Master is Also Running Away from Marriage Today (Transmigration) - Chapter 59

After the demon general finished speaking, the room fell into complete silence.

Every cultivator had heard of the renowned reputation of the four great sects.

Among the four, the Bodhi Crossing Sect was the most low-key and mysterious. Known throughout the immortal realm for its formidable strength, like every other immortal sect, it recruited a vast number of new disciples. What was rare was that the Bodhi Crossing Sect did not care about a disciple’s background, only their innate wisdom, and thus most of its disciples came from commoner families.

Previously, no one found this strange. But now, awakened by the demon general’s words, they belatedly realized something amiss: after so many years, with the Bodhi Crossing Sect recruiting so many new disciples annually, why were their numbers still so few?

Most of the Bodhi Crossing Sect’s new disciples came from the mortal world. Once they entered the immortal sect, they severed all mortal ties, and their parents would not deliberately visit their children. Once these disciples entered the sect, they were truly cut off from the world.

If the demon general’s words were true, then the Bodhi Crossing Sect’s recruitment was nothing but a deception: those disciples whom mortal parents believed were cultivating in the immortal sect had already become nourishment for the high-ranking disciples. Through a sinister array, the high-ranking disciples absorbed the spiritual power from these disciples, naturally growing stronger one by one.

“The immortal sects claim to be righteous, yet they engage in plenty of shady dealings.” After an unknown length of time, someone finally broke the silence.

Launching an attack on the Bodhi Crossing Sect was an enormous risk. The sect rarely interacted with the outside world, and its disciples were each formidable in cultivation, truly a tough nut to crack. Everyone present understood that unless the Demon King personally took action, the Bodhi Crossing Sect would likely remain unconquered.

However, the Demon King’s thoughts were inscrutable. Whether she would attack the sect depended entirely on her own whims. Thus, even though the revelation of the Bodhi Crossing Sect’s dark cultivation techniques was shocking, no one was willing to be the first to speak up and advocate for an assault.

No one knew that behind the beaded curtain, the Demon King was half-lidded, idly braiding Mu Ling’s hair into tiny plaits.

Mu Ling suspected Yan Qi hadn’t even heard a word of the meeting. Her face flushed crimson, but unable to break free, she could only lie limply in Yan Qi’s embrace, burying her face in the Demon King’s robes.

The thin beaded curtain did little to conceal them. If anyone were to look up now, they would see the Demon King holding Mu Ling in her arms. Mu Ling’s heart pounded with fear as she gritted her teeth in frustration, hidden in Yan Qi’s embrace. She felt like the infamous demon consort of ancient legends though it was Yan Qi who forced her to sit in her lap, if this were exposed, the demonic realm wouldn’t dare blame the Demon King. Instead, all the blame would fall on her, the so-called “demon consort”.

A low chuckle came from above. Mu Ling felt Yan Qi was mocking her and, unable to resist, pinched Yan Qi’s waist in retaliation. The moment she did it, Mu Ling froze, realizing she might have just signed her own death warrant. After all, Yan Qi was nothing like Lin Qingge, who would indulge her antics.

Mu Ling stiffened, waiting for the inevitable, only to feel Yan Qi’s chest still vibrating with laughter. She seemed even more amused now!

Mu Ling was at a loss for words. Blank-faced, she lay motionless in Yan Qi’s arms.

The once calm, restrained, and dignified Lin Qingge had turned into this madwoman, leaving Mu Ling utterly helpless. Yet this madness was because of her. She had sown the seeds and now had to bear the consequences. With her cultivation completely gone and no strength to fight back against Yan Qi, Mu Ling had no choice but to endure the torment as this lunatic played with her hair.

Yan Qi undid and redid the braids over and over, finally settling on two symmetrical little pigtails on either side of Mu Ling’s head. Seeing the girl’s expression of utter despair, Yan Qi’s eyes darkened slightly. She brushed her fingers lightly over Mu Ling’s eyes before lazily lifting her gaze to the sea of people below.

The Bodhi Crossing was a battle she had to fight.

