After Swapping Identities With My Archenemy - Chapter 32

Chapter 32: Shen Wensi’s Identity

Jiang Huaiyi truly wished there were only the two of them among the living. In a situation like the one just now, she wouldn’t have had time to go out and save the person.

But she didn’t dwell on it for long. Shen Wensi tugged on her sleeve, tilted her head in a certain direction, and motioned for her to follow.

To be safe, she naturally took Shen Wensi’s hand. The other person didn’t pull away and held her hand back naturally.

The two of them followed far behind the paper figurines, turning through several small alleys until they reached the back door of a building with carved beams and painted pillars.

Shen Wensi raised her hand and knocked on the door three times. She heard the wooden door creak open, and a fluffy head poked out from inside.

After glancing at Shen Wensi, the door swung wide open, welcoming them in.

A servant-like person, holding a lantern, walked ahead, muttering, “Miss, you’re finally back.”

It was only then that Jiang Huaiyi noticed that Shen Wensi’s clothes were indeed different from her own. They were made of silk and brocade, a world of difference compared to her rough cloth garments.

She was puzzled as to why there was such a huge status gap between two people who entered at the same time. Shen Wensi was dressed completely as a wealthy young lady.

She even had her own residence here. At the same time, Shen Wensi also noticed Jiang Huaiyi’s clothes and was momentarily stunned.

But it wasn’t convenient for her to say anything outside, so she waited for the servant to lead them to a room. After serving tea, fetching water for washing, and a flurry of activities to welcome them, they finally stopped.

Shen Wensi waved her hand, dismissing all unnecessary people. The two of them closed the door and finally relaxed completely.

After gulping down the tea on the table, Jiang Huaiyi lay tiredly on the table.

She had been walking all afternoon. Although her body was no longer an issue, she could still feel a sense of weakness.

Shen Wensi sat leisurely where she was, drinking tea, completely devoid of the tension she had shown moments ago.

The flickering candlelight cast a shadow on the side of her face, making her expression unreadable, but she exuded a sense of calm.

Her raven-black hair, paired with her attire, didn’t look out of place at all.

Jiang Huaiyi asked, “Why are our clothes different?”

Shen Wensi simply glanced at her and said with a smile, “Perhaps I just look like a child from a wealthy family.”

Jiang Huaiyi was a little defeated but also felt she had a point, so she was unable to refute it for a moment.

With a practiced ease, Shen Wensi handed her a handkerchief and pointed to a dressing table in the corner of the room, motioning for Jiang Huaiyi to wipe her face.

Jiang Huaiyi took the handkerchief, put down her backpack, and walked over to sit down.

The mirror was very clear, reflecting her smudged face. Paired with her rough cloth clothes, she truly looked like a refugee who had just fled.

Jiang Huaiyi quickly tidied up her face, wiping off the yellow mud, and then eagerly washed it.

Only then did she sit down again.

Shen Wensi was already sitting there, beginning to study the fine silk paper in her hand.

The two of them put their heads together and exchanged the information they had.

“Did you walk in from outside the village? I didn’t see any living people along the way.”

Shen Wensi shook her head. “I was already in the town when I came in. It’s not just the two of us who have entered this time.”

Jiang Huaiyi’s interest was piqued. “So the ‘living people’ on the paper are the ones who came in? Was that man just now one of them?”

Shen Wensi nodded. “The problem now is, how do we get out?”

Her tone was calm, showing no signs of anxiety.

She was clearly tossing the problem to Jiang Huaiyi.

Jiang Huaiyi shook her head honestly. “I don’t know. I don’t even know how I got in. I heard my master say that it’s very difficult to completely destroy a painting created with such dark magic.”

“Because when they’re made, there’s definitely more than one scroll. Even if we destroy the one we have, the others will still exist.”

Shen Wensi put the fine silk paper back into her hand. “I don’t know much about that.”

Jiang Huaiyi continued to explain, “Actually, this is related to a secret art. It should still be possible for us to ensure our own escape.”

Shen Wensi raised an eyebrow. “Aren’t you planning to save others?”

She leaned in closer, almost whispering in her ear.

Jiang Huaiyi spread her hands. “I’ll do my best. But in a situation like the one just now, even if I had run out, I wouldn’t have been able to save him.”

Shen Wensi let go of the arm she was holding and gently propped her chin on her knuckles. “I thought you would try to save everyone.”

Just like that day, disregarding your own life.

Jiang Huaiyi immediately shook her head. “It depends on the person. The people who can enter a painting like this have complex motives. It’s hard to say if they’re worth saving.”

Shen Wensi said, “I thought people of the Xuan Sect were all kind-hearted.”

Jiang Huaiyi didn’t respond, her voice getting softer, and her gaze began to wander. “The kind-hearted ones are the believers. If I save a fool, my Qi will become blocked, and it will destabilize my Dao heart, ruining my cultivation.”

Shen Wensi suddenly laughed, patting her on the shoulder with satisfaction. “I’m relieved to hear you say that.”

Her tone had a hint of grit, which made Jiang Huaiyi think of how Shen Wensi had run toward her by the fish pond.

Feeling guilty, she didn’t dare to speak. Seeing Shen Wensi naturally pick up a book and start reading, Jiang Huaiyi quietly moved closer to her and tugged on her loose sleeve. “I’m sorry. Next time, let’s discuss it first. I know you were doing it for my own good.”

She was so different from the typical image of a ghost cultivator that Jiang Huaiyi couldn’t feel any hostility. Admitting her mistakes was her usual way of dealing with things.

