The Villainous Demon Lord’s Handbook for Success: Rebirth - Chapter 33

Chu Qingqiu? Could this Li Handan be planning to?

Ning Fuyi was astonished by the sheer audacity of this He歡 Sect Leader. To dare target someone like Chu Qingqiu with such an underhanded trick, was she tired of living?

“Sect Leader, when do we act?” the other person asked in a low voice.

“The time is just about right. We act immediately, lest a long delay brings trouble,” Li Handan said, lifting her chin. The other person complied with a respectful acknowledgment, and the two figures quickly blended into the dark canopy of the trees.

Ning Fuyi found herself caught in a dilemma. Logically, she did not believe someone as powerful as Chu Qingqiu could be harmed by a mere charm technique. However, back when they were at the Ruyan Pavilion, she had witnessed with her own eyes how the woman had nearly fallen into a trap.

Furthermore, she really should not meddle in this matter. Chu Qingqiu was not Liu Wenzhu; why should she care whether she lived or died?

Besides, if she did not take advantage of the Shaoyao Saintess being indisposed tonight to steal the Emei Piercers, who knew if she would ever get another chance.

With this thought, Ning Fuyi steeled her heart and continued moving through the branches toward the Divine Ruins. However, a careless movement caused her sleeve to snag on a sharp branch, sending loose threads fluttering into the wind.

A sudden thought flashed through her mind: she should have worn the uniform Chu Qingqiu had sewn for her, as it would have been much more convenient. The moment the thought surfaced, she halted in her tracks. Standing on a slender twig, she stared blankly at the torn fabric of her sleeve.

“Ning Fuyi, you are truly beyond saving,” she thought, pressing her lips together as she stood in the dark night, her phoenix eyes turning cold and sharp, as if merging with the shadows.

After a moment, she suddenly turned around, her robes swirling behind her. Like a spectral shadow passing through the patches of moonlight, she headed straight toward Peach Blossom Source.

Her cultivation was far inferior to those two, making it impossible to track their precise location, and she could not contact Chu Qingqiu either. Therefore, she decided to head directly to Chu Qingqiu’s residence. She only needed to give her a word of warning to be on her guard.

Peach Blossom Source was indeed an endless forest of peach blossoms, but it was far more lush and beautiful than the one at the Yunji Mountain Sect. Countless spiritual birds and butterflies danced amidst the trees, and glowing petals drifted down with the wind, accumulating into pink mists upon the ground.

Several pavilions stood scattered throughout the forest, their flying eaves extending past the flowering branches and catching clusters of fallen petals. This gave the originally black roofs an appearance of being covered in a layer of light powder.

While other areas lacked sentries, this place housing the sect leaders was heavily guarded. Many disciples of the Tianji Sword Sect stood nearby, holding lanterns as they patrolled back and forth.

Seeing that the place would be difficult to enter, Ning Fuyi hid a short distance away to ponder. She pulled a paper talisman from her pouch; the paper doll drawn on it was quite ugly, as it was her own handiwork.

This spell was something she had created herself in her past life. It differed slightly from standard puppetry, as it allowed a paper doll to take the form of a real person. However, after the duration of a single stick of incense, the doll would dissolve into smoke and ash, leaving no trace behind.

She lowered her head to mutter an incantation, infusing a strand of immortal force into the paper talisman. The doll instantly transformed into a young girl with delicate features. Without uttering a word to Ning Fuyi, the girl lifted her skirt and walked directly toward the patrolling disciples.

Before Ning Fuyi could even get a clear look, the paper doll stepped up and slapped the leader. The disciple clutched his face in absolute shock, and just as he was about to swear loudly, the doll slapped him again with a backhand.

This was an intolerable insult. The disciple roared in fury for the others to seize her, and the remaining guards swarmed after the girl, leaving a temporary gap in the patrol network.

Ning Fuyi immediately cast a concealment spell and vanished into the layers of pink mist.

At this hour, most people had retired for the night, either sleeping or meditating, so no one paid any attention to her movements. However, Peach Blossom Source was vast and filled with numerous pavilions; without a guide, Ning Fuyi truly could not find Chu Qingqiu’s location.

An idea struck her. Hiding herself behind a massive peach blossom tree, she softly called out Bai Lin’s name.

To her surprise, after calling only three times, a streak of white light flashed before her eyes. The little white tiger was already crouching at her feet, running around her in excited circles and wrapping its fluffy tail around her ankle.

“Good boy,” Ning Fuyi murmured, crouching down to pat Bai Lin’s head. “Can you help me deliver a message to Chu Qingqiu?”

“Tell her that Li Handan wants to use underhanded methods against her. She must not let her guard down tonight and needs to be careful,” Ning Fuyi said.

The little white tiger stared at her with its large eyes, clearly not understanding a word.

“It is a charm technique, do you understand?” Ning Fuyi raised a delicate finger near her ear, mimicking a seductive posture to explain it to the young tiger.

The little white tiger continued to watch her, merely licking its lips.

