A Consequence of Opposing the Heroine’s Halo (GL) - Chapter 9

Jun Yining took the Silver-Ring Half-Moon Herb and began treating Bai Tong.

Liu Sanye watched as Jun Yining’s hands blurred, weaving a complex incantation seal. Countless green specks of light radiated from the seal, flying into the spiritual herb floating in mid-air. The herb slowly turned gray; once its color faded completely, it disintegrated into mist and vanished.

The originally green light specks turned silver after the herb disappeared. They dispersed, seeping into the spiritual veins throughout Bai Tong’s body. The moment the silver light entered, the unconscious Bai Tong suddenly looked extremely pained. Her teeth clamped shut, the veins at her temples throbbed uncontrollably, and fine beads of sweat erupted on her paper-pale face. Her hair at her forehead and temples was soon drenched.

Liu Sanye clenched her fists tightly. She asked Jun Yining cautiously, “She looks… like she’s in a lot of pain?”

Jun Yining gave her a flat look. “No kidding. Reconstructing shattered spiritual veins is inherently painful, and that’s not even counting the demonic qi rampaging inside her.”

Liu Sanye swallowed hard. “How painful is it?”

Jun Yining offered a vivid analogy: “Imagine the tendons in your hands and feet being repeatedly snapped and then sewn back together. Imagine that for yourself.”

Terrified, Liu Sanye stuck her finger in her mouth and sucked in a breath of cold air. In the original novel, Bai Tong suffered a bit to reshape her veins, but it was nowhere near this bad—at least there hadn’t been that sudden demonic qi! So, she really had indirectly harmed Bai Tong!

Burdened with guilt, Liu Sanye asked repeatedly, “Senior Brother, you’re so amazing, isn’t there any way to stop the pain?”

“If I stopped the pain, would the treatment even work?! You have far too many questions, little girl.”

Liu Sanye was forced to shut her mouth.

After snapping at Liu Sanye, Jun Yining turned back to Chu Danxue. Remembering something, he asked worriedly, “Senior Sister, I saw you take a hit from that demon last night. Are you alright?”

Chu Danxue shook her head. “It’s fine, just a minor injury. I’ll treat myself after I finish standing guard for you.”

“Oh, alright.” Jun Yining nodded and returned his full attention to treating Bai Tong.

Seeing him so focused, Liu Sanye didn’t dare disturb him again. She could only tug at Chu Danxue’s hand and whisper, “Senior Sister, how long will Senior Brother be treating her?”

Chu Danxue frowned and shook her head. “I am not entirely sure.” Though her cultivation was high, she was not proficient in the field of medical cultivation.

Liu Sanye sighed in disappointment and settled in to wait with Chu Danxue at the door.

Chu Danxue could stand motionless for a long time, but Liu Sanye could not. Within an hour, she was exhausted and leaning against the wall. She had missed two meals; she was tired, hungry, and her legs were shaking from standing so long. If Chu Danxue weren’t standing there like a statue, she would have sat directly on the floor.

Driven by hunger, Liu Sanye considered running out to find something to eat, but looking at Bai Tong—who was in agony on the stone bed yet hadn’t made a sound—she immediately dismissed the thought.

I’m no longer in my original world, she thought. If I can’t even handle a little pain like hunger, how am I going to survive in this world later? She decided to learn from Bai Tong, endure the suffering to temper her will, and resolve to be an indomitable weed!

However, while the imagination was beautiful, reality was cruel. After twenty-four hours without food or water, Liu Sanye successfully fainted just before dusk.

Five hours later, Bai Tong’s spiritual veins were finally reconstructed, though her body was still too weak to move. Her first words upon waking were: “Where is Sanye?”

Chu Danxue stepped forward to comfort her. “That demonic cultivator wandered into the Miasma Forest and died. Junior Sister Sanye is fine.”

“Then why don’t I see her?”

Chu Danxue replied, “Junior Sister Sanye was so worried about you that she stayed by your side without eating or drinking. She just fainted.”

…And thus, a beautiful misunderstanding was born.

Jun Yining fed Liu Sanye a “Food-Water Pill,” and she woke up shortly after. Seeing him, she immediately asked, “Are Bai Tong’s spiritual veins healed?”

Jun Yining shook his head repeatedly. “The first thing both of you do when you wake up is ask about the other. No one cares about me, their savior! Hmph! Ungrateful white-eyed wolves!”

Liu Sanye offered a dead-serious: “Thank you, Senior Brother, for saving my life!” Then she asked anxiously, “Senior Brother, how is Bai Tong now?”

Jun Yining: “…” He put on a wounded expression and sighed helplessly. “She’s on the bed in the room next door. Go see for yourself.”

