Shen Zaixin saw that she was still on guard, and while his smile remained unchanged, his tone softened slightly.
“Miss Linger, please do not blame me; I truly mean no harm. We parted in a hurry earlier today, but I could not stop thinking about the past events in Yuzhou. This sudden visit is merely because I wanted to see with my own eyes if the descendant of an old friend is doing well. If I have disturbed you, it was truly not my intention.”
Hearing how he addressed her, Lin Ling felt goosebumps break out all over her body.
Were all these people so disgusting?
[“Who gave you permission to call me that! Are we even that close?!”]
“Our temple is small and cannot accommodate so many great figures. If you have something to say, it is better to say it here,” the Temple Warden said with a smile.
Upon hearing this, Shen Zaixin narrowed his eyes slightly and squeezed out a smile.
“Old man, your body seems quite sturdy.”
“You flatter me; I am merely struggling to stay alive,” the Temple Warden replied with a meaningful smile, his hands tucked into his sleeves.
The corner of Shen Zaixin’s eye twitched.
He snapped his fan shut and waved his hand.
Seeing this, a guard immediately stepped forward, took a box out of a Cosmos Bag, and handed it to the old Temple Warden.
The Warden glanced at the contents of the box and was momentarily stunned.
He then gave Shen Zaixin a deep look and said, “Guest, please come in.”
“Good.”
Shen Zaixin smiled slightly and walked in alone.
The guards stood at the entrance like statues to keep watch, not following him inside.
Lin Ling continued to watch him warily, feeling that this fellow definitely harbored ill intentions.
After taking a tour around the temple, Shen Zaixin sighed.
“Are only you and Miss Linger left?”
The Temple Warden leaned his hands on the table and stared at the young man before him.
He felt that something was not quite right about this guy.
He answered, “Only the two of us.”
“In that case… please excuse my rudeness, but I have a question I hope you can answer.”
Shen Zaixin used his fan to create a breeze, partially obscuring his face.
“Speak,” the Temple Warden’s expression turned cold.
Shen Zaixin lightly rested the edge of his fan against his chin, looking as though he were reminiscing.
“I have checked the old records. The entire Fox Clan of Yuzhou was martyred, with not a single survivor. The Imperial Court remembers such heroes and martyrs, and we also fear that some petty people might claim their names and defile their loyal souls.”
“And many of the Fox Immortals of Yuzhou were surnamed Lin. May I ask which Lin family you belong to?”
Shen Zaixin asked again.
“The Lin family of Xijun,” the Temple Warden said after a moment of silence.
“Then, as far as I know, the Lin family of Xijun was specifically targeted for extermination. That includes the Miss Linger standing before me.”
Shen Zaixin stopped smiling, and his expression gradually became serious.
“What are you trying to say?”
The Temple Warden’s face looked unpleasant.
Lin Ling’s heart was in even more of a turmoil.
She didn’t know what to think.
If Shen Zaixin discovered that she had been turned into a girl, she might have a chance to change back.
But why was her heart so restless?
“Lin Ling, second daughter of the Xijun Lin family head, half-fox and half-human bloodline. Her mother was the daughter of the Yuzhou Senior Clerk. It could be said she came from a prominent family. When the demons invaded, the Lin family fought to the death and was wiped out.”
Shen Zaixin’s expression became even more solemn.
“Therefore, I suspect that you two are currently being used by the demons.”
“You are quite well-informed,” the Temple Warden replied, his voice somewhat raspy.
“This is a necessity for anyone in the upper ranks of the Linxiu Guards. We are the Emperor’s eyes and ears, scouting the world.”
Shen Zaixin relaxed and smiled.
“We also know that you have been here for many years without committing any evil.”
“What exactly do you want?”
The Temple Warden sighed, seemingly out of options, burying his hands deeper into his sleeves.
“It is simple: to confirm whether the two of you have been possessed and are being used,” Shen Zaixin said. He pulled a mirror from his sleeve.
“This is a precious mirror bestowed by the Imperial Court. With just one shine, we will know if you are your true selves.”
At this, the old Temple Warden let out a sigh of relief and said with a smile, “Fine, go ahead and use it.”
Lin Ling’s heart leaped into her throat.
Feeling that this was inappropriate, she subconsciously pulled on the Temple Warden’s clothes.
The old Temple Warden was extremely confident, however.
He even took his hands out of his sleeves, looking completely relaxed.
Shen Zaixin used the precious mirror in his hand to shine it on Lin Ling.
In the mirror, there was still Lin Ling’s cute and innocent face, with no issues whatsoever.
Shen Zaixin nodded in satisfaction and then shined it on the old Temple Warden.
There were no problems there either.
He held the precious mirror high, and it transformed into a golden dome that shrouded the entire temple.
The temple glowed with golden light, showing no anomalies.
Shen Zaixin felt at ease and revealed a bright smile.
“Thank you both. You are fine. Please forgive my intrusion.”
“No matter, it is only right,” the Temple Warden smiled.
Shen Zaixin bowed slightly toward Lin Ling.
“Miss Linger, I wonder if I might have the honor of inviting you to a meal?”
Lin Ling hurriedly shook her head in refusal.
This man gave her an overwhelming sense of discomfort.
Shen Zaixin gave a regretful smile.
“Very well, I will not force you. Although I do not know how you two survived, I hope you both find peace. Also, the Imperial Court will not be granting any rewards. I shall take my leave.”
Watching Shen Zaixin leave with his guards, Lin Ling looked at the Temple Warden with some confusion.
“Sir, why did I…?”
“You want to ask why the mirror didn’t show a male body, right?” the Temple Warden laughed.
“Yes.”
Lin Ling nodded.
“Because you are Linger. You always have been. I cannot tell you everything now, but when you are able to withstand the Heavenly Tribulation, Juan’er and I will tell you everything.”
The Temple Warden smiled and rubbed her head before turning back to wash the dishes.
Lin Ling hesitated for a moment, then grabbed the Temple Warden and wrote on a piece of paper: [“So, was the situation with my transformation a trap set by you and Lin Kejing to fool me?”]
The Temple Warden fell silent, then nodded.
“Yes. Jing’er scouted the heavenly secrets, and everything pointed to you. So… you will understand in the future.”
Lin Ling fell silent.
She wasn’t an idiot.
All these signs proved that the so-called Lin Ling was her, and also him.
In her past life, this girl named Lin Ling was her true body—Lin Ling’s true body.
Lin Ling looked up at the sky, her heart filled with an unidentifiable emotion.
Perhaps the Yuzhou Incident had occurred, leading to Lin Ling’s death, and Lin Kejing and the Temple Warden had used some method to preserve her past-life body and another method to return her soul to it.
He had traveled to this world and no longer had any relatives; his family in his original world had passed away, and his family in this life had also been executed.
Now, the memories of her past life were constantly merging with her current self.
She looked at her slender, fair hands that belonged to a young girl.
A massive sense of absurdity seized her.
Lin Ling gave a bitter smile, gradually accepting all of this.
Or rather, what else could she do but accept it?
However, she really wanted to complain.
These few lifetimes had been far too rough.
Was there not a single life where she could have a happy and complete family?
Lin Ling raised a middle finger toward the sky in disdain.
Immediately after, a clap of thunder echoed in the sky, and Lin Ling instantly shrunk her neck.
Soon, raindrops began to fall.
Lin Ling was startled and quickly covered her head, running back into the house.