Transmigrated as The Cannon Fodder Bride of The Villainess

Qu Weiyin lowered her head and walked quickly past Luo Jinxiao without a word.

Luo Jinxiao patted Qiongqi’s head, and the girl and beast followed closely. Qu Weiyin looked tired and didn’t say a word, as if she was deep in thought.

Luo Jinxiao, sensing the mood, refrained from talking.

Soon, the sun began to set. Autumn days were noticeably shorter. The transition from a red sky to nightfall happened in the blink of an eye. Soon, there were only a few people left on the street, and they were all hurrying along.

The surroundings grew quieter. A young boy holding a candied hawthorn seemed to have been separated from his family. He was walking along the main road, crying loudly and stumbling as he ran.

Unnoticed by the boy, a dark shadow appeared behind him, floating like smoke, yet lingering persistently.

The boy didn’t notice anything unusual and continued to cry, calling for his parents.

He turned a corner and entered a dark alley. He seemed even more afraid now, his footsteps becoming hurried.

The shadow’s speed suddenly increased, getting closer and closer. Finally, with a gust of wind, the shadow lunged at the boy’s back. At the same time, a flash of fire appeared. A crimson sword shot out, slicing off a corner of the shadow. A viscous black liquid gushed out, accompanied by a shrill cry that didn’t sound human.

Luo Jinxiao covered her ears with one hand and picked up the shadow with the other, shaking it. “What is this thing? It feels like cotton.”

Qu Weiyin bent down to help the crying boy to his feet and glanced at the shadow. “It’s a demon seed, unformed demonic energy.”

Luo Jinxiao’s face contorted in disgust. She flung the shadow far away, then wiped her hands on her skirt. “Demonic energy can take form? Imagine how ugly it would be if this thing turned into a human.”

The corners of Qu Weiyin’s lips twitched upward.

Several people ran over from the other end of the alley. As soon as the boy saw them, he ran towards them crying. The group found their child and, without even a word of thanks, scooped him up and fled, disappearing in the blink of an eye.

Luo Jinxiao stood on tiptoe, watching them leave. “They didn’t even say thank you,” she mumbled.

Qu Weiyin flicked her on the forehead and tilted her chin towards the black shadow squirming on the ground. “Quiet. Follow it.”

Luo Jinxiao rubbed her head and obeyed, quietly following behind the shadow.

The shadow wriggled slowly, resembling a giant crawling insect from a distance. Luo Jinxiao held her breath, afraid that if she blinked, it would disappear.

After two turns, the shadow’s speed gradually increased. Finally, with a surge of demonic energy, it crawled into a dilapidated, abandoned hut. The door was broken, and the stone steps at the entrance were covered in thick moss, looking filthy under the night sky.

Luo Jinxiao cautiously walked forward but was pulled back by Qu Weiyin.

“Be careful. Stay behind me,” Qu Weiyin said, pulling her behind her.

“There’s an entrance to the Demon Realm here,” Qu Weiyin whispered. She then channeled spiritual energy from her palm, a golden light slowly enveloping them both, concealing their presence.

The inside of the hut was pitch black, making it impossible to tell what dangers lurked within. Luo Jinxiao couldn’t help but reach out and grab Qu Weiyin’s wrist.

Qu Weiyin stiffened slightly but didn’t pull away. She continued walking forward slowly.

She sensed the trail left by the demon seed and walked step by step to the corner of the hut. She paused for a moment, then said, “Hold on tight. If you get lost, I won’t come looking for you.”

“Yes,” Luo Jinxiao replied, her hand sliding down to envelop Qu Weiyin’s soft hand in hers.

Qu Weiyin’s hand immediately broke out in a fine sweat. She frowned and turned her head, looking at Luo Jinxiao reproachfully in the faint light coming through the door.

Luo Jinxiao, however, looked completely innocent. She tightened her grip on Qu Weiyin’s hand and said with a grin, “You told me to hold on tight, Junior Shishu.”

Qu Weiyin opened her mouth to speak but didn’t know what to say. In the end, she simply let Luo Jinxiao have her way. Luo Jinxiao, led along by their joined hands, was careful not to squeeze too tightly. Qu Weiyin’s hand was incredibly soft and delicate. Beauties really do have perfect hands, she thought to herself.

They walked hand-in-hand through the darkness for a long time. Luo Jinxiao realized that the hut couldn’t be this big; they must have gone beyond its boundaries.

The ground beneath their feet was hard, with occasional bumps, like scattered stones in a barren desert.

Light gradually appeared ahead, and Luo Jinxiao looked around eagerly. As she had guessed, they were indeed in a desert. But unlike the deserts of the human realm, this one was filled with red stones and sand, stretching as far as the eye could see, the horizon a sea of red.

Though she wasn’t sure if the thing above their heads could even be called a sky.

“You can let go now,” Qu Weiyin said suddenly.

Only then did Luo Jinxiao realize she was still holding Qu Weiyin’s hand. She quickly let go, hiding her hands behind her back and coughing awkwardly.

“Is this the Demon Realm?” Luo Jinxiao asked, looking around in awe.

“You could say that,” Qu Weiyin nodded. She walked across the desert as if it were flat ground, effortlessly navigating the treacherous gravel and dunes.

“There’s a place ahead where demons gather. The barrier on you won’t last long, so you must stay close to me. It’ll be troublesome if they discover an intruder,” Qu Weiyin warned.

She naturally possessed demonic energy. Although it wasn’t much, it was enough to conceal her identity.

Luo Jinxiao nodded, her eyes filled with admiration. “Junior Shishu, you’re amazing,” she said enviously.

