Transmigrated as The Cannon Fodder Bride of The Villainess

Qu Weiyin stood still for a moment before acting as if nothing had happened, her hand outstretched as the book returned to her palm.

She looked at Luo Jinxiao reproachfully, but Luo Jinxiao looked up at the sky, avoiding her gaze.

“Ahem…” Qu Weiyin coughed a few times, then said with a blank expression, “I’ve finished my lecture. You may all disperse now.”

The disciples were still reeling from the shock of what they had just witnessed. Although few dared to gossip openly, they remained frozen in place.

In the end, it was Qu Weiyin who, with steady steps, fled the scene first.

As she passed by Luo Jinxiao, her fingers hooked onto Luo Jinxiao’s sash, pulling her forward so that she stumbled along behind Qu Weiyin.

When they were finally alone, Qu Weiyin released her, took a pouch from her sleeve, and tossed it to Luo Jinxiao, her delicate eyebrows furrowed. “Here.”

“Next time, don’t say such things in front of so many people.”

Luo Jinxiao caught the pouch and chuckled. “What kind of things?”

For the first time, Qu Weiyin was left speechless. Her red lips parted slightly, and finally, she glared fiercely at Luo Jinxiao.

“Also, how did you end up on my bed yesterday?”

Qu Weiyin had received quite a shock when she woke up early to find Luo Jinxiao’s pouch lying beside her.

“Well…” Luo Jinxiao scratched her head. “I didn’t do anything.”

“Of course, you didn’t do anything, otherwise, would I have let you stay until now?” Qu Weiyin pursed her lips and glared at her again, turning to walk back.

“Master!” A clear voice called out. A young girl came running from around the corner, dressed in the light blue robes of a new Wuhui Sect disciple. She was the picture of youthful beauty, with rosy cheeks, bright eyes, and long eyelashes, her every movement full of spirit.

She ran up to Qu Weiyin, panting, and smiled, revealing teeth like a row of pearls. “Master, you’re back! Elder He called me to help today, so I’ve only just returned. You were gone for so many days, I missed you so much.”

Luo Jinxiao’s fist clenched.

She looked the young girl up and down. Indeed, she was pretty and lively, the type that people would naturally like. Perhaps even more likable than herself.

Except she was a bit short. Junior Shishu must prefer someone taller.

“Mm.” Qu Weiyin nodded slightly, her expression gentle.

And her words were sweeter too. This was unacceptable.

The young girl finally noticed Luo Jinxiao standing to the side with a murderous look on her face. She shrank her neck and blinked her large eyes at Qu Weiyin. “Master, who is this…?”

Luo Jinxiao also blinked at Qu Weiyin.

“Senior Sister Luo,” Qu Weiyin said.

“Hello, Senior Sister Luo!” The young girl greeted her crisply with a sweet smile.

Luo Jinxiao returned the greeting with a forced smile.

“Senior Sister Luo, I still have something to discuss with Master, so I won’t disturb you any longer.” The young girl’s eyes curved into crescents as she waved at Luo Jinxiao, then she and Qu Weiyin, one tall and one short, walked away together.

Halfway down the path, Qu Weiyin suddenly turned back to look at her, but Luo Jinxiao was lost in thought, head lowered, and didn’t notice.

Luo Jinxiao remained where she was, a knot of unease tightening in her chest. She angrily kicked a pebble on the ground and wandered aimlessly.

Passing by the pavilion from earlier, she saw several disciples huddled together inside. Ke Tao was at the front, a pile of silver in front of him. He was shouting, “Who else wants to place a bet? Listen to me, you won’t lose!”

“I bet Junior Shishu Qu likes Senior Sister Luo!” A young girl said, placing her silver on the larger pile.

“I bet too!” Baili Xiao also threw down a silver ingot.

“Me too.” Luo Jinxiao took a silver ingot from her pouch and tossed it onto the table.

“Alright, alright!” Ke Tao’s thick eyebrows curved into a smile as he scooped up the silver. He looked up and suddenly met Luo Jinxiao’s gaze. He stumbled back in fright, his head falling into the pile of silver.

The others were also stunned. For a moment, there was silence.

