The Sect Leader's Seat (4)
Liang Jingxuan was the only one soaking in the fetid bloodwater of the massive water prison. Upon hearing footsteps on solid ground, he pushed aside his matted, oil-slicked hair and looked up at the newcomer. “Senior sister, why are you here alone? Where’s the master? Did she not come with you?”
Lin Qianshuang passed a vial of healing medicine through the iron bars, feigning concern as she spoke. “Junior brother, this is Master’s medicine for you. Use it. If you need more, ask me.”
Liang took the vial but kept it clenched in his palm, not applying it yet. He studied her face. “Qianshuang… you came alone. Is there something you want to tell me privately?”
Lin’s gaze darted around the prison as she searched for the mechanism to unlock the submerged iron cage. Lowering her voice, she said, “Junior brother, I heard the Liang family of the Beiling Realm plans to kill you during your return. I’m here to free you—it was Xiao Lanle who bribed the disciples guarding the outer doors, allowing me entry.”
Liang reached through the bars, snagging her sleeve. The sudden motion sent chains clanking underwater. His eyes glinted. “No need to worry. I could’ve escaped anytime. You didn’t have to seek out the mechanism. I’d planned to find you after leaving—but here you are, saving me first. I knew you’d come.”
With his golden-finger advantage, Liang Jingxuan—the protagonist—knew this puny water prison couldn’t hold him anyway.
Lin Qianshuang’s eyes darkened further before she forced a smile. “That settles it, then. I suppose I’m overcomplicating things.”
Liang Jingxuan shrugged off his shackles with ease, broke free of the water prison, and climbed onto the blood-stained bank. Grimacing at the filth clinging to him, he stripped naked and pulled on fresh clothes from his storage ring.
His deliberate slow-mo undressing felt like a front-row striptease aimed at her—every exaggerated flick of his wrist, every cocky shrug dripping with hormones. He kept stealing glances, smirking like a peacock showing off its feathers.
She turned her back and rolled her eyes. Why wait for me? What’s his angle?
Before she could dwell, she snapped, “Junior brother—did you know I’d come?”
He adjusted his robes, then suddenly hauled her onto the jagged stone pillars jutting from the water in Wenze Cave’s center. “When they threw me in, they marked my scent. The crocs hunt escapees by smell but ignore innocent disciples.” His grin widened. “Heh, Qianshuang. Knew you couldn’t stay away. With you here, those brutes won’t touch me. Safe passage guaranteed.”
Lin Qianshuang feigned fear in Liang Jingxuan’s arms as she watched the giant crocodile leap toward them from the water before splashing back and clambering ashore. She rolled her eyes internally. What’s the point of pretending to be noble? You’re just using me as a meat shield. And here she was, stuck in this body—your precious White Moonlight, no less.
“Senior sister, you’ll save me, but the Sect Leader might’ve anticipated this. He could send people to intercept us. When that happens… I might have to cross you.”
Liang Jingxuan hoisted her onto the last stone pillar, landing smoothly on solid ground. No sooner had he finished speaking than Sect Leader Xiao Shen appeared outside the cave.
Lin Qianshuang spotted Xiao Lanle and several disciples trailing Xiao Shen at once, her heart skipping a beat. How timely—is he here the second I think of him?
Xiao Lanle’s gaze lingered on Lin Qianshuang, her expression shifting as comprehension dawned. Her dark eyes narrowed imperceptibly.
“Step aside—or I’ll kill Senior Sister Lin. Remember, her marriage was sealed by the Sect Leader and the Lin Clan in one breath. If you can’t produce her in six months, only a coffin, how will you face the Chen family and Lingxiao Sword Sect? My woman dies in my arms before she marries another.”
Liang Jingxuan slung his sword across Lin Qianshuang’s neck, using her as a shield as he forced her toward the cave entrance. To prove his sincerity to Xiao Shen, he dragged the blade lightly across her throat, drawing shallow crimson streaks. Yet his eyes never left Xiao Lanle, studying her expression with calculated intent.
“Senior sister,” he murmured softly, fearing her misinterpretation, “I’m just playing along. They’d never kill you—*but if I’m trapped here, I’ll be as good as dead.”
Lin Qianshuang knew the act, yet her heart curdled with disgust. Could true love ever reduce another’s safety to a bargaining chip? All wasted—the Senior Sister White Moonlight had doted on him, tried to mold a street rat into an upright soul. Of course she’d overthought it. A man like him could never grasp morality. Just a selfish ingrate clinging to his own skin.
Xiao Shen opened his mouth to order disciples to swarm Liang Jingxuan—only for Xiao Lanle to intercept him.
Her gaze lingered on Lin Qianshuang before turning coolly to her father. “Father, Liang Jingxuan’s ruthless. He might actually harm Senior Sister Lin. Let me handle this first—he’s unpredictable.”
Xiao Shen’s brow twitched at the interruption. A faint, irritated hn escaped his nostrils.
Xiao Lanle strode toward Liang Jingxuan, her voice sharp. “Liang Jingxuan, remove your sword from Senior Sister Lin’s neck, and we’ll let you go—open a path for you.”
“Come closer, and I’ll hand her over.”
