After the Second Playthrough, the CP-Less Female Lead Kneels and Begs Me for Forgiveness [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 12

Shao Xibei pursed her lips. In her current state, Shen Yunyan could crush the two of them as easily as snapping an ant.

This couldn’t go on. There was no telling how long they would be trapped in this secret realm; she couldn’t afford to let their lives end here.

Thinking this, Shao Xibei suddenly forced herself to relax. She stepped forward slowly, a slight curve lifting the corners of her lips. Her eyes shimmered with a profound affection that she seemingly couldn’t hide: “Yunyan, I’ve come back.”

Zhao Shuangbai froze. Just as she was about to move, she received a telepathic message from Shao Xibei: “Immortal Zhao, leave first. I’ll hold her off here. I have a life-saving treasure, but it can only protect me. Go now, and I’ll catch up with you shortly.”

Zhao Shuangbai treated the words like wind passing through her ears, remaining rooted to the spot. Though she didn’t move recklessly, she didn’t understand what Shao Xibei was trying to do. She kept her gaze fixed on Shen Yunyan’s every movement, ready to strike at any moment.

Shao Xibei discreetly cast a small illusionary array over her face, ensuring that only Shen Yunyan could see her true features.

With a faint smile and composed steps, she walked toward Shen Yunyan.

Shen Yunyan stared blankly, as if she had been transported back to her previous life—back to when “A-Xi” followed her like a little shadow. Back then, whenever she turned around, she would see that sweet smile, those shallow dimples, and eyes overflowing with devotion.

As if ensnared by a nightmare of memory, Shen Yunyan reached out and gently caressed the cheek of the Shao Xibei who now stood before her.

Shao Xibei’s eyes sparkled. She whispered, “Yunyan, don’t let it be that painful this time.”

[Immortal Zhao, take this chance and leave!]

[No.]

Shao Xibei’s expression remained unchanged, but her telepathic voice to Zhao Shuangbai turned fierce.

[What use is staying here! Do you want both of us to be beaten to death?]

[No, I have a treas—]

[What treasure? Just get out of here! I’ll follow you in a moment! Do you not understand plain speech?!]

Shao Xibei wanted to send another message, but she was suddenly pulled into Shen Yunyan’s embrace.

“It really is you. The eyes don’t lie. You’ve really returned.”

Zhao Shuangbai’s grip on her sword tightened. Her eyes locked onto the hands encircling Shao Xibei; the sight was an intolerable eyesore.

[I’m not leaving.]

Her tone was more stubborn than it had ever been.

Shao Xibei grew frantic. Between the lunatic and the mule, she didn’t know what to say anymore. The System had vanished again for some unknown reason, and she was currently no match for Shen Yunyan.

Clang! The sound of colliding metal rang out. At some point, Zhao Shuangbai had launched another attack. Her longsword struck the frame of the fan, producing a crisp resonance.

Shen Yunyan released Shao Xibei, her obsidian eyes shifting toward Zhao Shuangbai. “You truly are loathsome.”

With that, Shen Yunyan unceremoniously unleashed a spiritual seal at Zhao Shuangbai.

Zhao Shuangbai raised her sword to parry. Shen Yunyan sneered, “Even if you are the top cultivator below the Nascent Soul stage, you are still just a Golden Core. How could you possibly defeat me? You overestimate yourself.”

Shen Yunyan raised a hand, manifesting a boundary that trapped Shao Xibei. “Stay there for a moment. Once I’ve dealt with this nuisance, I’ll take you away.”

Shao Xibei was stunned. By the time she snapped out of it, the two were locked in a fierce, inseparable struggle.

It had to be said that Zhao Shuangbai lived up to her reputation; even against a Nascent Soul expert like Shen Yunyan, she managed to hold her ground. Her sword was lethally fast—only afterimages remained of her swings. Her technique lacked flashy flourishes, but every strike carried a bone-chilling, biting frost.

However, Zhao Shuangbai was still only at the Golden Core stage. Gradually, she began to falter, her body marred by increasing bloody gashes.

Trapped within the boundary, Shao Xibei could only watch in desperate anxiety. She struck the barrier repeatedly with demonic power, but the seal remained unmoved.

In a flash of lightning! Shen Yunyan’s fan pierced through the right side of Zhao Shuangbai’s chest.

Blood splattered onto the ground, staining the surrounding withered grass crimson.

Shao Xibei’s eyes widened in horror, her voice failing her.

Zhao Shuangbai knelt on one knee, using her sword to prop herself up. She was still too weak.

Cough! Cough! She spat out a large mouthful of blood. The blood stained her pale lips, adding a touch of tragic vibrance to her icy, elegant features.

Shen Yunyan looked down from above. She unleashed the full weight of her Nascent Soul pressure onto the wounded Zhao Shuangbai, forcing her to cough up more blood. Even moving a finger became an agonizing impossibility.

