Demoness's Art of Vengeance

Chapter 168: Qin Lingyu’s Dream Come True

Translator: Minotauruz

Qin Lingyu was with Yu Wanrou when the Messenger Paper Crane first arrived. They were enjoying a stroll together along a quaint little pathway running beside the lake.

The little pathway was lined by neatly separated willow trees, and there were undulating rocks surrounding the jade-green, crystalline waters of the lake. The scenery was tranquil and idyllic.

Everyone was currently preoccupied with cultivating and preparing for the upcoming competition, and the number of people taking strolls by the lake had dwindled substantially. Even if there were passers-by, this place was so scenic that they might hardly notice the fact that this intimate couple were none other than the rumoured match made in heaven, Qin Lingyu and Yu Wanrou.

As soon as Qin Lingyu and Yu Wanrou returned from their travels in glory, all kinds of inspiring and moving tales about them began to spread throughout the Sect. Naturally, the public began to treat their ever growing intimacy as a natural progression of all that they had been through on the travels.

In their hearts, Qin Lingyu and Yu Wanrou had together faced life and death and overcame all forms of trials and tribulations. Growing closer and more intimate to each other was only a natural byproduct of all that they had been through. In the past, Yu Wanrou could only discreetly meet up with Qin Lingyu. But now, she could do so openly, and nobody would say a single thing about them.

However, this was naturally to the exclusion of any out-of-character behaviour. At the very least, they still had to maintain their propriety in front of others because Qin Lingyu was technically still bound by his marriage arrangement with Jun Xiaomo. If Jun Linxuan learnt that if either of them had behaved out of line in any way, the manifestation of his short temper might result in grave consequences.

At the beginning, Yu Wanrou was still rather satisfied with the present arrangement. At least Qin Lingyu was always by her side. Furthermore, Qin Lingyu had become increasingly pleasant towards her ever since they had returned from their travels. Thus, Yu Wanrou felt as though her dreams had come true, and she was in bliss.

However, people are always greedy for more. Yu Wanrou quickly grew displeased with mere status quo in no time. She was upset by the fact that she had to maintain the appearances of propriety when she was by Qin Lingyu’s side in public.

She wanted to proclaim to the world that Qin Lingyu was somebody she loved, and she coveted those looks of jealousy that everyone had cast on Jun Xiaomo. She refused to let Jun Xiaomo bask in that “glory” any further.

Therefore, in the nights to come, Yu Wanrou had laid beside Qin Lingyu on their bed and badgered him on when exactly he was going to rescind the marriage arrangement with Jun Xiaomo.

It was only when the marriage arrangement had been rescinded that she could openly hold Qin Lingyu’s hand and proclaim to the world that this man was hers to the exclusion of everybody else.

After all, Yu Wanrou had always treated Jun Xiaomo as the stumbling block that had obstructed her relationship with Qin Lingyu. She was the thorn in her flesh. Yet Yu Wanrou had selectively obviated from her mind the fact that with the existence of the marriage arrangement, she was in fact the true third wheel in the relationship between Jun Xiaomo and Qin Lingyu.

And that was despite the fact that this marriage arrangement was no more than a façade.

Each time Yu Wanrou broached this topic in bed, Qin Lingyu would warmly embrace her and kiss her cheeks as he cajoled, “Wait a little while longer. That woman will initiate the rescission of marriage with me as soon as she can’t bear with it any longer. This is the only way we can refrain from invoking Jun Linxuan’s wrath and be openly together without any worries.”

Yu Wanrou would cast a bitter and angry glare at him, but Qin Lingyu would continue to kiss her. They would kiss, and kiss, and soon after that lock with each other in a warm embrace once more.

Just like that, Qin Lingyu and Yu Wanrou had spent night after night indulging in their carnal desires. They had expected Jun Xiaomo to succumb to the power of these rumours very quickly and initiate the rescission of the marriage arrangement in no time. Yet to their increasing dismay, Jun Xiaomo was completely unfazed by the rumours. She continued to indulge in her hearty meals and sleep well at night. In fact, she had even secretly kept tabs on Qin Lingyu and Yu Wanrou as they pranced about anxiously like clowns, waiting with bated breath for the result that they so desired.

“Martial brother Qin, tomorrow’s already the day of the competition. Do we still have to keep on waiting like this? When will we have to wait until, huh...” Yu Wanrou lamented to Qin Lingyu who walked by her side.

“Since tomorrow’s already the competition, then all the more we have to keep our guard up. We can’t grow complacent now, understand? Otherwise, her father will find a reason to deal harshly with us.”

Qin Lingyu patiently explained the situation to Yu Wanrou.

Yu Wanrou bit down on her lower lip in dismay as tears filled her eyes. Yet she saw the determination in Qin Lingyu’s eyes, and she knew that she had no choice but to shelf her thoughts for now.