“Gambling is forbidden in the Wuhui Sect. If I don’t win in the end, I’ll tell Elder Liu about this.” Luo Jinxiao said, filled with resentment, then left with her arms crossed, leaving the stunned disciples behind.

Feeling frustrated, she wandered around until she reached the back mountain and headed towards the tombs.

On the western side of Wuhui Mountain, several white jade pillars stood tall. Beneath them lay the tombs of generations of deceased Wuhui Sect cultivators, a place traditionally known for its tranquility.

Luo Jinxiao sought solace in this quietude, but as she crested the hill, she saw several streams of spiritual energy floating in the air, seemingly repairing a barrier.

Shielding her eyes from the sun, she saw that it was several elders and some of the sect’s more powerful disciples, including Luo Ning, Yan Ying, and Gui Jiu, all sweating profusely as they meticulously mended the barrier above the Wuhui Sect, layer by layer.

She spotted Elder Liu’s back and turned to sneak away, but he called out to her.

Luo Jinxiao froze, then reluctantly turned back, approaching Elder Liu with her head bowed and murmuring a soft greeting, “Master.”

“I’m not going to hit you, so lift your head,” Elder Liu said gruffly.

Luo Jinxiao finally raised her head and exchanged a wink with Luo Ning, earning a glare from Yan Ying.

“Elder Liu, your disciple has just returned, why don’t you calm down a bit?” The short Elder He stood nearby, wiping his sweat as he tried to mediate.

“Calm down? What if your disciple hid from you in the mountains for five years, then came down and ran off to fool around without seeing you? Would you be calm?” Elder Liu retorted angrily, silencing Elder He.

Seeing this, Luo Jinxiao quickly changed the subject. “Master, what are you doing? Do you need my help?”

“What help? Go away. Luo Ning told us about your encounter with the demons. It seems a clash between cultivators and demons is inevitable, so we need to reinforce this barrier as soon as possible.”

After hearing this, Luo Jinxiao couldn’t help but glance at Luo Ning again. Seeing no change in her expression, she felt relieved. Luo Ning didn’t seem to have given much thought to the anomaly of her suddenly killing Ah Chou.

Perhaps she should find a time to talk to Elder Liu about this alone. Otherwise, she would always feel uneasy.

“Then… this disciple will take her leave.” Luo Jinxiao said, tiptoeing away, but Elder Liu’s sudden shout startled her.

“Leave? Come and help me!”

By the time Luo Jinxiao finished repairing the barrier with them, the setting sun was already casting long shadows across the sky. She supported the aching Luo Ning as they walked towards the disciples’ quarters.

Behind them, Yan Ying followed with an impatient expression, occasionally interjecting.

“Hey, I have some spirit pills here, do you want one?”

“Luo Jinxiao, move aside. You can’t support her properly.”

After much struggle, she finally managed to take Luo Ning from Luo Jinxiao’s arms and supported her smugly. Her complexion had somewhat improved, and she now had a hint of her former noble young lady’s appearance.

But her features were no longer as sharp.

“Sister, are you unhappy?” Luo Ning asked softly.

“No.” Luo Jinxiao shook her head.

“I understand sister’s every word and action best,” Luo Ning insisted.

“You just think you understand her,” Yan Ying said from the side.

“Shut up.” Luo Ning glared at her, and Yan Ying immediately fell silent.

Luo Jinxiao found it somewhat amusing. In the past, the two of them were always bickering, but after Yan Ying had lived like a beggar for five years, she now seemed to take any scolding without complaint.

“Then tell me why I’m unhappy?” Luo Jinxiao asked, half-joking, half-serious.

Luo Ning’s eyes darted around. “Because Junior Shishu Qu took on a disciple, right? When Lu Fanzhi and I saw you, we hesitated about whether to tell you this. But since Junior Shishu Qu didn’t mention it, we didn’t bring it up either.”

Luo Jinxiao frowned. Was her mind so easy to read?

“I heard that when the young girl arrived, she was covered in blood and collapsed at the gate of the Wuhui Sect. It was Junior Shishu Qu who saved her. And according to rumors among fellow disciples, the reason Junior Shishu Qu took her as a disciple was because of a promise made to her family.”

