After My Death, the Female Lead Breaks the Heartless Path - Chapter 16

The negotiation did not go as easily as Ai Yanran had imagined.

Neither tempting with benefits nor using charm could persuade the human before them to agree with their viewpoint, yes, a human. Liu Ruichu was still a human.

A human who had never appeared in the original storyline, yet stood on the side of the demon realm, helping them haggle and suppress Penglai’s potential gains to the absolute minimum.

Though Ai Yanran still wore a smile on her face, she was deeply displeased inside. She had originally hoped to secretly enrich herself through this deal, but now her plans had suffered a Waterloo. No one would be happy about a surefire plan failing so miserably. Her initial plan was for Penglai to collaborate with the demon realm, splitting the gains fifty-fifty. Based on her understanding of Penglai, its members were arrogant yet incompetent, and such an arrangement would have made it easier for her to fish in troubled waters while searching for the secrets of the mystic realm, as her system had mentioned.

However, the demon realm insisted that the two groups act separately, each going their own way. If Penglai’s people approached them, the demons would not interfere, but if they were pursued later, Penglai’s members would be killed along with any pursuers. As for the spoils, of course, whoever found them would keep them.

Liu Ruichu firmly held onto these conditions, rejecting all of Penglai’s demands. After all, the demons did not need spiritual herbs for cultivation their purpose in entering the mystic realm was for their queen. Moreover, if they could obtain the soil from around the mystic realm, it might still be possible to cultivate the Memory-Seeking Grass.

It was just that their lord was growing impatient, unable to bear seeing his beloved (?) suffer.

Penglai, on the other hand, was in a different situation. Ever since ascending high above the mortal world, Penglai had ceased accepting cultivators from the human realm. Originally, this was to prevent their techniques from being leaked and to avoid diluting their “immortal blood,” but unexpectedly, the number of high-level cultivators on Penglai Island dwindled over time. Now, aside from Ai Yanran, even a Golden Core cultivator was a rare sight.

This expedition to the mystic realm was a rare opportunity, and Penglai took it very seriously. This was also why Ai Yanran had voluntarily taken on this unwanted task, earning herself considerable goodwill and boosting her own power to the Nascent Soul stage.

“Really, how could they be like this? Without us, how could those brutes with only brute force and no brains possibly find anything? Do they really think we can’t manage without them?” Back in Penglai, the celestial soldier accompanying her finally couldn’t hold back his curses.

Ai Yanran was also in a bad mood. According to her system, humans couldn’t even enter the areas where the herbs grew they truly had to rely on the demons.

Even so, Ai Yanran forced a smile and said, “After all, they are still very wary of us, so this is somewhat understandable. As the number one sect in the world, we must be tolerant of them. Life in that barren land can’t be easy for them.”

“It’s alright. At least we can enter now, right?”

Despite her words, the celestial soldier was still furious. The former goddess not only refused to help them but also brought someone to make things difficult for them. “Let’s see what they can actually obtain! Without us, what could they possibly recognize? Picking up stones?”

Ai Yanran also feigned a sigh, adopting a tone of pity and concern. “It’s not their fault that the demons can’t recognize those divine artifacts and herbs. The fact that they agreed to open the mystic realm for us is already a great help. If they leave empty-handed, I will share my own gains with them.”

“After all, they did contribute, didn’t they?”

That person still felt aggrieved, but deep down, he admired the magnanimity Ai Yanran had displayed. “Truly worthy of being a divine maiden, with a heart for all beings even willing to embrace the filthy demon race. Unlike the previous divine maiden, who sided with the demons against us, what an ungrateful wretch!”

Ai Yanran merely smiled. “Alright, we’ve had a long journey. Let’s head back for now. I’ll report to the Heavenly Lord and then decide on the candidates to go.”

The celestial soldier cupped his hands in salute to Ai Yanran. “Then I shall take my leave.”

After everyone had departed, Ai Yanran returned to her residence. With a casual wave, she skillfully summoned the system interface and murmured, “Let me see how the favorability shop is doing now. Hiss, a lot of items are gone.”

“It seems you’re really not doing well now,” Ai Yanran remarked with a mocking smile. It appeared the hosts after her hadn’t amounted to much.

[It’s all because Yin Ruolan messed up the plot, and half of my power was taken by Xu Jingqiu. On top of that, I had to split my soul, so naturally, my strength has weakened.]

Ai Yanran closed her eyes, her fingers unconsciously tapping on the table. “So, you still can’t influence Yin Ruolan?”

[No. Moreover, she has already deviated significantly from the plot. My influence over her is minimal unless we reclaim the half of the authority taken by Xu Jingqiu. Why are you so fixated on Yin Ruolan?]

At this, Ai Yanran chuckled lightly. “Why? You should know that there aren’t many people worthy of me. Before Xu Jingqiu appeared, she was my fiancée though I have no feelings for her, what’s mine is mine. I won’t allow anyone else to taint it.”

