After Kissing the World-Weary Female Supporting Character [Transmigration] - Chapter 78

Although Song Xingzi’s refusal was utterly direct, it couldn’t withstand Qīnglán’s desire for all things fluffy. Under the temptation of the gentle aunt’s spiritual elixirs, Song Xingzi bravely went to her death (not really), agreeing to stay on Mount Wēizhī for two days. This, of course, meant lying in the Elixir Pavilion on Mount Wēizhī in her little squirrel form, freeloading on food and drink.

Meanwhile, Bái Zé and Kuí traveled to Qīngqiū to inform the Lord of Qīngqiū, the Nine-Tailed Fox Tǔ Jiǔ Yōu, and the former Alliance Leader and founder of the Demon Realm Alliance, Mèng Bǎimò, about Song Xingzi’s awakening and the matter of the Nine-Turn Rebirth Technique.

In the Demon Realm, on the peak of Mount Túshān, Qīngqiū.

The Lord of Qīngqiū, the Nine-Tailed Fox Tǔ Jiǔ Yōu; the former Alliance Leader and founder of the Demon Realm Alliance, Mèng Bǎimò; the current Administrator of the Demon Realm, Kuí; and the Divine Beast Bái Zé, who knows everything under heaven, were gathered in one place—a scene that hadn’t occurred in the Demon Realm for a thousand years.

“Uncle Bái, what did you say? Pine Nut used the Nine-Turn Rebirth Technique? Where is Pine Nut now?”

After listening to Bái Zé, Tǔ Jiǔ Yōu slammed the table and stood up. Her flame-red long dress swayed with her movement, looking incredibly captivating.

Mèng Bǎimò, dressed in a cyan robe with his black hair tied behind his head, looked exactly like the person Song Xingzi saw in the book’s world. He gently restrained Tǔ Jiǔ Yōu: “Yōu Yōu, don’t get agitated. Let Uncle Bái and Uncle Kuí finish first.”

Bái Zé nodded approvingly, then teased Tǔ Jiǔ Yōu: “Little Nine, you’ve been with Mèng Mèng for so long, why hasn’t your impatient temper changed?”

Tǔ Jiǔ Yōu’s face flushed bright red. She stammered and sat back down next to Mèng Bǎimò: “We’re not together yet.”

The Demon Realm’s governing body did not allow the Alliance Leader and the Lord of Qīngqiū to be in a relationship. Mèng Bǎimò had resigned from his position as the Demon Realm Alliance Leader, residing on a small hill in Qīngqiū, usually dedicating his time to small research projects and accompanying Tǔ Jiǔ Yōu. Yet, even so, they remained under close scrutiny. After centuries of preparation, their relationship was still not officially established.

“I sent a message for your Aunt Qīng to come and help. Little Pine Nut is currently recuperating on Mount Wēizhī. Qīnglán is trying to figure things out for Pine Nut,” Bái Zé sighed, thinking of the extraordinarily difficult path of love for the two young ones, and then of his sister Qīnglán. He first calmed Tǔ Jiǔ Yōu’s emotions and then continued: “Pine Nut was likely targeted by a soul-stealer while sleeping, and she developed deep feelings for this person…”

The more Bái Zé spoke, the deeper Mèng Bǎimò’s brows furrowed, and his lips were tightly pressed together, a stark contrast to his usual calm and gentle demeanor.

So, the return of the [inner core] was because of this? I thought the barrier had a problem and specially went to the far north to check. It turned out to be the blueprint for the illusion test attempt.

Tǔ Jiǔ Yōu noticed Mèng Bǎimò’s abnormality. She held his hand under the table and whispered, asking what was wrong.

Mèng Bǎimò shook his head. It was only after Bái Zé finished recounting his and Kuí’s conjectures that Mèng Bǎimò spoke, his voice filled with apology: “Uncle Bái, Uncle Kuí, Yōu Yōu, Little Pine Nut’s accident should be related to me.”

