After My Death, the Female Lead Breaks the Heartless Path - Chapter 1

Yin Ruolan had lost count of how many times she had caught Xu Jingqiu spacing out today and right at the dinner table, no less.

As someone who absolutely loved food, Xu Jingqiu had never been one to be distracted during meals.

After the fifth time she saw Xu Jingqiu absentmindedly pick up a piece of boiled cabbage, a dish she would never normally eat Yin Ruolan couldn’t help but tap the table. “Is something on your mind?”

Xu Jingqiu snapped back to reality and shook her head, expressionlessly stuffing the vegetable into her mouth. “It’s nothing. I’ve just been having the same nightmare for the past few days.”

Lately, she kept dreaming that she was actually a character in a book, a cannon fodder supporting female character, to be exact. The protagonist was none other than Yin Ruolan, who sat across from her, while the other female lead was Ai Yanran, the one who had repeatedly harmed her.

In the book, Yin Ruolan had sought her out to perfect her Path of Emotionlessness. Once Xu Jingqiu had fallen completely in love, Yin Ruolan killed her to prove her Dao, successfully vanquishing the rampaging evil god and bringing peace to the world.

Afterward, Yin Ruolan and Ai Yanran fell in love and ended up together. As for Xu Jingqiu herself, no one would remember her.

Every time she recalled this dream, Xu Jingqiu couldn’t help but wonder: Was her supposed affection for Yin Ruolan merely the result of the so-called “plot”?

And would Yin Ruolan truly kill her in the end?

Xu Jingqiu drifted off into thought again. Worried, Yin Ruolan reached out to check her temperature and felt her pulse. Only after confirming that Xu Jingqiu was fine did she breathe a sigh of relief.

Yin Ruolan didn’t ask about the details of the nightmare. Recalling such dreams would only torment Xu Jingqiu further. Right now, what she needed to figure out was how to help Xu Jingqiu escape these nightmares.

Quietly, she swapped the dish Xu Jingqiu had been unconsciously picking at with the braised pork she usually loved. Yin Ruolan racked her brains until she suddenly remembered hearing that doing something enjoyable could help someone temporarily forget their pain.

Wasn’t the Lantern Festival tonight? And hadn’t Xu Jingqiu never attended one before? “Would you like to go to the Lantern Festival tonight?” Yin Ruolan asked tentatively.

The Lantern Festival? Xu Jingqiu almost instinctively said “yes,” but then she remembered in her dream, Yin Ruolan and Ai Yanran had locked eyes for the first time at the festival.

If she refused now, Yin Ruolan definitely wouldn’t go. Could this be a way to avoid the plot?

With that in mind, Xu Jingqiu shook her head. “No, I’ve been feeling really tired lately. Let’s skip it.”

Yin Ruolan didn’t question it. In her view, having nightmares for several days in a row would naturally leave anyone mentally exhausted. “Then let me give you a massage,” she offered.

Surprised, Xu Jingqiu looked at her. “You know how to massage? Why haven’t I heard about this before?”

“Lately, I’ve noticed you’ve been rubbing your waist a lot, so I learned from someone. Finish your meal first, rest for a bit, and then I’ll help you relax with a massage.”

Xu Jingqiu suddenly ate faster and was soon finished. Under Yin Ruolan’s strict supervision, she repeatedly assured her that she had digested her food before Yin Ruolan allowed her to lie down and began massaging her slowly. Though a bit clumsy at first, Yin Ruolan’s learning ability was impressive, she quickly got the hang of it.

Later, Yin Ruolan was still called away. A letter from her sect arrived, claiming there was an urgent matter.

“Go ahead, I’ll be fine here,” Xu Jingqiu said, sitting up to reassure her.

Yin Ruolan’s face was full of guilt, but since the letter didn’t specify what the urgent matter was, she couldn’t refuse. Apologetically, she said, “Tomorrow, I’ll take you out to relax and enjoy the sights.”

Xu Jingqiu smiled. “Alright, it’s a deal then.”

Yin Ruolan left reluctantly, glancing back repeatedly. Unbeknownst to her, after she had gone, Xu Jingqiu removed the bracelet from her wrist. It transformed into the shape of a glove clearly an invisibility artifact.

This bracelet was the Heavenly Ruler, the very object Ai Yanran had been desperate to seize. It was said to conceal a secret technique, but Xu Jingqiu had never found it. In her hands, the Heavenly Ruler’s greatest use was its ability to shapeshift into various items she had seen.

She followed Yin Ruolan to the lantern festival. The scene was brightly lit, filled with laughter and joy, which only made one person feel even more isolated.

She removed the invisibility artifact, transforming it back into a bracelet and slipping it onto her wrist. Xu Jingqiu gazed into the distance and effortlessly spotted the person she was looking for.

Yin Ruolan was there, wearing a special fox mask from the lantern festival, but Xu Jingqiu didn’t approach immediately. For one, she had followed secretly, and secondly, Yin Ruolan wasn’t alone.

The person beside her was someone Xu Jingqiu would recognize even if turned to ashes especially since she wasn’t wearing a mask. Ai Yanran. Her presence here was unexpected, yet somehow not surprising.

Ai Yanran was dressed in fiery red robes, making no attempt to conceal her identity, as if announcing to everyone exactly who she was.

Because of the mask, Xu Jingqiu couldn’t see Yin Ruolan’s expression, but she could see Ai Yanran clinging to her arm, acting coquettishly, while Yin Ruolan showed no signs of pulling away or impatience.

At least, not during the time Xu Jingqiu was watching.

Xu Jingqiu didn’t linger long. She left, bought a mask for herself, and wandered aimlessly through the festival. Ever since escaping the Sect of Joyful Union, she had never attended another lantern festival.

