Master is Also Running Away from Marriage Today (Transmigration) - Chapter 64

At her feet lay the lifeless body of Patriarch Bodhi, his eyes filled with venomous hatred.

Before her stood a young girl, her expression slightly shy, eyes sparkling as she smiled softly at her.

Yan Qi gazed at the sea of corpses surrounding them, her vision momentarily blurred.

Dazedly, she reached out, wanting to touch the girl’s cheek, but then caught sight of the blood staining her own hands. A flicker of hesitation crossed Yan Qi’s face, and she withdrew her hand.

She hadn’t planned to care about the girl’s origins before.

Yan Qi was confident in her supreme cultivation and the multitude of her followers. No matter who the girl was or what her past entailed, she believed she had the power and ability to handle it.

This was the arrogance of a demon lord: whether in the heavens above or the underworld below, the girl could never escape her grasp.

So, after realizing her fondness for the girl, Yan Qi naturally imposed her own preferences upon her. She was aware that her affection carried the condescension of a superior bestowing favor upon an inferior.

Even though she had faint premonitions, Yan Qi never imagined the worst would come true. Someone told her the girl was not of this world.

It meant the girl could flee, could leave, could vanish to a place beyond Yan Qi’s sight and reach, never to be seen again.

The mere thought of such a possibility made Yan Qi feel as though her heart had been seized, leaving her breathless.

She lowered her eyes.

The once-indomitable demon lord, in an instant, shed all her ferocity, appearing almost lost.

The girl truly was Mu Ling!

Not a substitute, but the living, breathing Mu Ling who had returned to find her.

Unexpected, yet somehow inevitable. In this world, there was likely only one Mu Ling who could make her break her own rules time and again, loving her almost instinctively.

Yet, she almost wished she weren’t Mu Ling.

After just over a year of being reunited, Yan Qi’s heart and eyes were already filled with her. But in those forgotten years, she and Mu Ling had spent decades together.

Suddenly, she understood her past feelings. When the beloved girl vanished from sight, it would drive one mad, wouldn’t it?

Before Mu Ling left, Yan Qi had already touched the barrier to the pinnacle of her cultivation. But the memories with Mu Ling were too precious, her admiration for Mu Ling outweighing all else. So she had suppressed her power, unwilling to reach the peak at the cost of forgetting those treasured moments.

Yet, Mu Ling had been pierced through the heart right before her eyes.

When others had recounted these events before, Yan Qi had felt nothing, as though listening to someone else’s story. But now, superimposing the girl’s face onto those memories, she felt a stabbing pain in her chest.

What if the girl fled again? Disappeared to a place she could never reach.

Yan Qi pressed her lips together. She finally understood the origin of her obsession with ascension.

Taking a deep breath, she suppressed the dark emotions churning within her. With a spell, she cleansed the blood from her hands, then casually took Mu Ling’s hand as if nothing were amiss.

“It’s good that you’re back,” Yan Qi murmured, lowering her eyes and tightening her grip slightly on Mu Ling’s hand.

Mu Ling looked surprised, casting a puzzled glance at Yan Qi. She had prepared a flood of words to prove she was truly Mu Ling, but Yan Qi’s reaction left her feeling as though she’d struck cotton, utterly bewildered.

Is this matter really over just like that?

Did she truly believe that I am Mu Ling?

Unable to resist, Mu Ling stole a glance at Yan Qi’s expression.

However, Yan Qi had slightly turned her head away, and Mu Ling couldn’t see the emotions in her eyes only her sharp chin, the flawless curve of her jawline, and her slightly pursed lips.

What Mu Ling didn’t notice was the fleeting trace of dark madness that flashed through Yan Qi’s lowered gaze.

And in an unnoticed corner, no one saw the frail demonic cultivator wrapped in black cloth suddenly turn deathly pale, their eyes glazing over. When they regained movement, their actions were noticeably sluggish, and a deep-seated hatred flickered in their eyes as they glanced at Yan Qi.

–

For the demonic realm, this assault was an overwhelming victory.

The news that the demonic forces had captured nearly all of Bodhi Crossing’s disciples spread like wildfire across the three realms. As for the rumors that Bodhi Crossing had been using sinister methods to cultivate, climbing atop piles of corpses to ascend. Most people paid them no heed. After all, in the eyes of the world, the demonic race was far more notorious. The so-called whispers of Bodhi Crossing’s dark arts were dismissed as mere slander spread by the demonic realm to tarnish their name.

“It’s time for a desperate stand!”

Even a secluded and powerful sect like Bodhi Crossing had been completely annihilated by the demonic forces. The demonic realm now hung like a sharp blade over everyone’s heads. With Bodhi Crossing as the precedent, how long would it be before the other sects met the same fate?

When the lips are gone, the teeth will be cold. No one knew who started it, but some of the hidden immortal sects, fearing they would be the next to fall, began spontaneously organizing an alliance.

At this point, there was no time to squabble over interests. Survival was the top priority. If they delayed any longer, the demonic realm would pick them off one by one. Thus, the immortal sects could no longer afford to hold back. Those with treasures contributed treasures; those with manpower offered manpower. They banded together, forming a force several times larger than the so-called “Demon-Subduing Alliance” from fifteen years ago.

Meanwhile, amid all the chaos outside, the terrifying Demon King, rumored to have “torn Bodhi Patriarch apart with her bare hands,” was quite unlike the image of a ruthless ruler lying on the bed with Mu Ling, reading storybooks.

It had been half a month since Mu Ling returned to the demonic palace, and she never expected to spend these days living like a recluse with Yan Qi; eating, drinking, cultivating, and before she knew it, the day was over.

