After Transmigrating Into a Cannon Fodder, I Got a Happy Ending with the Female Lead [Transmigration Into a Novel] - Chapter 3

In an instant, Yue Xi was wrapped in something soft, and a faint scent of grass and wood filled her nose.

The suffocating pressure from the cramped space gradually faded, and even the pain on her body seemed to lessen.

When she was about to reach the exit, Yue Xi turned her head for a glance.

The dense crowd of ghosts from before had all disappeared, leaving only the ashes of burned talismans scattered across the ground.

Yue Xi shrank her neck, a chill crawling down her back.

Could it be that all those ghosts had been wiped out? But then… what exactly was holding her?

She struggled a little, and a voice brushed past her ear.

“Do you want to die?”

Yue Xi shuddered violently and dared not speak.

“Then I’ll grant your wish.”

Qing He shot her a cold glance, then let go and tossed her down.

Yue Xi plummeted from midair. A gust of harsh wind swept up, flinging the ashes into her face.

As the dust scattered, a twisted, shrill voice echoed around her—sinister and bone-chilling.

Just as panic surged within her, the multicolored halo at the exit flared brilliantly, wrapping her whole body.

That icy cold sensation vanished. The biting wind was cut off outside. Yue Xi felt as though she were lying on cotton—soft, cozy, almost blissful.

She hugged herself and rolled about inside.

Qing He: “…”

Seeing her act like that, for some reason he felt displeased. With a snap of his fingers, he pushed the halo open. Yue Xi sensed something was wrong, opened her eyes, and realized she was suspended in midair with nothing to support her.

“Eh?”

“…Ah!”

The corners of Qing He’s mouth curved slightly, though his eyes still held no warmth, like ice that had never thawed for thousands of years.

This Floating Jade Mountain seemed different from what he remembered. He wondered whether the old acquaintances were still around.

Glancing once at the woman who had crashed to the ground, Qing He turned away indifferently.

A fragile, useless human. Whether she lived or died hardly mattered.

Yue Xi hit the ground so hard her limbs and bones screamed in pain. It took her a long while to catch her breath.

Fortunately, she was still alive.

Now that she understood how perilous this world was, her standards had dropped drastically.

As long as she could survive—that was enough.

After lying there for quite a while, she slowly pushed herself up, only to be shocked by the scenery around her.

Weeds, rubble, and skeletal remains of who-knows-what scattered everywhere.

Thick fog enclosed the surroundings, utterly silent, as though time itself had frozen.

Vague black shadows could be seen in the mist—perhaps trees, or perhaps something else.

Spooked by her own imagination, Yue Xi shivered and hugged her bundle tighter as she stepped forward.

The moment she lifted her foot, a crisp crack rang out beneath her.

Looking down, she saw she had stepped on a pale leg bone, crushing it to pieces.

What was this place?

Wasn’t stepping out of the stone gate supposed to lead to a new world? Why was it so different from what her senior brother had described?

Yue Xi gripped her peachwood sword tightly, braced for danger—but she made it out of that area without incident.

The dense fog, once pressing within ten meters of her, retreated in tandem with her steps, always keeping the same distance.

She found it strange, but since she couldn’t discern the fog’s nature, she had no choice but to coexist with it.

After about an hour of walking, the scenery grew more solid.

Beyond the man-high weeds stood a dilapidated residence. The red paint on its wooden door had flaked away, resembling dried blood.

The door was half open, and through the crack she saw weeds taller than a person filling the courtyard.

Her instincts screamed of danger inside, yet her feet refused to listen, carrying her step by step closer.

Just as her hand reached to push the door, it creaked open on its own, groaning sharply.

The grass within showed no path—no one had been here in a very, very long time.

As Yue Xi stepped inside, the door behind her shuddered violently as though blown by wind. One panel fell with a crash, while the other hung askew, ready to collapse.

“Who’s there?”

A gentle female voice suddenly rang out, startling Yue Xi so badly she jolted.

In such a creepy environment, hearing a living voice was even more unnerving.

Because this wasn’t a place where the living should exist.

Rustling stirred from within the weeds. Yue Xi clenched her peachwood sword, stepping back slowly.

Behind her, the door shook more violently before another panel clattered down, raising a cloud of dust.

From the grass emerged a small face, no larger than a palm. The sight of her seemed to brighten its expression.

“No one has set foot here for such a long time. I’m so glad to see you, Sister.”

The figure stepped out of the weeds, fully revealing herself. Only then did Yue Xi notice how petite she was.

At Yue Xi’s height of 1.75 meters, the girl barely reached her chin. She wore a goose-yellow robe and her hair was styled in ancient fashion—clearly not someone of this era.

Which confirmed it—she wasn’t alive.

The little ghost girl gazed at her with wide, pure eyes—round apricot eyes, black-and-white without a single impurity.

She seemed to be waiting expectantly for Yue Xi’s reply.

Not wanting to disappoint her, Yue Xi said politely, “Forgive me, I came down from Feng Mountain and somehow got lost here. I may have trespassed onto your grounds. If I’ve disturbed you, I beg your pardon.”

On the surface, this ghost girl had no killing aura, her soul seemed pure.

But it might just be a disguise.

To maintain such a human form, her cultivation had to be high, far beyond Yue Xi’s ability to discern.

At moments like this, Yue Xi resented her body’s original owner—after all those years on the mountain, she still couldn’t even draw a simple heavenly-eye talisman.

