Chapter 100: with translation of chapter title

The incense ash not only failed to solve the problem, but even had the opposite effect.

Translation: "The incense ash not only failed to solve the problem, but even had the opposite effect."

The incense ash not only failed to solve the problem, but even had the opposite effect.

Why? I'm also a child of Tafeng Village.

Translation: "Why? I'm also a child of Tafengcun."

Immediately I recalled those words my grandmother used to scold me.

Translation: "Immediately I recalled those words my grandmother scolded me with."

She said my mother had won the head incense offering three years in a row, yet the Qilin deity never came to her in dreams—until my mother miraculously became pregnant with me.

Translation: "She said my mother had won the first incense offering for three consecutive years, yet the Kirin God never came to her in dreams, until my mother miraculously became pregnant with me."

So I am not a child blessed by the Qilin deity, which is why I am punished by him and cannot receive his protection.

Translation: "So I am not a child bestowed by the Kirin God, which is why I am punished by him and cannot receive his protection."

Could it really be like that?

Translation: "Could it really be like that?"

Since I am not protected, does that mean I cannot use the incense ash from the Qilin temple?

Translation: "Since I am not protected, does that mean I cannot use the incense ash from the Kirin Temple?"

Just then, there was a knock on the door, and Tang Tang pushed it open and entered.

Translation: "Just then, there was a knock on the door, and Tang Tang pushed it open and came in."

She had also taken a bath, then slipped straight into my blankets, coquettishly saying, 'Little junior sister, I'll sleep with you tonight—I've had them tidy a guest room for my brother-in-law.'

Translation: "She had also taken a bath, then dove straight into my blankets, acting coquettish: 'Little junior sister, I'll sleep with you tonight; I had them tidy up a guest room for my brother-in-law.'"

I knew she surely had many private things she wanted to tell me, so I also slipped under the covers.

Translation: "I knew she definitely had many private things she wanted to tell me, so I also slipped into the blankets."

Tang Tang put her arm around me and asked, 'I haven't even asked what your brother-in-law's name is—what… what is he again?'

Translation: "Tang Tang put her arm around me and asked, 'I haven't even asked what your brother-in-law's name is… What… what is he again?'"

'His name is Liu Junyan,' I said, 'and his true form should be a white flood dragon.'

Translation: "'His name is Liu Junyan,' I said. 'His true form should be a white jiao.'"

'A jiao?' Tang Tang's reaction was even more ordinary than I imagined; she asked, 'Then doesn't he have a chance to ascend to become a dragon?'

Translation: "'A jiao?' Tang Tang's reaction was even more ordinary than I imagined; she asked, 'Then doesn't he have a chance to ascend to become a dragon?'"

I hummed in agreement: 'Over a hundred years ago, he once had such an opportunity, but unfortunately it failed for some reason—otherwise I wouldn't have met him.'

Translation: "I hummed: 'Over a hundred years ago, he once had such an opportunity, but it failed for some reason; otherwise I wouldn't have met him.'"

'You silly girl!' Tang Tang poked my forehead, 'You're still happy to have met him, aren't you? Don't you think—if he truly ascends to become a dragon and goes to heaven to become a god, what will you do?'

Translation: "'You silly girl!' Tang Tang poked my forehead, 'You're still happy to have met him, aren't you? Don't you think—if he really does ascend to become a dragon and go to heaven to become an immortal, what will you do?'"

I was stunned; I had never considered that question.

Translation: "I froze; I had never considered that question."

But then I shrugged and said indifferently, 'Life is only a few decades; I won't be able to stay with him that long anyway—why worry about it?'

Translation: "But then I shrugged, unbothered: 'Life is only a few decades; I can't accompany him for long anyway, why dwell on this?'"

Tang Tang stroked her chin, thinking seriously: 'You're right; I was narrow‑minded. Life is short, so we should indeed live in the present.'

Translation: "Tang Tang stroked her chin, thinking seriously: 'You're right, I was narrow‑minded; life is short, we should indeed live in the present.'"

She suddenly leaned in close and whispered mischievously, 'Um… little junior sister, may I ask you a rather private question?'

Translation: "She suddenly leaned in, smirking: 'Um… little junior sister, may I ask you a rather private question?'"

I frowned and asked, 'What?'

Translation: "I puzzled: 'What?'"

'I've heard people say that snakes all have…'

Translation: "'I've heard people say that snakes all have…'"

She hesitated, then waved two fingers in front of my eyes and said, 'You know what I mean—doesn't a jiao have the same thing?'

Translation: "She hesitated, then stretched out two fingers and waved them before my eyes, 'Um, you know what I mean—is that jiao the same as well?'"

I didn't react at first, just grabbed her two fingers and stared at them.

Translation: "For a moment I didn't react, I grabbed her two fingers and looked at them repeatedly."

