Transmigrated as The Cannon Fodder Bride of The Villainess

Luo Jinxiao was pushed so hard that she nearly tripped and fell. Luckily, she had quick reflexes and managed to steady herself after a few quick steps, stopping right before Qu Weiyin.

A hint of amusement flickered at the corner of Qu Weiyin’s lips, but her expression quickly turned cold. She waved her hand dismissively, gesturing for Luo Jinxiao to stand aside.

“You will go last. Watch carefully.”

Luo Jinxiao scratched her head and stood behind Qu Weiyin, unsure of what she was up to.

The next disciple to step forward was the timid girl from earlier. Her face was flushed, and she didn’t know where to place her hands. She hesitated for a while before finally using her spiritual energy.

Everyone held their breath, watching intently. Time seemed to stretch, yet the center of the hall remained empty.

Seeing this, the girl’s eyes welled up with tears of disappointment. Qu Weiyin’s expression grew impatient, and Chang Siyu, after glancing at the girl, quickly gestured for her to leave.

“Yan Ying, you’re next,” Chang Siyu called out.

Yan Ying stepped forward confidently, seemingly without a trace of fear. Her talent was undeniable. In the blink of an eye, the formation took shape, and as she poured her vast spiritual energy into it, a sudden gust of wind erupted, throwing everyone off balance.

Only Qu Weiyin and Chang Siyu remained standing. Qu Weiyin, in particular, seemed completely unfazed, not even a single strand of hair out of place.

Standing behind Qu Weiyin, Luo Jinxiao was shielded from the brunt of the force, only taking two steps back.

“It’s a spirit beast! What is that, a bird?” The crowd exclaimed in astonishment. “A peacock! It’s a peacock!”

Yan Ying’s eyes widened, her face beaming with pride. Legend had it that the Phoenix had nine offspring, and the peacock, its sixth child, was known for its ferocity. With a single breath, it could whip up winds for miles. Though not a true divine beast, it was still a quite powerful, and summoning it was a testament to Yan Ying’s exceptional luck.

Even Chang Siyu was impressed, and he showered Yan Ying with praise.

The newly summoned peacock, still a chick, soon settled on Yan Ying’s shoulder and fell asleep. She happily rejoined the group, sparking a wave of excited chatter.

“Next,” Qu Weiyin said, her expression unchanged as if nothing remarkable had occurred.

The following summons were less exciting, mostly ordinary spirit beasts. But everyone seemed satisfied. Lu Fanzhi stood out by summoning a giant yellow fat cat that immediately fell asleep, needing several people to move it aside. Luo Jinxiao laughed so hard at the sight that she almost doubled over.

Just as she was enjoying herself, Qu Weiyin glanced at her. “You, it’s your turn.”

Luo Jinxiao immediately swallowed her laughter at the sight of Qu Weiyin’s serious expression and made her way to the center of the hall.

Whispers followed her every step. Luo Jinxiao knew they were waiting for her to fail, but she paid them no mind, focusing all her attention on the formation before her.

When she was focused, her eyes sparkled subtly. Her profile was as delicate as a painting, every line and angle perfectly placed. Her smile was sweet and radiant; her composed expression conveyed a cool elegance.

Qu Weiyin suddenly realized she had been staring at Luo Jinxiao, captivated. She quickly averted her gaze and cleared her throat awkwardly.

Luo Jinxiao calmly made her preparations. She extended her right hand, gathering her spiritual energy into a single point before slowly channeling it into the formation. She was grateful for her recent diligent cultivation; at least she had enough power to activate the formation.

As expected, nothing happened. Luo Jinxiao wasn’t disappointed. She was about to withdraw her spiritual energy when the previously calm formation suddenly pulsed with a dark light. The shadowy energy rose into the air, expanding rapidly and throwing everyone back. Screams filled the hall.

Qu Weiyin instinctively reacted, raising her hand to cast a protective barrier. A pale golden light enveloped the disciples, shielding them from harm. She frowned and moved towards Luo Jinxiao, intending to help, but stopped short when Luo Jinxiao shouted, “Don’t move!”

Qu Weiyin froze.

Luo Jinxiao was drenched in sweat. She could tell that whatever she was about to summon was not going to be good. She desperately tried to push it back, but the force inside the formation was fiercely resisting, struggling to break free.

Her jaw ached from clenching her teeth. She scraped together every last ounce of her spiritual energy, trying to control the terrifying, immense being struggling to emerge.

But her spiritual energy was too weak, woefully inadequate against such a powerful force. A metallic tang filled her throat, and she swayed, on the verge of collapsing.

Qu Weiyin stood motionless, her expression impassive as she watched the scene unfold. But beneath her calm facade, her palms were slick with sweat.

Luo Jinxiao was beyond caring about appearances. She chanted a spell, attempting to use a sealing technique to bind the monstrous beast, but it was no use. Soon, a massive head emerged in the center of the hall.

Finally free, the beast thrashed its head and tail excitedly. It refused to be controlled. With a sudden roar, it unleashed a wave of foul breath and wind that sent Luo Jinxiao stumbling backward.

She strained to see through the chaos, barely making out a head several times larger than her own arm. Its features were terrifying: eyes burning with rage, golden fur patterned with strange markings.

