Transmigrated as The Cannon Fodder Bride of The Villainess

Hearing this, it whimpered and covered its face with its paws.

Luo Jinxiao shook her head, no longer trying to understand the mind of a beast. She lifted the pouch to her eyes. Although the fabric was luxurious, the embroidery on it was not as fine and perfect as before. It must have been hand-sewn.

I didn’t realize Qu Weiyin had such skill, Luo Jinxiao thought with a smile.

She spent the following days alone in Elder Liu’s courtyard, secluding herself except for attending classes. Within a fortnight, she had cultivated the technique Elder Liu had given her to the second level.

However, her attempts to inquire about the nature of the technique were always met with evasion. Elder Liu only told her to cultivate diligently, as it would prove useful in the future.

The divine sword felt as if it had always been hers, fitting perfectly in her hand and possessing immense power. However, Luo Jinxiao didn’t dare use it too frequently. Every time she channeled her spiritual energy into it, she felt a surge of dark currents, as if the sword itself had a life of its own.

There was also a faint, unsettling aura of malice.

One day, during class, as she sat in her usual corner, bored out of her mind and reading, a teacup suddenly struck her on the head. Laughter erupted around her.

Luo Jinxiao cried out in pain, instinctively raising her hand to cover her forehead. As she straightened up, her eyes met Elder Mei’s furious gaze. She quickly closed her book.

“Luo Jinxiao, tell me what I just said,” Elder Mei said angrily.

Luo Jinxiao hurriedly stood up, opening and closing her mouth like a fish out of water. She discreetly nudged Lu Fanzhi’s leg, signaling for help.

Lu Fanzhi covered her mouth, whispering, “The Ten Directions Gathering.”

Luo Jinxiao parroted the words, though she had no idea what the Ten Directions Gathering was.

“And what is that you’re reading?” Elder Mei raised her chin. The book on Luo Jinxiao’s desk shot into the air. She grasped at it several times but failed to catch it. Finally, it landed in Elder Mei’s hand.

“The White Brocade Immortal Scroll. An advanced technique?” Elder Mei’s eyes widened in surprise, then she sneered. “You, Luo Jinxiao, with the worst aptitude in the entire Wuhui Sect, instead of applying yourself, you indulge in such daydreams?”

More muffled laughter came from the other disciples. Luo Jinxiao rolled her eyes internally, took the book that Elder Mei tossed back at her, and sat down awkwardly.

“As I was saying, the Ten Directions Gathering is the grandest event in the entire cultivation world. Sects large and small gather in one place to display their skills. To put it bluntly, it’s a way to rank the sects in the cultivation world and bring honor to their names. However, not everyone can attend this gathering. It is a gathering of experts. The elders have discussed it, and we will choose a few disciples to go and observe.” Elder Mei looked away from Luo Jinxiao and continued speaking.

At that moment, Yan Ying suddenly spoke up, “Master, if there are competitions, can we participate?”

“The competitions are not open to just anyone. Only those with a destined connection can participate.”

Luo Jinxiao ducked her head under the table and whispered to Lu Fanzhi, “They definitely won’t let me go, and I have no desire to attend this Ten Directions Gathering. I have my own matters to attend to.”

“What could you be busy with?” Lu Fanzhi whispered back with sparkling eyes. “I really want to go. It’s so boring being stuck in the Wuhui Sect all the time. It’s much more interesting to go out and experience the world. Besides, all the sects will be there. If there are some handsome senior brothers and sisters, even better. It’ll be a feast for the eyes.”

“Handsome senior brothers and sisters?” Luo Jinxiao put down her book and nodded. “Now that you mention it, that does sound quite appealing.”

“Right? And this time, the gathering will be held at the Xumi Manor. It’s in the east, very close to the Sea of Exile. I’ve never been that far before.” Lu Fanzhi grew more and more excited, her voice gradually getting louder.

Before Luo Jinxiao could cover her mouth, she heard a rush of wind above her head. She instinctively dodged back, and the book in Elder Mei’s hand slammed onto Lu Fanzhi’s face, right between her forehead.

Lu Fanzhi immediately clutched her forehead and cried out in pain.

“Luo Jinxiao, Lu Fanzhi, both of you, get out!” Elder Mei roared.

And so, Luo Jinxiao and Lu Fanzhi found themselves standing outside the door, enduring the scorching summer sun as Elder Mei lectured them relentlessly for a whole hour before they were finally released. They supported each other as they left.

“Old hag,” Lu Fanzhi cursed under her breath, rubbing her burning face.

“As expected, cowards only act tough behind our backs,” a provocative voice rang out. Luo Jinxiao turned around to see Yan Ying, as expected.

“You’re the coward! Your whole family are cowards!” Lu Fanzhi retorted, rolling up her sleeves and stepping forward before Luo Jinxiao pulled her back.

“Enough, don’t stoop to her level.” Luo Jinxiao had no desire for trouble. She patted Lu Fanzhi’s shoulder and steered her away, only to be stopped again by Yan Ying.

“Don’t look at me like that. I don’t have time to waste on you two. Elder Mei asked me to inform you that you will also be attending the Ten Directions Gathering,” Yan Ying said, arms crossed.

Lu Fanzhi’s face lit up with delight. “Really? Why?”

“How should I know? All I know is that we’re the only new disciples going. Everyone else is staying at the Wuhui Sect.” Yan Ying kept her arms crossed, then added after a pause, “Hey, is that idiot sister of yours going?”

“How should I know?” Luo Jinxiao shrugged.

