Master is Also Running Away from Marriage Today (Transmigration) - Chapter 34

Under the group’s relentless counterattack, the tide of demonic spiders finally retreated back into their nest.

Only then did Mu Ling realize just how formidable these spiders were. Even though she had taken an antidote pill, her head still felt heavy and dizzy. She swayed unsteadily on her mermaid silk, and just as she was about to crash face-first into the ground again. Lin Qingge, who had initially intended to ignore her, couldn’t help but reach out and pull her onto her own sword.

“Qingge, s-slow down.” Mu Ling pressed a hand to her lips, weakly clutching Lin Qingge’s sleeve as she suppressed the urge to retch.

Sword cultivators traveled at breakneck speeds, and Lin Qingge was among the fastest. Riding her sword felt like being on a rollercoaster, especially since Lin Qingge kept inexplicably changing speeds. Mu Ling’s heart leapt into her throat, and she could only cling tightly to Lin Qingge’s waist to avoid being thrown off.

By now, they had reached the mid-to-upper regions of Huai Mountain. A thick fog suddenly rose from the terrain ahead, obscuring everything beyond ten meters. The group grew wary, hovering in place to observe the mist. In truth, no one understood why Lin Qingge was circling so rapidly in midair.

Lin Qingge took a deep breath, doing her utmost to ignore the sweet scent of Mu Ling pressed against her. With great effort, she finally slowed the sword’s speed.

Yet the heat between them refused to dissipate. Warmth spread from every point of contact, and Lin Qingge’s face burned hotter than ever before. She clenched her jaw, summoning every ounce of willpower to resist the urge to fling Mu Ling off the sword.

She knew her behavior was unusual, but surrounded by Mu Ling’s scent, Lin Qingge felt as though she, too, had been infected by the spider’s venom. Her mind grew hazy, her heart tingling, making rational thought impossible.

So clingy!

Lin Qingge gritted her teeth, glancing at Mu Ling whose eyes shimmered with unshed tears before involuntarily channeling a stream of soothing spiritual energy into Mu Ling’s back.

The cool energy seeped into Mu Ling’s body, gradually spreading through her limbs and easing the nausea.

Finally relieved, Mu Ling exhaled in gratitude, her eyes sparkling as she resumed her usual habit of showering Lin Qingge with praise. “Qingge, you’re amazing!”

Lin Qingge lowered her gaze to meet Mu Ling’s, only to immediately look away as if stung. Suddenly, she found herself unable to face Mu Ling’s radiant smile.

She’s actually acting spoiled with me!

When she had merely observed from the depths of her consciousness, she hadn’t fully grasped it. But now, confronted directly with Mu Ling’s bright, adoring eyes, Lin Qingge finally understood the effect she had on that fool inside her.

No wonder that idiot was so devoted.

Lin Qingge inhaled sharply, suppressing the fluttering in her chest. She forced her expression into its usual icy detachment as she watched Mu Ling summon her mermaid silk again.

Too bad! I won’t be like that fool.

With a cold turn of her head, Lin Qingge fixed her gaze on the creeping fog below, struggling to maintain her composure. Yet no matter how hard she tried, the scorching heat in her cheeks refused to fade.

–

The mist grew thicker, yet the surroundings remained unchanged. Fearing a delay, some began to stir restlessly, tentatively moving downward.

Where one ventured into the mist, others soon followed, until nearly half the group had disappeared within its depths.

Lin Qingge, however, stood unmoving, coldly suspended in mid-air, her peripheral gaze fixed on the female cultivator Mu Ling had saved earlier.

Unfortunately, the woman kept glancing at Mu Ling, and since Mu Ling hadn’t descended, neither did she.

“Lucky for her!”

Lin Qingge sneered inwardly.

“Aren’t you going down?”

Mu Ling stepped beside Lin Qingge, unable to hold back her question. Lin Qingge had volunteered earlier. Why did she now seem utterly unconcerned?

Lin Qingge shook her head, turning to glance at Mu Ling. “Is Master truly alright now?”

Mu Ling nodded, assuming Lin Qingge was hesitating out of concern for her. Touched, she quickly reassured her, “The poison in me has been neutralized. There’s no need to worry. You can go ahead.”

But before she could finish, a bloodcurdling scream erupted from below. Mu Ling watched in horror as the white mist transformed into a swarm of crimson insects, bursting forth from the bodies of the cultivators below. In an instant, those who had been laughing and chatting were reduced to clouds of blood and mist!

Someone hastily summoned a magical artifact to collect the souls of the fallen, hoping for a chance at revival only to find the insects had devoured even their spirits!

The insects, now saturated with spiritual energy, coalesced into a whirlwind, surging toward Mu Ling and the others. Fortunately, Bai Mufeng noticed the creatures feared fire. The cultivators used their artifacts to shield themselves, conjuring flames that incinerated everything in their path including the sinister insects!

Once the inferno had consumed the forest, the group finally glimpsed an ancient ruin beneath the ashes. A massive underground cavern housing a stone puppet several stories tall. Scattered insects still crawled from its orifices.

“What the hell is this thing?” Bai Mufeng muttered in disgust, summoning his artifact to burn the puppet to ashes. When suddenly, it lurched to life!

