Transmigrated as the Villain and Driven Crazy by the Vengeful Male Lead - Chapter 50

Chapter 50: Pingluan Town – The Noble and Cold Baby-Face.

“Wangyue Prefecture, Yunli City, Weiyu Village…” Su Cheyue leaned halfway on the bed, his eyes closed as he counted them off, his pale red lips slightly dry from the effort.

“…It’s noisy,” he said.

Lü Shuyao stayed patiently by his side, seriously transcribing with pen and paper. The system’s efficiency was truly high—it had instantly maxed out the “CPU” of Su Cheyue’s Desire-Probing Pearl. After waking from a nap, Su Cheyue’s mind was flooded with a tide of evil thoughts from all directions.

Lü Shuyao took the recorded locations and applied the spell-seals to the Bounty Order accordingly.

“Cultivators pass through or stay in every place; there’s a high probability someone will take the tasks.” Lü Shuyao folded the Xuan paper and tucked it away, unable to resist holding up the blood-red Bounty Order to admire it again.

…This really is a treasure. A massive gold finger provided by the author, no doubt.

[Host.] The System suddenly “resurrected.”

“Hm?”

[Although the timing of the mission triggers has been accelerated, the duration for different people to complete different tasks remains unpredictable.]

“What does that matter?” Lü Shuyao’s mind raced. “You just need to reveal everything at once. Isn’t it enough to let Su Cheyue hear the news related to Tao Xuanxuan ahead of time? The progress of others resolving evil thoughts won’t conflict with our actions, right?”

[Regrettably, the system cannot support such a high-intensity broadcast all at once.]

…What a noob.

“Then what do we do?”

[The Host needs to publish the missions and the instructions together within the Bounty Order.]

“That ‘Ma Dongmei’ instruction?”

[Precisely. The instruction can help other cultivators solve problems quickly, just as it helped the Host resolve the previous two cases.]

Well, isn’t that simple?

“Namo heladan nayiduo layeye polujiedi shuobolaye!” (A snippet of a Buddhist mantra)

[The Host has a photographic memory; truly a talent of the age,] the System remarked gloomily.

“You flatter me, you flatter me.”

The key plot points were approaching. Su Cheyue would soon make his comeback, and Lü Shuyao was visibly—and sincerely—happy.

He turned his gaze and noticed Su Cheyue wasn’t continuing his recitation; instead, he was staring at him with a complex look in his eyes.

“What is it?”

Su Cheyue said, “You’re smiling very happily.”

It was strange. The more joyful Lü Shuyao felt, the more preoccupied Su Cheyue seemed. Lü Shuyao didn’t think much of it, assuming Su Cheyue was simply afraid his expectations would be crushed just as hope arrived, so he comforted him with bold words.

“Su Cheyue, this time it will definitely work. Trust me!”

“I trust you.” Su Cheyue lowered his eyes, took a breath, and his bottled-up emotions seemed to dissipate.

As several more days passed, the broadcast of the ninety-nine sub-plots proceeded in quick succession.

“Pingluan Town… the forty-third method… will they die?”

Lü Shuyao finally heard the key information and stood up excitedly. “What town?”

In the original book, it was precisely while resolving this evil thought—which had tried dozens of ways to kill—that Su Cheyue encountered the secluded Tao Xuanxuan!

Fantastic! It’s finally here!

“Alright, Su Cheyue, we’re going to this Pingluan Town.” Lü Shuyao was certain. “How do you feel? Shall we set off immediately?”

Su Cheyue had been exceptionally quiet these past few days, speaking very little. He no longer teased Lü Shuyao, nor did he mention the affairs of Zhuohua Palace.

He glanced at Lü Shuyao’s face and arms. Seeing the wounds were completely healed, he said, “Okay.”

His change of demeanor gave Lü Shuyao a faint sense of unease, but this negligible worry was completely swept away by the joy of seeing light at the end of the tunnel.

Returning the Bounty Order to Qinzhu, Lü Shuyao—as a gesture of thanks—called all the disciples together before leaving for a culinary training session.

Qinzhu was very reluctant to see them go, but all good things must come to an end. Lü Shuyao said with a smile, “Next time we meet, I’ll have to properly call you ‘Palace Master’ in front of others.”

Qinzhu replied, “The Young Master will always be the Young Master, and Qinzhu will always be Qinzhu.”

Standing together in the valley, they watched the two depart until the spring fell silent and they were covered in fallen blossoms.

…

Pingluan Town was called a town, but in reality, it was only about the size of two or three Tianjin Alleys. Originally sparsely populated and remote, it was an insignificant presence on the original book’s map.

However, since the battle with the Kunlun Snow Demon twenty years ago, the treacherous Kunlun mountain range had been opened up. West of the mountains lay a vast, unexploited treasure trove of mines, boasting unique and inexhaustible resources for refining treasures.

Everyone in the spiritual cultivation world flocked there. Riding this “east wind,” Pingluan Town transformed into an important gateway to the western mines.

