After Transmigrating, the Female Lead Went Dark (GL) - Chapter 17

After hearing Xiao Xinyue’s words, Zhou Zhuying kept nodding inwardly. How could someone as honest and well-behaved as her be uncontrollable? She was the easiest to handle and the most obedient, all right!

The conversation inside the room had not yet ended.

Ling Guqing said, “If that is all you have to say, then I absolutely will not agree to your proposal.”

Xiao Xinyue was silent for a short while before saying, “The Right Guardian of the Demon Sect said that the reason the Demon Lord kept news of the Cult Leader hidden so tightly these past years was because he knew there would inevitably be a battle between the righteous and evil paths.

“In order to protect his adopted daughter, Zhou Zhuying, he arranged for a substitute for her. When conflict broke out, he would use a stratagem of ‘the cicada shedding its shell,’ transferring the real Cult Leader away and letting the fake Cult Leader be captured. He intended to wait until the righteous path had let down its guard, then strike back in one move.

“But the Demon Sect’s followers do not know about the matter of the real and fake Cult Leaders. So we can use this opportunity to pass the fake off as the real one and keep the fake Cult Leader by our side. First, this can intimidate the Demon Sect remnants. Second, it can confuse their line of sight and make it easier for us to make our next arrangements. Third…”

As Zhou Zhuying listened to Xiao Xinyue analyze the matter, she felt extremely emotional. Back then, she had only offered a tiny little suggestion, yet the female lead could list out such a detailed and meticulous plan from it. Or perhaps the female lead had already thought of this layer long ago, and Zhou Zhuying had simply happened to think of what the female lead was already thinking.

She took a deep breath, rubbed her chest, and could not help complaining about the weather in her heart. “Winter really does make people feel chest tightness and shortness of breath…”

Ling Guqing’s emotions finally showed a slight fluctuation. “Even so, there is no need to marry her.”

Zhou Zhuying: “?!”

Nani? Marry who? Who was marrying whom?

Based on their conversation, this “her” was very likely referring to her, Zhou Zhuying. But since the word “marry” was used, did that mean someone wanted to marry her?

Who the heck wanted to marry her?

Was this idea proposed by the female lead? What kind of hellish idea was this?

Zhou Zhuying was completely confused. Even her mind and heart were somewhat chaotic.

Xiao Xinyue said, “Marrying her brings more benefits than drawbacks. It is equivalent to tying the Demon Sect Leader to Moshan Sect’s boat. After all, if even the Demon Sect Leader has already become someone of the righteous path, the Demon Sect remnants naturally have no reason to continue being enemies with the righteous path. Then we can infiltrate our forces into the Demon Sect and dismantle them one by one. Without shedding blood, we can make the Demon Sect lose the confidence to stand against the righteous path.”

Ling Guqing reprimanded coldly, “Naive! If the Demon Lord and the real Cult Leader appear, how will you clean up the mess then?”

“If they do not appear, all the better. If they truly dare to appear, we can simply explain that this was the righteous path’s plan to draw out the Demon Lord and his people. Not only will it not tarnish Moshan Sect’s reputation, we can also capture the Demon Lord and his people all at once. We will suffer no losses.”

Zhou Zhuying suddenly thought of what Xiao Xinyue had said to her before and muttered, “So when the female lead asked me to cooperate, this is what she meant!”

She finally understood the female lead’s calculations.

But the problem was, this was a blind arranged marriage, a feudal marriage arrangement, a rotten custom of feudal society.

She would absolutely not compromise with the dregs of old society’s customs!

Refuse the marriage. She absolutely had to refuse the marriage!

At this moment, the female disciple beside her called out, “Sect Master, the Demon Sect Leader has arrived.”

The conversation inside the room abruptly stopped.

The tightly shut carved wooden door opened. Xiao Xinyue stood behind the door with a trace of surprise on her face, and her eyes brightened for a moment. Soon after, the light in her eyes gradually dimmed until it was extinguished.

Zhou Zhuying thought: Female lead, your acting skills aren’t good enough. That was a little affected. Watch me later!

Xiao Xinyue hesitated for a moment, then asked, “Master, why did you suddenly have Senior Sister Hongxue bring the Cult Leader here?”

A Daoist dressed in robes, her eyes covered with white gauze, slowly walked to the doorway and smiled faintly. “You said she is fake, so naturally, I should meet her.”

Zhou Zhuying felt that when Ling Guqing said “meet her,” what she really meant was “verify her.”

Here it comes. They are about to verify whether I am real or fake. It is time for me to show off my acting skills!

Her expression was solemn, her attitude very proper, but her voice also carried a hint of guilty timidity and lack of confidence. “Hmph. Nonsense. I, Zhou Zhuying, will not change my name whether standing or sitting. I am the Cult Leader of the Thousand Mechanisms Cult, Zhou Zhuying!”

