After Transmigrating into a Book as Cannon Fodder, I Pampered the Villain - Chapter 63

Chapter 63: Jealousy

Why were you looking at her for so long?

After leading Yu Yingxia around the Earth Fiend Sect to collect the remains and scales of the black dragons useful for crafting artifacts Yan Huaixi brought her back to Dream Ridge.

As for the various messy affairs regarding the Earth Fiend Sect’s dissolution, those were left to Teng Yuelan. Yan Huaixi had full confidence in Teng Yuelan’s ability to maximize their profits.

Now, she had another task at hand, which was one of the primary reasons she had brought Yu Yingxia along on this trip.

The mining veins of Dream Ridge had been developed to a significant depth. Not long ago, the guards stationed deep within discovered a treasure: a Spirit Mineral Heart.

A Spirit Mineral Heart is an exceptionally rare treasure. Such an object can only form within ancient, massive spiritual veins. It is precious because it contains a trace of the “Innate Primordial Qi” born during the creation of the world. This Qi can purify a cultivator’s internal spiritual energy and improve their constitution, allowing them to travel much further on the Great Dao of cultivation.

Even Yan Huaixi previously possessed only a small fragment of such a thing. She hadn’t expected this vein to produce an entire, intact heart.

Generally, there are two ways to use it: fuse it into one’s life-bound artifact, or absorb it directly. She intended to take Yu Yingxia to retrieve a portion for the crafting of her life-bound weapon.

The moment a Spirit Mineral Heart is unearthed, it triggers a slight celestial anomaly to announce its arrival. Although the guards had immediately concealed the light, the Earth Fiend Sect had likely caught a glimpse, which was why they had pivoted so aggressively from subtle probing to a frontal assault.

Yan Huaixi arrived at the mine entrance. Since the heart’s discovery, mining had ceased, though they maintained a facade of ongoing work to deceive outsiders.

“This is the spirit stone mine?” Yu Yingxia’s expression was a mix of complexity and awe. In the cultivation world, owning a spirit stone mine was the equivalent of owning a massive gold mine in her past life perhaps even more significant.

She knew Yan Huaixi was wealthy, but Yan Huaixi had never detailed her external assets to the original owner of the body. Yu Yingxia had no idea she was this rich!

“Indeed. Everything beneath this mountain range is part of it.” Yan Huaixi led her into the cave. Upon entering, Yu Yingxia felt the air thick with concentrated spiritual energy. The entrance was guarded by a barrier to prevent the energy from leaking out.

So… why did Yan Huaixi bring me here? Just to show off her wealth?

Yu Yingxia was baffled, though she appreciated the tour. Yan Huaixi was wealthy, but Yu Yingxia was perpetually broke! Everything the original host owned that could be converted into energy had been taken by the system. Especially spirit stones—that damn system hadn’t left her a single one!

Later, she had received a small “salary” of spirit stones from Sister Yang, but those were just ordinary low-grade stones. As she followed Yan Huaixi deeper into the cave, she began to see top-grade spirit stones just lying on the ground.

Yu Yingxia: …I really want to pick those up!

She felt as if Yan Huaixi was specifically testing her resolve by bringing her here! She tried to avert her eyes, but the deeper they went, the more abundant the stones became. It was impossible to ignore.

They walked for a long time until they reached a wall that appeared to be a dead end. Yan Huaixi pressed her hand against it.

Dozens of layered arrays instantly appeared on the surface—defensive, offensive, and sensory. Even if the Earth Fiend Sect had managed to sneak in, this wall would have become their graveyard.

Yan Huaixi injected her soul power; the arrays flickered in sequence and then fell silent. The wall vanished, and Yu Yingxia squinted against the sudden spiritual glow. Her eyes widened as she saw a giant, heart-shaped stone encased in a mass of spirit stones behind the wall. It was about a meter tall, with rainbow-colored spiritual mist swirling faintly inside.

“The shape of this stone is quite strange.” Yu Yingxia could sense that its energy was different from the surrounding stones.

“This is the Spirit Mineral Heart. It’s my first time seeing one in its original form, too.” Yan Huaixi had some fragments she had bought at auctions for exorbitant prices, but nothing like this.

She traced a rectangular shape on the heart with her finger. Though the stone was incredibly hard, it couldn’t withstand her absolute spiritual power. Soon, Yan Huaixi extracted a section roughly the size of a calligraphy brush handle.

Yu Yingxia searched her memories of the original story and realized how precious this was. Yan Huaixi’s luck was incredible to find such a thing; it seemed her fortune had improved significantly since the “plot” ended!

Yan Huaixi stowed the rest of the heart away, intending to use it for rewards later.

