Transmigrated as The Cannon Fodder Bride of The Villainess

Luo Jinxiao felt even more embarrassed. She wanted to explain, but every word that came to mind only sounded more suspicious.

“Of course healing is tiring,” she mumbled, giving up. “Look, you wouldn’t understand. Go slack off somewhere else, I’m going back to work.” With that, she vanished in a flash of silver light.

“Hey!” Lu Fanzhi took a step forward, but Luo Jinxiao was already gone.

As Luo Jinxiao followed her seniors from the Wuhui Sect to eliminate demons, effortlessly dispatching them one by one, her thoughts kept drifting elsewhere. Qu Weiyin’s face seemed to float before her eyes repeatedly.

After banishing Qu Weiyin’s image for what felt like the hundredth time, one of the disciples clapped her on the shoulder. “What’s on your mind, junior sister? We’re done here.”

Luo Jinxiao looked up at the sky, realizing that time had flown by. The sun was setting, painting the horizon with a delicate red veil, soft and beautiful.

“Ah, thank you, Senior Brother,” she said with a polite smile, sheathing her sword.

The disciple beside her seemed particularly interested in her weapon, his gaze lingering on it for a moment. “Your sword is quite unique. I’ve never seen anything like it before. Does it have a name?”

Luo Jinxiao glanced down at the exquisitely crafted blade in her hand. “No, Senior Brother. I don’t know its name. It didn’t come with a name when I acquired it.”

“Strange. Most ancient swords have names. I’m quite fond of weapons, you see. The craftsmanship and power of your sword… it’s clearly an ancient treasure. A shame it has no name.”

Luo Jinxiao tested the weight of the sword in her hand, considering his words. He had a point. She made a mental note to think of a suitable name.

By the time Luo Jinxiao returned to the inn, night had fallen. Qu Weiyin was still absent. Her room was dark, untouched.

Luo Jinxiao sighed, skipping dinner and retreating to her own room. She lay on the bed, racking her brain for the perfect name for her sword, but nothing felt quite right.

Voices drifted in from the hallway outside. Tang Lan’er and an older man were arguing as they descended the stairs. From the sound of it, Tang Lan’er was still refusing to return to her sect.

Once the hallway fell silent again, Luo Jinxiao resumed her contemplation. Qiongqi, having slept through the day, poked her head out of her pouch and snuggled up beside her on the bed, resting her head on her chest, her breathing falling in sync with hers.

Time slipped by, and Luo Jinxiao drifted off to sleep. Suddenly, Qiongqi lifted his head and peered towards the window, letting out a soft whine.

“Is Junior Shishu back?” Luo Jinxiao’s eyes flew open. She sat up and followed Qiongqi’s gaze.

Qiongqi barked softly, confirming her suspicions.

Luo Jinxiao jumped out of bed and pressed her ear to the door, listening intently. But the hallway remained silent. Qu Weiyin hadn’t come upstairs.

Confused, Luo Jinxiao waited a while longer, but there was still no sign of her. Growing impatient, she turned away from the door. With a surge of spiritual energy, she transformed into a silver streak of light.

When she opened her eyes, she found herself standing on the street below, the cool night air swirling around her. Above her hung the inn’s signboard.

She brushed a stray strand of hair from her eyes, her gaze drawn upwards. Perched atop the inn’s roof, silhouetted against the full moon, sat Qu Weiyin. She held a wine flask in her hand, her expression unreadable as she gazed out at the night.

The moonlight bathed her in an ethereal glow, obscuring her features. Her robes flutterly gently in the breeze, giving her an otherworldly air.

Luo Jinxiao gazed upward, she and Qu Weiyin frozen in a moment of wordless contrast—one on the ground, the other high above.

It wasn’t until Luo Jinxiao’s neck began to ache that Qu Weiyin finally looked down and noticed her. She set down her wine flask. “Come up here.”

With a joyful grin, Luo Jinxiao launched herself into the air, her robes billowing around her as she landed gracefully beside Qu Weiyin. She settled down beside her, tilting her head. “Junior Shishu, the night air is chilly. Why aren’t you in your room?”

