Xue Qing abruptly averted her gaze as if electrocuted, then tiptoed to the table and sat facing Liu Ying. The table was against the wall, and Xue Qing, with her exceptional hearing, could hear sounds from the next room just a wall away. Don't doubt it, Xue Qing deliberately sat there. As a supporting female character, how could she not pay attention to the female lead's movements? She poured herself a cup of tea, her heart pounding, intently watching the sounds from the other side of the wall.
The sounds of the door opening, the rustling of fabric as people walked, the thud of something heavy being placed on the bed, the rustling of fabric, the rustling of fabric, the rustling of fabric, all mixed with a soft moan from Nangong Luoluo. Xue Qing gripped her teacup tighter. With each sound, she could picture a scene straight out of a movie: a lecherous thief carrying Nangong Luoluo into the room, placing her on the bed, and undressing her. Nangong Luoluo had been drugged not only with aphrodisiac but also with aphrodisiac. Aphrodisiacs were indeed the most powerful elixir in ancient romance novels; Nangong Luoluo was now like a golden lotus possessed. Soon, in addition to Nangong Luoluo's moans, the heavy breathing of a man could be heard. Having read countless erotic novels, Xue Qing knew exactly what was happening on the other side of the wall. The image unconsciously formed in her mind, a slight blush creeping over her.
Liu Ying sat opposite Xue Qing, also paying attention to the sounds from next door. His face didn't show much expression, but there was no doubt that he understood what was happening next door. Xue Qing realized that she and her junior apprentice were sitting together watching porn without any visuals—it was utterly inhumane! Utterly depraved! Her face flushed red.
According to the novel's setting, the flower thief had just undressed Nangong Luoluo, kissed her twice, and groped her a few times when the Saint Seiya Yanming descended from the sky to rescue Luoluo and Athena. Leaving aside how Yanming used three chapters of H to help Luoluo detoxify after that, it's certain that Luoluo's first time was given to Yanming and not given to the flower thief. But why hasn't Yanming arrived yet? The sounds from next door are getting intense. Yanming, if you don't come soon, she might… Xue Qing stood up nervously. Perhaps she should do something; after all, rape is too damaging to a woman.
Suddenly, the panting and groaning stopped, and the sounds from next door became strange, with a clear dripping sound. She'd heard that women get wet during sex, but for it to drip down… how wet would that be! Xue Qing wondered if she'd misheard, so she pressed her ear against the wall to hear more clearly. The sounds from next door ceased, but her own door was kicked open with a bang.
Yan Ming stood at the door, holding Nangong Luoluo in his arms. Nangong Luoluo was still unconscious, her fair arms and legs exposed, her clothes disheveled. Her face remained serene, but tears welled in her eyes, making her look pitiful and heartbreaking. If there were a "most" person, Xue Qing would least want to see Yan Ming. Nangong Luoluo was weak and powerless; she just had a weak aura. Yan Ming, on the other hand, was a manic-depressive, intermittently murderous maniac. Xue Qing's chills at the sight of him were purely a biological survival instinct.
"Xue Qing! How dare you!" Yan Ming shouted angrily, his sharp eyes glaring at Xue Qing.
The moment Liu Ying saw Yan Ming, she immediately stood up and went to stand beside Xue Qing, her fair fingers already gripping the hilt of the Qingyun Sword. Yan Ming's shout startled Xue Qing, her heart pounding. Only two words kept repeating in her mind: "Survive! Survive! Survive! Survive!" She tried to appear calm, but her voice trembled uncontrollably: "Sir, what's wrong? Is there something you're unhappy about?"
"Don't think I can let you get away with this forever. You dare to order a womanizer to harm Luo Luo." Yan Ming's face was terribly gloomy.
This was the funniest joke Xue Qing had ever heard this century. She ordered a flower thief to attack Nangong Luoluo? Hey, old man, wake up! It's not April Fool's Day!