She had mentioned Feng Mountain deliberately, hoping to instill some wariness.

Though Yue Xi herself was weak, her sect was formidable. Perhaps the ghost would think twice before making trouble.

The girl only gave a soft “Oh,” sounding a little disappointed, then quickly smiled again.

“It’s getting late now. Why don’t you stay here for the night, Sister, and continue your journey tomorrow?”

Yue Xi was about to refuse when the bright sky abruptly dimmed, a peal of thunder rolling overhead as storm clouds gathered.

Seriously?

The ghost girl appeared oblivious to the change outside, only staring at her unblinkingly, eyes full of sincerity.

Yue Xi, however, was fully alert. She turned and bolted.

In a flash, the ghost girl appeared directly in her path.

Pouting pitifully, she said, “I invited you out of kindness, but you reject me. That really hurts.”

Yue Xi cursed herself inwardly—why had she walked into this trap, knowing it was dangerous?

The girl leaned closer, lips curving into a smile, her big eyes bending into crescent moons.

“I’ll ask again—will you stay and keep me company?”

Yue Xi’s heart pounded with alarm. Some evil beings would lure people into agreeing to such questions. If she said yes, she would be ensnared, never able to escape.

The girl’s gaze remained pure and innocent, but Yue Xi decided to bargain.

“How about this—if it’s just for one night, I’ll agree.”

The ghost girl burst into laughter.

“Don’t be afraid. I only wanted someone to talk to.” She paused, eyes turning distant. “It’s been so long since anyone has spoken with me.”

So long… she had already forgotten how many years she’d lingered in this world, waiting for that person.

Yue Xi forced a weak smile, but before she could say more, the girl looped her arm through hers.

The instant they touched, Yue Xi’s arm plunged into an icy abyss, cold to the point of numbness.

“Let’s go inside. It looks like it’s going to rain.”

Yue Xi dared not resist, following her in.

Wherever the ghost girl passed, the weeds turned into blossoms. The sky brightened bit by bit, the residence transformed into splendor, no trace of decay left behind.

Inside was a world of its own.

Pavilions, ponds, shaded trees, and flowers blooming with intoxicating fragrance.

Yue Xi deliberately acted like a country girl in the city, brushing her hands along flowers and trees to test them. The sensation was real.

The illusion was this strong?

She was shaken—she could not underestimate this girl.

Creating illusions consumed immense spiritual power, and to sustain one of such magnitude with such realism… the caster must have terrifying cultivation.

Yue Xi calculated grimly: her odds were zero against ten.

If the ghost acted, she would die without even struggling.

The girl asked, “What flower do you like, Sister?”

Yue Xi blinked and said casually, “Peonies, I suppose.”

The girl plucked a blossom and handed it to her with a melodious laugh.

“Someone else loved peonies, too. I planted a whole garden of them for her. Sadly, she didn’t appreciate it.”

Only then did Yue Xi notice—the entire garden’s riot of colors were all different varieties of peonies.

And she hadn’t realized it before.

After circling the courtyard, they reached the residence. The ghost girl led Yue Xi to a lavishly furnished room.

“Stay here tonight.”

Yue Xi smiled and nodded.

She didn’t dare say otherwise.

“Rest first, Sister. I’ll come by later.” At the doorway, the girl paused. “My name is Chen Wu—Wu as in dance.”

Though her eyes rested on Yue Xi, it felt as if she were gazing through her, at someone else.

Yue Xi sensed something brush past behind her, wind stirring her hair.

Her heart grew inexplicably heavy.

“My name is Yue Xi,” she replied softly.

Chen Wu nodded and departed.

The room was luxuriously adorned, fragrant incense curling from a censer, softening the light into a hazy glow.

Yue Xi inspected it thoroughly—nothing seemed amiss, which only made her more uneasy.

If she accidentally fell asleep, she might become Chen Wu’s nourishment; after all, sustaining such a vast illusion must drain her greatly.

Setting her bundle on the table, Yue Xi pulled out the books inside one by one.

Each title nearly suffocated her—by the end, she was ready to faint.

Ten Days to Master Talismans,
Practical Exorcism Techniques,
Ghost-Catching Tricks You Never Knew,
Shocking! How Cultivation Masters Really Train,
How to Use Buddhist Methods for Exorcism…

Most seemed reasonable—except the last.

Daoist disciples learning Buddhist techniques? How did that make sense?!

She had thought her senior brothers had sincerely given her their knowledge, but instead, these looked like cheap knockoffs you could buy ten for a dollar at a roadside stall.

After only a short while, exhaustion overcame her. To stay awake, she opened the first book.

“Really? Ten days to master talismans?”

Her body’s original owner had studied ten years without success.

The first page bore a doodled caricature with a big head, suspiciously like her second senior brother. No need to guess the culprit.

Yue Xi pursed her lips and turned to the talisman section.

“The Exorcism Talisman. This type is the simplest, easy to draw…”

She read the words, her eyelids growing heavier and heavier…

With a creak, the closed window swung open. A draft swept in, pushing the incense smoke toward a darkened corner.

There, the smoke coalesced into a shadowy figure.

“Five hundred years… I’ve finally waited long enough!”

The voice was hoarse and grating, dripping with obsession and resentment.

Though Yue Xi sensed danger and frowned uneasily, she couldn’t wake up no matter how she struggled.

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