The Villainess Always Tries to Seduce Me - Chapter 35

Yun Chuanzhi didn’t catch on at first, asking blankly, “Bridal sedan?”

“It is the carriage a woman rides in during a mortal wedding,” Bai Fenghe explained. She seemed quite content to see Yun Chuanzhi’s shock, using a slender finger to twirl a strand of the girl’s dark hair around her fingertip.

What on earth is this woman trying to say? Yun Chuanzhi raised her hand to rescue her hair, but just as she was about to speak, Bai Fenghe’s smile vanished abruptly. “Shh.”

Yun Chuanzhi fell silent immediately. She covered her mouth and looked out from the sedan; the curtain blocked most of her view, leaving only a small patch of shifting cloud shadows visible.

It seemed someone had stepped out of the thin air like drifting mist, landing in this narrow backyard.

Although they had retracted their overwhelming pressure, their presence still caused a faint tremor of unease in Yun Chuanzhi’s heart.

“General, are you certain you sensed the aura of that woman named Bai? We’ve searched the area; this garden is full of actors, not a single cultivator to be found,” a woman’s voice said.

“Search again. This time the Imperial City directly ordered us to capture Bai Fenghe. It seems they are determined to interfere in the affairs of Mount Buxi,” the one called General replied. “Regardless, find her first.”

At his command, the sounds of seven or eight sets of hurried footsteps scattered. Some went toward the theater building, while others remained in the backyard, flipping through piles of firewood and junk.

“Why is there a sedan here? It must be for the troupe’s performances; look, there are even mandarin ducks embroidered on the curtain.” The General soon noticed the carriage. Intrigued, he paced toward the sedan.

A pair of thick-soled boots with bird-and-flower patterns appeared in the sunlight outside the curtain. He reached out his hand. Inside, the two women suppressed their breathing. Bai Fenghe raised her palm with cold eyes, ready to strike.

At this critical moment, another voice rang out, like a gentle breeze plucking at a taut string: “Honored guests, this is the backyard of our Spring Greeting Garden. If you wish to watch the play, please move to the front theater and present your Flower-Pinning Vouchers for entry.”

“What Flower-Pinning Voucher? Do you know who we—”

“A-Tao, be silent.” The man called General stopped his subordinate and spoke politely, “Apologies. We are messengers from the Imperial City, ordered to investigate the massacre of a hundred people in Youji City.”

“This humble one greets the Immortals,” the soft voice replied, neither humble nor arrogant. “The items in this courtyard belong to the acting troupe. The person you seek would surely not hide among them.”

“But should any of these be damaged, we lowly actors would find it hard to account for them.”

Before the General could say more, the voice lowered in a respectful plea: “I ask the Immortals to move on; please do not make things difficult for us mortals.”

Silence hung in the courtyard for a long time before General Tuyun finally spoke, “Forget it. A-Tao, A-Xing, let’s go.”

The people from the Imperial City left as quickly as they had arrived. Within moments, the backyard returned to its quiet state.

Yun Chuanzhi let out a long breath. Hearing the actor’s footsteps fade into the distance, she finally pulled back the curtain and jumped down, inhaling the fresh air.

“I didn’t dare breathe; I nearly suffocated,” she whispered. She then extended both hands to help Bai Fenghe down.

Bai Fenghe ignored her offered palms and landed lightly on her own. Her willow-leaf eyes followed the direction where the actor had left, appearing deep in thought.

“The people from the Imperial City are truly strange. Guilt hasn’t even been proven, yet they’re in such a hurry to snatch you away.” Yun Chuanzhi wiped sweat from her forehead and asked, “Do you have a grudge against the Imperial City too?”

Bai Fenghe was still looking toward the theater, her voice very soft: “There are many people who hold grudges against me.”

“Don’t you think that person’s voice sounded familiar?” Bai Fenghe suddenly shifted the topic.

Yun Chuanzhi thought for a moment. Ever since arriving, she had stayed on Mount Buxi, seeing only the servants of the Gundan Sect. How could she have heard an actor’s voice?

Then, a flash of inspiration hit her. “It’s the one who performed at the sect a few days ago—the one called Immortal Oriole?”

“Not entirely stupid,” Bai Fenghe arched an eyebrow.

Yun Chuanzhi pouted. She began rummaging through the messy items in the corner. Back in Wujian City, everyone lived in fear and struggled just to survive; such entertainment houses didn’t exist. Now, looking at these stage props, she found them quite interesting.

She suddenly pulled a pair of strange shoes from a woodpile. The soles were so small they could be held in half a palm, but they were very tall, with no place for a foot to go—only some worn, old straps sewn on.

She picked them up and asked, “What is this?”

Bai Fenghe walked over to look closely. She picked up a wooden stick and poked the sole with a look of disgust. “This troupe has a play where they must strap these to their feet to mimic the women from remote regions who were forced to bind their feet.”

