Chapter 309: Chapter 309: Original Host

She also had an urgent matter to deal with: the Original Host. In just five days, it would be Xiao Yunjing’s coronation ceremony and her own enthronement ceremony. If she didn’t handle the situation with the Original Host, the latter might cause trouble and spoil this crucial day for her and Xiao Yunjing.

That was the most important day for her and Xiao Yunjing, and she wouldn’t allow anyone to ruin it.

After entering her Space, Gu Qingli went straight to her bedroom, closed the door, and lay down on the bed fully clothed with her eyes closed.

Gu Qingli focused her consciousness and silently called out in her mind: Original Host, I know you are still in this body; come out.

After calling several times, a weak and resentful voice, full of bitterness and unwillingness, finally came: “You hateful outsider, give me back my body.”

Gu Qingli sneered, knowing the Original Host had been hiding inside, and said coldly, “Give it back to you? Are you delusional? If I hadn’t taken residence in this body, your body would have been reduced to a pile of bones long ago. Return it to you? You’re already a dead person, so why do you still linger in this body and disturb my consciousness?”

The Original Host replied bitterly, “This was originally my body, and I am not dead. Everything you have now was originally mine.” Updates are released by NoveI~Fire.net

“Yours? If you had been alive when Ms. Wu gave you the jade pendant, would you have gone to the Capital City to find your family or stayed in Qinghe Village to marry Xiao Yunjing?” Gu Qingli mocked.

The Original Host fell silent. She hated Xiao Yunjing for causing her to lose her innocence, so she could never have married him. After suffering so much in the Gu family, she would definitely go to the Capital City to find her birth parents.

Then she would have her birth parents avenge her by imprisoning the old Gu family. As for Ms. Wu—who knew Gu Qingli wasn’t her daughter yet failed to tell her, didn’t send her back to the Capital City, and allowed her to be tormented by the Gu family—she would ensure Ms. Wu faced retribution too.

Only then did the Original Host speak bitterly, “Once I learned about my true identity, I would have definitely gone to the Capital City to find my birth mother.”

Gu Qingli snorted coldly again, “Well, there you have it. You claim everything I possess is yours. Is that even remotely possible? If you’d gone to the Capital City in search of your family, how could you have married Xiao Yunjing and had three sons with him? Therefore, all these things belong to me. Besides, do you genuinely believe you could have returned to the Capital City smoothly? And what fate would have awaited you there?”

Ha! The Original Host was really a fool. Not to mention the fate of the previous Gu Qingli, which Xiao Yunjing had recounted; considering everything the Original Host herself had experienced, she would have been utterly doomed long ago. So, what claim did the Original Host have to her current life?

Without waiting for the Original Host to speak, Gu Qingli continued, “You are aware of the incident where Li Huan’er hired someone to kill you, right? If it had been you, do you think you would still be alive? I was the one who changed everything. Therefore, I suggest it’s best for you to leave this body and go where you’re meant to be.”

The Original Host remained silent for a long moment. The Original Host’s soul must be very weak, Gu Qingli guessed. Otherwise, with such intense hatred, she would have already tried to reclaim the body. She still couldn’t pinpoint where in the body the Original Host was lurking; she had never been able to sense her presence.

“I will not leave this body. It is mine, and I will take it back.”

After a while, the Original Host spoke again, her voice full of hatred. Then, the presence seemed to recede, disappearing somewhere, and no matter how Gu Qingli called out to the Original Host, she received no further response.

Gu Qingli finally sat up on the bed, her mind occupied with the Original Host.

This matter had to be discussed with Xiao Yunjing. If, one day, the Original Host truly won, she did not want Xiao Yunjing to have any intimate contact with the Original Host, even if it was still this body. She couldn’t bear the thought.

The mere thought of such a thing happening one day made Gu Qingli feel terrible.

She glanced around her Space. No matter what, the Space is bound to her soul; the Original Host cannot snatch it away. If the Original Host manages to reclaim the body, I should be able to retreat into the Space. With this in mind, I need to make preparations, Gu Qingli resolved. If that day truly comes, I won’t be caught completely off guard.

「When Gu Qingli left her Space, Xiao Yunjing had already returned.」

Seeing her looking downcast, Xiao Yunjing, his heart aching at her distress, quickly pulled her into his embrace and asked, “Li’er, what’s the matter? You look unhappy.”

“Yunjing,” Gu Qingli clung to his waist and leaned her head against his chest, asking, “Yunjing, if one day the soul inside this body isn’t me, would you be able to tell the difference?”

Startled, Xiao Yunjing felt Gu Qingli’s fear and hastily asked, “Li’er, what are you saying? Don’t frighten me!”

“I’m asking you, would you be able to tell the difference?” Gu Qingli insisted.

“Yes, of course. I would naturally be able to tell my Li’er apart.” Xiao Yunjing’s heart sank. He recalled Li’er previously mentioning what he should do if the Original Host ever returned. What would he do then?

“Li’er, is it that Gu Qingli?” Xiao Yunjing probed.

Gu Qingli nodded and told Xiao Yunjing what had just happened.

Xiao Yunjing frowned upon hearing this. Just moments ago, Master Jueliao had sought an audience, claiming the ’Phoenix Star’ was in grave danger and urging him to be vigilant. He had dismissed the monk, finding his talk of ’Phoenix Star,’ ’Dragon Star,’ and impending calamity nonsensical. He’d even suspected the old monk was simply trying to stir up trouble out of boredom, to bring him ill fortune, but now it seemed there was more to it.

Could the ’Phoenix Star’ Master Jueliao mentioned be Li’er?

Panic surged through Xiao Yunjing. “Just now, Master Jueliao said that the Phoenix Star was in danger. I didn’t believe him and sent him away. Li’er, should I go and find Master Jueliao again? Since he could foresee the danger to the Phoenix Star, he must know of a solution, right?”

Gu Qingli nodded. Whether it was the Phoenix Star or Mars, some truly accomplished monks did possess remarkable skills. Perhaps one could indeed expel the Original Host from her body.

Giving up the body was out of the question. Everything she had today was the fruit of her own hard work.

Heaven had brought her here, not to pave the way for someone else to reap the rewards. She wouldn’t stand for it.

Xiao Yunjing carried her back to bed, then summoned Liu Desheng and said, “Liu Desheng, I order you to swiftly find that monk and bring him to Us. Be quick.”

“Yes, Your Majesty, this old slave will go right away,” Liu Desheng replied and hurried off.

Master Jueliao was the abbot of Xiangguo Temple, renowned for his profound understanding of Buddhism. Liu Desheng couldn’t fathom why the Emperor, after dismissing the man moments ago, was now so urgently summoning him back. Seeing the Emperor’s anxiety, Liu Desheng dared not delay.

「As for Master Jueliao, after being sent back to Xiangguo Temple…」

Meanwhile, Master Jueliao, upon returning to Xiangguo Temple, was utterly dejected. He had decided to enter seclusion for a few days, planning to emerge only on the day of the Emperor’s ascension.

He wanted nothing more to do with the Royal Family’s troublesome affairs. He would just be a good monk, chanting his sutras and ringing his bells daily.

Last year, once Qingchen had achieved her desires, she had promptly shut him out. Master Jueliao had no choice but to return to Xiangguo Temple.

Later, he wrote to his senior brother, Master Juewu. Master Juewu’s reply urged him to act with caution in the future and avoid recklessness. This made Master Jueliao feel even more ashamed, for he had nearly abetted Qingchen in her villainy, almost precipitating a great disaster.

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