The Villainess Always Wants to Cuddle With Me [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 39

Boom—

Gu Wen’s mind reeled at these words. A pained crimson flickered in his eyes, unable to believe what he was hearing.

After a long silence, he gradually regained his composure and asked, “Is this a side effect of the Ice Lotus Art?”

“Not entirely…” Ling Jun replied, her gaze lost in the silvery moonlight, her thoughts in turmoil. “When I rushed back, I found a shattered wine cup beside Mother’s small table, containing a toxic mixture of poinsettia and yellow-white rhododendron.”

Ultimately, Gu Wen was the root cause of Jian Qiongjun’s lifelong struggle to walk on thin ice. Even knowing that she was her biological father, she couldn’t bring herself to utter that simple, yet deeply meaningful, title.

She couldn’t overcome the barrier within her own heart—it felt too awkward. Nor could she overcome the barrier within Jian Qiongjun’s heart, for she would feel guilty.

The two sat talking until the crescent moon dipped below the horizon, as dawn began to break. Only then did Ling Jun finally succumb to exhaustion and drift into sleep.

Gu Wen gazed at the sleeping Ling Jun, who sat nestled against a green haystack, leaning against a blue stone. He carefully tied the red string he always wore around his wrist to her wrist, then retrieved a key from his inner robe and placed it in her hand. If only he had been clear-headed back then, perhaps this tragedy and pain could have been avoided.

A gentle breeze carried a growing chill. Gu Wen removed his outer robe and draped it over Ling Jun. Having done this, he walked toward the small cottage in the woods.

When Ling Jun awoke, she found herself alone. The stone slab beside her was already cold, indicating Gu Wen had been gone for quite some time.

Ling Jun sat up groggily, her robe slipping off her shoulders. She realized it was Gu Wen’s outer robe. The strange object in her hand turned out to be a key. Around her wrist was the red string with a golden bead she had given Gu Wen the previous day.

A foreboding feeling rose in her heart. She stepped toward the cottage, the air around her eerily still and dry.

Normally, the cottage would be filled with a misty warmth from Gu Wen’s constant tea brewing.

Ling Jun called out, “Master?”

No answer came after a long pause, intensifying her unease.

Ling Jun pushed open the door and froze, nearly unable to breathe at the sight before her.

Gu Wen lay peacefully in his rocking chair, lifeless, his lips tinged purple.

Ling Jun rushed forward and reached out to check his pulse, her body trembling. She turned to the round table, where overturned porcelain medicine bottles lay scattered, their powdered contents spilled across the surface. A letter rested in the corner of the table.

She picked up the letter, the top bearing Gu Wen’s final words:

To my daughter,

I have failed you as a father these past years. Forgive me for leaving you alone in this world. I only wish to fulfill my heart’s desire: to find my beloved by the Naihe Bridge and, having lived with regret, to die in the same coffin.

The letter’s contents were absurd. Even in death, Gu Wen thought only of himself, fantasizing about sharing a coffin with Jian Qiongjun. If he truly understood his own faults, why couldn’t he let Jian Qiongjun go, even in death? Why did he persist like a scoundrel, like a stubborn leech that couldn’t be shaken off?

It was nauseating.

Gu Wen’s wish was destined to remain unfulfilled.

Ling Jun silently gathered the scattered medicinal powders from the table, her heart heavy. She relit the stove, brewed a pot of Emei Snow Bud tea, and wordlessly poured it onto the ground as an offering. Then she meticulously cleaned the room until it was spotless.

Using medicinal pills to preserve Gu Wen’s body from decay, she placed him on a wheeled cart by the door and tucked an insect-repelling pill into his robes.

After completing these preparations, she looked around for Qingmeng but couldn’t find him. She searched White Plum Mountain thoroughly, but to no avail. Qingmeng’s whereabouts remained a mystery.

Yet the creature had always been perceptive. Perhaps he had found a quiet place to mourn in solitude.

Ling Jun pushed Gu Wen’s body back toward Cuiyue Mountain, refusing to dwell on the matter.

Transporting the corpse proved far more arduous than traveling alone. It took her a full month of painstaking effort to bring Gu Wen back to Cuiyue Mountain.

Upon reaching the mountain gate, Ling Jun wasted no time. She gathered several female disciples to construct a new coffin, placed Gu Wen’s remains inside, and buried him on a remote, seldom-visited peak.

Jian Qiongjun’s coffin remained untouched in the main hall. Ling Jun rested her hand on the coffin, gently tracing the intricate patterns carved into the wood.

