Transmigrated as The Cannon Fodder Bride of The Villainess

Fortunately, although injured by the demonic energy, it wasn’t severe, and she didn’t remain unconscious for long.

When her eyes fluttered open again, the sandstorm had stopped. She was lying beneath a giant rock, covered with someone’s robe. The surroundings were quiet. Qiongqi, now transformed back into a small tiger, lay beside her. Noticing she was awake, it purred and nuzzled against her neck.

“Little sweetie,” Luo Jinxiao croaked, her voice hoarse. She coughed a few times to clear her throat.

This place seemed safe and serene, surrounded by towering stone pillars reaching up to the sky. She lay beneath one of these pillars, which seemed like a perfect hiding spot.

Qu Weiyin sat beside her, one hand propping up her forehead, elbow resting on a rock. She appeared to be asleep.

The usually neat and proper Qu Weiyin now looked somewhat disheveled and worn out. Her fringe fluttered, obscuring her eyebrows and eyes, while her full lips, resembling ripe fruit, bore a scratch with a hint of dried blood.

Her clothes were thin. Luo Jinxiao suddenly realized the robe covering her belonged to Qu Weiyin.

The demonic energy… Luo Jinxiao had been struck, yet she felt no lingering pain, only a surge of energy. Had Qu Weiyin healed her? But her spiritual energy was useless on Luo Jinxiao; it would only disrupt her spiritual roots.

Could it be that the demonic energy…dissipated on its own? Luo Jinxiao couldn’t make sense of it.

She reached out to pat Qiongqi’s head and asked softly, “Did you find this place?”

The Qiongqi nodded eagerly, then took her sleeve in its mouth and urged her to look in a certain direction. There lay two other people, a man and a woman, both unconscious. However, their rising chests indicated they were still alive.

At least we saved them. Luo Jinxiao breathed a sigh of relief and patted Qiongqi’s back. “When we get back, I’ll have Junior Shishu feed you a few extra cows.”

Qiongqi perked up at the mention of food, almost lunging at Luo Jinxiao’s face with her tongue.

Luo Jinxiao blocked it with her hand, then struggled to stand, her legs still feeling a bit numb. She hobbled over to Qu Weiyin and squatted down.

Qu Weiyin was deeply asleep, her breathing seemed labored, her brows furrowed as if suggesting discomfort despite her exhaustion.

Seeing her like this, Luo Jinxiao felt a twinge in her heart. She carefully draped the robe back over Qu Weiyin, then gently brushed the stray strands of hair away from her face.

With her hair tucked behind her ear, Qu Weiyin’s delicate features were fully revealed, her beauty even more captivating up close.

Or maybe it’s just me who sees her that way, Luo Jinxiao thought.

As if sensing her gaze, Qu Weiyin’s eyelids fluttered open. She was awake.

Their eyes met, and a blush crept up both their faces. Qu Weiyin, still groggy from sleep, turned a deeper shade of red. She quickly averted her gaze and asked in a low voice. “What are you doing?”

“Nothing,” Luo Jinxiao stammered, scooting back. “I was just… worried you were cold, so I covered you with your robe.”

Qu Weiyin glanced down at herself. “Mm,” she murmured in acknowledgment.

“Since you’re awake, we should hurry and leave,” she said, pushing herself to her feet. She swayed slightly, and Luo Jinxiao instantly reached out to steady her.

“I’m fine. Just stood up too quickly,” Qu Weiyin insisted, gently pushing Luo Jinxiao away. She walked towards the edge of the forest of stone pillars.

Luo Jinxiao scratched her head, hurried to catch up, then returned to pick up one of the unconscious people. She patted Qiongqi’s head, saying, “Hurry up and carry the other one. Unless you want Junior Shishu to do it?”

Qiongqi grumbled and grabbed the man’s robe in her teeth, and dragged him along.

They had just reached the open desert when Luo Jinxiao noticed Qu Weiyin wasn’t summoning her sword. She was about to ask when a piercing scream echoed from somewhere nearby. She looked around, muttering, “What was that? What kind of place is this?”