As the saying goes, “to get rich, build a road first.” Once the mountains were connected, Pingluan Town went from being deserted to a bustling hub of commerce and prosperity.

Lü Shuyao blamed himself; when he read the book, he only fantasized about how cool the various weapons were or how satisfying the kills were. He would forget names and places that didn’t appear often. Just as he hadn’t noticed the hidden relationship between the original body and his aunt, he hadn’t grasped the author’s foreshadowing regarding Pingluan Town’s location.

Otherwise, he could have just headed straight there with Su Cheyue. Why bother with the ninety-nine trials?

Fortunately, despite the winding process, the result was smooth. Pingluan Town was now right before them.

The character Tao Xuanxuan hailed from the prestigious Tao clan of cultivators. The Tao clan entered the “Dao” through medicine, spending generations saving lives and winning worldwide fame. By the time the mantle reached Tao Xuanxuan’s father, Tao Zhongran, the clan was at its peak—one might say they were only one step away from being able to raise the dead.

Unfortunately, Tao Zhongran passed away early, leaving behind only a daughter, Tao Xuanxuan, and a half-dead adopted son. Shortly after, the Tao sect announced their seclusion from the world, no longer practicing medicine or cultivation, and Tao Xuanxuan’s whereabouts became unknown.

If Tao Zhongran were still alive, or even if the Tao sect were still around, the injuries Su Cheyue suffered from the ghost purgatory wouldn’t have lingered so long.

Lü Shuyao pushed Su Cheyue down the noisy streets of the town. He stopped a passerby and asked with a pleasant smile, “Excuse me, brother, which pharmacies are in Pingluan Town, and how do I get to them?”

The passerby looked hurried and likely wasn’t a local either. He thought for a moment, showing a bit of disdain, and said, “How many pharmacies? I’m not sure about that, but I advise you not to go to the one at the three-way intersection.”

“Why?”

At the mention of the reason, the man’s weathered, square face darkened. “Hmph, I’ve never seen a shopkeeper with such a terrible attitude!”

Lü Shuyao: “Oh?”

The man had been in a hurry, but a grudge had been simmering in his heart for days with no one to tell. Seeing this handsome young man showing interest, he pulled Lü Shuyao aside and began to grumble.

“Let me tell you,” he said, spittle flying. “Half a month ago when I arrived here, I suddenly felt unwell—dizzy and short of breath. Especially after eating and before sleeping, it felt like a hundred ghosts were pressing on my chest; I couldn’t breathe at all. It was like that for days, so I thought about getting some medicine to regulate my body.”

“Being unfamiliar with the place, I wanted to compare a few shops just like you. I didn’t expect that in the first one—the one at the intersection—ha! The shopkeeper who turned around from behind the shelves was actually a slip of a girl with a baby face and big eyes.”

Lü Shuyao raised an eyebrow. “A slip of a girl?”

“Well, calling her a slip of a girl isn’t quite right; she must be at least twenty,” the man corrected himself. “It was quite strange. In all my years of traveling, shopkeepers are usually fat, round-bellied, and slick, or scrawny and shrewd. Even if it’s a woman, she should be warm, gentle, or even feisty…”

As he spoke, he turned it into his own travel memoir, about to launch into a story of a fleeting romance with an innkeeper eight hundred years ago. Lü Shuyao interrupted him just in time: “And this lady?”

The passerby snapped back to reality, coughed, and snorted again. “This one? There’s no warmth, and gentleness is out of the question. As for feisty… she’s like a ‘frozen chili,’ making you cold and numb.”

Lü Shuyao couldn’t help but laugh. “Is it really that bizarre?”

“If you don’t believe me, go try it yourself,” the man said dismissively. “I’m never going back there to be treated like that. I spent money and still had to face her cold words. Have you ever seen a doctor or shopkeeper who doesn’t even tell you the name of the medicine, just grabs it from the shelf and throws it at you, and won’t even answer when you ask about your condition?”

Lü Shuyao asked, “Then, brother, is your body feeling better now?”

Caught off guard by the question, the man froze for a moment, then slowly realized, “Uh… now that you mention it… it seems there’s nothing wrong with me anymore.”

Lü Shuyao smiled without a word, thanked him, and continued pushing Su Cheyue toward the intersection.

The pharmacy the square-faced man mentioned was situated where three roads met. For a business owner, a shop in such a central location would be a dream come true, yet the young female shopkeeper’s temper was notoriously bad.

The pharmacy didn’t even have a signboard, and the main door was closed, leaving only a narrow, low side door. Lü Shuyao had to laboriously bow his head and bend his waist to squeeze through.

He got in, but Su Cheyue’s wheelchair couldn’t pass.

Other moderately sized inns or shops—like the one where they stayed in Tianjin Alley—would have ramped entrances for those with mobility issues, or at least a “dismounting gate” for guests to unload horses or goods. This pharmacy occupied a large area, yet it had neither. Not only that, the threshold seemed much higher than usual.

