Chapter 31 - Transmigrated as a Fake Daughter in Cultivation Novel

Chapter 31 When the disciples of the Song clan saw Xu Wenyuan and the others heading over, Song Weizhi gave them long knives for self-defense, causing them to feel somewhat uncertain. This place was truly eerie, and having something in hand made them feel more secure. At this moment, Song Chaoyun spoke up, "Let's see who wants to betray the sect. It's best for you to think carefully about your position before making a decision. This time, anyone who chooses to follow me will be rewarded generously after we leave. As for those following Song Weizhi, I don't need to say much." Song Weizhi didn't even bother giving him a glance, and said to Zhao Xuankun ahead, "Zhao, let's go." "Alright." The team gained two more members, which somewhat eased Zhao Xuankun's concerns. Initially, Song Weizhi was meant to be at the back, but unable to resist the persuasions of Xu Wenyuan and Liang Qin, she had to let the two of them take the rear. After Song Weizhi and her group left, the passageway fell into darkness again. A few timid disciples of the Song clan said, "Senior Brother, why don't we follow after Song Weizhi? We don't have a light source, and if there's danger ahead, we can escape earlier by following them." Song Chaoyun pondered for a moment. It made sense what the disciple said. He immediately instructed the remaining disciples to follow after Song Weizhi, while Song Yueling attentively wiped the sweat off Song Chaoyun, hoping to gain some benefits upon leaving. In the rear of the team, Xu Wenyuan and the others also noticed the followers. "Sister, Song Chaoyun's group has caught up." "Ignore them. It's fine if they follow behind. If there's danger from behind, they'll be the first to bear the brunt." With that, they continued forward and walked quite a distance until the endless passage finally gave way to a vast cavern. In the middle of the cavern lay an enormous lake, eerily calm without a single ripple, and surrounded by numerous trees, presenting a vivid display of life. It was unfortunate that all this existed within a dark cave. Song Weizhi and her group dared not move, choosing to stay at the entrance of the cave. Before long, Song Chaoyun and the others arrived. Having a disciple carry him, he exerted little effort. However, the others, having lost their spiritual power, felt both tired and hungry. Following Song Weizhi's example, Song Chaoyun's group also settled at the cave entrance and refrained from entering. Song Weizhi held Song Zhixia's hand tightly and felt that something was off about the place. She whispered to the people around her, "Don't proceed further. Something doesn't feel right here. Everyone, be extremely cautious." Zhao Xuankun and the others nodded, their eyes fixed on various spots within the cavern. After an indeterminate amount of time, Song Weizhi began to feel stiffness in her legs, and that's when Song Chaoyun's group made their move. The cave remained calm all this time, and Song Chaoyun thought that Song Weizhi had made too much of a fuss. He and his dozen or so disciples began to venture in and found a spot to rest. "Senior Brother, it's freezing here. It's pitch black as well. Shall we start a fire? I am also feeling hungry," said Song Yueling upon noticing how devoid of danger the area seemed. With a fire now established in their fire pit, Song Yueling's grumbles were met with several male disciples setting off to collect firewood. It wasn't until half an hour later, amid Song Yueling's complaints, that the male disciples finally managed to ignite a fire. Before long, the flame in their pit burned brightly. Seeing the light, Song Weizhi turned off her flashlight. They had already depleted a considerable amount of the batteries and needed to conserve them. Feeling the warmth from Song Chaoyun's group's fire pit in the distance, a few bold disciples proposed going to the lake to see if there were any edible fish. Song Chaoyun let six disciples carry torches and go to the riverside, while the remaining ten or so disciples stayed behind to stay warm and protect themselves. His knee injury was still causing him great pain, and in the event of an accident, someone needed to carry him out. Without their support, he would be unable to leave. Unbeknownst to Song Chaoyun's group, Song Weizhi and her companions quietly watched them. Upon reaching where the torches were, the Song disciples appeared jubilant, as if they had caught something. However, upon closer inspection, they were left speechless. They had fished out creatures resembling fish but with human faces, and even possessed a dense covering of hair on their heads. The creatures' eyes moved, staring fixedly at the Song disciples. This unnerved Song Chaoyun, who hastily instructed, "Quick, get rid of them. Before taking them back, examine what they are and then decide whether to bring them back." The disciples reluctantly returned to the