clergé

Chapitre 43

That guy from Nanyi would never give her anything good. The gifts he gave her in previous years were either poisoned or contained hidden weapons, so her expectations had long since vanished.

"Aren't you going to ask what it is?" Nan Yi asked, puzzled that she wasn't surprised.

“…What is it?” Pang Wan took a deep breath, turned her head and forced a hopeful smile.

“Three days ago, I cut off Master Miaozhen’s head and sent it back to the sect in your name.” Nan Yi turned his head to look at her, his expression quite smug and cunning. “Now everyone in the martial arts world knows that it was the Holy Maiden Baiyue who killed the Emei Sect Leader, and her head is even being displayed on the gate. Tell me, is this gift good or bad?”

The crimson sunset painted the boy's face red, and whether it was an illusion or not, there seemed to be a hint of "Praise me" in his eyes.

Pang Wan's facial features immediately became distorted and misaligned.

After a long while, she reluctantly reached out and pushed them all back into their original positions.

"I...you...she..." She was momentarily confused and couldn't figure out what she was trying to say.

Seeing that she wasn't as overjoyed as he had expected, Nan Yi frowned and his voice hardened: "Don't even think that I'll help you kill another sect leader! I've said it before, your achievements can't surpass mine!"

Startled by his sharp aura, Pang Wan subconsciously swallowed and quickly organized her thoughts: "...I really didn't mean that."

"What does that mean?" Nan Yi glared at her fiercely like a wild beast. "With your pathetic skills, do you really think you can kill Gu...?"

"Ouch!" Pang Wan leaped forward and covered the Nan Yi's mouth with his hand.

"I can't say it! I can't say it!" She pressed her hands tightly against the Nan Yi's face, stamping her feet and jumping up and down in desperation. "Please!"

Nan Yi's expression hardened, and he stopped speaking, only staring at her intently with piercing eyes.

Pang Wan made sure he really didn't mean to speak before letting go of his hand and taking a deep breath—the whole ordeal had left her vest soaked with sweat.

"Brother Nanyi, please give me a little more time. I will definitely return with the Jade Dragon Token, okay?" She looked at Nanyi with pleading eyes, her pale face full of entreaty. "Didn't Uncle Master promise to give me two years?"

Nan Yi glanced at her sideways, his voice laced with disdain: "You? Even two hundred years wouldn't be enough."

Pang Wan was displeased at being looked down upon like this and said irritably, "Whether I can bring it back or not is my own business! If I fail to complete the mission, I will accept any punishment from the sect leader!"

Seeing her reckless attitude, Nan Yi snorted coldly and said nothing more.

Looking at the cold-hearted and aloof young man in front of her, Pang Wan thought that no matter what, the other man had done her a great favor (although the consequences of this favor might be very bad). Her heart softened, and she took the initiative to tug at Nan Yi's sleeve.

"Brother Nanyi, how is your wife? Is your newlywed life sweet?" she asked with a smile, her face full of flattery.

The moment she finished speaking, the temperature around her suddenly plummeted, the air froze into ice, and Nan Yi's body became as stiff as lead in an instant, his eyes turning bloodshot and ferocious.

"You don't have a sister-in-law."

He gasped for breath and managed to utter a few words with difficulty from his throat.

"What happened?" Pang Wan looked at him in surprise, a sense of foreboding creeping into her heart.

"The wedding...could not be held as scheduled."

Large beads of sweat dripped from his forehead, and the veins on the southern barbarian's forehead began to throb.

"Because... Mei Wu is dead."

He murmured as he closed his eyes, his expression one of near madness from the pain.

Chapter Nine

My sentimentality should make me laugh.

It is said that Mei Wu died a very tragic death.

She was murdered while getting ready in the morning. All the major meridians in her body were severed, her feet were cut off, and she almost lost all her blood.

The maids assigned to protect her were all killed, each stabbed multiple times and decapitated. Aunt Rong, who was in charge of guarding the outer perimeter, was also severely injured and remains unconscious in bed.

When everyone arrived at the scene, there was blood everywhere, and the crimson wedding dress was like a poisonous fire that mercilessly devoured the beautiful white lotus.

Everything happened so suddenly and unexpectedly that the cult leader was so angry that he vomited blood several times.

Of course, that all happened after Pang Wan came down the mountain, about half a year ago.

Nan Yi described the events of that day to Pang Wan in an almost calm voice. Only when he described Mei Wu's death did his slightly trembling spine betray him.

"...You said back then that you wished we two lovers would never be able to be together, and I never thought it would actually come true."

After he finished speaking, he glanced bitterly at Pang Wan, his once obsidian-like eyes now dull and lifeless, as if stained with dirt.

Pang Wan's body also began to tremble, because she was so shocked by the news that she could hardly think straight.

—Could it be that my unintentional curse has taken effect? Or is this world different from the Mary Sue continent? Even if I become a universally loved, innocent beauty, there's no guarantee of a happy ending?

After much thought, she could only categorize Mei Wu as a "female supporting character who is stunningly beautiful but has a bad fate" to barely calm her mind.

"I'm sorry..." She was usually so eloquent, but now she couldn't even utter a single word of comfort. Subconsciously, she disliked Mei Wu, but hearing of her fate now filled her with sorrow.

"I know it has nothing to do with you." Nan Yi glanced at her indifferently and turned his head away.

The evening breeze gently blew aside his temples, and Pang Wan was stunned, for there was a dazzling silver streak hidden there!

Those who are sentimental should laugh at me, for my hair has turned white so early.

—Nan Yi Ge is a romantic, I'm afraid that with Mei Wu's death, no one can ever replace her in his heart again!

As Pang Wan pondered this, her heart ached with both sorrow and pain.

"Brother Nanyi, I want to go back to see Aunt Rong." Coming to her senses, Pang Wan reached out to grab Nanyi's arm. "Is Aunt Rong still not awake?"