For a moment.
Jiang Wanrong turned her head away.
Her disgust for Chu Haoze reached its peak.
A man with nothing going for him except his face, whose farts could thunder across three miles.
And he thought he deserved to get down and dirty with her?
Ugh~
Meanwhile, Jiang Yourning was teasing cats and playing with dogs along the way.
Suddenly, notifications about Jiang Wanrong's collapsing persona exploded in her mind like a barrage of firecrackers.
[Beep, beep, beep! Jiang Wanrong's persona is rapidly collapsing...] [Beep. Jiang Wanrong's persona has collapsed by 80%, reaching the passing threshold. Reward: one beginner skill book and 10,000 points.] [Beep. Jiang Wanrong's persona has collapsed by 90%, reaching the good threshold. Reward: one beginner skill book, one set of ten intermediate lottery draws, and 100,000 points.]
"What the heck? Didn't my sister go to sleep? How's her persona falling apart like crazy?
"Has the system gone haywire, or is Huayin Temple really such a wonderful place that the Buddha has enlightened her?"
Jiang Yourning was baffled.
She opened the system display.
Jiang Wanrong's persona collapse had reached 95% before finally stopping.
Her points balance had also increased by 110,000.
Wasn't earning points as easy as lifting a finger?
She couldn't spend them all. She simply couldn't!
Her mood brightened even further, and Jiang Yourning happily began examining those beginner skill books.
[Beginner skill book notes: an utterly ordinary skill book that grants mastery of a random minor skill. Some have obtained SSS-rank godlike skills, while others have obtained skills so useless even dogs would turn up their noses at them. Whether it's good or bad depends entirely on your luck. Best of luck, dear~]
"Well, damn, that's how this works? Isn't that terribly unfair to someone like me, with impeccable character but utterly cursed luck?"
Jiang Yourning paused, then hurried to the pond. Finding somewhere she could step down, she washed her hands and shook every last drop of water off them before returning to the pavilion to open a skill book.
"Buddha, bless me. This is sacred Buddhist ground, so please let me get something reliable."
Jiang Yourning closed her eyes and struck the wooden fish a full hundred times before tapping the skill book.
"Open!"
[Congratulations! You have obtained the suona skill. Once the suona sounds, who can rival it? A wonderful companion for weddings and funerals alike. Review from an anonymous helpful contributor: you call this a skill? Trash!]
"..."
As knowledge of the instrument inexplicably appeared in her mind, Jiang Yourning fell silent.
Fine. The suona was the king of musical instruments, after all. Maybe it really would come in handy someday?
Having consoled herself, Jiang Yourning opened the other beginner skill book as well.
[Congratulations! You have obtained the beginner skill: Jinx. Good predictions fail, bad predictions prevail. Jinx can be used once every 24 hours after its cooldown ends. Review from an anonymous helpful contributor: how morally bankrupt do you have to be to roll this? No area attacks, only individual targets. Trash!]
!!!
The corners of Jiang Yourning's mouth lifted slightly, and her smile gradually grew deranged.
Although this skill couldn't attack a whole group, for a lazy person like her, who knew no martial arts and feared hurting herself by swinging swords and spears around, it was one seriously good thing!!!
She could hurt people just by moving her mouth. A skill like this was perfect for a beautiful, kindhearted little fairy like her. How was that trash???
The Jiang Family stayed overnight at Huayin Temple.
They packed their things and prepared to leave early the next morning.
The Jiang Family had donated a considerable sum to the temple this time, so the abbot cheerfully came out in person to see them off.
Unable to sit still, Jiang Yourning looked around while Lin Xiangyin continued exchanging pleasantries with the abbot.
Spotting a Novice Monk sitting on a stone platform nearby, her eyes lit up, and she ran over.
"Well, well. They say those who enter the monastic life empty themselves of the four elements, so why's a Novice Monk sitting here staring into space?"
Jiang Yourning sat down beside little Wukong.
"You're mistaken, benefactress. I entered a meditative state. I wasn't daydreaming."
Little Wukong's gaze flickered, and the excuse rolled straight off his tongue.
"All right, all right, you were meditating. Want some candied hawthorn?"
As though performing a magic trick, Jiang Yourning produced two skewers of candied hawthorn and offered one to little Wukong.
"I..."
Little Wukong glanced at it, then gently shook his head.
"I won't have any."
"Look at this little brat, acting all reserved. If I offer you food, just eat it."
Jiang Yourning stuffed the candied hawthorn into little Wukong's mouth.
"Benefactress, why are you so nice to me?"
Little Wukong stared steadily at Jiang Yourning.
"Because you're cute."
Isn't that obvious? With your identity, as long as I ruin all that damned lunatic's opportunities, you might become the Jiang Family's protective umbrella someday. Of course I have to cozy up to you while you're little.
Not far away, Jiang Wanrong's pupils contracted.
Everyone knew the current empress had only one daughter, named Lange. The late emperor had personally bestowed upon her the title Yongning, and she was doted on in the palace by the emperor, the empress, and even the empress dowager.
Princess Yongning could summon the wind and rain within the palace; even the princes had to give her a wide berth.
Yet this Novice Monk was actually the empress's son.
If that was indeed true, then barring any unforeseen mishaps, this little prince would be the most likely to ascend to the Supreme Throne in the future.
Hearing Jiang Yourning's words, little Wukong's eyes immediately reddened.
"Then do you like Wukong, benefactress?"
"Of course I do. Such an adorable Novice Monk—I'd love to whisk you home and raise you myself. How could I not like you?"
Seeing little Wukong's reddened eyes, Jiang Yourning smiled and coaxed him.
She was happy to indulge and pamper anything lovely.
"You really want to take me home?"
The Novice Monk's eyes suddenly brightened.
"Yep, but unfortunately..."
Before Jiang Yourning could finish, little Wukong sprang to his feet and dashed excitedly toward the abbot.
"Master! Someone wants me, Master!
"That benefactress said she wants to take me home!
"Master, hurry and give me back my bundle!"
For a moment.
Jiang Yourning looked over, her face full of question marks.
She had only been making a polite remark to coax a little brat.
She had barely begun her gentle refusal, so why had things taken a completely different turn from what she'd expected?
Hearing little Wukong's words, the abbot's smile grew even broader, and a group of novices considerably older than little Wukong rushed out excitedly.
They carried gongs and drums, beating them with tremendous enthusiasm.
"Woohoo! Someone finally wants little Wukong!"
"Little junior brother, although we'll miss you terribly, you'd better leave sooner rather than later."
"This is fantastic, fantastic! We're having a feast at noon!"
"Heaven has eyes! Heaven truly has eyes!"
Amid the novices' deafening gongs and drums, which created the atmosphere of finally getting rid of a menace, the abbot turned his gaze to Lin Xiangyin and spoke in an exceptionally gentle tone.
"Amitabha! Your family is compassionate and kindhearted, benefactress. You will surely receive the Buddha's protection in the days to come."
As he spoke, a grown monk handed him a bundle.
The abbot passed the bundle to Wukong.
"Wukong, since this benefactress and her family have hearts as compassionate as a bodhisattva's, you must someday weave grass and bear rings to repay their kindness in raising you."
Before you continue