Stepping in for the Heroine to Crush the Protagonist Group [Transmigration] - Chapter 57

The day after returning to the Black Market, Gu Sheng went into seclusion.

At noon, Hu Li rose from her bed and applied makeup powder to her neck, carefully concealing the faint red marks before slowly descending the stairs.

Downstairs, Uncle Feng stood behind the counter, manipulating an abacus to calculate Myriad Treasures Residence’s recent profits. Beside him stood a large rooster, its wings akimbo, crowing incessantly.

“Father, please change me back,” Feng Xianyue pleaded softly, her voice dripping with coquettishness. “I swear, I’ll never touch the Young Miss’s Dao Companion again.”

Yesterday, after punishing Feng Xianyue by making her transcribe the Fire Phoenix Clan’s Core Scripture thirty times, Uncle Feng had followed Gu Sheng’s instructions and sealed his restless daughter back into her rooster form.

Furthermore, to prevent Feng Xianyue from acting rashly towards Hu Li or Gu Sheng again, Uncle Feng had spent the entire night thoroughly explaining the Soul Swap between Gu Sheng and Hu Li, as well as the depth of Gu Sheng’s affection for Hu Li, to Feng Xianyue from beginning to end.

“Feng Xianyue, you’ll have to discuss this with the Young Miss yourself once she emerges from seclusion,” Uncle Feng said, sliding the abacus further away from her and deliberately turning his back.

*******

Seeing this, Feng Xianyue let out an indignant cry and leaped onto Uncle Feng’s head, kicking and squirming. “Dad, just turn me back! Please? The Young Miss won’t even know since she’s in seclusion. Just turn me back for one day, secretly!”

“I swear, Xianyue won’t touch the Young Miss’s Dao Companion! Just turn me back, please!”

Feng Xianyue continued her relentless clamoring. Fortunately, Myriad Treasures Residence wasn’t open for business during the day, so her commotion didn’t disturb anyone.

“Shopkeeper Feng,” Hu Li said, descending the stairs after watching the father-daughter squabble for a few moments. Her voice cut through the air, interrupting their argument.

Feng Xianyue turned to Hu Li, staring blankly for a few seconds before raising her paw, ready to pounce.

But when her gaze landed on Uncle Feng, who coughed pointedly, she immediately lowered her paw and fell silent, becoming docile.

Uncle Feng, satisfied, withdrew his warning glare and turned to Hu Li, bowing respectfully. “Highness, you’ve come to see my daughter, I presume?”

Gu Sheng had already told him everything about Hu Li. He had met the Fox Clan Young Highness a few times before—a sincere and earnest girl.

Hu Li chuckled awkwardly, having also heard from Gu Sheng about Uncle Feng and Feng Xianyue’s situation.

Hu Li felt deeply guilty for bullying Feng Xianyue in front of her father.

“Did Gu Sheng tell you everything?” Hu Li asked tentatively.

Uncle Feng nodded. “The Young Miss has told me everything that happened these past two months. She also mentioned Your Highness’s desire to go to the Cockfighting Arena.”

Cockfighting. Yesterday, when Gu Sheng mentioned this idea to Uncle Feng, Feng Xianyue had smashed another set of his teaware.

But he couldn’t bring himself to hit or scold his daughter. All he could do was seethe in silence. So, when Gu Sheng suggested a way to calm Feng Xianyue down, he agreed without hesitation.

“Cockfighting?!” Feng Xianyue finally understood.

She leaped onto the abacus beneath Uncle Feng’s hand, deliberately scattering the beads. “Father, you want me to fight those stupid creatures? Are you getting senile? I’m a Fire Phoenix! A Fire Phoenix! How could I possibly fight such low-grade beasts?!”

Uncle Feng: ……

He glared at the abacus beneath Feng Xianyue’s claws, his fist clenching slightly.

******

Uncle Feng gritted his teeth. “Feng Xianyue,” he said, “you’d better behave and follow the Young Miss’s instructions.”

With that, he plucked Feng Xianyue off the abacus and shoved her into Hu Li’s arms.

“Your Highness, I entrust my daughter to you,” Uncle Feng said with a forced smile, then hastily pushed Hu Li and Feng Xianyue out of the Myriad Treasures Residence. After handing Hu Li a ticket to the Cockfighting Arena, he slammed the door shut.

Hu Li faintly heard the sound of a lock clicking into place.