Qu Weiyin looked at her in surprise, then chuckled softly. “What’s so amazing about being able to hide in the Demon Realm?”

“If I weren’t so weak, you wouldn’t have to worry about me so much,” Luo Jinxiao said, half-joking and half-serious.

Qu Weiyin walked on in silence for a while, then said in a barely audible voice, “Becoming strong always comes at a price. Now, I hope you stay just as you are.”

The wind howled across the desert, quickly scattering her words. By the time they reached Luo Jinxiao’s ears, they were barely audible.

Qu Weiyin didn’t speak again. As they ventured further, the wind and sand intensified, blurring their vision until they could only see things within arm’s reach. Soon, a tall tower emerged from the sandstorm. It flickered in and out of view, and Luo Jinxiao had to strain her neck to see the small lamp hanging at the top.

As they drew closer, the tower finally came into full view. It was at least ten stories high, its walls eroded by the wind and sand, with not a single window, resembling a giant prison.

Yet, it stood firm against the strong wind.

“Are we going in there?” Luo Jinxiao shouted, only to get a mouthful of sand. She quickly bent down and spat it out.

Qu Weiyin nodded. Seeing Luo Jinxiao’s predicament, she raised her hand and summoned an umbrella, shielding her from the wind and sand.

“There are demon guards at the entrance. You smell of cultivator energy; you won’t be able to get in,” Qu Weiyin said, stopping in her tracks and turning back.

Luo Jinxiao stopped, panting, and wiped the sand off her face. She wrinkled her nose, thought for a moment, then reached into her pouch and pulled out Qiongqi.

“Have you learned how to transform into a human yet?” she asked loudly.

Qiongqi blinked, and with a flash of white light, the young girl appeared before her, grinning.

“Great!” Luo Jinxiao spat out another mouthful of sand. She desperately wanted to find shelter from the wind, so she untied the pouch from her waist, hung it on Qu Weiyin’s, and with a flash of silver light, took Qiongqi’s place, disappearing inside.

Qu Weiyin’s eyelids twitched, and she sighed in resignation. It wasn’t a bad idea, though she had never seen anyone willingly stay inside a pouch in all her years.

However, the memory of her own transformation into Qiongqi surfaced, and she couldn’t help but blush.

“Let’s go,” she said to Qiongqi.

Two figures guarded the base of the tower, their faces concealed by scarves that shielded them from the wind and sand. They placed their hands on Qu Weiyin and Qiongqi’s shoulders, probing for any inconsistencies. They sensed nothing unusual, only that Qu Weiyin possessed very little demonic energy, while the young girl, who looked barely ten years old, radiated an alarmingly powerful aura.

Surprised, they assumed they were dealing with someone important and respectfully ushered Qiongqi inside.

The interior of the tower was vast. The ground was littered with bones and garbage, emitting a foul odor. Unformed demon seeds squirmed on the floor, and demons clad in rags shuffled about.

Occasionally, weakened demons stumbled in from outside, only to be robbed of their possessions. Other demons had set up stalls, bartering for necessities.

The scene was chaotic, resembling a slum in the human realm.

Qu Weiyin had rarely witnessed such a sight, even in her previous life. She was surprised but understood. The Demon Realm was waning, the demon population dwindling. This place was far from the center; such a situation wasn’t entirely unexpected.

Some of the demons eyed them with malicious intent but quickly scattered in fear when they saw Qiongqi.

Perhaps because Luo Jinxiao wasn’t around, Qiongqi wasn’t in the mood for games. She followed Qu Weiyin obediently, ascending the tower level by level. Each floor presented the same scene, though the higher they climbed, the more presentable the demons became until they reached the top floor, which was empty

Qu Weiyin circled the cramped space and discovered a small door. It was bound with pale blue copper wires that would undoubtedly deliver a fatal shock if touched carelessly.

Sensing no immediate danger, Qu Weiyin reached into her pouch and summoned Luo Jinxiao.

Having been confined for so long, Luo Jinxiao wanted to speak the moment she emerged. But Qu Weiyin quickly covered her mouth with her hand, her phoenix eyes narrowed in warning as she shook her head slightly.

Luo Jinxiao looked down at her, feeling her heart swell with a soft, itchy warmth.

She stared at Qu Weiyin’s face, her mind wandering once again.

Qu Weiyin extended a slender finger, pointing first at the small door, then at Luo Jinxiao’s forehead. She transmitted her voice through spiritual energy, “Someone’s inside.”

This way, their spiritual energy wouldn’t be detected.

Luo Jinxiao mimicked her gesture, also pointing at Qu Weiyin’s forehead. However, because she was slightly taller, the gesture seemed more tender and intimate.

“Is it the people from the Wuhui Sect?” she asked.

Qu Weiyin seemed to realize the suggestive nature of their actions. Her cheeks flushed slightly as she stepped back, nodding and shaking her head in response.

Luo Jinxiao instantly understood. There were others inside besides the Wuhui Sect disciples.

Qu Weiyin walked up to the door and spread her long fingers. Pale golden spiritual energy surged forth, quickly melting the copper wires into a flash of blue light that vanished without a trace.

As Qu Weiyin lifted her leg to enter, Luo Jinxiao grabbed her wrist.

Holding Qu Weiyin’s wrist with one hand, Luo Jinxiao placed her other hand over hers, her fingertips cool like dew under the night sky.

“Junior Shishu, you wait outside. I’ll go in.”

Qu Weiyin frowned, about to protest, but Luo Jinxiao gently pushed her hand down. A playful smile curved her lips as she tapped Qu Weiyin’s cheek lightly. “You’re the powerful one. You need to stay out here and protect me.”

Then, without waiting for a response, she ducked her head and slipped through the doorway.