“What?! Mèng Mèng, what are you saying?”

The three demons spoke in unison, clearly in disbelief.

Mèng Bǎimò gently shook his head, his gentle and calm gaze sweeping over the three demons, strangely making them quiet down.

“Yōu Yōu, do you still remember the illusion test concept you proposed before?” Mèng Bǎimò turned to the alluring Nine-Tailed Fox demon. After she hesitantly nodded, he continued: “Yōu Yōu once proposed an idea to me: to abolish the current examination test and replace it with an Illusion Simulation Test, where testers would be placed into an illusionary human world. This illusion has its own main storyline, like a storybook or a play. The testers are placed in the illusion, and the system automatically matches them with suitable roles. They play this role, constantly making choices. When the plot finishes, the tester leaves the illusion, and the system evaluates the tester’s performance and issues the corresponding certificate.”

“Mèng Mèng, didn’t I also say back then that the tester’s memory should be erased? And you, Mèng Mèng, are naturally skilled at dream weaving, and I also taught you the Fox Clan’s Charm Techniques and the secret art of weaving illusions,” Tǔ Jiǔ Yōu’s dark and delicate eyebrows furrowed, her peach blossom eyes shining with brilliant light, captivating all who looked at her.

“Yes,” Mèng Bǎimò nodded, speaking honestly and gently. “After you proposed this concept, I privately thought it was feasible, so I purchased a batch of storybooks and used their plots as blueprints to create a batch of illusions for testing. After Pine Nut passed the test, the messenger delivered her permit certificate to me. Because I had to prepare for the farewell banquet, I placed it together with the supplies we prepared for Pine Nut.”

Kuí followed up on Mèng Bǎimò’s words: “Pine Nut didn’t want to attend the farewell banquet. She came to me overnight and asked me to take her to the Human Realm. I know about this.”

Mèng Bǎimò sighed: “I hadn’t tidied my study yet. Pine Nut must have grabbed the wrong thing, only taking a permit certificate with her.”

Tǔ Jiǔ Yōu covered her red lips, murmuring distractedly: “I, I just wanted you to stop being depressed. How could… how could it happen to Pine Nut of all people…”

“Little Nine, what are you saying? What does this have to do with you and Mèng Mèng?” Kuí interrupted Tǔ Jiǔ Yōu’s self-blame, his voice rough as he scolded Song Xingzi: “That stinky girl, Song Xingzi! I’ve known since she was little that she’d be a handful! She’s so reckless! Now she’s suffered a great loss, and she knows how to cry! And she just keeps worrying her elders! What should we do?”

Bái Zé pondered for a moment, stroking his long white beard, his speech slow: “Mèng Mèng, is there a way to restore the memories that were meant to be erased in the illusion test?”

Mèng Bǎimò slightly shook his head: “That batch were only early versions with many flaws. I can’t even tell if I used a dream or an illusion when creating them.”

Bái Zé shifted to stroking his long white eyebrows, saying: “Can we find which storybook Pine Nut entered? The Nine-Turn Rebirth Technique establishes an unbreakable link between the caster and the recipient. If Pine Nut reads the original story, it might stimulate her to recover her memory, thus helping us find out who the recipient is.”

Mèng Bǎimò’s expression was gentle: “Uncle Bái is right. For the Nine-Turn Resurrection, the recipient shares the soul, lifespan, and fortune with Pine Nut. Even if the recipient was just a phantom entity in the illusion, they should be able to seize the opportunity to take on a form, becoming a Shèn demon or a Jìng demon. There should be clues to follow.”

Kuí actively raised his hand: “Should I go to Little Pine Nut’s rental house to look for her permit certificate? Will that help?”

Mèng Bǎimò stopped the ready-to-move Kuí: “Uncle Kuí, there’s no need to go to the Human Realm. An illusion can only be entered once. It should only be a permit certificate now. I will go back immediately and check one by one to find out which storybook Little Pine Nut took!”

Demon Realm, Mount Wēizhī.

