Transmigrated as the Little Concubine of a Paper-Thin Man - Chapter 38

It should have been a perfect opportunity for the righteous cultivators to join forces against the demon race, but with Huan Zhu’s provocation, cracks had already appeared within the righteous sects. However, as Shi Yunjii saw more and more guests fix their attention on Yan Ling, their gazes filled with apprehension and scrutiny, she knew that the events of today would not be easily resolved.

These righteous cultivators, who held themselves in high regard, might, in the next second, transform from guests invited by Yan Ling into great heroes ready to strike her down.

Shi Yunji could no longer bear it.

She struggled to her feet. Perhaps it was the immense strength of her agitation, or perhaps Zhao Feng and Feng Yu simply dared not injure her. In any case, she broke free from their restraints and rushed over to Yan Ling’s side.

She pushed away the old man blocking Yan Ling’s path, her eyes blazing with anger.

[Why believe the demoness’s rumors? Are you so willing to fall into the trap she designed?]

“What’s going on? Is Sect Leader Yan’s Dao Companion a mute?” someone questioned on the spot. “What is a mute doing saying anything here?”

Under the scrutiny of everyone’s gazes, Shi Yunji felt terrible.

She was trembling all over but maintained her composure, articulating with her mouth, word by word: [I am not a mute.]

“Hahahaha—” another guest burst into laughter. “She, she seems to be saying she’s not a mute. That’s hilarious, what kind of joke is this?

“Whether you are a mute is not up to you to decide. Likewise, whether Sect Leader Yan has given birth to a heart demon… er, mhm—”

He couldn’t finish his sentence as a menacing spiritual energy attack assailed him, forcing him to shut up and dodge sideways.

Yet, even so, that spiritual energy directly tore a deep, bone-visible gash across his right shoulder. Immediately, blood spurted out, staining half of his body red.

The man reacted, looked up at the person who attacked him, and confirmed in disbelief: “Sect Leader Yan, Yan Ling?!”

“If you can’t speak properly, why keep your mouth?” Yan Ling stepped forward, shielding Shi Yunji behind her.

She raised her hand to continue attacking the man, but by this time, the others had reacted and quickly struck together, finally neutralizing Yan Ling’s second wave of offense.

Shi Yunji quickly grabbed Yan Ling, shaking her head vigorously at her.

She knew Yan Ling could not tolerate anyone being disrespectful to her, but in the current situation, Yan Ling’s actions would inevitably escalate the conflict between them and the other guests.

Sure enough, those who already felt Yan Ling needed to be examined with the Heart Demon Mirror now adopted a stronger stance.

“Heavens, is this still the courteous Sect Leader Yan I saw just a few days ago? She, she must have a problem!”

“Could Yan Ling, at such a young age, truly have fallen to the demon race?”

“What normal cultivator would resort to violence at the drop of a hat! The Heart Demon Mirror! The Heart Demon Mirror! We must use the Heart Demon Mirror to see what is going on with her!”

Unlike Shi Yunji’s panic, Yan Ling remained perfectly calm throughout.

She even curled her lips into a cold smile, almost ready to raise her hand and extinguish those chattering pests.

At this moment, a few of the most senior guests in the hall could finally sit no longer.

They stood together and pressured Yan Ling: “Yan Ling, things have reached this point, are you still going to attack your own kind?”

Yan Ling scoffed disdainfully: “I am not your kind.”

An irritable white-bearded elder widened his eyes and stated directly: “You only have two choices now: one is to accept the verification of the Heart Demon Mirror, and the other is to refuse, in which case we will treat you as a fallen demon and eradicate you.”

Upon hearing this, Shi Yunji’s heart skipped a few beats.

But Yan Ling, seeming to have lost her mind, still spoke with a cold laugh: “Since you are prepared, why not come at me all at once.”

Having said that, she actively revealed her natal weapon, the Silver Bell, and pointed its tip at the guests present.

Before Shi Yunji could think of a solution, a guest in the hall immediately attacked Yan Ling. Yan Ling countered, and the two sides were thoroughly engaged in battle.

