Koi Luck to her."

That is exactly what Master said in her past life.

He said the Yin-Yang Eyes required someone with great talent to master, so he gave them directly to her Senior Sister.

He didn't even ask for her consent.

Yan Luo's cherry-like mouth curled into an imperceptible smile.

Did he really think the red jade plate was a good thing?

Every time the Koi Luck is used, it consumes the luck and lifespan of the person bound to it!

"Okay, I'll listen to Master~"

Yan Luo obediently extended her small hand, watching as Daoist Ziyang took a drop of blood from both her and Chu Yue's fingertips.

Following the drawing of talismans, the chanting of incantations, and the offering of incense to the gods, Yan Luo and Chu Yue each became bound to a jade plate.

On the red jade plate, two koi fish surrounded a bright pearl, their patterns looking festive and joyful.

The other was black jade. When sunlight fell upon it, it faintly revealed a dark purple hue, and the patterns upon it were even more peculiar, depicting a precious palace surrounded by Equinox Flowers.

The moment Yan Luo's blood dripped onto the black jade plate, a gust of cold wind instantly blew in from outside the palace.

The Equinox Flowers on the black jade plate seemed to come alive, swaying gently.

Yan Luo let out a long breath from her small mouth.

With the Yin-Yang Eyes open, it felt as if she were standing in an extremely cool pavilion; the fierce summer winds felt like gentle currents of water around her.

Yan Luo turned her head to look outside the door.

Countless gray-black figures drifted in the air, and their numbers were constantly increasing. They were all lonely souls and wild ghosts attracted by the "Yin-Yang Eyes" from within a hundred miles.

In her past life, she possessed the Koi Luck. After being brought to the Duke of Zhong's manor, she spent every day giving to others, burning her own blood, qi, and luck.

The Koi Luck was extremely powerful, but because she was too young and her cultivation was too low, the backlash began quickly.

Just after her sixteenth birthday, because she had used the Koi Luck so many times to seek blessings for her family, her body became so weakened that she could no longer bring them fortune.

Yet, her family thought she was being lazy and unwilling to pray for blessings. They locked her in her room and gave her no food, causing her to die of thirst!

Yan Luo's small hand rubbed the pattern of the Equinox Flowers on the jade plate, her pitch-black pupils emitting a faint, dark purple light.

Taking advantage of the moment Daoist Ziyang was teaching Chu Yue how to use the Koi Luck, she quietly turned toward the ink-black jade plate and forced a drop of blood from her fingertip.

In truth, when Master bound the Yin-Yang Eyes to Chu Yue in her past life, he did not know that this black jade plate required two drops of blood.

The first drop only opened the Yin-Yang Eyes; it did not make them recognize a master.

Only the second drop of blood could truly allow one to control its power without worrying about being harmed by evil ghosts.

Unfortunately, Daoist Ziyang's cultivation was not profound enough; he simply did not understand.

As the bead of blood dripped into the black jade plate, the Yin-Yang Eyes instantly became even more icy and smooth.

Yan Luo knew that from this moment on, the Yin-Yang Eyes would be entirely at her command.

In her past life, after Chu Yue died, these Yin-Yang Eyes had fallen into her hands.

By a stroke of luck, she had successfully activated the true use of the Yin-Yang Eyes: they could devour evil ghosts to increase her own cultivation and strength.

The Koi Luck was quite the opposite; it would suck away the luck of the person bound to it.

Regrettably, by the time Yan Luo obtained it in her past life, it was already too late. Her body had been worn away by the Koi Luck, and even the Yin-Yang Eyes could not save her.

Since the Yin-Yang Eyes had become her dharma tool in this life...

Then from now on, she would make their souls melt upon entry, tasting the entire family of every evil ghost!

Daoist Ziyang had a Daoist boy bring a thick bundle and handed it to Chu Yue.

He instructed earnestly, "There are many talismans for exorcising ghosts and warding off evil in here, as well as a compass, a peach wood sword... Chu Yue, take them all. If you don't have enough, come back and Master will draw more for you."

