Transmigrated as the Villain’s Sword - Chapter 52

The afternoon light was intense, turning the vast Monster Palace into something like a furnace, reflecting brilliant rays in every direction.

Ling Chenyan stood outside the palace, shielding her eyes with her hand. “Highness, it looks like we won’t be able to borrow the Heart-Seeking Mirror today.”

Guan Luowei produced an umbrella from somewhere, holding it over the girl’s head. “Mm. We’ll head back first and return tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow?” Ling Chenyan was shocked. “Will it take that long?”

Guan Luowei’s eyes shifted and her lips moved, but she didn’t speak.

Ling Chenyan realized the implication a second later and felt her face grow hot. She quickly changed the subject. “Where did the umbrella come from? It’s not even that hot, why use one?”

Guan Luowei glanced at her and was about to put it away when Ling Chenyan let out a small “Eh” and hugged her arm. “Since you’ve already opened it, don’t waste the effort of closing it.”

Guan Luowei: “…”

The girl hugging her arm made Guan Luowei’s limb feel instinctively stiff. She retracted her gaze and turned. “Let’s find a place to stay first.”

Ling Chenyan nodded quickly, then looked back with some confusion. “What about Mu Yunze? I clearly saw him being sent flying earlier. Where did he go?”

“Why bother with him?” Guan Luowei’s arm hooked around the girl, pulling her closer. “Are you hungry?”

“No.”

“I remember the Monster Domain has a local delicacy.”

“Really? Let’s go then!”

Guan Luowei watched the girl’s eyes light up instantly, and a trace of a smile unconsciously touched her lips.

Sunlight filtered through the gaps, illuminating the inner chamber. Through the layered curtains, two women could be seen standing face-to-face, seemingly in a standoff.

Medusa’s massive snake tail had been retracted. She looked at the charming face of the woman before her. With a slight flick of her finger, the garments as thin as a cicada’s wing began to fall away layer by layer, revealing glimpses of delicate, fair skin.

Hua Niang’s body trembled, yet she did not resist. She closed her eyes, thinking let it be, yet the unwillingness rooted in her heart screamed at her to fight back.

As the clothes piled on the floor, Medusa’s golden pupils finally showed a slight change. With a subtle movement of her tail, the woman was pushed into a kneeling position atop her.

She looked at the final layer of clothing and reached out to hook it away, but the charming woman suddenly opened her eyes. The corners of her eyes were red, like the first pink lotus bud of summer, still carrying dewdrops of condensed mist. Her cheeks were flushed—whether from intense emotion or from being bullied so ruthlessly.

Medusa flicked her tail, her golden pupils staring at the woman.

Hua Niang looked at that emotionless gaze, her breath hitching repeatedly. With a mix of caution and a “do-or-die” desperation, she asked: “Your Majesty, Hua Niang only asks you one thing—what are your true thoughts?”

A flash of bewilderment crossed the golden pupils, but it was quickly replaced by indifference. “Hua Niang, you should know your place. This King gave you power to become the Great Priestess, granted you subjects and land, gave you supreme wealth, and even gave you the special right to enter and leave the palace freely. This King has treated you well. What more do you want?”

The last sentence carried a hint of impatience.

Hua Niang offered a tragic smile. Indeed, what more did she want? When she was offered to the Monster King, she was merely a low-born fox girl, chosen because of her Natural Charm-Bone. Over the years, the King had promoted her from a low-born fox to the Great Priestess, giving her status, identity, wealth, and power. What was she still pining for?

She was just a tribute, a pet. Did she really expect her Master to love her just because she loved her Master?

Looking at those nearly cruel, icy pupils, Hua Niang felt a tearing pain in her heart. She wiped away the tears and proactively removed her final layer of clothing. “I understand, Your Majesty.”

Medusa stared at the woman’s smile, feeling her inexplicable irritation grow even stronger. She should have felt relaxed; after all, after so many years, the woman was finally willing to serve her just as she had before. Wasn’t this the scene she wanted to see? Then where did this irritation and hollow feeling in her chest come from?