Qu Weiyin’s expression soured as she chided. “Sit properly.”

She reached out and smoothed down Luo Jinxiao’s rumpled skirt. But as she did so, her brow furrowed, and she quickly withdrew her hand, averting her gaze.

Luo Jinxiao, meanwhile, studied Qu Weiyin’s face intently. She looked weary, her delicate brows drawn together in thought.

“Junior Shishu, what did you do today?” Luo Jinxiao couldn’t contain her worry any longer.

Qu Weiyin shook her head, refusing to answer. “It’s none of your concern.”

Luo Jinxiao felt a wave of frustration, but she knew it was unreasonable. Qu Weiyin had her own affairs, and she had no right to meddle. “But maybe I can help, even if just a little,” she insisted.

Qu Weiyin glanced at her, her expression softening slightly. She shook her head, her lips curving into a faint smile. “It’s dangerous.”

“Just focus on your cultivation. If there’s any danger, use the spirit stone to contact me. Don’t ask about anything else.”

Luo Jinxiao bit her lip, disappointment evident in her eyes. She mumbled and turned away, resting her chin on her knees.

“Junior Master Qu, do you not trust me at all?” Luo Jinxiao’s tone turned slightly petulant, fueled by an inexplicable frustration.

“There’s so much I don’t know about you,” Luo Jinxiao sighed. Luo Jinxiao realized how much she cared about Qu Weiyin, and the frustration of being kept in the dark was starting to wear on her.

“It’s better that way,” Qu Weiyin said, her expression unreadable. “I only want you to be safe.”

Her voice was so soft that Luo Jinxiao almost mistook it for the wind.

Qu Weiyin finished the last of her wine and glanced at the sky. “It’s getting late. Let’s go back inside.”

As she stood, her skirt was tugged. Luo Jinxiao, suddenly remembering something, summoned her spirit sword. Still clutching Qu Weiyin’s skirt, she looked up and said, “Junior Shishu, will you give my sword a name?”

Qu Weiyin looked at the blade in Luo Jinxiao’s hand, her expression a mixture of amusement and exasperation. “It’s always been nameless. Why the sudden interest? Besides, if anyone should name it, it should be you, or perhaps your master.”

“But I want you to name it,” Luo Jinxiao insisted. She had learned that the more she acted spoiled and stubborn, the less Qu Weiyin would get angry, making her easier to coax.

Qu Weiyin’s gaze softened as she looked at Luo Jinxiao’s bright, eager eyes, shining in the moonlight. She quickly looked away, her heart pounding in her chest.

“Wujue,” she said softly.

“Wujue?” Luo Jinxiao tested the name on her tongue. “Doesn’t that pair well with Wuhui?”

” Think of it however you want. Use it or not, it’s up to you. I’m leaving.” With that, Qu Weiyin spread her arms and leapt gracefully from the rooftop.

“Thank you for the name, Junior Shishu!” Luo Jinxiao called after her, scrambling to her feet.

Though she didn’t understand Qu Weiyin’s exact intentions, she liked the name very much.

Qu Weiyin’s face remained impassive as she strode back to her room. But as soon as the door closed behind her, she seemed to deflate, collapsing onto the bed with a sigh. She pressed her fingers against her forehead, her expression weary.

“I knew something was bothering you today,” a voice said from behind her. The sword spirit, who hadn’t shown herself in a while, materialized in front of her and frowned in concern. “What you saw today…”

“I can’t wait any longer,” Qu Weiyin interrupted, her voice cold. Her phoenix eyes glinted with a murderous intent. “In my past life, I became a demon, and he spent his entire life hiding in fear. Although he still died, I never got to kill him myself. It’s a thorn in my heart. This life, I won’t let him escape, no matter what.”

“But you’re not strong enough to face him yet. A direct confrontation would only result in mutual destruction. Besides, with that evil technique he’s cultivating, his powers have likely grown. You can’t defeat him head-on.” The sword spirit’s usual playful demeanor was gone, replaced by a rare seriousness.

