Transmigrated Into A Waste Who Married The Villain. Chapter 85: Reliance

“Do you have anything else new? Show me,” Luo Jinxiao said, trying to peek into Qu Weiyin’s clothing. However, Qu Weiyin raised her hand, pressing her down onto the couch, rendering her immobile.

“Don’t mess around,” Qu Weiyin chided, a hint of embarrassment in her voice.

Not wishing to linger there, Luo Jinxiao quickly descended the mountain to help clean up the battlefield and disperse the demonic energy. She handled the divine power with ease, which sped up the process.

As she met her fellow disciples, they looked at her with a hint of reverence, bowing their heads to greet her. This made Luo Jinxiao somewhat flabbergasted.

The sun soon began to set, casting a long orange trail across the sky from north to south. The heavens were vast, with dense clouds, creating a serene scene, as though the calamitous war had never occurred.

After repairing the shattered white jade pillar at the grand gates, Luo Jinxiao slowly approached Wuhui Palace. The injured disciples had already been carried back to their quarters, and now a group of elders, along with the Sect Master of Baiyue Sect, were gathered in discussion.

Luo Jinxiao didn’t wish to interrupt them and stood quietly at the doorway to listen.

“This time, we lost over a hundred disciples, with at least a dozen fatalities, including Elder Liu, who has yet to awaken. Wuhui Sect has sustained severe damage,” Elder Mei, with his youthful face yet white hair, lamented.

“Fortunately, Wuzhong City is protected by numerous prominent families and clans. Though they were attacked by demons, their presence mitigated the damage,” the Baiyue Sect Master responded.

Luo Jinxiao was deeply engrossed in their conversation when she suddenly felt someone tap her on the back. Turning her head, she saw Tang Lian’er.

“Why aren’t you going in?” Tang Lian’er asked, her eyes shining brightly. “I heard about your feats on my way here. You single-handedly drove back the demon horde. Your name will certainly spread throughout the realms!”

“I just arrived at the right time; it was thanks to Master Uncle and the others,” Luo Jinxiao shook her head.

She quietly slipped away from Wuhui Palace, not wanting to be noticed. If she were questioned about the divine energy, she would have a difficult time explaining.

Tang Lian’er followed closely behind her, concern etched on her face. “It’s not only the Wuhui Sect that’s been affected; other areas are suffering too. On our way here, we saw many villages and towns plagued by demons. They are fiercer than ever. While they may not pose much threat to cultivators, ordinary citizens are suffering. I fear that this chaos won’t settle down anytime soon.”

As Luo Jinxiao listened to Tang Lian’er, her heart grew heavier. With the rapid proliferation of demons, they couldn’t possibly be eradicated merely through slaughter.

Members of Baiyue Sect came to summon Tang Lian’er back. She cast a reluctant glance at Luo Jinxiao, said her goodbyes, and turned to leave, leaving Luo Jinxiao alone to ascend the mountain.

Luo Jinxiao intended to visit the Sect Master to check on Elder Liu’s condition.

The flower garden of the Sect Master showed signs of disturbance; it seemed to have felt the presence of demonic energy. In just a single day, the petals had all fallen, carpeting the ground like a fragrant blanket. Yet, the empty branches looked somewhat desolate.

Luo Jinxiao knocked on the door, and this time, it was the Sect Master who opened it. Her complexion was almost transparent, and her hair was disheveled, cascading over her shoulders.

Upon seeing Luo Jinxiao, the Sect Master forced a smile and gestured for her to enter.

The courtyard was empty, which made Luo Jinxiao feel uneasy. She asked, “Sect Master, where is my master?”

“She’s still in a deep sleep,” the Sect Master replied as she poured a cup of tea for Luo Jinxiao.

Luo Jinxiao could not allow the Sect Master to serve her; she quickly extended her hand to stop her, taking the teapot to fill her own cup.

A foreboding sense enveloped her as she looked around, searching for the figure of the old woman.

“Stop looking; she has passed away.” The Sect Master spoke as if it were the most ordinary matter, her voice calm.

Luo Jinxiao’s hand holding the cup froze, her throat constricted as if blocked by something, leaving her unable to speak.

“I returned this morning and found her lying in the flower garden, using the ground as her bed, with petals covering her.” The Sect Master’s exquisite eyes gazed off into the darkening sky.

“She had sensed it coming and had tidied her home, leaving nothing behind.”

“She had been by my side since my youth. With her limited cultivation, to have lived this long alongside me is already a long lifespan.” The Sect Master’s voice began to drift, sounding distant and unclear.

Luo Jinxiao felt her heart sink, a feeling of suffocating heaviness washing over her. She suddenly thought how desolate and heart-wrenching it would be for the Sect Master to witness the departure of her loved ones, one after another.

