After Transmigrating, the Female Lead Went Dark (GL) - Chapter 8

Xiao Xinyue did not have any maidservants, but as the Saintess of Moshan Sect, she also did not need to do rough work. Her three meals a day, hot water for bathing, laundry, and so on were all taken care of by others.

Although Zhou Zhuying lived together with her, aside from having her three meals a day delivered to her door, rough work like boiling water for baths and washing clothes still had to be done by herself.

In Xiao Xinyue’s words: “Since you are eating and drinking here for free, don’t dream of anyone serving you. Do these things yourself.”

Zhou Zhuying did not really complain. It was just that the water was cold in winter. Every time she finished washing clothes, her hands would be red and stiff, and she had to tuck them under her armpits for a long time before they warmed back up.

She thought, this could not go on. So she first drew up a blueprint, then asked Xiao Xinyue for some wood and wood-carving tools. The latter did not ask what she wanted those things for. Since Zhou Zhuying asked, she gave them to her.

Following the blueprint, Zhou Zhuying figured out a hand-cranked automatic clothes-scrubbing machine. Its principle was the same as those electric mannequins in front of pharmacies that mechanically repeated the work of grinding medicine. She had merely swapped the electric mannequin for a manual device, and replaced the medicine roller with a washboard.

Although she had to keep turning the handle, compared with touching cold water, she would rather let her arm get a little tired. Perhaps it could even help train her arm strength.

She basked in the warm sun while humming a tune and turning the handle. The clothes were swung by the wooden rod and pressed against the washboard to rub back and forth, making “creak, creak” sounds.

Zhuo Zidan came to look for Xiao Xinyue and saw her standing beneath the covered corridor, seemingly watching something. Following her gaze, he saw Zhou Zhuying and the wooden automatic clothes-scrubbing machine. He was immediately shocked. “What is that?”

“A lazy tool she came up with,” Xiao Xinyue said.

Zhuo Zidan was extremely curious. “How does it work? Why does the clothing scrub back and forth when she turns the handle?”

“I’m not too sure.” Xiao Xinyue walked outside.

Zhuo Zidan had no choice but to follow her. “Xinyue, how are you not curious at all?”

Xiao Xinyue seemed to recall something, and the corners of her lips lifted slightly. “I watched her make it with my own eyes. The novelty has already worn off.”

Zhuo Zidan thought about it and felt that made sense. If he had known how the Demon Sect Leader made it, he would not be this curious either. But just now, when he had asked how it was made, why had she answered that she did not know?

“Did something happen again, for Elder Zhuo to personally come looking for me?” Xiao Xinyue’s words made Zhuo Zidan toss aside his earlier confusion.

He said, “It’s not really a big matter. The spoils we seized from the Demon Sect’s main stronghold this time have already been counted. After converting those jade pieces, silks, satins, and other goods into silver, the total came to twenty-four thousand eight hundred taels. Compensation has already been sent to the wounded disciples and to the families of those who died, leaving around eighteen thousand taels. The sects who participated in the siege against the Demon Sect are still waiting to split the money. We just don’t know how best to divide it.”

“Moshan Sect takes half, and the other sects divide the remaining half. However, considering that the remnants of the Demon Sect are still gathering, in order to respond to these changes better and more quickly, I suggest forming an alliance to jointly resist the demons, with each sect contributing a portion of the money as starting funds…”

Zhuo Zidan felt this idea was truly brilliant. Not only would it prevent the various sects from becoming scattered sand after destroying the Demon Sect, it would also allow Moshan Sect to continue taking the lead in this alliance plan, invisibly forming a new order headed by Moshan Sect!

“Xinyue, you truly deserve to be called Moshan Sect’s strategist. Such a wonderful plan—only you could have thought of it.”

Faced with his brainless praise, Xiao Xinyue did not become smug. Instead, she shook her head. “I was not the one who came up with it.”

She did not continue, and Zhuo Zidan assumed she was being modest.

