The Female Lead Always Comes Around [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 25

Li Xiao looked at the long sword sticking out of her chest. She furrowed her brow for a moment, then smiled.

“I stabbed you first, now you return the favor. Does that make us even?”

Her lips were pale, almost lifeless, moving as she spoke. Ning Shu felt a surge of irritation. She shoved Li Xiao away, bloodied and bruised, and stood tall, addressing Tan Fan and Chi Ji, who had arrived with their troops:

“These people are an eyesore. Deal with them quickly. Anyone else trying to stir trouble for Yan Yue Palace kill on sight!”

Tan Fan flinched at the cold edge in her voice, and Chi Ji, expressionless, saluted: “Understood.”

With Li Zhou dead, the righteous sect had lost its leader. No one dared act rashly. Tan Fan and Chi Ji controlled the situation effortlessly.

Rong Xue, wincing in pain, adjusted her jaw and looked at the unrecognizable Ning Shu before her, hesitating to speak.

Ning Shu exuded deadly intent, her eyes void of warmth. Any rash movement might cost her life.

Ning Shu glanced at Mo Shang and Wu Yin, expressionless, and said to Rong Xue: “Keep an eye on them. Don’t let them die.”

Rong Xue’s breath caught. “Y-yes.”

With matters settled, Ning Shu turned and walked into the hall. Rong Xue, glancing at the heavily wounded Li Xiao, finally mustered the courage to ask:

What should we do with the Li?”

“Throw her out. You planning to keep her as a specimen?”

Rong Xue knew of their history. Once, she had disliked Li Xiao for her ruthless ways, but now she almost pitied her.

Under the influence of the “Shura” and “Delusion Poison,” the little palace master’s temperament had shifted drastically. Li Xiao, who had hurt her before, now seemed beneath even the palace servants.

Chi Ji was a man who followed orders without question. At Ning Shu’s command, he immediately had Li Xiao dragged out.

Rong Xue felt it was slightly humiliating for Li Xiao after all, she had once held status and indirectly aided Yan Yue Palace by killing her fatherbut she asked Chi Ji: “At least let her go with some dignity.”

Chi Ji’s voice was cold: “Understood.”

Rong Xue doubted that what he considered “dignity” matched her definition, but there were more pressing matters Yan Yue Palace was full of the wounded, and enemies could wait.

Tan Fan and Chi Ji efficiently forced the righteous sect members to sign a truce. Those who resisted were swiftly eliminated; the rest complied.

From that day on, the righteous sect was crippled. Arrogance vanished, and the Tian Shu faction underwent leadership change. The easygoing Li Qing took over as the tenth leader, managing postwar reconstruction.

Under the influence of the two poisons, Ning Shu had grown brutal and ruthless. Without the intervention of her protectors and Rong Xue, the entire martial world could have been upended.

Half a year had passed since the bloody battle.

On September 14, Rong Xue brought pain-relief medicine to Ning Shu’s room as usual. Little Xiang stood by the door, her expression awkward.

“Miss Rong, the little palace master…”

Rong Xue, unfazed, replied calmly: “It’s fine. I’ll just give her the medicine and leave.”

Xiang nodded and opened the door for her.

Ning Shu’s room was large and sparsely furnished, leaving plenty of space for other activities.

“小 beauties, don’t run! Come over so I can smell you!”

Ning Shu, blindfolded, reached out, smiling mischievously. Five or six scantily clad young women played along, teasing her with their sleeves.

Rong Xue entered, her face stern. The girls gave her space, and Ning Shu immediately grabbed her, the smile widening.

“小 Xue Xue, you came to play too?”

Even without removing her blindfold, Ning Shu knew it was Rong Xue in her arms.

Rong Xue yanked the cloth off her eyes. “Little Palace Master, didn’t you promise to soak in the medicinal bath?”

Recently, she had perfected a herbal concoction to slow the poison spreading in Ning Shu’s body, but Ning Shu had already broken her promise in less than three days. Rong Xue’s frustration was palpable.

Ning Shu pinched Rong Xue’s waist, grinning: “Ah, soaking in that stinky water every day is no fun. This is much better! So, will you play with us or not? Don’t ruin everyone’s fun.”