“As expected of you, Zhao Shuangbai. To possess strength comparable to a Nascent Soul while still in the Golden Core stage… you really… cannot be allowed to live.”

In her previous life, even though Zhao Shuangbai had died, her name was remembered by everyone. She remembered the way Ah Xi’s eyes would light up whenever she asked about Zhao Shuangbai.

Back then, Ah Xi was supposed to only look at her with those eyes.

The filthy, disgusting thoughts in her heart began to amplify. This time, she would be a villain through and through.

Shao Xibei’s fury peaked the moment she saw Shen Yunyan begin to twist the fan inside Zhao Shuangbai’s chest.

When she was in that magical world, she had learned many forbidden arts and remembered them still. One of them involved sacrificing one’s own vitality to elevate one’s strength to that of a Grand Magus. Today, she was going to risk her life to take this lunatic down!

Shao Xibei bit her finger and rapidly drew an array on the ground. The blood-red formation exuded a dense, dark aura.

As she finished the final stroke, a dark red light erupted from the array. Shao Xibei was enveloped in the glow, feeling her cultivation skyrocket even as her life force began to drain away.

Shen Yunyan withdrew her fan, intending to dig out and shatter Zhao Shuangbai’s Golden Core, but she was suddenly blasted backward by an unknown force.

Shao Xibei’s eyes glowed with the color of stale blood. Her expression was terrifyingly dark. Without giving Shen Yunyan time to react, she struck again, sending her flying.

The power was too immense. Shen Yunyan took a direct hit to the chest and spat out a mouthful of blood.

“So your blood is red too. I thought it would be black.”

Demonic energy wrapped around Shao Xibei’s fists. She rained blow after blow onto Shen Yunyan, each strike hitting with raw, physical impact.

The boundary Shen Yunyan had just created couldn’t withstand Shao Xibei’s assault. The roles had reversed; she was now the one being beaten.

“I’ve wanted to hit you for a long time. You thought I didn’t know you used me as bait last time? You thought I didn’t know you threw away the Bitterless Fruit I gave you the moment you turned around? I knew about the parasite you planted in my body—I knew all of it!”

“The things I crossed mountains and rivers to find, you used as gifts to curry favor with others. You even gave me away to someone else. Did you think I was just a fool you could bully whenever you liked?”

The more she fought, the angrier she became. Images she thought she had forgotten remained vivid in her mind—incident after incident, carved deeply into her memory.

Because at the very beginning, she had truly believed they could be friends. This was the world where she had invested the most emotion, and it had been the most difficult world of all.

“What exactly did I do to wrong you, that you had to gouge out my heart and drain my blood? Do you have any idea how much it hurts to have your heart ripped out while you’re still alive?!”

At some point, Shen Yunyan had given up all resistance. Her eyes were hollow and vacant, and blood-red tears began to flow as she incessantly repeated, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry…”

Zhao Shuangbai watched from the side. Supporting her weight with her sword, she managed to swallow a Rejuvenation Pill, but her injuries were too severe. Her consciousness was already beginning to haze; she couldn’t hear clearly what Shao Xibei was saying, only that Shen Yunyan was being beaten without any power to fight back.

It turned out that the “little white rabbit” she had been looking after was actually far stronger than herself.

Inexplicably, she thought of Shao Xibei clutching basic cultivation manuals, studying with such effort—the way her eyes would light up when she saw Zhao Shuangbai approaching, sweetly and softly calling her “Baibai.”

They hadn’t spent much time together, yet there was a lingering sense that they had met long ago. Perhaps in a previous life.

At this thought, Zhao Shuangbai suddenly smiled. She stole one last glance at the figure in the distance and allowed her consciousness to slip into darkness.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry…”

Shao Xibei stopped. She looked down at Shen Yunyan, who was curled on the ground with her head in her hands.

For the first time, she felt that Shen Yunyan was actually quite weak, though she wasn’t deserving of pity.

Shen Yunyan lay on the ground as if trapped in a nightmare or lost in a memory, her expression dull and numb. The surrounding black aura gradually subsided, and her originally pitch-black eyes returned to normal. They were filled with nothing but guilt and regret.

Shao Xibei’s expression was cold. Without another look at Shen Yunyan, she turned, picked up the unconscious Zhao Shuangbai, and left the area.

Shen Yunyan stared blankly at Shao Xibei’s retreating back, tremblingly reaching out a hand. Nearly every bone in her body was broken; moving even slightly brought agonizing pain, yet she clenched her hands tight, embracing the pain as a form of self-punishment.

A-Xi… it really is you…

Suddenly, she split her lips into a grin: “Ah Xi, if you aren’t by my side, I’ll go mad.” No—she had already gone mad during those hundreds of years.

Black energy surged from within Shen Yunyan, enveloping her completely. Her form grew smaller and smaller until she vanished entirely, leaving the ground empty.

