Transmigrated Into A Waste Who Married The Villain. Chapter 32: Trust Me

The next morning, everyone gathered downstairs, preparing to continue their journey. Qu Weiyin pulled Chang Siyu aside and whispered something to him.

“What? You’re going to stay here?” Chang Siyu exclaimed, surprised. “Shouldn’t you let me stay and help, Master Uncle Qu?”

“There’s no need,” Qu Weiyin shook her head. “You should take them on the road. The path to Xumi Mountain Manor is long; don’t delay.”

Chang Siyu wanted to say more, but when he met her gaze, he quickly refrained from doing so and reluctantly agreed.

Luo Jinxiao followed the group out of the town, feeling somewhat unsettled all the way.

Lu Fanzhi had slept soundly that night and was in a good mood, even humming a tune without noticing something was off. Meanwhile, Luo Ning had been watching her for quite a while before approaching, speaking softly, “Elder Sister, what’s wrong with you?”

“Are you worried about Master Uncle Qu?” Luo Ning, perceptive as always, easily guessed Luo Jinxiao’s concern from the way she kept glancing back.

“I’m not worried, really. She has formidable cultivation; why would I worry?” Luo Jinxiao chewed on her nails, trying to shake off the uneasy feeling. “It’s just that Master Uncle seemed a bit unwell last night…”

Luo Ning nodded. “Oh.”

“She’s just so impulsive,” Luo Jinxiao replied, changing the finger she was gnawing on.

“Oh,” Luo Ning continued to nod.

“Do you think if she stays alone, she might end up massacring the whole town out of anger?” Luo Jinxiao tilted her head to look at Luo Ning, her brow furrowed in worry.

“What a joke! Master Uncle Qu isn’t a demon. Even if she’s a bit fierce, how could she possibly kill anyone? You shouldn’t insult her like that,” Lu Fanzhi interjected sternly.

“Sorry,” Luo Jinxiao raised an eyebrow, slightly taken aback.

Luo Jinxiao walked in silence for a while, her heart fluttering with unease. Finally, she simply tossed her long hair back and gently patted Luo Ning’s back, whispering, “I’m going back to check on her. If Chang Siyu asks about me later, just say I went to look for Master Uncle.”

“Okay,” Luo Ning replied softly. “Sister, I’ll go with you.”

“It’s alright; you don’t need to worry.” Luo Jinxiao comforted her with a gentle touch to her neck before turning and vanishing from sight.

“Hey, where’s Luo Jinxiao?” Lu Fanzhi asked, pouting as she chewed on a bun, glancing back in surprise.

By the time she spoke, Luo Jinxiao had already made her way to the deserted area of the town. She nimbly sheathed her sword, securing it on her back, and hurried towards the inn. Unlike yesterday, today the place seemed to be bustling with many oddly dressed people—likely all in black robes, and each one carried a sword on their back.

Dressed in blue, she certainly stood out.

As the eyes of the gathered crowd fell upon her, Luo Jinxiao acted as if she was completely oblivious and strode into the inn, only to accidentally bump into the tavern keeper. He stopped abruptly, staring at her with wide eyes.

“Esteemed guest, aren’t you supposed to be on your way? What’s this about…?”

“Oh, I came back to find someone,” Luo Jinxiao replied with a friendly smile.

“Are you looking for that exceptionally beautiful girl? She’s still in her previous room. Please, go ahead,” the tavern keeper gestured for her to enter. But as she passed by him, he added, “If the girl’s still here, remember not to leave your room tonight, no matter what you hear.”

Luo Jinxiao paused briefly but continued up the stairs, gently knocking on Qu Weiyin’s door.

The door swung open immediately, and Qu Weiyin’s angry voice rang out, “Didn’t I tell you to leave? What are you doing back here?”

Luo Jinxiao had already anticipated that Qu Weiyin would be angry, so she didn’t take offense. Instead, she spoke in a soft tone, “I was worried about the townsfolk, you know. Besides, having one more person means more help. Master Uncle, please let me in.”

Qu Weiyin scrutinized her for a moment before letting out a sigh and opening the door wider.

