Mistaken Era – Chapter 8
As for the man with the surname Jin, after squandering his family fortune and offending the magistrate, coupled with his previous bullying and oppression of men and women in the village, he had offended countless people. Without the protection of officialdom and wealth, his luck had run out. The few fellow disciples from the Talisman Sect were too lazy to stay and witness his final fate.
Although the evildoer was punished and they vented their anger, the few disciples of the Talisman Sect still had an uncertain future ahead.
After finishing the last oily pancake they had brought from Fee County, Ji Wuqi let out a burp and said dejectedly, “The curse cast by our master is too domineering. Who knows when it will be lifted?”
Sitting behind Ji Wuqi and applying ointment to the burn on his neck, Ayi turned to ask the Sect Leader Cui Xiaoxiao, “Sister Cui, shall we head to a more lively town next? The taste of hunger is too unbearable!”
Cui Xiaoxiao was carefully drawing talismans with a brush dipped in cinnabar ink according to the sect’s secret manual illustrations. Hearing this, she did not respond but instead focused on her breathing and copied the patterns meticulously.
After drawing a few talismans and comparing them with those in the book, she nodded in satisfaction, at least now able to draw the patterns accurately. The talismans she drew this time were the basic Water Talisman that Talisman Sect disciples learned upon joining, using the five elements of Water to summon a nourishing rain when activated.
She put down her brush and waved one of the talismans in the air while chanting an incantation, hoping to summon rain.
The three fellow disciples widened their eyes, eager to witness their new Sect Leader’s abilities.
However, the talisman merely floated in the air before slowly drifting down, showing no signs of change.
Cui Xiaoxiao tried again with two more talismans, but they simply fluttered down like pieces of toilet paper.
Jiang Nanmu let out a disappointed sigh while Ji Wuqi burst into laughter, “I really thought you had some skills, but now it seems that night’s events were just a fluke!”
Cui Xiaoxiao pursed her lips briefly before dismissing the frustration and changing the subject, “Master once mentioned in the secret manual that the origin of our Talisman Sect is not Mount Ling. Master had a great opportunity at the Phoenix Pool in Lao Mountain in the past and learned the profundities of Talisman Sect from his master Wei Jie. If we wish to improve our cultivation, we should visit the Phoenix Pool in Lao Mountain.”
As the Sect Leader had spoken, the remaining disciples naturally obeyed. Cui Xiaoxiao prepared to pack her belongings but accidentally dropped a bead from her pocket.
Jiang Nanmu picked it up and realized it was the tarnished demonic bead from that night.
The bead appeared even duller than before, merely an unremarkable stone ball now.
Cui Xiaoxiao took the bead and examined it, puzzled as to how it had ended up in her pocket.
Although the demon had participated in its own subjugation, she had only taken its shed skin and had no intention of keeping the demonic bead.
However, Ji Wuqi was convinced Cui Xiaoxiao had taken it and sneered disdainfully, “A dog can’t change its habit of eating feces! You even swore in front of our master to reform, yet you shamelessly steal without asking!”
Cui Xiaoxiao earnestly refuted, “Do you think I could steal from the pocket of that heavenly genius who split the demon in half with a sword? I don’t know how this bead ended up in my pocket either.”
Ji Wuqi paused, finding her reasoning sound, and muttered to himself, “If you didn’t steal it, how could this bead have wandered into your pocket?”
Hearing this, they all looked at the demonic bead with trepidation. However, the dull, grayish stone showed no reaction, lying motionlessly on the table, making it difficult to sustain their fear for long.
Eventually, Ji Wuqi concluded that this greed-natured demonic bead was naturally attracted to greedy individuals. Coincidentally, among those present, Cui Xiaoxiao had the worst character as a deceitful woman, so it was understandable for the demonic bead to be drawn to her.
The second disciple, Jiang Nanmu, suggested returning the demonic bead to the Sword Sect’s leader, but Cui Xiaoxiao did not wish to deal with the Sword Sect again.