Qu Weiyin had heard it too. She stopped, her gaze turning towards the source of the sound.

A flicker of compassion crossed Qu Weiyin’s eyes. She glanced back at Luo Jinxiao, expecting her to rush to the rescue, but the girl showed no such inclination. Qu Weiyin couldn’t help but frown.

“It sounds like a woman. Go and help her,” she said.

“Are you sure, Junior Shishu?” Luo Jinxiao asked.

“Hurry up,” Qu Weiyin lifted her chin, her tone reproachful but with a hint of affection.

Luo Jinxiao’s heart melted. Without further protest, she dropped the woman she had been carrying and sprinted off to the rescue.

Qu Weiyin watched her go, shaking her head in resignation. As she lowered her gaze, a smile tugged at her lips.

The desert terrain was treacherous, littered with dry branches and loose gravel. Luo Jinxiao half-ran, half-hopped across the uneven ground, resembling a clumsy duck, until she finally located the source of the sound. A young woman stood with her back to Luo Jinxiao, facing two grotesque figures. They were only partially humanoid, their bodies a horrifying fusion of flesh and swirling black energy, with exposed bones.

These were two demons that had only partially transformed.

Without hesitation, Luo Jinxiao launched herself into the air, her divine sword materializing in her hand. As she landed, the blade flashed, severing the connection between flesh and energy in one of the demons.

A sound like a whale’s mournful cry echoed across the desolate landscape and as the demon shrieked, its form dissolving into smoke. The remaining creature, witnessing this, wisely chose to flee, dissipating into nothingness.

Luo Jinxiao rested her sword on her shoulder, raising an eyebrow at the wisps of black smoke. Scared off so easily? Pathetic.

She turned to face the young woman, their eyes meeting in a long, silent stare. “Why, it’s you,” Luo Jinxiao finally said, raising an eyebrow. “Didn’t I release your spiritual energy? What are you so afraid of? They were just small fries.”

She estimated the girl’s cultivation to be at least at the Hallow Void stage. She shouldn’t be cowering from such weak demons.

“Y-yes,” the girl stammered, tears welling in her eyes. She took a few shaky breaths, her gaze darting around nervously.

“I’ve never actually seen a demon before, so…”

“Never seen a demon?” Luo Jinxiao chuckled. She sheathed her sword. “Even if you’ve never eaten pork, you must have seen a pig run. After being trapped in that tower for so long, haven’t you seen plenty of demons?”

“I meant before they captured me!” the girl retorted, raising her voice in an attempt to sound braver.

“Look, I’ve saved you twice now. I’ve done more than enoughI need to get back to my Junior Shishu.” Luo Jinxiao waved her hand, turning to leave, but found her sleeve caught.

“Can I come with you? I snuck out of home to gain experience, but I don’t know anything. Please help me,” The girl’s earlier arrogance was gone, replaced by fear and a desperate plea.

Luo Jinxiao hesitated, glancing between the girl and the direction Qu Weiyin had taken. As a righteous cultivator, she shouldn’t refuse a plea for help. But her personal feelings…

She shook her head, deciding to help one last time.

“I’ll take you along, but you must stay quiet the whole way. Don’t bother my Junior Shishu. Just follow behind, understood?” she warned. The girl, visibly relieved, nodded eagerly.

Only then did Luo Jinxiao start back. Qu Weiyin was waiting expectantly, and seeing her return unharmed, she coolly averted her gaze.

“What took you so long?” she asked, a hint of reproach in her voice.

“I got caught up talking. Sorry to keep you waiting, Junior Shishu,” Luo Jinxiao chirped, bouncing over to Qu Weiyin’s side. She tilted her head, her sparkled like shooting stars.

As Qu Weiyin gazed at her, she felt her heart skip a beat.

“Let’s just go,” she mumbled, pushing past Luo Jinxiao and striding forward.