Forget it, Ning Fuyi dropped her hand in exhaustion and gestured for Bai Lin to lead the way instead. This time, Bai Lin understood, happily raising its tail as it turned and sprinted forward.

Ning Fuyi followed it into the most secluded depths of the area, where a three-story pavilion stood. The structure was completely open on all sides, utilizing light silk curtains instead of solid windows, which billowed gracefully in the wind like a scene from a celestial realm.

She quickly walked up into the pavilion. The moonlight filtered through the silk curtains, scattering across the floor like fragments of silver. Qiu Yi lay fast asleep on a daybed on the first floor, completely oblivious. Ning Fuyi merely suppressed her aura slightly, stepped right past her, and headed to the top floor.

The top floor contained only a single chamber, surrounded by a wooden balcony scattered with peach blossom petals. The fragrance was rich and heavy, reminiscent of the exotic scent found on the members of the He歡 Sect. Ning Fuyi’s heart tightened instantly, and she slipped silently to the side of the door.

Upon hearing the sounds coming from within, her body froze in place, her hand hovering over the door, uncertain whether to push it open.

From inside came the faint, labored breaths of a woman, sounding incredibly painful, as if tens of thousands of ants were crawling over her skin. There was also the sound of something shattering, suggesting that an item on the table had been knocked to the floor.

Ning Fuyi’s heart felt as though it had been hurled into midair. A wave of inexplicable fury surged within her, nearly incinerating her rationality, and a long-forgotten, murderous aura resurfaced in her mind.

She tightened her fists, but the little white tiger at her feet lost its patience. With a forceful butt of its head, the heavy doors crashed open.

Following the loud bang of the doors hitting the wall, the woman sitting on the couch inside was startled. She was dressed in the white silk robe from the night she was drunk, supporting herself against the bedstead with one hand while clutching her chest with the other. Her face was deathly pale, yet fresh streaks of blood remained on her lips and collar, shockingly bright.

The two faced each other in silence. Chu Qingqiu could not hold it back, and another trickle of blood escaped the corner of her mouth. Her beautiful brow furrowed deeply, as if she were deeply distressed by Ning Fuyi’s sudden arrival.

“Ning, Ning Fuyi,” she said, her voice raspy. She waved her hand to signal for her to leave, but her body suddenly went weak, and she nearly slid off the couch, unable to speak further.

Ning Fuyi had not expected to witness such a scene upon opening the door. While she had seen Chu Qingqiu injured before, the woman usually recovered completely by the following day.

She had always assumed that a being as powerful as Chu Qingqiu could easily heal any wound.

But this time competition seemed entirely different.

Bai Lin had already run inside, whimpering at Chu Qingqiu’s side. Struggling to swallow the metallic taste in her throat, Chu Qingqiu spoke again, her voice stern yet incredibly weak: “Get out.”

Ning Fuyi instinctively wanted to step back, but then she remembered the purpose of her visit and spoke quickly: “Be careful.”

Before she could finish her sentence, she caught sight of a colorful butterfly that had somehow landed on the previously empty windowsill. Sensing trouble, she raised her hand to strike it down with immortal force. However, the butterfly evaded her attack with an unnatural speed, darting toward her like a sharp arrow while expelling a massive cloud of enchanted smoke that instantly filled the room.

“Hold your breath!” Ning Fuyi cried out in alarm, holding her own breath as she rotated her palms to intercept the strange creature. Yet the moment the butterfly touched her immortal force, it rapidly multiplied into dozens of copies, surrounding her like a vast net.

Witnessing this, Chu Qingqiu immediately realized who was responsible. Unfortunately, her chest felt as though it were being pierced by needles, and her spiritual meridians were in complete chaos, leaving her unable to muster much power. She could only endure the pain to advise: “Ning Fuyi, do not let your eyes deceive you.”

A temporary illusion? Ning Fuyi understood instantly. She closed one eye, and the dozens of butterflies before her grew blurry, save for a single one that continued to gleam with an unnatural light.

In the next instant, she opened her eyes wide, driving her immortal force straight through the creature’s body. The butterfly dissolved into a wisp of light smoke, scattering into the air.

However, the patterns on the butterfly’s wings suddenly flashed with light, causing a sharp sting in her eyes.

Seeing that the insect was gone, Ning Fuyi breathed a sigh of relief. She covered her nose and waved her hand, using a gust of wind to disperse the enchanted smoke until the fouled air returned to normal.

“The He歡 Sect,” Chu Qingqiu said with a frown. “Why did you come here?”

“I overheard them, so I came to warn you secretly. Consider it repayment for your favor,” Ning Fuyi replied, turning around as she saw that the danger had passed. Realizing they had been discovered, the attackers had likely fled.

“Since you are unharmed, I shall take my leave.” Ning Fuyi did not inquire about Chu Qingqiu’s injuries; she simply turned to walk out the door. If she moved quickly, she could still sneak into the Divine Ruins tonight.

Yet the moment she turned around, she realized something was wrong. Her previously clear mind suddenly grew clouded, and the white silk curtains hanging outside the door seemed to overwhelm her vision.