During this time, Yan Qi had revealed the origins of the Bodhi Patriarch to Mu Ling, though she kept some details to herself. That person had first taken the skin of the previous Demon King, then Bodhi Patriarch’s. Yan Qi couldn’t be certain she had completely destroyed him this time only by finding his original body would she be sure.

But in this vast world, where could she possibly search for his true form?

And so, the matter was left unsettled for now.

“How did you and I first meet?” Yan Qi suddenly asked, as if casually, lifting her gaze from the book. The tail of her enchanting eyes caught a glimmer of starlight from the skylight Mu Ling had opened, making her gaze utterly mesmerizing. “I’ve forgotten.”

“It’s nothing important.”

Yan Qi’s eyes were truly breathtaking. Cold as ice when unsmiling, yet radiant as spring blossoms when she laughed. Once caught in her gaze, it was like being pulled into a whirlpool, impossible to escape.

Yan Qi looked so languid and alluring like this. Mu Ling studied her appearance for a while, inexplicably feeling a bit nervous. She unconsciously swallowed and averted her gaze, trying hard to steer the conversation back on track: “Well… when I was traveling in the mortal world, I noticed you had extraordinary bones, a rare talent for cultivation, so I took you as my disciple and nurtured you with great care.”

Oh heavens, why did it feel like Yan Qi was seducing her?

Mu Ling silently recited the Heart-Cleansing Mantra a few times before convincing herself to look at Yan Qi openly again.

The memories of Donglin were too unpleasant. If Yan Qi had forgotten them, then so be it. Mu Ling wanted her to be happier.

Yet, Yan Qi frowned slightly, seeming somewhat displeased.

Mu Ling felt a pang of guilt, unsure whether Yan Qi believed her hastily fabricated tale. Her eyes darted around as she continued to embellish: “Back then, you were a jade-like, adorable little dumpling, always clinging to me and calling me ‘Master’ nonstop. Everyone adored you.”

The more Mu Ling spoke, the more animated she became. The time when Yan Qi was Lin Qingge had been a period free from the Bodhi Patriarch’s control. Since Yan Qi had already forgotten, Mu Ling decided to weave her a beautiful memory, half-truth, half-fiction of being a “heaven-favored prodigy, with a strict yet loving master and the whole sect doting on her.”

As she spoke, Mu Ling stole glances at Yan Qi from the corner of her eye. At some point, Yan Qi had moved closer, propping herself up on one elbow, her red lips curling slightly. Whether intentional or not, the collar of her robe had loosened a bit…

Mu Ling quickly averted her gaze, focusing on her nose and heart, determined to stick to the story of Lin Qingge.

Drawing from her years of reading countless storybooks, Mu Ling managed to improvise a tale on the spot. She sighed inwardly with relief, about to observe Yan Qi’s reaction to see if she had bought it. But before she could even get a clear look at Yan Qi’s expression, she was suddenly pulled into Yan Qi’s embrace by a long arm.

“Thank you, Master.”

A low chuckle sounded above her head. Yan Qi seemed exceptionally pleased: “I also have something to show you, Master.”

“Between master and disciple, no thanks are needed!” Mu Ling maintained a dignified facade, though inwardly, she was overjoyed.

She believed it?!

Mu Ling had never expected her clumsy acting to fool the cunning Demon King. For a moment, her gaze grew unfocused, and she didn’t notice the suddenly familiar-looking little leather-bound booklet appearing before her.

When Mu Ling saw the bold characters on the cover “The True Record of a Prodigy’s Growth” her entire being froze.

Yet the laughter in the voice above her grew even more pronounced, as Yan Qi deliberately enunciated each word, reading aloud at a leisurely pace:

“Little Qingge works too hard, and I fear she might become cold and detached from human emotions. Thus, I have ordered her to cook once every half month. At first, she seemed reluctant, but later, she appeared to enjoy it. Not to boast, but Little Qingge’s culinary skills are truly unparalleled in heaven and earth. As expected of an outstanding sword cultivator even the meat slices she cuts are uniformly thick, flawless…”

“Is this what the Master calls ‘nurturing with great care’ and ‘strict yet loving’?”

Yan Qi’s voice was right beside her ear.

At this moment, Mu Ling wanted nothing more than to dig a hole and bury herself. Without Yan Qi having to do anything, she buried her face in Yan Qi’s neck on her own:

Too ashamed to face anyone! This was what they called public humiliation!

Back then, Mu Ling cheerfully recorded Lin Qingge’s daily life. Who could have imagined that Lin Qingge would rise to become the ultimate villain? And now, the villain was softly reciting in her irresistibly lazy, husky voice:

“After Qingge returned from slaying the serpent demon, she was covered in blood, barely clinging to life. I was so frantic that tears nearly spilled, but the child just smiled and handed me the serpent’s gall, saying it was for my medicine. Right then, I made up my mind to treat Qingge as my own daughter for the rest of my life.”

“Own daughter?” Yan Qi savored the words, a teasing smirk curling at her lips as she nibbled Mu Ling’s ear. “I never imagined Shizhu had such grand ambitions wanting to be my mother.”

Mu Ling was so flustered she could almost cry! Back then, she had been in the mindset of an adoring “mom fan,” not actually thinking of her as a daughter. But now, it was clearly too late to explain.

The term “Shizhu” was something she had grown accustomed to, yet when Yan Qi uttered it now, it carried deliberate mockery, sending a shiver straight to Mu Ling’s heart.

Not content with that, the instigator then captured Mu Ling’s lips in a dizzying kiss, leaving her breathless. When Yan Qi finally released her, she looked like a demon who had just feasted on a soul, her beauty radiant and devastating. “Mother is out of the question,” she murmured, “but I am still in need of a wife.”