Transmigrated as the Villain and Driven Crazy by the Vengeful Male Lead - Chapter 41

Chapter 41: Princess Carry — Blood feuds haunt the dreams; there is no right to be happy.

The intense struggle startled them.

Chang Huaichen held Tao Yao in his hand. Man and sword merged into one within the dark abyss, bursting with a crimson hue that stained the murky world. This crimson yielded no ground, sweeping through the ghostly formation that trapped him.

The malevolent spirits fought like cornered beasts: “This man is a lunatic! Summoning so many at once—more than double the previous amount—aren’t you afraid you won’t be able to contain us?!”

Chang Huaichen replied, “Impossible.”

“Hahaha—good, good! If we can escape your sword, we’ll head to the mortal realm for some fun. Those who seek revenge will have it; those who seek to continue old ties will do so. Even a heavy injury would be worth it! Brothers and sisters, fight him to the end!”

Once an enemy finds their fighting spirit, they become more troublesome than mere numbers. The blood-shadow ghosts accelerated their movements, flitting left and right like the wind, trying to close in on Chang Huaichen.

Chang Huaichen was suspended in mid-air, his red robes billowing restlessly in the Yin wind. His spiritual power was extraordinary, further refined by the teachings of the Su family. Not only had he personally invented the Yin-Attracting Makeup and the Bounty Order, but even now, fighting thousands of vengeful spirits alone, he did not appear to be struggling.

The ghosts dodged the glint of Tao Yao while waiting for an opportunity to coordinate their attacks.

“Fighting a crowd alone—eventually, he will exhaust himself!”

To his right front, the ghostly shadows suddenly condensed into a thick mass. The burst of intense ghost-qi instantly drew all of Tao Yao’s fire. Red light poured out like a waterfall washing away filth, grinding that mass of ghost-qi into ash!

However, at the same time, several shadows appeared from the left rear. Taking advantage of Tao Yao’s shifted threat, they slipped through the gaps, tearing open several blood-red maws within the black mist, aiming precisely to swallow Chang Huaichen’s back!

Lü Shuyao’s brow twitched: “Watch out!”

A sweet, metallic scent—entirely different from the rot of before—permeated the air. As the black mist dissipated, they saw Chang Huaichen half-kneeling, leaving them with a stubborn, unyielding back. Because he wore red, it was impossible to tell if his flesh was torn or if he was bleeding.

“Chang Huaichen, don’t overestimate yourself!”

The enemies had succeeded.

“Then you are mistaken.” Chang Huaichen panted slightly. He truly loved to laugh, and when he did, he looked so good that even the specters found it hard to resist. “I never estimate myself.”

A ghost said, “You are so beautiful, why live every day burdened by deep hatred?” A wisp of ghost-qi reached forward, lightly brushing his face. “Go into the world of mortals, or come to the Ghost Purgatory—where wouldn’t you be free to be happy?”

Chang Huaichen replied, “Blood feuds haunt my dreams; I have no right to be happy.”

“That is no longer up to you. You have lost.”

“Is that so?”

Tao Yao hovered quietly beside him. Chang Huaichen suddenly looked up, pressed his palms together, and then slid them apart with a twist. His arms snapped outward, and Tao Yao flew into his embrace, as if he were hugging his own soul.

Su Cheyue: “Soul-Rending Slash!”

Chang Huaichen: “Soul… Rending… Slash!”

The two were in different places—one inside the illusion, one outside—yet they spoke in unison. Only Lü Shuyao was left in the dark: “What what what? An ultimate move?”

In an instant, a red light as fierce and blinding as the midday sun erupted from Chang Huaichen’s chest. Tao Yao split into several sword shadows, each carrying a phantom fragment of Chang Huaichen’s soul!

Lü Shuyao: “This, this, this!”

Each soul fragment faced the ghost formation simultaneously, raising their red swords in perfect unison and slashing down amidst the wretched howls of spirits with nowhere to run!

“AHHH!!!”

After the strike, the tens of thousands of vengeful spirits were like dragons with their marrow sucked out, struggling and fleeing into the dark night until they vanished into thin air.

Su Cheyue watched in disbelief: “Father actually taught him this as well…”

Lü Shuyao was dying of curiosity: “What is it? Can you do it?”

Why didn’t the author write such a cool and powerful move in the book!! So mean!!

Chang Huaichen seemed to have exhausted all his energy after that strike. As the red light faded and the sword soul and human soul returned to their places, he fell flat on his back.