At that, the two exchanged a look, both seeing a spark of realization in the other’s eyes.

“What do we do now? Present this evidence to the people from the Imperial City?”

Yun Chuanzhi laughed at her own suggestion. Those people were clearly intent on capturing Bai Fenghe first. If they were truly unreasonable, even if the real killer were shoved in their faces, they wouldn’t believe it.

Bai Fenghe didn’t answer. She took a bone whistle from her waist and blew into it. Air rushed into the whistle, but no sharp sound came out.

An invisible ripple radiated from the whistle. A shadow on the wall transformed into a living man in black, leaping before Bai Fenghe.

Yun Chuanzhi had long known Bai Fenghe had secret death warriors, but this was her first time seeing one. She let out a surprised “Whoa.”

“Are these people left behind by your Master?” Yun Chuanzhi asked curiously, reaching out to touch the warrior’s shoulder, feeling firm, rippling muscles.

Just as she was marveling at his physique, Bai Fenghe suddenly grabbed her collar and yanked her back two steps.

“Must you touch everything? Careful, or I’ll chop your hands off.” Bai Fenghe let go, her face showing displeasure.

“Sorry,” Yun Chuanzhi muttered, hiding her hands in her sleeves and thinking to herself that the woman was quite stingy.

Bai Fenghe blocked her behind her back and commanded, “Go and capture the child in that shack outside and hide him. Remember, do not kill him.”

The death warrior bowed and quickly merged back into the shadows of the wall. Bai Fenghe turned around, her face momentarily bathed in sunlight. The light turned her hair into molten gold and made her cheeks as translucent as white jade.

Even with a disguised appearance, as long as those eyes remained, she was still a peerless beauty. The heavens are truly unfair, Yun Chuanzhi couldn’t help but sigh.

“Take out that helmet of yours,” Bai Fenghe said.

Yun Chuanzhi didn’t know what she intended, but she complied. She couldn’t beat Bai Fenghe anyway; it was better to be obedient.

Bai Fenghe took the heavy helmet, turned it in her hands, and then suddenly leaned forward. With one hand pressing the back of Yun Chuanzhi’s head and the other, she slammed the helmet onto the girl’s head.

“Bai Fenghe, you—” Yun Chuanzhi was about to shout, but her mouth was covered. The woman’s hot palms held her tightly from front to back, leaving her unable to move or speak.

Damn it. She had underestimated Bai Fenghe’s cunning. She had exposed too much. This object could make all lies impossible; now that Bai Fenghe had seized it, were all her secrets about to be interrogated?

Just as Yun Chuanzhi was panicking, the woman spoke. The question was entirely unexpected.

“Can I truly trust you?” Bai Fenghe’s voice was very soft, like a whisper.

Yun Chuanzhi’s eyelashes fluttered. Feeling a wave of relief, she lowered her eyes.

Bai Fenghe had asked this before, but now she was asking again using the helmet. Just how much betrayal had this woman suffered to be so guarded against others?

“Yes.”

Yun Chuanzhi didn’t have to open her mouth; her voice drifted from the top of the helmet into the wind.

She kept her eyes down, missing the sudden, fleeting smile in Bai Fenghe’s gaze.

The palms restraining Yun Chuanzhi let go, and the helmet was removed. Yun Chuanzhi loosened her hair to dispel the heat, but Bai Fenghe tapped her brow. With a ripple of spiritual energy, Yun Chuanzhi instantly shrank back to her original appearance.

Yun Chuanzhi didn’t complain about the helmet incident. She stuffed the large object back into her waist box. “You used spiritual power; aren’t you afraid that General will find you?”

“If the Imperial City wants to find me, hiding is a futile effort.” Bai Fenghe raised her hand and pulled the hairpin from her hair. Her long black hair spilled out like ink. Her features blurred into points of light under the piercing sun; when they cleared, she had her original, demonically beautiful face back.

She curled her lips into an arrogant smile, manifesting a sword of light in her palm. “Perfect. This Seat has always hated hiding.”

The pressure from the Imperial City grew closer. Yun Chuanzhi couldn’t stand her posturing and grabbed her sleeve, pointing at her own weak body: “What about me? What about me?”

Bai Fenghe might not value her life, but Yun Chuanzhi wanted to live a few more years.

Bai Fenghe suddenly shoved something into her arms. The smile faded as she spoke softly.

“Go find my Senior Sister. Though she hates me, she is the only person in the Nine Provinces, besides you, whom I can still trust.”

Yun Chuanzhi didn’t know how she, a lazy and idle person, had ended up as Bai Fenghe’s most trusted confidant. Before she could recover from her shock, she was scooped up by a silk ribbon and tossed over the courtyard wall. She stumbled as she landed.