“There’s no need to look at me like that. I’m accustomed to it,” the Sect Master shook her head. “Now you can tell me about your divine energy, where it came from.”

Luo Jinxiao recounted everything that had transpired with the Divine Soul Lamp, this time omitting nothing.

The Sect Master furrowed her brow as she listened, saying, “You were trapped in the divine consciousness, likely sealed there along with that divine soul by the Divine Soul Lamp.”

“So, that woman appeared to save me?” Luo Jinxiao asked in surprise.

“Perhaps,” the Sect Master nodded. “Or she may have done it intentionally to fuse your souls, and you managed to escape on your own.”

Luo Jinxiao felt utterly bewildered, struggling to grasp the implications of it all.

“Regardless, remember this: gaining something inevitably comes with losing something. Those who grow powerful often endure profound loneliness,” the Sect Master said, her tone solemn.

Luo Jinxiao met her gaze, sensing that there was a deeper meaning behind the statement.

After visiting Elder Liu, she emerged from the Sect Master’s quarters to find that it was already late. The mountain was enveloped in silence. Not wishing to disturb anyone further, she returned to her quarters to rest.

The following morning, she was jolted awake by Lü Fanzhi, who was shaking her shoulder vigorously.

Luo Jinxiao’s dark eyes flickered, rolling back, “What’s wrong?”

“Stop sleeping!” Lü Fanzhi urged, her voice urgent as she repeatedly smacked Luo Jinxiao. “You need to see your Master Uncle! She’s being blocked at the entrance by those so-called righteous sects, and they want to take her away!”

Upon hearing Qu Weiyin’s name, Luo Jinxiao sprang out of bed, her expression turning icy. She grabbed her sword from the bedside and strode purposefully toward the door, her long hair automatically twisting into a half-updo.

“Wait for me!” Lü Fanzhi called, hurriedly putting on her outer garments to catch up.

Underneath the towering white jade pillars of Wuhui Sect, a large crowd had gathered. Qu Weiyin stood at the center, seemingly agitated as she faced the assembled figures. The mark on her forehead glistened like a jewel, clearly visible even in the daylight, indicating her fury.

Across from her, several men adorned with gold and silver, their bellies protruding, stood with one of them holding a demon-binding cord. Despite their numbers, none dared to approach under Qu Weiyin’s fierce gaze.

“Master of the Qu family, we’re here on behalf of the Immortal Alliance. Now that you have entered the demon path, you can no longer stay with regular cultivators; it’s simply illogical,” said the man holding the demon-binding cord, bowing slightly.

Qu Weiyin merely fixed her gaze upon them, silent and unyielding.

“What a joke! Your Immortal Alliance speaks so grandly, yet when the demons attacked the city, you vanished without a trace. You still haven’t helped the displaced civilians, and now you dare come to take someone away? Do you think the Wuhui Sect is easy to bully?!” Yan Ying shouted, having arrived just in time. Her family had been exiled by the Immortal Alliance, igniting a fiery anger within her at their presence.

“Exactly! Master Uncle Qu has protected Wuhui Sect for us. To take her away like this is absolutely ridiculous!” someone in the crowd echoed.

A tall, broad-faced man among them suddenly raised his voice, “Since you’ve become a demon, you must return with us for investigation. We naturally acknowledge that the Master of the Qu family has achieved great merit in subduing demons. Rest assured, if everything checks out, we won’t harm you!”

“Preposterous!” Qu Weiyin finally spoke, her phoenix eyes a crimson, sharp glare locked onto the man.

Terrified, the man took a step back, gathering his courage. “The Master of the Qu family is a sensible person; entering the demon path will only lead to an increasing loss of humanity. Staying in the mortal realm will surely bring disaster upon your sect and the common people. Don’t force us to take action!”

At that moment, Luo Jinxiao pushed her way through the crowd, standing by Qu Weiyin with her sword drawn. Unlike the others, she looked less fierce, a slight smile playing on her lips. With a relaxed motion, she let Wu Jue drop to the ground, embedding half of its blade into the earth.

An immediate silence enveloped the scene.

“Take action?” she scoffed, her expression laced with mockery. “My Master Uncle single-handedly routed the demon army. Just you few gluttonous, oversized fools think you can pose a threat?”

The men across from her exchanged anxious glances, internally groaning. They knew that the situation was not favorable, but they didn’t dare refuse the orders from above.

“Luo, fellow cultivator, you too are a righteous person, so you must be reasonable. All the factions have submitted petitions requesting the detention of the Master of the Qu family. We’re merely acting as messengers,” the man wielding the demon-binding cord pleaded with a downcast expression.

Luo Jinxiao was not swayed by their words. Maintaining a smile, her eyes were cold and frost-laden. “Which factions? Name them one by one so that I, Luo Jinxiao, can remember. Let’s see who is so ungrateful! If the demons switch territory to attack us next time, we will not offer any assistance.”