If Jian Qiongjun could still communicate her thoughts, she would surely object to being buried alongside the man who ruined her life.

It felt as though, since Jian Qiongjun’s passing, Ling Jun had reverted to her former position as Yuchi Lingjun. Despite having a few trusted allies by her side, her lack of martial arts skills left her vulnerable and unable to truly establish herself within the Cuiyue Sect.

Hearing of Ling Jun’s return, Yunyin rushed to greet her. Seeing the familiar face, she stepped forward and scanned Ling Jun from head to toe. “Are you unharmed?” Only when she confirmed Ling Jun’s safety did her heart, which had been suspended in mid-air, finally sink back down.

Ling Jun remained silent, her gaze drifting to Yunyin before nodding faintly.

Assuming Ling Jun was still troubled by their earlier disagreement and knowing she had just buried her master, Yunyin understood her somber mood. She nodded slightly, swallowing the comforting words that had risen to her lips, and instead asked with a frown, “Did you encounter any trouble on your way back?”

“What do you mean?” Ling Jun asked, puzzled. But since her Senior Sister had asked, she knew there must be a reason.

“Two days ago, a self-proclaimed righteous sect called the Demon Suppression Sect emerged, claiming to act on behalf of heaven. They launched coordinated attacks on our four hidden outposts in Changzhong, Linchuan, and Shanghe City. Yesterday, they burned our granaries in Pingcheng County and Linchuan City,” Yunyin paused before adding, “That’s why I asked if you encountered any trouble on your way back.”

So that’s what happened, Ling Jun thought, nodding inwardly. She frowned in deep thought. This Demon Suppression Sect had launched such a coordinated assault right from the start. Their organized and disciplined approach suggested they had been planning this for a long time.

It seemed the seeds the Cuiyue Sect had sown in the past were finally bearing fruit.

“Does Jian Qigui know about this?”

Yunyin nodded. “Of course. Both Rudder Masters are deeply concerned. The Protector Lord has already begun investigating the Demon Suppression Sect since the attacks began. With our hidden outposts compromised, it will be difficult to continue our bounty hunting operations.”

“If they were only targeting our hidden agents, we could assume they were a rival faction,” Ling Jun said, her expression darkening. She took a deep breath, her mind racing. “But burning the granaries… The Demon Suppression Sect’s sudden aggression suggests this situation is far more complex than we initially thought.”

As the two women exchanged thoughtful glances, footsteps approached the door. A disciple in plain robes interrupted their thoughts, her voice ringing out, “Sect Leader, the Protector Lord is looking for you.”

“Understood,” Ling Jun replied. After such a commotion—returning with a cart and arranging for the burial of the dead—it would be stranger if Jian Qigui hadn’t noticed her return.

The disciple glanced at Yunyin, pursed her lips, bowed, and withdrew.

“Senior Sister, is there anything else?” Ling Jun asked, her eyes flickering with a hint of evasion as she met Yunyin’s gaze.

Yunyin’s lips curved into a bitter smile. “Nothing,” she said softly. “Go discuss countermeasures with her.” She knew Ling Jun’s feelings, yet the woman hadn’t mentioned them once since returning…

Ling Jun avoided Yunyin’s gaze, lowered her eyes, took a deep breath, and strode out of the room toward the council hall.

Watching Ling Jun’s hurried steps, Yunyin’s brow furrowed, her heart tightening. I told her I only see Qi Gui as a younger sister, that there’s never been anything between us. So why is she rushing to meet her with such eagerness…?

Yunyin took a deep breath, savoring the lingering, unrestrained fragrance of cold air. Then, feeling somewhat embarrassed, she glanced around and awkwardly retreated.

After leaving the main hall, Ling Jun followed the winding path with practiced ease, her steps light with a joy she herself barely noticed. She reached the entrance of the council chamber, where an eerie silence hung. Pushing the door open gently, she found the interior dim and indistinct.

The council chamber was shrouded in double-layered palace silk, draped like curtains. The deep purple fabric darkened the already dimly lit interior, plunging it into near-total darkness.

Ling Jun instinctively tightened her grip, her throat dry. Calculating the distance, she walked toward the curtains, feigning casualness. “Why haven’t you opened the curtains? It’s so dark in here. You should have someone light the lamps.”

Hidden in the shadows, Jian Qigui’s eyes flashed with an unfathomable depth as she watched Ling Jun’s movements intently. What was causing her hesitation? What was she so nervous about?

As Ling Jun pulled back the curtains, a sliver of twilight streamed into the chamber. Using the dim light, she reached for the crystal lamp.

