Master is Also Running Away from Marriage Today (Transmigration) - Chapter 31

The day to depart for the Demon Subjugation Conference had finally arrived.

This time, all the sects of the world would gather, and Mu Ling had hoped to keep a low profile, planning the journey with the utmost caution. Yet once again, she earned a flick on the forehead from Zhao Yunshi and a scolding: “Such a petty mindset!”

Mu Ling had spent a long time convincing Zhao Yunshi to allow ordinary disciples to attend the conference, so she knew better than to question the travel arrangements this time. However, when the day came, her eyes widened in shock at the sight of the ostentatious wooden ship hovering in the sky. “Isn’t this a bit too extravagant?”

The ship was as large as a modern cruise liner, its banners fluttering in the wind, its mast towering into the clouds. Three decks high, its hull was adorned with the emblem of the Qingyi Sect, standing proudly against the backdrop of blue skies and white clouds both majestic and beautiful.

Majestic, indeed! But this massive vessel was powered by spirit stones, burning through money like wildfire!

Mu Ling’s stunned expression made Zhao Yunshi’s fingers itch again, and she couldn’t resist sending a telepathic message: “Pick your jaw up off the floor. It’s time for your speech!”

Snapping back to attention, Mu Ling ascended the ship with Ding Xin and Lin Qingge, feigning composure. She discreetly pressed a jade token from Ding Xin’s hand against her palm.

The token was Mu Ling’s cheat device. As soon as it touched her skin, the formal, humble speech Ding Xin had prepared materialized in her mind. With a solemn expression, Mu Ling channeled her modern-day elocution skills and recited the words verbatim, instantly transforming the atmosphere. A white-robed cultivator stood at the ship’s bow, her beauty transcendent, her demeanor icy, her robes fluttering as if she might vanish with the wind at any moment.

Lin Qingge wasn’t sure what had come over her.

Before she realized it, her hand had already reached out.

Her fingers brushed against the silken fabric of Mu Ling’s sleeve, smooth as water. Lowering her gaze, Lin Qingge observed the varied looks the disciples below cast at Mu Ling, a flicker of disgust passing through her eyes: How I wish I could pluck out every one of their eyeballs!

More than that, she wanted to hide this radiant master away, to ensure those beautiful eyes would only ever reflect her, to make that smile hers alone.

Lin Qingge felt herself growing twisted, as if she were becoming more and more like the mad, unrestrained demon king lurking within her. The difference was, the demon king’s madness was directed at the entire immortal realm, while Lin Qingge’s was reserved solely for Mu Ling.

A beast roared in her heart, urging her to act on her desires to trap Mu Ling by her side at all costs, to make her cry, yet to forever bask in her smiles…

Lin Qingge clenched the fabric in her grip, her head bowed. I’ll perfect my disguise, becoming everything Master expects, until she can’t bear to leave me.

Then, no matter how much the world coveted her, in the end, it would be Lin Qingge who held Mu Ling in her grasp.

The flying ship traveled a thousand miles in a single day. Each disciple had their own quarters, with the lower two decks serving as living quarters. To ensure their cultivation wasn’t neglected, the third deck was a training ground where disciples could spar and hone their skills.

The location agreed upon by the Bai Xu Sect for the Demon Subjugation Conference was the capital of Shiqing Kingdom, situated at the foot of their mountain. In preparation for the event, the kingdom mobilized thousands of laborers who worked tirelessly day and night to clear a vast stretch of land on the outskirts of the city within half a month.

By the time Mu Ling arrived, many sects had already gathered on the open ground. It was then that she realized how little she had seen of the world. Each sect’s flying artifacts were bizarre and varied: a ten-story pagoda, a hollowed-out giant sword a hundred zhang tall, a massive glowing lotus, and some sects also traveled by ship, but their vessels were adorned with glittering pearls at the bow and stern, exuding opulence. Compared to these, the Qingyi Sect’s grand ship appeared modest and unassuming.

Watching Lin Qingge and Ding Xin react to these flying artifacts as if they were commonplace, Mu Ling felt deeply ashamed of her own ignorance.

Some sects were still on their way, and the Demon Subjugation Conference was scheduled to begin ten days later. Mu Ling found an empty spot to land the flying ship and instructed her disciples to cultivate on board during this period.

This was the first time Mu Ling had the chance to interact closely with these ordinary disciples. She noticed that some of them were exceptionally diligent, reminding her of her own days buried in books during the modern gaokao exams.

Back when Mu Ling had just entered high school, her grades were only average. But driven by the desire to get into a good university and provide a better life for her grandparents, she immersed herself in studies for three years, eventually achieving results that satisfied her.