That Qin Lingxiao had spoken disrespectfully and dared to read her fortune, as if being handsome gave him the right to recklessly expose her scars!
While unaware of this object’s wonders, she could not leave it unattended, lest more innocents suffer like that woman from the Bai family.
With this in mind, Cui Xiaoxiao rummaged through her belongings and took out the Soul-Sealing Wooden Box left to her by her late master.
This wooden box was said to be made from the Paulownia wood where phoenixes nested in the Wilderness of Immortals. As the phoenix was a bird of fire, the Paulownia tree it nested in was also a Yang object capable of trapping demons and dispelling evil.
After placing the demonic bead inside the wooden box, Cui Xiaoxiao felt slightly relieved, planning to search for a artifact to dispel the bead’s evil when they returned to Mount Ling’s Talisman Sect’s Artifact Pavilion.
However, she did not realize that the moment the wooden box closed, the previously dull bead suddenly emitted a fleeting deep blue, ghostly glow…
On the way to the Phoenix Pool, the scenery was beautiful, but they soon encountered disciples from the Nine Profundities Sword Sect again.
The leading Sword Sect disciple handed Cui Xiaoxiao an elegant invitation.
Cui Xiaoxiao did not know its purpose, and the messenger, Jiang Zheng, arrogantly said, “The Master has invited Sect Leader Cui for a discussion at the nearby stream pavilion.”
Cui Xiaoxiao did not wish to go, suspecting that Qin Lingxiao had noticed the missing spirit bead and thought she had taken it, thus looking to pick a fight.
Regrettably, despite Ji Wuqi claiming to have used a concealment talisman to hide their tracks, they were still found by these Sword Sect disciples.
Cui Xiaoxiao was inclined to refuse, but the Sword Sect disciples were not polite, already holding a sword-qi blade to her neck.
As Ji Wuqi and the others were about to clash with the Sword Sect disciples, Cui Xiaoxiao quickly stopped them and agreed to meet Qin Lingxiao alone.
When she arrived at the stream pavilion, Qin Lingxiao was seated, controlling seven spirit swords with his sword-qi as they rapidly circled above his head, emitting a faint golden glow.
Upon noticing Cui Xiaoxiao’s approach, he gently snapped his fingers, recalling the swords before lightly tapping the jade table beside him, indicating for her to sit and drink tea.
For the esteemed leader of the preeminent Sword Sect to humble himself and invite a member of the lesser Talisman Sect for tea, others would have felt greatly honored.
However, Cui Xiaoxiao knew this was a trap and did not sit. Instead, she smiled and candidly said, “Sect Leader Qin, you wish to discuss something, don’t you? I’m not entirely sure how that bead ended up in my pocket. Since I participated in subjugating the demon, it’s not unreasonable for the spirit bead to belong to me. However, if Sect Leader desires it, I can understand and gift it to you to maintain harmony between our sects.”
This slippery rhetoric was honed from Cui Xiaoxiao’s experiences in the Jianghu.
Recognizing her inability to defeat Qin Lingxiao’s sword-qi, Cui Xiaoxiao proactively extended an olive branch to swiftly resolve the matter and avoid further trouble.
Hearing her words, Qin Lingxiao let out a cold laugh of disbelief and slowly drawled, “You didn’t take it?”
After the silkworm incident, the Sword Sect disciples had thoroughly investigated the new Talisman Sect Leader’s background and reported it to Qin Lingxiao.
A female pickpocket who had roamed the streets for years was claiming she didn’t steal something? Who would believe that?
Cui Xiaoxiao nodded, though not expecting this Sect Leader to believe her, as that was simply the truth.
She took out the Soul-Sealing Wooden Box from her pocket and handed it to Qin Lingxiao, hoping to swiftly resolve the matter.
As soon as Qin Lingxiao’s hand touched the wooden box, it suddenly burst into raging flames.
Startled, Qin Lingxiao hastily circulated his inner energy to strike the box away.