Rong Xue tossed the medicine into her arms and stormed out, stopping at the door. “Little Palace Master, don’t despair. There’s a way, trust me.”

Ning Shu watched her leave, her gaze darkening momentarily before a nonchalant smile returned. She warned Little Xiang at the door:

“Xiang, don’t let unrelated people in when I’m playing games, or you’ll be kicked out of Yan Yue Palace.”

Xiang hurriedly acknowledged. Ning Shu picked up the blindfold, holding it in her hand. One favored girl nervously asked, “Little Palace Master, shall we continue?”

Ning Shu smirked, eyes devoid of warmth. “Of course. Such fine times shouldn’t be wasted.”

She began tying the blindfold again, stopping mid-way with boredom. “Never mind, I’m not in the mood. You may leave.”

The girls departed one by one. Ning Shu threw the blindfold aside, grabbed a jug of wine, downed it, and sat staring at the osmanthus tree outside.

It had been transplanted to her courtyard a month ago. The scent reminded her of someone who had vanished, leaving only a lingering fragrance that calmed her.

She drank most of the afternoon, and by night, slightly drunk, she stepped outside under the tree. The golden blossoms fell like rain as she unleashed her inner power, scattering them.

“My main mission is complete… why can’t I move on to the next?”

She murmured, lying on the flowers, eyes closed, momentarily satisfied.

A half-awake voice broke through: “Little Palace Master, wake up. It’s too damp here to sleep.”

Ning Shu waved irritably, then felt a sharp slap. Opening her eyes, she saw a veiled girl, smiling faintly.

“Do you have to hide such beauty from me?”

The girl shook her head, voice rough: “I’m ugly by nature; I wouldn’t want to tarnish your eyes.”

Ning Shu sneered, examining her briefly before her expression settled.

The girl, feigning calm, clenched her fists tightly, ready to leave. Ning Shu, mischief in her eyes, pulled her back:

“Good thing you’re ugly. From now on, you’ll bathe me. If you were pretty, I’d never control myself.”

She stumbled toward the room, the girl conflicted and sorrowful.

When the girl hesitated, Ning Shu’s eyes narrowed. “Are you begrudging serving me?”

“No, not at all,” she whispered, following.

Ning Shu, watching her straight back despite the lowered head, smiled with a hidden meaning.

Once inside, Ning Shu started undressing while the girl collected her clothes silently. The bath was fed by hot spring water, steaming.

Ning Shu stepped in, asking, “Your name?”

After a pause: “Xiao Xiao.”

Ning Shu lost interest. After a brief soak, she wrapped herself in a silk undergarment and walked to the bed. Xiao Xiao followed but stopped a few steps away.

Ning Shu lay sideways, observing her. After a pause, Xiao Xiao asked, “Where should I put the clothes?”

“You asking me?” Ning Shu raised an eyebrow. “Are you the master, or am I?”

Xiao Xiao paused, then carried the clothes out. Ning Shu thought, “Just leave them on the floor. Someone will deal with them tomorrow. As for you… stay and watch over me.”

Xiao Xiao stiffened but obeyed. Ning Shu breathed in the faint osmanthus scent, soothing her restless, poisoned heart, and smiled softly, closing her eyes.

The “Shura” toxin flared more frequently, and the “Delusion Poison” spread inside her. Even small emotional shifts triggered excruciating pain. Normally she could suppress it with inner energy and Rong Xue’s medicine, but her earlier emotional spike awakened the poison fully.

In the middle of the night, Xiao Xiao, at the bed’s edge, was startled awake by Ning Shu’s voice. She tried to use inner energy to help, but it vanished like water.

Ning Shu opened her eyes, confused: “Li Xiao…”

Xiao Xiao froze, gripping the blanket, forcing calm.

“I’m delirious from the pain. You can’t be Li Xiao… she’s dead under my sword.”

Xiao Xiao’s eyes glimmered with fleeting sorrow. “It’s… Little Palace Master, you’ve mistaken me.”

Ning Shu grabbed her hand, nails digging in. The scent of bl00d made her lose control.

“Someone once said they’d give me their heart. Would you?”

She pressed herself against Xiao Xiao, biting fiercely along the scar on her neck. Xiao Xiao winced, then.