“I know,” Qu Weiyin said, a sly smile spreading across her lips. “That’s why I’m going to use their own tactics against them.”

Her eyes darkened with a chilling resolve. A wave of malice emanated from her, so intense that even the sword spirit dared not meet her gaze.

“Fine, fine. But you still need to prioritize your own safety. Consider it a favor to that little brat, even if I still don’t understand what’s so special about her that she’s got you so… captivated.” The sword spirit tapped her chubby cheek with a knowing smirk.

The malice surrounding Qu Weiyin dissipated slightly. She frowned. “What do you mean, ‘captivated’? Don’t be ridiculous.”

“Oh, I don’t believe for a second that you only see her as a junior you care for.” The sword spirit smirked, her expression asking for a smack. “And ‘Wujue’? Please. ‘My heart yearns for you, may our love know no end’… Don’t think I don’t see right through you.”

Before she could finish her sentence, her form flickered, her eyes rolled back, and she collapsed to the floor with a thud. Her body shattered into a million pieces and disappeared.

“Ridiculous!” Qu Weiyin muttered, her cheeks burning with a mixture of anger and embarrassment.

Luo Jinxiao spent a few more days in the town before departing with the other disciples. True to her word, Qu Weiyin hadn’t shown her face since that night on the rooftop.

The situation at the Wuhui Sect remained unchanged. Every few days, another disciple would disappear. Anxiety gripped the sect, fueled by rumors that the elders were considering sending everyone home for their safety.

This news filled those without families, or those whose homes were too far away, with dread. Even the usually bustling training grounds were deserted, the entire sect mirroring the bleakness of autumn.

As the season deepened, the leaves on the mountains surrounding the Wuhui Sect turned vibrant shades of red and gold before falling to the ground. The once lush peaks were now bare, their skeletal branches reaching towards the sky.

All classes had been suspended, forcing the disciples to cultivate on their own. The lower-ranking disciples were too afraid to even leave their rooms.

One afternoon, Luo Jinxiao was in her room, sharing sweets with Luo Ning and Lu Fanzhi, when Situ Xue entered. “Luo Jinxiao,” she said softly, “Yan Ying is looking for you.”

Luo Ning’s head shot up at the mention of Yan Ying’s name.

“Looking for me?” Luo Jinxiao frowned. “Why would she want to see me?” She turned to Luo Ning. “Have you noticed she hasn’t been following you around lately?”

“How should I know?” Luo Ning pouted, her round face even rounder than usual. “Maybe she got tired of arguing with me.”

“I’ll come with you,” Lu Fanzhi declared, jumping to her feet. “That girl is probably looking for trouble again. Just try and stop me, I’ll teach her a lesson.” She brushed some stray crumbs from her robes and began rolling up her sleeves.

Luo Jinxiao tossed a handkerchief at her. “Wipe your mouth first. She’s just outside. I’ll be back in a minute.”

Situ Xue smiled at them and left. Luo Jinxiao wiped her mouth and went outside, where she saw Yan Ying standing with her arms crossed.

Yan Ying’s once-beautiful face looked worn out, with dark circles under her eyes and a listless expression. Even when she saw Luo Jinxiao, her eyes only flashed with a hint of disgust before returning to their hollow state.

“What do you want?” Luo Jinxiao asked, keeping her distance.

“How is Luo Ning these days?” Yan Ying asked.

Luo Jinxiao gestured towards the door. “She’s inside. If you want to speak with her, go right ahead. You don’t need me to relay messages.”

Yan Ying shook her head quickly. “No, I don’t want to see her. I was just… asking.”

She hesitated, her gaze darting around nervously.

“Is there something else?” Luo Jinxiao pressed, thoroughly confused.

Yan Ying took a deep breath, as if steeling herself. She leaned closer to Luo Jinxiao, her voice barely a whisper. “Can you… can you find Junior Shishu Qu? If you can, please tell her… someone is plotting against her. She’s in danger.”