Seeing that Xue Qing showed no sign of admitting her mistake, Yan Ming, holding Nangong Luoluo in one arm, stretched out his other hand and flipped it over. The snow wolf fur bag on the bed flew into his hand as if it were being pulled by a string. He shook the bag in the air, and the contents fell out one by one. Yan Ming reached out and grabbed a white porcelain medicine bottle: "How can an ordinary person obtain the Qingping Le Hehuan Powder? Don't tell me that your Lingyu Sect, which always considers itself superior, has started using this stuff?"
The drug that Nangong Luoluo was given was aphrodisiac powder. This drug was indeed rare, but that didn't necessarily mean that she gave it to the philanderer. "I...I...you haven't come to see me lately, and I was afraid that you would be snatched away by another vixen, so I bought this..." Xue Qing stammered, looking at the ground. Good heavens, how was she supposed to explain to Yan Ming the sacred status of aphrodisiacs in the hearts of transmigrated women?
"Whether I find women or not, or what kind of women I find, is none of your business. Remember, you are just my concubine." Yan Ming grabbed Xue Qing by the collar and pulled her close to him. Because her collar was being pulled, a large patch of bare skin was exposed, and half of the dark butterfly wing was visible, which made Xue Qing feel ashamed, like a brand of a slave.
Seeing Yan Ming treat Xue Qing roughly, Liu Ying could no longer tolerate it. She resolutely drew her Qingyun Sword, its blade flashing a bright blue light in the dim room. Xue Qing's eyes quickly caught the sword's gleam. She broke free from Yan Ming's grasp and instinctively lunged at Liu Ying, grabbing his arms and using her abdominal muscles to press the sword back into its sheath. While her actions seemed to be protecting Yan Ming, she truly wanted to protect Liu Ying. The male lead wasn't someone you could just touch as you pleased. According to the novel's setting, even if Xue Qing's master were to be resurrected, he wouldn't be a match for Yan Ming, let alone Liu Ying.
Seeing that Xue Qing was still protecting him at all costs, Yan Ming's mood improved slightly. Xue Qing was the most important pawn he had placed in the righteous martial arts world. He could just endure it a little longer, and once he achieved his goal, he could deal with her however he wanted. Yan Ming's expression softened, and he said to Xue Qing, "This is a one-time exception. Don't try to take advantage of Luo Luo again, otherwise..." Yan Ming gave Xue Qing a fierce look, and Xue Qing shivered in response.
Nangong Luoluo, nestled in Yan Ming's arms, let out a timely groan. Her face was flushed, and she twisted her body, trying to shake off the clothes draped over her. Yan Ming knew she couldn't wait any longer, and perhaps he couldn't wait any longer either, so he turned and left.
Xue Qing watched Yan Ming leave with the beauty in his arms. Her thoughts shifted from fear of Yan Ming to the sensation of Liu Ying's skin. Liu Ying's arms looked slender, but they were actually well-muscled. Xue Qing felt that while it was a man's body, it was also as soft as a woman's. Only after Yan Ming had gone far away did Xue Qing dare to let go of Liu Ying. The bustling city would certainly not give her the chance to hug a strange man. Transmigrated women really do have many perks; even if you're destined to die a horrible death, you'll still enjoy plenty of romantic pleasures before you die.
Liu Ying's body stiffened slightly. After Xue Qing let go, he took a step back almost imperceptibly. Even though he knew she only wanted to protect Yan Ming, a ripple still spread through his heart.