Shao Xibei carefully carried Zhao Shuangbai into a cave. She surveyed the surroundings and set up a boundary, ensuring it was foolproof before finding a clean spot to lay Zhao Shuangbai gently on the ground.

In a place Shao Xibei couldn’t see, her hair had begun to turn white from the roots.

Like a deflated balloon, Shao Xibei collapsed onto the ground, gasping for air. The power she had gained from the forbidden art was rapidly fading.

Thinking of the wound on Zhao Shuangbai’s chest, Shao Xibei used the last of her demonic power to cast a healing spell. The wound began to close slowly; she would likely wake up in a short while.

Finally, the magic was exhausted, and Shao Xibei’s black hair had turned completely white.

Her body was beyond exhausted. Because she felt no physical pain, all she experienced was fatigue and a rising internal heat.

That familiar, life-threatening heat meant the “aftereffect” was flaring up. It was likely triggered by the strain of the forbidden art.

Shao Xibei reached for her storage pouch, but after fumbling for a long time, her heart tightened. She had left her storage pouch back by the pool.

The fire inside her burned hotter. Her gaze drifted to Zhao Shuangbai beside her, moving from the straight bridge of her nose to her perfect, thin lips.

Slap! Shao Xibei slapped herself across the face. How could she have such thoughts about Zhao Shuangbai? She was an injured patient! Shao Xibei, you’re truly a beast!

Shao Xibei slightly loosened her collar and covered her eyes with both hands, trying to resist the temptation of beauty. She didn’t realize that the person beside her had slowly opened her eyes.

However, the one who woke up was not Zhao Shuangbai, but someone else.

When “she” gained consciousness, a phantom image had appeared in her mind, saying: You cannot protect her. Hand your body to me for a while, and I can ensure she leaves the secret realm safely.

Zhao Shuangbai’s spirit was very weak, and strange as it was, she felt a source-aura from the phantom that was identical to her own. Thus, Zhao Shuangbai’s body was suddenly occupied by the phantom.

Shao Xibei was burning up. She could feel the cool aura radiating from “Zhao Shuangbai,” which was pure torture. She couldn’t be such a predator as to take advantage of someone in this state.

“Are you alright?”

Shao Xibei’s heart jumped at the voice. When she realized who it was, she let out a breath of relief. As expected of Zhao Shuangbai—she woke up fast.

Not daring to turn her head, Shao Xibei maintained her position and replied, “I’m fine, just a bit tired. I’ll be okay after a rest.”

Unexpectedly, as soon as she finished speaking, she was bodily turned around.

“Let me see.”

Shao Xibei broke into goosebumps wherever she was touched. It felt too good; she wanted more.

Panting, her face flushing red, she reached out to grab the hand that was about to pull away and pressed her cheek against it. She exhaled hot breath and looked up at Zhao Shuangbai with blurred, misty eyes: “It feels so good… touch me more, okay, Baibai?”

She completely forgot she was still wearing her plain, disguised face.

However, to the “Zhao Shuangbai” currently in control, the disguise was useless. She only saw the misty almond eyes, the flushed cheeks, and the slightly parted lips—a person like a succubus.

The real Zhao Shuangbai was trapped in her sea of consciousness, but she could see and perceive everything outside. This version of Shao Xibei made her heart throb violently; it was the “aftereffect.”

And yet, the person currently using her body was someone else.

In that moment, Zhao Shuangbai finally realized something. She said in a low voice, “Let me out. Her illness has flared up.”

The “Zhao Shuangbai” paused and tried to withdraw her hand, but with the slightest movement, Shao Xibei gripped her even tighter.

Shao Xibei’s eyes were dazed. Suddenly, she lightly kissed the lips of “Zhao Shuangbai.” The cool, soft taste made her unable to stop.

“Zhao Shuangbai” seemed stunned into silence, remaining motionless as she let Shao Xibei continue.

After tracing the outline of her lips, Shao Xibei tried to deepen the kiss several times but failed to part her teeth. Finally, she pulled back slightly, her voice filled with temptation and a hint of a pout: “Baibai, I want it… give it to me, please?”

“Zhao Shuangbai” pursed her lips tightly. She asked hoarsely, “Who am I?”

Shao Xibei’s logic had melted in the heat. She leaned into the crook of Zhao Shuangbai’s slender neck, sniffing, and mumbled, “Baibai… you smell a bit like the System too… Ah, I like all of it.” Her voice turned husky as the craving within her intensified.

She blinked her moist eyes and slightly parted her lips, revealing the tip of her pink tongue. “Help me… okay?” It was an open invitation.

“Zhao Shuangbai’s” heart trembled violently. She pushed the girl back slightly, looking deep into those eyes.

Whether it was the emotions of the body’s original owner or her own, she gazed intensely at the person before her. Finally, she said: “Do not regret this, Shao Xibei.”

Having said that, she leaned down and kissed her.

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