Master is Also Running Away from Marriage Today (Transmigration) - Chapter 15

Mu Ling was taken aback.

Xiao Qingge had lost her past memories and was later imprisoned in the underground passage by a malevolent cultivator. Mu Ling was certain that the Qingyi Sect had no such talismans.

Sure enough, she heard Lin Qingge speak softly: “At the bottom of the blood pool in the underground passage, similar talismans were carved around the walls…”

Mu Ling was shocked. The malevolent cultivator in the Donglin underground passage had intended to extend their life by transferring the lifespans of the victimized women to themselves. In the cultivation world, this was actually a rather crude method. The more sophisticated approach.

Mu Ling’s gaze fell upon the black jade bed before her.

Beside the black jade bed lay a red jade bowl. Mu Ling had initially thought it was natural red jade, but upon closer inspection, she saw red threads swirling within the bowl. Clearly, the bowl had been soaked in blood!

The sophisticated method in the cultivation world involved a powerful cultivator nourishing a body with heart’s blood over many years, which could reverse bloodlines and nurture the soul.

However, even with a golden body, drawing heart’s blood still required enduring excruciating pain something few could bear.

Based on the portraits in the bamboo house, Mu Ling could confirm that Zhao Linglong had never forgotten her husband in her lifetime. Thus, the identity of the body nourished by Zhao Linglong’s heart’s blood was obvious. However, rumors suggested that Zhao Linglong’s husband had already perished, his soul scattered. Even with all her efforts, Zhao Linglong might not be able to bring him back.

Mu Ling sighed quietly, placed the jade bowl back by the bed, and led Lin Qingge out of the cave.

The formation shifted once more, and the scene changed. Mu Ling found herself and Lin Qingge transported to the mortal world:

The streets were bustling with people, and on the arched bridge during the Lantern Festival, Mu Ling and Lin Qingge saw two children holding hands.

—That was the young Zhao Linglong and her future husband.

Mu Ling learned the man’s name, Yan Rufeng.

It was a long and tumultuous life.

The first half was as Mu Ling knew: childhood sweethearts from the water town, soon to be married, until Zhao Linglong’s Phoenix Flame bloodline manifested in adulthood, attracting covetous eyes from all sides. Yan Rufeng was killed by cultivators while protecting Zhao Linglong, and the pregnant Zhao Linglong, clutching her husband’s corpse, plunged off a cliff.

When she re-emerged, Zhao Linglong had become a Mahayana-stage cultivator, and no one dared to bully her as they once had.

Zhao Linglong was peerlessly elegant, with countless cultivators vying for her favor, yet she focused solely on managing her sect and raising her daughter, never forming a partnership with anyone.

By the time the Qingyi Sect had grown and her daughter was pregnant, Zhao Linglong began constructing a new tomb for herself. Claiming that her old injuries were incurable and her demise imminent, she ignored her daughter and the sect’s pleas and feigned death, retreating to the mountain cemetery.

In the mountain cemetery lay Yan Rufeng’s corpse.

For all these years, Zhao Linglong had nourished Yan Rufeng’s body with her heart’s blood, kept a nightmare beast disguised as Yan Rufeng by her side, and even studied an obscure soul-summoning technique in a desperate attempt to revive him.

Unexpectedly, Yan Rufeng was revived.

Those were the happiest days of Zhao Linglong’s life. She lived with the resurrected Yan Rufeng in the bamboo house, detached from worldly affairs, like immortal lovers.

But joy was fleeting. Months later, Zhao Linglong gradually noticed something amiss: despite Yan Rufeng’s efforts to act as he had before, certain occasional gestures, his familiarity with cultivation techniques many details revealed that the soul she had summoned back was not Yan Rufeng.

Yet, that soul wore Yan Rufeng’s skin, and Zhao Linglong couldn’t bear to destroy “Yan Rufeng.” In the ensuing fight, she was injured by the impostor and forced to flee. Heartbroken and devoid of the will to live, Zhao Linglong lost herself in the illusion, allowing the nightmare beast she had raised to devour her heart and liver.

…

A sharp pain shot through her arm, jolting Mu Ling awake. She realized she had unknowingly returned to the cemetery.

—She had been reaching out to touch a certain tombstone, one that marked a death gate of the formation. Once drawn in, even an immortal would be torn apart!

“You bit me hard!” Mu Ling withdrew her hand with lingering fear, eyeing the row of teeth marks on her arm. “Little Qingge, you’re amazing! You saved my life.”

Perhaps it was the purity of a child’s mind, unburdened by the overthinking of adults, that made it less susceptible to such illusionary traps.

Looking back, Mu Ling couldn’t even pinpoint when she had fallen into the illusion. She could only marvel inwardly at Zhao Linglong’s prowess as a Mahayana-stage cultivator. Her schemes were truly impossible to guard against.

Lin Qingge remained silent, her gaze fixed on something behind Mu Ling.

The black tower behind them had transformed, its size now several times larger than before.