Yan Qi wanted to ascend to godhood. Even if she didn’t know why, she would soon carry out her plan: using her innate talent to control a hundred thousand cultivators at once, compelling them to willingly offer their spiritual power as sacrifice, and finally shattering the void to become a god.

This was the conviction that had sustained her all these years.

Now that the Bodhi Crossing had preemptively employed a forbidden array, it naturally piqued Yan Qi’s interest.

“The Bodhi Crossing, hm?”

After what felt like an eternity, Mu Ling heard Yan Qi’s lazy voice drift down from above. She sighed in relief, thinking this ancestor had finally turned her attention to serious matters. Tilting her head slightly, she felt Yan Qi’s fingers press warningly against her spine before smoothing her hair again.

Despite her hands being occupied with such childish antics, Yan Qi’s voice sounded perfectly composed. No one would have guessed she was toying with a girl’s hair while speaking so gravely.

“I’ve heard the Bodhi Crossing is teeming with powerful figures. It’s been years since I’ve met a worthy opponent. Today, I’d like to test them.” The Demon King’s voice, cold and clear as shattered ice, echoed through the hall. In an instant, the once-bustling chamber fell into dead silence.

Mu Ling watched the crowd below shrink in fear before lifting her gaze to Yan Qi above her. Yan Qi’s chin was slightly raised, her jawline exquisitely defined, her lips pressed into a beautiful, imperious curve. In every way, she looked the part of a lofty sovereign; powerful, elegant.

Her words might have sounded arrogant, but no one dared to question them. When one’s strength reached a certain level, even the most audacious claims became indisputable truths in the eyes of the mighty.

This was yet another side of Yan Qi that Mu Ling had never known.

Staring blankly at her, Mu Ling suddenly realized the fundamental difference between Lin Qingge and Yan Qi:

Qingge had always been gentle, composed, and kind in front of her. The embodiment of all things good. Everything about Qingge had been tailored to Mu Ling’s preferences. Looking back now, Mu Ling understood that Qingge had been deliberately catering to her, to the point of losing herself entirely.

But Yan Qi was different. Though traces of that same desire to please remained, her attempts were transparent, easily seen through. At her core, she was still Yan Qi.

True love should bring joy to both, allowing flaws to show and fostering mutual acceptance not one-sided sacrifice and forced compromise.

Emotionally, Mu Ling had always preferred the ever-accommodating Lin Qingge. But rationally, she knew: Yan Qi, unapologetically herself, was the real Yan Qi.

And in that moment, Mu Ling finally understood her own feelings completely.

She had always been pushed forward by Lin Qingge’s facade that Yan Qi had assumed, believing that her affection for Lin Qingge wasn’t deep enough; that it was more of a yearning for something beautiful and a lingering attachment to their years of master-disciple bond. But at this moment, Mu Ling realized she genuinely loved Yan Qi. Because only true love would make her care whether the other was happy and wish to be with them forever.

Yan Qi had already taken ninety-nine steps toward her.

Mu Ling pressed her lips together, feeling a mix of shyness and a sudden clarity that filled her with anticipation: Since it was someone she loved, the final step had to be taken by her.

Yan Qi noticed the girl had grown bolder lately.

Not only did she dare to insist on accompanying her to attack Bodhi Crossing, but after being refused, she even had the audacity to sulk and ignore her!

Bodhi Crossing was teeming with powerful cultivators. Yan Qi estimated the journey would take at least a month, if not a year or more. Truthfully, she was reluctant to part with the girl, but she instinctively didn’t want to bring her along. Didn’t want her to witness the madness of her slaughter.

To her surprise, after being rejected, the girl simply packed her things, left the palace chambers, and moved back to the dilapidated little hut in the backyard.

At first, Yan Qi didn’t take it seriously, thinking the girl was young and would be easily coaxed. Unfortunately, the girl proved difficult to appease: she stopped wearing the clothes sent to her, refused the delicacies prepared for her, and when Yan Qi visited, she buried herself under the blankets, as if she didn’t even want to see her.

