Transmigrated as The Cannon Fodder Bride of The Villainess

“Esteemed guests, do you require the company of any other girls?” the madam called out loudly.

Luo Jinxiao hurriedly waved her hand in refusal.

The madam watched as they ascended the stairs, slipping the silver into her sleeve and muttering to herself, shaking her head. The young people these days were becoming more and more improper.

Following Qu Weiyin upstairs, Luo Jinxiao noticed that the second floor consisted of elegant private rooms. Since it was still early, most doors were open, with only a few tightly shut, and shadows moving inside.

Qiongqi sniffed at each door until it reached the last one. Its eyes flashed, and it turned to bite at Luo Jinxiao’s sleeve.

Luo Jinxiao knew she had found something out of the ordinary. She exchanged a glance with Qu Weiyin, and seeing her nod in agreement, reached out to knock on the door.

A long moment passed before the door creaked open a sliver, revealing only a single eye. It was a strange, eerie eye, a pale shade of gray in the lamplight.

“Who is it?” a voice spoke, low and husky, yet laced with an alluring lilt that made it impossible to discern the speaker’s gender.

Before Luo Jinxiao could reply, Qu Weiyin suddenly reached out and grabbed the open door. The person inside tried to slam it shut, but it wouldn’t budge, as if nailed in place.

The person looked up, glaring at Qu Weiyin with an intensity that could have stripped flesh from bone. But in the next instant, their expression shifted.

Unafraid, Qu Weiyin effortlessly pushed the door open and stepped inside. The person stumbled back several steps, unable to resist.

A flash of silver light caught Luo Jinxiao’s eye, and her pupils constricted. Before she could react, Qu Weiyin moved with lightning speed, pinning the attacker against the wall.

Her slender fingers tightened around the person’s neck, her expression deceptively calm. Only the person she held captive could feel the immense pressure, the knowledge that a slight squeeze would be enough to end their life.

“Luo Jinxiao, close the door,” Qu Weiyin said, her phoenix eyes lifting lazily to regard the struggling figure in her grasp.

Luo Jinxiao obeyed, carefully securing the latch.

The captive continued to struggle in vain. Just then, an ethereal, genderless voice rang out from the side. It was the person with the gray eyes. He turned to Qu Weiyin, speaking softly, “Why have you intruded into our room, young lady?”

Luo Jinxiao finally had a chance to observe him properly. Not only were his eyes gray, but his hair was also a pale shade of gray, contrasting sharply with his startlingly pale skin. His veins were clearly visible, making him appear as delicate as a porcelain doll amidst ice and snow.

Even after examining him from head to toe, Luo Jinxiao still couldn’t determine his gender.

Qu Weiyin’s expression turned impatient. She turned away, her gaze locking onto the androgynous figure. For a moment, various emotions surged in her eyes.

The person, however, remained calm. He even lowered his head, covering his pale lips with a delicate hand as he broke into a fit of coughs.

“Yu Gui,” Qu Weiyin said suddenly.

“How do you know my true name, young lady? Only the closest of people know that,” Yu Gui replied with a faint smile. His features seemed to exude an even greater air of allure, making it impossible to hold his words against him.

“Yaoyao, come here.” Yu Gui reached out to pull the young man Qu Weiyin was holding captive. He stumbled, nearly falling, but to Luo Jinxiao’s surprise, Qu Weiyin released her grip and steadied him.

The young man, eager to get away, hurried back to Yu Gui’s side, casting a fearful glance at Qu Weiyin.

The closest of people? Luo Jinxiao’s heart was in turmoil. She hadn’t known Qu Weiyin had anyone close to her. Moreover, she had never heard of this person in her past life.

After steadying the young man, Qu Weiyin lowered her eyes, concealing the emotions swirling within them. “You are a demon,” she stated.

“You could say that,” Yu Gui replied with a gentle smile, his eyes seeming to perpetually glisten with unshed tears. When he looked at Qu Weiyin, a tenderness seemed to flow from him.

Luo Jinxiao clenched her fists in disgust, her skin crawling with revulsion.

