Transmigrated as The Cannon Fodder Bride of The Villainess

“That’s better,” Luo Jinxiao muttered, hugging the Qiongqi tightly in her arms as she leaped and bounded, her green skirt billowing behind her. The cheers and screams from behind were quickly left behind as she plunged into darkness.

The darkness didn’t last long. Soon, the surrounding air seemed to solidify, forming a large net that caught her descent and slowly lowered her.

Luo Jinxiao landed steadily. She was the last to arrive; the others had long since disappeared. A single envelope lay squarely on the ground. Luo Jinxiao bent down to pick it up as the Qiongqi jumped out of her arms.

“Hey Little Sweetie, don’t wander off, it’s dangerous here.” Luo Jinxiao grabbed its tail, only to be met with a growl.

Startled, Luo Jinxiao quickly retracted her hand. “You’re really fierce today.”

She opened the envelope. Inside, a single sentence was written: “To venture through life and death. Of the living, ten out of ten die; of the dead, ten out of ten were living. To survive, one must navigate death.”

Luo Jinxiao turned the envelope over and over, but found no other words. Could it be that the trial is about seeking good fortune and avoiding disaster? she wondered.

At that moment, four stone gates rose from the ground before her. Each doorway pulsed with a blinding white light.

Luo Jinxiao scooped up Qiongqi and, without hesitation, stepped through one of the doors. The world spun, and she felt a wave of dizziness. When she opened her eyes, she found herself in a forest of towering stone pillars, stretching into the clouds like a gathering of giants, imposing and awe-inspiring.

“This is a formation.” Luo Jinxiao said after a glance, stroking the Qiongqi’s head. “Seems the first trial is a life-and-death formation. Live if you can find your way out, die if you can’t. They really went all out for this Grand Gathering.”

Qiongqi bared its teeth again, but at least it didn’t try to bite her.

“Good thing your master is an expert in life-and-death formations. This is nothing. If you don’t like being held, you can go back into the pouch. It’s dangerous out here.” Luo Jinxiao bent down, her tone gentle.

Qiongqi ignored her, tail raised, and walked into the formation.

“After being fed by Junior Shishu for a few days, your temper is becoming more and more like hers.” Luo Jinxiao sighed and ran a few steps ahead of Qiongqi, entering the formation.

The moment she stepped in, the seemingly motionless stone forest sprung to life. Hundreds of stone pillars began to shift horizontally, their movements dizzying. Dust filled the air, stinging her eyes and nose.

Luo Jinxiao didn’t rush. She closed her eyes and listened intently to the sound of the stone pillars grinding against the ground. After a while, she extended a hand and sent a sliver of spiritual energy forward, easily piercing through a pillar.

“This way is Xuanwu.” She murmured to herself, then struck the pillar with her palm, shattering it. Behind the shower of stone fragments, a narrow passage appeared.

“Little Sweetie, come on.” Luo Jinxiao called, stepping through the gap until another pillar blocked her path.

She sent out another pulse of spiritual energy. Some passed through the pillars, while others dissipated upon contact.

“Baihu.” She muttered, then struck again. The pillar to her left crumbled, revealing another passage. She repeated this process several times. Eventually, she barely needed to use her spiritual energy, moving effortlessly along a patterned route.

In less than the time it took an incense stick to burn, she had reached the center of the formation. A massive stone pillar, as thick as several adults with arms outstretched, stood before her—the formation’s core. Shattering this pillar would break the entire formation.

“Come here, don’t run off,” Luo Jinxiao bent down to pick up Qiongqi, affectionately nuzzling its wet nose. Qiongqi let out a howl, pushing her face away with its furry paw, refusing to let her get closer.

Luo Jinxiao adored this furry little beast. The more it resisted, the more she wanted to cuddle it. After a while of playful struggle, she finally stopped, breathless, touching her cheek that had turned red from the scratches.