Jun Xiaomo knew that the agony of waiting was far more unbearable than a swift and decisive judgment or punishment. This was precisely why she had waited all this while. She wanted to torment Qin Lingyu and Yu Wanrou. If not for the fact that she had already grown bored of these pretenses and the fact that she wished to teach somebody a lesson during the upcoming competition, she would have continued to torment them with the anguish of waiting.

Thus, the discreet couple walked along the pathway in silence for a while. Then, Qin Lingyu finally broke the silence and exclaimed, “Tomorrow’s the Secondary Inter-Sect Competition. I imagine the other Sects would be sending several experts to take the stage as well. I wonder if I’ll be able to meet my master and the Sect Elder’s expectations...”

“Martial brother Qin can do it! After all, how many people are able to step into the secondary-tier Foundation Establishment stage of cultivation at the tender age of twenty-three years-old?” Yu Wanrou paused in her steps as she cheered Qin Lingyu with a slightly flushed face.

“But it’s hard to say as well. After all, even though there are few disciples within the Secondary Sects who possess cultivation levels higher than mine, this doesn’t mean that there are none. I hear that the disciple of the Eternal Summit Sect’s Second Elder has already broken through to the Foundation Establishment level two years ago. It’s hard to say what level his cultivation is at right now.” Qin Lingyu sighed as he looked towards Yu Wanrou with a soft and profound gaze, “I’m just concerned that I’ll suffer from serious injuries. If that happens...”

“That’s not going to happen!” Yu Wanrou anxiously interjected as she promptly retrieved three bottles of spirit water from her Interspatial Ring, “Martial brother Qin, these three bottles contain undiluted spirit waters. No matter how severe your injuries are, you’ll just need to apply these spirit waters on your wounds, and you’ll be better in no time! I want you to have them!”

Qin Lingyu’s eyes flashed with a trace of avarice, before he smiled genially as he received the spirit waters and responded, “Rou-er, meeting you is really the best thing that had ever happened to me.”

Yu Wanrou’s face immediately flushed red, and she lowered her head bashfully, “Martial brother Qin, me too...”

Just then, the sound of flapping wings broke apart their harmonious and intimate atmosphere. A Messenger Paper Crane perched itself on Qin Lingyu’s shoulder before it became completely still and motionless.

Qin Lingyu picked up the Messenger Paper Crane and opened it. Moments later, he beamed with absolute satisfaction, “It’s finally here.”

“Finally here? What’s finally here?” Yu Wanrou asked curiously.

“It’s that thing that we’ve both been eagerly anticipating.” Qing Lingyu’s smile remained plastered on his face as he explained.

Yu Wanrou’s heart immediately skipped a beat, “Is...is Jun Xiaomo finally asking to rescind the marriage arrangement?”

“That’s exactly it. Jun Linxuan and Liu Qingmei are in the Sect’s discussion hall right now. Master has just summoned me over.” Qin Lingyu crushed the message and tossed it into the lake.

“I knew that she couldn’t take the relentless battering of those rumours. Furthermore, I suspect that she’s coming to terms with the fact that she’s no more than a crippled, huh? She’s been cooped up within Heavenly Peak for such a long time. Do you think that she’s been disfigured, and that’s why she doesn’t want to show her face within the Sect?” Yu Wanrou derided Jun Xiaomo as she delighted in her misery. Their goal was finally within reach, and it felt almost surreal.

“Alright, let’s not talk about these things right now. We don’t want anyone to hear us.” Qin Lingyu patted Yu Wanrou’s shoulder.

Yu Wanrou pouted her lips unwillingly.

Then, Qin Lingyu tenderly picked up a lock of Yu Wanrou’s hair and toyed with it in his fingers as he added, “I’ll rush over right now. Once I’ve settled this matter, we can finally be together openly.”

“Then you should quickly be on your way, martial brother... It’s just a pity that I won’t be able to see Jun Xiaomo’s tragic appearance when she rescinds the marriage arrangement!” Yu Wanrou urged Qin Lingyu along as she mocked contemptuously.

A trace of tedium flickered across the depths of Qin Lingyu’s heart. The truth of the matter was that he had already grown tired of Yu Wanrou since some time ago. Not only had his pursuit of Yu Wanrou been too easy, Yu Wanrou’s narrow-mindedness, paranoia and vicious disposition was something that made him unable to wholeheartedly accept, trust and love Yu Wanrou.

Her love was almost akin to a double-edged sword. Qin Lingyu was concerned that one day, this sword might turn around and hurt him instead.

That said, Yu Wanrou possessed the spirit waters that he highly coveted. Therefore, he did not mind leading Yu Wanrou on for a little while more. After all, he had treated Jun Xiaomo in the same manner just some time ago.

After Qin Lingyu tenderly tickled Yu Wanrou’s chin, he turned around and left, leaving Yu Wanrou behind by the lakeside as she contemplated the tragic expression that might be on Jun Xiaomo’s face.

As soon as Qin Lingyu arrived in the Sect’s discussion hall, he noticed that not only were Jun Linxuan and Liu Qingmei present, even his master, He Zhang, and all the other Sect Elders were present as well.