Medusa didn’t understand. She didn’t understand why, after so many years, the woman was still asking the same question she couldn’t comprehend.

The snake tail slapped against the floor with a rhythmic thud. The woman was soon in her embrace, her soft body making Medusa briefly forget her unpleasantness. Medusa propped the woman up, a fire igniting deep in her pupils.

The curtains fell at some point, only vaguely outlining the two figures who were now inseparable. Rhythmic, heart-pounding gasps began to drift through the inner chamber.

Mu Yunze crashed heavily onto the ground. Before losing consciousness, he saw several half-snake monsters dragging him away, one of them mentioning the “Pit of Ten Thousand Snakes.”

He couldn’t help but let out a bitter smile. Why was it that events from his past life were so different in this one? Was it the price of rebirth? Or something else?

He didn’t know. After his consciousness faded, he fell into a golden source.

Everything was vast and white, with the sound of rushing water. Mu Yunze looked down to find himself standing on water. Beneath him flowed a golden river, and every image within the river featured him—it was the record of his past life.

Suddenly, a wave of weakness hit him. Mu Yunze collapsed into the stream. His vision blurred again, and in a daze, he heard a low, slow sigh filled with divinity. The voice said:

“You have disappointed me too much.”

Mu Yunze snapped awake. His limbs felt as if they were shattering. A gentle face appeared before him. Seeing him wake, Lin Qingwan looked delighted. “Brother Mu, you’re awake?”

Before he could speak, she hurried out. “Brother Mu, wait, I’ll get you some water.”

Mu Yunze lay back down, his mind a mess. Wasn’t he being thrown into the Pit of Ten Thousand Snakes? Why was he in a tent now? And Qingwan—why was she here?

Thinking of what happened at the Monster Palace, Mu Yunze’s face darkened. He hadn’t expected that even with his cultivation reaching the Integration stage, he would have no power to fight back against Medusa.

My cultivation is still too slow.

The moment this thought appeared, a low, eerie voice rang out in his head: “Boy, do you want to become stronger?”

Mu Yunze’s eyes snapped open. “Who is it?”

“It doesn’t matter who I am. I only ask you—do you want to become stronger?”

The voice was slow and deep, carrying an endless lure, waiting for him to say “Yes.” Mu Yunze’s consciousness began to grow heavy. His intuition told him this thing was dangerous and not to be touched, but the intense desire for power was like dry wood meeting a spark. With just one sentence, it was ignited, burning brighter and brighter.

Just as the word “Yes” was about to leave his lips, Lin Qingwan’s voice came from the tent entrance: “Brother Mu, here’s the water.”

The voice in his head vanished instantly. Mu Yunze snapped awake, realizing he was drenched in sweat. He panted heavily, terrifying Lin Qingwan. She quickly set down the water and helped him up. “Brother Mu, what’s wrong?”

Mu Yunze shook his head, his voice raspy. “Water.”

Lin Qingwan hurried to feed him. Unexpectedly, as she looked up, she saw a mark on Mu Yunze’s forehead. A flash of malice crossed her eyes, but she smiled. “Did you have a nightmare, Brother Mu? I’ll go get fresh bandages. Wait for me.”

Mu Yunze didn’t feel better after the water. His mind was still foggy, so he didn’t stop her, just lay on the bed panting. Not long after, the fogginess suddenly vanished, and the heavy weight in his heart lifted. Mu Yunze fell back into a deep sleep.

The next day, when Ling Chenyan and Guan Luowei reappeared at the palace, they were no longer blocked. They were led directly to the hall.

Medusa sat in the high seat, while Hua Niang sat below on the right. There was a strange, eerie silence between them. The atmosphere only loosened when the newcomers entered.

Seeing Ling Chenyan, Hua Niang relaxed her posture and leaned on her hand, smiling suggestively. “Tsk, little Yanyan, bitten by ‘mosquitoes’ again last night?”

