Mistress of the Underworld and Her Little Celestial Wife - Chapter 12

The Secret of Nine Stars Gate?

Mu Yin glanced up at Jiang Fan and asked curiously, “What kind of secret could Nine Stars Gate possibly have?”

Hong Zhuang also looked at her, suddenly recalling something as she said to Mu Yin, “Young Mistress, I remember the steward mentioning that everyone who entered the south courtyard recently died inexplicably except for her.”

Mu Yin tilted her head curiously and asked, “Really?”

Jiang Fan nodded. “That’s right. I also entered the south courtyard a few days ago.”

“That just means Senior Sister Jiang is lucky and capable,” Mu Yin said lightly, stroking Si Lingqing’s fur. “But does this have anything to do with the secret you mentioned?”

Jiang Fan watched Mu Yin casually petting the cat, feeling that she seemed different from the timid and submissive Third Young Lady she remembered.

Thinking this, she naturally voiced it.

“Third Young Lady, you’re not the same as before,” Jiang Fan said calmly.

Mu Yin’s hand paused mid-stroke. She glanced at Jiang Fan before lowering her eyes, her heart pounding nervously.

So the senior sister really was familiar with Mu Yin! Why had she agreed to meet her so readily?

If she had known, she should have pretended to be clueless or simply avoided this mess from the start.

If things had gone according to plan, she would already be on a carriage back to the Five Skandha Sect by now.

Wuwuwu.

Mu Yin silently wept in her heart.

Seeing Mu Yin silent, Jiang Fan continued, “But this is for the better. The Third Young Lady of the past was gloomy and unpopular. At least now, you seem like an ordinary person.”

Unpopular?

Mu Yin looked up at Jiang Fan, considering whether to ask further, but Hong Zhuang frowned and said, “You knew about this too?”

Mu Yin turned her head toward Hong Zhuang.

Jiang Fan nodded and said to Hong Zhuang, “I entered the sect at six years old, and it’s been over a decade since then. The Third Young Lady has been like this since the day I arrived.”

Hong Zhuang asked, “I heard from that woman that our Young Mistress is an ill-omened person who attracts ghosts and spirits. Is that true?”

Jiang Fan nodded. “It’s true.”

Mu Yin: “…”

They seem to be discussing matters about me, but I can’t even get a word in, what should I do?

Hong Zhuang’s expression darkened as she stepped forward and asked Jiang Fan, “You said you know the secret of Nine Stars Gate. What is it?”

Jiang Fan glanced at Hong Zhuang, then at Mu Yin, before finally closing her eyes gently.

“This matter traces back to before I entered the sect.”

Jiang Fan said, “Back then, Nine Stars Gate was a small sect. The original sect leader was the sworn brother of the current one. The two of them founded Nine Stars Gate together. But over a decade ago, the sect was suddenly ambushed at night by enemies. The original sect leader’s entire family was brutally murdered, and the killers were never found. As the other founder, Mu Yuefeng took over as sect leader.”

“He expelled all the original disciples and inner-house servants, recruiting new people. I was the first among that batch of new disciples.” Jiang Fan looked at Mu Yin and said, “Very few know about this now. Aside from the sect leader’s family, only the steward and I are aware of it.”

Hong Zhuang frowned. “If the original sect leader’s family was brutally killed, could it have been Mu Yuefeng’s doing just to seize the sect leader’s position?”

“I don’t know,” Jiang Fan shook her head. “All I know is that after I joined the sect, the Third Young Miss was already there. But she was very young back then, and the Madam disliked her, always leaving her alone in the side courtyard. Occasionally, I’d see the Third Young Miss talking and laughing at dark corners, as if someone was chatting with her there.”

Mu Yin felt goosebumps rise all over her body. Her mind immediately conjured an image of a tiny Mu Yin squatting in a corner, cheerfully conversing with shadows.

It was deeply unsettling.

