Transmigrated as The Cannon Fodder Bride of The Villainess

Luo Jinxiao discreetly reached out with her spiritual sense. The girl’s energy was pure, a clear human aura with no trace of anything malevolent. She didn’t seem possessed at all.

Before Luo Jinxiao could react, the desperate girl suddenly lunged forward and hugged her legs tightly. Caught off guard, Luo Jinxiao stumbled back a few steps to regain her balance and stared down at the girl in surprise.

The girl’s eyes were filled with tears, her braid a mess, a few strands of hair clinging to her shoulders. She opened and closed her mouth repeatedly, desperate to communicate but unable to utter a sound.

“Watch out! She’ll hurt you! Xiu’er, get back here!” The innkeeper lunged for the girl again. She clung to Luo Jinxiao’s legs with all her might, refusing to let go. Caught in the middle of this tug-of-war, Luo Jinxiao held up a hand to stop them.

“Wait, innkeeper, please! Let’s talk about this calmly. Is this really your daughter?” she asked, placing herself protectively in front of the girl.

The innkeeper, chest heaving, straightened up and placed his hands on his hips. “You don’t understand! This girl… she was born deaf and mute. No one would marry her, so she helps me run the inn. She used to be normal, but a year ago, she wandered off on her own and disappeared for days. We searched everywhere, but she was gone. When she finally came back… she wasn’t the same. She’s been acting strangely ever since, always trying to run away, always heading for the mountains.”

“The mountains?” Luo Jinxiao echoed.

“Yes, the mountains behind the town. I followed her once. It was the middle of the night, pitch black. She was sitting alone on the mountaintop, talking to a tree. I’ve never been so terrified in my life.”

The innkeeper’s voice dropped to a whisper. “I tried to bring her back, but as I took a step towards her, I tripped and fell. When I looked up… she was gone. I searched everywhere, but there was no sign of her. I rushed back to the inn, and when I opened the door… there she was, sitting right on the doorstep, as if nothing had happened.”

His words sent chills down Luo Jinxiao’s spine. She couldn’t help but glance back at Qu Weiyin, who was frowning, deep in thought.

“Look, you seem like good people. I’m just warning you. Don’t get involved. Rest up for the night and be on your way,” the innkeeper said in low voice. Then, before Luo Jinxiao could react, he grabbed the girl and dragged her away, disappearing into one of the rooms.

Luo Jinxiao made to follow, but Qu Weiyin stopped her.

“Junior Shishu, I checked. There’s nothing wrong with her. She’s not possessed,” Luo Jinxiao insisted, shaking her head.

“I know,” Qu Weiyin said calmly, her eyes unreadable. “But they are father and daughter. It’s not our place to interfere.”

They sat in silence for a while longer before retiring to their rooms. The others were sound asleep, and Luo Jinxiao was exhausted herself. She drifted off almost immediately, sinking into the soft bedding.

She wasn’t sure how much time had passed when a sudden gust of wind jolted her awake. She sat up abruptly and looked out the window. It was the middle of the night, the sky a suffocating black void, devoid of even a sliver of moonlight.

Something about the oppressive darkness felt wrong. Luo Jinxiao got out of bed and walked over to the window. The street was deserted, the wind whipping tattered cloth and leaves across the ground with an eerie rustling sound. Other than that, there was an unsettling silence. No children crying, no dogs barking, no crickets chirping. It was as if the entire town had fallen deathly still.

Luo Jinxiao closed the window and went to check on Luo Ning. She knocked softly on the door, but there was no response.

Worry gnawed at Luo Jinxiao. She was about to push the door open when a hand suddenly grasped her shoulder. She spun around, only to have a soft hand clamp over her mouth.

“Shh, don’t wake them,” Qu Weiyin whispered in her ear, her grip on Luo Jinxiao’s shoulder surprisingly firm.

A faint floral fragrance filled the air. Luo Jinxiao lowered her gaze, looking into Qu Weiyin’s eyes, and nodded slowly.

Qu Weiyin released her and, without a hint of gentleness, pulled her by the collar into the room. It was pitch black inside, and Luo Jinxiao narrowly avoided tripping over the table several times.

“Something’s not right in this town. At night, it’s blanketed by demonic energy. It’s affecting everyone, making them sleep so deeply they can’t be woken,” Qu Weiyin explained, pulling Luo Jinxiao towards the window. In the faint light filtering through the cracks in the shutters, Luo Jinxiao could finally make out her expression.

It was a mixture of her usual indifference and a newfound seriousness.

“Speaking of which, why are you awake?” Qu Weiyin asked, her gaze sweeping over Luo Jinxiao with suspicion. “My cultivation is strong enough to resist the effects, but you…”

“I, uh… I had a bit of an upset stomach. Couldn’t sleep,” Luo Jinxiao blurted out, hoping she sounded convincing.

Qu Weiyin scrutinized her for a moment longer before continuing. “It seems the innkeeper was telling the truth. There’s definitely a demon causing trouble in this town.”

“Could it be related to that girl, Xiu’er?” Luo Jinxiao asked, recalling the young girl from earlier.

Qu Weiyin shook her head. “I’m not sure. But the entire town is saturated with demonic energy. Whatever it is, it seems to be feeding on the life force of the townspeople.”

“So, we should…”

“You’re staying here,” Qu Weiyin interrupted. “Don’t move an inch until I return.”