“What are those people downstairs?” Luo Jinxiao, having received permission, cheerfully squeezed into the room and peeked out the window.

“They’re from the Qingyan Sect. They arrived right after you left. I overheard them saying that the demonic energy in this area is thick, and they’ve decided to stay and help eliminate the demons,” Qu Weiyin explained as she sat at the table, sipping her tea.

Qingyan Sect—Luo Jinxiao had heard of them before. They were an ancient sect known for their strict rules, but they were rarely seen because of their remote location.

“Doesn’t that mean we won’t have to act?”

“Unless something unexpected occurs,” Qu Weiyin replied.

The two of them waited until deep into the night. Luo Jinxiao, feeling quite bored, watched Qu Weiyin meditate on the bed as soft golden light swirled around them, protected from outside view by the window’s cover.

As boredom set in, Luo Jinxiao moved to the window to observe. The black-clad figures were coming in and out in turns, creating quite a commotion, while many townsfolk gathered around, each holding a torch, illuminating the streets bright as day.

Then, a processional of torches formed a luminous serpentine line that moved towards the outskirts of town, flickering in the night. Just as Luo Jinxiao turned back to say something, she hesitated, suddenly struck by not-so-distant sounds.

“Master Uncle, someone is crying,” she stated and approached the door, pressing her ear against the wall.

The faint sound of weeping wafted through, resonating through the floor and walls, echoing in the confined space. Only those with cultivation could hear it clearly. After hearing this, Qu Weiyin withdrew her spiritual energy and stepped up behind Luo Jinxiao.

“It’s coming from downstairs,” she said.

The two exchanged a glance before Luo Jinxiao opened the door and carefully descended the stairs. As they followed the sound, the cries became clearer, leading them around the back kitchen and into a small courtyard of the inn. There, a small door was propped shut with a wooden stick, as if it enclosed something inside.

Luo Jinxiao stepped forward and pushed the door open, and immediately, a girl tumbled out. Her face was streaked with tears, and the tips of her fingers were scratched and worn, showing evidence that she had struggled within for a long time.

“Xiu’er?” Luo Jinxiao furrowed her brow, recognizing the girl from the day before, who now seemed even more disheveled.

Seeing the light from the courtyard, Xiu’er clearly made out Luo Jinxiao’s face. She suddenly scrambled up from the ground, kowtowed to Luo Jinxiao, and then stumbled to her feet, bolting toward the front door. Her hair flew wildly behind her as she raced, heedless of everything, as if there were something extremely urgent she needed to attend to.

“Should we pull her back?” Luo Jinxiao felt a little awkward after unexpectedly receiving a bow, standing there scratching her head.

“Follow her,” Qu Weiyin commanded, striding after Xiu’er.

The two chased the fleeing girl out of the town, following the bumpy mountain path into the forest. The uneven terrain made the night journey even more treacherous; the flickering shadows of the trees obscured their vision and made it easy to fall.

Qu Weiyin muttered something, and a cluster of fireballs materialized above them, illuminating the path ahead. The girl glancing back at them revealed her tear-filled eyes, sparkling brightly against the darkness.

Without saying anything, she continued her frantic escape. Luo Jinxiao, bewildered, had no choice but to follow. Before long, chaotic sounds echoed from up ahead, the area midway up the mountain illuminated by the glow of torches. The intense demonic energy thickened around them, mingling with the light.

There were indeed demons here, Luo Jinxiao thought, but she remained perplexed as to why Xiu’er seemed so fearful and anxious.

Xiu’er stumbled toward the crowd, desperately pushing past those blocking her way. The slender girl quickly made her way to the center, where several members of the Qingyan Sect were surrounding a massive tree, their spiritual energy flowing from their palms, enveloping the trunk tightly.

“Ah! Ah!” the girl cried out as she lunged for the tree, only to be met with searing pain from the surrounding spiritual energy, causing her to fall to the ground.

Seeing this, the Qingyan Sect members hurriedly withdrew their energy. Once it dissipated, Xiu’er seemed to ignore the pain entirely, scrambling back to her feet and positioning herself defiantly in front of the tree.

The forest was quiet, the enormous tree standing in utter stillness. Faced with the group, the girl showed no fear; her tear-filled eyes shone with unwavering determination.

