Reborn to Become A Queen: The Real Heiress's Comeback-Chapter 732: Extra Story: Previous Life (12)

Chapter 732 -732: Extra Story: Previous Life (12)

Mu Yan looked into Xiao Chen’s eyes; he wasn’t the only one blaming himself for Zhan Lan’s death.

Xiao Chen was Zhan Lan’s most trusted deputy general, yet he was blinded by love and deceived by Si Jun.

Although Xiao Chen wasn’t directly responsible for Zhan Lan’s death, the fact that Zhan Lan thought he was dead while Xiao Chen was still alive was enough to cause Xiao Chen immense suffering.

Si Jun is truly disgusting!

“You can leave!” Mu Yan was merely testing to see if Xiao Chen truly loved Zhan Lan and whether his actions were unintentional.

He too had experienced betrayal by Yun He, but he could not bring himself to hate Yun He, although he could no longer keep Yun He by his side.

If Zhan Lan were still alive and knew of Xiao Chen’s selfishness, and that Xiao Chen wasn’t dead, what would she do?

Mu Yan thought with a dark mind, if Xiao Chen were to die and reunite with Zhan Lan, he didn’t want to let that happen.

Therefore, it’s best for Xiao Chen to live his life in self-reproach.

When Xiao Chen heard Mu Yan letting him go, he looked at Mu Yan in disbelief and firmly said, “I want to fulfill her wish!”

Mu Yan coldly refused, “You’ll never be able to take her away.”

After speaking, Xiao Chen was escorted out by the Vermilion Bird.

Mu Yan looked at Zhan Lan in the ice coffin, “You heard it all, would you forgive him?”

In Vermilion Bird’s mind, he thought: The lord avenged not only Zhan Lan but also her closest ones, restored the Zhan Family’s honor, gave a proper burial to Zhan Lan’s family and subordinates, exonerated Zhan Lan’s friend Chu Yin’s family, and helped settle the parents of Li Sui and Huang Gun.

Now, the lord sparing Xiao Chen might be considering Zhan Lan’s feelings!

“Vermilion Bird,” Mu Yan gently called him.

Vermilion Bird snapped back to awareness, “What are your orders, my lord?”

“Accompany me to Putuo Temple.”

Vermilion Bird knew the situation at Putuo Temple, and taking Zhan Lan to the thorn-laden mountains would surely injure the lord. For the first time, he wanted to stop Mu Yan’s actions, “My lord, let the subordinates handle it instead!”

Mu Yan raised his eyes to look at Vermilion Bird; Vermilion Bird fell silent. A trace of tenderness overflowed in Mu Yan’s eyes, “I want to be with her.”

“When will my lord return?”

“I don’t know, depends on my mood.” Mu Yan walked towards Zhan Lan.

Vermilion Bird saw the lord gently smoothing Zhan Lan’s hair as if coaxing a child, “Let’s go, Lan’er.”

Mu Yan took the ice coffin and his Hidden Guards to Putuo Temple.

During the journey, as he bathed, he discovered something strange: on his waist appeared a petal-like pink mark he had never seen before.

Two days later, on the journey, an old monk with long eyebrows and white beard saluted Mu Yan with a Buddhist gesture.

“Benefactor has a Buddhist affinity.”

Mu Yan had never believed in deities or Buddha, so he paid no attention to the old monk’s words.

Vermilion Bird gave the old monk some dry food. Suddenly, the old monk said, “The benefactor has nine-petal lotus on the waist, which can reincarnate souls for a fresh start!”

Mu Yan’s pupils contracted sharply. The sudden appearance of one lotus petal on his waist was already peculiar.

Though the old monk’s words seemed weird and supernatural, upon hearing the words about reincarnating souls for a fresh start, he alighted the carriage to address the old monk, “Master, what must I do?”

The old monk smiled slightly, “The Buddha’s son was once a lotus beside the Buddha; losing virtue, losing loved ones, and living a tragic life.”

