When a Yandere Cannon Fodder Meets a Dark, Twisted Villain - Chapter 15

A sinister wind rose abruptly, making the reed clusters rustle and sway.

Having sensed the culprit in time, Shi Yining sent a secret mental transmission: “Jiang Liuyue, do not cause trouble. If the evil cultivator senses danger and flees because of you, do not dream of me ever forgiving you!”

The howling wind ceased without warning, catching Yu Chang and Wen Yue—who were already braced for combat—off guard.

“What happened? Was that commotion just now not caused by the evil cultivator?”

Hearing her junior sister’s doubt-filled voice, Shi Yining cleared her throat and quickly explained, “Just now… it was just a passing vengeful spirit. It wasn’t the cultivator.”

To the side, Wen Yue asked in a low voice, “How did Fellow Daoist Shi know that the evil cultivator who has been harming the commoners would appear here tonight?”

“Did Fellow Daoist Wen not know as well?”

“The City Lord’s Mansion has many hands; my information came from a specialized investigation.”

Shi Yining lied with a straight face. “Mine was much the same.”

Wen Yue smiled faintly. “Fellow Daoist Shi is truly interesting.”

In truth, Wen Yue didn’t care where the information came from; she had only asked in passing to… find more excuses to speak with Shi Yining.

At that moment, Jiang Liuyue remained hidden in the darkness, the jealousy in her heart rising uncontrollably. I truly didn’t guess wrong. Wen Yue covets Miss Shi. Unfortunately, Miss Shi hasn’t noticed yet and still treats this person as a friend…

The vengeful spirit was filled with resentment, wishing she could beat her love rival on the spot. But her remaining logic told her she couldn’t; Miss Shi would be angry…

After a long while, people began to trickle out of the Black Market entrance.

Shi Yining observed with her divine sense. About half a tea-break later, she spotted a cultivator holding a soul-banner and wearing a skull mask.

“The target has appeared. Now! Strike immediately!”

As soon as she spoke, three lethal strikes shot out simultaneously, locking onto the enemy with a thunderous roar.

Outside the Black Market, angry shouts erupted. After a series of explosions, the evil cultivator’s figure was gradually swallowed by a flash of intermingling lightning and fire.

Innocent bystanders had long since fled. In her divine sense, Shi Yining felt the cultivator’s aura weaken until, after ten breaths, it dissipated completely.

Yu Chang felt a wave of relief. “It seems the enemy is destroyed!”

Shi Yining, however, did not relax. “It was too smooth. A Golden Core stage evil cultivator usually has life-saving tricks. Although our attack was unexpected, as long as this scoundrel had a protective treasure, he likely wouldn’t die so easily.”

Wen Yue sensed the anomaly as well and shouted a warning.

“Watch the ground!”

The ground ahead suddenly cracked inch by inch, and a snake-like protrusion began to tunnel rapidly toward their position.

In that instant, the three of them took to the air.

Shi Yining held the Heavenly Star Sword, unleashing a burst of Slaughter Sword Intent that cleaved the ground, instantly shattering the enemy’s trap.

In both her past and present lives, her talent in cultivation was never inferior to Shu Mo’s.

The evil cultivator, who had survived using a substitute forbidden technique, was heavily wounded by this strike. His tracks were fully exposed. Just as he prepared for a desperate final struggle, an invisible, heavy pressure descended upon him, instantly pinning him to the spot.

In that same moment, the combined attack of the three women arrived, and the evil cultivator was decapitated in an instant.

After successfully dealing with the enemy, Shi Yining sheathed her sword and slowly descended. Wen Yue landed beside her.

“Fellow Daoist Shi, did you sense an unusual power just now? It seemed that cultivator was about to use a final trump card, yet he froze instantly and was slain by us. To say there was no outside interference is truly inconceivable.”

Shi Yining naturally knew where that power came from, but she had no intention of revealing the truth.

“Perhaps a passing senior gave us a helping hand.”

Jiang Liuyue, being referred to as a “senior”: “……”

She didn’t like that title at all. It made her sound a generation apart from Miss Shi. She much preferred it when Miss Shi called her by name.

The sulking spirit slowly floated to her beloved’s side, leaning into her ear and exhaling softly.

Yu Chang looked curiously at the woman whose earlobes were turning red. “Senior Sister, what’s wrong?”

“N-nothing. The enemy is gone, let’s return to the city quickly.”

Beside them, Wen Yue watched Shi Yining’s hurried departure, lost in thought.

If she wasn’t mistaken, there was someone following Shi Yining whom they couldn’t see. Shi Yining was very protective of this person and didn’t want others to know of their existence.

Rumors claimed the Eldest Senior Sister of the Xuanqing Sect would do anything to pursue Shu Mo. Wen Yue had never quite believed it, and now it seemed the rumors were indeed false.

