After Transmigrating Into a Cannon Fodder, I Got a Happy Ending with the Female Lead [Transmigration Into a Novel] - Chapter 21

Yue Xi felt the haze in her mind being swept away, leaving her thoughts unusually clear.

“We’ve entered an illusion?”

As she asked, she raised her hand and formed a seal, trapping the temple in a formation. That way, it couldn’t suddenly turn demonic or produce some strange monster to catch them off guard.

Xiao Qing stood beside her, her expression oddly conflicted. She opened her mouth several times but finally asked softly, “You don’t remember anything?”

After casting out the formation, which turned into a transparent dome covering the temple, Yue Xi looked back at her. “I only remember going somewhere, but I can’t recall what actually happened.”

Xiao Qing’s expression dimmed, but quickly turned into a look of relief.

Not remembering was good—otherwise how could they face each other in the future?

Yue Xi had no idea that Xiao Qing harbored such thoughts toward her.

Xiao Qing was still hung up on the matter of being a substitute, but with her simple heart, she felt just being able to stay by Yue Xi’s side was already enough.

She didn’t know what had happened to that person, but surely it must have been someone far beyond reach—otherwise, Yue Xi wouldn’t only meet her in dreams.

“Did anything interesting happen?” Yue Xi asked.

Neither of them was hurt, so it shouldn’t have been dangerous in there. But Xiao Qing’s expression seemed off, like she had something to say.

Xiao Qing shook her head and gave her a sweet smile. “No, we came out not long after we went in.”

Yue Xi patted her head, her gaze gentle. “That’s good.”

Feeling the warmth on her head, Xiao Qing thought: It’s already nice like this. One shouldn’t be too greedy in life.

While the two of them were sharing their moment, Ji Shuang—who had taken quite a fall—was pulled up by Pei Ying.

She limped over to Yue Xi and said, “Daoist priest, maybe we should first think about how to get out of here.”

Yue Xi looked at her. “Why did you come as well?”

Patting the dirt off herself, Ji Shuang replied, “I saw you fall down, so I followed after you. I meant to look for you, but I ended up landing in a different spot—alone in a bamboo forest. That’s where I met Professor Pei.”

Yue Xi turned to Pei Ying. “Professor, did you see clearly what grabbed you?”

Ordinary low-level spirits were invisible to mortals—after all, people carry innate fire and are protected by Heaven’s will.

For example, yesterday at Feng Mountain, the students couldn’t see that skeleton.

But this morning, based on Jiang Yu’s description, she really had seen a ghost—which meant that ghost had already cultivated to the point where human fire no longer threatened it.

Pei Ying thought for a moment. “It was too dark at the time. I only saw a shadow before I lost consciousness.”

“You woke up in the bamboo forest?” Yue Xi asked.

She nodded. “Yes, I wandered around but couldn’t get out. Then I ran into Miss Ji.”

The students were in another ghost domain, while Pei Ying woke here. Clearly, more than one malignant entity was at work.

The temple gave a low hum, soon followed by the toll of a bell. Each strike pounded against Yue Xi’s formation—something inside was trying to break free.

Yue Xi told the others to retreat, bit her finger, and drew a lightning talisman, strengthening the formation. The pounding grew weaker.

“Let me out! Let me out! I was so close to escaping! Hurry, let me out!”

The spirit’s resentment was overwhelming. Black mist seeped out, quickly engulfing the temple.

“I’ll kill him! I swear I’ll kill him!”

The black mist spread further until Yue Xi’s lightning talisman summoned a thunderbolt, striking the temple. The spirit screamed in agony.

“Please, let me out! I must have revenge, or I will never rest!”

When brute force failed, it began pleading.

The black mist receded, and within the temple, the vague figure of a woman appeared.

“He offered me as a sacrifice—so he could rise to power and enjoy years of glory and wealth. I must kill him!”

With each word, her resentment poured out. The temple was soon almost swallowed again by darkness, a sign of how heavy her grudge was.

Everyone except Pei Ying, who only studied the classics, had already guessed her identity.

“Your evil aura is too heavy. You must have committed many sins these years. I cannot let you go take revenge,” Yue Xi said, holding a talisman between her fingers, ready to obliterate her.

The spirit cried, “Mercy, Master! All these years, the ones I killed were ungrateful and vicious men. They wanted to imitate Zhang Jianhua—offering wives or girlfriends as sacrifices in exchange for wealth!”

“But today you targeted innocents, and you even tried to kill us. I cannot let you continue harming people.”

