Transmigrated Into A Waste Who Married The Villain. Chapter 55: She Is a Demon

The secret passage twisted and turned, resembling an underground palace. Luo Jinxiao felt like a headless fly as she stumbled around, completely unaware of how she managed to escape. All she knew was that when she finally saw the light of day, a pale hand reached down and gently, yet firmly, pulled her up from the ground.

She strained her eyes, trying to discern the identity of her rescuer, but everything before her remained hazy. The figure appeared to be clad in pure white, their hair an ash-gray shade.

Despite their physique, they didn’t seem particularly old.

Luo Jinxiao grasped the person’s wrist tightly and implored, “Please, help me find Qu Weiyin.”

The individual hesitated for a moment and softly asked, “Qu Weiyin? Who is she?”

Their voice was ethereal and melodic, akin to the sound of celestial music.

Luo Jinxiao couldn’t tell if the figure was genuinely unaware or if they were deliberately pretending. Unfortunately, the pain in her heart intensified, the blood mist enveloping her as she stumbled and collapsed.

After that, she completely lost consciousness.

—

A day later, at Bai Yu Terrace.

The amplified voices of two disciples echoed through the clouds, startling the entire No Regrets Sect.

Numerous disciples gathered at Bai Yu Terrace, confusion painted across their faces as they were unsure of the situation, and soon the elders who were deliberating in No Regrets Palace rushed over.

Elder He hurried through the crowd, pushing aside the onlookers as he barked, “What are you all doing here!”

Reaching the center, he spotted two disciples in white standing there. His expression shifted to one of shock as he furrowed his brows, “Huai Shan, Huai Yu, what are you two doing?”

The male and female disciples exchanged glances, suddenly lifting their robe corners and kneeling in unison. The male disciple’s eyes were teary, filled with terror as he trembled and stammered, “Ma—Master, ever since we returned from the Demon Realm, we’ve been hesitant and didn’t dare to speak. But now, we cannot hide it any longer!”

“Hide something? What are you hiding? I’m completely confused!” Elder He stroked his beard and turned to the other elders who had arrived with him, including Elder Mei.

“Elder He, allow him to speak,” Elder Mei replied, her expression stern as she raised her chin.

Upon hearing this, the male disciple became even more distraught, tears streaming down his cheeks. He glanced at the female disciple, gritting his teeth and continuing, “A few days ago, my sister Huai Yu, along with other fellow disciples, went to exorcise demons. We were unfortunately captured by those monsters and imprisoned in a high tower in the Demon Realm.”

“Later, everyone heard that it was Master Uncle Qu who entered the Demon Realm and rescued us,” he added.

“Of course, we are all aware of this. Once Qu Weiyin returns, we will reward her accordingly. There’s no need for such commotion,” Elder He said, perplexed.

“But when we were rescued, we witnessed with our own eyes that Master Uncle Qu radiated the same demonic energy as those monsters,” the male disciple asserted.

As these words fell, it was as if a bomb had exploded; the crowd erupted in chaos.

Chang Siyu pushed through the group, raising his sword and shouting, “Don’t say such nonsense! Master Uncle Qu has been raised in No Regrets Sect since childhood—how could she carry demonic energy!”

Huai Yu yelped in fear, hiding behind Huai Shan as she trembled, saying, “Brother Siyu, what we say is true! Otherwise, how would she know the entrance to the Demon Realm?”

“Then what of it!” Chang Siyu retorted, furious, as he flung his sleeve in anger. “Just because of your words, you can slander Master Uncle Qu?”

“Indeed! Master Uncle Qu endured countless hardships to save you, and now you’re turning against her!” Lu Fanzhi added, her eyes red, clearly having not slept all night.

“Everything we say is true! We ask all the elders and masters to see this clearly!” Huai Shan’s voice rose above the clamor. “Even Luo Jinxiao, who went with her, has gone missing!”

“Shut up!” Lu Fanzhi moved forward, ready to strike, but was stopped by Elder Mei’s hand.

“Enough! The elders are present—stop this nonsense!” she sternly commanded. “Huai Shan, Huai Yu, what else did you see?”