The man scratched his head, at a loss for words.

Luo Jinxiao gradually raised her voice, not just for them to hear but for everyone around: “In the recent battle between immortals and demons, Wuhui Sect bore the brunt alone. Where were the so-called righteous sects during this turmoil? Aside from Baiyue Sect and Qingyan Palace, who else even showed their faces?”

“Is this how so-called cultivators behave? Hiding like turtles in a corner, as if they don’t realize that if the demons seize Wuhui Sect, none of you will be spared! And now you come here demanding we hand over someone for interrogation; how utterly ridiculous.” Luo Jinxiao’s words rang clear, echoing down to the foot of the mountain.

Those listening couldn’t help but feel their faces burn with shame.

Qu Weiyin’s anger gradually subsided as she observed Luo Jinxiao’s tall, slender figure, feeling a swell of warmth in her heart.

“Exactly! You can’t take Master Uncle Qu away!” someone in the crowd shouted, prompting a chorus of agreement from others.

Qu Weiyin lowered her gaze, listening to the deafening shouts. A shimmer of unshed tears welled in her blood-red eyes.

“Are you still not leaving? Our injured have yet to be treated. If not, you all can stay behind and lend us some spiritual energy. It would only be fitting for your noble hearts dedicated to defending the Immortal Realm!” Luo Jinxiao declared, stretching her hand forward. Centered around Wu Jue, the ground suddenly cracked open, forcing the men to retreat repeatedly.

The bigger men turned various shades of pale and green, muttering a few words before they fled in haste.

“A bunch of fools who only remember to eat when there’s a little benefit involved,” Luo Jinxiao remarked, pulling back her smile as she effortlessly retrieved Wu Jue.

Qu Weiyin lifted her gaze to meet Luo Jinxiao’s eyes, which shimmered with light like a pond full of red koi, the water glistening with reflected light. She gently brushed Luo Jinxiao’s hair with her fingers, her movements tender.

“Jinxiao, I feel like you’ve really grown up now,” Qu Weiyin said.

Hearing this, Luo Jinxiao’s face lit up with joy, and she couldn’t hide her smile. “I can finally protect you.”

Qu Weiyin let out a soft laugh, playfully flicking Luo Jinxiao’s proud nose. She nodded slightly, her gaze fixed on her, unable to contain the affection shining in her eyes.

The crowd around them witnessed the scene and instantly turned away, whispering to change the subject, their feet moving hastily.

Yan Ying smacked Lü Fanzhi on the head. “Idiot, let’s go!”

“Right, we should go.” Lü Fanzhi responded, still puzzled, pointing at the crack created by Wu Jue’s earlier burst. “I need to fill this gap first.”

“Fill what? Let’s go!” Yan Ying rolled her eyes dramatically, tugging on Lü Fanzhi’s hair as she dragged her up the mountain.

“I never expected they would stand on my side,” Qu Weiyin suddenly remarked, her eyes quickly becoming glassy. “In the past, at this time, I would be the demon that the entire Immortal Realm wanted to slay.”

Luo Jinxiao felt her heart stop for an instant at those words, a slight pain gradually spreading within her.

Someone who has always been mistreated would remember any act of kindness for a lifetime.

“I want to become a normal person again, Jinxiao. I don’t want to be labeled as a monster that everyone wants to kill, like a rat scurrying across the street,” Qu Weiyin confessed, leaning against Luo Jinxiao as if she were the only support she had in this world.

Luo Jinxiao suppressed the sudden surge of sadness within her and declared loudly, “What’s there to be afraid of? If anyone dares to call you a monster, I’ll yell back at them! I’m very strong now!”

Qu Weiyin broke into a smile through her tears, shaking her head helplessly as she turned Luo Jinxiao’s face toward her. “I know of a place that can purify the heart. Will you accompany me there? If it truly works, I won’t be invaded by my demonic nature.”

This was the first time Qu Weiyin had made a request for her, and Luo Jinxiao nodded immediately, shaking her hair loose. “But I have a request too.” Qu Weiyin’s expression grew serious, and she spoke earnestly, “If that place doesn’t work and I truly lose my humanity and forget you, you must leave me.”

“If I lose control, my temperament will change drastically, and I won’t recognize anyone.”

“Fine.” Luo Jinxiao agreed readily.

Although Qu Weiyin was surprised by Luo Jinxiao’s lack of resistance, a feeling of relief washed over her, and her lips formed a delicate smile, more radiant than peach or plum blossoms.

“Anyway, if you no longer recognize anyone, you won’t remember what I did either, so it won’t matter much,” Luo Jinxiao thought to herself with a hint of mischief.