In this world of cultivation, spiritual roots determined talent, but people often forgot. Sometimes, diligence itself was a form of talent.

When she saw these disciples, Mu Ling made a point to offer extra guidance. It was also during this time that she realized Lin Qingge held immense prestige among the ordinary disciples even surpassing her, the Peak Master. With her mixed spiritual roots, Lin Qingge had risen to become one of the top sword cultivators, making her an idol and aspiration for all ordinary disciples.

Not only did the ordinary disciples of the Qingyi Sect revere Lin Qingge like a deity, but disciples from other sects also sought her out, drawn by her reputation.

Every time Mu Ling saw Lin Qingge surrounded by these disciples, her heart swelled with pride.

Lin Qingge was a natural-born leader, standing out in a crowd as if she emitted light.

Yet, Lin Qingge remained aloof with everyone. Even in the midst of a crowd, an invisible barrier seemed to separate her from others. Only when facing Mu Ling would her indifferent eyes soften slightly, a trace of warmth flickering in her gaze.

Thankfully, she was the one who had raised this little one!

Mu Ling was immensely proud of her eye for talent. If she hadn’t picked up little Qingge back then, given the girl’s temperament, she wouldn’t even know where to start if she ever needed to win her favor in the future.

“My daughter has grown into a lady of renown, stepping out from the deep chambers to be known by all.”

Whenever someone came looking for Lin Qingge, Mu Ling would step aside, watching her with a tender, motherly smile. Lin Qingge’s gaze would occasionally drift toward her, and Mu Ling sensed that her disciple was worried she might feel neglected. After all, her apprentice was even more popular than her master. So, Mu Ling would often respond with a bright, reassuring smile to show she didn’t mind in the slightest. After all, Lin Qingge’s life was destined to be anything but low-key. Once she slew the Demon King, even more admirers would come seeking her.

And whenever Lin Qingge received Mu Ling’s smile, she seemed to relax, the corners of her usually tight lips curling into a faint hint of a grin. Within three days, nearly the entire camp had heard the news of how close Lin Qingge was with her master.

One day, as Mu Ling led Lin Qingge on a routine inspection of the airship’s facilities, a few outer sect cultivators approached. Dressed in extravagant robes and adorned with high-grade magical artifacts, they seemed desperate to flaunt their wealth to the world. The emblem on their robes, a glittering golden ingot marked them as members of the Earth Sovereign Alliance, one of the four great sects.

Unlike other immortal sects that demanded hefty tributes from their vassal states, the Earth Sovereign Alliance had a unique system. The emperors of the nations under their rule were all cultivators dispatched by the sect. These rulers, in turn, enriched the alliance. Over millennia, this arrangement had made the Earth Sovereign Alliance the wealthiest of the four great sects, to the point where even an ordinary disciple might be royalty from one of their subordinate kingdoms.

The Earth Sovereign Alliance’s ostentatious style grated on Mu Ling, who despised their exploitation of the common people. She had little interaction with them and couldn’t fathom why they were here.

As if sensing her confusion, an elder cultivator stroked his goatee and slowly approached Mu Ling. Meanwhile, one of the female disciples, her face flushed crimson at the sight of Lin Qingge, was nudged forward by her companions. Trembling, the girl stepped up to Lin Qingge and whispered, “Qingge, I—”

“Fairy Mu,” the elder cultivator began. Though his cultivation was far inferior to Mu Ling’s, his audacity was boundless. He stood before her with a lecherous gleam in his eyes, making Mu Ling’s displeasure spike. Just as she was about to dismiss him, he spoke again: “Your esteemed disciple, Lin Qingge, is a peerless talent who has captured many hearts. My daughter, Qian Jing, has been unable to forget her since their first meeting. I implore Peak Master Mu to consider my daughter’s devotion and allow Lin Qingge to form a marital bond with her. Our sects could then support each other and achieve greatness together.”

So, they were here for Qingge! Mu Ling nearly laughed in disbelief at the sheer audacity.

Who did this man think he was? If Qian Jing had been a decent person, Mu Ling might have understood. But Qian Jing was infamous across the three realms for her debauchery, with no regard for gender. Her reputation was so vile that even Mu Ling, secluded in Qingbo Peak, had heard of her scandals. And yet, this woman dared to covet Qingge?

With a sharp shing, Lin Qingge unsheathed her sword the moment Qian Jing finished her confession.

“Lin Qingge, don’t push your luck!” one of the Earth Sovereign Alliance disciples shrieked. “Jingjing is the daughter of Elder Qian of the Earth Sovereign Alliance! How dare you—”

Before the disciple could finish, a cold gust swept over his scalp. Lin Qingge sheathed her blade and half of his hair tumbled to the ground.