Yan Ming saved Nangong Luoluo, but what about the flower thief? Xue Qing remembered this minor character and ran next door. The door was wide open, and Xue Qing could see the scene inside—a gruesome sight. The flower thief had been torn apart alive, limp on the floor like a lump of mud, almost unrecognizable. The dripping sound she'd heard earlier was blood dripping onto the floor. She remembered Xue Qing's death in the novel wasn't pleasing either; could it be worse than a lump of mud? Xue Qing felt a wave of dizziness, as if the corpse on the ground was her future, the future of a supporting character. She squatted down, very close to the mess of blood and flesh, letting the overwhelming bloody smell assault her keen sense of smell. This was not the place where Nangong Luoluo and Yan Ming should have met again, nor the time when they should have met. Wrong time, wrong place. The only correct thing was that the damned supporting character still died so tragically. Fear climbed into Xue Qing's heart. She was terrified. Even if she tried her best, she couldn't escape the original plot. She didn't want to be condemned and cursed by thousands, didn't want to suffer all kinds of bullying in the Martial Alliance's prison, and didn't want to have her head slashed off by Xiao Guiying with contempt.
A passing woman glanced into the room, and immediately, a scream echoed throughout the inn. Guests in the upper, middle, and lower rooms were all drawn by the scream and slowly gathered around the room. Who was this person? Who was this man? Who was this woman? Some bolder martial artists gathered around, discussing, "Look, that man's clothes have the Qingfeng pattern of the Lingyu Sect." A more knowledgeable person remarked, "So he's a great hero of the Lingyu Sect!" Hearing that there were members of the Lingyu Sect inside, even more people gathered.
"Make way, everyone!" the waiter shouted, clearing a path for his manager. The short, stout manager scurried through the crowd and ran to Xue Qing's side.
"Heroine, this..." the shopkeeper said with difficulty. Although fighting and killing among people in the martial arts world is very common, it is always difficult for him to deal with someone dying in his shop.
"He's the flower thief who's been committing crimes these past few days. Please buy a coffin and bury him, shopkeeper." Xue Qing took out a silver ingot and stuffed it into the shopkeeper's hand: "Even though he's a villain, since he's dead, let him rest in peace."
The shopkeeper immediately beamed and pushed Xue Qing's money back: "The heroine killed that damned flower thief, she is a great benefactor of our Wuzhen, how can we take your money?"
The feisty young woman who had asked the shopkeeper about the flower thief was also there. After looking at the corpse, she raised her voice to Xue Qing and said, "You didn't kill him. The Lingyu Sect used swords. This thief was torn apart by someone's bare hands. Neither you nor the young master seem to be that strong."
“I didn’t kill him. He was already dead when I arrived,” Xue Qing said.
"The methods are too cruel, tearing people apart alive. Even the righteous sects of the martial arts world would not do such a thing. Could it be someone from the Desert Wilderness?" the young woman said again.
Upon hearing the words "Desert Wasteland," the crowd stirred. The conflict between the martial arts world and the Desert Wasteland had been brewing for who knows when, and its end was unknown. Their only interaction was mutual slaughter. The Desert Wasteland people were ruthless, seen as devils in the eyes of the locals, which explained their fear. And indeed, the young woman was right; it was indeed the Desert Wasteland people who did it, and not just any Desert Wasteland people, but their leader.
"Don't panic, everyone. The person is gone." Liu Ying's words immediately silenced the surroundings. The Lingyu Sect's prestige in the martial arts world was no joke.
With Xue Qing and Liu Ying's help, the innkeeper managed to disperse the onlookers, and the waiter had already huffed and puffed as he carried back a rough wooden coffin. "Brother Flower Thief, although you bled a lot, at least you're a whole corpse, and someone's even helping you collect your body. Be content. Who told you to be so blind as to touch the female lead? Next time you're reincarnated, remember to find out who has the connections before you make your move."
Xiao Gezhu
After leaving Wuzhen, they traveled for two more days and arrived at Mount Emei. The Lingyu Sect and the Emei Sect had a good relationship, and Xue Qing and Liu Ying were familiar faces to the Emei Sect. The disciples at the foot of the mountain didn't even need to announce their arrival; they simply opened the way.
