Transmigrated as the Villain’s Sword - Chapter 35

“Hmm?” Ling Chenyan was completely bewildered. She instinctively wanted to ask “How so?” when a figure suddenly materialized beside her.

“Let’s go.” Guan Luowei cast a fleeting glance at Chen Juan before fixing her gaze on Ling Chenyan. Her eyes flickered with an uncharacteristic shimmer. “The baptism is about to begin.”

Ling Chenyan agreed. She turned to wink at Chen Juan, mouthing the words “Talk later,” and quickly followed Guan Luowei’s pace.

Chen Juan forced a strained smile. Recalling Guan Luowei’s cold look, she thought to herself that she wouldn’t dare say another word “later.”

The Bonfire Baptism was a rather dull process. It essentially consisted of monks from the Buddhist Sect chanting scriptures in the center of the ritual platform and reciting phrases like “The Buddha will bless you.” Ling Chenyan found it boring, but the people around her wore expressions of deep reverence.

With a helpless shrug, Ling Chenyan looked at the person beside her.

Guan Luowei was wearing a blue-and-white robe today. The style was simple and elegant, giving her an indescribable air of ethereal grace. At the moment, her eyes were downcast as if she were lost in thought; it was certain she wasn’t listening to the old monk’s chanting either.

Ling Chenyan couldn’t resist nudging her with her elbow. When Guan Luowei turned to look at her, she offered a teasing smile: “I didn’t expect someone like Your Highness to be a student who doesn’t pay attention in class?”

Guan Luowei retracted her gaze. “His cultivation is not as profound as mine. Listening to this is of no benefit to me.”

Ling Chenyan let out a “tsk” in her heart and gave Guan Luowei a silent mental thumbs-up. As expected of my Master, so domineering.

Guan Luowei glanced at her. Her mind suddenly flashed back to last night’s declaration of sovereignty in front of the crowd. She turned her head away uncomfortably, spotting a familiar figure sitting cross-legged in the distance, but she withdrew her gaze after only a second.

Likely a sudden enlightenment. But to remain so defenseless in such a place was no different from seeking death.

While the baptism offered no benefit to Guan Luowei, it was a different story for others. If one felt the Buddhist scriptures carefully, there was much to gain. It was said that many who listened returned with a deeper understanding of their own cultivation techniques; some even achieved instant enlightenment on the spot.

Sure enough, it wasn’t long before someone began to meditate—an obvious sign of enlightenment. Many onlookers cast envious glances. Ling Chenyan turned her head to look and discovered it was actually Chen Juan.

“Fate really is a strange thing.” Ling Chenyan looked at the solitary Chen Juan and said to Guan Luowei, “Let’s go over and watch over her.”

Although the Buddhist Sect forbade internal fighting within the city, it was inevitable that some might harbor ill intentions in such a situation. Ling Chenyan looked at the defenseless Chen Juan, shook her head, and sighed like an old soul: “Still too young.”

Guan Luowei hesitated for a moment but realized she would end up being a protector after all. As the two stood before Chen Juan, the gazes coming from all directions faltered. Many with malicious intent silently withdrew their stares upon feeling the oppressive aura emanating from Guan Luowei.

As for the other girl who was trying to look “fierce” with her watery eyes, they didn’t care. In fact, they thought she looked quite cute.

Ling Chenyan, seeing the people she thought she’d scared off, said proudly to the System: [Sys, look at them. They were all scared away by my fierce gaze. I really am impressive.]

[It’s just the sword borrowing the master’s might.]

Ling Chenyan: [?]

Guan Luowei watched the girl’s “fierce” act. She raised her hand slightly to hide a smile, the discomfort in her heart dissipating.

Chen Juan had only come for fun, never expecting to fall into a state of enlightenment. She was submerged in the Great Dao for an unknown amount of time. When she finally opened her eyes, she saw the dispersing crowd and the two people standing beside her.

“You guys are…?” Seeing it was Ling Chenyan and Guan Luowei, Chen Juan asked in confusion.

“You’re awake?” The girl’s voice reached her first. Chen Juan turned to see Ling Chenyan putting on a stern, elderly front, scolding her: “You’ve got some nerve! Having an epiphany in the middle of a crowd without anyone watching over you? If someone meant to harm you and we hadn’t happened to see you, do you know how serious the consequences would be?”

Even while trying to be stern, the girl looked adorable. Chen Juan couldn’t help but laugh. “But didn’t I run into you? It must be fate.”

Seeing her laugh, Ling Chenyan gnashed her teeth and growled, “You still dare to laugh!”

Chen Juan laughed even harder. Just as she was about to speak again, the woman on the right spoke up coolly: “If Miss Chen places so little value on her own safety, there is no need for us to say more.”

Chen Juan felt a chill down her spine. She immediately stepped away from Ling Chenyan, bowed to Guan Luowei, and said, “Thank you, fellow cultivator, for your help. I will certainly be more careful in the future.”

Ling Chenyan: [? You actually have two faces?]

“By the way,” Chen Juan continued as if remembering something, “are you two here to participate in the Great Competition as well?”

“Competition?” Ling Chenyan thought for a moment and shook her head. “No.”

With her meager strength and fear of pain, there was no way she would participate. Besides, wasn’t this competition only for Dao-couples? She was just a single old sword; where would she get a partner? Would she ask Guan Luowei?

Seeing Ling Chenyan’s firm refusal, Chen Juan said with regret, “Ah, that’s a pity. It’s said that the prize for this competition is a special item related to an ancient secret realm. It’s only what Lingbao Pavilion claims, so it might not be true—if it were real, they wouldn’t give it away so easily.”

Hearing Chen Juan’s words, a specific item flashed through Ling Chenyan’s mind: the Jade Swaying Brush. This was the only artifact in the Miyue Secret Realm related to the Evil-Smiting Heavenly Book.