Huan Zhu was protected by the demon guards, safe for the moment, and stood outside the fray, laughing wildly.

“Hahahaha—fight well, fight well! This is too exciting! Too exciting!”

At the most chaotic moment, a cultivator who could not get close to Yan Ling actually turned their attention to Shi Yunji.

He circumvented the fiercely fighting group surrounding Yan Ling and quietly approached Shi Yunji’s side. Utilizing some secret skill, he easily broke the restriction Yan Ling had placed on Shi Yunji.

The next moment, a cruel smile appeared on his face, and he reached out to grab Shi Yunji.

Fortunately, at the crucial moment, the sensation of the restriction being broken caused Yan Ling to turn back, striking the man flying and cautiously pulling Shi Yunji back into her embrace.

“Are you okay?” Her face was splashed with blood, whether his or hers was unknown. She looked incredibly ferocious, yet her tone when speaking to Shi Yunji remained gentle.

Shi Yunji was already weeping uncontrollably, shaking her head vigorously at her. She gripped Yan Ling’s arm, her mind a mess, wanting to say something, but in the end, she merely gaped, unable to utter a single word.

Just then, a beam of white light suddenly shone on the two of them.

Yan Ling subconsciously shielded Shi Yunji behind her. When she and Shi Yunji saw the source of the white light, they realized it was the elderly man who had initially demanded Yan Ling prove her innocence, holding a bronze mirror up to them.

Soon, the elder got the information he wanted, lowered the mirror, and raised his voice to everyone present: “Everyone, calm down! We have all been deceived by that demoness!”

He held up the dazzling golden Heart Demon Mirror: “Sect Leader Yan has absolutely not given birth to any heart demon! She is innocent throughout!”

Shi Yunji froze in place, looking at Yan Ling in disbelief.

Wh-what does this mean? Yan Ling has no heart demon? Could the medicine Huan Zhu gave her really have been the true antidote?

But the next moment, she violently shook her head, casting this conjecture far away—absolutely impossible! If Huan Zhu had given her the true antidote for the heart demon, she wouldn’t have charged into Jade Bell Palace with three thousand demon soldiers to cause trouble!

Huan Zhu, too, was utterly shocked.

She even ignored her injuries, stood up, and angrily shouted at the elder: “You old fossil! How dare you lie!”

The elder snorted at her, still holding the Heart Demon Mirror high.

“The Heart Demon Mirror does not lie. I have already completed the verification for Sect Leader Yan. Let alone a heart demon, there is no trace of demonic invasion on her.

“This internal conflict among us is all because some of us were deceived by the demoness. I hope everyone can calm down and reconcile! Sect Leader Yan is the pillar of the younger generation in our cultivation world, and we should unite against the outside, taking the eradication of the demon race as our mission!”

His words successfully subdued everyone in the hall.

The fiery-tempered group who had just fought with Yan Ling also calmed down: “Sect Leader Yan has not fallen to the demons. We misunderstood her. Damn it! I actually believed that demoness’s nonsense.”

“How could I attack the Sect Leader?!”

“Everyone, snap out of it, don’t let the demon race provoke us!”

Amidst the cries of realization, someone shouted, “Exterminate the demon race,” and consequently, all the guests turned their weapons and launched attacks toward the demon guards at the edge of the hall.

Amidst the clash of weapons, Shi Yunji looked up at Yan Ling.

Yan Ling sensed her gaze and lowered her head.

[You… never had a heart demon?] Shi Yunji asked tremulously, voicing the greatest question in her heart.

In that instant, Yan Ling’s eyes flickered like a candle in the wind.

She spoke, her voice strained: “That night at the Yun Clan, I was indeed affected by Jiang Shu’s scheme.”

Shi Yunji found it absurd: [What is Jiang Shu? How could he successfully plot against you?]

Yan Ling remained silent, complex emotions accumulating little by little in her eyes.

Shi Yunji pushed her away: [You lied to me.]

Yan Ling suddenly smiled.

There were tears in her eyes. Although she was smiling, her expression conveyed an unspeakable sadness. She spoke humbly: “I didn’t.”

