I Was Entangled by the Pathological Protagonists [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Of course, Wuyan did not believe him.

He did not believe that Yan Li would be willing to self-sacrifice; he suspected the true purpose was likely nothing more than a stalling tactic.

However, regardless of whether he was stalling for time, Wuyan was inevitably swayed by the phrase he had uttered: “The Supreme Profound Spirit Bone is only considered truly mature when one reaches adulthood.”

Having studied Rootless Ones for so many years and consulted countless records, he was very clear that what the boy said was not wrong.

Now was not the time to investigate why this boy knew all this so clearly; Wuyan probably didn’t even want to know. It was just that, regarding Lin’er’s few remaining years of life, Wuyan hesitated.

The reason he had moved early was, first, because he sensed the Supreme Profound Spirit Bone was nearing maturity and he couldn’t wait, and second, to avoid any complications. Controlling the bone in advance was better than an accident occurring later.

Wuyan had naturally given this deep thought. It was precisely because of his extreme caution that, facing the boy’s current appearance of having somewhat slipped from his control, he accepted Yan Li’s stated willingness to self-sacrifice. Yan Li had even opened his sea of consciousness without hesitation to let Wuyan brand it with an indelible mark—controlling Yan Li in the truest sense of the word.

Undeniably, at that moment, Wuyan could not help but harbor the same doubt as Xiao Xiao’er, unable to comprehend Yan Li’s behavior.

On that late night, after everything was finished, Wuyan finally couldn’t help but voice this doubt aloud.

He saw the youth’s eyes shining in the darkness, revealing an indescribable smile, before saying in a light tone:

“Because… I’m happy to~”

To this day, Wuyan still found it difficult to understand the look in his eyes at that time.

However, over the past two years, seeing that Yan Li had behaved quite obediently, Wuyan tentatively believed he was truly willing to sacrifice himself for Lin’er.

Moreover, whether it was a stalling tactic or another hidden motive, the sea of consciousness, the most vital part of a cultivator — had been branded by Wuyan. If Yan Li dared to show even a hint of defiance, Wuyan would not be polite with him.

This was the primary reason why Yan Lin was frequently frustrated by the sudden stagnation since the plot had veered off course.

Seeing Yan Lin lying in the pavilion once again, staring at the water with a dazed actual, “life-is-meaningless” cute expression, a trace of obscure amusement couldn’t help but flash through Yan Li’s eyes.

He stepped forward, offering the medicinal pills he had painstakingly refined with both hands.

“Senior Brother.”

Hearing the sound, Yan Lin tilted his head to glance at him and took them without ceremony. Playing with them in his hand, he said in an unfriendly tone:

“And what else?”

Immediately, Yan Li submissively pulled out various pills, talismans, and the like; there was even a high-grade magical treasure.

Yan Lin sat up slightly and took the high-grade magical treasure, which was shaped like a bracelet, raising an eyebrow slightly.

“You refined this?”

“It was merely a stroke of luck.”

Yan Li lowered his head slightly, appearing quite humble.

To this, Yan Lin could only marvel once more: the protagonist is indeed the protagonist. Once his brilliance was fully unleashed, it couldn’t be suppressed. It had only been a little over two years, and he could already refine high-grade magical treasures? If other weapon-refining masters saw this, they would likely die of shame.

The same went for the pills and talismans, all of which were mid-grade or higher; presumably, his skill with formations was just as peerless. This talent was truly boundless.

Now, Yan Lin could only snatch as much of the protagonist’s handiwork as possible; this was his final stubbornness as a villain.

After flipping through the items, Yan Lin casually tossed them into his storage space. In one corner, a pile had already accumulated all the fruits of his labor performing his villainous duties over the past two years.

He then looked at the protagonist beside him. He had now fully filled out; his height and physique were not much different from an adult’s. The original unsociability between his brows had transformed into an introverted steadiness, with a sharp edge hidden within.

Yan Lin thought for a moment, felt he could still make a “struggle for life” (try to act the part), and suddenly pointed at the stone table next to them, ordering imperiously:

“Pour the tea.”

“Yes, Senior Brother.”

Yet the protagonist’s attitude remained submissive as ever, without a hint of resistance.

Yan Lin naturally took the cup of perfectly tempered tea handed over by the protagonist, took a small sip, and felt that everything was dull and tasteless while the plot was stagnant.

…Sigh.

Just as he was about to zone out, a sweet voice drifted from the distance.

“Senior Brother Lin’er~”

Flying over like a fluttering butterfly was a beaming Xiao Xiao’er.

The moment she entered the pavilion, she made as if to pounce on Senior Brother Lin’er, showing none of the ladylike manners she displayed before other disciples. One couldn’t tell if she was doing it intentionally~ or on purpose~ (sarcastic emphasis).

One saw Yan Li’s face instantly turn black and not just by one shade. He immediately took a step forward to block the path between the two.