Jiang Fan continued, “I think you’ve noticed, Hong Zhuang. The Eldest Young Miss, Fourth Young Miss, and the young masters all have generation names from the ‘Xuan’ series. Only the Third Young Miss has a single character name, ‘Yin.’ Homophonous with ‘yin’ (darkness). This was likely the name the Madam gave her, implying the Third Young Miss was inauspicious. Later, I heard some things, whenever the Madam tried to harm the Third Young Miss, strange occurrences would happen. Over time, the Madam abandoned such thoughts and found another way: marrying her off.”

“Recently, I returned from my travels and met an expert,” Jiang Fan said. “She was from the Valley of Clarity. After meeting her, I told her about the Third Young Miss’s situation, and she told me.”

Hong Zhuang grew impatient at her pause. “What did she say?”

Jiang Fan pressed her lips together before speaking to Mu Yin. “She said the Third Young Miss is fated to have the ‘Yin Immortal Body.’ At first, I didn’t understand what that meant. After returning, I researched and learned that the Yin Immortal Body is inherently an immortal physique, originally destined for ascension. But because it’s innately extreme yin, not only can it not achieve immortality, it also attracts ghosts and malevolent spirits.”

Hong Zhuang pondered for a moment before asking, “So when my young mistress was little and attracted ghosts, it was because of this ‘Yin Immortal Body’?”

Jiang Fan nodded.

“Then why, after the young mistress left, did so many incidents happen at the Nine Stars Gate?”

“.Actually, I have a theory.”

Jiang Fan addressed both of them. “The southern courtyard faces a favorable direction and is spacious, it should have been the main residence. Presumably, it was where the original sect leader’s family was murdered. That’s why their vengeful spirits haunt the place. The Third Young Miss isn’t the current sect leader’s child, she’s the daughter of the original sect leader. That’s why the spirits were close to her and protected her. But after the Third Young Miss married and left, nothing restrained the courtyard’s ghosts, and they began their revenge.”

After listening, Mu Yin asked, “Why are you telling me all this now?”

Jiang Fan looked at Mu Yin and said, “If my theory is correct, then the Nine Stars Gate cannot have such a sect leader. My junior brothers, sisters, and I refuse to acknowledge a butcher who slaughtered an entire family sitting in the sect leader’s seat.”

“Do you want to be sect leader?” Mu Yin asked.

Jiang Fan shook her head, gazing deeply at Mu Yin. “The sect leader’s seat should belong to the rightful person.”

She didn’t specify who that person was, and Mu Yin didn’t ask.

Mu Yin just felt a headache coming on.

She had only returned to her maiden home after her wedding, how had she gotten entangled in this past grievance?

Yin Immortal Body?

Sect leadership?

Mu Yin just wanted to quietly return to the Five Skandha Sect and live as the young mistress waking up each day to spend money, returning to her room to sleep after exhausting her funds, occasionally conjuring little mushrooms to bonk people on the head. Wasn’t that leisurely, carefree life perfectly fine?

Now she couldn’t go back anytime soon, and Jiang Fan was staring at her with his whole face screaming for Mu Yin to become the sect leader.

It made her scalp tingle.

Unlike Mu Yin’s evasive attitude, Hong Zhuang was furious after hearing what Jiang Fan said!

No wonder the young mistress never knew what her spiritual roots were. Despite being the legitimate daughter, she suffered constant bullying. So the Mu Yuefeng family were the root cause of all this, no wonder she didn’t feel guilty about locking up Qin Shi!

And then thinking about how Mu Yin had been isolated and ostracized since childhood, with malicious people even wanting her life.

Losing both parents at a young age, then being raised and abused by her enemies.

Our young mistress had truly had an exceptionally difficult life growing up.

At this thought, the originally furious Hong Zhuang’s eyes reddened instantly. She stared intently at Mu Yin and said in a hoarse voice, “Young Mistress, don’t worry. You’re one of our Five Skandha Sect now. There are few in this world who dare provoke our Five Skandha Sect. I’ll help you skin this family alive right now!”

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