In the original story, Mu Yunze had obtained it from Lingbao Pavilion. Could it be that because of her interference, the Jade Swaying Brush had taken a different path? If so, she absolutely had to go for it.

The System had told her before that their goal was to save the world and kill the villains. After the events at the Lingxiao Sect, they suspected the villain was something like the black sludge Daoist Guize had turned into. Their information was limited, but having more Divine Artifacts was never a bad idea.

The baptism on stage had ended. While the crowd was distracted, two figures appeared in the center of the arena. One was the familiar Qingtan, and the other was a monk in a cassock.

Chen Juan introduced them: “…The one in the cassock is the Abbot of the Buddhist Sect, Zen Master Guiyi.”

Ling Chenyan nodded, thinking this monk looked much more reliable than Zen Master Guixu.

After the opening remarks, the two announced the prizes. The monk offered Sarira left by an elder and some Buddhist cultivation techniques.

Qingtan smiled at the crowd and said, “What my Lingbao Pavilion adds to the prize is a treasure from an ancient secret realm. It is heavily connected to the secret realm, and reportedly has a significant link to a legendary Divine Artifact…”

If the treasure was truly as she described, Lingbao Pavilion wouldn’t give it away. They were only offering it because they hadn’t been able to figure it out after years of research. But even without knowing its use, the mere mention of a Divine Artifact would draw countless followers.

They say merchants are cunning, and it was certainly true.

While others were ignorant, Ling Chenyan knew Qingtan was telling the truth—the Jade Swaying Brush was indeed linked to the Heavenly Book. With her thoughts churning, she made a prompt decision and looked at Guan Luowei.

“Highness,” Ling Chenyan said. Since learning this title, she could finally escape that embarrassing way of addressing her. She lightly tugged Guan Luowei’s sleeve. “Shall we participate in this competition?”

Guan Luowei already knew the function of the brush from Ling Chenyan’s inner thoughts. But remembering that participants had to be Dao-couples, she hesitated. “The two of us?”

Ling Chenyan nodded vigorously. It was just pretending to be a couple; it shouldn’t be a big deal.

Seeing her determined face, Guan Luowei thought it over and agreed.

Only Chen Juan, standing to the side, had a gleam of excitement in her eyes. “You’re going to join?”

Ling Chenyan nodded, confused by the reaction. “Yes.”

For some reason, Chen Juan looked even more excited, appearing almost strangely “perverted.”

Ling Chenyan was baffled. Because the “couples” registering had to enter tents one pair at a time, outsiders didn’t know what was happening inside. They could only see the people coming out: some were red-faced, some were nonchalant, and others looked absolutely mortified.

Ling Chenyan grew even more puzzled. She was curious about what was happening in those green tents that caused such bizarre expressions.

Finally, just as it was their turn, Chen Juan called out to them with a flushed face: “Good luck!”

Ling Chenyan suddenly had a bad feeling. She asked the System, but it was “playing dead” again, refusing to answer. What on earth is happening?

With a mix of curiosity and trepidation, Ling Chenyan and Guan Luowei entered the small tent together.

Contrary to her imagination, everything inside looked normal. There were four people standing at the cardinal directions. When the two entered, the officials looked amazed and surprised.

A woman in a black dress spoke up in surprise: “You two are a Dao-couple?”

Ling Chenyan gave a guilty smile. “Yes… yes, we are.”

The woman nodded calmly. “Show us your Dao-Couple Mark or kiss for one minute.”

In the cultivation world, a contract between partners generates a mark. They can place it anywhere on their bodies; naturally, some “creative” couples place it in unspeakable areas. In such cases, the officials can’t ask to see it, so they require a one-minute kiss as proof. After all, two people who aren’t a couple wouldn’t easily kiss a stranger.

The woman watched the two of them, trying to guess where their mark might be hidden.

However, after a long time, neither moved.

Ling Chenyan’s brain was about to short-circuit. She and Guan Luowei were a fake couple, so they obviously didn’t have a mark. But a one-minute kiss? One minute!

No wonder the people leaving looked so strange. No wonder Chen Juan gave that weird smile. No wonder the System was being vague.

What do I do? What do I do?

Ling Chenyan frantically thought of other ways to prove their identity. However, the officials were starting to get suspicious. The woman spoke again: “What’s wrong? Are you not a couple?”

“Of course we are!” Ling Chenyan denied it flatly. “It’s real.”

“Then why won’t you show the mark or kiss?” The woman looked at them, and a look of sudden realization—and then a strange expression—crossed her face.

Who would have thought? One looks cold and the other pure, yet they ‘play’ so wildly? Is the mark in a place that’s that embarrassing to show?

The woman gave a light cough, a faint pink rising on her face. “In that case, just kiss. There shouldn’t be a problem with that, right?”

Ling Chenyan: “…” There is a HUGE problem.

She turned to look at Guan Luowei, only to meet her gaze. Their eyes met for a split second before they both looked away. Ling Chenyan’s heart was thumping like a drum.

Guan Luowei’s face was cold, but her fingers at her side were instinctively curling. She saw the panic and shyness in the girl’s eyes, and she remembered the soft, feather-light kiss the girl had left on her cheek last night.

Ling Chenyan watched the four people in the tent growing more impatient. Just as she was contemplating the possibility of killing them and stealing the prize after the match, her wrist was suddenly caught by a cool palm.

Her body was spun around. She saw the red mole under Guan Luowei’s eye becoming increasingly vivid. She saw the forced calm on Guan Luowei’s face, and the shyness and unknown emotions hidden deep in her eyes.

Warm breath brushed against her nose. An unexpected softness touched her lips.

Ling Chenyan’s mind went blank with a thunderous boom.