A flicker of disappointment crossed Yan Ying’s face, but it was quickly replaced by her usual arrogance. She tossed her head, her high ponytail swaying like a whip, and strode away.

“What’s with her?” Lu Fanzhi stuck her tongue out at Yan Ying’s retreating figure.

Luo Jinxiao, on the other hand, wasn’t particularly interested in this so-called Ten Directions Gathering. It didn’t sound like it would significantly boost her cultivation. Still, she wasn’t opposed to it. She just wondered if the Demon Lord would be there.

If the sect were sending its strongest members to represent them, it would likely include the strongest disciples besides the elders.

That means the Demon Lord will definitely be there, Luo Jinxiao thought.

As it turned out, she was right. On the day of departure, she woke up early again, leaving her courtyard as dawn broke. Just as she was about to leave, Elder Liu called her back and had her chop half a courtyard’s worth of firewood.

By the time she was done, she was running late. Luo Jinxiao could only fly on her sword, wiping the sweat from her brow with her sleeve as she muttered to herself. I used to be a clean and tidy cultivator, but after all these days here, I’ve somehow become an expert at everyday chores. Chopping wood, building walls, cooking… I can do it all.

Lost in her thoughts, she suddenly saw the towering white jade gate. She descended from the sky, landing right in the middle of the crowd, startling the person next to her.

“You finally made it! I thought you’d gotten cold feet and decided not to come,” Lu Fanzhi said, clutching her chest with lingering fear. She then looked Luo Jinxiao up and down, her face puzzled.

“We’ll be gone for quite a while. You didn’t forget to pack anything, did you?” Lu Fanzhi asked.

“Of course not.” Luo Jinxiao smiled and winked at her, patting the pouch at her waist. The things the Demon Lord gave her were truly useful. This small pouch seemed to have an infinite amount of space. Even after putting everything inside, there was still room to spare.

As she was showing off her pouch, she felt a gaze upon her. She looked up and met Qu Weiyin’s eyes. Luo Jinxiao’s smile widened, while Qu Weiyin’s expression remained impassive.

Qu Weiyin’s gaze lingered on the pouch in Luo Jinxiao’s hand for a moment before moving on.

“Now that everyone’s here, I’ll go over the rules. The journey to Xumi Manor is long and dangerous, so we’ll travel in groups for safety,” Chang Siyu announced loudly.

No one objected. The senior disciples were divided into groups, chatting and laughing as they soared into the sky on their swords. Soon, only Luo Jinxiao and the other new disciples were left.

“You new disciples will be traveling with Junior Shishu Qu and me. Don’t worry,” Chang Siyu said with a cheerful grin, his enthusiasm clearly stemming from Qu Weiyin’s presence. However, Qu Weiyin didn’t even glance at him, only nodding curtly.

“Senior Brother Siyu, I want to go with you guys too,” Luo Ning, who was supposed to be with the higher-level disciples, suddenly reappeared, seemingly out of thin air.

“What a pest,” Yan Ying muttered under her breath, though her words were perfectly audible. Luo Ning whirled around, her eyes wide with anger. “I’m following my sister, not you!”

“Enough.” Qu Weiyin’s voice, laced with displeasure, silenced them all.

“Your cultivation levels are low. If anyone gets tired along the way, speak up, and we’ll stop to rest,” Qu Weiyin instructed. With that, she took off on her sword, the others exchanging glances before scrambling after her.

Trailing behind Qu Weiyin, Luo Jinxiao couldn’t help but steal glances at her. Qu Weiyin’s waist was already slender, but the silk ribbon cinching her robes accentuated its delicate curve, making her look as graceful as a willow swaying in the wind.

Above them stretched a sea of pristine white clouds. As they flew through the sky, Luo Jinxiao couldn’t shake the feeling that Qu Weiyin was a celestial fairy descended from the heavens. Even her silhouette held an ethereal beauty.

Lost in her admiration, Luo Jinxiao forgot to control her own sword. Just as Qu Weiyin slowed down, she snapped back to reality with a jolt. Unfortunately, her reaction was a beat too late. Before she knew it, Qu Weiyin’s enticing red lips were mere inches from hers.

Luo Jinxiao’s heart skipped a beat. She gasped, dodging to the side just in time to avoid a collision.

However, her footing was unsteady, and she stumbled backward. A hand shot out, catching her by the sash around her waist and pulling her back with a firm tug.

Relieved, Luo Jinxiao looked up to see who had saved her from a potentially disastrous fall. It was Qu Weiyin.

“J-Junior Shishu,” Luo Jinxiao stammered, her cheeks flushed.

Qu Weiyin studied her for a moment, then shook her head. “The wind is calm today. How can you not even control your sword properly? What will you do when the weather is bad?”

Luo Jinxiao bit back a sigh. She couldn’t exactly tell her that she’d almost crashed because she was too busy admiring her, could she?

In the end, she simply nodded obediently, letting her natural talent for multitasking take the blame.

“Forget it, ride with me. Stop using your sword,” Qu Weiyin said impatiently, frowning.

“Junior Shishu, I can…”

“No more excuses. If you fall, no one will save you,” Qu Weiyin cut her off coldly.

Luo Jinxiao had no choice but to comply. She sheathed her sword and obediently stood behind Qu Weiyin.

She couldn’t help but feel a nervous flutter in her chest. The curve of Qu Weiyin’s waist and the delicate skin of her neck were right before her eyes, as smooth and flawless as the finest jade, tempting her touch. The wind whipped Qu Weiyin’s long hair around, and a few strands brushed against Luo Jinxiao’s face, sending a tingling sensation through her.

They carried a fragrance unique to Qu Weiyin.