No demon can resist the temptation of fluffiness! If there is one, they must have never owned a fluffy pet. Qīnglán, who took this truth as gospel, utterly doted on the fluffy Song Xingzi. She reverted to her true form, placed the little one on her back, and flew all the way back to Mount Wēizhī, willingly acting as the fluffy creature’s mount.

Upon arriving at Mount Wēizhī, Qīnglán first landed on the summit. Thoughtfully, she let the fluffy creature land first before transforming into her human form. She then held Song Xingzi in her arms and walked toward the grand hall, calling for a maid to prepare a little nest for Song Xingzi.

“Liǔ’er, go check the treasury for a nest suitable for a cub. Take one to my room and put plenty of toys in it.”

“Sister Lán, what is this?” Liǔ’er curiously examined Song Xingzi, who was muffled in Qīnglán’s arms. Song Xingzi’s fluffy large tail was exposed, drooping listlessly. The little one was completely white, with no other colors except for a vibrant red tip on her tail. “Where did this Treasure-Spitting Rat come from? Its tail is like a squirrel’s. It would be even cuter if it had a red string tied on its ears.”

“Right? Right?” Qīnglán held Song Xingzi up like a treasure, spinning her around, placing the droopy-eared little squirrel directly facing Liǔ’er to allow her sister to appreciate her more thoroughly. “This is Little Pine Nut. Isn’t she adorable? Later, we’ll find the red string we prepared for my precious younger brother and use it to dress up our Little Pine Nut properly.”

“Okay, okay! I’ll go prepare right away!”

Liǔ’er happily agreed, humming a joyful tune as she went to the treasury to search for the treasures.

Song Xingzi: …Why do I feel like I’ve been tricked? Have I entered a wolf’s den? Wasn’t I here to freeload on food and drink? Why did I suddenly become a pet?

Liǔ’er was highly efficient, setting up Song Xingzi’s new home right by the window. The spot had good light, as ample sunlight prevents pets from growing parasites (not really).

Song Xingzi lay lifelessly in her new nest, on a velvet blanket as light as a feather. She allowed Qīnglán and Liǔ’er to tie the cutest red ribbons and little bells in the entire Demon Realm onto her ears. She then let the two extreme fur enthusiasts gasp in adoration, enjoying the service of two top-tier Bird Clan beauties. She was fed immortal elixirs by the gentle aunt the moment she opened her mouth, and her legs were massaged by the pretty aunt the moment she stretched them.

This decadent, capitalistic life is simply… TOO, TOO, TOO COMFORTABLE!!!

Song Xingzi felt she could live another hundred years of this immortal life, if her nest weren’t by the window, if spiritual birds didn’t form groups to visit the “Queen’s New Pet” every day, and if the spiritual birds didn’t know the fact that her inner core had been dug out…

Although spiritual birds are arrogant and dislike gossip, that doesn’t mean news can’t spread.

One spiritual bird happened to be good friends with a grass demon. After the sisters shared the news, the plant spirits, being natural gossip experts, used the wind to spread the word: You touch my leaf, I kiss your seed. Gossip spread instantly, passing from one to another, out of Mount Wēizhī, and throughout the Demon Realm.

“Did you know? The Divine Chef Song Xingzi had her inner core dug out!”

“I heard that the Young Lord of Qīngqiū can’t even transform into human form anymore!”

“Yes, yes, and she’s faded in color too!”

As the gossip spread, by the time it reached Song Xingzi’s little friends in Qīngqiū, the version had already evolved to: “Song Xingzi went to the Human Realm for one day, had her inner core dug out by a human, and then faded in color, becoming a white squirrel spirit! Now she can’t even transform into human form and is recovering on Qīnglán’s Mount Wēizhī. Her mind is broken, and no one knows how long she can live.”

Song Xingzi, who only awakened her bloodline power: …Please proceed, everyone. Eat less bad gossip.