Out of her sight, Qiongqi rolled its eyes dramatically.

“Let me tell you, this formation core is the hardest to break. If an ordinary person lacks sufficient cultivation, they won’t be able to get out, no matter how well they understand life-and-death formations.” Luo Jinxiao said, taking a few steps forward and placing her palm on the stone pillar. Instantly, a fine layer of frost spread across its surface, like a net slowly enveloping its prey.

Powerful spiritual energy surged from her, radiating a silver light that illuminated the world as it swiftly enveloped the pillar. In the next instant, the blinding light and the stone pillar crumbled together, dissolving into dust that scattered across the ground.

Luo Jinxiao raised a hand, her spiritual energy forming a protective barrier around her and the Qiongqi, shielding them from the falling debris. As the last of the stone pillars above them vanished, the entire formation disappeared without a trace, as if it had never existed.

Qiongqi tilted its head, gazing at the scene before it. Its clear, glassy eyes, partially hidden by thick lashes, flickered with an indiscernible emotion.

Luo Jinxiao tipped her head back slightly, her own eyes calm and resolute. From Qiongqi’s perspective, it could only see her smooth jawline and the strands of hair framing her face, highlighted by the remaining light which revealed the fine hairs on her cheeks.

Qiongqi lowered its gaze, a flicker of sadness, and perhaps a hint of anger, flashing through its eyes.

Luo Jinxiao smiled and looked down to congratulate the beast, but before she could speak, the Qiongqi suddenly snapped at her and dove headfirst into her pouch, refusing to come out.

“Little Sweetie? What’s wrong?” Luo Jinxiao was bewildered. She shook the pouch gently, utterly confused. All I did was break a formation, how did I offend it?

There was no response from inside.

Oh well. Luo Jinxiao shook her head. Children would eventually grow up, and it seemed spirit beasts were no different. Rebellion doesn’t distinguish between humans and beasts.

Suddenly, another materialized on the ground. Unfazed, Luo Jinxiao picked it up, extracted the letter inside, and read aloud: “Men die for wealth, just as birds die for food. Lust leads to foolishness.”

Another hint for the next trial, it seems. As soon as she finished speaking, stone gates rose before her once more. This time, only three remained.

It seems no matter which gate I choose, the trial will be the same. With that thought, Luo Jinxiao didn’t hesitate any longer. She randomly selected a gate and stepped through.

The world spun once more. When her vision cleared, she found herself in an enormous chamber. To her right sat a massive, man-high, lotus-crane incense burner. Its mouth was inlaid with golden lotuses, and on either side perched a crane, wings outstretched as if about to take flight. It was a breathtaking work of art.

As Luo Jinxiao stared at it, she couldn’t shake the feeling that the cranes were about to come alive. She took a few steps forward, compelled to touch the magnificent bronze vessel.

But before her hands could make contact, the burner suddenly erupted, spewing forth a torrent of what looked like water. It cascaded to the ground, and as it spread, Luo Jinxiao realized it wasn’t water at all, but a dazzling river of gemstones, pearls, gold, silver, top-grade medicinal pills, and spirit stones, all shimmering brilliantly.

The treasures continued to gush out, a sight that would tempt even the most disciplined heart.

Luo Jinxiao fought back the urge to reach out. She spun around and continued forward, navigating the sea of riches. Beyond the treasure, she discovered a pool of steaming water. Sheer silk curtains draped around it, and the air was thick with the fragrance of flower petals.

Several men and women lounged in the pool, each more breathtaking than the last. Every one of them, male or female, possessed an ethereal beauty that could rival the celestial beings, so breathtaking that it was hard to look away.

They laughed and splashed, sending playful droplets of water into the air. A few landed on Luo Jinxiao’s robe, causing her to startle slightly.

For a moment, Luo Jinxiao was sorely tempted to join them. She blushed furiously, forcing herself to look away and pinching her thigh repeatedly to break the spell.