Shu Mo could not possibly be here. The one following Shi Yining could only be another person… or perhaps, not even a person, but a ghost.

Whether human or ghost, to be so protected by Shi Yining meant they were someone she cherished deeply. How could such a person be “obsessed with Shu Mo” as the rumors said?

Wen Yue suddenly felt a pang of envy toward that invisible person. She knew some things couldn’t be forced, so she hid her envy and her unspoken feelings deep in her heart.

Perhaps one day she would have the courage to confess, but knowing now that Shi Yining’s heart belonged to someone else, she lacked the strength to speak her truth…

Shi Yining hurried back to the inn, only to be grabbed and pinned against the corner by the ghost following her.

“Jiang Liuyue, let go! My junior sister will be back any moment!”

The embrace around her didn’t loosen in the slightest.

“Miss Shi, the enemy is dead. It’s time to return to the Xuanqing Sect.”

Only by leaving this place would Miss Shi stop sharing a room with her junior sister…

Shi Yining did not yield. “Jiang Liuyue, it’s the middle of the night. You want me to travel now?”

The ghost inhaled the fragrance near her nose and gave a doting smile. “Miss Shi slept enough during the day. Cultivators can see in the dark; what’s wrong with leaving now?”

“Jiang Liuyue, you are truly—”

She stopped mid-sentence. The closed door creaked open. Her junior sister was back.

As candles were lit, Yu Chang looked at her sister leaning against the wall with flushed cheeks. She froze, her mind uncontrollably drifting to the events of the previous night.

The Senior Sister who used to be strictly disciplined had become so gentle… a person like this made one truly want to be close to her.

Looking back, the change began after she fell into Cloud Marsh Lake. Earlier at the teahouse, her reaction to Shu Mo’s news was completely different… Had she truly let go of that person?

If that were true… did she, too, have a chance?

“What are you thinking about, Junior Sister?”

The gentle, familiar voice pulled Yu Chang back to reality.

“N-nothing.” The girl stammered, only now realizing she was still standing awkwardly at the door. “When I pushed the door open, I saw you standing in such an odd corner, Senior Sister. I thought there was some hidden danger in the inn…”

Shi Yining believed her. “The enemy is gone. We return to the Sect tomorrow. What do you think?”

Yu Chang nodded. “I’ll follow your lead, Senior Sister.”

“It’s late. Rest early.”

The candles were extinguished. Shi Yining lay on her side on the bed. Upon closer look, one could see a pair of slender, jade-like hands wrapped around her waist.

She hadn’t agreed to Jiang Liuyue’s demand, and she expected the ghost to throw a tantrum. Unexpectedly, she was quiet—so quiet it felt abnormal.

Shi Yining tried a mental transmission: “Jiang Liuyue, are you asleep?”

For a long time, there was no response.

Is she angry? Sulking? Or really asleep?

Shi Yining lowered her head, looking at the well-defined hands on her waist. After a moment’s hesitation, she gently placed her own hand over them.

Even now, she didn’t know Jiang Liuyue’s origins. If one day Jiang Liuyue regained her memories and chose to leave… what would she do?

The more she thought about it, the more tangled her heart became.

Moonlight Sect, Quiet Heart Court

After midnight, Shu Mo startled awake from her meditation. Fine beads of sweat covered her forehead.

Those strange dreams had appeared again.

Ever since Shi Yining fell into Cloud Marsh Lake, Shu Mo would dream of strange scenes every night—things that had never happened before. And without exception, every dream involved that Eldest Senior Sister of the Xuanqing Sect.

It was strange… sometimes she felt a fractured sensation, as if her soul were split in two. One part was her current self, and the other part was somewhere else…

Shu Mo had suspected she was under an evil spell, but her investigations yielded nothing.

As for Shi Yining, she didn’t actually hate her as the world believed. No one knew that she, too, had once secretly admired the Xuanqing Sect’s Eldest Senior Sister… long before they ever met, she had seen her portrait.

But later, her mother discovered a hint of her feelings and forced her to swear a heavy oath…

Recalling the past, Shu Mo frowned and cut off the memories. The grudges between the Moonlight Sect and the Xuanqing Sect were like tangled silk threads.

The Three-Sect Dao Discussion was approaching. As her sect’s Eldest Senior Sister, she would surely attend. Then… she would be able to see her.

The next morning, Shi Yining woke up to find herself curled in Jiang Liuyue’s arms.

Looking up, she still saw that blurred, indistinct face. On a whim, she reached out and touched the jade-like skin.

If the touch is so real, why can’t I see her face?

Shi Yining couldn’t understand it, her brows furrowing in thought. Just then, her wrist felt a sudden weight.

Jiang Liuyue was awake.

A soft fingertip slowly smoothed out the space between her brows. “Miss Shi is so beautiful; you mustn’t frown. It makes my heart ache…”

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