Transmigrated as The Cannon Fodder Bride of The Villainess

“Look, I’ve used up the spirit pill that could have helped me advance. You should teach me more as compensation,” Luo Jinxiao leaned in, taking advantage of the moment.

To her surprise, Qu Weiyin agreed readily. She even went to the bookshelf and retrieved several ancient scrolls, placing them in Luo Jinxiao’s hands.

“These are cultivation techniques I gathered with great effort,” she said softly. She paused, as if considering something, then produced a palm-sized wooden box seemingly out of thin air.

“These are spirit stones. Keep them close while you cultivate; they’ll help you progress faster,” Qu Weiyin explained. “They’re incredibly valuable. I obtained them by chance.”

Before Luo Jinxiao could respond, Qu Weiyin pressed the box into her hands.

Amused, Luo Jinxiao tucked the box into her pouch and pulled Qu Weiyin towards a nearby chair, making her sit down.

Qu Weiyin looked up at Luo Jinxiao, somewhat puzzled.

“I’ll apply some medicine for you,” Luo Jinxiao said. She retrieved a small jade bottle from her pouch and held it up. “Lu Fanzhi gave this to me. It’s very effective for injuries caused by spiritual energy. One application and you’ll be healed.”

She reached out to pull back Qu Weiyin’s robe, but Qu Weiyin abruptly leaned back, avoiding her touch.

“I can do it myself. You should go,” she muttered, clutching her robe tighter. “I’ll make sure to teach you how to cultivate properly.”

From Luo Jinxiao’s angle, all she could see was the top of Qu Weiyin’s head and a sliver of her delicate nose. Deciding not to push, Luo Jinxiao handed her the bottle. “I’m sure you have other matters to attend to, Junior Shishu. I’ll take my leave then.”

Qu Weiyin nodded distractedly. Luo Jinxiao couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off, but she chalked it up to Qu Weiyin’s exhaustion after the ordeal and her recent breakthrough. With a final farewell, she left the room.

Qiongqi, which had been waiting patiently outside, had already reverted to its adorable cub form. It bounded towards Luo Jinxiao, a mouthful of golden feathers clutched in its teeth. She scooped it up, scratching its head affectionately.

Pausing at the doorway, Luo Jinxiao let out a slow breath. She held her hand up, examining her palm.

I need to find another way to increase my cultivation, she thought. It’s unlikely I’ll make significant progress in a short time, but I can’t stay like this. Otherwise, next time something like this happens, I won’t be able to protect the people I care about.

The thought filled her with a renewed sense of urgency.

News of Qu Weiyin’s ascension to Clan Leader spread quickly. Well-wishers and old acquaintances of the Qu family arrived with gifts, keeping Qu Weiyin busy with social obligations. Though she loathed such events, she couldn’t avoid them entirely, and she disappeared from public view for a time.

Luo Jinxiao, meanwhile, diligently practiced her cultivation, aided by the spirit stones Qu Weiyin had given her. Her progress was steady, and one evening, she broke through to the third level of Golden Core, on the cusp of reaching Nascent Soul.

She immersed herself in her cultivation, the days and nights blurring together as time flew by. A month passed, summer’s heat fading into the crisp air of autumn, painting the mountains in vibrant hues of red.

The slopes surrounding the Wuhui Sect were ablaze with color, as if a fire had swept through the forest. The sky was a brilliant blue, mirroring the crystal-clear waters, devoid of even a wisp of cloud.

From a distance, the Wuhui Sect resembled a scene from a vividly painted scroll.

During one of their lectures, Gui Jiu was enthusiastically holding a scroll, speaking animatedly. Luo Jinxiao struggled to stay awake, her head drooping towards Lu Fanzhi’s shoulder. Lu Fanzhi shoved her away.

“Luo Jinxiao, this is my master’s class. Wake up!” she hissed.

Luo Jinxiao forced her eyes open and glanced at Gui Jiu, who was still passionately speaking about the Water Avoidance technique. She buried her head in her arms and mumbled, “Have mercy. Why are we analyzing the principles of the Water Avoidance technique?”

Lu Fanzhi grabbed a fistful of her hair and yanked. “No excuses. Listen up.”

The sharp tug brought Luo Jinxiao back to alertness. She winced, stifled a yawn, and glanced around. Apart from Lu Fanzhi, everyone else was sound asleep.

She scanned the rows of slumbering students, noticing Yan Ying’s absence for the first time. So that’s why it feels so strange, she thought. I’m actually not used to not having her glare at me.

She turned to Baili Qingzhou, who was snoring softly behind her, and shook him awake. “Where’s Yan Ying? She was sitting behind you earlier.”

Baili Qingzhou blinked sleepily, looking around in confusion. “No idea. Why are you looking for her?”

“No, I’m just curious. She’s never missed a lesson before,” Luo Jinxiao quickly denied.

Just then, Yan Ying slipped back into the room and found a seat in the corner, her face dark with anger. When she met Luo Jinxiao’s gaze, she quickly looked away, staring blankly at the table.

After the lecture ended, Gui Jiu, satisfied, left with a flourish of his sleeves. The students slowly stirred, yawning and stretching as they gathered their belongings. Luo Jinxiao glanced back at Yan Ying, who remained rooted to her spot, staring into the distance.

She looks like she’s been through something awful, Luo Jinxiao thought.

