When a Yandere Cannon Fodder Meets a Dark, Twisted Villain - Chapter 20

At the Yuehua Sect seating area, Kong Qing glanced at the person beside her who was radiating a cold aura. She gave a light smile and asked, knowing full well the answer, “Senior Sister Shu Mo, whatever is the matter?”

Shu Mo did not respond.

Kong Qing continued to twist the knife. “Ever since Fellow Daoist Shi fell into the lake, she hasn’t visited the Yuehua Sect once. Meeting today, her attitude toward you was quite cold. It seems she has finally moved on. You can enjoy some peace and quiet from now on, Senior Sister.”

Shu Mo’s delicate brows knitted slightly. “If Junior Sister does not know how to speak properly, you may remain silent.”

Kong Qing feigned surprise. “Why would Senior Sister say that? Is what I said not true?”

Shumo shot her a glance, her eyes containing a silent, sharp warning.

Kongqing kept a beaming smile on her face, completely unbothered.

“The matter of the intended marriage alliance between the Yuehua and Qishan sects is something Fellow Daoist Shi has surely heard of. Given her former temperament, if she still cared for you, Senior Sister, she ought to be glaring at Fellow Daoist Zhao Mingfang. Yet, not only did she refrain from doing so, she even accepted Zhao’s gift. Over these past few days, she has even allowed Zhao to stay at Xigui Peak…”

Shu Mo, usually calm and self-possessed, suddenly found herself unable to listen further. She interrupted in a frigid voice:

“Junior Sister Kong Qing, do not think I am unaware of your schemes!”

Kong Qing’s expression remained unchanged. “And so what if you know? When Fellow Daoist Shi was devoted to you, you didn’t know how to cherish her. Now that she no longer likes you, are you going to forbid others from pursuing her?”

Shu Mo’s jade-like hand, hidden beneath her sleeve, quietly clenched into a fist. “Regardless of who she likes, it is impossible for her to like you. You had best give up such thoughts early.”

These words struck a nerve, and the smile on Kong Qing’s face vanished instantly.

“Senior Sister, nothing is absolute. If Fellow Daoist Shi and I truly end up together in the future, I hope you will not interfere.”

Shu Mo’s lips thinned into a tight line. She offered no reply, but her eyes were filled with chilling frost.

Anyone could see that she was currently extremely angry.

Kong Qing knew when to quit while she was ahead; continuing would only disadvantage her, so she also fell silent.

……

On the arena stage, Shi Yining had already secured victory in the second round of the “Literary Bout” (discourse on Dao).

The “Martial Bout” followed immediately. With a single strike, she defeated her opponent.

Among the many cultivators observing the Dao on Taixuan Island, a wave of sighs and exclamations arose.

“As expected of a Great Senior Sister of a sect. This level of strength is truly convincing!”

“Recently, whenever the Great Senior Sister of the Xuanqing Sect was mentioned, one would subconsciously think of negative rumors. After today, those baseless slanders should finally dissipate!”

……

The third round of discourse soon began on the stage.

As before, Shi Yining took an easy victory in the Literary Bout.

Just as the Martial Bout was about to commence, her opponent suddenly turned deathly pale and collapsed.

The change was so sudden that once Shi Yining regained her senses, she rushed forward to check the other’s injuries.

From the Yuehua Sect seats, someone called out loudly: “Junior Sister Linlang must have suffered a relapse of an old injury. I ask Fellow Daoist Shi to bring her down from the stage.”

The arena was constructed from spiritual treasures. To prevent any possibility of cheating, all external connections to spiritual energy were severed during the discourse. No one except the two combatants could enter.

Shi Yining had already been checking the young girl’s pulse, and upon hearing this, she immediately picked her up and flew off the stage.

Simultaneously, a medical cultivator from the Yuehua Sect stood up and hurried over, producing a snow-white pill and carefully feeding it to the girl.

The unconscious girl soon woke up slowly. Realizing she was being held in someone’s arms, her pretty face instantly turned crimson.

“Th-thank you, Fellow Daoist Shi, for saving me.”

Shi Yining set her down gently, a trace of a smile appearing on her face. “It was a small matter; I did nothing of substance. There is no need for thanks. The one who truly saved you is your sect’s medical cultivator.”

To the side, Tang Yue spoke up opportunely: “If Fellow Daoist Shi hadn’t brought Junior Sister Linlang off the stage, we would have been helpless.”

Linlang nodded along, clearly agreeing with her Senior Sister’s words.

Back at the Yuehua Sect seating, Shumo watched the three of them chatting happily, her brows furrowing.

“Since Junior Sister Linlang is fine now, return quickly.”

The voice was cold, making Linlang subconsciously shudder.

Was it her imagination? Was Senior Sister Shumo angry with her?

With her Senior Sister speaking, she didn’t dare disobey. After thanking Shi Yining once more, she walked back to the Yuehua seats, looking back with every step.

She didn’t realize that her lingering glances only made Shumo more displeased.

“I recall that before signing up for the discourse, Junior Sister Linlang said her old injury was fully healed. For it to relapse now means you lied back then.”

“Senior Sister Shu Mo, I…”

Shu Mo gave her no chance to explain. “Doing wrong requires punishment. Upon returning to the sect, go to the Hall of Reflection and meditate for half a month.”

“Yes…” Linlang accepted the punishment helplessly, though her eyes drifted back toward the figure who had returned to the arena.

Fellow Daoist Shi is still better… There were rumors that she was harsh on her fellow disciples, but only today do I know those rumors are false…

……

The discourse continued. Every round, whether literary or martial, ended fastest on the stage where Shi Yining fought.