“Tsk, your dad doesn’t want you anymore,” Hu Li teased, tugging at the hood concealing her face.

True to her firecracker-like temperament, Feng Xianyue exploded into a frenzy at Hu Li’s words.

“Aaaah! You stupid dog! Fox Spirit! I’ll bite you to death!”

She squirmed and thrashed in Hu Li’s arms, but when she looked at Hu Li’s face, she couldn’t bring herself to bite. Instead, she tried to win with words.

Hu Li, however, calmly stroked Feng Xianyue’s Crimson Feathers as she strolled toward the Underground City exit.

******

[The Sheng-Li Li CP is back!]

[Whose ship is sailing again? Oh, it’s mine!]

[Enemies to lovers, frenemies—truly the GOAT!]

[Do you think Sheng-sheng deliberately had Li Li take Feng Xianyue to the cockfighting arena out of jealousy?]

[I feel the same way. I bet Sheng-sheng, that jealous pot, tricked Li Li into taking Feng Xianyue to the arena just to stir up trouble between them and eliminate any chance of them getting close.]

[No need for that. Sheng-sheng wouldn’t be jealous of a chicken, would she?]

[Feng Xianyue: I’m the Fire Phoenix! I’m the Fire Phoenix! I’m the Fire Phoenix!]

[There’s a voice in my head now.]

[Uncle Feng really threw his daughter under the bus, actually sending Feng Xianyue to Hu Li and letting her take her to the cockfighting arena.]

[After all, who could handle a “good girl” who smashes her own father’s prized tea set and loves making his accounting even harder?]

[Uncle Feng: Please, someone, take this precious daughter of mine away!]

[Uncle Feng: I’ve signed up for the new matchmaking show.]

******

Hu Li looked away from the comments that once again filled the sky, a colorful, chaotic mess, and left the Underground City.

Outside the Underground City, the atmosphere was much livelier. Black-robed figures jostled shoulder to shoulder, many clutching vibrant roosters in their arms.

This year’s cockfighting event at the Cockfighting Arena was particularly grand. Rumor had it that the owner of the Cock King would receive a thousand Spirit Stones as a reward.

Following the address on the ticket Uncle Feng had given her, Hu Li headed south. After about fifteen minutes, she arrived at the arena.

Upon entering, a blue-robed attendant approached her. After verifying her ticket, he swiftly took Feng Xianyue from Hu Li’s arms and escorted them to the VIP seating on the second floor.

The VIP seats offered exquisite refreshments and tea.

The blue-robed attendant poured Hu Li a cup of tea, placed it beside her, and bowed respectfully. “This year’s event has been meticulously prepared by my mistress. She instructed me to inform Elder Qi that if you enjoy it, she would be willing to open a cockfighting arena in the Underground City for your amusement.”

Businesses in the Underground City were always highly profitable, never incurring losses. Consequently, many sought to establish their ventures there.

However, space in the Underground City was limited. Each year, Gu Sheng granted only one slot for new establishments.

******

This fierce competition for a slice of the Underground City’s profits escalated into cutthroat tactics. Merchants resorted to everything from scalding rivals’ money trees with boiling water to secretly stealing their carriage horses, employing every dirty trick in the book.

Hu Li knew a thing or two about this. Back in the Black Market, someone who did the same job as her—introducing workers to employers—had once stolen her referral letters.

But after discovering that Hu Li’s performance was truly abysmal, no one bothered to sabotage her anymore. Some even thoughtfully directed their own clients to her shop.

At this memory, Hu Li’s lips twitched slightly. Eager to forget this embarrassing past, she shifted her gaze downstairs to distract herself.

The lower level was divided into thirty sections, each containing two proud, strutting roosters.

Feng Xianyue, with her vibrant plumage and striking appearance, had been assigned to the central section.

She stood with her wings folded, coldly glaring at the trembling chicken before her, her aura radiating an oppressive chill.

“Low-grade beast, kneel,” she commanded, lifting a wing and waving it dismissively.

*******

The rooster facing Feng Xianyue was also a Spirit Beast that had awakened its spiritual intelligence. Hearing her words, it shuddered violently, then glanced back at its master, who was cheering it on, its heart conflicted.

By nature, it feared Feng Xianyue. Logically, it should have immediately knelt and begged for mercy.

But it also knew its master had placed great hopes on it this time. If it lost, its master would be deeply disappointed. After a moment of inner turmoil, the rooster met Feng Xianyue’s gaze again, its eyes now resolute.