Luo Jinxiao looked over at Qu Weiyin in astonishment, who wore a grave expression, lost in thought.

“Xiu’er! What are you doing here?” the tavern keeper rushed out from the crowd, trying to pull the girl away. To his surprise, she stubbornly resisted, even attempting to bite his arm. He yelped in pain and quickly took a few steps back.

“She’s possessed again! It’s this tree that’s causing harm! Esteemed immortals, please help us, save our town!” the tavern keeper pleaded, dropping to his knees in front of the Qingyan Sect members. The townsfolk behind him followed suit, kneeling en masse.

“There’s no need for such formalities. Please rise quickly. Exorcising demons is our duty,” a man from the Qingyan Sect stepped forward, pulling the tavern keeper back up.

The tavern keeper was deeply grateful, bowing repeatedly. Turning back, he attempted to forcibly remove Xiu’er, but she struggled against him, still crying out unintelligibly, her messy hair cascading around her as she appeared utterly fragile and helpless.

“What’s become of this good child, to provoke such a demon?” an elderly man sighed as he approached to help, shaking his head in disappointment. A girl couldn’t possibly withstand so many people, and soon she was dragged to the side.

Luo Jinxiao observed everything happening in front of her, her brows furrowing tighter. She wanted to step forward to help the girl but was uncertain of the reason behind her distress, leaving her torn and conflicted.

With the girl no longer blocking their way, the members of the Qingyan Sect hurriedly began to cast their spells to capture the demon. The girl began to scream in desperation.

Before anyone could react, the seemingly motionless tree suddenly came to life, violently shaking as its branches and leaves flailed like tentacles. A gust of wind swept through, sending withered leaves and debris flying, making the people retreat in haste.

“The tree demon has revealed itself! The tree demon has revealed itself!” As the crowd witnessed the sight, they shouted in fear and scrambled backward, several falling to the ground.

Luo Jinxiao instinctively raised her hands to shield Qu Weiyin. The tree, towering already at several meters, appeared to grow even taller, blocking out the sky, while turmoil filled the air—sand and dirt swirling around them as the form of the demon gradually materialized, a human visage flickering amid the branches.

Several disciples from Qingyan Sect hurriedly formed a formation, their pale blue light piercing into the tree’s trunk, attempting to suppress its movements. The tree demon howled in agony, emitting a tragic scream.

On the other hand, Xiu’er cried until her voice was hoarse. Unable to speak, she struggled fiercely, her gaze fixed on the tree demon.

The harrowing sound of her weeping was enough to make anyone who heard it feel immense sorrow.

Seeing that the girl couldn’t break through the formation, she abruptly turned and rushed toward Luo Jinxiao, sinking to her knees and hastily bowing her head against the uneven ground, which was littered with stones and gravel. Blood began to seep out as her forehead made contact with the rough surface, staining the earth.

Unable to speak, she continued to knock her head on the ground, and Luo Jinxiao tried to pull her up but couldn’t manage to do so, ultimately turning to Qu Weiyin for help.

However, Qu Weiyin suddenly moved toward the tree demon. The Crescent Moon Star Sword responded to her summoning and appeared in her hand. Seeing this, Luo Jinxiao hurried forward and grasped Qu Weiyin’s arm, asking, “Master Uncle, what are you going to do?”

Qu Weiyin turned her head to look at Luo Jinxiao, momentarily silent. After a while, she said, “Do you trust me?”

Luo Jinxiao didn’t respond right away.

Qu Weiyin lowered her head, a smirk curling her lips, revealing a hint of sarcasm. “It doesn’t matter; just remember, don’t stop me.”

“I trust you! Whatever you need to do, I’ll help you,” Luo Jinxiao declared, and without waiting for Qu Weiyin’s reply, she pressed down on the hand that held the sword, smiling brightly amid the flickering flames.

“It’s unnecessary for you to intervene in this small matter. Whatever happens, I’ll handle it.”

The girl’s smile was genuine, and her emotions radiated through her demeanor. Qu Weiyin gazed into her eyes, and after a moment, she said, “Stop those people. Save the tree demon.”