The system was speechless, uninterested in these strange human emotions and attachments. For it, reclaiming authority was the top priority at least when it came to dealing with Xu Jingqiu, their goals aligned.

Ai Yanran paid no mind to the system’s disdain. This was just how she was, what belonged to her, even if she didn’t like it, could only be discarded by her, not taken by someone else. This was a challenge to her authority.

She had thought that with the divine maiden identity upon her return, things would go more smoothly. Who would have thought she’d be stuck with a bunch of arrogant, incompetent fools who only held her back?

Because of this mess, not only Yin Ruolan’s favorability toward her had dropped significantly, but even Wen Banxia’s had decreased as well.

Among the people from Penglai who came, they only mentioned asking mortal realm cultivators for help but didn’t say a word about resource distribution.

And the person in charge of the negotiations hadn’t even realized this, likely due to the previous host’s mindless actions. That person even looked down on her. If they had the ability, it would be one thing, but in the end, she had to step in to finalize the cooperation.

“Truly, a bunch of useless people who can’t even speak properly. It seems I can’t rely on these people going forward.”

The system knew she was referring to the people from Penglai. Honestly, it felt the same way and had long regretted forcibly binding to this world, only to find itself unable to leave. For now, the priority was to reclaim full authority as soon as possible.

[Are you sure Xu Jingqiu will go? It seems Yin Ruolan doesn’t want her to.]

“Of course I’ll go.” Ai Yanran chuckled lightly, straightened her attire before the full-length bronze mirror, then pushed open the door. Nodding to the young immortal slave waiting outside, she smiled and said, “Alright, let’s go. We’ll report to the Heavenly Respect, then we can prepare to set off.”On the way to see the Heavenly Respect, Ai Yanran encountered many people.” She felt quite grateful that her previous host had some sense, at least knowing how to win the favor of the people of Penglai. Now, everyone who saw her greeted her with respect and admiration.

Unseen by others, the person who smiled and greeted others in public would switch to a look of disdain in private. For her, greeting fools was simply a waste of time.

Inside the Heavenly Palace, the Heavenly Sovereign sat upright on the highest throne. Gone was the dignity of twenty years ago, as wrinkles had now crept across his face.

Seeing Ai Yanran arrive, the delight in his eyes was unmistakable: “You’ve come? How goes the plan?”

“It was successful. Yin Ruolan has agreed to cooperate. We will set off in two days.” Ai Yanran bowed respectfully and spoke with feigned reverence.

The Heavenly Respect nodded in satisfaction, reached out to stroke the blood-red bracelet on his wrist, and laughed heartily: “Good!” Good! Good! The plan delayed for twenty years can finally proceed! Ascension. I can finally reach the legendary state of divinity.”The Heavenly Respect laughed almost maniacally for a while before gradually calming down.” He looked at Ai Yanran with appreciation: “If this journey succeeds, I will reward you greatly, allowing you to remain by my side forever and enjoy the privileges of a god!”

“You may withdraw now. Select a group of people you are satisfied with, and I will send additional assistance. This mission must succeed! That herb must be brought back, no matter the cost.”After speaking, the Heavenly Lord seemed weary.” Ever since being severely injured by Yin Ruolan, his lifespan had been significantly shortened. He didn’t have much time left and had to succeed in seizing either Yin Ruolan’s or Ai Yanran’s body to survive.

The Heavenly Lord was so immersed in the joy of becoming a god that he failed to notice the mockery and contempt in Ai Yanran’s eyes. By the time his fantasies ended, Ai Yanran had already taken her leave.

“Tch, how pathetic. Just a pawn, yet dreaming of stepping onto the path to godhood.” Ai Yanran sneered mercilessly after returning. “What he wants must be the Soul-Devouring Herb, right? To devour Yin Ruolan’s soul and replace her using the connection of heart’s blood? Utterly ridiculous.”

[You guessed his intention?]

Ai Yanran casually flipped through the roster and replied nonchalantly, “It’s not hard to guess, is it? I understand both him and Yin Ruolan well. The heart’s blood on his wrist was taken from Yin Ruolan when she was a child, wasn’t it? But you didn’t tell him that although taking the heart’s blood makes it easier to cultivate the heartless path and seize the body, it also makes it easier to fall into demonic ways just like now.”

The system felt somewhat guilty, unsure how she knew this. Combined with the fact that its split soul left with Yin Ruolan for potential possession had been completely destroyed, it felt somewhat lacking in confidence. [Why do you say that?]

“I haven’t been dead or dormant all these years, you know. Otherwise, why do you think you can summon me back now?” Ai Yanran said.

The system fell silent, knowing that Ai Yanran’s frankness must have an underlying purpose. [What do you want?]

“Nothing much, just a small collaboration. Besides, whatever the Celestial Venerable can do, I can do too perhaps even better. What do you think?” Ai Yanran smiled with an unfathomable expression.

The system, unsure of her intentions, hesitated before asking, [How do you plan to do it?]

“That Soul-devouring Grass can you fabricate a fake one?”

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