He changed the topic and said, “But is it not too risky for you to place that Cult Leader in your own courtyard? Which member of the Demon Sect is not full of schemes? As the Cult Leader, although she is the Demon Lord’s puppet, she was still able to win over so many people’s hearts. That shows how deep her thoughts are and how skillful her methods are. I am worried you will fall into her trap.”

Xiao Xinyue suddenly said, “Elder, do you remember that I suspected she might be fake?”

Zhuo Zidan froze for a moment, then said, “I remember. After all, for nearly four years, the Demon Sect kept news about her tightly hidden. This is completely opposite to her high-profile style over the previous ten years. Because her way of doing things changed so greatly, everyone guessed that some internal change might have occurred within the Demon Sect, forcing them to conceal news about her.”

Considering that there might have been internal turmoil within the Demon Sect and that its strength might currently be at its weakest, the righteous sects had come up with the idea of taking advantage of the opening.

However, in this plan to eliminate the Demon Sect, none of them dared act as commander. They were afraid that if anything went wrong, they would have to take the blame. Therefore, Xiao Xinyue, the Saintess with powerful martial arts and considerable prestige, was pushed to the front by them.

Zhuo Zidan had originally thought that after entering the Demon Palace, there would be a fierce battle. But the Demon Lord, Li Dang, did not appear, and the Demon Sect Leader also had no fighting spirit. She surrendered directly—despite Xiao Xinyue personally putting herself in danger to test her, the Demon Sect Leader still did not seize the chance to attack. Because of this, a fierce battle was avoided.

But precisely because the Demon Sect Leader surrendered so cleanly, her authenticity became suspicious. After all, before this, not many people on the righteous path had seen the Demon Sect Leader. The only one who had seen her and exchanged blows with her was Xiao Xinyue.

“Could she be a fake Cult Leader found by the Demon Lord to replace the real one and divert our attention?” Zhuo Zidan asked.

“I don’t know. That is why I need to keep her somewhere within my sight. If she is fake, sooner or later she will reveal a flaw. As for the Demon Sect disciples imprisoned in the water dungeon, they are still useful. Do not let them die.”

Zhuo Zidan nodded. “They also do not know the Demon Lord’s whereabouts. They are not even clear about the Demon Lord’s existence. This shows how secretive and cautious the Demon Lord is in his actions. But since the Demon Lord could control the Demon Sect, aside from the Cult Leader, he must have other informants. No matter what, we must find at least one informant and use them to learn the Demon Lord’s whereabouts.”

After they finished discussing serious matters, Zhuo Zidan looked at Xiao Xinyue and hesitated, wanting to say something.

But Xiao Xinyue’s gaze passed over him, and she revealed a faint smile. “Cult Leader, are you eavesdropping?”

“Xinyue, I want—”

Their voices rang out at the same time. Zhuo Zidan paused, then turned his head to look back and saw Zhou Zhuying by the waterside pavilion, clinging to the railing and secretly watching them.

Xiao Xinyue turned her head slightly and asked Zhuo Zidan, “What did Elder Zhuo say just now?”

“Nothing.” Zhuo Zidan hurriedly denied it. After a while, he felt that his reaction seemed very suspicious, so he casually found some words to brush it off. “I wanted to say, go take care of your business first. There is no need to see me off.”

“Oh. Very well. Elder Zhuo, please take care on your way.”

Zhuo Zidan: “…”

Seeing that Xiao Xinyue truly had no intention of asking him to stay, he left with a stifled heart.

Just as he went down the steps, he looked back and saw Xiao Xinyue lightly leap over the waterfall, landing directly in front of Zhou Zhuying.

Zhou Zhuying was dumbstruck. Holy crap, was this the legendary lightness skill?

How did she do that without any boost?

This already belonged in the realm of immortal cultivation, right?

If Newton saw this, wouldn’t he jump out of his coffin?