The smile on the blindfolded Daoist Ling Guqing’s face did not fade. She merely turned her face slightly, as if speaking to Xiao Xinyue. “She admits she is real.”

Hearing this, Xiao Xinyue said unhurriedly, “Then let us treat her as real.”

Ling Guqing smiled and stretched out her hand, beckoning. “Come here.”

Zhou Zhuying looked in the direction Ling Guqing was beckoning, but did not see anyone. When she turned back, she discovered that Xiao Xinyue and the female disciple, Mo Hongxue, were both looking at her.

She pointed at herself. “Me?”

Ling Guqing’s hand changed direction, this time aiming at her. “Yes, you.”

Zhou Zhuying walked up to Ling Guqing, then waved her hand in front of her eyes. She thought that Meng Xiaoxiao did not seem to have mentioned that the Supreme of the Martial World had eye problems. And if Ling Guqing had eye problems but could still be the Supreme of the Martial World, then just how ridiculously powerful must her martial arts be?

Seeing Zhou Zhuying’s small movement, Mo Hongxue glared at her in dissatisfaction, feeling that she was discriminating against their Sect Master.

Zhou Zhuying gave her an innocent look. You people are way too fragile, aren’t you?

She had just finished criticizing inwardly when a shadow flashed past the corner of her eye. Immediately after, a fierce wind rushed straight toward her face, and she instinctively closed her eyes.

When she opened them, she discovered that a palm had stopped only one or two centimeters from her face. As long as it had moved just a little farther forward, it would definitely have pressed against her face.

What the heck just happened?

Zhou Zhuying felt as if she had lost her memory, losing the memory of that one second just now.

Ling Guqing withdrew her hand. Zhou Zhuying’s vision finally managed to focus with difficulty, and just as her gaze fell on Xiao Xinyue, whose face carried a stunned expression, the world before her suddenly spun.

Her eyes rolled back, and she fainted completely.

Before her limp body could fall to the ground, Xiao Xinyue stepped forward and caught her.

“Master?” Xiao Xinyue raised her head and looked up at Ling Guqing, not understanding why she had done that.

The smile on Ling Guqing’s lips faded. She said, “A person’s mouth can deceive others, but the body cannot. She truly does not know martial arts, and she is timid and weak, unable to withstand fright. How could such a person be that Demon Sect Leader who possessed decades of internal force at a young age and acted with reckless arrogance?”

Xiao Xinyue pressed her lips together.

Ling Guqing continued, “Forget it. In any case, the position of Moshan Sect Master will eventually be passed to you. Where Moshan Sect goes from here will also be your choice. Your ideas have always been grand. I can no longer manage your affairs.”

Xiao Xinyue looked ashamed at her words. “Master…”

Ling Guqing turned and went back into the room. Xiao Xinyue glanced at Mo Hongxue, who had not left, respectfully bid her master farewell, then carried the unconscious Zhou Zhuying away.

She did not return directly to the courtyard where they lived. Xiao Xinyue chose a quiet and elegant pavilion, set Zhou Zhuying down there, then waited silently for her to wake.

Zhou Zhuying was not unconscious for too long. As her awareness returned, what appeared in her mind was that palm striking toward her face. She woke with a start. “Help!”

When she opened her eyes and saw Xiao Xinyue, she instinctively threw herself toward her, wishing she could hang herself on Xiao Xinyue’s body. Still shaken, she cried, “Sister Saintess, save me!”

Xiao Xinyue looked at her with an expression that seemed to say: how useless.

But her hand stroked Zhou Zhuying’s head as she said, “Don’t worry. Master will not harm your life. I also checked you. You are perfectly fine and uninjured.”

Only then did Zhou Zhuying steady herself. Still frightened, she said, “Then why did she scare me?”

“To determine whether you are truly the Cult Leader.”

At the mention of this, Zhou Zhuying remembered the conversation between Xiao Xinyue and Ling Guqing. She instantly became unhappy and said, “Without my permission, how could you casually marry me off to someone else? You’re too much!”

The more she thought about it, the more wronged she felt, and her eyes reddened.

Since being captured, this was the first time the Cult Leader’s eyes had reddened. Xiao Xinyue froze slightly. Very soon, she crouched down and looked straight at the Cult Leader, saying gently, “Back then, you said you would offer yourself in marriage, so I thought you were willing.”

The tears Zhou Zhuying had almost shed were forcefully held back. She looked at Xiao Xinyue and blinked. “Huh?”

When had she said anything about offering herself in marriage, and to whom?

Seeing that she had indeed forgotten, Xiao Xinyue seemed both helpless and unconvinced as she asked, “Are you unwilling to marry me?”