Suddenly I realized what she was asking, and I felt both embarrassed and annoyed; I reached out to tickle her armpit, saying, 'No shame—you'll ask anything! If you've got the guts, go ask him yourself.'

Translation: "Suddenly I realized what she meant, instantly feeling both embarrassed and annoyed; I reached out to tickle her armpit: 'No shame, you'll ask anything! If you've got the guts, go ask him yourself.'"

Tang Tang laughed until she doubled over: 'You really are my best friend!'

Translation: "Tang Tang laughed until she doubled over: 'You really are my best friend!'"

After we fooled around for a while and then fell silent, Tang Tang rested her head on my shoulder and sighed, 'I wish Qingqing were here too.'

Translation: "After we fooled around for a while and then fell silent, Tang Tang rested her head on my shoulder and sighed, 'It would be nice if Qingqing were here too.'"

She then added, 'My dad just called to say the Song family has been anonymously reported, and an investigation team will soon go to Song Corporation to look into it. Little junior sister, the situation in Huicheng is about to change.'

Translation: "She then added, 'My dad just called to say the Song family has been anonymously reported; soon an investigation team will go to the Song company for interrogation, little junior sister—the skies over Huicheng are about to change.'"

The Song family is the premier clan in Huicheng; if they fall, the entire economic power structure of Huicheng will be reshuffled.

Translation: "The Song family is the premier clan of Huicheng; if they fall, the entire economic power structure of Huicheng will be reshuffled."

I said, 'Watching their buildings rise and then collapse, the Song family's rises and falls are all tied to Wangting Mountain.'

Translation: "I said, 'Watching their towers rise and then seeing them collapse, the Song family's rises and falls are all connected to Wangting Mountain.'"

'Actually, I hope the Song family is completely toppled this time,' Tang Tang said. 'Then Qingqing would have a chance to break free on her own—she's talented, and a single gallery could support her for life.'

Translation: "'Actually, I hope the Song family collapses completely this time,' Tang Tang said. 'Then Qingqing would have a chance to free herself—she's talented; a single gallery could support her for life.'"

I nodded and said, 'Let's hope so.'

Translation: "I nodded: 'Hopefully.'"

That night we talked for a long time.

Translation: "That night, we talked for a long time."

Liu Junyan did not return all night.

Translation: "Liu Junyan did not return all night."

The next morning, all the major news outlets in Huicheng were vying to report the explosive news about the Song family: the family patriarch had a car accident last night while taking his young son to the hospital, and both father and son died on the spot!

Translation: "The next morning, all major news sections in Huicheng were vying to report the explosive news about the Song family—the Song patriarch had a car accident last night while taking his young son to the hospital, and both father and son died on the spot!"

Looking at this report, I couldn't believe it: 'Wasn't Bai Jingmo staying at the Song family to treat the young master? Why would they suddenly need to send him to the hospital?'

Translation: "Looking at this report, I found it hard to believe: 'Wasn't Bai Jingmo staying at the Song family to treat the young master? Why would they suddenly need to send him to the hospital?'"

Tang Tang was also puzzled: 'Could my information be wrong?'

Translation: "Tang Tang was also puzzled: 'Could my information be wrong?'"

She had already sent people out to gather information; once those reports come together, they will match closely with what the news is saying.

Translation: "She had already sent people out to gather information; once these reports come together, they will not differ much from what the news says."

Around noon, Liu Junyan arrived late, swaying gracefully.

Translation: "At noon, Liu Junyan arrived late, swaying gracefully."

He handed Tang Tang a talisman and said, 'Miss Song is currently at Huicheng Central Hospital with serious injuries; when you go to see her, have her carry this with her and burn it after a week.'

Translation: "He handed Tang Tang a talisman, saying, 'Miss Song is now at Huicheng Central Hospital, her injuries are somewhat serious; when you go to visit her, have her carry this, and burn it after a week.'"

Tang Tang accepted the talisman and repeatedly acknowledged it.

Translation: "Tang Tang took the talisman and repeatedly acknowledged."

'Have the Tang family members withdraw,' Liu Junyan continued, 'and don't go scouting Wangting Mountain any further—it won't do you any good.'

Translation: "'Have the Tang family personnel withdraw,' Liu Junyan continued, 'and don't go probing Wangting Mountain anymore—it won't do you any good.'"

Tang Tang nodded: 'Okay.'

Translation: "Tang Tang nodded: 'Okay.'"

Liu Junyan then said, 'Thank you for hosting Xiao Jiu; welcome to come to the Five Blessings Town pawnshop as a guest.'

Translation: "Liu Junyan then said, 'Thank you for hosting Xiao Jiu; welcome to visit the Wufu Town Pawnshop.'"

Tang Tang looked at me reluctantly and said, 'Are we really leaving now?'