Before Luo Jinxiao could comprehend what she was seeing, cries of panic erupted around her. The beast had fully broken free, its massive body rising to its full height. Its claws were like those of a tiger, its legs like pillars, its presence awe-inspiring.

With a snap, a pair of crimson wings unfolded from its back. A single beat of those wings sent another gust of wind towards Luo Jinxiao, forcing her back another few steps.

“What is that? Its head looks like a tiger’s, but why does it have wings?” Someone stammered, their voice trembling.

Luo Jinxiao didn’t need an answer. She finally recognized the creature, and a wave of shock washed over her.

It was a Qiongqi, an ancient, ferocious beast!

This one was still young, but Luo Jinxiao knew from ancient texts that a Qiongqi’s body resembled a tiger’s, with the addition of bird-like wings. They were known to crave human flesh and were considered a plague to be eradicated.

And if she remembered correctly, in her past life, Qu Weiyin, after becoming a Demon Lord, had favored a particularly ferocious Qiongqi as her mount.

There was no time to dwell on this. The beast before her grew impatient. It thrashed wildly, trying to break free from Luo Jinxiao’s weakening control, intent on wreaking havoc within the hall. She was no match for its strength, her body dragged along with its every movement.

The Qiongqi let out a piercing howl, exhaling a foul breath. Luo Jinxiao’s heart trembled, and she instinctively tried to dodge.

In an instant, Qu Weiyin moved. She appeared beside Luo Jinxiao, her movements so swift they left no afterimage. With lightning reflexes, she grabbed Luo Jinxiao and pulled her behind her, shielding her.

Qu Weiyin’s immense spiritual energy flooded the hall. Golden light erupted from her palms, encasing the Qiongqi in an impenetrable barrier. Bound and restrained, the beast’s rage intensified, its eyes burning even more fiercely.

“It’s about to go berserk. Chang Siyu, get everyone out of here!” Qu Weiyin commanded sharply, turning her head.

Chang Siyu, who had been standing in shock, snapped back to reality. He hurriedly moved along the hall’s sides, quickly guiding the terrified disciples out of the hall.

After ensuring the disciples were safe, Chang Siyu couldn’t help but worry about Qu Weiyin. He rushed back inside, only to be swatted against the wall by Qiongqi’s wing, rendering him unconscious.

“What are you standing there for? Get out! Do you want to die here?” Qu Weiyin roared, one hand still shielding Luo Jinxiao, the other struggling to restrain the Qiongqi.

The hall was a whirlwind of wind and blinding light. Qu Weiyin’s profile was blurry, her hair whipped around her like strands of gold and silver, giving her an almost ethereal appearance.

Luo Jinxiao hesitated for a moment, then moved to the side as instructed.

Qu Weiyin paid her no more attention. She stood alone in the center of the hall, robes fluttering, her slender frame radiating strength and grace. Her lips were pressed into a firm line, her phoenix eyes fixed on the raging beast.

She was beautiful, powerful, and completely alone.

Luo Jinxiao had only taken a few steps when, as if compelled by an unknown force, she turned back, narrowly avoiding a gust of wind from Qiongqi’s wings.

Though young, the Qiongqi was still an ancient beast. Qu Weiyin, not yet the all-powerful Demon Lord of her future, was struggling to maintain control. Realizing this, Qu Weiyin’s eyes hardened with resolve. She raised her right hand, and the Crescent Star Sword materialized in her hand, hovering in mid-air. The scabbard clattered to the ground, and a red light enveloped the Qiongqi, momentarily suppressing its frenzy.

“Embrace the void, and all things become one,” Qu Weiyin murmured, her eyes glowing with determination as she attempted to forcibly subdue Qiongqi.

Qiongqi, now truly enraged, sensed Qu Weiyin’s power and abruptly changed tactics. It whirled around, charging towards Luo Jinxiao, its jaws gaping wide, aiming to take her head off.

Before Luo Jinxiao could react, a strong, yet surprisingly delicate arm encircled her waist, pulling her back. She was enveloped in a warm, fragrant embrace, held securely against someone’s chest.

Her heart pounded in her chest. Her cheeks flushed, a strange tightness in her heart.

Qu Weiyin, in a blink, was by her side once more, shielding her without hesitation. “Useless,” she muttered under her breath, her tone laced with annoyance.

Luo Jinxiao was stunned. She never expected Qu Weiyin to save her. As she stared, dumbfounded, a trickle of blood appeared at the corner of Qu Weiyin’s lips, staining it red.

The scent of blood sent the Qiongqi into a frenzy, its struggles intensifying. Weakened from her injury and distracted by protecting Luo Jinxiao, Qu Weiyin was losing her grip on the beast. Yet, her hand remained firmly clasped around Luo Jinxiao’s.

A wave of emotion, unfamiliar and potent, surged through Luo Jinxiao. For the first time, she hated her own weakness, her inability to protect herself, forcing others to come to her rescue.

Suddenly, she remembered something. With a low voice, she began to chant a spell.

A new wave of spiritual energy flooded the hall, colder and more potent than before. Despite the heat of summer, a chill descended, biting at their skin.

“Be careful,” she whispered apologetically into Qu Weiyin’s ear.