Forced to Act out a Strange Script with a Rival - Chapter 129

Ever since the duo, Si and Li, stormed Wudang and hacked the Sect Leader in two before the eyes of the public, the young male heroes of the martial arts world found themselves in a state of constant trepidation. Correspondingly, the “Jianghu”—which had always been a place of blood and storms—actually saw a significant improvement in public order.

Under the leadership of such a powerful Sect Leader, the New Hehuan Sect finally shed its previous reputation as a pariah, allowing its members to finally hold their heads high.

However, the journey for Si and Li was not yet over. The one-month deadline had not expired, and the “Heroine Invitations” in their hands had not all been delivered.

Due to the overexertion of her body and the forced transfer of her internal energy to Li Ting, Si Xiaoxiao’s health had deteriorated significantly. She gasped for air after walking only a few steps. As they headed north, the weather turned harsh; she caught a chill while riding, which resulted in a high fever that very night.

Li Ting cared for her without even loosening her own robes. she fetched freezing well water to soak clean cotton cloths, untiringly wiping Si Xiaoxiao’s burning forehead, her sweat-drenched neck, and her icy palms and soles over and over again.

Seeing that this had little effect, she pried open Si Xiaoxiao’s tightly closed, dry, and peeling lips. With a small spoon, she carefully and bit by bit administered a fever-reducing medicinal soup she had meticulously prepared—a brew that emitted a bitter yet fresh fragrance. Every touch was filled with an unspeakable sense of cherish and caution.

It wasn’t until noon the following day, when the sky outside was bright, that the terrifying, recurring high fever finally ebbed away like a receding tide.

Yet, before she had fully recovered, Si Xiaoxiao insisted on continuing the journey. She remained adamant: “We must finish delivering the Heroine Invitations.”

“Why must you deliver those things!” Li Ting couldn’t help but roar at her, her voice breaking. Staying awake all night had left her physically and mentally exhausted, and she hadn’t expected Si Xiaoxiao, the patient, to be so difficult.

“Because I want to establish authority for you,” Si Xiaoxiao leaned weakly against the headboard, wrapped in thick quilts. Her breath was still as faint as a strand of silk that a breeze could scatter, yet she spoke as if it were the most natural thing in the world, her expression deeply earnest.

“I…” Just as Li Ting was about to argue back, Si Xiaoxiao pressed a finger to her lips.

Si Xiaoxiao said, “After I die, you will be the Sect Leader of the New Hehuan Sect.”

“…” Li Ting’s heart softened instantly. She knew exactly why Si Xiaoxiao was doing this.

Si Xiaoxiao continued, “Now I can tell you what your master’s final words were.”

Li Ting seemed to sense something; she jerked her head up to look at Si Xiaoxiao. In that split second, she almost didn’t want to hear it.

“What she said to me is also what I want to say to you—” Si Xiaoxiao’s smile still carried a nearly pure brightness: “Thank you. Please become the new Sect Leader of the Hehuan Sect…”

Li Ting gripped her lapel and asked in return, “Why thank me?”

Si Xiaoxiao replied with total sincerity, “Thank you for accompanying me on this journey.”

Then, seeing Li Ting looking so heartbroken, Si Xiaoxiao couldn’t resist cracking a few jokes: “Don’t make that face. I’m not dead yet. Besides, you’re about to have your revenge; shouldn’t you be happy?”

Thus, Li Ting mirrored her smile and said, “Of course I am happy. I will be happy forever and ever.”

She spoke word by word. Though her voice choked with emotion, it was exceptionally clear, as if she were swearing a solemn oath to heaven and earth. She remembered that Si Xiaoxiao’s condition for taking action was that she be happy; she would keep that promise.

“Aha! That’s more like it!” Si Xiaoxiao perked up, reverting to her bossy “little cat” persona. “In a bit, you shall carry me on your back using your qinggong! Protect me with your internal qi—that way we’ll run faster than a horse, and I won’t have to worry about catching another chill!”

She certainly knew how to use her status as a patient to make demands.

And so, Li Ting truly did carry her on her back as they continued northward.

The wind whistled past their ears, and the scenery on both sides receded at high speed. Si Xiaoxiao seemed to deeply enjoy this sensation of lightning speed—the feeling of freedom as if soaring between heaven and earth. She pressed her face tighter against the back of Li Ting’s neck, feeling the steady, powerful throb of her pulse. Like a child with a novel toy, she excitedly shouted “—Giddyup!” into Li Ting’s ear.

She truly treated the future leader of the martial arts world like a horse.

After delivering the invitations and intimidating the restless factions, the duo received even more joyous news.

What Su Linglong brought to the Eldest Princess was not just power, but ambition. Residing far from the imperial capital, the Eldest Princess had heard the stories of the former Hehuan Sect Leader and Si Xiaoxiao for the first time. Upon hearing the rhetoric that “women can also be Emperors,” she underwent an intellectual awakening. A path had opened before her.

She was the eldest daughter of the direct lineage and possessed overflowing talent; why should she not be the Emperor!

Through Su Linglong acting as an inside agent, the Eldest Princess ruthlessly sabotaged the Seventh Prince in the imperial court. Originally, she had sought power to assist her younger brother of the same mother to the throne; now that she wanted to ascend herself, her years of management were not in vain.