The lantern festival wasn’t just about admiring the lights; it also carried a legend. If a masked couple were accidentally separated by the crowd and could find each other again, they would be destined to stay together for life.

She had once participated because it felt warm, but after the betrayal, only pain remained. She never attended again. In the future, she probably wouldn’t either. There was no meaning in it anymore.

Xu Jingqiu casually bought a mask and put it on. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed someone approaching her direction, but she paid no mind. She continued to drift through the crowd, skillfully weaving her way until she disappeared from sight.

By the time Yin Ruolan rushed home, she found Xu Jingqiu sitting leisurely in the courtyard, sipping tea. When she saw Yin Ruolan, she smiled and waved, as if she had never left.

But Yin Ruolan was certain, she had not only seen Xu Jingqiu at the lantern festival but had also lost track of her.

“You went to the lantern festival, didn’t you?” Yin Ruolan asked directly.

Xu Jingqiu didn’t deny it and straightforwardly admitted to following them: “Yes, and I happened to see the two of you. You were standing with Ai Yanran, right?”

Ai Yanran, this person had contributed significantly to her many unpleasant memories. First, she accused Xu Jingqiu of theft and attempted murder for profit, then claimed she had a hidden ailment that required Xu Jingqiu’s heart’s blood to cure.

Xu Jingqiu was just an ordinary mortal. If her heart’s blood were taken, she would undoubtedly die. The scheme was meticulously calculated. Fortunately, she had the Heavenly Ruler, which allowed her to barely escape, and in doing so, she met Yin Ruolan.

“What is she doing here?” Xu Jingqiu set down her teacup, her pleasant demeanor fading. “Would a favored daughter of heaven like her willingly come to a place like this?”

Yin Ruolan replied, “She said her days are numbered and heard that life here is peaceful, so she wanted to come and relax for a while.”

Xu Jingqiu sneered, “I’m afraid that once she arrives, there will be no more peace here.”

First, it was the Duyun Sect, then the Hehuan Sect. Wherever Ai Yanran went, chaos and unrest followed. There had never been a moment of tranquility.

After a moment of silence, Yin Ruolan said, “You really don’t like her.”

“After all, she’s the one who repeatedly tried to harm me. Have I told you about it?” Xu Jingqiu’s good mood for the day was completely ruined. “Back when I was still in the Duyun Sect, she bribed an elder to put my name on the roster, sending me with a team into a secret realm to die. And as if that wasn’t enough, she pushed me into a deep pit, probably thinking I wasn’t dying fast enough.”

Xu Jingqiu’s tone was calm, but Yin Ruolan could already imagine the despair she must have felt at the time. A mortal, trapped in a secret realm where only cultivators could survive, and then betrayed, what kind of despair must that have been?

“Maybe I was just lucky. I managed to obtain a secret treasure from inside and escaped. But then she tried to kill me for it, accusing me of stealing her things and rallying others to finish me off.” Xu Jingqiu let out a bitter laugh. “What could I do? No one believed me, so I had no choice but to flee.”

“And then, at the Hehuan Sect, just when I had finally found another place to call home, she showed up again, demanding my heart’s blood to cure her illness,” Xu Jingqiu continued. “Do you think I would treat kindly someone who’s always trying to kill me?”

Yin Ruolan opened her mouth but didn’t know what to say. She still remembered the day those cynical people came knocking, acting as if Xu Jingqiu had committed some heinous crime.

In reality, she had done nothing wrong.

Xu Jingqiu didn’t expect Yin Ruolan to offer comfort proactively. After all, Yin Ruolan’s personality was what it was. Just having a stable environment like this was something Xu Jingqiu was already grateful for. At least with Yin Ruolan, there were no hidden agendas or deceit.

Yin Ruolan was entirely focused on cultivation, almost naively so. Although she had been cold and distant when they first met, over time, Xu Jingqiu had sensed the unintentional, clumsy tenderness that Yin Ruolan unconsciously revealed.

But now, with Ai Yanran haunting her once again, Xu Jingqiu felt a sense of dread. Why did this person always cling to her? Why was she fixated solely on her? Was it because of the plot?

Would Yin Ruolan like the two before her, betray her as the storyline dictated?

“I’m sorry, I didn’t know about these things, otherwise I would have refused. I promise I won’t meet her again.” Xu Jingqiu didn’t expect Yin Ruolan to say this.

However, Xu Jingqiu didn’t show any signs of believing her on the surface, speaking calmly: “But earlier I saw her holding onto your arm, and you didn’t resist.”

Yin Ruolan didn’t blame or scold her; instead, she sank entirely into guilt, her mind and eyes filled with thoughts of how to comfort Xu Jingqiu properly. But she wasn’t very good with words. And the calmer Xu Jingqiu appeared, the more guilty Yin Ruolan felt.

After thinking for a while, Yin Ruolan decided to be honest. Her words came faster and faster, tinged with panic: “My master said she doesn’t have much time left and can’t handle any stimulation, so I didn’t dare to react too strongly. There’s nothing between us, and I have no feelings for her.”

“After she approached me, I handed her over to the fellow disciples who arrived. From now on, I won’t see her again. Do you still trust me?”

After saying this, Yin Ruolan couldn’t help but feel her resentment toward Ai Yanran reach its peak. From the very beginning, when Ai Yanra confidently declared that Yin Ruolan would eventually belong to her, Yin Ruolan had already been furious.

Especially since this person had arrogantly claimed that Xu Jingqiu would surely die, calling her an insignificant character.

She didn’t want to hear anyone belittle Xu Jingqiu like that, as if she were someone unimportant whose life and death could be casually decided.

But, Yin Ruolan thought again about what the Heavenly Lord had told her.

If only she could take Xu Jingqiu away from here, that would be perfect.

Support After My Death, the Female Lead Breaks the Heartless Path