“That’s because it told me I was running out of time. If I didn’t break free from Fuyu Mountain’s shackles, I’d be consumed and trapped here forever. That’s why I targeted the people from the foot of the mountain! I only want revenge. Even if I vanish after, I won’t regret it!”

Yue Xi caught the key word. “Who is ‘it’? Male or female? Living or not?”

The spirit fell silent, as if terrified.

“You were sacrificed in flesh, so you should have perished then and there. Yet you survived, even becoming a powerful spirit. Without help, that’s impossible. Don’t want to say? Then taste my Transcendence Combo.”

Ji Shuang poked her head out. “Priest, what’s a Transcendence Combo?”

Yue Xi rarely smiled, showing white teeth. “A salvation talisman plus the Rebirth Chant. Try it and you’ll know.”

She flicked the talisman in her hand, the rustling sound making humans unfazed but spirits tremble.

“Mercy! I’ll talk, I’ll talk!” the spirit begged on her knees.

The temple’s gloom cleared, projecting a vision.

A young couple had climbed halfway up the mountain. The girl’s cheeks were flushed with sweat.

“Are you sure it’s here? What if it’s a hoax?”

The boy wiped her sweat gently. “If we believe sincerely, it will appear.”

The girl smiled and closed her eyes to pray. He watched her, eyes flashing coldly, then closed his own, muttering incantations.

After a while, he asked, “Xiao Jing, would you really do anything for me?”

She opened her eyes, gaze soft. “Yes.”

Hearing that, his lips curled in a sinister smile. “You’re so good. I’ll never forget you.”

Then he shoved her backward. A temple manifested, sucking her inside.

He bowed fervently, eyes burning red with fanaticism.

“I’ve given you my most precious thing. You must keep your promise!”

The temple flashed white, sealing their deal.

From Xiao Jing’s view, her flesh was devoured, transformed into a spirit. Day after day, she fed on greed and resentment, her hatred deepening until she became what she was now.

“That thing lured you into harming people?”

Xiao Jing shook her head. “No. I chose this willingly—so I could grow strong enough to take revenge!”

Yue Xi didn’t know what to say.

The girl was pitiful, but far from innocent. She bore the blood of many on her hands.

Those who fell and broke bones—maybe fine for a year or two, but after four or five, their health declined. Then they died.

Xiao Jing kowtowed repeatedly, curling up pitifully.

“Priest, I don’t ask for forgiveness. Just let me take my revenge. Afterward, I’ll surrender myself to you.”

“Your cultivation isn’t enough. Without this temple’s protection, you’ll dissipate in no time.”

She didn’t flinch. “Even so, I have no regrets.”

Yue Xi sighed and turned to the others. Ji Shuang looked like she wanted to see the scumbag punished but refrained, pulling Pei Ying aside to look up at the sky.

“The moon’s nice tonight, huh?”

Though it was only an illusion, flat and lifeless.

Pei Ying hesitated, then said, “Yes… nice.”

Xiao Qing glanced at Xiao Jing and whispered to Yue Xi, “If you let her take revenge, will it affect you?”

Yue Xi smiled. “No.”

She was already expelled from Lingyin Temple—just a rogue cultivator now. She no longer had to follow any rules.

But still…

She looked at Xiao Jing. “First, release us. Then tell me more about that ‘thing’ that helped you.”

Yue Xi suspected that was the real threat.

As Xiao Jing was about to speak, Yue Xi suddenly heard a cry for help.

She handed Ji Shuang a lightning talisman. “The students might be in danger. I’ll go. You two leave first.”

With that, she grabbed Xiao Qing by the waist, slashed the air with her peachwood sword, and vanished.

Ji Shuang clutched the talisman nervously. “Now that the priest’s gone… you won’t hurt us, will you?”

Xiao Jing shook her head. “No. I’ll send you out.”

White light flashed, and the scene shifted.

Ji Shuang blinked to find herself back at the mountain’s halfway temple. Pei Ying was searching anxiously.

“Professor Pei, what are you looking for?”

“I forgot to ask her to leave me behind. I need to save my students.”

Ji Shuang was speechless.

Sometimes Pei Ying seemed so enlightened, and other times as stubborn as a mule.

“Enough, sit down. If you go, you’ll only drag her down. We should trust the priest—she’ll definitely bring them back safely.”

Pei Ying slowly calmed, taking the bread Ji Shuang handed her.

“Thanks.”

Ji Shuang grinned. “Don’t mention it. Just remember to split your salary with me.”

Pei Ying glanced at her, lips curving slightly.