A promise made to her family? Luo Jinxiao’s mood soured even further. Why didn’t Junior Shishu tell her anything? It seemed like even complete strangers knew more than she did.

After pondering for a while, Luo Jinxiao finally sighed and smiled at Luo Ning. “It’s nothing.”

“Sister, I think Junior Shishu likes you very much. If you ask her, she will definitely tell you,” Luo Ning said softly.

Luo Jinxiao’s heart skipped a beat at these words, unsure if she felt joy or a bittersweet mix of emotions.

Back in the disciples’ quarters, Luo Jinxiao plopped down on her bed. Her old bed was still there, the bedding neatly folded and placed at the head of the bed. A faint floral fragrance lingered in the air.

She suddenly felt excited.

There was a stack of something on the bed – white with touches of red. Luo Jinxiao quickly picked it up and found it was a white robe, matching the color of disciples’ clothes but not entirely plain, with red embroidery on the sleeves and collar.

As she shook out the robe, a letter fell out, neatly folded into quarters. She opened it to find Qu Weiyin’s handwriting:

“Your clothes are worn. You should change into new ones.”

This short line of text made Luo Jinxiao’s heart bubble with happiness. She tossed the clothes aside, and with a flash of silver light, easily changed into them.

It was made of the same soft and smooth material as her old blue robes, cool and comfortable against her skin.

She hadn’t expected Junior Sishu to remember her worn-out sleeves. Luo Jinxiao was delighted, all her previous discontent forgotten.

As if remembering something, she turned and ran, ignoring Luo Ning’s calls. Bursting out the door, she soared into the sky on a cloud, heading straight for the Hanyun Pavilion.

When she rushed through the door, Qu Weiyin was sitting with her long hair loose, leaning against a cushion, quietly reading a scroll.

She was still barefoot, her slender legs hidden beneath her red skirt, looking even more beautiful.

A look of surprise crossed her face, then she put the book aside and stood up. “Why are you rushing in like this? Did something happen?”

Her fair bare feet moved across the floor, her skirt trailing behind her, creating petal-like curves.

“Nothing, just wanted to show you how good I look.” Luo Jinxiao said, her almond eyes narrowing in joy as she twirled on the spot.

Qu Weiyin was quite helpless. She thought something serious had happened. She looked Luo Jinxiao up and down, then nodded slightly. “Mm, it’s passable.”

“How do I compare to your disciple?”

Qu Weiyin blinked her phoenix eyes, not understanding the sudden question.

“Then I’ll ask directly, why did you take on a disciple?” Luo Jinxiao put her hands on her hips, trying to boost her courage.

“She brought me a letter from my mother, written more than ten years ago,” Qu Weiyin answered truthfully.

“Ah?” Luo Jinxiao was surprised by this answer. She knew that Qu Chengzhou had murdered Qu Weiyin’s father, but she didn’t know why her mother had left.

“It’s a long story. My mother disappeared when I was young. We thought she had passed away, but Rong’er brought evidence of her handwriting, saying my mother had saved her once and asked me to take her as a disciple.”

“It’s not a big deal. Why are you asking about this?” Qu Weiyin asked, puzzled.

Luo Jinxiao, flustered, instinctively reached up to touch her head. She chuckled, her eyes sparkling like jewels beneath the water. “Nothing.”

Happy with the answer, she began to back away slowly, but tripped over a screen and stumbled backward.

Qu Weiyin instinctively reached out and grabbed her arm. Just as Luo Jinxiao regained her balance, she steadied herself with a few steps forward.

“When will you ever get rid of your clumsiness!” Qu Weiyin was almost at her wit’s end.

As Qu Weiyin pulled her hand, a small booklet fell out of Luo Jinxiao’s wide sleeve, landing on the floor with a thud. The wind blowing through the crack under the door flipped open a few pages.

Qu Weiyin helplessly bent down to pick it up. Luo Jinxiao tried to stop her, but it was too late. Qu Weiyin’s eyes widened as she saw a few large characters circled in ink.

“Form is emptiness, emptiness is form.”

“A heart-calming spell?” The composure on Qu Weiyin’s face finally crumbled.