I Was Entangled by the Pathological Protagonists [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Ultimately, Xiao Xiao’er was still left with many unresolved doubts.

She restrained herself from overthinking, yet in action, she once again slipped quietly into the Sect Master’s quiet chamber.

Fortunately, the Sect Master was not there. Following the same method as her accidental entry last time, she silently gripped the brocade pouch in her hand and stepped through the wall.

The dim cave was no different from what she had seen before. This time, with the goal of investigating everything, Xiao Xiao’er headed straight for the desk.

With a sweep of her eyes, she picked up several other jade slips and lowered her head to read.

Then, her pupils constricted.

…

At this critical juncture, Yan Lin, who naturally had to keep a close watch on the protagonist, finally received news of his departure from the Yaoguang Sect and nodded with gratification.

As for the matter of being blocked by Xiao Xiao’er before leaving, Yan Lin was not surprised. Even with him meddling, the relationship between the male and female leads was still moving in the predestined direction; the more others hindered a relationship, the more profound it became.

As a villain, although his duty was to create obstacles on the protagonist’s path to growth, regardless of the circumstances, the male and female leads would eventually run toward a beautiful grand finale.

Although this protagonist seemed a bit fragile and almost “flipped the car” (failed) at the start, through his unremitting efforts, he had successfully revitalized the protagonist and pulled the plot back on track.

Therefore, the general direction was still correct, Yan Lin thought confidently.

At this moment, a sage-like figure arrived at the courtyard where he resided none other than Perfected Cultivator Wuyan.

“Father, were you looking for me?”

Yan Lin stood up from the rattan chair, patting his backside, and asked curiously. Logically speaking, shouldn’t Wuyan be off capturing the protagonist right now?

Wuyan patted his head, his smile kind and gentle, treating him just as he did when Yan Lin was a child.

“What, can I not come to see you if there is nothing the matter? Or is it that my Lin’er has grown up and no longer wants his father?”

Yan Lin hurriedly shook his head, looking as well-behaved as he did when he was young. Aside from everything else, Wuyan truly doted on him to the extreme, giving him the stars or the moon if he asked.

Even if it meant committing an outrage against the world acting like an evil demonic cultivator by moving against the protagonist and forcibly gouging out the Supreme Profound Spirit Bone to extend Yan Lin’s life he would not hesitate.

Wuyan smiled, but at this moment, as he gazed at Yan Lin, his expression seemed to be reminiscing about something, filled with a bit of melancholy and sadness.

After a pause, he slowly spoke: “Lin’er, do you know how your mother passed away?”

Yan Lin was slightly stunned. He hadn’t expected Wuyan to mention the original host’s mother, Han Ji. No corresponding image surfaced in his memory; only a vague shadow emerged—the original host’s yearning for the mother he had never met.

Back then, Han Ji met Wuyan at the end of her life and passed away not long after giving birth to Yan Lin.

All along, Wuyan had never mentioned it, usually grieving alone in the dead of night.

Immediately, Yan Lin’s eyes shifted slightly. He had likely guessed Wuyan’s purpose; he was probably going to reveal everything to him.

This included the fact that he was born lacking one soul and one spirit, that he was a “Rootless One” who would not live past twenty-two, and Wuyan’s subsequent plan to move against the protagonist.

Previously, these things had been kept from Yan Lin. Given Wuyan’s doting nature, he naturally couldn’t bear to inform him of such heavy matters. Now that the time was nearly ripe, there was no need to continue the concealment.

Yan Lin straightened out his thoughts and began to play along with the plot.

Next, just as he expected, Wuyan first reminisced about meeting and knowing Han Ji, then slowly brought up the heavy topic of Han Ji also being a Rootless One.

“…Neither Han Ji nor I expected that the fate of a Rootless One would continue in you… But now, Father has found a way to cure you.”

He looked at the seemingly dazed Yan Lin with heartache, then said without hesitation: “The Supreme Profound Spirit Bone hidden within that child Yan Li’s body can replenish your lost soul and spirit.”

He patted Yan Lin’s hair again and let out a sigh.

“Lin’er, wait just a bit longer. Father will never let you follow in those footsteps…”

…

Wuyan left the courtyard, leaving only Yan Lin behind, appearing as if he hadn’t quite recovered from the shock, giving him time to digest and accept the information.

However, no matter what, Wuyan was determined to get the Supreme Profound Spirit Bone to extend Lin’er’s life.

After Wuyan departed, Yan Lin who had seemed to be in a trance restored his expression in a second. He was feeling quite pleased internally, as if he could finally see the beautiful future of turning into enemies with the protagonist.

So he waited, and waited, and then… he waited back for a completely unharmed protagonist?

Yan Lin was “one hundred million” levels of confusion.

After obtaining the location of the demon from Wuyan which was actually a trap Yan Li, who had left the sect for revenge, returned to the Yaoguang Sect safely and smoothly after half a month?

Yan Lin finally realized that something seemed to be going wrong.

According to the plot, his meeting with the protagonist at this moment should be deep within the cave Wuyan had prepared for a long time. There, he should be facing the protagonist’s face full of betrayal, despair, and hatred while gouging out the bone to save his own life.

Instead, Yan Li was standing before him without a scratch, showing a smile that seemed to carry a sense of longing, saying softly to him:

“Senior Brother… I’m back.”