Naturally, this familiar scene and familiar action had clearly happened more than once.

Since that incident two years ago, Xiao Xiao’er seemed to have unlocked some new persona; she sought out Yan Lin daily and deliberately acted extremely intimate with him in front of the protagonist.

Regarding this, Yan Lin just wanted to suggest to the female lead: it’s better to know when to stop.

Although he found the protagonist’s black face quite amusing, eating too much “vinegar” (jealousy) isn’t great; one might develop a resistance to it.

However, seeing that the protagonist still tirelessly kept a black face and constantly obstructed the female lead from interacting with him, he presumed their relationship was progressing smoothly, or perhaps this was some kind of unspeakable “flirting” between the leads?

Yan Lin took another sip of tea, marvelling in his heart. He followed up with a gentle smile toward the female lead; since he had to cooperate with the performance, he would naturally do so. He could fulfill his duties as a villain read as “breaking them up,” written as “bringing them together.” It was killing three birds with one stone.

Xiao Xiao’er’s cheeks flushed again. She felt that no matter how many times she saw it, she couldn’t resist Senior Brother Lin’er’s gentle gaze.

This was why, no matter how many private warnings Yan Li gave her, she always accepted them with joy.

However, beneath Xiao Xiao’er’s radiant smile was a hidden, imperceptible worry. She thought of how Senior Brother Lin’er had only a little over two years of life left, and she couldn’t help but glance at the darkly glaring Yan Li beside her.

While her heart couldn’t help but tremble, Xiao Xiao’er silently made a decision, her expression turning resolute.

But Xiao Xiao’er knew that Yan Li usually wouldn’t easily leave Senior Brother Lin’er’s side, so she could only seek him out when he was off cultivating.

This was the first time Xiao Xiao’er had come to Yan Li’s residence. What she saw was no different from the rooms of other disciples; the only thing worth noting was probably its proximity to Senior Brother Lin’er’s place.

Thinking of this, Xiao Xiao’er couldn’t help but frown, secretly spurning him with disdain, yet undeniably feeling a bit envious. She also wanted to be closer to Senior Brother Lin’er… if only she could move into his courtyard…

Just as Xiao Xiao’er was blushing at the imagined scene, she suddenly felt a chill all over, forced awake from her fantasy.

Looking up, she saw a black figure standing in the yard, staring at her with an exceptionally cold gaze.

“Since you don’t understand human speech, there is no need to speak anymore.”

Xiao Xiao’er: “…”

Seeing that Yan Li seemed to be moving for real as he walked toward her, Xiao Xiao’er immediately took two steps back and brought out the words that always worked.

“If you move against me, have you thought about how you will explain it to Senior Brother Lin’er?”

She saw his steps falter. Xiao Xiao’er was about to breathe a sigh of relief when she heard a cold, biting voice sound as if right by her ear, at such a close distance.

The next second, she was seized by the throat.

Yan Li leaned close to her ear, his low voice sounding like it came from hell:

“To deal with you, why would I need to dirty my hands? As long as…”

The subsequent words were barely audible, yet clear enough to enter Xiao Xiao’er’s ears, causing her pupils to shrink and her body to tremble uncontrollably.

She knew then that Yan Li was serious this time. If she said one wrong word, her end really might be as he said, making her disappear from this world without a trace, with no one able to notice.

Xiao Xiao’er did not doubt the truth of these words, nor did she dare to hope for a fluke. A strong premonition reminded her: this guy will definitely do what he says.

After a long time, Xiao Xiao’er remembered her purpose, finally composed herself, and gave him a cold, sideways glance.

“You told me not to do unnecessary things, and I have done so. But what are you doing?”

“You know, don’t you? Senior Brother Lin’er has less than three years of life left, and only the Supreme Profound Spirit Bone can cure him!”

“And you have the Supreme Profound Spirit Bone in your body; only you can save Senior Brother Lin’er. Am I right?”

Xiao Xiao’er’s premonitions had always been incredibly accurate. Even without ever receiving a real answer, she had used over two years to see through this fact with her own eyes, and to see through Yan Li as a person.

Everyone was blinded by his “outstanding talent,” the “chosen son of heaven”—it was all just a façade. If not for her concern for Senior Brother Lin’er’s cure, Xiao Xiao’er would have stayed far away from him long ago.

However, the fear in Xiao Xiao’er’s eyes was just as real.

“Heh.”

Yan Li let out a light laugh; the smile that didn’t reach his eyes appeared cold and hypocritical to the extreme.

He released his grip on the girl’s throat and gave a light “en,” as if responding to her words just now.

“You are right.”

“It’s just, don’t you think you’re interfering too much? Hmm?”

Yan Li didn’t mind telling her a little more, for the sake of her being somewhat obedient. However… the color in his eyes deepened, a flash of coldness passing through.

That which did not belong to her was not something she should harbor deluded thoughts about.