Chapter 121 - The Harem Rescue Project

She was deceiving her. Xiao Lanle gazed distractedly at Lin Qianshuang's face, feeling an inexplicable sense of distance. She tightened her grip on Lin Qianshuang's sleeve. The sleeve slid up slightly, revealing faint marks on the slender forearm, as though etched into the soul. Lin Qianshuang hastily pulled her sleeve back down, only for Xiao Lanle to tug it back up again. Xiao Lanle's gaze felt like needles piercing her skin. Her thumb lightly traced the marks, as if trying to discern something. "Sister, who left these marks?" Xiao Lanle pressed her with an imposing presence, her eyes brimming with unstable emotions as she clutched Lin Qianshuang's wrist tightly, speaking in a sour tone: "A life-and-death contract, sister. Who would you bind yourself to this way, keeping it hidden from me, pledging a lifetime silently to her?" Lin Qianshuang retracted her hand, her tone indifferent. "Junior sister, this is my personal matter. I have no obligation to tell you." A sudden, sharp pain twisted in her chest. Lin Qianshuang felt slightly weak. Lowering her head, she saw a wooden sword piercing straight through her abdomen. The spiritual energy stabilizing her soul was constantly leaking out. Chen Shangqing infused the sword with a demon-subduing technique, as if determined to disperse her soul, each sword strike slicing and piercing toward her primordial spirit. Lin Qianshuang used her ghost energy to push Xiao Lanle out of the fray. She didn't want to make things difficult for Xiao Lanle. The camaraderie between the junior sister and Chen Shangqing, their senior-junior bond, still lingered. If Xiao Lanle intervened, it would only hurt them both. Regardless of Chen Shangqing's second chance at life or his special powers, regardless of the past grievances leading to his death, he now wanted her life, intended to sabotage her mission, and sought to harm Junior Sister Xiao. Such a person could not be allowed to remain. Lin Qianshuang grasped the wooden sword protruding from her abdomen, raising an eyebrow as she taunted, "Junior brother Chen, so eager to kill me—are you underestimating me?" The wooden sword clattered to the ground. Lin Qianshuang clutched her abdomen, flipped her hand, and used ghost energy to ensnare Chen Shangqing's neck. With her cultivation level, killing a cultivator at the Golden Core stage was a breeze. Even in her ghostly form, she could quickly find her opponent's weakness. "Senior sister, spare him. Senior Brother Chen's actions don't warrant death," came Xiao Lanle's urgent plea. Lin Qianshuang heard the anxious entreaty of Xiao Lanle. Ghost energy hesitated in her hands but hesitated for a moment, allowing Chen Shangqing to break free. He gathered the demon-destroying curse of several generations of sect leaders in his hands and swung it straight at her head. "Senior sister!" Xiao Lanle's pupils contracted with tension, attempting to push Lin Qianshuang aside. But a purple shadow appeared before her faster, standing in front of Lin Qianshuang. A woman draped in veils and a luxurious gown of purple silk moved with the profound energy to dispel the fierce demon-destroying curse instantly, rendering it ineffective. Mu Weiyin's aloof figure stood amidst the mist. Turning to face Lin Qianshuang, she admonished, "Too softhearted, you won't accomplish great things. If not for my intervention, you would be dead." Lin Qianshuang felt a bit aggrieved by the rebuke and replied, "I'm not softhearted. I only held back because Mistress told me to spare Junior Brother Chen's life." Mu Weiyin frowned slightly, retorting, "Listen, Lin Qianshuang. Your life belongs to me, the city lord. No one but me has the right to command you." Lin Qianshuang remained silent. No matter how she looked at it, that statement made her uncomfortable, yet she nodded in apparent acquiescence to Mu Weiyin's words. "The final name on your list is right in front of you. Kill him, and your mission is complete." Mu Weiyin's gaze landed on the distressed face of Xiao Lanle, who tried to approach. She coldly addressed Lin Qianshuang, "Becoming the head of Tianxu Intelligence Building—is that not your goal all along?" Lin Qianshuang glanced at Chen Shangqing, who was struggling to stand. With a mere gesture from Mu Weiyin, his cultivation was entirely destroyed. The techniques stored within the inheritance pearl dissipated, leaving a mere sphere floating in mid-air. Xiao Lanle held the inheritance pearl, her face filled with anxious contemplation. If Senior Brother Chen died here, how would she explain this to the people of Penglai Immortal Sect? And her senior sister would be expelled for killing a fellow sect member! "Senior sister, no matter what Senior Brother Chen did wrong, his fate should be judged by Penglai Immortal Sect. If you kill him now, none of the uncles and elders will forgive you!" Lin Qianshuang accepted the spiritual sword handed to her by Mu Weiyin. Just as Xiao Lanle stepped forward to block her path, Mu Weiyin swiftly pulled her aside. "Lanle, take a good look. The person you fancy doesn't care about you. She loves power and status more. Is such a woman worth your affection?" Xiao Lanle listened to Mu Weiyin's words, her bright eyes flashing with a chilling killing intent. Her sword, Sumoon, hummed in its sheath, eager to launch a strike at the woman standing defiantly. But in the end, it gradually lost its edge, returning to a quiet, dormant state within its sheath. Chen Shangqing's cultivation was completely destroyed. If someone is