“I see your cultivation is ready to break through to the next stage at any time. When that happens, you’ll need a life-bound artifact. Since you’ve changed your cultivation path, your old saber is useless. Let’s use this to forge a brush handle for you.” Yan Huaixi waved the small piece of the heart in front of Yu Yingxia like she was showing off.

Once a cultivator reaches the stage of Refining Essence into Qi, they can bond with a life-bound artifact. Yan Huaixi had been pondering what materials to use; this was perfect.

“For me? This is too precious!” Yu Yingxia knew the value. Forget a piece this long—even if she sold everything the original host owned, she couldn’t afford half of it.

“It’s just a Spirit Mineral Heart.” Yan Huaixi acted as though it were nothing, radiating an aura of casual extravagance. She certainly had the capital to back it up. “Don’t refuse. It wouldn’t work anyway. I’ll have someone forge it, and you can bond with it once you break through.”

“You call me ‘Sister.’ I can’t have you using some shabby artifact, can I? If I did, I’d become the laughingstock of the cultivation world.” Yan Huaixi placed the heart into Yu Yingxia’s slightly trembling hands, smiling as she told her to hold it steady and not drop it.

Yu Yingxia grew tense. This thing was so valuable she couldn’t afford to pay for it even if she sold herself!

“I’m joking. It’s incredibly hard; you couldn’t break it with spiritual power if you tried. Don’t be nervous; it’s fine if it falls.” Yan Huaixi couldn’t help but pinch Yu Yingxia’s tense face, her smile full of teasing.

Yu Yingxia let out a soft huff, her expression one of playful reproach, but as she looked down at the treasure in her hands, a flash of complexity crossed her eyes.

Is there really any need to be this good to a ‘pawn’?

Yan Huaixi had just used her childhood trauma to win her sympathy and had actively apologized. If Yu Yingxia hadn’t overheard that conversation with Jiang Li, she really would have believed her and gone soft-hearted.

But now, Yu Yingxia wondered if this was just another tactic to dismantle her guard. Yet, if her only use was as “bait,” why would Yan Huaixi invest so much capital in her?

Unable to read Yan Huaixi’s thoughts, Yu Yingxia hid her anxieties.

As they took the heart, the mine vibrated slightly. Dust and small stones began to fall from the ceiling. While it wasn’t a cave-in, it kicked up a lot of grit.

Yan Huaixi coughed at the smell of the dust, looking at the cave with sheer disgust. “Let’s leave. This place is filthy and too dusty.”

Not wanting to walk out slowly, Yan Huaixi scooped Yu Yingxia up. Though it wasn’t the first time she’d been carried in a bridal style, Yu Yingxia still wasn’t used to it.

She wrapped her arms around Yan Huaixi’s neck, pressing her face against her chest. Yan Huaixi used a spell to create a barrier against the dust. Deprived of the choking smell, Yu Yingxia could only scent the faint, cool fragrance of Yan Huaixi’s body.

Her body stiffened for a moment before slowly relaxing. Yan Huaixi teleported them directly outside. Yu Yingxia heard a heartbeat—it was erratic and fast. She initially thought it was her own.

Eventually, she realized the sound wasn’t coming from her. She looked up at Yan Huaixi. The woman’s expression was calm, a slight smile on her lips; she didn’t look like someone whose heart was racing out of control.

Was it because of the teleportation?

But Yu Yingxia didn’t think such a thing should happen to a high-level cultivator. Just as she was about to listen more closely to see if it was an illusion, Yan Huaixi set her down.

Teng Yuelan had returned with a group of people, and Yu Yingxia had to set her confusion aside.

“My Lord, are you heading back?” Teng Yuelan was followed by the children, who were now dressed in clean, quality clothes.

“Yes. There’s nothing left for me to handle here. You take care of the rest,” Yan Huaixi nodded.

“My Lord, the medics have stabilized the children, but the demon blood erosion isn’t a simple fix. We need to take them back for a thorough check; the Valley has better medicinal resources,” Teng Yuelan said hurriedly.

“Then bring them back to the Valley. Let the medical and demon cultivators there take a look.” Seeing the children reminded Yan Huaixi of her own past, sparking a rare moment of compassion. Since she had saved them, she might as well see it through.

Truthfully, she hadn’t told the children that the erosion was likely too deep to fully remove. Keeping the demon blood in their bodies meant they wouldn’t live long, even if saved now. Her sect didn’t do such inhumane research, so she didn’t know if her doctors could find a cure.

“Children, go on. Don’t be afraid,” Teng Yuelan encouraged the kids hiding behind her.

But Yan Huaixi’s earlier display had terrified them. Having finally found a sense of security with Teng Yuelan, they didn’t want to leave her side.

Teng Yuelan looked troubled, then turned to Yu Yingxia. The children didn’t seem to fear this one as much.