Delighted, Liu Sanye shook her head to clear the post-fainting dizziness and scrambled off the bed to run to Bai Tong’s room.

As soon as she entered, she saw Chu Danxue sitting by the bed. Bai Tong had opened her eyes and seemed to be talking to her; her mental state was much better than expected.

Liu Sanye felt a tiny bit of relief, and her tense nerves finally relaxed. But then it hit her: Wait! Why do I care so much about Bai Tong? I’m the villain who needs to go home by stealing her luck!

The realization hit her like a blow. From the very beginning, she had decided to take Bai Tong’s luck to go home—to oppose her. That decision itself was meant to harm Bai Tong! So why was she developing extra emotions?

As if suddenly waking up, the usually clever Liu Sanye decided to cut her losses. She turned to leave!

However, just then, the weak Bai Tong called out, “Sanye, is that you?”

Liu Sanye froze. Hearing the voice, Chu Danxue also turned around. “Junior Sister Sanye, why don’t you come over?”

Liu Sanye was forced to turn back and walk over slowly. Looking at Bai Tong lying immobile on the bed, her heart was a mess.

Seeing her approach, Chu Danxue handed her a bag filled with Food-Water Pills she had prepared.

In the cultivation world, once a cultivator reaches the Foundation Establishment stage, they achieve Bigu (fasting) and no longer eat mortal food. However, Qi Refining disciples still need it. These pills were made from grains, mountain spring water, and supplemented with fruits and vegetables, coming in many flavors. Since Qi Refining cultivators often seclude themselves for ten days or a fortnight, these pills were a necessity to keep them from starving.

“Junior Brother Yining and I have been fasting for years; we were careless and forgot you two still need mortal food. These are Food-Water Pills I traded for from Elder Yuan of the Huajie Sect. They can replace food and water. Eat these for now; things will be better once we return to the Hegui Sect.”

The “Dividing Ridge” where outer disciples lived had dedicated spiritual chefs, so they wouldn’t need pills once they got home. Liu Sanye took the pills and thanked Chu Danxue.

Resolved to be a heartless transmigrator, Liu Sanye didn’t say a single word to Bai Tong. She ignored her and asked Chu Danxue about the plot points she already knew: “Senior Sister, when are we going back to the Hegui Sect?”

Chu Danxue replied, “The teleportation array was damaged by the demon. The elders of the Huajie Sect are repairing it, but fixing a long-distance array is a massive project. We can’t return just yet.”

Liu Sanye nodded. It seemed the plot hadn’t deviated too much because of her. While they waited for the repairs, the Law Enforcement Elder of the Huajie Sect would invite Chu Danxue to help them search the Dragon-Transformation Mountains to see if the killer was still lurking. Thus, a sub-plot would open, and Bai Tong’s enemy would show his face for the first time.

Liu Sanye was lost in thought about the plot, not noticing Chu Danxue looking at her with confusion. “Junior Sister Sanye, sometimes you really don’t look like a mortal who has never encountered the cultivation world.”

A teleportation array was a magical construct; most people would look puzzled hearing about it for the first time, yet Liu Sanye looked like she knew exactly what it was. It wasn’t surprising that Chu Danxue was suspicious.

Liu Sanye explained: “Immortals have visited our village before. I’ve learned a bit of common knowledge about the cultivation world.”

Chu Danxue nodded. “I see.” She then said to both girls, “Since you’re both awake, I shall take my leave.”

Liu Sanye didn’t want to be left alone with Bai Tong and quickly followed. “Senior Sister, where are you going? I’ll come with you!”

Chu Danxue smiled. “You are but a mortal body. You didn’t sleep last night and guarded Bai Tong all day. It’s late; shouldn’t you rest? Why follow me?”

“I just want to be with you! Where are you going?”

Chu Danxue found the little girl puzzling. “Weren’t you very concerned about Junior Sister Bai Tong earlier? Now that she’s awake, aren’t you going to talk to her?”

Liu Sanye silently glanced back at Bai Tong, who hadn’t said a word the entire time.

Chu Danxue continued, “Besides, I have important matters to discuss with Elder Yuan. It would be inconvenient to bring you. Alright, I’m going.”

Liu Sanye was forced to stay. Once Chu Danxue left, the air suddenly went silent. Liu Sanye could even hear her own breathing. The situation was incredibly awkward. To end it, she blurted out, “I’m too sleepy, I’m going back to bed,” and hurried away.

Bai Tong was extremely sensitive; how could she not feel Liu Sanye’s coldness? She didn’t know the reason and didn’t ask; she just sat alone in the deep of night, carefully and secretly speculating.

From the moment Liu Sanye had recklessly charged at the demon to save her, Bai Tong had already considered her her most important friend. She didn’t want to lose her.