Starting from the fifth round, Shumo and Zhao Mingfang were drawn one after another to participate on different stages.

After about an hour, in the tenth round, Shi Yining drew Kong Qing as her opponent.

From the Yuehua Sect area, Kong Qing rose with a smile and flew onto the stage.

At that moment, a light breeze caught her sleeves, making her look even more ethereal and agile.

“We haven’t met for several days. Is everything well with you, Fellow Daoist Shi?”

Shi Yining, who had expected mockery, was surprised. Since they had known each other, when had Kong Qing ever been so pleasant toward her?

Suppressing her internal bafflement, she slowly returned the formal greeting. “I thank Fellow Daoist Kong for your concern. All is well.”

Though Kong Qing’s attitude was strange, she didn’t believe the woman actually cared about her.

She hadn’t forgotten that it was this person who had pushed her into Yunze Lake during the chaos at the Yuehua Sect and, furthermore, sealed her spiritual power, causing her no small amount of suffering.

This Literary Bout lasted a long time.

While Kong Qing’s character was questionable, her insights into the Dao were unique. For a time, it was difficult to determine a winner.

Facing an enemy, Shi Yining focused with 120% of her attention, refusing to allow herself to lose.

As time passed, the cultivators watching below the stage became increasingly enthralled by the brilliant clash of Daoist truths.

Finally, as the sun began to set, the Literary Bout reached a conclusion.

Shi Yining won by a narrow margin.

With the Literary Bout over, the Martial Bout began.

Shi Yining intended to avenge her fall into Yunze Lake. She secretly decided that she would find a way to seal Kong Qing’s spiritual power, kick her off the stage, and dump her into the spiritual fluid pond on Taixuan Island.

Kong Qing specialized in musical rhythms. Her natal treasure was a bell that had soul-snatching effects.

As soon as the battle began, Shi Yining immediately sealed her five senses to block out the soul-snatching sound.

Simultaneously, a cold gleam appeared before her. Under her divine sense, the Celestial Star Sword slashed rapidly toward her opponent.

She knew Kong Qing was not weak. This move was only meant to interrupt her spellcasting so that Shi Yining could close the distance and seal her power.

However, something she never expected happened.

Kong Qing neither dodged nor defended. She took the sword strike head-on.

Before her eyes, a large amount of blood instantly stained the girl’s robes red.

Shi Yining wanted revenge, but she never wanted Kong Qing to die.

Personal grievances aside, the Triple Sect Discourse always followed the rule of “stopping when the point is reached.” If a death occurred, it would be incredibly difficult to resolve.

In that moment, she didn’t hesitate. She rushed toward the figure about to collapse, caught her, fed her a pill, and carried her off the stage.

Kong Qing had not lost consciousness. After coughing a few times, she gripped Shi Yining’s sleeve tightly.

“Fellow Daoist Shi injured me… You must treat my wounds.”

Shu Mo rose from the Yuehua Sect seats and walked over slowly, her expression unreadable.

“Injuries are inevitable in a duel. Fellow Daoist Shi is not a medical cultivator. Junior Sister Kong Qing is being unreasonable. In my view, it is better to let Junior Sister Tang handle the healing.”

“I am the one injured, not you, Senior Sister. On what basis are you making decisions for me? I want Fellow Daoist Shi to heal me!”

“Fine, I promise you,” Shi Yining agreed before Shumo could speak again.

“Fellow Daoist Shumo, after all, I was the one who injured Fellow Daoist Kong. I have many healing spiritual medicines with me, enough to treat a sword wound.”

Taixuan Island had many newly built cottages for this discourse. To further treat the injury, Shi Yining carried the now-fainting Kong Qing into a small courtyard.

The person in her arms was injured, so she wasn’t on guard. Consequently, she didn’t realize that Kong Qing’s injuries were quietly mending themselves.

Just as she placed the woman on the couch and prepared the internal and external medicines, a “Body-Fixing Technique” (immobilization spell) quietly hit her.

Caught off guard, Shi Yining was struck by the spell, her eyes widening in shock.

Kong Qing was awake? Had she fallen into this woman’s trap again?

“Fellow Daoist Kong, what are you doing?”

The person behind her approached soundlessly. Fingers tipped with vermillion lacquer slowly traced over her hibiscus-like face. “Are you confused, Ning’er? Why I targeted you so much before… I can tell you now. Actually, the fire poison years ago was never enough to control my mind.”

Shi Yining’s mind went blank. “What do you mean by that?”

Kong Qing gave a light laugh. “Don’t you understand yet? From beginning to end, I was never controlled by the fire poison. Everything I did came from my own heart.”

Realizing something, Shi Yining’s face gradually turned pale. “You…”

Kong Qing’s fingertips continued to rub against the skin that felt like congealed fat. The warm, soft sensation made her even more obsessed.

“That fire poison wasn’t actually that hard for me to endure. But who told you to barge in back then, Ning’er? If you hadn’t resisted, we would be a pair of lovers envied by everyone right now.”

Shi Yining was furious. “What ‘lovers’? I never liked you! Even if you had succeeded then, there would never be any result between us!”

“How do you know there’s no result without trying?” Kong Qing’s eyes were filled with the look of one determined to possess. “There is a familiar aura on you that has been preventing me from getting close. But so what? Once I have you, I believe that aura will vanish completely…”

The girl leaned down. Just as a burning kiss was about to land on that lovely face, a loud BANG came from outside. The door shattered upon impact.

Shu Mo stepped inside. Looking at the scene in the room, her gaze was ice-cold.

“Junior Sister Kong Qing, is this the ‘healing’ you spoke of?”

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