Yan Qi gritted her teeth in frustration. If it were anyone else, they would have died a hundred times over by now. But with this girl, she didn’t dare say a single harsh word, afraid of breaking her heart.

“I must be bewitched!” Yan Qi cursed herself silently, unable to understand why she was so obsessed with indulging this brat who kept pushing her limits.

“Eat something.” Yan Qi sat at the edge of Mu Ling’s bed, her tone stiff as she pulled the blanket away. She had planned to resort to more forceful measures if the girl refused again, but instead, she was met with a pair of red, swollen eyes.

“No!” The girl sniffled, her voice trembling, her eyes puffy and red. Clearly, she had been crying for a long time.

Yan Qi froze. Seeing her like this, all her earlier plans vanished. After a moment’s hesitation, the mighty Demon King gritted her teeth and, for the first time ever, attempted to explain herself: “The journey ahead is treacherous, and you have no spiritual power. I’m afraid you’ll suffer if you come along.”

“But I have you!” The girl completely disregarded her carefully crafted excuse, staring at her with teary eyes and answering with absolute conviction: “You’re the most powerful, and you’re always so careful. As long as I’m with you, I’m not afraid at all.”

Damn it!

Under the girl’s tearful gaze, listening to her trembling voice express such unwavering trust, Yan Qi found herself almost nodding in agreement.

Taking a deep breath, she barely managed to summon another excuse: “The cultivators at Bodhi Crossing are ruthless, and the scenes there will be brutal. You’re still young, you might be terrified.”

“But I still have you!” The little girl still looked a bit aggrieved, but she finally emerged from the blankets, kneeling in front of Yan Qi and gazing earnestly into her eyes. “I know none of this is a problem for you. Just take me with you, okay?”

How could she make such an expression?

Looking at Mu Ling so close, Yan Qi’s eyes wavered for a moment before she reluctantly turned her head away, feeling a burning sensation in her chest. A sudden urge to retreat arose within her perhaps she shouldn’t have come to see the little girl at this moment.

But the little girl gave Yan Qi no chance to retreat.

“If you take me, I’ll give you a gift,” the little girl said, blushing as she tugged lightly at Yan Qi’s sleeve.

Yan Qi pressed her lips together, refusing to speak, afraid that if she opened her mouth, she’d agree to the girl’s request.

The little girl frowned, undeterred by the lack of response. She leaned even closer to Yan Qi, almost sitting on her lap so close that Yan Qi could clearly see the flutter of her long lashes.

Yan Qi suddenly felt her throat go dry.

But she couldn’t falter now. It had taken so much effort to build this rapport with the little girl. She couldn’t risk being a ‘scoundrel’ again so soon.

Yan Qi lowered her head, appearing almost helpless. Who would have thought the once-arrogant Demon King could wear such an innocent expression?

Mu Ling’s eyes flickered as she clenched her fists, gathering her courage. The next moment, a kiss landed on Yan Qi’s cheek.

Mu Ling’s face burned crimson, but having taken the first step, the rest became easier. Steeling herself, she kissed Yan Qi’s forehead, her eyes, the bridge of her nose.

“I don’t care,” Mu Ling said, her face flushed as she tried to act spoiled. “You’ve already accepted my gift. You have to agree.”

But before she could finish, the Demon King, her gaze now dark and intense, captured her lips. Deep within those smoldering eyes, a fire seemed to ignite, and Mu Ling suddenly found herself unable to meet her gaze.

Oh no! She’d gone too far!

Alarm bells rang in Mu Ling’s mind, but it was too late. The Demon King kissed her fiercely, pulling her into a fiery abyss. Their lips and tongues intertwined with such wild intensity that Mu Ling almost felt like she was being devoured whole.

By the time Mu Ling thought she might pass out from the kiss, Yan Qi finally pulled away, breathing heavily. She narrowed her eyes, studying the panting Mu Ling, then sighed softly before biting her earlobe in retaliation, her voice hoarse as she muttered, “Fine!”