The Abused Heroine Stops Pretending [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 67

“Ah…” Wu Xingyue hissed in pain repeatedly.

Tang Jing lifted her eyelids to glance at her.

Pitifully, Wu Xingyue whimpered, “Wife, it hurts.”

Tang Jing lowered her gaze, her hands softening their movements. “Be more careful next time.”

For a moment, Wu Xingyue felt as though she had been transported back a hundred years, to the scenes in Lingyu Palace where her master patiently taught her. She let out a choked sob, her eyes reddening.

Hearing the stifled sound, Tang Jing looked over, her eyes filled with a concern she herself hadn’t noticed. “What’s wrong?”

“Master…” Wu Xingyue moved closer and embraced her, burying her face in Tang Jing’s neck as she wept.

“I’m here.”

When Tang Jing went to the kitchen to fetch porridge, Wu Xingyue buried herself entirely under the blankets, too embarrassed to face anyone.

She simply couldn’t believe she had just cried like that.

Life soon returned to normal. Wu Xingyue’s injuries healed quickly, but the demonic parasite in her heart remained a hidden danger.

Back in the Nine Palaces Sect, she had been able to suppress the parasite by absorbing the Demon Realm Flower. But now that she had been expelled, obtaining the flower again would be nearly impossible.

Without the flower’s suppression, the parasite would awaken, and the consequences would extend far beyond mere internal injuries, it could drive her to qi deviation.

Her greatest worry, then, would be her master.

Of course, the more pressing concern was Nangong Chenjun.

She didn’t believe the other party would simply let her go. After all, the title of “Great Demon Lord” wasn’t just for show. When a trusted subordinate betrayed her, she would surely seek retribution.

And the best time for her to strike would be when Wu Xingyue’s demonic parasite awakened.

When Tang Jing stepped out of the house, she noticed Wu Xingyue lost in thought, her troubled expression stirring unease in Tang Jing’s heart. “A-Yue.”

“Master.” Wu Xingyue snapped out of her daze and hurried over with a smile, helping Tang Jing settle into a reclining chair under the tree. Kneeling beside her, she asked, “Are you feeling any better?”

Tang Jing’s health had always been frail. A mere chill could leave her bedridden, and Wu Xingyue took great care to tend to her every need.

Yet, there were still moments of oversight, and each time, Wu Xingyue was filled with unbearable regret.

“Mm.” Tang Jing lay back in the chair as her disciple draped a cloak over her, tucking it snugly around her. Throughout the process, Tang Jing kept her gaze fixed on her.

If Wu Xingyue couldn’t read her expression now, she’d truly be a fool. “Master, is there something you wish to say?”

“Are you keeping something from me?” Tang Jing asked.

Wu Xingyue froze, then shook her head. “No.”

Tang Jing frowned, unconvinced.

Wu Xingyue pressed her lips together and lowered her eyes, avoiding her master’s probing gaze.

Because of this, Tang Jing stopped speaking to her.

In the past, Wu Xingyue would have rushed to coax her, but this time, she remained silent.

Night fell, and the candles in the room were extinguished, plunging everything into darkness.

The two hadn’t shared a bed for several days. Once again, Wu Xingyue slept on the small cot by the window, pulling the blanket over herself and closing her eyes.

Tang Jing, however, remained awake, staring at the ceiling for a long while before finally speaking. “Wu Xingyue, are you truly not going to tell me?”

Hearing the anger in her master’s voice, Wu Xingyue’s eyelids trembled. Clenching her fists, she pretended to be asleep.

Tang Jing sat up and looked at her, her voice cold. “This feeble body of mine will only burden you. Tomorrow, I’ll leave.”

“No!” Wu Xingyue could no longer keep up the act. She bolted upright in panic. “You can’t!”

“Then tell me.”

Wu Xingyue closed her mouth again.

Tang Jing lay down calmly and said, “I understand.” With that, she turned over, her back facing Wu Xingyue.

Wu Xingyue opened her mouth as if to say something, but in the end, no words came out. She sat there in silence all night.

The next day, Tang Jing got up and immediately began packing her things.

Wu Xingyue stood to the side without stopping her, though her expression was grim. She clenched her teeth tightly, suppressing the urge to persuade her to stay.

Last night’s words had been Tang Jing’s attempt at provocation, but now, her resolve to leave was firm. She was even more certain that Wu Xingyue was hiding something from her something serious.

Once her bundle was packed, Tang Jing left the small wooden cabin. This was the first time she had walked away from it alone. In the past, Wu Xingyue would accompany her to ensure her safety, but now, she left without her following.

Her body was still weak, so Tang Jing walked slowly. Before long, her face had turned deathly pale, yet she continued forward with determination.

There was a waterfall ahead, and not far from it lay a cave. They had visited it a few times before, even staying overnight twice. Because of its high elevation, few demons or monsters had ventured inside.

Unbeknownst to Tang Jing, Wu Xingyue had been following her at a distance the entire time. Whenever beasts in the vicinity eyed her master, she quietly drove them away.

After a night of contemplation, Wu Xingyue had finally settled on a plan to separate from her master.

But if she left abruptly, her master would surely notice. If she succumbed to demonic possession and died, her master would grieve. It was better this way, to make her master resent her enough to leave, leaving behind at least a memory.

A sharp pain pierced her chest. The demonic curse was awakening within the next two days.

Tang Jing climbed up the rocky slope, her foot slipping midway. She swayed, nearly falling, but quickly regained her grip on the rocks.

From afar, Wu Xingyue, who had been watching her intently, nearly rushed forward in panic but clenched her teeth and held herself back.

Once Tang Jing entered the cave, Wu Xingyue spat out a mouthful of blood, clutching her chest tightly.