Even the spiritual birds who initially knew part of the truth were obscured by the half-true, half-false gossip in their little green eyes, adding sincere inquiries to their daily check-in visits.

“Coo coo coo, Song Xingzi, Song Xingzi, did you fade in color?”

Song Xingzi pulled her attention from the decadent high society life, glancing at the pigeon flashing with the light of knowledge, and said coldly: “No, you faded in color!”

The pigeon flapped its wings and flew away: “Coo coo coo, I was white to begin with! The brainless demon deserves to be tricked.”

Song Xingzi: …Darn it, being honest, who’s the real idiot here?

“Chirp chirp chirp, Song Xingzi, Song Xingzi, were you tricked emotionally by a human? You lost your inner core after just one day. So foolish.”

Song Xingzi angrily tugged at the drooping red ribbon, saying crossly: “No, no, no! My inner core was dug out while I was asleep!”

The magpie clearly didn’t believe her, fluttering its wings and flying away too: “Chirp chirp chirp, Song Xingzi is so miserable. She lost both her heart and her core! You really need a magpie to vouch for you when you date!”

Song Xingzi: “Idiot, are you going to vouch for us with a visit once a year?”

Song Xingzi was so angry she buried her head in the down blanket, her large tail stood up, and her white tail fur bristled. Liǔ’er saw the opportunity and petted it again.

Wuwuwu! Rubbing fluffiness is so comfortable! I love this texture!

“Cluck cluck cluck, Song Xingzi, Song Xingzi, can you really not change into human form anymore?”

Damn it! Which long-tongued woman is it now? Who said birds are arrogant and don’t gossip? Wuwuwu, not only do they gossip, they’re venomous! A double critical hit! Who can stand it? No demon can bear this humiliation!

I’m leaving, I’m leaving right now, going back to Qīngqiū! I wouldn’t stay here even for another dozen elixirs!

Song Xingzi rebutted, feeling wronged: “Stupid bird, which little eye of yours saw that I can’t transform into human form?”

“Here, Pine Nut, this is the Purification Elixir Auntie just refined. It can cleanse impurities in the bloodline.”

Qīnglán glared at the chattering spiritual birds and gently fed Song Xingzi the Purification Elixir.

Although Qīnglán’s desire to pet the fluffy creature was genuine, these past few days she had also been providing Song Xingzi with systematic treatment, administering different elixirs in sequence, supplemented by spiritual energy massages, acupuncture, stimulating the dantian‘s work, expanding the meridians, and accelerating the recovery process.

Today’s Purification Elixir was the final cleanup. Once Song Xingzi fully absorbed it, the drug therapy would officially conclude.

Such rich spiritual power! Yīng yīng yīng, staying for two more days might not be a bad idea!

Song Xingzi smacked her lips. The spiritual bird couldn’t stand it and flew away with a sneer: “The freeloading, foolish squirrel! No wonder she was tricked!”

“Darn it! Have the guts not to fly away! Come down and duel!”

Song Xingzi leaped up, the bells on her ears making a clear sound with her movement.

Ptooey!

The response was a splash of heartless bird droppings.

…Darn it! Cursing and running! Group sightseeing every day! Who can endure this humiliation? No demon can bear this humiliation!

Baby wants to go back to Qīngqiū! I won’t stay in this bird-infested place and take this bird sh—!

Song Xingzi tugged at Qīnglán’s skirt corner pitifully: “Aunt Qīng! Pine Nut wants to go home.”

Qīnglán picked up the little one, gently smoothed down the bristled fur, and responded tenderly: “Alright. Auntie will send you back tonight.”

Song Xingzi: …??? Why did Aunt Qīng agree so readily? Wuwuwu, the stupid birds were right. I really am an annoyance! I’m clearly so cute! Jì, Jì what?

Why do I feel like saying she wouldn’t be annoyed with me? Who is she? My heart feels so heavy, so empty.

Song Xingzi remained dazed in Qīnglán’s arms, allowing the fur enthusiast to continue petting her.