Unable to hold back, she stepped forward and pulled the androgynous figure aside, placing herself protectively in front of Qu Weiyin. “Do the disappearances and injuries of the Wuhui Sect disciples have anything to do with you?” she demanded.

Yu Gui’s long eyelashes fluttered as he looked directly at Luo Jinxiao and shook his head gently. “No.”

If not, then why would Qiongqi track the missing disciples here? Luo Jinxiao didn’t believe him for a second. She stood her ground, her brow furrowed in suspicion.

“Do you believe that just because I am a demon, I must be your enemy?” Yu Gui asked softly. His pale face seemed almost translucent, as if on the verge of shattering.

Luo Jinxiao unconsciously glanced at Qu Weiyin, feeling a surge of anger. This Yu Gui seemed to be speaking innocently, yet his words carried a hidden weight.

Was it unintentional, or was he deliberately trying to provoke a reaction?

Fortunately, Qu Weiyin had schooled her expression, giving nothing away.

“Yaoyao is a small rabbit demon with barely any cultivation. He wouldn’t stand a chance against your people, let alone me. This battered body can barely hold onto life. We are indebted to the kindness of the Piaoxiang Courtyard’s owner for allowing us to stay here and recover from our injuries. If you seek to exterminate demons, go ahead.” Yu Gui laughed self-deprecatingly and closed his eyes.

His display of weakness left Luo Jinxiao unsure how to proceed. She frowned and pulled Qu Weiyin aside, whispering, “Junior Shishu, I still don’t trust him. Qiongqi wouldn’t make a mistake.”

Qu Weiyin didn’t reply. Luo Jinxiao looked at her and found her staring intently at Yu Gui.

“Junior Shishu!” she hissed, finally snapping Qu Weiyin out of her thoughts. She hummed in acknowledgment and looked away.

“How did you end up in this state?” Qu Weiyin asked Yu Gui.

Yu Gui slowly made his way to a chair, his hand trailing along the backrest as he lowered himself down. His slender fingers brushed against his hair, twirling a strand around his fingertip.

Qu Weiyin’s eyes flickered at the gesture.

“That’s a long story,” Yu Gui began. “I was but a rogue cultivator, never having formally joined any sect. Without guidance in my cultivation, I strayed from the path and succumbed to demonic influence. Now, I am nothing but a half-demon, half-human abomination. My family, upon seeing what I had become, cast me out and forbade me from ever returning.”

“Humans cower in fear at the sight of demons. Every cultivator I’ve encountered has vowed to eradicate me. Look, just a few days ago, someone crippled my leg.” Yu Gui lifted the hem of his robe, revealing a charred and withered leg.

He spoke with an air of indifference, yet a single tear traced a path down his cheek.

Slowly, he turned his gaze to Qu Weiyin, tilting his head to reveal the elegant line of his jaw. “Since you have found me, young lady, do what you must.” He closed his eyes, seemingly resigned to his fate.

As Qu Weiyin listened, her fingers trembled slightly.

Sensing something was amiss, Luo Jinxiao quickly reached out and grasped Qu Weiyin’s hand. The warmth of her touch seemed to calm her somewhat, and Qu Weiyin slowly withdrew her hand.

“It’s nothing,” she murmured.

“That is how cultivators are,” Yu Gui continued, his voice filled with a melancholic understanding. “They proclaim themselves righteous, yet they cling to the barbaric practice of eradication. As long as you are a demon, regardless of good or evil, you are deemed unforgivable.”

“Not only that, but they will destroy your home, slaughter your loved ones, and push you to the brink of despair. And when you finally retaliate, they brand you a monster—a heartless, bloodthirsty demon.”

Yu Gui slowly rose from his chair and approached Qu Weiyin.

“Surely, you understand, young lady? Are you truly a righteous cultivator, a champion of justice, as you appear to be?”

“Do you truly wish to serve those hypocrites, to divide the world into good and evil, noble and lowly?”

Yu Gui’s words seemed to hold a strange power over Qu Weiyin. She squeezed her eyes shut, whispering, “Yu Gui!”

She couldn’t succumb to the demonic path. She only needed to avenge one person. There was no need for her to become a demon.

“When they realize you are different, they will fear you. That fear will morph into hatred. You will become the villain, the most wicked being in existence, despite having done nothing wrong.”