Yan Lin: “…”

Wait, is this plot a bit off?

On the other hand, Wuyan’s expression was equally dark.

He never expected that there was a possibility of escaping his carefully set trap. Not only that, but the people he sent couldn’t even take down a mere Foundation Building kid!

At this moment, Wuyan forgot the startling achievement Yan Li had made by challenging those above his level to take first place in the Sect Grand Competition.

However, the lowest among those he sent were at the Golden Core stage; he had already calculated Yan Li’s strength into the plan. Yet, what he thought would be as easy as turning over a hand resulted in a heavy fall, and not a single person sent out returned; it was no wonder he was so furious.

After calming down, Wuyan looked at Yan Li, who was back in the sect talking and laughing with Yan Lin, and couldn’t help but sneer in his heart.

Regardless, as long as this kid was still in the sect, there would be plenty of opportunities—no rush.

Wuyan had prepared for so many years and waited for so many years; he wouldn’t give up because of one failure. In his view, Yan Li probably didn’t even know who was targeting him yet, since he hadn’t personally acted.

Besides, what could a fledgling kid do even if he did know?

At this moment, Wuyan, who might have originally possessed some conscience and wanted Yan Li to die painlessly in a coma because he had treated Lin’er well over the years—had changed.

Now, as long as he could cure Lin’er, replenish his naturally missing soul and spirit, and extend his life, Wuyan would likely be willing to make the whole world his enemy.

…

Besides them, there was one other person holding complex and difficult-to-discern emotions regarding Yan Li’s return: Xiao Xiao’er.

She didn’t know how she had spent the last half-month. She had never imagined the truth would be so agonizing.

…Rootless One… born lacking one soul and one spirit… won’t live past twenty-two… only the Supreme Profound Spirit Bone can cure it…

Senior Brother Lin’er…

So that was it. No wonder the Sect Master, who was always open, honest, and upright, would want to move against his own disciple.

Xiao Xiao’er didn’t know what the Supreme Profound Spirit Bone was, but from what she learned in the jade slips, she knew how precious and rare it was. She also knew that the Sect Master had searched for a full dozen years for someone like Yan Li, who happened to possess it.

Xiao Xiao’er didn’t dare hope to find another Supreme Profound Spirit Bone; seeking far and wide for something close at hand was an unpredictable matter. And now, Senior Brother Lin’er only had four or five years left before he turned twenty-two.

Just thinking that Senior Brother Lin’er might have less than five years of life left made Xiao Xiao’er feel an unconscious tightness in her chest.

Fortunately, fortunately…

…He was back.

Xiao Xiao’er didn’t understand why Yan Li was able to return. Did the Sect Master let him go? Or… did he know about these things?

Xiao Xiao’er felt she was still lost, but with Senior Brother Lin’er’s limited life remaining, she could no longer bring herself to tell Yan Li to leave the Yaoguang Sect. Recalling her previous attempt to block Yan Li, she felt a surge of panic and lingering fear.

So… he actually knows, right?

Just as she previously found it hard to understand Yan Li’s behavior of remaining silent and not resisting despite being bullied, at this moment, she couldn’t imagine what Yan Li—who knew everything yet stayed in the Yaoguang Sect — was thinking in his heart.

Even if he… had those kinds of feelings for Senior Brother Lin’er.

“What is it? Is Junior Sister Xiao’er still lost in thought even while staying with me?”

A pleasant, slightly teasing voice reached her ears. Xiao Xiao’er looked up slightly, and that incredibly beautiful face with a trace of a smile came into view, smoothing out the chaotic thoughts in her heart.

Xiao Xiao’er shook her head slightly. She suddenly had an impulse to tell Senior Brother Lin’er to be careful of Yan Li, to be careful of his feelings for you… yet she opened her mouth and couldn’t say it.

Call her despicable if you will, but at this moment, she actually hoped Yan Li’s feelings for Senior Brother Lin’er were deep enough deep enough to… be willing to sacrifice himself for him.

This was the only answer Xiao Xiao’er could think of for why Yan Li could return to the sect and why the Sect Master, for some reason, hadn’t moved against him.

Senior Brother Lin’er was so good… he shouldn’t fade away at such a young age.

At this point, Xiao Xiao’er’s heart was completely biased toward Yan Lin, having recognized Yan Li’s nature and given up on him entirely.

The girl, having emerged from her infatuation, restored her proper reason. Combined with her previous guilt for misunderstanding Senior Brother Lin’er and Yan Lin’s gentle “big sister” offensive, it would be hard for anyone to hold out.

Furthermore, facing that exquisite and nearly perfect face, it was difficult for anyone to harbor feelings of dislike.

As for Xiao Xiao’er’s complex emotions, Yan Lin who hadn’t noticed a thing found it strange that the female lead had suddenly come to find him after half a month but was frequently lost in thought.

But then, Yan Lin had an epiphany: she said she came to find him, but she was actually looking for the protagonist, right?

Unfortunately, the protagonist happened to be away.

That said, the plot deviation was already enough to give Yan Lin a headache. Fortunately, the relationship between the male and female leads was still proceeding smoothly, which was his only consolation these days.

He completely failed to realize that Xiao Xiao’er had specifically waited for a time when Yan Li was absent before coming over.