Shi Yunji was furious: [Are you still going to make fun of me?!]

Yan Ling: “I never lied to you. Everything was just speculation by you and others.”

She stepped forward and grabbed Shi Yunji’s shoulders: “I was only honestly expressing myself from beginning to end.” In Shi Yunji’s astonished gaze, she asked: “Is being true to myself demonic? Is doing what I want to do unreasonable in your eyes?

“What if I told you that the person I’ve been during this period is the real me, what would you think?”

Shi Yunji was completely stunned, unable to respond to her words.

“You regret it, don’t you?” Yan Ling’s voice was extremely hoarse. “You regret saving me in that small alley back then, you regret choosing me, you regret coming to this world, and what you regret most is meeting me, isn’t it?

“I’m just a despicable blasphemer. I don’t deserve to be loved by you at all.”

Shi Yunji subconsciously shook her head, but upon realizing it, her first instinct was to try and break free from Yan Ling’s grip.

She only swayed her body twice, and Yan Ling released her hands and knelt to the ground. Shi Yunji thought she had voluntarily given up, but the next moment, she saw Yan Ling clutching her throat with both hands, spitting out a large mouthful of black blood.

“Ugh…” The next moment, Yan Ling covered her stomach, letting out a short cry of pain.

Shi Yunji suddenly remembered something and looked up to find Huan Zhu.

Huan Zhu had just dealt with a cultivator who was pestering her. Seemingly sensing her gaze, she turned and smiled at her: “No need to thank me too much, oh.”

Shi Yunji instantly understood.

It was that “antidote” she had secretly added to the couple’s wine!!!

Realizing this, Shi Yunji quickly went forward and helped Yan Ling up. She wanted to take Yan Ling away immediately, but she didn’t expect Yan Ling to be uncooperative, seemingly unwilling to leave.

Shi Yunji had no choice but to lift her face, making her look at herself: [Leave this place to those guests. You’re poisoned, let’s leave here first.]

Yan Ling, her face pale, shook her head at her: “No need, I’ll stay.”

She spat out the blood in her mouth and struggled to stand straight: “It’s dangerous here. You should leave first.”

[You’re poisoned!] Shi Yunji continued to emphasize the matter. [It’s a poison carefully prepared by Huan Zhu. It’s definitely not simple…]

Yan Ling suddenly laughed: “Are you worried about me? Wasn’t that wine cup brought to me by you personally?”

Shi Yunji was filled with panic and guilt, shaking her head: [I, I didn’t know…]

“It’s alright.” Yan Ling wiped the blood from the corner of her lips. “I’ve cultivated until now and am immune to most poisons… You know, Jiang Shu’s scheme didn’t work on me.” This sentence, coming from her mouth, carried a hint of self-mocking regret, making Shi Yunji’s heart constrict.

Yan Ling continued: “Although this kind of poison has some effect on me, it will only be temporary. It will wear off in a little while.”

[R-really?] Shi Yunji confirmed again.

It wasn’t that she didn’t believe Yan Ling’s words, but out of concern for the other person, when it came to matters of safety, she always hoped to be one hundred percent sure that the other party would be fine.

Yan Ling’s bloodless lips curved into a faint, mournful smile. She didn’t answer again, merely raised her Silver Bell and re-engaged in the fight with the demon race.

Her target was very clear: bypassing the demon soldiers and generals, she charged straight towards Huan Zhu. Huan Zhu was originally fighting fiercely with the white-bearded elder. Seeing her approach, she used her leg to force the elder back and met Yan Ling’s attack.

Yan Ling sneered: “Not pretending anymore?”

“Oh dear, I genuinely couldn’t defeat you before. I wasn’t pretending,” Huan Zhu replied with a smile.

Unlike the previous occasion where Yan Ling forced her to retreat repeatedly within a few moves, this time, the two fought back and forth. Even Shi Yunji, who was not a spellcaster, could see that—

Huan Zhu’s previous show of weakness was entirely to hide her strength.