“…What happened to him?”

Su Cheyue explained, “Soul-Rending Slash is a technique developed by my father and mother together. When used, if the opponent is a living being, it can sever their soul with a single strike. If it’s a dead being, like a ghost, it can sever their power, leaving them with no strength to rely on—turning them into nothing but wisps.”

Isn’t that totally badass and invincible??

“Soul-Rending Slash is a double-edged sword. To sever another’s soul, you must first let your own soul crack to awaken the move. If the user’s power is insufficient or if they lose focus for even a second, they might be the first to have their soul dissipate.”

Even the highest sun and moon are limited by the changing of day and night and the four seasons. The more powerful a thing is, the more constraints it has. Furthermore, those who swim well may drown, and those who ride well may fall; if one possesses power they think they can control for too long, it will inevitably backfire.

Lü Shuyao had his eyes opened, but was then doused in cold water: “…I see.”

The wind blew the gloom away. They didn’t know how long they stood there before the first clear beam of moonlight broke through the long night. The light spilled over the face of the man lying there, plating him in flawless silver.

Su Cheyue gazed at Chang Huaichen: “He has been using the Yin-Attracting Makeup and the Bounty Order to clear the threat of evil ghosts in Huailing. If my father were still here, he would surely praise him greatly.”

It wasn’t until now, under the flowing moonlight, that Lü Shuyao clearly saw Su Cheyue’s face. In the cold light, he appeared somewhat lonely.

Lü Shuyao turned his gaze and looked up at the sparse night sky: “Su Cheyue, can you see the stars?”

“Yes.”

“Is there one that is particularly bright?”

Su Cheyue said, “The brightest stars I ever saw were on the day I crawled out of the Ghost Purgatory.”

Lü Shuyao: “Oh?”

“That day, I resealed the Ghost Prison. I lay at the edge of the barrier, at the bottom of the abyss. From day until night.” Su Cheyue looked at him. “The stars at the bottom of the valley were so bright they burned the eyes. Two of them were twinkling; every time they blinked, the moon seemed to pale in comparison.”

He rarely spoke so much. Listening to his voice, Lü Shuyao felt as if he could see starlight flickering in Su Cheyue’s eyes as well.

Lü Shuyao smiled: “Then it seems I don’t need to coax you.”

“Someone once said that the brightest star in the sky is a deceased loved one gazing down at you. Su Cheyue, when you resealed the Ghost Abyss alone, Uncle Su and Lady Su were already watching you.”

Su Cheyue stared at Lü Shuyao, blinking unconsciously: “Father and mother…”

“Watching you, approving of you, being proud of you,” Lü Shuyao said word by word. “And… aching for you.”

Su Cheyue’s expression was dazed. In his thirties, he seemed to be looking through Lü Shuyao at his parents: “Aching? Aching for me?”

“When someone feels an ache for another, their heart rate speeds up. The stars twinkling is the sign of a quickened heartbeat.”

For some reason, even though he was talking about the Su couple, Lü Shuyao suddenly felt that as he said those words, the heart beating in his own chest really did accelerate.

“…”

Su Cheyue said, “Thank you.”

[Congratulations Visitor! Male Lead Su Cheyue’s Hatred Value has decreased by 30. Current Hatred Value: 700. Keep up the good work!]

Hearing the cheerful broadcast in his mind, Lü Shuyao looked at Su Cheyue and echoed: “Thank you.”

After another while, the man on the ground finally stood up. Looking exhausted, he tucked Tao Yao into his waist and left the site of the fierce battle.

He walked extremely slowly. Lü Shuyao followed behind him step by step, his mood complex and his mind a tangled mess.

From the illusion, it seemed Chang Huaichen wasn’t bad at heart. He took the ghosts upon himself, fought alone, and bore a messy reputation the world didn’t understand while performing heroic deeds no one knew about. It had the tragic feel of a “Solitary Hero” at the end of his path.

But the him of the present—has he changed?

“So, the makeup the current Chang Huaichen and his head disciple Jiang Zhiqing are painting on those female disciples outside the illusion… is the Yin-Attracting Makeup?”

A chill suddenly ran down the back of his head: “So, is the person putting these women in danger Chang Huaichen, Jiang Zhiqing, or both of them conspiring?”

No, that’s still not right!

Lü Shuyao remembered something else.