lake, tossing the grotesque fish back into its depths. They changed locations and after several attempts, managed to catch a few normal-looking fish. They then returned, carrying the fish in their clothes. "Senior Brother, these fish are indeed edible. However, they live alongside those fish with human faces. I feel it might be better not to eat them," one of the disciples remarked nervously. The others began teasing him, "Afraid of the fish? We are all tired and hungry. Stop being overly cautious." "That's right, if you won't eat, will you watch us eat and starve yourself?" "Senior Brother, you are experienced. Let him consult Senior Brother." The group turned its focus back to Song Chaoyun who, despite his unfamiliarity with the situation, was now their leader and needed the support of his fellow disciples. Otherwise, he wouldn't be able to make it out alive. So, despite being clueless, he needed to provide a definitive answer to the team. Song Chaoyun spoke solemnly, "Find some sharp stones or wooden pieces. Gut these fish, and if the insides appear similar to regular fish, we can roast and eat them." Several nimble disciples promptly located what they needed and began cleaning the fish, the sight and color of which relieved much of their worry. The mouthwatering aroma of the grilled fish soon filled the air, reaching even Song Weizhi's group. Xu Wenyuan, unable to resist, involuntarily swallowed a few times. The male disciples tendered the freshly cooked fish to Song Chaoyun first, who seemingly passed it on to Song Yueling next, making it seem like he was looking out for the female disciples. However, in reality, he was hesitant to be the first to sample it. Seeing Song Chaoyun pass her the fish, Song Yueling was elated, "I knew Senior Brother cares for me the most. He's offering me the fish first." Assuming no problem, she took a bite. The fish was tender and delicious without bones, making it palatable even when eaten plain. She happily had a few more mouthfuls. The remaining male disciples then handed the grilled fish to Song Chaoyun. Before long, four or five of them had already finished their share, but five still hadn't eaten, and Song Chaoyun had yet to make a move. The male disciples ate quickly, but before Song Chaoyun could begin, Song Yueling, who was still eating, suddenly started convulsing and spewing dark green mucus from her mouth. Scales similar to those on a fish began to appear on her exposed arms and her face began to warp. Something inside her stomach surged upwards, displaying formidable strength as it seemed to try to pierce her neck and reach her head. Crying in pain as the green mucus flowed from her mouth, Song Yueling begged, "Senior Brother, help me, please, help me." As she screamed, the thing in her chest exerted more force and lunged upwards. Bursting from her mouth, it continued to grow larger until it burst through her skull, spilling brain matter all over. Her clothes had already been displaced by the dense scales covering her body. There was a green head with impossibly long black hair, still connected to some of Song Yueling's tissues, leaking a white and red mixture, hanging behind her, a bizarre and disconcerting sight. Song Chaoyun was left dumbfounded by the spectacle, unable to utter a word. The male disciples who had eaten the fish began clawing at their throats, attempting to vomit out whatever was in them, but it was too late. They too began to feel that something was gravely amiss. Xu Wenyuan muttered softly from a distance, "Oh my, I'm so lucky I didn't go with them. This is terrifying." Song Weizhi turned to signal him to keep quiet, and Xu Wenyuan immediately covered his mouth. At this point, Song Weizhi's group was concealed in the darkness, and she hoped the things causing trouble hadn't noticed them. Seeing the unexpected situation unfold, Song Chaoyun became anxious. "Quick, someone carry me! Whoever does, I'll have my father appoint them as an elder." One of the disciples who hadn't eaten the fish spat out, "You said the fish was fine, but it ended up harming so many of our fellow disciples. I don't think any of us will be able to leave today. You can be the so-called elder yourself. Brothers, let's get out of here." Unfortunately, the bodies of the male disciples who had eaten the fish had completed their transformation. They slowly made their way toward the others, who had been unaffected. Thankfully, these half-human, half-fish creatures seemed to still be adjusting to their new bodies, so their movements were relatively sluggish. However, Song Chaoyun wasn't as fortunate. He cried out as he crawled backward, "Help! Help me! Help me, and when I get out, I'll evenly divide the Song clan with you. Help me!" Author's Note: I'll be honest, I had fish for dinner today~ Special thanks to the little angels who voted for me or watered my work from 18:15:25 to 19:58:45 on May 2, 2021~ Thanks to the nurturers: Little Orange (18 bottles)