In this sense, women truly must hold power at all times. After discarding her useless brother, the Eldest Princess no longer felt constrained.

The Eldest Princess even sent a letter through Su Linglong. She intended to recruit a group of women to serve as officials. Although the road was long and difficult, she would not give up. She would start with minor clerks, then move to junior officials, until the day when women would stand among the “purple and vermilion” ranks of the high court. By then, she would likely already be the Empress.

Politics in the court was different from the martial world; it was treacherous and required more time. Until then, Si and Li would at least clear a path in the martial arts world to ensure a legitimate foundation for the future Empress’s reign.

Si Xiaoxiao’s Martial Arts Conference was finally arriving—

The location was set at the arena of the former Hidden Sword Villa. Si Xiaoxiao’s rise to fame had begun here; here, she had fought several senior brothers in succession and eventually cut down her own father. This was the perfect place for a new legend of the Jianghu to begin.

The once solemn and majestic Hidden Sword Villa appeared slightly dilapidated after the upheavals, yet this only added a sense of historical gravitas. As the footprints of Si and Li covered the entire country, these “Heroine Invitations” took on a singular weight.

Si Xiaoxiao sat high upon the main seat.

She was still dressed in vibrant red, but over it, she wore a thick, lustrous black fox-fur cloak. The soft fur around the collar cradled her pale, bloodless face, making her look like a delicate sprig of red plum blossoms trembling in the snow.

Rarely, she had applied a thin layer of cosmetic powder to her face, seemingly in an attempt to mask her startlingly sickly complexion.

As the conference commenced, following the traditions of the martial arts world, it naturally began with martial trials and sword duels to “elect” the new Martial Arts Alliance Leader.

Although the duo of Si and Li had already fought their way through the ranks—essentially making the final ownership of the Alliance Leader title a foregone conclusion—the stream of challengers remained incessant.

In this unprecedented martial arts assembly, many women who were originally unknown, or who had been ignored and suppressed by their sects and families for too long, seemed to be awakened by some invisible force.

Individual “shes” converged to become “them.”

One by one, they bravely leapt onto the arena. Relying on solid martial arts, exquisite techniques, and a fierce, unyielding spirit, they began to make their mark, radiating a brilliance that was uniquely theirs.

Their lineages might not have been prestigious, their techniques perhaps not yet fully polished or seasoned, and their internal energy might have lacked depth—but they possessed a ruthless drive to prove themselves and fight for a place to stand. A burning desire for victory shone in their eyes.

On the stage, they defeated one male opponent after another who had once looked down upon or belittled them, winning bursts of heartfelt cheers and applause.

Women are inherently stronger than men because they are capable of striving to survive even under such harsh conditions.

Si Xiaoxiao knew that the seeds she had sown had begun to break through the soil.

A single spark had been lit; in time, it would surely become a prairie fire that no one could ever extinguish.

The conference lasted for three full days. Finally, amidst a dead silence where no one dared to step up and challenge further, Li Ting was “unanimously elected” as the new generation’s Martial Arts Alliance Leader.

Watching Li Ting on the stage, Si Xiaoxiao’s eyes betrayed an irrepressible pride.

For the second time, she finally asked the System the question she had been longing to ask.

“Now, what is her affection level for me?”

The System replied: [Ninety.]

“It actually didn’t reach one hundred. It seems one month was still too short.” Upon hearing the answer, Si Xiaoxiao wasn’t disappointed; she felt that she, too, had grown a lot during this month.

She thought: If Li Ting doesn’t love me enough, that might actually be a good thing. That way, when I leave, she won’t have to be too heartbroken.

[It is because you love her too much that you have such thoughts,] the System’s electronic voice provided a definitive answer.

Perhaps.

Because even though they hadn’t yet parted, she had already begun to miss her.

If this mission fails, will I have another chance to see her?

Si Xiaoxiao couldn’t help but wonder. She suddenly understood those protagonists trapped in illusions who were unable to wake up.

Because she truly loved her too much… even if it was artificial.

[Rest assured, Host. You will complete the mission. She is currently doing her utmost to restrain her love for you. But no matter how much she restrains it, love is still love,] the System said.

Perhaps there was some form of telepathy at work; Li Ting looked up as if sensing something. Her gaze crossed the short distance and locked firmly onto Si Xiaoxiao sitting on the high seat.

Si Xiaoxiao forced her extremely weakened body to hold on, clutching the armrests of her chair tightly. She wanted to applaud, but then…

The moment she pulled away from the support of the chair, the thick, metallic scent of blood she had been forcibly suppressing in her chest surged up uncontrollably, like a flood finally breaking through a dam.

A large mouthful of dark red, viscous blood sprayed from her mouth like a tragic, beautiful Lycoris flower blooming in despair.

“Xiaoxiao!!!”

Li Ting, who had always been as calm as an iceberg, turned deathly pale in an instant. All her composure crumbled, replaced by a near-insane terror. She let out a heart-wrenching roar.

Just before losing consciousness, Si Xiaoxiao actually had the heart to smile.

She thought: Finally, I got to see Li Ting go mad for me… it was worth it.

But even as she thought this, a sudden wave of sadness washed over her.

Goodbye, little Saintess… and welcome back, my Li Ting, my lover.

Fortunately, they had never truly been apart.

[Target affection level has reached 100. Returning to the real world now.]

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