When a Yandere Cannon Fodder Meets a Dark, Twisted Villain - Chapter 53

Ruo Ying’s words struck Shu Mo’s heart like a heavy hammer.

She knew all too well that Hu Ying had never hidden her covetous desire for Ning’er…

At this moment, Ning’er had just learned the cruel truth. Her mind was in chaos, and she was at her most helpless and wandering state.

Hu Ying was silver-tongued and held the secrets of their past lives—secrets Ning’er didn’t yet know—as bait. What would she say to Ning’er? How would she… take advantage of this vulnerability?

Shu Mo could almost see it: in some corner she couldn’t reach, Hu Ying would be using that soft, innocent voice to systematically dismantle whatever trust Ning’er had left in her. She would use half-truths and secrets to push Ning’er further and further away…

The mere thought of it sent a piercing pain through her heart. If it became reality—no! She would never allow it!

Shu Mo wanted to move immediately, to chase after the figure that had vanished before her eyes, to explain everything, and to win Ning’er back to her side!

However… cold reality shattered her delusions.

A sharp pain radiated from her dantian, reminding her of a cruel fact: currently, her spiritual power was completely gone. She was no different from a mortal.

Even though her heart was burning with anxiety, without spiritual power to sustain her, she couldn’t even perform the most basic Wind-Sprinting Technique. How could she hope to catch up to the distant Ning’er in this vast world?

This massive gap between her will and her power was more agonizing than any direct injury. Shumo’s face was as pale as paper, her eyes swirling with a desperation and resentment that threatened to drown her.

Just then, a spiritual light flickered beside her.

Ruonian, keenly aware of Shu Mo’s predicament and anxiety, did not say much. She simply flicked her sleeve, and a streak of light flew from her wrist. It expanded rapidly in mid-air, transforming into a translucent white jade boat that hovered steadily in front of Shu Mo.

“Fellow Daoist Mo,” Ruonian’s voice was calm and clear, carrying a reassuring strength. “We will take you there.”

As she spoke, the white jade boat tilted slightly. A gentle pulling force immediately drew the pale Shu Mo onto the vessel.

Ruo Ying leaped up right after her, apologizing: “Fellow Daoist Mo, I was inconsiderate just now. I forgot you currently lack spiritual power. Please don’t take my earlier words to heart.”

Shu Mo struggled to steady her mind, said it was fine, and turned to thank Ruonian.

“Stand firm,” Ruonian whispered, her fingertip flashing with spiritual light.

The jade boat let out a soft hum and turned into a swift, steady streak of light, piercing through the sky toward the direction Shi Yining had fled.

They sped through the high altitude as astral winds howled. Fortunately, the jade boat came with its own defensive barrier, blocking out all obstacles and keeping the interior perfectly stable.

Standing at the prow, Ruo Ying gazed at the mist-shrouded mountains ahead, her brows slightly furrowed. “Fellow Daoist Shi headed southeast just now, but the bamboo hut isn’t in that direction… Fellow Daoist Mo, do you know where Ning’er might go? The Taixuan Realm is quite large; searching blindly is like looking for a needle in a haystack.”

Shu Mo forced down her turbulent thoughts, compelling herself to stay calm.

Where would Ning’er go?

Right now, Ning’er didn’t want to see her, so she would likely find a quiet, hidden place where she couldn’t be easily found…

Shu Mo had no spiritual power, so sensing Ning’er’s location seemed… no, there was one way! Back when she accompanied Ning’er as Jiang Liuyue in her soul form, she had secretly established a Soul Covenant between them to sense each other’s presence!

After her soul returned to its original body and she regained her memories of her past life, that covenant had become so faint—overshadowed by her powerful spiritual energy—that she had almost ignored it.

But now, this bond based on pure soul power might be the only hope of finding Ning’er!

With this thought, Shu Mo immediately closed her eyes. She cast aside all distractions and sank her entire consciousness into the deepest depths of her sea of soul, meticulously searching for that thread of connection—faint as silk, yet never broken…

Seeing that Shu Mo didn’t respond, Ruo Ying wasn’t angry. With her insight, she could tell Shu Mo had found a vital clue.

Time seemed to pass for a long while, yet it felt like only a moment. The jade boat sped through the clouds, past mountains and rivers that blurred into streaks of color.

Suddenly, Shumo’s long eyelashes quivered. she snapped her star-bright eyes open and pointed toward a mountain half-hidden by clouds. Her voice trembled with urgency.

“Keep going forward for about five hundred miles… Ning’er is there… in a mountain cave!”

Though the direction and aura from the soul covenant were somewhat blurry, they pointed unmistakably toward that cave. Ning’er had indeed found a hidden spot to hide… she didn’t want to see her…

Upon hearing this, Ruonian’s finger seals shifted instantly. The white jade boat adjusted its course, its speed increasing by thirty percent as it broke through the mist and raced toward the coordinates Shu Mo had indicated.

After Shi Yining left, she carried the little fox—firmly tied up by the Spirit-Binding Rope with only its furry head poking out—and flew swiftly on the wind. She didn’t stop until she found a cave halfway up a mountain, its entrance largely hidden by vines, and ducked inside.