At the same time, a purple figure shot into the sky like an arrow. Light bloomed like a midday nebula, quickly clashing with several other shadows of light.

Looking up, it was as if the sun and moon were shining together. Brilliant colors fought across the sky, forming a magnificent spectacle.

If she didn’t know Bai Fenghe was fighting up there, she might have stopped to admire it. Naturally, Yun Chuanzhi had no time for that. She cursed under her breath and took off running as fast as her legs could carry her.

She hadn’t run this hard in a long time. It was ironic that both times were for Bai Fenghe. Although Yun Chuanzhi usually let things take their course, when someone suddenly entrusted their life to her, she felt an unprecedented sense of mission.

“Cheng Jinshu, come back to the theater, quickly!” she shouted into her megaphone. Fortunately, Cheng Jinshu responded in time. By the time she ran out of the long alley, Cheng Jinshu was waiting at the entrance.

The passing commoners didn’t know what was happening, so they all stopped to look up and gossip. Yun Chuanzhi grabbed Cheng Jinshu and dove into the crowd with her head down.

“What’s going on? Why are they fighting?” Cheng Jinshu asked urgently. “Lingshui has already gone up to help, we—”

“Quick, take me to Mount Buxi to find the Sect Leader. Those people have high cultivation; the Sect Leader can’t hold out alone for long.”

Yun Chuanzhi interrupted her. Cheng Jinshu didn’t dare delay further. She used a wind-walking spell as they ran, and the two vanished silently into the sea of people.

The sky, which had been bright just a moment ago, was suddenly filled with heavenly thunder. Dark clouds pressed down on the city. In the blink of an eye, heavy rain poured down as if the heavens had sprung a leak.

The people of Youji City scrambled for cover. Those near their homes sprinted back, while those far away crowded under the eaves of Hidden Sword Street, looking worriedly at the rolling thunder.

“This isn’t ordinary rain! Cultivators are fighting in the sky, bringing the heavenly thunder!” someone shouted. The sound of thunder waxed and waned, and so did his voice.

“I’ve opened my spiritual roots,” said a rogue cultivator selling melon seeds under the Spring Greeting Garden stage. “This is no ordinary fight. Those up there are all Venerables in the Tribulation Stage! I bet one of them is that Bai Fenghe!”

“Are the others the Immortals from the Imperial City? Thank heavens, they finally came! Hurry and catch that demoness, cut her into ten thousand pieces, and bring peace back to our city.”

While the crowd below discussed, the situation above was a chaotic mess. Above the clouds, countless bolts of electricity twisted incessantly. Numerous magical artifacts circled, emitting ear-splitting hums.

“Sect Leader Bai, stop struggling. More messengers from my Imperial City are on their way. You cannot resist for long.” General Tuyun, whom they had seen earlier, stood in full battle armor. “We only follow the Emperor’s order to bring you back; we are not here to sentence you. You need not be so afraid.”

“Afraid? This Seat does not yet know the meaning of the word.” Standing among the Immortals, Bai Fenghe’s purple robes whipped in the wind. She was still smiling, her light sword moving like a giant net. The surrounding artifacts couldn’t get within half an inch of her.

“I wonder what kind of trash the Imperial City is raising. Your cultivation is clearly higher than mine, yet together you can only fight me to a draw. Was all that spiritual power of yours gained just by eating pills?”

Bai Fenghe’s words were full of mockery, turning the man’s face purple with rage.

“General, she’s insulting us! Shouldn’t we use the artifact His Highness gave us?” the woman named A-Tao shouted sharply.

Another woman chimed in, her tone worried: “No, that artifact is for after the conviction. Using it will definitely cause injury. I’m afraid—”

“The artifact only causes injury; it won’t kill her. She deserves this; what is there to fear?” A-Tao added.

As they went back and forth, General Tuyun remained silent. His arm had been cut by Bai Fenghe earlier, and the spiritual energy was corroding the wound, causing bone-chilling pain.

“Enough.” He silenced his subordinates. After a long silence, he waved his hand and summoned an object resembling a sword casket, which floated in the middle of the thick dark clouds.

Then, he raised his hand and opened the casket.

Bai Fenghe, facing several Tribulation Stage cultivators alone, was already exhausted, though she didn’t show it. She wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth.

At the final moment, she cast a glance toward the horizon. There were no dark clouds there, and the sunlight was clear and brilliant, but it was empty, no one was in sight.

Bai Fenghe retracted her gaze, smiling with a mix of realization and irony. As a terrifying, massive power prepared to surge from the casket, she tightened her grip on the light sword. The murderous intent to die together erupted in her eyes.

“Bai Fenghe!” At the critical moment, the girl’s voice suddenly rang out from nowhere, sounding almost like an illusion.

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