The two disciples huddled together, as if they had struggled with their thoughts for a long time before finally speaking, “We noticed that the demonic energy emanating from Master Uncle Qu is very similar to the energy that has been lingering in No Regrets Sect recently.”

Once those words were uttered, the reaction was even more pronounced. Previously, the accusation could have been dismissed as mere speculation that Qu Weiyin possessed demonic energy, but now, it was an outright claim that the missing disciples from the sect had been taken due to her actions.

Chang Siyu’s eyes widened in shock, trembling hands clenched tightly as he growled, “What you’re saying could have serious consequences!”

“This matter is of great importance; we don’t dare speak carelessly. The reason we didn’t mention it before was out of fear for the current situation,” Huai Yu said, clinging tightly to Huai Shan’s side, shivering in apparent fear.

The elders exchanged glances, shock evident in each one’s eyes.

“Let’s leave it at this for now. None of you are to mention it again!” Elder Mei said gravely, raising her hand to quiet the murmured discussions among the disciples. She strode over to Huai Shan and Huai Yu, stating in a deep voice, “You two, come with me.”

This farce had started quickly and would end just as swiftly, but the gossip spread even faster. In no time, the news of Qu Weiyin’s alleged demonic energy circulated throughout the entire No Regrets Sect.

Lu Fanzhi felt mentally exhausted. Finding someone to help seemed impossible. Since yesterday, Luo Ning had been searching for Luo Jinxiao, recklessly wandering about, and everyone believed that Luo Jinxiao had become yet another missing disciple. Apart from offering condolences, no one could provide assistance—elders included.

Even Qu Weiyin had completely vanished, and Elder Liu was nowhere to be found either.

Frustrated and distraught, Lu Fanzhi wandered aimlessly until she finally returned to her master, where she suddenly let out a wail, bursting into tears.

Guijiu was overwhelmed by the chaos surrounding Qu Weiyin’s situation. When he saw Lu Fanzhi’s tear-streaked face, he stood momentarily stunned before quickly stepping forward to offer her a handkerchief, frowning in concern. “What’s wrong? Why are you crying so much?”

“Master, Master! I can’t find Luo Jinxiao, woohoo…”

“She always cares the most about Master Uncle Qu. If she knew someone was wronging her, she would definitely find a way…”

“But she’s gone! What if she’s dead? Ah, woohoo…”

Guijiu’s head rang from her sobbing, and he was filled with frustration, scratching his head helplessly but not daring to touch her. “After Luo Jinxiao went missing, we notified the Luo family, but no one has come. It’s as if they don’t even have a daughter by that name. Beyond that, we’re powerless…”

“What about Master Uncle Qu’s situation? What are the elders discussing?” Lu Fanzhi asked, wiping her nose with the handkerchief.

Guijiu sighed deeply and shook his head. “There’s no way to draw a conclusion; it’s all just hearsay without evidence. The elders are trying to find a way to bring Qu Weiyin back to question her directly. But…”

“But what?” Lu Fanzhi threw the sticky handkerchief aside, spreading her hands in exasperation.

Guijiu hurriedly pulled out another handkerchief and offered it to her, his expression filled with sympathy. “Once the rumors spread, it’s incredibly hard to clarify, no matter the truth. Moreover, this is a tense time, with the hearts of the people unsettled. The anger is building, and it’s likely they will direct their fear toward Master Uncle Qu. Unless the real culprit is apprehended, even if she returns, it will be difficult for her to clear her name.”

Lu Fanzhi paused, her hand frozen mid-wipe. She wiped her tears and thought silently, Luo Jinxiao, where are you? Your Master Uncle is in trouble; why haven’t you come back?

—

Meanwhile, in the grand hall.

Qu Chengzhou sat high upon the throne, gazing at the head-down, silent Yan Ying before him.

“Are you certain she is gravely injured and near death?”

Yan Ying clenched her clothing tightly, her gaze flickering as she replied solemnly.

“She actually managed to escape,” Qu Chengzhou said, suppressing his anger as he continued, “You couldn’t stop her?”

Yan Ying remained with her head bowed, failing to utter a word.

Qu Chengzhou stroked his beard thoughtfully before leaning forward, “The Yan family has done much for me, which is why they’ve reaped so many benefits. If you dare deceive me, you can be assured your parents will accompany you to the grave.”