The Emei Sect is a sect dedicated to saving lives and healing the wounded. It only accepts female disciples, and because its disciples study medical texts more than sword manuals, coupled with the lush and beautiful scenery of Mount Emei, the entire sect feels like a health resort. The only discordant element is the village chief of this "health resort"—the sect leader, Abbess Dingni. The name Dingni means "to quell evil and slay rebellious disciples," a bloody connotation that clashes sharply with the Emei Sect's image of compassionate healers. Even more incongruous are the sect rules established by Abbess Dingni: from the day she became sect leader, the Emei Sect only saves those who embody the concept of "righteousness." Those who are evil or deviant, especially those from the desolate deserts, are killed, not saved. The character of Abbess Dingni in the novel is not very positive because she dislikes Nangong Luoluo and hates the people of the Desert. Coincidentally, Nangong Luoluo's birth mother is from the Desert, so she also finds Nangong Luoluo less pleasing to the eye. However, she has always been kind to Xue Qing, who comes from a clean and upright family, which is why Xue Qing dared to seek refuge with her.
"It's been a year since I last saw you, Qing'er has become even more beautiful!" Abbess Dingni said with a smile when she saw Xue Qing. She was about the same age as Fang Yun, but unlike Fang Yun's plumpness, she was rather thin, and her thick eyebrows made her look solemn and dignified.
"I've wanted to visit you for a long time, and now that I'm better, the first thing I did was come to Emei," Xue Qing said with a smile.
"You've come at the perfect time, otherwise I would have gone to Lingyu myself. How are you feeling?"
"My uncle has lost all his internal energy, but he seems to be fine otherwise. However, I would still appreciate it if you could check on him again, Master Dingni," Liuying said. Since they had come to Emei, they couldn't leave empty-handed. It would be a good opportunity to have Master Dingni personally check on him to see if there were any other aftereffects.
"Yes, that's exactly what I was thinking. You all go and settle in first, and I'll go to the side room to take Qing'er's pulse later."
The two thanked Abbess Dingni, and an older female disciple led them to a side room to settle their luggage. Xue Qing looked around and saw that the people guarding the door and patrolling the sect were all beautiful young female disciples; it was truly a paradise on earth.
"Senior Aunt Xue Qing, my name is Tong Xinmei. Please call me if you need anything," the female disciple said, bowing.
"Okay, go ahead and get busy. I'll call you if I need anything," Xue Qing said with a smile.
The female disciple returned the smile and withdrew. The novel didn't mention this female disciple named Tong Xinmei, but Xue Qing noticed she had been standing very close to Abbess Dingni, so she was likely Abbess Dingni's direct disciple. Actually, there wasn't much to put away; the bottles of medicine in Xue Qing's bag were best left unseen, so she only needed to take out a few pieces of clothing and fold them neatly.
Tong Xinmei returned quickly, followed by Abbess Dingni and several other female disciples.
"Master," Xue Qing and Liu Ying said, standing up together.
"Sit down, I'll take your pulse." Abbess Dingni gestured for Xue Qing to sit down, then had Xue Qing put her arm on the table and pressed on Xue Qing's wrist to check her pulse.
“It’s not that my internal energy is blocked; on the contrary, all my internal energy has dissipated, and I am powerless to help…” Master Dingni said regretfully.
Liu Ying had been holding onto a sliver of hope that Xue Qing's inability to use her internal energy was due to a qi deviation that had sealed her acupoints, and that perhaps Master Ding Ni could cure her. But now that Master Ding Ni had definitively stated that she had absolutely no internal energy left, and that even a god couldn't change the fact that she was now a cripple, Liu Ying's heart sank to the bottom.
Xue Qing didn't care at all. Internal energy and martial arts were just things from TV dramas to her. She was very used to her current state.
Seeing that Xue Qing remained calm, Abbess Dingni liked the child even more. She was able to bend and stretch, and with such composure, even if she lost her inner strength now, she would definitely be extraordinary in the future.
"Nothing else is seriously wrong, but you are a little weak. You can recover with proper care," said Abbess Dingni.