She heard Shen Wensi let out a soft hmph, and she held the book closer, her gaze eerie.

Jiang Huaiyi was startled and was about to move away when she saw Shen Wensi grab her wrist.

She whispered quickly, “After I came in, I was waiting for you at the town entrance. When you didn’t show up for a long time, I took in some of the other people who came in and brought them to the residence.”

“Now we’re going to see them and try to figure out what they came here for. You need to be clever later and pretend you don’t know me, got it?”

Jiang Huaiyi was first stunned, then saw the sly smile on Shen Wensi’s face and nodded.

Shen Wensi said, “The people in this residence are not entirely trustworthy. Although I have this identity after coming in, this is a strange place after all. So while we’re in here, don’t believe what anyone says unless I’m by your side, understand?”

Jiang Huaiyi pursed her lips, pulled her wrist out of Shen Wensi’s grasp, and retorted in dissatisfaction, “I’m not an idiot.”

Shen Wensi smiled noncommittally, her expression as if to say, “Maybe not.”

The night was thick, and the silhouettes of people outside were cast on the bluish window paper, their black shadows moving. Shen Wensi stood up and expertly straightened her robes.

Looking at her natural air of nobility, Jiang Huaiyi teased with a smile, “It’s a shame you’re not an actress. You look so genuine in those clothes.”

Shen Wensi’s jade-like fingers traced over Jiang Huaiyi’s shoulder, and she looked at her for a moment. “You’re not a bad actor for a vagrant, either. Let’s go.”

Jiang Huaiyi looked at her own clothes. They certainly couldn’t compare to Shen Wensi’s. She didn’t know what role she was supposed to be playing as she put on her bag and followed.

When the door opened, the servants outside were moving about as usual, as if the bustling shadows they saw earlier hadn’t been them.

Jiang Huaiyi followed behind her, quietly observing the scenery in the courtyard.

Even though it was nighttime, she could still see things clearly thanks to the candlelight placed every few steps along the path and the moonlight.

This place truly resembled an ancient courtyard, with an elegant and unique garden landscape.

Seeing how familiar Shen Wensi was with the place, Jiang Huaiyi felt a sense of unease.

Logically, she should be just like herself, entering for the first time.

Jiang Huaiyi didn’t voice her question, because she quickly arrived at a side room in the back courtyard.

The room was large, with a huge crowd of people sitting inside.

As soon as Jiang Huaiyi entered, she subconsciously wanted to leave.

She pinched her palms tightly to keep from crying out.

Among the motley-dressed crowd, she saw her senior sister, Chu Lianxue, and her senior sister’s rival, Mu Xie.

The moment Shen Wensi entered, all the noise stopped. Her senior sister and Mu Xie, who still had their hands on each other’s necks from a fight, froze.

They both stopped and turned their gazes to the two of them.

Jiang Huaiyi looked at Shen Wensi in horror, only to find that she was looking straight ahead without changing her expression, not giving her a single glance.

Shen Wensi walked slowly to the front. There were two steps leading up to the main hall, and she was already tall. Now that she was on the steps, she was a head taller than everyone else.

“Please, make yourselves comfortable,” she said from her seat at the head of the room.

However, everyone seemed to be wary of Shen Wensi. After she entered, the low hum of discussion resumed.

But it wasn’t as loud as before.

Jiang Huaiyi didn’t retreat because the door behind her had already closed.

Seeing that everyone seemed uninspired, Shen Wensi simply walked to the back and disappeared from their sight.

Jiang Huaiyi also wanted to leave, but before she could take a step, Chu Lianxue strode toward her.

Jiang Huaiyi instinctively straightened her body, with a faint sense of anticipation in her heart.

She couldn’t help but fantasize that her identity had changed back and her senior sister was going to talk to her.

Because of the recent fight with Mu Xie, her face was still flushed. Gone was her usual calm demeanor; she looked like an enraged rooster who had just lost a fight.

It took only a second for Jiang Huaiyi’s anticipation to turn into her shrinking her neck and wanting to hide in a corner.

Chu Lianxue gave her no chance. She hugged her and whispered, “We’ve met before, do you remember?”

Jiang Huaiyi’s excitement turned to disappointment. Before coming in, she and Shen Wensi had agreed to use the identity of strangers to gather information from these people.

Seeing Shen Wensi peek out from a corner of the curtain and nod at her, she replied stiffly, “I remember, fellow Daoist. Please let go of me first.”

Mu Xie, who was next to her, frowned and looked at her. The three of them sat down at a nearby table.

Hearing her call Chu Lianxue “fellow Daoist,” Mu Xie suddenly scoffed, “Fellow Daoist? Jiang Huaiyi, since when did you become a member of the Xuan Sect?”

Jiang Huaiyi’s heart jumped. She subconsciously looked at Chu Lianxue, whose gentle expression had turned cold again.

She looked at her with a face full of hostility. Jiang Huaiyi’s heart sank. This is bad, she thought. Does Shen Wensi know my senior sister’s rival?

But why didn’t she tell me about this before?

She gave Shen Wensi, who was watching the show from not far away, a rather resentful glare and replied with a forced calm:

“I don’t think we know each other?”

Mu Xie was clearly taken aback by this and snorted. “Of course. The Sect Master wouldn’t know petty people like us.”

Jiang Huaiyi was so shocked that she spat out a mouthful of tea. Her senior sister hated ghost cultivators more than anything. While she could barely tolerate fighting with Mu Xie, her hostility toward the Sect Master was on a whole other level. Sure enough, out of the corner of her eye, she saw her senior sister’s livid face and the slight movement of the sword in her hand.

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