As Liang Jingxuan spoke, the blade at Lin Qianshuang’s throat shifted slightly.
Before Xiao Lanle could advance, Liang Jingxuan struck Lin Qianshuang’s back with a palm. The force sent her hurtling straight toward the blood pool. Giant crocodiles coiled along the shore stirred restlessly, scrambling upward in a frenzy.
Liang Jingxuan watched Xiao Lanle coldly. “I’ve transferred my scent mark onto her. Those crocodiles will attack her now.”
Xiao Lanle froze, her face draining of color. With a wild cry, she lunged toward the blood pool.
Liang Jingxuan stood by, cursing a few choice words as tears and laughter tangled in his voice. He mumbled disjointedly, “Lin Qianshuang, you’re sticking up for her in front of me? Are you scared I’ll get trapped in the water prison by Xiao’s interference and take it out on her?
I’m not brain-dead. That brat Xiao Lanle—her heart’s secrets are written all over her face. The way she talked to you at the Nine Cauldrons, that blazing honesty on her cheeks—even ghosts could see she loves you straight-up. She’d risk life and limb for you, right? The care you give me, the things you do for me… did you copy it all for Xiao Lanle too? Treated her just as good, equal as can be.
Otherwise, why’s she so devoted to you?”
“Senior sister, have you lost your mind? We are both from the same world. If we’re not meant to be, then you really plan to shack up with a psycho instead?”
He wasn’t sure if the words were meant for himself or anyone else.
Liang Jingxuan felt absurdly sentimental—a grown man getting all sappy over this. Like that girl he’d quietly adored in high school, scribbling a love letter only to get rejected. Left stewing in pointless sorrow for days on end.
However, this situation was different. After the female student rejected him, he’d quickly moved on to someone new. But seeing Senior Sister Lin fall for another person left him utterly disenchanted with women—for days, especially now that the woman he cherished most was tangled up with his ex-girlfriend, a thought that made his stomach churn.
Liang Jingxuan was starting to lose faith in this world. He’d imagined arriving here as a golden-fingered protagonist, destined to become a legendary figure like those in transmigration novels, with adoring beauties at his side.
Turns out? The Purple Heavenly Sword he’d struggled to retrieve from the Demon Realm turned out to be a useless, gimmicky blade—cute-looking but flimsy, hard to even lift.
The girl he’d been sweet on “died” trying to save him, yet here she was back to haunt him, scheming to steal his White Moonlight.
He’d started off with every advantage—born into a renowned cultivator lineage—but now he’d somehow become a pariah, hunted down for no good reason.
Is there such an unlucky traveler as him?
Liang Jingxuan was so furious he nearly ripped out the Son of Destiny system to scold it. Where was the promised script? The glorious future? Bloody hell, wasn’t this world supposed to revolve around his every whim? Didn’t it need him? What about the Heavenly Dao—when he first transmigrated, it swore allegiance, but now it’s useless.
Xiao Shen watched Xiao Lanle leap from the stone pillars of the Wenze Cave to rescue someone and hurried after her. The disciples scrambled, thrown into chaos.
Liang’s hand blazed with the Superior Purple Lightning Fire as he angrily soared out of the cave on his sword. Disciples tried to stop him but were forced back by the flames.
The disciples lunged to pursue him, but a command halted them.
“No need to chase. You’re dismissed—return and practice your swords properly.”
Sect Leader Xiao Shen moved among his disciples. He cared little for Liang Jingxuan, that street rat—Tianshu City’s intelligence network would track him down sooner or later anyway.
But Xiao Lanle… her body seemed to have undergone a significant change.
A frown of consideration crossed Xiao Shen’s face. The Glazed Temple Gem embedded in Xiao Lanle had stabilized considerably, and when she grew emotional, the heart-dwelling demons didn’t stir. Could it mean the gem had finally purified itself within her?
He’d need to find an opportunity to secure a suitable match for Xiao Lanle. Perhaps someone could gain her trust and persuade her to remove the treasure from her body. After all, his obedient daughter rarely acted on impulse.
The blood pool churned violently as the giant crocodile snapped its jagged, dagger-like teeth toward the falling Lin Qianshuang.
“I’m no prisoner here,” Lin hissed. “Why are these monsters attacking me?”
Lin Qianshuang wondered aloud, “Do they want extra snacks?” The swirling demonic energy around her stilled mid-fall as she watched the giant crocodiles snap hungrily at her. She tsk-ed, debating whether to off a few for their inner cores to recharge her strength—when a flash of white light swept past. Before she could protest, someone scooped her up by the waist and bolted toward the cave exit.
The familiar aura confirmed it was Xiao Lanle. “Probably came to rescue me from the crocodile buffet,” Lin thought, relaxing into the embrace. Since they both now lived in Xiaoyao Cave, if Xiao Lanle wanted to give her a piggyback ride back… well, she wasn’t one to turn down free transport.
Dear readers, you might have noticed that the prose and tone of this chapter is noticeably different from past chapters (if not, feel free to ignore this message). Although I have tweaked the translation process before, the content of the current chapter is the product of a few, more radical, changes. If you have a few seconds to spare, I’d like to have your feedback on which style you think is better! Vote anonymously through this link.