They walked in silence for a while. Finally, Luo Jinxiao couldn’t hold back any longer. “Junior Shishu,” she began, “I know you’re worried about attracting attention if Qiongqi flies, but why aren’t we using our swords? At this rate, we’ll be walking until next year.”

Qu Weiyin bit her lip, hesitating before replying curtly, “Stop asking useless questions.”

Luo Jinxiao didn’t take offense at the sharp response. She decided to appreciate the scenery of the demon realm, remembering that in her previous life, Qu Weiyin had spent a thousand years in this sunless place.

Red sand stretched as far as the eye could see, littered with dead branches and leaves. The sky was devoid of stars and moon, and the seasons held no sway here.

No wonder Qu Weiyin always seemed so lonely when looking at her.

Lost in thought, Luo Jinxiao was startled by the sound of someone falling behind her. She turned to see the young woman sprawled on the ground a few feet away, clutching her ankle in pain.

Qu Weiyin frowned slightly, observing the scene for a moment before nudging Luo Jinxiao’s arm with her delicate fingers, saying nothing.

Luo Jinxiao understood. She poked Qiongqi’s plump backside with her finger. “Go on, carry one more.”

Qiongqi bared its teeth, biting Luo Jinxiao’s finger to express its refusal to be ridden like a common beast.

Luo Jinxiao sighed. She couldn’t very well drag the girl across the desert like the other two unconscious figures.

Finally, she compromised, tossing the woman she’d been carrying to Qiongqi. She walked over to the girl and bent down. “Can you still walk?”

The girl shook her head, tears streaming down her face. “My leg! It’s broken! I can’t heal myself! It hurts so much…” she wailed.

Luo Jinxiao covered her ears, her voice laced with disbelief. “With your level of cultivation, you can’t even heal a broken leg?”

The girl ignored her words, continuing to cry.

Exasperated, Luo Jinxiao covered the girl’s mouth, feigning anger. “Stop crying! Be quiet!”

The girl hiccuped, her eyes wide with fear as she looked up at Luo Jinxiao. Tears and snot smeared across Luo Jinxiao’s hand. She sighed in disgust, wiping her hand clean on the ground.

“Which leg?” she asked.

The girl tremblingly extended her right leg. Luo Jinxiao placed her hand over the injury, channeling her spiritual energy. Within moments, the leg was healed.

“There, you can get up now,” Luo Jinxiao said, dusting off her hands. She turned to leave, but the girl clung to her leg, refusing to let go.

“Please carry me for a while, just a short distance!” the girl pleaded tearfully.

Thoroughly annoyed, Luo Jinxiao looked back at Qu Weiyin, only to see her walking away, sword in hand, leaving behind a cold, distant figure. Anxious, Luo Jinxiao gave in. She crouched down, saying irritably, “Fine, climb on quickly. We need to get moving.”

Sniffling, the girl clambered onto Luo Jinxiao’s back.

Luo Jinxiao lengthened her stride, quickly catching up to Qu Weiyin. She matched the woman’s pace, noticing Qu Weiyin looked extremely pale, her expression tense, with an undercurrent of anger

“Junior Shishu, are you alright? You seem unwell,” Luo Jinxiao asked, concern lacing her voice.

“I’m fine,” Qu Weiyin replied coldly.

“But you look…”

“Be quiet,” Qu Weiyin snapped, cutting her off. Her brow furrowed, her tone sharp enough to silence any further inquiries.

Luo Jinxiao was at a loss. She glanced around nervously, then ventured a hesitant question. “Could it be… Junior Master doesn’t want me carrying someone else?”

Qu Weiyin stumbled slightly, nearly tripping over her own feet. She smoothed down her robes and snapped, “Who you choose to carry is none of my concern.”

Even Luo Jinxiao, oblivious as she could be at times, understood the source of the woman’s anger now. She let out a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding, a smile tugging at her lips.

“Junior Shishu,” she began, her voice softening, “are you perhaps injured? Is that why you’re not flying on your sword? How about I carry you instead?”

As she spoke, she loosened her grip. The girl on her back shrieked as she tumbled to the ground.