If you stay here, you’ll want for nothing for the rest of your life.

A voice, dreamy and ethereal, echoed in her mind.

At that moment, the men and women from the pool emerged, laughing as they walked towards her. Water cascaded down their bodies, leaving trails on the ground. Their bare, white feet seemed to shimmer, and Luo Jinxiao, overwhelmed by the sight, found herself reciting Buddhist scriptures she had memorized in her past life as she hurried forward.

She had always possessed a strong will, but her past training had focused on overcoming fear, not resisting this kind of temptation.

She panicked, breaking into a run. The men and women behind her started to chase her. The path seemed to stretch endlessly before her. No matter how fast she ran, a glance back always revealed the overflowing incense burner and the alluring mist of the pool.

Suddenly, Qiongqi, who had been hiding in her pouch, sprang out. It landed with a mighty thud, standing imposingly with its four paws on the ground. Its body, like a small ox, blocked the path of those “people.” With a mighty roar that echoed through the heavens and earth, it was terrifying enough to shatter the sky.

Luo Jinxiao seized the opportunity to snap out of her daze. She summoned her divine sword, launching it towards the incense burner with a flick of her wrist. A deafening clang rang out as the vessel split in two, the seemingly endless stream of treasure vanishing instantly.

So it was all an illusion. The men and women pursuing her began to shift and change, revealing their true forms: a pack of white-tailed foxes, swaying seductively.

Luo Jinxiao let out a sigh of relief. She skidded to a halt, scooping up the snarling Qiongqi and tucking it under her arm. Spiritual energy surged in her other hand, and a volley of ice shards shot towards the foxes, piercing the ground around them.

The scene dissolved once more. Luo Jinxiao found herself standing in the middle of an open field, a gentle breeze ruffling her hair. Finally able to relax, she took advantage of Qiongqi’s momentary distraction to plant a quick kiss on its nose. “Thanks to you, otherwise, I might not have made it.” she said with a bright smile.

Outraged by the unexpected affection, Qiongqi thrashed wildly in her grasp, its tiny paws flailing as it tried to swipe at her face.

Luo Jinxiao lifted it just high enough so it couldn’t reach her, its short legs kicking furiously in the air. Its fierce gaze burned with fury, as if it wanted to swallow her whole.

Amused by its reaction, Luo Jinxiao hugged the beast close. “Alright, alright, no more kisses. I’ll even reward you with three whole cows when we get back.”

She smiled, her expression as bright and warm as the spring sunshine. Qiongqi averted its gaze, calming down a bit.

“Those fox spirits were beautiful,” Luo Jinxiao mused, stroking the Qiongqi’s fur. “But luckily, I have someone like Junior Shishu around all the time, so I’m immune to their charms. Otherwise, I might have actually fallen for their tricks.”

Qiongqi grunted and snuggled into Luo Jinxiao’s arms.

Luo Jinxiao looked around. There were no new gates, no envelopes. Perhaps I need to wait a while. Bored, she started chatting with the Qiongqi.

“Where do you think Junior Shishu went? I haven’t seen her in a while. She’s stronger than me, of course, but I can’t help but worry.” Luo Jinxiao sat down cross-legged, struggling slightly as she settled the Qiongqi on her shoulder.

“She might still act like a Demon Lord at times, but I think Junior Shishu is actually a very kind person. I’ve grown quite attached to her lately. No one has ever been so good to me before,” Luo Jinxiao rambled, her gaze growing distant.

“Oh well, let’s take it one step at a time. I, Luo Jinxiao, have always lived by a Well, we’ll just take things one step at a time. I, Luo Jinxiao, have always followed one simple rule: I’ll treat you as well as you treat me.” Straightening up with renewed energy, she placed the Qiongqi on the ground and sprang to her feet , giving its butt a playful pat.

“Come on, let’s go find the next gate.”

Qiongqi jumped up as if electrified, turned its head, and bit her leg hard.