The only person that he did not see was Jun Xiaomo.

A trace of suspicion flashed across his heart, but he adjusted his thoughts very quickly. Then, he politely bowed to everyone in the discussion hall and respectfully addressed every single one of them, including Jun Linxuan and Liu Qingmei.

Seeing Qin Lingyu’s neither servile or overbearing attitude replete with a delightful presentation of respect and courtesy, several Sect Elders nodded in affirmation and revealed expressions of praise on their faces.

As expected, Qin Lingyu was He Zhang’s beloved disciple through and through. Despite achieving his desired outcome, Qin Lingyu maintained an appearance of humility – humble in victory, and unrelenting in defeat, this was the model example of the disciple that all others should learn from.

Several Sect Elders even glanced back towards Jun Linxuan and Liu Qingmei as though they were delighting in their misery.

I wonder whether this Jun couple regrets giving up such a fine son-in-law? Perhaps their hearts are even stirring in disappointment right now?

Yet Jun Linxuan and Liu Qingmei maintained a stoic appearance to the dismay of these eager Sect Elders.

“Lingyu, you’ve seen the letter that master has sent you. Xiaomo wishes to rescind the marriage arrangement, and your martial uncle Jun has handed the right to decide over to you. What are your thoughts?” He Zhang sighed slightly as he looked over towards his beloved disciple in anticipation.

Even the rescission of the marriage arrangement is handled by her parents, and Jun Xiaomo has not showed up. Could it be as Yu Wanrou has suspected? Has Jun Xiaomo been disfigured or turned into a cripple? Qin Lingyu exclaimed in his heart.

But what had become of Jun Xiaomo was no longer of his concern. After today, he would no longer be tied to that woman in any way.

As these thoughts crossed Qin Lingyu’s mind, he turned towards Jun Linxuan and Liu Qingmei and respectfully made a fist and palm salute as he said, “Since martial sister Xiaomo has already made her decision, I won’t force the issue as well. If it’s not meant to be, it’s not meant to be. I can only say with resignation that martial sister Xiaomo and I aren’t fated.”

As he finished speaking, Qin Lingyu lowered his head and sighed, as though such an end to the relationship were a pitiable matter.

In the eyes of those around, they found this junior to be incredibly sentimental in comparison with Jun Xiaomo who had refused to even show up even for such an important matter. Thus, their impression of Jun Xiaomo worsened.

Jun Linxuan furrowed his brows, while Liu Qingmei’s heart swelled with some measure of unease.

Whatever the explanation given was, the fact remained that Qin Lingyu had already agreed to the rescission of the marriage arrangement, and the process was thus going to be that much easier. Liu Qingmei picked up the formation scroll and brought it over to Qin Lingyu as she explained, “Martial nephew Qin, this is a formation scroll for the purposes of rescinding the marriage arrangement. As long as you sign on it and drip a drop of your blood on it, the marriage arrangement between you and Mo-Mo will henceforth be rescinded. You may proceed.”

Qin Lingyu looked as though he hesitated for a moment before he signed with great force and determination. Then, he bit his thumb and dripped a drop of blood onto the heart of the formation array. Instantly, the formation array glowed with a bright blue light, signifying that the marriage arrangement had been formally rescinded.

Qin Lingyu heaved a sigh of relief in his heart, be he let none of that show on his expression right now.

“Alright, us husband and wife have already done what we’ve come here to do. Earlier, Sect Leader and Sect Elders looked like they had been discussing something important. Linxuan and I still have some matters to attend to, so we shan’t be participating in these discussions. Please, carry on.” As Liu Qingmei spoke, she hooked her arm around her husband’s arm and left without even looking back. The Sect Elders turned and grimaced to each other as they looked at the ashen-faced He Zhang.

“Sigh, I think Linxuan and Qingmei have both grown more and more audacious, huh?” The Second Elder intentionally pointed out as he sighed in dismay.

“Perhaps he thinks that being in the secondary-tier Immortal Ascension stage is particularly impressive, huh? But he’s still a far cry when compared with these few respected elders! Such insolence.”

“Lingyu, don’t be too upset. That Jun Xiaomo doesn’t know what’s good for her. If the marriage arrangement has been rescinded, then so be it. It’s actually a good thing for you, since you won’t have to bear that burden anymore.” The Fourth Elder consoled Qin Lingyu.

“Thank you, Sect Elder for your concern.” Qin Lingyu made a fist and palm salute to him.

“Haha...alright, let’s not discuss all these depressing things. Shall we all resume our discussions on the battles tomorrow?”

Jun Linxuan and Liu Qingmei were unaware of the discussions and gossip between the Sect Elders behind their back. In fact, it did not matter to them even if they had heard the contents – they would not mind it a single bit.

Thus, the rest of the day passed uneventfully, and the next day soon arrived. The day of commencement of the eagerly anticipated Secondary Inter-Sect Competition had finally arrived, and the curtains had thus been drawn.