Lü Shuyao looked left and right, finding no good solution. He had to squeeze back out and said to Su Cheyue, “Shall I carry you in?”

Before Su Cheyue could speak, Lü Shuyao—fearing he’d get angry—quickly added, “I don’t just ‘want’ to carry you, but the threshold is too high and the wheelchair won’t pass, as you can see.”

Su Cheyue: “…” Su Cheyue: “No need.”

…Still stubborn about his dignity, acting like a spoiled young master.

“Then what do we do?” Lü Shuyao thought seriously. “Should I carry you on my back? Or fly in on a sword?”

On second thought, that wasn’t right. Su Cheyue’s legs couldn’t move; being on his back wouldn’t be as comfortable as being held. The door was too small; if he summoned Zhanquan, it might get stuck. Carrying him in his arms felt the most appropriate.

Lü Shuyao leaned over the wheelchair, hovering over Su Cheyue. “Just for a moment, okay?”

For some reason, Su Cheyue got angry again. He pushed Lü Shuyao’s hand away and said, “Even if I have to crawl in, I don’t need you to carry me.”

Hearing this, Lü Shuyao’s usually obedient brows furrowed in annoyance. “You—”

Suddenly, someone tugged at the back of his collar. Lü Shuyao immediately stood straight and turned around.

Wasn’t this the “baby-face” the square-faced man had mentioned?

The girl was around twenty, her complexion fair with a hint of pink, her cheeks full even without a smile. Her eyes weren’t actually that large; unlike the round almond eyes of Qinzhu and Manman, they were somewhat similar to Su Cheyue’s narrow, elegant phoenix eyes.

However, the world always associated “baby-faces” with “big eyes,” imagining a youthful, cute, and dainty girl, and pigeonholed their personalities accordingly. The square-faced man had not only misremembered her appearance but had also misjudged her temperament.

A baby-face should go with big eyes, and a young girl should be lively, cute, gentle, and kind. But the one before him… whether she was lively was unknown, her kindness was debatable, and as for “cute” and “gentle”… Lü Shuyao thought he’d have to look very hard for any clues of those.

Just her raven-black long dress alone was enough to make one hesitate. Unlike other sheltered ladies, she didn’t wear her hair down; it was pinned high behind her ears in a bun shaped like a gold ingot.

She looked very cold and elegant.

As expected of the designated female lead! Her aura is extraordinary!

Lü Shuyao stood in front of the wheelchair, smiling with a hint of nervousness. “Excuse me, shopkeeper…”

“I don’t sell aphrodisiacs,” the girl said coldly. “And I definitely don’t have any for ‘cut-sleeves’ (homosexuals).”

Lü Shuyao: “…” Su Cheyue: “?”

Lü Shuyao: “What cut-sleeves? What aphrodisiacs?”

“I have nothing. Don’t go hugging and holding each other at my door. Turn left for a post house, turn right for a brothel.”

She held an abacus in her left hand and used her right hand to unceremoniously shoo them away. Lü Shuyao stepped aside and said, “Lady, look closely, our Young Master is in a wheelchair!”

She saw Su Cheyue indeed sitting in a wooden wheelchair, and her pupils constricted slightly.

“Your shop’s threshold is so high; it’s inconvenient for those with leg issues.” Lü Shuyao advised politely, “Are you the shopkeeper? Why not consider renovating it?”

The girl paused, her face like frost. “I did it on purpose.”

She suddenly flipped her abacus, her right hand flying across it with a clacking sound. After a moment, she said, “Destroying one threshold costs three taels of silver.”

She looked up at Lü Shuyao. “What’s your name?”

“Lü Shuyao.”

“Three taels, put on your tab.”

“…”

Setting aside whether her threshold was worth three taels, why was it being put on his tab?

Before Lü Shuyao could agree, the girl walked back to the counter, tossed the abacus aside, and dragged a sledgehammer from underneath. “Move aside.”

Lü Shuyao, confused but sensing something big was happening, pushed Su Cheyue far away. She dragged the sledgehammer over, raised her arm high, but due to lack of strength, she could only strike in small increments—smashing her own threshold.

Lü Shuyao, Su Cheyue: “…”

She smashed away with vigor. Passersby on the street looked up, but those who recognized her dared not approach. Seeing the effort on her brow, Lü Shuyao said, “How about… I do it?”

Since it was already on his tab, it wouldn’t count as him destroying someone else’s property.

The girl ignored him and continued smashing until the high threshold was finally demolished.

Lü Shuyao looked closely at the mangled materials. On the surface it was wood, but inside it was smooth, lustrous blue-stone jade!

He was dumbfounded. If it was blue-stone jade, ten or even a hundred taels wouldn’t be enough to cover it!

It turned out this shopkeeper was a rich woman just playing with them!

The “rich woman” finished smashing the threshold, leaned against the door frame with the sledgehammer, her breathing uneven but her expression unchanged. She pursed her lips at them and said, “Enter.”