Ling Chenyan’s face turned bright red. She shot an annoyed glance at Guan Luowei before saying, “Sister Hua, I think you’re right. Maybe I should sleep with you tonight.”

Hua Niang raised an eyebrow. Before she could say “Okay,” two voices rang out in unison:

“No.”

“No.”

The four people in the room froze. Ling Chenyan blinked, looking between Hua Niang and the mysterious, cold Monster King. The “gossip light” in her eyes was nearly blinding. Hua Niang shook her head with a smile and looked directly at Guan Luowei. “Miss Guan, you can state your purpose for coming to the Monster Domain now.”

Despite Medusa being present, Hua Niang took the initiative to ask. Any tyrannical ruler wouldn’t tolerate such behavior, yet Medusa showed no displeasure, simply following Hua Niang’s gaze to Guan Luowei.

Guan Luowei understood the dynamic. She looked into Medusa’s eyes and said, “My Demon Race has come to borrow the Heart-Seeking Mirror from Your Majesty.”

Almost as soon as she finished, Medusa spoke coldly: “No.”

Guan Luowei stood and bowed. “My race is willing to pay a price. It is only a loan; it will be returned once used.”

Medusa watched the woman below with an impatient tone. “I said, no.”

“Your Majesty.” Guan Luowei raised her eyes, meeting the gaze without yielding. “This is a request from the Demon Race. If the Monster Race faces trouble in the future, we will not stand idly by.”

Medusa narrowed her golden eyes, seemingly weighing the offer. Ling Chenyan’s heart was in her throat. Guan Luowei was proud and never bowed to others, but for her people, she was willing to lower her head. That was her responsibility.

But Medusa was also cold and distant—in some ways, very similar to Guan Luowei. One guarded the demons, the other the monsters. However, Guan Luowei’s coldness was a shell; she protected her people out of both duty and heart. Medusa felt different; it felt as if she looked down on all life with indifference, protecting the monsters purely out of obligation.

As the standoff continued, Hua Niang suddenly spoke: “I heard the Demon Race also has a Divine Artifact. Why not leave yours here as collateral? Once the Monster Artifact is returned, we will return yours. How about that?”

Guan Luowei’s first instinct was to refuse. Leaving the artifact here meant leaving Ling Chenyan here. She truly didn’t feel at ease leaving the girl alone.

The rejection was on the tip of her tongue when the girl’s voice spoke first: “I think that works.”

Medusa’s gaze shifted to Ling Chenyan. For the first time, she noticed something different. Her golden pupils rotated slowly as she finally nodded. “If that is the case, it is not impossible.”

“Your Majesty…” Guan Luowei wanted to propose other terms, but Ling Chenyan walked to her side.

“I’ll be fine. Jinjin is here to protect me,” she whispered. “Take the mirror back quickly. The demons can’t afford to wait.”

Guan Luowei gritted her teeth, about to refuse with a cold face, but the girl suddenly winked. “Just this once, let me help you too, okay?”

Guan Luowei looked at the girl’s bright face. For a moment, she couldn’t tell if her reluctance was out of a desire to protect her or simply because she couldn’t bear to be apart. She usually couldn’t refuse the girl’s requests, but on this matter, she didn’t agree immediately.

Usually, Medusa was uninterested in such things, but her gaze inadvertently drifted to Hua Niang. She saw a flash of envy in Hua Niang’s eyes, quickly followed by a hidden, self-mocking smile.

Medusa then turned her focus back to the couple.

Guan Luowei took several deep breaths. Finally, unable to withstand the girl’s coaxing, she looked at Ling Chenyan with a complex gaze. “Wait for me. I’ll be back as soon as possible.”

Ling Chenyan beamed. Regardless of where they were, she stood on her tiptoes and pecked Guan Luowei on the cheek. “Okay. I’ll wait for you to come back.”

Author’s Note:

Medusa: Taking serious notes in my head to use this to coax my wife later.