She hurriedly closed her eyes and stepped back, her hand colliding with a lampstand by the door. The lit lamp crashed to the ground, but the candle began to burn even more intensely, casting flickering shadows across the room.

“Ning Fuyi?” Chu Qingqiu immediately sensed that things had taken a turn for the worse. Suppressing her urge to cough up blood, she flicked her finger, causing the doors to slam shut.

However, the young girl ignored her, standing entirely still with her back turned, the flickering firelight illuminating only her earlobe.

“Ning Fuyi!” Chu Qingqiu bit her lip and forced herself up, walking toward her barefoot. Yet before she could touch her, Ning Fuyi suddenly grabbed her by the wrist.

That palm was just as burning hot as the fallen candle.

Ning Fuyi slowly turned around, her hair brushing aside to reveal her beautiful features, though her expression carried a touch of dark intensity since she was not smiling.

Through the appearance of the young girl before her, Chu Qingqiu felt as though she were looking at the terrifying deity from the past once again.

“Bai Lin, go call for help,” Chu Qingqiu said elegantly, maintaining eye contact with Ning Fuyi.

Recognizing the gravity of the situation, Bai Lin tensed its paws to leap out the window, only to be stopped by Chu Qingqiu’s sudden command.

“No, come back,” Chu Qingqiu said, tightening her grip on her sleeve.

She could not allow anyone else to see Ning Fuyi in this near-demonic state, and she knew exactly how difficult the spells of the He歡 Sect were to break.

The little white tiger let out a whimper.

“You go out as well, guard the entrance, and do not let anyone in,” Chu Qingqiu commanded. Though confused, Bai Lin was obedient, vanishing outside the window in the blink of an eye, leaving only her and Ning Fuyi in the room.

Meanwhile, Ning Fuyi’s vision continued to alternate between light and shadow. A strange sensation surged within her body, spreading to her extremities and making her feel incredibly restless and hot.

Yet the object caught in her palm felt like a block of ice, making her desperate to pull it into her embrace to dispel the heat consuming her.

The young girl suddenly lifted her hand, pulling Chu Qingqiu into a spin that sent her crashing against the table. The pain made her knit her brows, and combined with her recurring injuries and weakened state, she nearly blacked out.

The young girl before her had completely lost her senses, pulling her arm to step closer until the distance between them vanished. The scent of peach blossoms on the girl filled her senses, causing Chu Qingqiu’s heart to contract sharply as she turned her head away.

She relied entirely on her immense willpower to force her vision to clear once more.

“Baigu!” Chu Qingqiu suddenly commanded in a low, furious shout. The white jade flute leaped from the couch, transforming into a white jade staff that swept past her to wrap around Ning Fuyi’s waist, dragging her backward until her back slammed heavily against the wall.

Ning Fuyi let out a muffled groan, her disheveled hair sticking to her sweat-drenched face. Her breaths came rapidly through her nose, her lips turning a deep crimson, and her skin looked as pale as a specter.

She tilted her head back against the wall, her right hand gripping the staff to push it away, while her left hand dug deeply into the crevices of the wall, leaving behind faint tracks of blood.

It felt as though countless fires were colliding within her body, searching for an outlet, as numerous illusions flashed before her eyes.

Chu Qingqiu supported herself against the edge of the table, barely able to stand. She bit her lip as she watched Ning Fuyi’s current state, her fingers digging so tightly into the stone table that they nearly pierced it.

Seeing that the bloodstains on the wall were multiplying, Chu Qingqiu grew entirely calm instead. She stood in place, quietly observing Ning Fuyi as her peach-blossom eyes lowered slightly.

Then, she spoke softly: “Baigu.”

The white jade staff immediately released all its force, falling to the ground with a loud clatter.

In the next instant, a dark shadow lunged before her like an arrow. Chu Qingqiu was pushed against the table by the sudden impact, her thin white dress unable to block the coldness of the stone, which seeped through her skin and struck her heart.

However, that coldness was swiftly dispensed. The young girl’s eyes were filled with a wild fire, and her slender arms felt like a furnace as they wrapped around her waist, locking her securely within her embrace.

As the scent of peach blossoms drew closer, Chu Qingqiu closed her eyes forcefully, unwilling to look into Ning Fuyi’s gaze.

She could easily stop her.

But she did not want to move.

“Why are you hiding?” Ning Fuyi suddenly spoke, her voice carrying an eerie, deep tone that did not match her appearance. She had lost her senses, yet she could feel a strange thumping in her heart, leading her to reach out and slowly touch the woman’s cheek.

She could discern just how beautiful this woman was, with her long hair cascading across the table like spilled ink, and her eyes resembling peach blossoms after a rain, filled with a mixture of resentment and defiance. Her lips still bore traces of blood, and her neck was like smooth jade coated in a thin layer of sweat.

That face felt as smooth as ice and snow, yet when her fingers reached the chin, her hand came away wet.

“You are crying?” Ning Fuyi asked blankly.

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