Vermilion Bird couldn’t bear to listen, unaware that Mu Yan already had a lotus petal on his waist. 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

Thinking the old monk was ranting nonsense, he angrily rebuked, “Stop spouting nonsense!”

“Don’t be disrespectful!” Mu Yan reprimanded Vermilion Bird.

“Please continue, Master,” he said.

The old monk nodded calmly, “Water at its extremity becomes a waterfall, a person at their extremity reincarnates; the Buddha’s son burns incense and prays every day before the Buddha. When the day the nine-petal lotus blooms, everything can begin anew.”

Vermilion Bird furrowed his brow. The lord was allergic to incense ash; burning incense and praying daily would be his undoing.

Mu Yan frowned, “What if the lotus can’t bloom?”

“Blood sacrifice,” the old monk said calmly.

“Demon monk!” Vermilion Bird cursed angrily.

Buddha is merciful; how could he demand blood sacrifices!

What’s his true intention!

“Worry not, benefactor; blood sacrifice doesn’t require killing. Just guide the soul back with the blood of someone familiar to the deceased.”

Vermilion Bird nearly wanted to strike the old monk, but Mu Yan calmly replied, “Thank you, Master.”

Holding the bowl, the old monk left with a swirling robe and a smile.

Mu Yan, carrying Zhan Lan’s body, arrived at Putuo Temple.

In the thorny forest, his body was covered in scars.

After seven days, Mu Yan finally reached the Dragon Vein.

He fell gravely ill, and upon waking, he found the second petal of a lotus on his waist.

Vermilion Bird informed him that after a month, Si Jun suffered various inhuman tortures and humiliation on the streets before dying, and Zhan Xuerou died miserably, her clothes in tatters on the streets.

Mu Yan visited Zhan Lan, who lay in her ice coffin as if asleep, even the old abbot who prayed for her was moved, saying Zhan Lan had a great merit and was a blessed person for saving the people from misery.

Mu Yan bathed, dressed, burned incense, and prayed daily, hoping Zhan Lan could start over and change her fate.

Even if it was merely a supernatural tale, he accepted it.

Vermilion Bird watched his family lord become bewitched, blindly following the old monk’s deceit, caring for nothing else, with Bai Qi overseeing governance and the ministers performing their duties.

Jin Tianjing somehow cured the lord’s cold ailment, but the lord now suffered daily from the torment of incense ash, enduring unbearable itching and a burning sensation. At this rate, his body wouldn’t hold up.

Yet Mu Yan developed a profound obsession because his waist had blossomed eight lotus petals. Just one more petal to go!

But four months passed, and the final petal failed to appear.

Mu Yan, with a cold expression, locked eyes with the Buddha statue for a moment before he lifted his robe and for the first time in his life, knelt down.

Vermilion Bird’s eyes reddened; the lord had knelt for Zhan Lan!

But disappointingly, the final lotus petal still did not bloom.

Not until the next morning did Mu Yan joyfully discover all nine lotus petals had fully blossomed.

He was ecstatic, rushing toward the Dragon Vein’s underground palace.

Only to find Xiao Chen had committed suicide before Zhan Lan’s ice coffin!

Xiao Chen’s blood gradually stained the ice coffin as he looked at Mu Yan with a smile, “I too met that old monk; I knew about the blood sacrifice…”

Mu Yan frowned, when you love someone, anyone can become foolish.

Including himself and Xiao Chen.

But who knew if Lan’er could live again?

If everything could restart, he would never let go of Lan’er’s hand.

If encountering mountains, he would pave the way; if encountering water, he would build bridges. Even to the ends of the earth, crossing mountains and rivers, he would clear thorns and boldly love Zhan Lan.

He only hoped that by then, he wouldn’t encounter Xiao Chen, who equally loved Lan’er…

Mu Yan separately buried Zhan Lan and Xiao Chen, bestowing Zhan Lan with the posthumous title General Zhan Huang.

After unifying the realm, he remained unwed for life.

Upon his death, he was buried not far from Zhan Lan’s tomb.