After saying this, he cast a cold, indifferent glance at Yan Luo. "Since you have the Yin-Yang Eyes, you won't need these talismans. After descending the mountain, listen to your Senior Sister."

Chu Yue hurriedly said, "Thank you, Master. Once we reach the Duke of Zhong's manor, I will definitely help Junior Sister very, very well."

Her voice was childish, but her diction was fierce, filled with an air of arrogance and boasting.

Yan Luo merely looked at them innocently, nodding with a face full of childlike purity.

The Eldest Senior Brother clasped his hands: "Master, two Junior Sisters, the Duke of Zhong's carriage has arrived at the mountain gate."

Daoist Ziyang sighed. "Go down the mountain then. Chu Yue, if you suffer any grievances, come back and tell Master. Our entire Taizhen Temple is your support."

Chu Yue acted reluctant to leave, her eyes reddening as she said she couldn't bear to leave the temple.

Only Yan Luo stood quietly to the side, her fair little face serene and well-behaved.

Daoist Ziyang glanced at her, thinking to himself: *What a heartless child, not even a single tear. All these years of raising her were truly in vain!*

Chu Yue held Yan Luo's hand, stepping down the stairs one by one, as the towering Taizhen Temple atop the mountain gradually receded behind them.

It wasn't until the figures of Daoist Ziyang and the other Senior Brothers were no longer visible that Chu Yue abruptly flung Yan Luo's hand away.

"Don't blame me for not warning you, Yan Luo. In ten days, you're going to have terrible luck!" Chu Yue curled her lips into a smile, looking like someone watching a good show.

"Why, Senior Sister?"

"In ten days, it will be the Hungry Ghost Festival. On that day, the gates of the underworld will open. The Yin-Yang Eyes will attract lonely souls and wild ghosts; you'll have to fend for yourself. If you're truly scared, come beg me, and I might reward you with an evil-warding talisman."

Chu Yue wore a triumphant smile and walked down the steps with her head held high.

In her past life, when she opened the Yin-Yang Eyes, she attracted countless evil ghosts on the night of the Hungry Ghost Festival.

Chu Yue had her luck sucked away for an entire night!

The next morning, she was bleeding from her seven orifices, and after that, her vital essence was severely damaged, leaving her to linger on life for the rest of her days.

It was only then that Chu Yue finally discovered that the Yin-Yang Eyes would consume her lifespan. When it became increasingly severe, she had once begged Yan Luo to exchange dharma tools with her, even if the Koi Luck would only nourish her for two or three days.

But Yan Luo had refused without hesitation.

Thinking of Yan Luo's expression of utter indifference to her life or death, Chu Yue bit her lip hard, a cold light appearing in her eyes.

In this life, no matter what torment Yan Luo endures, she deserves it! She owes it to me!

Looking at Chu Yue's retreating back, Yan Luo's small, pale face beneath her dark bangs was extremely calm.

The little one looked up and saw thousands of lonely souls and wild ghosts gathering in the sky.

Her small mouth let out a "Tsk."

The crowd of ghosts shuddered violently, instantly covering their mouths, not daring to make even the slightest sound of wailing.

Yan Luo's voice was soft: "The Hungry Ghost Festival sounds lovely. I can eat my fill."

*

The Duke of Zhong's carriage carried them all the way into the city and back to the capital. Entering a wide alleyway, it stopped before a grand and imposing entrance.

Just like in her past life, as soon as Yan Luo and Chu Yue stepped off the carriage, they were not met by the eager welcome of the Duke of Zhong's family.

Instead, the butler said in a hurried tone, "The two young ladies, we have been waiting and waiting for you to finally arrive. The manor is haunted; please, you two, go and take a look."

Yan Luo knew in her heart that this was a test given by the Duke of Zhong, intended to see if the two of them could truly help the family turn misfortune into blessing.

(End of Chapter)