“Cluck-a-doodle-doo!” it crowed, its claws scratching the ground as it braced to attack.

Feng Xianyue raised an eyebrow slightly and took a step forward.

The rooster: …

In an instant, it flapped its wings and soared into its master’s arms.

Between its master’s disappointment and its own fear, it had ultimately chosen the former.

After all, its master had always said, “No matter what you do, always choose me.”

Feng Xianyue scoffed lightly at the sight, securing her victory without a doubt.

In the following dozen rounds, Feng Xianyue terrorized over a dozen more roosters. Each one was so frightened that they either froze in place or foamed at the mouth, none daring to approach her. They eliminated themselves before she even had to lift a finger.

*******

In the final round, she faced the Clueless Rooster.

The Clueless Rooster, lacking sentience and oblivious to its instincts, waddled toward Feng Xianyue, swaying left and right, and stopped before her.

Feng Xianyue, who was leisurely preening her feathers on the ground, glanced up and waved her wing dismissively, expecting the Clueless Rooster to concede.

To her surprise, the rooster pecked sharply at her wing.

Feng Xianyue: …

She froze for a few seconds, then let out a pained squawk.

Hu Li, watching from the second floor, heard the commotion. She leaned over the railing, her eyebrows arching slightly, and a faint smile tugged at the corners of her lips.

Feng Xianyue, even you have your comeuppance. Hu Li felt a wicked sense of schadenfreude.

[Save me, I think the Fox Spirit and the Dumb Phoenix are even more ship-worthy now! What do I do?!]

[Seriously, when two not-so-bright people get together, the sparks fly even harder.]

[Upstairs, don’t get too carried away. Look at them trying to screw each other over—how can you ship that? Even if you do, doesn’t it feel like chewing on rocks?]

[I’m shipping it anyway! I’m shipping it! I’m shipping it!]

********

Gu Sheng, who was reading the comments while in seclusion, was speechless.

Feng Xianyue really needs to be sent out to gain some experience, she thought.

The cockfighting continued. Feng Xianyue faced the Clueless Rooster, and her temper flared.

She smoothed her Crimson Feathers, which had been ruffled by the Clueless Rooster’s pecks, then leaped onto the rooster’s back with a flick of her foot. Without hesitation, she pecked down hard.

The Clueless Rooster squawked in pain, trying to shake Feng Xianyue off its back. But Feng Xianyue pecked harder with each strike, relentlessly plucking all the feathers from the rooster’s back.

Stripped of its feathers, the Clueless Rooster’s fighting ability was severely weakened.

Seizing the advantage, Feng Xianyue flapped her wings a few times, sending the rooster flying in a perfect arc straight into its owner’s arms.

Feng Xianyue emerged victorious, and the Blue-robed attendant presented Hu Li with a reward of one thousand Spirit Stones.

Hu Li’s eyes lit up as she accepted the prize, then hurried to the second floor to retrieve her God of Wealth Rooster.

Feng Xianyue was currently being held by another Blue-robed attendant. When she saw Hu Li, she let out a cold snort, her eyes flashing with disdain, but she still flew into the Fox Spirit’s arms.

Hu Li, that Fox Spirit, is annoying, she thought, but compared to these people, I’d rather be near her.

*******

By the time Hu Li emerged from the Cockfighting Arena, night had fallen. She strolled leisurely toward the Underground City, while Feng Xianyue, nestled in her arms, preened Crimson Feathers and cautiously observed Hu Li.

Now that she had calmed down, Feng Xianyue suddenly realized something: why had she been forced to fight tooth and nail, humiliating herself in the arena, while Hu Li was treated like a guest of honor and given a thousand Spirit Stones for free?

This is utterly unfair! Feng Xianyue grumbled inwardly, growing angrier the more she thought about it.

As soon as Hu Li stepped into the Underground City, Feng Xianyue seized her chance. In a moment of Hu Li’s inattention, she yanked down the hood concealing her face.

Hu Li’s pupils constricted as she stared in shock at Feng Xianyue, who was already fleeing. She quickly pulled the hood back up, covering her face.

Then, she quickened her pace, intending to blend into the crowd and evade the gazes of the few people who had noticed her.

But just as she took a few steps, a hand suddenly gripped her arm, and a familiar voice called out, “Gu Sheng.”

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