“I wouldn’t dare,” Yan Ying murmured, closing her eyes in submission.

“Then that’s good. However, I’m about to complete my cultivation. Even if we’re missing Luo Jinxiao, it’s not a significant loss. Just a mere yellow-haired girl is not to be feared.”

“What’s truly concerning is Qu Weiyin. She is now viewed as a demon in the eyes of the public. It won’t be long before the righteous sects rally against her. At that time, when I eliminate her, it will be all too natural for me to ascend as the sect leader,” Qu Chengzhou couldn’t hide the smile that crept across his face.

“Indeed,” Yan Ying replied, her teeth clenched tightly.

When Luo Jinxiao regained consciousness, she found herself lying in a grove, her face covered with a layer of fallen leaves, remnants of the previous night’s wind.

Sitting up as if in a daze, she looked around, realizing she was deep within a maple forest on No Regrets Mountain, her body completely blanketed by leaves, as if she had been resting there for a long time.

The events leading up to her fainting flooded back to her mind. She scrambled to her feet, gripping a nearby tree branch for support, coughing as dust filled her lungs.

Looking down, she noticed the bloodstains from before; they were still glaringly obvious. However, the pain and discomfort had completely vanished, as if she had never been injured at all.

The woman she had encountered before losing consciousness! Luo Jinxiao suddenly remembered and rushed through the woods, but there was no sign of anyone.

Where had the dark passageway taken her, and who had she seen? Everything seemed like a dream.

She had no idea how many days had passed; she couldn’t linger to dust off the leaves on her body. Instead, she summoned Wu Jue and flew away on her sword.

The environment in No Regrets Sect was bustling and chaotic, the atmosphere dramatically different from when she had left. As Luo Jinxiao hurried along the path, those she encountered wore faces of disbelief, as if they had seen a ghost, yet no one approached her to offer concern.

It was only when she reached the entrance of No Regrets Palace that she bumped into Guijiu, who suddenly grabbed her, his face a mix of shock and anxiety. “You’ve returned?”

Seeing a familiar face, Luo Jinxiao grasped his arm, asking, “Is Master Uncle Qu back?”

“Yes, yes, she just returned,” Guijiu replied, shaking his head with a sigh. “Over the past few days, Fanzhi and Luo Ning searched everywhere for you but couldn’t find you. Luo Ning was especially frantic and fell ill; she’s lying in bed now. For cultivators to fall sick is rare, so it’s clear that she was genuinely overwhelmed with anxiety.”

Luo Jinxiao’s expression darkened as guilt washed over her.

“As for Master Uncle Qu…” Guijiu hesitated, his words trailing off.

“What about her?” Luo Jinxiao furrowed her brows.

“Never mind; you should see for yourself. Over the past few days, everyone has grown increasingly panicked. Tomorrow, disciples from various sects and noble families will gather here to discuss Master Uncle Qu. Everyone apparently believes she is a demon, and they’re organizing a hunt.”

“What? A demon?” Luo Jinxiao’s heart sank at the realization. She quickly thanked him and dashed away.

When Luo Jinxiao reached Qu Weiyin, the oppressive demonic energy surrounding her was palpable. Qu Weiyin stood rigid in the center of the gathered disciples, her eyes bloodshot, yet she was not holding the Crescent Moon Star Sword.

Her expression appeared wooden, as if the commotion around her had no bearing on her, like a straw that was silently breaking the will within her.

The disciples encircled her, yet none dared to approach closely. Some whispered among themselves, while others shuffled backward, fear and disgust evident in their eyes.

They were reluctant to leave, yet profoundly fearful of her.

Seeing Qu Weiyin’s expression reminded Luo Jinxiao of the helplessness she had witnessed during her previous life when facing the righteous sects in their pursuit. Pain surged in her heart at the sight.

Suddenly, a wave of anger surged within her. Cold energy erupted from her hand, causing the onlookers to stagger and retreat, clearing a path for her. Striding forward, she grasped Qu Weiyin’s icy hand tightly.

“Master Uncle, I’m here. Don’t be afraid,” she said, her eyes reddening.