The pain was intensifying. She knew the demonic curse was awakening faster.

While she was still lucid, she waved her hand, casting a barrier around the cave entrance. Without looking back, she ran not toward the cabin, but toward the Darkwood Forest.

The cabin was her and her master’s home. She feared she might destroy it if she lost control, so she headed for the Darkwood Forest instead, where a certain spot would serve as her final resting place.

After tidying up a space inside the cave, Tang Jing stepped out to forage for wild fruits. But when she saw the barrier at the entrance, she paused, scanning the foot of the mountain. Yet, no matter how hard she looked, she couldn’t spot her disciple.

Though there were no plot prompts, Tang Jing knew her senior was facing a crisis. But due to the system’s requirements, she had no choice but to go through with this. Now, with no outsiders around, her emotions surfaced as she gazed down the mountain.

“System, where is Wu Xingyue right now?” Tang Jing asked.

[System: Host does not have permission to access this information. This function unlocks when the main storyline reaches 50%.]

Tang Jing: “…”

Helpless, she could only wait inside the cave.

Since this was part of the main storyline, she knew her senior would overcome the crisis. Still, worry gnawed at her.

Ten days later, she heard commotion coming from the direction of the Dark Forest many demonic howls and roars, as if something significant was happening inside.

Tang Jing rose and walked to the cave entrance, peering toward the Dark Forest.

The dense woods obscured most of the view, but she could see branches shaking violently before entire swathes of trees toppled, accompanied by the agonized cries of demonic beasts.

Tang Jing wasn’t sure if this was caused by Senior Shi, as disturbances like this were rare in the Dark Forest, and outsiders seldom ventured there.

In the distance, she spotted several figures emerging from the forest. She quickly retreated into the cave.

Sitting on a clean patch of dried leaves, she pondered the figures she had just seen. Their attire seemed familiar.

Searching her memory, Tang Jing suddenly realized who they were. “The Nine Palaces Sect.”

The last time she had escorted Wen Mingyu to the Southern Spring Manor, she had encountered this very group in the bamboo grove. She also knew that after her eldest disciple had been expelled from their sect, she had joined the Nine Palaces Sect.

Could these people have come here looking for A-Yue?

At this thought, Tang Jing stood up, intending to leave. But seeing her frail body, she hesitated. In this state, she wouldn’t even make it to the cabin before collapsing, let alone withstand any confrontation.

A-Yue might stand a chance fighting them alone, but if Tang Jing were captured and used as leverage, even A-Yue’s strength wouldn’t be enough to prevail.

Tang Jing waited in the cave, hour after hour, until nightfall. Then, she slowly stepped out, descended the cliffside, and made her way toward the cabin.

Moving at night was dangerous, demonic beasts lurked in the dark, hunting for prey. Yet, the cover of darkness also made it safer, allowing her to evade detection.

Passing through the bamboo grove, she could see the cabin in the distance, its interior illuminated by lamplight.

Tang Jing didn’t know whether A-Yue was inside or if the intruders were lying in wait.

Crouching in the grass, she remained still, watching intently.

The wooden door creaked open, and a figure stepped out. Seeing that it wasn’t A-Yue, Tang Jing immediately ducked lower.

Inside the cabin were three people, Elder Dongxue and the Left and Right Guardians.

Ever since the sect leader had expelled Elder Qiu Yue from the sect not long ago, something had been brewing. And today, Nan Gong Chenjun had finally issued his orders.

After the previous incident, the Left Guardian had grown even colder, treating the Right Guardian as if she were invisible.

Having been repeatedly rebuffed, the Right Guardian had grown resentful and now ignored her in return.

Glancing around the crude cabin, the Right Guardian sneered. “I doubt Qiu Yue will return.”

The expulsion of Wu Xingyue from the Nine Palaces Sect had delighted no one more than the Right Guardian. She had long despised her and often fantasized about the sect leader casting her out. Now that the fantasy had become reality, how could she not be overjoyed?

Elder Dongxue glanced toward the bamboo grove. Her eyes darkened slightly as she caught sight of something, but she turned away as if she had seen nothing. Softly, she said, “We’ll wait one more day. If she still hasn’t appeared by tomorrow, we’ll return.”

The Right Guardian curled her lip in displeasure. “Fine.”

The Left Guardian, holding her longsword, dragged a stool to a corner, where she sat with arms crossed, resting with closed eyes.

Elder Dongxue sat at the table, pouring herself a cup of tea, sipping it unhurriedly.

The Right Protector found nothing to her liking inside the small wooden cabin. In the end, she yanked the bedding off the bed by the window and lay down directly on the wooden planks.

Seeing her behavior, Dongzang paused briefly with the teacup in hand but ultimately said nothing.

As for the Left Protector, she was even less inclined to comment.

Over the past few years, the Right Protector had grown increasingly arrogant in her actions. Many within the sect had begun voicing discontent, and even the elders had caught wind of it. Whether the sect leader had heard these murmurs remained unknown though even if she had, it was likely she had tacitly allowed it.

After all, when it came to audacity, the sect leader was no less formidable.

With this thought, Dongzang lowered her eyelids, concealing the emotions in her eyes.

The candlelight in the small cabin flickered in the wind, casting an eerie silence over the surroundings.

Tang Jing crouched in the grass, not daring to move. Just as drowsiness threatened to overtake her, a faint rustling came from behind. Instantly alert, she tightened her grip on the dagger in her hand.

That dagger had been given to her by A’yue meant to be carried at all times for self-defense.

Now, it was finally time for the blade to prove its worth.

Tang Jing’s entire body tensed, the threat looming just a breath away.

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