Mu Ling and Lin Qingge stepped inside once more. This time, the tower was no longer empty. The first floor was filled with countless magical artifacts and spiritual tools, the second piled high with spirit stones like mountains, and the third housed a study. The shelves were lined with countless cultivation manuals, and on the wall hung a calligraphy piece: “The carnelian dice and the red beans, do you know the longing that pierces the bone?”

Mu Ling had seen this piece in the illusion.

It was written by the fake Yan Rufeng after he awoke and given to Zhao Linglong. It was through this calligraphy that Zhao Linglong noticed something amiss. The handwriting of the awakened “Yan Rufeng” didn’t match the original.

Perhaps Zhao Linglong had forgotten to remove it.

Mu Ling knew the contents of these three floors served as Qingyi Sect’s emergency treasury, meant to help the sect weather any future crises.

Leaving everything untouched, Mu Ling led Lin Qingge to the fourth floor.

Unlike the first three floors, which were illuminated by luminous pearls, the fourth floor had tightly shut doors. A lone lamp cast an eerie glow at the entrance. When the light fell upon her, Mu Ling found herself momentarily paralyzed!

The light, as if sentient, scanned Mu Ling and Lin Qingge from head to toe. Seemingly satisfied, the doors to the fourth floor slowly creaked open.

Inside stood only a stone table.

On the table lay a spiritual sword. At first glance, its blade appeared dusty, as if abandoned for years. Sensing their presence, the sword suddenly gleamed with dazzling light and began to hum and vibrate.

Beside the sword rested a jade pendant. The moment Mu Ling touched it, a woman’s voice emanated from within:

“Since you’ve passed the Heart-Mirror Lamp at the entrance, it means you’ve taken nothing from the tower. You are either a descendant of Qingyi Sect who stumbled here by accident, or your ambitions exceed what our sect can offer. Regardless of who you are, since you’ve come this far, you must know of my past with Yan Rufeng. In a moment of weakness, I awakened a demon. The fake Yan Rufeng harbors immense ambition. If he escapes, the three realms may face upheaval.”

This was Zhao Linglong’s final testament, detailing her suspicions about the impostor: his cultivation was extraordinarily high, possibly even surpassing her own. His disguise as Yan Rufeng was likely aimed at obtaining her Phoenix Flame bloodline.

Zhao Linglong pleaded with whoever read the letter to kill the fake Yan Rufeng if given the chance. In return, she provided the method to tame her spirit sword, which she had stumbled upon in a hidden realm. Even a cultivator of her caliber had never been able to fully unleash the sword’s true potential in her lifetime.

“Drop blood onto the blade of the spirit sword. If the sword willingly submits, it will naturally recognize you as its master. But if the wielder is a demonic cultivator or harbors ill intentions, the sword will retaliate.”

After these words, the jade pendant crumbled into dust.

Lin Qingge’s gaze fell upon the spirit sword nearby, and she subtly took a step back.

As if sensing her gaze, the jade sword’s hum grew increasingly pronounced. With a sharp clang, it unsheathed itself and shot straight toward Lin Qingge!

Having learned some swordsmanship in recent days, Lin Qingge barely managed to dodge, but the spirit sword swiftly adjusted its trajectory and pursued her relentlessly.

Mu Ling instinctively rushed to intercept the sword, utterly baffled as to why it would attack Lin Qingge.

Of all people in the world, Lin Qingge was the least likely to be a demonic cultivator. After all, she was destined to become the foremost immortal cultivator who would slay the Demon King in the future!

As for ill intentions…

“Master!” Lin Qingge dodged another strike, her movements frantic. “I secretly memorized the inscriptions in that cave earlier. Do you think that’s why the sword is attacking me?”

She lowered her eyes. “I was afraid that if I ever regain my memories, my family might no longer be alive. I thought perhaps I could extend their lives.”

Lin Qingge had long known of Mu Ling’s deep regard for familial bonds. True to her expectations, Mu Ling’s suspicions faded after hearing her explanation. After chiding her with a single “Foolish!” Mu Ling threw herself into helping Lin Qingge evade the sword’s relentless pursuit.

Lin Qingge exhaled inwardly in relief, clumsily parrying the sword’s attacks, yet her gaze grew increasingly stubborn.

At first, she hadn’t been determined to claim this spirit sword, but now an inexplicable surge of defiance rose within her. She had to obtain it!

The sword seemed to sense her emotions, its attacks growing even more frenzied.

Master and disciple retreated step by step until they found themselves back in the third-floor library. In her haste, Mu Ling accidentally brushed against a hanging scroll on the wall, triggering a blinding flash of light.

In the next instant, Mu Ling realized she had been transported to the back-mountain pass of the Qingyi Sect.

She never expected Zhao Linglong to have left an escape route, nor that the key to exiting the formation lay within that scroll. Even more astonishing was discovering she had spent half a year on that mountain!

By the time she emerged, it was already daylight. In the distance, disciples stood in formation. It was the sect’s tournament for new recruits.

The spirit sword, undeterred, pursued Lin Qingge relentlessly, determined to strike her down.