“How about you go to that Sister over there? She has lots of candy, and if you go with her, there will be lots of good food.” The mention of candy and food moved the children. They hadn’t had a proper meal in ages, let alone a luxury like candy. Recalling the sweetness from earlier, they subconsciously swallowed.

The smallest child ran to Yu Yingxia when her sister wasn’t looking. With one lead, the others followed.

A rather amusing scene formed: Yan Huaixi stood to Yu Yingxia’s left, so there wasn’t a single child on that side. They all crowded onto her right.

The children looked at Yu Yingxia with sparkling eyes, but she had already given all her candy to Yan Huaixi. Knowing it was impossible to “snatch food from a tiger’s mouth,” she could only comfort them and promise candy once they got home.

They say the heart shows on the face. When the original host’s soul inhabited this body, even though she was beautiful, there was a hidden viciousness in her features. Since Yu Yingxia’s arrival, the face had become exceptionally approachable.

The children relaxed around her. Anxious about their future, they began peppering her with questions. Soon, Yu Yingxia had no time to talk to Yan Huaixi at all.

Yan Huaixi’s solitary coldness stood in stark contrast to the lively crowd beside her. Her expression lost its softness. She shot a single glance over, and the children instantly fell silent in terror.

“Sister, I’m scared,” the youngest child whimpered, hugging Yu Yingxia’s leg with teary eyes.

Yu Yingxia patted the child’s head, thinking helplessly: Actually, I’m a little scared of the person next to me, too.

Yan Huaixi wouldn’t usually lower herself to bicker with children, but she was feeling territorial.

“Am I really that scary?” Yan Huaixi leaned in with a “kind” smile.

The children, sensitized to danger by the demon blood, shook their heads violently and shut their mouths. They felt that if they said “yes,” this beautiful but terrifying sister would become scarier than the black snakes!

Yu Yingxia didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Yan Huaixi still loved teasing children.

“Don’t be afraid. This Sister is just joking with you. She’s actually very nice—she’s the one who found the doctors for you, and the clothes, food, and candy all belong to her. Does she look like a bad person now?” Yu Yingxia tried her best to polish Yan Huaixi’s image.

Hearing this, the children conceded she might be a good person, but one look at her “terrifying” smile made them shrink back again.

Yan Huaixi snorted and activated the transport array, enveloping everyone heading back.

In the blink of an eye, they were back in the eternal spring of Xianlu Valley. Yan Huaixi immediately summoned people to care for the children and arrange housing. The Valley was huge but sparsely populated; there was plenty of room.

Some children were reluctant to leave Yu Yingxia (or her potential candy), but Yan Huaixi decisively teleported them away.

Finally, these noisy kids clinging to Yingxia are gone! She’d have to tell the staff to house them as far as possible from her own residence, so they wouldn’t come running over all day like they did in Sanxi City.

Yan Huaixi showed a triumphant smile, then found a logical excuse for her behavior: “They need treatment immediately. Any delay could worsen their condition.”

In reality, the doctors had already stabilized them. A small delay wouldn’t have mattered.

Yu Yingxia cast a suspicious look at her, but in the next second, she was pulled away to another part of the Valley.

To distract her, Yan Huaixi brought her to the forge. “I’m taking you to a master crafter. Her skill is in the top five of the entire cultivation world. She will forge your life-bound artifact. You can tell her any requirements you have.”

They arrived at a tower-like building. As the doors opened, a wave of heat hit them, accompanied by the rhythmic clink-clank of metal.

“A-Kui,” Yan Huaixi called out.

A female cultivator forging a long blade glanced over but didn’t stop her work.

“Does My Lord need an artifact forged?” The woman had her hair tied back; she had tossed her outer robe aside and bound her sleeves, revealing arms with sleek, defined muscle.

Yu Yingxia’s gaze was drawn to her. Her eyes lingered on the woman’s arms for perhaps a few seconds too long. Suddenly, she felt the ambient temperature drop significantly!

One didn’t need to guess who caused this “climatic” shift.

Yu Yingxia looked at Yan Huaixi with utter confusion. The woman’s expressionless face made her heart skip a beat.

Did something happen? Why is she looking at me like that? Yu Yingxia racked her brain, replaying the short walk to the tower, wondering if she’d done something to offend this “living ancestor.”

But no matter how hard she thought, she found no clues. Her expression became even more innocent.

Seeing that innocent look, Yan Huaixi felt a mix of anger and helplessness. She was prone to overthinking, and in extreme cases, it turned into paranoia.

Is A-Kui that good-looking? Why look for so long? Since she didn’t have the standing to ask directly, Yan Huaixi decided then and there that she would find a way to keep Yu Yingxia away from the Forge Tower in the future!

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