Transmigrated as the Villain’s Sword - Chapter 27

While the two were bantering, Guan Luowei pursed her lips and did not answer the girl’s words.

Miss Qingtan wore a polite smile, seemingly unbothered by Guan Luowei’s coldness. She gestured slightly to the side. “Honored guest, this is not the place for conversation. Please come with me.”

Inside a spacious and extravagant room, wisps of incense gathered like clouds. A hanging lantern made of East Sea Shark Pearls hung high above, emitting a bright yellow glow. The entire hall was shimmering and magnificent.

The woman in the qipao had her black hair pinned up in a bun. She sat in a side seat, looking at the woman on the main seat who had removed her bamboo hat. A flash of amazement crossed her eyes before being hidden away. “Honored guest, may I ask how I should address you?”

The Black Card the woman had produced earlier was one of only two ever issued by Lingbao Pavilion. One was held by the Master of the Pill Pavilion, who had collaborated with them for years; the other, reportedly, was given to someone who had done the Lingbao Pavilion a great service in the past.

The woman before her looked young, appearing to be neither the Pill Master nor that original benefactor. Thus, there was only one possibility: she was either a descendant of the Pill Pavilion or a descendant of that benefactor. Either way, she was worth receiving personally.

Under Qingtan’s gaze, Guan Luowei raised her eyes and met hers, saying softly, “My surname is Guan.”

Qingtan’s eyes flickered as she smiled. “Miss Guan, do you come to our Lingbao Pavilion today to sell or to buy?”

Guan Luowei didn’t stand on ceremony. “I’m here to buy several types of herbs: 7th-rank Yin-Yang Flower, 6th-rank Everlasting Root, 6th-rank Ice-Fire Lotus, and 6th-rank Extreme Ice Spring. If the Pavilion has these, please let me know.”

Qingtan quickly noted the names. “Only these four?”

Guan Luowei nodded.

Qingtan nodded subtly and gave an order. “Manager Li, I believe we have 6th-rank Extreme Ice Spring in the storehouse. Go and fetch it.”

Guan Luowei’s expression shifted slightly. “Thank you. How many spiritual stones? I will pay in full once the herbs are collected.”

A faint smile appeared on Qingtan’s charming face. “Miss Guan, you’re being too formal. Years ago, when our Lingbao Pavilion was on the verge of decline, it was only through the help of… your side that we were able to rebuild. Now that you are here, it is already my failure for not hosting you properly. This Extreme Ice Spring shall serve as my apology.”

Qingtan watched Guan Luowei’s expression. Seeing her relax and the guarded look in her eyes fade, Qingtan finally felt at ease. From the moment they met, she had sensed a strange attitude from this Miss Guan.

It was like wariness, or defensiveness, tinged with other complex emotions. Fortunately, the relationship had now thawed. The Ice Spring was precious, but compared to a benefactor, it was nothing.

What Qingtan didn’t know was that Guan Luowei’s wariness stemmed entirely from the inner thoughts of a certain sword.

Soon, Manager Li brought the Ice Spring. Qingtan personally handed it to Guan Luowei and smiled. “Miss Guan, there will be an auction at our Lingbao Pavilion in two days. There might be the 7th-rank herb you need, along with other treasures. If you wish, you can contact me in advance; I will reserve an auction VIP room for you. As for the other two herbs, we will keep an eye out.”

Actually, these herbs weren’t incredibly high in rank, but they were rare and rarely used by ordinary people.

Guan Luowei pondered for a moment. “Alright. I will attend the auction in two days. As for the other two herbs, I’ll trouble you.”

“No trouble at all.” Qingtan smiled, possessing a beauty that could truly topple cities.

Ling Chenyan had been bickering with the System since earlier.

She suddenly thought of something. [Sys, I remember Qingtan’s sister suffers from that ‘Soul-Lost Disease,’ right?]

[Why do you ask?]

[Nothing, I’m just thinking. If we heal her sister first, then Qingtan won’t have to go out herb-collecting to save her, and she won’t meet Mu Yunze!]

[That makes sense. But do you know how to cure it?]

[I don’t, but the Big Villain might.]

The System’s brow twitched. [And how do you plan to tell her to save someone?]

[…Good point. But if we don’t, won’t that dog-man Mu Yunze ruin another beauty? It would be a waste of my plan to make him lose everything and feel the pain the Big Villain felt in her last life.]

While Ling Chenyan was racking her brain for an opening, the two women had already prepared to part.

Just as Guan Luowei took a step away, she suddenly stopped and turned back to Qingtan.

Surprise flashed across Qingtan’s face, but she quickly regained her smiling composure. “Is there something else, Miss Guan?”

Guan Luowei didn’t even know why she had stopped. She hesitated, then said, “It’s nothing.”

Qingtan looked at her with amusement. “Nothing?”

“…” Guan Luowei gritted her teeth in a silent struggle before saying calmly, “I heard Miss Qing’s sister suffers from a difficult illness. I might have a way to cure her.”

The smile on Qingtan’s face froze instantly. She stared at Guan Luowei for a long time before slowly closing her eyes. She massaged her temples and whispered, “Apologies, I lost my composure.”

“No matter,” Guan Luowei said.