“Such tasks should be left to servants. Why would the Sect Leader lower herself to do this?”

A cool, clear voice sounded beside her. Jian Qigui had materialized beside Ling Jun, grasping her fingertips.

Ling Jun’s throat tightened. “Alright.” She struggled to steady her composure, desperate to conceal any signs of her worsening vision from Jian Qigui.

Despite her words, Jian Qigui didn’t call for anyone. Her gaze remained fixed on Ling Jun’s eyes, unwavering.

Under that intense scrutiny, Ling Jun glanced at Jian Qigui once before lowering her gaze to the floor. Her throat bobbed slightly as the cold fragrance in the air stirred.

Though Jian Qigui said nothing, merely standing silently beside her, Ling Jun felt an invisible pressure that made it hard to breathe.

After a long, tense moment, Jian Qigui brushed a stray strand of hair from Ling Jun’s forehead behind her ear and called out in a clear, resonant voice, “Someone!”

Hearing the call, Ling Jun retreated two steps, creating some distance between them, and glanced uneasily toward the door.

Two maids, who had been standing guard at the entrance, entered calmly and bowed respectfully.

“Light all the crystal lamps,” Jian Qigui instructed in a steady tone, revealing nothing of her current mood.

The maids understood their place. With lowered eyes and swift movements, they performed their duties efficiently, keeping their focus on their tasks and avoiding any inappropriate glances.

In the past, the Cuiyue Sect had a more relaxed atmosphere. The maids often joked with their mistresses, treating them like family. But since Jian Qigui’s month-long absence, something seemed to have shifted, as if things had veered off their original course.

Ling Jun gazed at the well-trained maids, a sudden memory of her previous life flashing through her mind.

The maids had already lit the lamps and departed. Jian Qigui, observing Ling Jun’s trance-like state, asked, “What are you thinking about?”

Snapping out of her reverie, Ling Jun realized Jian Qigui was now only an arm’s length away. A slight movement of her nose would catch the cold, distinctive fragrance emanating from Jian Qigui, so different from her own.

“I was thinking about my mother…” Ling Jun replied awkwardly, lifting her gaze to meet Jian Qigui’s. The similar brows and eyes held a different expression, a different soul…

Jian Qigui frowned, recalling the corpse of Gu Wen that Ling Jun had brought back. She probed, “Gu Wen was the Divine Physician. How could he have died so suddenly?” Ling Jun’s gaze pierced Jian Qigui, who desperately wanted to ask, “Whom are you seeing through my eyes?” But she couldn’t bring herself to voice the question.

This interrogative demeanor was entirely Jian Qigui’s own doing. Ling Jun lowered her eyes and murmured, “He had his own reasons for guilt. Even death cannot absolve him of the suffering he caused others in the past.”

Such an answer left no room for doubt in Jian Qigui’s astute mind. She understood the deeper meaning behind Ling Jun’s words.

Ling Jun could barely endure Jian Qigui’s scrutinizing gaze. The pent-up pain from recent days, combined with the current tension and pressure, threatened to shatter her. She lowered her head, her eyelashes trembling as two streams of clear tears traced down her cheeks.

A faint sob reached Jian Qigui’s ears, causing her back to stiffen and her Baihui acupoint to tingle. Why is Ling Jun crying?

The comforting words that had once come so easily now felt foreign. Jian Qigui’s fingertips burned, her throat constricted, and her parted crimson lips could utter no sound.

Two voices clashed within her heart. One, like a demon howling in the night, urged her to scorn Ling Jun—not just ignore her, but mock her! She’s the indirect cause of your family’s ruin! The other, like a compassionate bodhisattva, countered, What does Ling Jun have to do with your bl00d feud? What you see isn’t always the truth. How did Jian Qiongjun treat you? And how has Jian Lingjun treated you?

Ling Jun sobbed uncontrollably, gasping for breath. She had thought herself strong enough to endure, but her defenses had crumbled. Since when had Jian Qigui’s attitude toward her changed? She couldn’t pinpoint what was wrong, but it was as if Jian Qigui had erected an impenetrable wall around her heart, thick and unyielding.

Suddenly enveloped in the cold fragrance of Jian Qigui’s embrace, Ling Jun felt the weight of a chin pressing against her head. Her sobs faltered, and the familiar scent flooded her senses. Overwhelmed by her pent-up grievances, she burst into unrestrained tears.

Jian Qigui’s eyes darkened. She closed them in resignation, silently repeating to herself, I’m only doing this to prevent Ling Jun from suspecting my true intentions—to usurp her authority as Sect Leader.