If Huan Zhu hadn’t lied, perhaps in terms of pure strength, she might not be able to defeat Yan Ling. But Yan Ling’s body was now afflicted with the poison she had prepared in advance, making the situation unpredictable!

Huan Zhu, being so meticulous, always prepared a backup plan—

Either Yan Ling’s heart demon issue would be exposed, ruining her reputation and leading to her being hunted by the cultivation world, or Yan Ling would be poisoned and her strength weakened, giving Huan Zhu an opportunity.

Fortunately, Yan Ling did not fall into a disadvantage during the fight. Perhaps, as she herself had said, the poisons had not caused her significant harm.

The battle became increasingly chaotic, with weapons and spiritual energy flying indiscriminately. Zhao Feng and Feng Yu overcame the obstacles and rushed to Shi Yunji’s side, leading her away from the main hall.

“Immortal, it is truly too chaotic inside. We shouldn’t get involved. Let’s wait until the Sect Leader resolves the matter before renegotiating the details of the Dao Companion ceremony,” Zhao Feng advised, seeing Shi Yunji’s eyes fixed on the battle in the main hall.

Shi Yunji was distracted and nodded.

Zhao Feng seized the moment: “Then, why don’t you go find a safe palace to rest?”

He signaled Feng Yu to assist Shi Yunji away: “It’s really too messy here. You rest well. When you wake up after a sleep, the Sect Leader will have annihilated all these demons.”

Shi Yunji came back to her senses.

Remembering something, she nodded to Zhao Feng: [Yes, I will leave first.]

Then, using the excuse that she wanted to rest alone, she shook off Zhao Feng and Feng Yu, heading toward a secluded palace in Jade Bell Palace herself. When she saw the three characters “Wan Zhu Yuan” (Winding Bamboo Courtyard) on the palace gate, her heart was filled with mixed feelings.

Huan Zhu had already deceived her; would she still bring Jiang Shu as requested?

She pushed open the courtyard gate and searched around the yard. Finally, she actually found the immobile Jiang Shu in the side woodshed.

“Junior Sister? Junior Sister!” Jiang Shu lay on the ground, crawling toward her like a repulsive worm. “I knew you would come to save me! I knew you wouldn’t disregard our sect bond!”

Shi Yunji retreated two steps, looking at Jiang Shu with disgust.

Perhaps considering throwing Jiang Shu over a trivial matter, Huan Zhu actually fulfilled this promise. Shi Yunji took a deep breath, reached into her embrace, and pulled out the dagger she had prepared for a long time.

Yes, a dagger.

When she chose this dagger, it was indeed meant for killing, but Yan Ling had misunderstood—

The person she wanted to kill was never Yan Ling, but Jiang Shu right in front of her.

Watching Jiang Shu begin to struggle and suffer on the ground, a voice clearly surfaced in Shi Yunji’s mind.

“Kill him. Kill him and you can safely return to your original world.”

“Kill him. Haven’t you had enough of this place already?”

“Kill him. Hurry, kill—him—”

Shi Yunji closed her eyes, heavily exhaled, and made a silent promise: [Of course, I will do it!]

As soon as she silently uttered this sentence, the distracting noise in her head finally disappeared.

She then seriously stared at Jiang Shu, mentally preparing herself.

Although she had been preparing for this, as a modern person, Shi Yunji’s education in morality and law from childhood did not support her taking a life. To eliminate Jiang Shu required her to muster immense courage.

But when she placed the blade against Jiang Shu’s chest, she hesitated to plunge it in. Moreover, Jiang Shu was already terrified and had lost control of his bladder, crying and desperately begging her for mercy.

Shi Yunji felt no sympathy for this man in her heart. She vaguely sensed that her hesitation might not be entirely related to the act of killing Jiang Shu itself.

She turned her head, looking toward the main palace in the center of Jade Bell Palace.

That palace, where her and Yan Ling’s Dao Companion ceremony was originally being held, was currently the site of the confrontation between the cultivation world and the demon race.

The festive red ribbons now seemed to have all turned blood-colored, full of ominous premonitions.

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