When Qingtan opened her eyes again, they were filled with a faint sorrow and hope. She looked at Guan Luowei. “Is what you say true?”

Ever since that incident, her sister Qinghan had been like this. Over the years, countless “miracle doctors” had claimed they could cure her, but in the end, her sister was only tormented further. The Soul-Lost Disease remained incurable; they could only use pills to prolong her life and strengthen her body.

Although she believed her sister would get better, hope was slim. Lately, she had stopped inviting every doctor who came to her door.

But the woman before her was a descendant of her benefactor. She believed her—or rather, she prayed it was true.

Guan Luowei saw the nearly shattered hope in her eyes and nodded. “Yes. My clan has secret arts regarding this.”

Hope erupted in Qingtan’s eyes. “Good, good! If my sister can recover, I will grant you anything you desire, even my life.”

“I have no need for your life,” Guan Luowei said. “However, you need to find a few specific herbs first, and this matter will have to wait for a while.”

“Alright,” Qingtan’s voice was raspy with emotion. “Thank you, Miss Guan.”

“No need.” Guan Luowei gave a slight nod.

Truthfully, while she wanted to help, she had her own motives. First, as the silver sword wished, she wanted to strip Mu Yunze of everything. Second, since it was Yinye’s wish, she would do her best to fulfill it, no matter how difficult.

After they parted, Qingtan watched Guan Luowei’s receding back with a dazed look, remembering many years ago before her little sister fell ill, when she would still smile innocently.

Now, she was like a piece of wood, devoid of emotion, lying in bed all day.

It was all her fault. If she hadn’t been so consumed by jealousy back then… if she had gone to the appointment… would her sister still be like she used to be? Would she still call her “Sister” with a bright smile?

Ling Chenyan hadn’t expected Guan Luowei to bring it up voluntarily. She was not only surprised but amazed. Back at the inn, she couldn’t wait to ask.

“Master,” Ling Chenyan returned to her three-foot size and floated before Guan Luowei. “Why did you help that Pavilion Master?”

Guan Luowei looked at her flatly, as if seeing right through her. “Don’t you want to?”

Ling Chenyan’s heart skipped a beat. She did want to, but she couldn’t say that!

“I—haha,” Ling Chenyan laughed it off. “I didn’t even know she had a sister. Why would I want to help?”

“Is that so?” Guan Luowei’s expression cooled slightly. “Well, now you know.”

“…” Ling Chenyan muttered, “I’ll follow Master’s lead.”

Guan Luowei glanced at her and said nothing more.

That night, for the first time in a long while, Ling Chenyan did not sleep beside Guan Luowei. Instead, she was placed in the jade sword box prepared for her.

Ling Chenyan stared at the “ceiling,” grumbling in her heart: [Sys, why do I feel like a husband who got caught hiding money by his wife and was kicked out of bed?]

[You don’t say. You really don’t say.]

[So why exactly won’t she let me sleep on the bed?]

[Guess.]

[…Never try to guess a woman’s mind.]

Two days later, under the moonlight, Guan Luowei took the silver sword to the auction house. Qingtan welcomed them personally and led them to a VIP room.

The VIP room was like a small luxury suite, equipped with everything. Directly in front was a massive screen showing a direct view of the items to be auctioned. Unlike the audience below, those in the VIP room had a clearer view of the details.

On the left was a floor-to-ceiling glass wall. From the inside, one could see the thousands of people sitting below, but the outside couldn’t see in at all.

Qingtan gave a few instructions and left. Only the person, the sword, and two attendants remained.

Guan Luowei sat on the sofa, watching the auctioneer’s passionate speech on the screen, her fingertip lightly tapping the armrest. Of the four missing herbs, three were now ready. Only the final 7th-rank Yin-Yang Flower was left.

The auction began quickly.

At first, it was just small items. It wasn’t until the fifth item—a 5th-rank spiritual tool—that the atmosphere truly heated up.

“Next, we are auctioning the 5th-rank spiritual tool, the Evergreen Sword. Yes, another 5th-rank tool, but unlike the others, this one has awakened a faint sentience! Therefore—starting price is 300,000 spiritual stones! Each bid must increase by at least 10,000!”

As the auctioneer finished, someone spoke impatiently: “310,000!”

“350,000.”

“380,000!”

These low-level tools couldn’t catch Guan Luowei’s eye. Soon, only two bidders remained, and the price had exceeded 500,000.

One bidder said: “550,000.”

“600,000.”

The first bidder gritted his teeth. “630,000!”

“700,000.”

The first man looked frustrated but finally stopped bidding.

The young man who placed the 700,000 bid spoke calmly, but his palms were sweating. Seeing the other man stop, he breathed a sigh of relief.

Just when he thought he had won, a woman’s voice suddenly drifted from above: “800,000.”

The young man’s expression turned hideous.

Meanwhile, inside the VIP room, Ling Chenyan looked at Guan Luowei in shock. She didn’t understand why she would spend money on such a thing.

Just as she was confused, the System spoke: [If my guess is correct, the man who was just bidding… should be Mu Yunze.]

Ling Chenyan: “!”

Author’s Note:

Swordy: I thought she was looking for a replacement spirit!

System: That would be what you deserve.