capable, show mercy. The city lord once caused his family to ruin, and with this second life, it was reasonable he sought revenge. His only fault lay in being a protagonist with a vendetta, while she was compelled to assist Mu Weiyin. Xiao Lanle had no trustworthy allies. Chen Shangqing, although rigid, was utterly devoted to Xiao Lanle. If he lived, he might still be of some use to her junior sister. Lin Qianshuang knelt down beside Chen Shangqing, speaking softly, "Junior Brother Chen, I have a way to make it appear as if you've died. Stop breathing and close your eyes, and I can let you leave with Junior Sister Xiao." She gently withdrew the sword and drove it heavily into Chen Shangqing's chest, avoiding any vital organs. Whispering in his ear, she said, "Take care of Junior Sister Xiao and live well, if you still wish to seek revenge." "You... love her, very much." Chen Shangqing gazed at Lin Qianshuang, coughing up blood, then looked weakly at Xiao Lanle, croaking, "Senior Sister Lin, only now do I realize, you are the truly pitiable one." "Pitiable?" Lin Qianshuang forced a nonchalant smile, her words belied her heart. "To me, it's nothing but a game of deceiving oneself and others." Chen Shangqing watched Lin Qianshuang's feigned indifference, momentarily taken aback by the forced smile on her delicate face. Though she clearly cared, why deny it in her heart? Blood flowed profusely from the wound in his chest left by the withdrawn sword. Lin Qianshuang had acupressure points to put him into a state of suspended animation. "Senior Brother Chen!" Xiao Lanle broke free from Mu Weiyin's grasp and rushed to Chen Shangqing's side. After checking his breath in vain, she looked at Lin Qianshuang in disappointment, "Senior sister, you should trust me. If Chen Shangqing dies, what will you do? His soul lamp is in the ancestral hall. Once they check the shadow, they'll trace it back to you." Lin Qianshuang brushed this concern aside, approaching Mu Weiyin. She said, "The City Lord promised me the position I desire, trading being a minor disciple of the Penglai Immortal Sect for a carefree life as a rogue cultivator. Who wouldn't choose the latter?" Xiao Lanle met Lin Qianshuang's gaze, offering a scornful smile, "Lin Qianshuang, you're too cowardly to admit our feelings, but now I see you're someone who craves vanity. I thought you held some integrity, which is why I restrained myself from touching you. But now it makes sense—you became sullied in the Demon Realm and are now seducing the Tianxu City Lord. She was my intended. Do you have no shame in attaching yourself to her?" The harsh words cut Lin Qianshuang deeply, as if her heart were being slashed by small knives. Unable to hold back, she slapped Xiao Lanle. The crisp sound of the slap stunned them both. Mu Weiyin lowered her hand, initially poised to intervene, but ultimately choosing not to. Feigning scorn, Lin Qianshuang stared down at Xiao Lanle, "Junior Sister Xiao, everything you have was given by the City Lord. What right do you have to accuse me?" Looking at Xiao Lanle's reddened eyes, akin to a pitiful rabbit, Lin Qianshuang suppressed her heartache and remarked, "Not everyone can take off to become a phoenix like you. It's just the pot calling the kettle black." Turning away to avoid Xiao Lanle's expression, she respectfully addressed Mu Weiyin, "City Lord, where is my demon form?" Mu Weiyin handed Lin Qianshuang a yellow talisman, saying, "I've had Du Shuang place your original body at Yixiang Pavilion. Once you place this talisman on the demon mark on your forehead, your soul and body will reunite." Lin Qianshuang took the talisman, memorizing the incantation on it, to avoid future unpleasantness. [Congratulations, Host, for completing the task. Target character #Mu Weiyin#'s favorability increased by 30%. Please check the favorability interface!] Lin Qianshuang understood fully now. The death of those on the City's list signified their true end in Mu Weiyin's eyes. The deaths of "Lin Qianshuang" and the now falsely deceased "Chen Shangqing" served the same purpose. True to Mu Weiyin's words through the talisman, Lin Qianshuang felt her ethereal form solidify upon placing the talisman on her forehead. It felt as if she had dropped from mid-air into a bed of cotton, her skeletal form becoming soft and pliable again. A resplendent feather tickled her nose, causing her to sneeze awake from the darkness. The blanket over her was soft and light, made from what seemed to be the finest velvet. A subtle, elegant fragrance permeated the air, embracing her senses as she opened her eyes. Sitting up on the mattress, Lin Qianshuang felt a weight on her legs. Glancing down, she saw a woman in purple draped over them, her hair spread like silk. Half her delicate face was hidden within, and a faint golden glow shielded her. Mu Weiyin was usually veiled, her presence imposing. This was the first time Lin Qianshuang saw her with hair down, tied only with a modest gold-and-purple ribbon—simple yet unadorned. Lin Qianshuang dared not move, worried she would disturb Mu Weiyin's possible meditation or slumber and incur her displeasure. A ray of golden light flitted through the window, entering Mu Weiyin and reigniting the missing spirit mark on her forehead. A part of her soul had returned. "You're back? How do you feel?" Mu Weiyin propped herself up wearily, speaking softly. Lin Qianshuang, unused to such kindness from authority, was taken aback and replied, "I've returned, and I'm fine. Thank you, City Lord, for bringing me back."