An ancient divine artifact, the sword’s attacks carried a peculiar rhythm, an enduring sword intent that spanned millennia.

As Lin Qingge traced the sword’s movements, a sudden epiphany struck her. A sharp pain wracked her body, freezing her limbs.

Five faint streams of spiritual energy within her converged, merging with the strange power already residing in her body. Like surging rivers, they flooded her meridians, while the lotus seed she had swallowed flickered faintly in her dantian.

Even the usually composed Lin Qingge paled at this realization. She was breaking through to the next realm at this critical moment!

Others would seek out sacred groves and blessed lands for their epiphanies, but Lin Qingge never imagined her own breakthrough would come in such a life-or-death crisis.

Slowed by the moment, Lin Qingge could only barely twist away from the sword’s lethal path, watching helplessly as the blade lunged toward her!

It was a scene she would remember for the rest of her life.

Caught off guard, Mu Ling had been startled by the sudden attack and now had no time to cast a spell. Seeing the sword determined to strike Lin Qingge down, she steeled herself and stepped in front of her disciple.

The spirit sword hadn’t expected Mu Ling’s intervention. As if unwilling to harm an innocent, its tip veered sharply at the last moment, plunging into Mu Ling’s right shoulder instead!

A hair’s breadth from her heart!

The blade hummed violently, seething with frustration as it prepared to strike again until a hand shot out from the side, gripping the sword’s edge with bare flesh and wrenching it free in one brutal motion!

“Qingge! You—”

Mu Ling recognized the signs of her disciple’s breakthrough, but what truly shocked her was Lin Qingge’s expression. The girl stared down at the bloodied sword in her crimson hands, her face a mask of icy detachment yet her eyes burned with something wild and feral, as though the blade were already a corpse.

Unconsciously, Mu Ling shivered.

“It hurt you!”

Lin Qingge couldn’t name the emotion churning inside her, but when Mu Ling’s blood splashed across her face, a primal fury exploded through her veins.

The spirit sword thrashed wildly, repulsed by the demonic energy now radiating from Lin Qingge. Yet the sheer killing intent rolling off the girl actually suppressed its movements!

This blade had slain countless cultivators, but never encountered a demonic practitioner so terrifying.

It sensed the darkness swirling in Lin Qingge’s mind. This was someone destined to walk a path of cruelty and carnage.

Yet in the moment after Mu Ling took the blow, a faint glimmer of light appeared within that abyss, like the first flickers of fireflies at dusk…

The sword hesitated. That fragile light was real, and Lin Qingge’s blood.

The humming blade finally stilled. Between Lin Qingge’s brows, a crimson mark slowly formed, its stark beauty accentuating her cold elegance. The unmistakable sign of a spirit sword acknowledging its master!

“Thank goodness you’re alright!”

Seeing Lin Qingge’s expression return to normal, Mu Ling exhaled in relief.

For that fleeting moment, doubt had crept into Mu Ling’s heart. Lin Qingge’s demeanor had been genuinely frightening. But if even the spirit sword chose her now, surely those fears were unfounded.

Lin Qingge silently studied the wound on Mu Ling’s shoulder. Though she knew it wasn’t deep, the sight of it filled her with inexplicable irritation.

Just then, Zhao Yunshi and others sensed the disturbance and came rushing toward the back mountain.

Watching as a crowd swarmed around Mu Ling with concerned questions, Lin Qingge lowered her head, quietly sheathed the sword, and strode with perfect posture toward the tournament platform.

She was still too weak. Always relying on this foolish master to protect her.

For a peach given, jade returned.

Lin Qingge never claimed to be virtuous, but if it was for her foolish master, she’d willingly honor that ancient principle.

This would become the most legendary rookie tournament in Qingyi Sect’s history.

That disciple of Qingbo Peak, who had entered the Dao with a mixed spiritual root, whom no one had ever believed in, who had once been as lowly as a maggot and suffered endless humiliation was like a pearl covered in dust finally wiped clean, now radiating dazzling brilliance!

Ten battles, ten victories! No one could last even a hundred moves against Lin Qingge. The new disciples realized in horror that in just one year, Lin Qingge had already reached Foundation Establishment!

What was supposed to be a half-month-long competition ended in a single day. At dawn the next morning, under the rising sun, Lin Qingge sent her final opponent, Huang Meng, tumbling off the stage. The young girl in white robes stood alone on the platform, her sword at her side. It should have been a moment of triumphant pride, yet Lin Qingge’s expression remained as it always was. Seemingly silent and humble, yet as if nothing in the world truly touched her. Only when her gaze landed on Mu Ling atop the high platform did a trace of warmth unconsciously seep into her icy eyes.

“I won!”

But Mu Ling didn’t look at her. Instead, Mu Ling turned to glance at Zhao Yunshi beside her, whose expression was complicated, and burst into laughter!

“This is just the beginning!” Mu Ling turned back to meet Lin Qingge’s gaze, staring at the celestial-like young girl, and sighed softly: “The era of Lin Qingge has only just begun!”