The cave was dim, with only a few slivers of daylight peeking through the cracks. The air was cool, smelling of earth and moss.

Shi Yining set the little fox aside and performed a Cleansing Technique to clear the cave. Afterward, she sat on a green stone, leaned her back against the cool rock wall, and slowly closed her eyes.

The biting cold slowly began to dissipate the shock and anger she felt when she first learned the truth. She forced herself to think rationally.

In the past life… it was I who wronged Mo’er first.

She was the one eroded by demonic poison and misled by the “System.” Driven by resentment, she had used the Soul-Dispersing Bell in the Phoenix Forest, nearly causing Mo’er’s cultivation to be completely destroyed…

Although Mo’er later said she knew she had been acting against her will and didn’t hate her… Mo’er’s mother, Shurong—the powerful and protective Sect Master of the Yuehua Sect—would not have let it go so easily.

Did Mo’er’s attack on the Xuanqing Sect have something to do with Shurong? Was it an order she gave? Perhaps Mo’er had no choice but to carry it out.

In her previous life, she had little contact with that Sect Master. But in this life, she had been kidnapped by her in the market and forced to take the Heart-Wandering Pill… All of this was because, in the past life, Mo’er had always remained distant, whereas in this life, everything was different.

She knew Shurong viewed Mo’er as the future of the sect. Upon learning her beloved daughter was nearly ruined by her, Shurong would likely seek frantic revenge… But in the past life, she had already fallen and perished; her body was likely lost at the bottom of the ten-thousand-foot cliff. Since Shurong couldn’t punish her, perhaps she vented her rage on the Xuanqing Sect…

Mo’er was caught in the middle—between the person who almost killed her and her formidable mother and sect responsibilities. Making the latter choice seems… logical.

The thought made Shi Yining’s breath hitch, and her heart tightened painfully. She slowly opened her eyes and looked at the seemingly harmless little fox on the stone platform. Her gaze no longer held any hesitation or confusion—only a cold, scrutinizing stare.

“Hu Ying.” Her voice echoed in the silent cave, flat and devoid of emotion. “Tell me. After I died in my past life, what were the movements of Sect Master Shurong of the Yuehua Sect?”

Hearing the question, the little fox’s eyes darted around, flashing with a glint of cunning.

“Sect Master Shurong naturally continued to lead the Yuehua Sect to glory, eventually securing its position at the head of the Three Great Sects.”

“What else?”

“Ning’er, you should know. She is Shu Mo’s mother. After what happened in the Phoenix Forest, she naturally wanted justice for her daughter. However, while Shurong gave the order, it was Shu Mo who carried it out. That much is an indisputable fact. Why do you ask? Has your heart softened?”

Shi Yining lowered her eyes. “I believe in Mo’er. She must have had her reasons.”

Hu Ying stared at her. “Ning’er, you know she attacked the Xuanqing Sect, yet you still make excuses for her?”

“In the past life, I was the one who wronged Mo’er first… If blame must be assigned, the calamity of the sect began with me…”

“Hmph, Ning’er, you truly are too kind-hearted. I know the detailed history of what happened in the Phoenix Forest. In my view, you sacrificed so much for Shu Mo in your past life without receiving a single response. It is perfectly normal for love to turn into resentment. Besides, you paid for it with your life. There was no other enmity between you; is it not hateful that they took their anger out on your entire sect?”

Shi Yining’s willow-arched brows furrowed deeply as she cut her off. “Stop it!”

Hu Ying did not obey and continued, “You tell me to stop, but I insist on speaking! In the past life, aside from the Phoenix Forest incident, you were so good to Shu Mo… If it were me, facing the death of someone who had pursued me so devotedly and treated me with such kindness—even if they tried to hurt me at the very end—I would feel pity. I couldn’t bear to harm a single person or thing related to them. But what about Shu Mo? She led the charge directly into your sect! What does that prove? It proves she is cold-blooded and ruthless. It proves you held no place in her heart. Why do you still love such a person?”

Shi Yining cast a sideways glance at the little fox. “You are not Mo’er. How can you know she didn’t have her reasons?”

Hu Ying’s dark, round eyes widened. “What reasons could she possibly have? She was the darling of heaven, her life was smooth sailing, she was revered by all cultivators, and she had someone as devoted as you by her side. If you ask me, she’s had all the luck in the world!”

Seeing that Shi Yining remained unmoved, she shifted her tone, softening her voice into a wheedle. “Ning’er… look, I’m tied up in this rope, it’s quite pitiful. Why don’t you show some mercy and undo this spiritual treasure’s binding? Please~?”

Shi Yining refused without hesitation. “If I undo the Spirit-Binding Rope, you will definitely run away.”

Hu Ying immediately began to act coy. “How could I? I want nothing more than to stay by your side~ Ning’er, look at me, I’m bundled up like a zongzi (rice dumpling)—only my head can move. It’s really uncomfortable… If you really don’t trust me, just undo half of the binding so I can at least move a little. I swear, I won’t run~”

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