The disciple dared not scream again and reluctantly let Qian Jing plead her case. However, Qian Jing’s gaze only grew more infatuated as she stared at Lin Qingge. “Qingge, I truly mean it.”

A loud clang rang out. The sound of metal striking something hard.

Lin Qingge thrust her sword forward, but Qian Jing possessed a rare treasure that managed to block the strike!

The treasure shattered upon impact, rendered useless, and Qian Jing hastily retreated behind her companions.

At the same time, Lin Qingge frowned slightly. She seemed to sense a familiar aura emanating from Qian Jing.

The conflict naturally caught the attention of Elder Qian, who glared furiously at Mu Ling. “Elder Mu, won’t you discipline your disciple?”

Mu Ling, however, leisurely pulled out a piece of mermaid silk and smiled faintly. “Perhaps Elder Qian would like to spar with me instead?”

“Fine! Since you refuse a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit.”

Elder Qian’s expression darkened, but in the end, he didn’t dare confront Mu Ling and her disciple head-on. Grumbling, he led his group away.

Mu Ling turned to look at Lin Qingge, who was staring coldly in the direction the Earth Emperor Alliance members had left, her eyes narrowed like shards of ice. Sensing Lin Qingge’s foul mood, Mu Ling carefully offered comfort. “Qingge, don’t worry. Your master would never betroth you to such a cultivator.”

“I know,” Lin Qingge withdrew her gaze, a faint smile tugging at her lips as she listened to Mu Ling. “Master has always been exceptionally good to me.”

“I won’t marry anyone. I’ll stay by your side forever.”

“Silly child,” Mu Ling failed to grasp the subtext of Lin Qingge’s words and sighed, patting her shoulder. “My Qingge deserves the finest person in the world. When the time comes, I’ll make sure to vet them thoroughly. I won’t let some smooth-talking cultivator deceive you.”

Mu Ling grew increasingly sentimental, even prematurely feeling the melancholy of a parent sending off their child in marriage. But she didn’t notice the smile fading from Lin Qingge’s lips, nor the deepening intensity in her gaze as she watched Mu Ling.

That night, under a sky of sparse stars and a bright moon, a faint rustle came from the room next to Mu Ling’s. No one noticed the occupant had vanished without a trace.

In the opulent chambers of the Earth Emperor Alliance, Qian Jing was embracing a cauldron slave who bore a slight resemblance to Lin Qingge when suddenly, Lin Qingge herself appeared in her room.

“Qingge?!” Qian Jing was overjoyed, finding Lin Qingge even more alluring than before. Her eyes tinged with a seductive crimson, like a fallen immortal emerging from mountains of corpses and seas of blood.

Enraptured, Qian Jing pushed the cauldron slave aside and approached Lin Qingge. “Have you come for me?”

“I want the Heart-Eroding Lotus Seed,” Lin Qingge pressed her lips together, glancing at Qian Jing’s waist.

“So, it’s the lotus seed you’re after!” Qian Jing laughed, her eyes fixed greedily on Lin Qingge’s face. “That seed is stored in my life bound artifact. No one can retrieve it but me. All you have to do is spend one night with me.” Qian Jing had initially intended to demand marriage, but under Lin Qingge’s icy stare, the words died on her lips, forcing her to amend her request.

“You think you’re worthy?” In the next instant, Qian Jing was hoisted into the air by her throat, Lin Qingge’s narrowed eyes regarding her like a lifeless object. “If I can’t have it, I’d rather destroy it.”

Lin Qingge’s hands appeared delicate and slender, yet her grip was astonishingly strong. Qian Jing struggled in vain to break free. Staring into Lin Qingge’s icy eyes, tears streamed down her face uncontrollably: “I need the Phoenix Tail Herb! Give me the Phoenix Tail Herb, and I’ll hand over the Heart-Corroding Lotus.”

Lin Qingge truly intended to kill her!

The Phoenix Tail Herb was a nearly extinct medicinal plant, rumored to be guarded by ancient ferocious beasts. Few in the world could ever find it.

Lin Qingge loosened her grip, and Qian Jing fell to the ground.

“Deal!”

Without another word, Lin Qingge turned and walked away. Behind her, Qian Jing’s desperate cries echoed: “Qingge, my feelings for you are genuine! All those foolish things I did before were because I was poisoned. Only the Phoenix Tail Herb can cure me.”

“Genuine?”

The ‘Lin Qingge’ who stepped out of the room had eyes tinged with an even deeper crimson at their corners. Gazing into the thick darkness of the night, she recalled her own wavering emotions when facing Mu Ling during the day and let out a derisive scoff: “How dare you claim such a thing?”