Her dazed appearance made Xiao Xinyue’s hand itch, so she raised her hand and flicked Zhou Zhuying on the forehead.

“Hey—” Zhou Zhuying cried out in pain and covered her forehead, glaring at her.

“What are you glaring at? According to the rules of the martial world, eavesdroppers should have their ears cut off as punishment,” Xiao Xinyue threatened.

Zhou Zhuying did not doubt the female lead’s words at all. After all, this was a martial arts world, and all logic revolved around the words “martial arts.” She even suspected that this world did not have countries or laws, and that these sects were a kind of separatist power.

She covered her ears and laughed awkwardly. “Sister Saintess is beautiful and kindhearted. You definitely wouldn’t do that to me.”

Xiao Xinyue teased her with interest. “If I said I killed dozens of disciples from your Demon Sect, would you still think I am kindhearted?”

“T-That depends on whether they deserved to die.” Zhou Zhuying tilted her head and thought seriously. “But I believe Sister Saintess would not indiscriminately kill the innocent.”

“I am your enemy, yet you trust me this much?” Xiao Xinyue was suspicious.

Zhou Zhuying thought, You’re the glorious, upright, righteous female lead. Of course I trust you!

But aloud, she offered every flattering word she could think of. “If we are talking about the person I trust most in all the world, then it would naturally be Sister Saintess. Although I am a prisoner, Sister Saintess has never made things difficult for me and has even treated me so well. I am truly afraid I might fall in love with Sister Saintess.”

Xiao Xinyue pursed her lips, the corners of her mouth pressing down slightly. “If you do not shut up, I will sew your mouth shut too.”

Her threats toward Zhou Zhuying were often extremely effective. At the very least, Zhou Zhuying knew that the identity of “Demon Sect Leader” was heavily stained with sin. Even when joking, she did not dare cross the line, afraid that the female lead would take it seriously and cut her down with a slash.

Perhaps because Xiao Xinyue noticed that her tone had been too cold and frightening, or perhaps because Zhou Zhuying’s cautious appearance caught at her heart, her expression eased somewhat. She asked, “Are the clothes washed?”

“No. I can’t wring them dry by myself, so I wanted to ask Sister Saintess for help. But I didn’t know whether I would disturb Sister Saintess and that big brother over there, so I wanted to take a look first. Oh, Sister Saintess, don’t worry. From such a far distance, I didn’t hear anything.”

Zhou Zhuying pointed at Zhuo Zidan, who was still standing in place and had not left.

Xiao Xinyue turned back and saw that he was looking over in their direction. So she circulated her qi and asked, “Elder Zhuo, is there something else?”

“Nothing.” Zhuo Zidan replied to her, waved his hand, and this time, he truly left.

Zhou Zhuying was surprised to discover that their voices were not loud, yet they could travel very far.

She wondered: What principle was this based on? Sound transmission through an empty valley?

Seeing Zhou Zhuying staring unblinkingly in the direction where Zhuo Zidan had originally stood, Xiao Xinyue said lightly, “He has already left. What are you still looking at?”

Zhou Zhuying returned to her senses and felt that the female lead’s attitude was not quite right.

According to Meng Xiaoxiao, in the usual romance novel routine, the female lead would be extremely sensitive to other girls’ gazes toward the male lead. Therefore, the female lead was very likely thinking that Zhou Zhuying was coveting the male lead, had developed a sense of crisis, and was therefore jealous.

Zhou Zhuying would only let the female lead continue misunderstanding like this if she wanted to die. She hurriedly explained, “I wasn’t looking at him. I was just curious how a conversation from such a long distance could be done so easily.”

“With internal force.”

Zhou Zhuying: “…”

Forget it. This world had far too many things that overturned her common sense. She should not attempt to explain them using science.

Xiao Xinyue gazed at her for a while, emotions surging in her eyes. After a long moment, she asked, “Are you Zhou Zhuying?”

Zhou Zhuying’s heart thudded, and she stared blankly at Xiao Xinyue.