Meanwhile, Yue Xi reached the students. They were huddled together, facing a ghost bleeding from its seven orifices.

She threw a warding talisman, knocking it flat on its face.

The students rushed behind her, relief flooding their faces.

“Priest, you finally came!” Gao Yang nearly knelt in gratitude.

Glancing around, Yue Xi thought this ghost domain was nothing compared to Xiao Jing’s.

“Why did you bring them here?” she asked.

“I just wanted playmates,” the ghost mumbled into the dirt.

“Then how did you die?”

“I fell.”

Given its simple-mindedness, that made sense.

“Why not reincarnate?”

“There’s a terrifying monster here. I’m afraid of being eaten.”

Yue Xi sighed. Too dumb and cowardly, no wonder Xiao Jing bullied it.

“That monster is gone now. You should move on.”

“I… can’t find the way.”

It fidgeted, looking aggrieved.

Yue Xi had no choice but to draw a salvation talisman, chanting as it burned. The ghost turned into a wisp of green smoke.

“Return to the grave, forget the past…”

The smoke dispersed. It was gone.

The students stared wide-eyed. Yue Xi said calmly, “Let’s go. Your professor is waiting outside.”

With a slash of her sword, the scene shifted, and they were back before the ruined temple.

The students nearly wept with relief at the sight of Pei Ying.

In only three days of fieldwork, they had survived two brushes with death. What “luck.”

Yue Xi purified the lingering resentment in the temple, freeing Xiao Jing at last.

The spirit kowtowed in tears.

“Don’t celebrate too soon. Your form won’t last more than two days. Fail to avenge yourself in time, and you’ll vanish.”

She pressed a blood-and-cinnabar sigil on Xiao Jing’s brow. “This is a restriction. If you harm innocents, you’ll scatter instantly.”

Xiao Jing nodded fervently, swearing she wouldn’t.

As they descended the mountain, Yue Xi pressed for details about that “thing.”

“I don’t know what it is—just that it’s very powerful. It can see people’s hearts, picking out those with impure thoughts. It made them die in dreams, and their essence became my nourishment.”

“It said if I obeyed, it would turn me into a demon. Then I’d be free to come and go.”

A demon?

Yue Xi’s heart stirred. The heroine Qing He was a demon—and a formidable one. Could this be related? Could this lead her to Qing He?

After all, Yue Xi’s goal in descending the mountain was to cling to Qing He’s thigh and escape her cannon-fodder fate.

But Xiao Jing had little else to offer. After today’s disturbance, that thing likely wouldn’t show itself soon.

She thought for a long while, then added, “I also heard it say, ‘The Demon Lord is about to awaken. We must hurry.’”

“When did it say that?”

“When I first died, and sometimes afterward.”

Yue Xi frowned. Strange.

Over twenty years ago, it said “about to awaken.” Yet by the information she had, Qing He had only just awakened recently. Why so slow?

What exactly was that thing? And how was it connected to Qing He?

Her mind was a mess, threads tangled and unclear.

At the mountain’s base, Xiao Jing bid them farewell, thanking Yue Xi again before heading toward Ming City.

The others returned to the inn, exhausted in body and soul, hardly speaking. They decided to wash up and rest before eating.

Back in their room, Yue Xi asked Xiao Qing, “Do you want to shower first, or me?”

Xiao Qing stared at her lips, memories from the illusion flooding back. Her face flushed scarlet.

“M-me first!”

She scrambled into the bathroom, slamming the door shut.

Yue Xi chuckled helplessly. “What’s gotten into this kid today?”

Then suddenly, memories surged back into her own mind, freezing her smile.

No way?!

Meanwhile, in the most luxurious neighborhood of Ming City, Zhang Jianhua had just finished with a kept mistress and was lying in bed smoking.

She left to get water. The moment she did, the lights went out.

The curtains stirred with no wind. Strange noises echoed through the room, eerie and chilling.

At the doorway, a shadow appeared—a long-haired woman.

Thinking it was the mistress playing tricks, Zhang Jianhua scolded lightly. “Quit messing around.”

The shadow gave no reply, just stood there for a dozen seconds before moving closer.

He shone his phone’s flashlight, searching every corner. Nothing. Only the curtains still swayed.

He sighed in relief, blaming exhaustion for hallucinations.

He lay back down—only to stiffen.

Something cold and slick pressed against his back.

He turned quickly, only to black out at the sight.

A pale, deathly face grinned at him, mouth gaping wide, showing blackened teeth and a bottomless throat.

“Darling, don’t you recognize me? I’m Xiao Jing. I’ve come back for you.”

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