Before Luo Jinxiao could protest, Qu Weiyin was gone, her slender silhouette swallowed by the darkness. Luo Jinxiao tried to follow, but a golden barrier slammed into her, throwing her back.

“A barrier? Seriously?” Luo Jinxiao grumbled, rubbing her forehead.

She raised her hand to dispel it but hesitated. Qu Weiyin had given her a direct order. Besides, with her level of cultivation, those demons wouldn’t stand a chance against her.

Luo Jinxiao peered out the window again. The darkness remained unchanged, offering no clues. She sat down on the bed, a wave of helplessness washing over her.

Suddenly, a deafening roar ripped through the night, like a storm battering against the walls. Luo Jinxiao leapt to her feet and hurried to the window. A flash of golden light streaked across the sky, parting the oppressive darkness. In its wake, the moonlight poured down like a waterfall, bathing the town in a silvery glow.

The full moon, now a brilliant silver disc in the sky, banished the shadows that had gripped Pingxi Town.

A moment later, a figure appeared outside her window. It was Qu Weiyin. But her usually straight posture was gone, replaced by a weary slump. She stumbled towards the window, collapsing into Luo Jinxiao’s arms.

For a moment, Luo Jinxiao’s heart skipped a beat, quickly replaced by worry.

Qu Weiyin’s eyes were closed, her body alarmingly limp. Something was terribly wrong. Luo Jinxiao gently guided her to the bed.

“Junior Shishu, are you hurt?” she asked, kneeling beside her. She reached out with one hand to steady Qu Weiyin while her other hand probed gently with spiritual energy. Qu Weiyin’s spiritual pathways were a chaotic mess, her energy surging dangerously.

The chaotic energy didn’t feel like an external injury. It was self-inflicted.

“Is it the Gu in your body? Did it flare up?” Luo Jinxiao asked.

Gone was Qu Weiyin’s usual coldness and hostility. Her eyes were tightly shut, her face unusually pale and vulnerable. Her lips were pressed together in a tight line. She nodded slightly in response to Luo Jinxiao’s question.

Luo Jinxiao let out a small sigh. She sat up on the bed, and Qu Weiyin, unable to support herself, slumped against her, her cheek resting on Luo Jinxiao’s shoulder. Her breath, hot and ragged, brushed against Luo Jinxiao’s skin.

Luo Jinxiao felt a strange warmth spread through her. She bit her lip, pushing aside any stray thoughts. Focus on saving her.

She gently took Qu Weiyin’s hand in hers, slowly channeling her own spiritual energy to soothe the turmoil within her and purge the lingering demonic energy.

It seems she was alone when the Gu flared up, and she tried to suppress it herself, Luo Jinxiao realized. No wonder her spiritual pathways are so damaged.

But why? Why push herself so hard to protect this town, even in her condition? Luo Jinxiao recalled the brilliant golden light that had ripped through the sky earlier. It was Qu Weiyin’s power, a display of terrifying strength. But now, she seemed so…fragile.

She’s supposed to be evil. But most of the time, she’s so kind, even righteous cultivators pale in comparison. How can someone embody such contradictory traits? Luo Jinxiao couldn’t understand.

The hand of a former Demon Lord, yet it felt so delicate and soft in hers. Luo Jinxiao stared at their intertwined hands, her thoughts a jumbled mess.

Qu Weiyin’s hand fit perfectly in hers. Luo Jinxiao gave it a gentle squeeze.

As Qu Weiyin’s erratic spiritual energy gradually calmed, Luo Jinxiao relaxed slightly. She continued channeling her healing energy, but her free hand started toying with Qu Weiyin’s, shaping it into a lotus flower, then a fist, unable to resist the urge to play.

“Having fun?” a quiet voice asked.

Luo Jinxiao was about to reply, a cheerful “Yes, very—” on her lips, when she froze.

“So…soft…” she blurted out.

A faint blush colored Qu Weiyin’s cheeks. She pulled her hand away and slowly sat up, leaning against the headboard for support. Her face was pale, her lips a delicate shade of pink against her skin.

“How improper,” she chided, her voice hoarse, her gaze fixed on anything but Luo Jinxiao.

“Junior Shishu, how are you feeling?” Luo Jinxiao asked softly, her gaze fixed on Qu Weiyin’s face. “You knew the Gu was acting up. You could have come back for me to help. Why push yourself so hard to deal with those demons?”

“They don’t just feed on yang energy. They devour people whole. Every night, a few more villagers vanish. I was already here… might as well do something,” Qu Weiyin replied, shaking her head. “Thank you.”

“It’s nothing,” Luo Jinxiao said with a grin. “But will that demon… thing… come back?”

“I wasn’t strong enough to kill it, only to drive it away. It’ll probably return tomorrow. It’s an old one, powerful. I couldn’t tell what kind of demon it was,” Qu Weiyin said, her voice weak. Luo Jinxiao worried she might faint again.

“You need to rest,” Luo Jinxiao insisted. “Should we continue our journey tomorrow, or stay another night?”

“No need. Even the strongest demon is no match for me. Tonight was… an anomaly. You leave with the others tomorrow. I’ll deal with the demon and catch up later,” Qu Weiyin said, shaking her head again. She lay back down, swatting away Luo Jinxiao’s hand when she tried to help her.

“Go back to your room,” Qu Weiyin said, her brow furrowed. She turned away from Luo Jinxiao, her back stiff. She discreetly rubbed her hand, still warm from Luo Jinxiao’s touch, then brought it to her chest, as if trying to soothe a racing heart.