“Come on, let’s go. I’m starving,” Lu Fanzhi said, nudging her. Luo Jinxiao shrugged off the strange encounter and followed her out.

Life without Qu Weiyin was dull and uneventful, no different from her previous life. Luo Jinxiao, not yet at the stage where she could abstain from food, joined Lu Fanzhi for a meal before returning to Elder Liu’s courtyard.

Elder Liu had been away for several days, and even his puppets were nowhere to be seen. Finally free from supervision, Luo Jinxiao released Qiongqi, allowing it to bask in the courtyard’s autumn sunshine.

The sun was gentle, the breeze cool and refreshing. Red leaves drifted into the courtyard, painting the ground in warm hues. Luo Jinxiao leaned back against the stone table, idly stroking Qiongqi’s fur.

Both girl and beast were drifting off to sleep.

Luo Jinxiao felt her eyelids drooping again, a side effect, perhaps, of Gui Jiu’s tedious lecture. She stifled a yawn, pulled the hairpin from her hair, and let her dark hair cascade down her back.

Feeling irritated, she rubbed her head and decided to go inside and rest. The cool bamboo mat would instantly calm her down.

Qiongqi wagged its tail and followed her inside, attempting to jump onto the bed. Luo Jinxiao pushed it down, saying sternly. “No, you can’t sleep with me,” she said sternly.

Qiongqi whined and flopped onto its back, rolling around on the floor dramatically.

“Don’t even try that. I’m immune to your cuteness,” Luo Jinxiao said, her voice firm. She lay back down, peeling off her outer robe, opting for the comfort of a simple white under-robe.

Her dark hair spilled over her white robes, making her skin seem as pale and white as snow.

Luo Jinxiao rested her chin on her hand, her fingers idly stroking the Qiongqi’s back. “Why hasn’t Junior Shishu returned to the Wuhui Sect after so long? Could it be that she doesn’t want to come back?” she wondered aloud, as much to herself as to the beast beside her. “We’re not experienced enough to go on missions yet, so we’re stuck here cultivating. But our progress is so slow. How long will it take for me to reach her level?”

“It would be nice to have a chance to go out and explore,” she continued, sighing. “The Wuhui Sect is peaceful, but it gets boring after a while.”

She rambled for a bit longer, but her eyelids grew heavy, and her hand stilled.

Qiongqi, enjoying the petting, stood up when she stopped, trying to get her to continue. But Luo Jinxiao was deeply asleep and couldn’t be awakened.

Unhappy, Qiongqi jumped lightly onto the bed, laying beside her and humming contentedly at the coolness.

The autumn breeze was cool outside, the room inside was tranquil and peaceful, with the wooden windows creaking softly as if singing a lullaby.

Luo Jinxiao slept soundly, her white robes blending seamlessly with the pale bamboo mat. Beside her, a furry ball of warmth snored softly.

Time seemed to melt away. Then, the furry ball shifted, and in its place lay a young woman, barely more than a girl herself.

Her hair was a rich, dark brown, her skin like polished jade. She was completely naked, save for a fluffy tail that peeked out from beneath her, swaying gently.

She shifted in her sleep, seeking comfort. She snuggled closer to Luo Jinxiao, burying her face in her chest with a contented sigh.

Growing bolder, she reached out and pulled Luo Jinxiao’s arm over herself, as if seeking warmth. From a distance, it looked as though the two were sleeping in a loving embrace.

Luo Jinxiao frowned in her sleep. Something wasn’t right. Her instincts jolted her awake, her eyes snapping open, immediately seeing the small, round head of the girl.

For a moment, she thought she was still dreaming. She closed her eyes, then opened them again, her mind struggling to make sense of the situation.

A delicate face, framed by soft, dark hair, stared back at her. Rosy lips, slightly parted, gave her an innocent appearance. Her neck was slender, the blue veins beneath her translucent skin clearly visible. Her shoulders were small and rounded, her arms and legs plump and pale, like lotus roots.

And she was completely naked.

Luo Jinxiao couldn’t help but scream. She tried to jump off the bed, but the girl had a surprisingly strong grip on her waist, her small body surprisingly heavy. Instead of escaping, Luo Jinxiao tumbled back onto the bed, the girl clinging to her.

“What in the world?!” she cried, momentarily forgetting her spiritual powers.

Outside, footsteps could be heard approaching rapidly, as if someone had heard her scream. The door burst open, and the two of them stared at each other in shock.

“Junior Shishu?” Luo Jinxiao widened her eyes, struggling even more frantically. She finally managed to push the girl aside and jumped off the bed barefoot.

Qu Weiyin stood frozen in the doorway, Luo Jinxiao’s robe clutched in her hand. Her usually impassive face was a mixture of shock, confusion, and something akin to betrayal.

She didn’t say a word. She turned to leave, but Luo Jinxiao, overwhelmed and unable to think clearly, lunged forward and grabbed her arm. “Junior Shishu, it’s not what it looks like! She… I…”

Who is she? How do I explain this? Luo Jinxiao’s mind went blank.

Qu Weiyin glanced coolly at Luo Jinxiao and then at the girl still sleeping soundly on the bed. “There’s no need to explain,” she said indifferently. “I was merely returning your robe.”

She shook off Luo Jinxiao’s hand, her delicate brows furrowing slightly, her long, narrow eyes shifting away. “You may continue.”