“Song Tianxing! I’ll make sure you die a wretched death!”

A hoarse woman’s voice echoed from within the puppet before it moved, its hollow eyes scanning the group as if searching for something. Then, with a thunderous crash, it swung a massive fist toward them!

The impact left a deep crater in the ground, forcing the cultivators to scatter. Yet the puppet pressed on, relentless.

Indestructible and impossibly agile, the stone monstrosity shrugged off every spell cast upon it. Worse still, it now blocked the only path upward forcing them to confront it head-on.

Perhaps recognizing Lin Qingge’s swordplay. the Tianling Sword Art, pioneered by its nemesis Song Tianxing. The puppet focused its attacks on her. Lin Qingge met the challenge, her blade weaving an impenetrable net of light around the creature. Yet the puppet showed no sign of faltering.

“Fall back, all of you!” Bai Mufeng suddenly shouted. “Split up and retreat in different directions, we’ll wear it down!”

“This stone golem likely contains a wisp of soul left behind by some ancient powerhouse,” Bai Mufeng explained rapidly as he retreated, his vast knowledge evident. “It must have mistaken us for Song Tianxing from back then. Now, that powerhouse only has a trace of their soul remaining, which can’t sustain it for long. If we deplete its spiritual energy, the stone golem will collapse on its own.”

Mu Ling found Bai Mufeng’s reasoning sound and was about to call Lin Qingge back. However, upon hearing this, Lin Qingge didn’t retreat. Instead, she circled the stone golem on her flying sword, launching unexpected attacks from various angles!

“You’ve certainly taken on a remarkable disciple,” Bai Mufeng remarked, admiration flashing in his eyes as he glanced at Lin Qingge before turning to Mu Ling with a sigh. “In this day and age, it’s rare to see a swordsman with such a pure sword heart.”

Nearby, several swordsmen lowered their heads at his words.

Everyone knew the path of a swordsman was to “charge forward against adversity,” yet most of them had forged their way through piles of spirit stones, with few ever-facing true peril. How many could maintain their sword heart under the threat of life and death?

“Song… Tian… Xing!”

Enraged by Lin Qingge’s relentless assault, the stone golem let out a beast-like roar, its attacks growing faster and more frenzied. For a time, Lin Qingge’s figure became little more than a blur.

After what felt like an eternity, the stone golem collapsed with a thunderous crash, its head lolling helplessly toward Mu Ling’s direction, unable to make another sound.

Lin Qingge stood before the fallen golem, her sword resting against her back, her white robes pristine, her silhouette as straight and slender as ever.

“Truly impressive!” Bai Mufeng exclaimed beside Mu Ling.

But Mu Ling cared little for the impression Lin Qingge had left on the others. Seeing her standing there alone filled her with heartache, and she hurried forward to take Lin Qingge’s wrist, checking for injuries.

Lin Qingge remained still, allowing Mu Ling to fuss over her. In truth, she was caught in a bloodthirsty frenzy. A sensation she knew all too well. Every time her cultivation technique spiraled out of control, she would descend into this state, gradually losing herself until only bloodshed could restore her inner calm.

Yet now, she was Lin Qingge, a disciple of the righteous path, not the Demon King Yan Qi. She had to suppress the overwhelming urge to kill. Worse still, the other consciousness within her seized this moment to rebel, threatening to take over her body.

She wouldn’t last much longer. Once that fool regained control, she certainly wouldn’t seek out the Heart-Erosion Lotus Seeds to detoxify. Lin Qingge needed to secure the Phoenix Tail Herb as soon as possible to avoid further complications.

Meanwhile, unrest spread through the group. Some began pleading with Bai Mufeng to let them leave the mountain. They had expected danger on Huai Mountain, but not that its ancient ruins would be so treacherous. Faced with the prospect of even greater perils ahead, they’d rather cut their losses and retreat while they still could.

…

Lin Qingge paid no heed to these discussions.

The more she thought, the more her head throbbed, her vision tinged with red. Suddenly, a soft touch on her arm snapped her back. Mu Ling had taken her wrist again, checking her pulse. “Can your body handle this?”

Lin Qingge lowered her gaze. Through the veil as thin as a cicada’s wing, she could clearly see the evident concern in Mu Ling’s bright, contrasting eyes. It was like a spreading wildfire suddenly encountering a clear spring. Her nearly shattered sanity gradually regained clarity.

For the first time, on the verge of collapse, Lin Qingge found herself maintaining her composure.

With a complicated expression, she watched Mu Ling sigh and secretly bring her a bowl of spiritual spring water, watched as Mu Ling suggested to Bai Mufeng that they reorganize and rest before continuing upward, and listened as Mu Ling praised her with a bright smile, “Qingge, you were absolutely amazing just now!”

Lin Qingge closed her eyes briefly and lowered her head, her right hand tightening slightly.

Perhaps once her cultivation reached its peak and she unified the three realms, she wouldn’t have to kill Mu Ling. Keeping her around, chattering away, might add some liveliness to her days.

And the thought of Mu Ling one day entering her demonic palace filled Lin Qingge with an unfamiliar sense of anticipation. For the first time, she looked forward to the cold, filthy halls of her future dominion.