“I haven’t had a chance to say this,” Lü Shuyao stared at the back of Chang Huaichen’s red robes. “Jiang Zhiqing and Chang Huaichen share many similarities in their behavior. For example, they both definitely eat Crabapple Sobriety Jerky after drinking, and the way they hold a brush is the same. I previously thought Jiang Zhiqing was just imitating him out of admiration, but even the sequence of unfolding the octagonal paper used to wrap the jerky is identical. Can an ordinary person really go that far?”

At this point, he finally began to peel back the layers and realize: “Could these two people… be the same person?” He was startled by his own thought and stopped walking. “…Do they have a Soul-Transfer Knot too?”

Su Cheyue also stopped: “There is one thing I haven’t told you either. When we were in the ice cave, I used the Soul-Transfer Knot to test things out.”

“The Soul-Transfer Knot can only transfer a soul from a person with higher cultivation to one with lower cultivation, not vice-versa. Moreover, the soul of the person being moved is temporarily sealed inside the Knot. But just now, when Jiang Zhiqing’s soul entered Chang Huaichen’s body, the Soul-Transfer Knot was empty.”

Lü Shuyao said, “Are you referring to the body in the ice coffin? That wasn’t Chang Huaichen; shouldn’t it be Jiang Zhiqing, who has been dead for years? —Wait, that’s not right. Jiang Zhiqing’s cultivation is definitely inferior to Chang Huaichen’s, so how did she successfully transfer her soul? That body definitely isn’t Chang Huaichen’s, it’s Jiang Zhiqing’s! That would make sense.”

“Then why did Chang Huaichen suddenly lose consciousness? If he wasn’t in the ice coffin, where did he hide right under our noses?” Su Cheyue countered.

“My head is going to explode,” Lü Shuyao said gloomily. “What exactly is the relationship between these three??”

The illusion didn’t allow them to stay far away for long because Chang Huaichen had almost reached the palace waterfall. The two were pushed forward by an invisible force, no different from riding a flying cloud. Fearing Su Cheyue wasn’t used to walking yet and might trip, Lü Shuyao supported his hand again.

Coming to the waterfall, they saw a tall figure from afar, standing silently amidst the majestic curtain of water. Lü Shuyao was stunned: “Why is he still here??”

Didn’t they just have a massive argument during the day?

Jiang Zhiqing’s hair was covered in water droplets, which, under the cold white moonlight, looked like tiny waves shimmering with a gentle light. He saw Chang Huaichen approaching from a distance and stood still before him.

Neither spoke.

The sound of water poured down, crashing against the rocks. Fallen petals drifted with the current, and a faint, lingering fragrance wafted between the two of them.

Finally, it was Jiang Zhiqing who spoke first: “…It is very late today.”

Chang Huaichen glanced at him, made no response, and lifted his foot to brush past him. Jiang Zhiqing smelled the scent on him and immediately knit his brows, turning around: “You are injured.”

Chang Huaichen looked back: “Who do you think you’re talking to?”

“…” Jiang Zhiqing softened his tone. “Palace Master, you are injured. Let me take a look.”

“No need.”

He started to walk away, but Jiang Zhiqing grabbed him: “Let me see.”

Chang Huaichen was stunned, then shouted angrily, “Jiang Zhiqing, do you want to rebel? This is Zhuohua Palace!”

“Even my father, my sister, and my master never controlled me like this! What right do you have? You—Jiang Zhiqing!!”

Before he could finish, Jiang Zhiqing pulled him close with force, turned his back, and half-knelt to pick him up on his back.

Chang Huaichen, of course, refused to comply, struggling and scolding from behind. The pulling caused his wounds to bleed out with a tssh-tssh-tssh sound. Jiang Zhiqing’s eyes darkened; he simply turned back, extended his long arms, and swept the man up into a horizontal princess carry.

“…”

Chang Huaichen went completely silent.

Having just used the Soul-Rending Slash, he couldn’t even mobilize his spiritual power. Jiang Zhiqing didn’t practice cultivation, but his strength was unexpectedly great. He held Chang Huaichen steadily, eyes fixed on the path ahead: “We’ll be there soon.”

The feeling must have been incredibly strange. Chang Huaichen kept his toes tensed and remained quiet for a long time. Finally, he ground his teeth, his voice sounding like a pile of firewood extinguished by rain—weak and hoarse.

“Jiang Zhiqing, I will definitely kill you.”