Translation: "Tang Tang looked at me reluctantly: 'Are you leaving already?'"

Actually I wanted to go see Song Ruoqing, but realizing we'd already been out for two days and the six‑cornered palace lamp only lasts three days for Liu Junyan's outings, I said, 'Senior sister, please take good care of Miss Song; if I get the chance later, I'll go support her gallery.'

Translation: "Actually I wanted to go see Song Ruoqing, but realizing we'd already been out for two days and the six‑cornered palace lamp could only support Liu Junyan going out for three days, I said, 'Senior sister, please take good care of Miss Song; if I get the chance later, I'll go support her gallery.'"

Tang Tang reached out and hugged me, saying, 'All right, it's a promise.'

Translation: "Tang Tang reached out and hugged me: 'Okay, it's a promise.'"

On the way back I was driving; Liu Junyan might have been tired, his complexion a bit off, and he kept leaning back with his eyes closed to rest.

Translation: "On the way back I was driving; Liu Junyan might be tired, his complexion a bit off, he kept leaning against the seat back, eyes closed, resting his spirit."

Only when we entered the territory of Five Blessings Town did he open his eyes.

Translation: "Only when we entered the territory of Wufu Town did he open his eyes."

I pondered and asked, 'What exactly is going on with the Song family?'

Translation: "I pondered and asked, 'What exactly is going on with the Song family?'"

'The Song family offered something they shouldn't have, and suffered a backlash,' Liu Junyan said. 'It's only natural, and they brought it upon themselves.'

Translation: "'The Song family offered what they shouldn't have, and suffered backlash,' Liu Junyan said. 'It's all reasonable, and it's entirely their own fault.'"

Such a vague answer is not what I wanted.

Translation: "Such a vague answer is not what I wanted."

I went straight to the heart of the matter: 'Who is the Song family worshipping on Wangting Mountain? Is it also the hidden controller behind the Qilin temple?'

Translation: "I bluntly got to the heart of the matter: 'Who is the Song family enshrining on Wangting Mountain? Is he also the hidden controller behind the Kirin Temple?'"

Liu Junyan answered bluntly: 'Wangting Mountain is vast and full of spirits; the Song family are not worshipping the snake clan—the crux lies in that pavilion.'

Translation: "Liu Junyan answered succinctly, 'Wangting Mountain is vast, with many spirits and monsters; the Song family is not enshrining a snake clan—the crux lies in that pavilion.'"

I didn't understand: 'You mean that pavilion doesn't belong to the snake clan?'

Translation: "I didn't understand: 'You mean that pavilion doesn't belong to the snake clan?'"

Liu Junyan nodded.

Translation: "Liu Junyan nodded."

But I still couldn't make sense of it: 'But that night the Song family sent Song Ruoqing up the mountain—clearly they were delivering her to the snake clan, right?'

Translation: "But I still felt it didn't make sense: 'That night, the Song family sent Song Ruoqing up the mountain—clearly they were delivering her to the snake clan, right?'"

Liu Junyan replied, 'That was the snake clan getting greedy, wanting a share; I've already punished them, and I've broken the pavilion's child‑seeking formation—so the matter ends here.'

Translation: "Liu Junyan replied, 'That was the snake clan getting greedy, wanting a share; I've already disciplined them, and I've broken the pavilion's child‑seeking formation—this ends here.'"

'A child‑seeking formation?' I exclaimed in surprise, 'So the function of that pavilion on Wangting Mountain is still the same as the Qilin temple's?'

Translation: "'A child‑seeking formation?' I exclaimed in surprise, 'So the function of that pavilion on Wangting Mountain is still the same as the Kirin Temple's?'"

'Exactly,' Liu Junyan said. 'If I'm not mistaken, such a formation couldn't exist only in these two places, so Xiao Jiu, we can only hold our forces for now and wait and see.'

Translation: "'Exactly,' Liu Junyan said. 'If I'm not mistaken, such a formation couldn't exist only in these two places; therefore, Xiao Jiu, we can only hold our forces for now and wait and see.'"

My palms, gripping the steering wheel, broke out in a cold sweat, and my heart also felt a little panicked.

I know Liu Junyan said the right thing.

Li Qingying knew we were coming back and had prepared the meal.

While eating, she only scooped rice, not picking any vegetables, looking preoccupied.

I then asked concernedly, "Qingying sis, did something happen?"

"Xiao Jiu, last night..." Li Qingying said with difficulty, "Last night a particularly strange person stood at Xijiekou, constantly looking down at the west side corridor, only leaving in the latter half of the night."

I paused with my chopsticks and asked, "How was it strange?"

Li Qingying described: "That person was tall and sturdy, wearing a monk's robe, big-headed and large-eared, barefoot, with a string of Buddhist beads the size of eggs around his neck; if I'm not mistaken, those beads were carved into skull shapes."