At that moment, a bright light flashed, and the previously dull demonic bead seemed to regain its energy, becoming translucent and glowing.
It agilely evaded Qin Lingxiao’s attempts to grab it, fleeing like a shooting star through the clouds, but then abruptly changed course and charged towards the standing Cui Xiaoxiao instead.
Caught off guard, Cui Xiaoxiao was struck by the bead, knocking her to the ground. She felt a surge of heat on her wrist and a scorching sensation in her chest before the demonic bead vanished without a trace.
As she tried to get up, Qin Lingxiao suddenly approached, grabbed her wrist, and rolled up her sleeve, revealing sinuous, snake-like talisman patterns etched onto Cui Xiaoxiao’s wrist.
“What is this?” Cui Xiaoxiao asked, enduring the pain in her chest.
Qin Lingxiao’s expression was complex, glaring at Cui Xiaoxiao as if he had swallowed dog feces, seeming indignant and reluctant.
Finally, he appeared to make a decision, slowly raising his eyes to meet Cui Xiaoxiao’s and asking, “It seems you are also aware that I must have this demonic bead…Since this aligns with your desire, I shall comply. I don’t know if you have previously chosen a cultivation partner?”
Huh? Cui Xiaoxiao did not expect Qin Lingxiao to suddenly ask such an unrelated question.
However, Qin Lingxiao did not seem interested in her answer, continuing, “You probably haven’t, otherwise you wouldn’t have schemed so elaborately against me. Regardless of the sect’s teachings, finding a suitable cultivation partner can double one’s progress. I have already formed my Golden Core and only need to undergo the final transformation into a Yuanying before ascending through tribulation. If you cultivate with me, it would bypass a hundred years of bitter cultivation…You should be aware that such a shortcut would not normally be available to you, but by deceiving me and absorbing the demonic bead, you have left me no choice but to comply with your desire…However, we shall keep this union simple. I do not wish to openly flaunt it to the world!”
Qin Lingxiao spoke as if forced to eat feces. But Cui Xiaoxiao did not think marrying him would be like consuming a ginseng fruit either!
She stared at him in bewilderment and hesitantly asked, “Sect Leader Qin…have you gone mad? I have a cooling talisman here, would you like one to clear your head?”
Qin Lingxiao was still in a foul mood, coldly stating, “You intentionally took the demonic bead and absorbed it into your body, clearly scheming for this marital relationship?…My Nine Profundities Sword Sect has always valued its reputation, so of course I will take full responsibility. But a forced marriage will not be sweet. Miss, you have schemed so elaborately, you had better not regret this later…”
He desperately needed the demonic bead to suppress the demonic nature within him. And this Cui Xiaoxiao had intentionally absorbed the bead, her motives were clear!
If he wanted to claim the bead for himself, he would either have to kill Cui Xiaoxiao or join her in secluded cultivation for seven days and nights.
Although the Talisman Sect of Mount Ling was not a major sect, it still focused on demon subjugation and exorcism, aligning with the righteous path. If he killed this scheming woman, it would tarnish the renowned Sword Sect’s reputation.
Secluded dual cultivation might not sound proper. But if he refused, word would spread that he had seduced and abandoned a woman, branding him as one who deceived women for lust.
For the present situation, his only option was to temporarily take her as his partner through a legitimate marriage, which would allow him to absorb the demonic bead, and they could discuss further later… Moreover, her bloodline was the counter to his demonic cultivation; if he found a suitable method, he might even permanently resolve his affliction.
By making her his wife, she would also be protected from being used against him by others with ill intent.
Qin Lingxiao had encountered countless women scheming to ensnare him before, but never imagined being deceived by such a wily vixen this time.
Amidst his vexation, he could only console himself: This woman has an unusual destiny, and her bloodline counters Wei Jie’s demonic nature, so marrying her might not be a total loss.
With this thought, Qin Lingxiao’s mood gradually calmed, his displeasure diminishing as he awaited the devious Talisman Sect Leader’s grateful response to his proposed marriage.