Luo Jinxiao felt a surge of unease. She glared at Yu Gui, her instincts screaming at her that something was wrong. Without hesitation, her divine sword materialized in her hand, a flash of silver as she swung it towards Yu Gui.

Yu Gui cried out in pain, his body flung back like a leaf in the wind, landing in a crumpled heap on the floor.

Luo Jinxiao was about to strike again when Qu Weiyin’s voice stopped her in her tracks.

“Luo Jinxiao!” she barked, pressing her fingers against her temple. “Stop!”

Luo Jinxiao froze, her eyes widening in confusion as she turned back to Qu Weiyin. Her behavior was completely out of character. And Yu Gui’s words, seemingly harmless on the surface, seemed to be striking a nerve deep within Qu Weiyin.

“Little Sweetie!” Luo Jinxiao called out to Qiongqi, only to find the usually serious beast standing frozen in place, as if its soul had left its body.

What was going on? Luo Jinxiao couldn’t understand it.

“Come back. You come back,” Qu Weiyin spoke again, her tone no longer as firm as usual but tinged with a plea.

Luo Jinxiao couldn’t disobey her. She sheathed her sword with a sigh and returned to Qu Weiyin’s side, lowering her head. “Junior Shishu, what is going on?”

“Do you two know each other?” she ventured cautiously.

Qu Weiyin shook her head, then nodded slowly. She bit her lip, finally muttering, “It’s none of your concern. Don’t ask.”

“My lady…” Yu Gui spoke again, his seemingly enchanted. With every word he uttered, Qu Weiyin seemed to sway closer.

“My lady, I would never harm you. Never.” His final words were filled with an inexplicable emotion.

Qu Weiyin stood frozen, her eyes wide with a mixture of shock and something else entirely. She took a step towards Yu Gui, and Luo Jinxiao instinctively reached out to grab her sleeve.

She couldn’t understand what was happening, but felt a deep fear that Qu Weiyin might leave.

The thought hit her like a physical blow, sending a surge of panic through her.

“Junior Shishu…” she whispered, her voice tight with unshed tears.

Qu Weiyin stopped, her hands clenching into fists, brows furrowed in a deep frown. She seemed to be in immense pain.

“They killed your father, your mother,” Yu Gui continued, his gaze unwavering from Qu Weiyin’s face, his voice a low hum. “They destroyed everything you cared about, drove you to despair, and burned your home…”

“Shut up!” Luo Jinxiao’s anger boiled over. An ice spike materialized in her hand, shooting towards Yu Gui with deadly accuracy. Yu Gui cried out, tumbling across the floor.

Rarely had Luo Jinxiao experienced such rage. It almost consumed her.

She grabbed Qu Weiyin’s wrist, pulling her back protectively, shielding them from Yu Gui’s words.

“Junior Shishu, don’t listen to him,” she said, her voice tight with emotion. “No one will hurt you. No one can hurt you.”

She stared into Qu Weiyin’s eyes, her grip tightening on her hand. Qu Weiyin instinctively tried to pull away, but Luo Jinxiao wouldn’t let go. Finally, she held both of Qu Weiyin’s hands in hers, her pure, cool spiritual energy flowing into them. Gradually, Qu Weiyin’s chaotic spiritual roots began to calm, the tendrils of demonic energy freezing over.

Luo Jinxiao’s brow was creased with worry, beads of sweat forming on her youthful face.

“Junior Shishu, don’t believe him. I will protect you,” Luo Jinxiao whispered, her voice soft but firm.

Qu Weiyin suddenly felt a different kind of pressure, making her heart pound in her chest. The sorrow, the pain, it all seemed to transform into the frantic beating of her heart, all because of Luo Jinxiao.

As Luo Jinxiao’s spiritual energy slowly faded, so did the tension in her shoulders. She loosened her grip, but her fingers still clung to the fabric of Qu Weiyin’s sleeve, unwilling to let go.

“Junior Shishu, don’t go,” she mumbled, her head bowed.

Qu Weiyin felt a sudden warmth in her eyes. She blinked back the unexpected moisture, finally nodding. “Alright,” she whispered.