The Grotesque Miss’s End Story v3c30

Chapter 30: Collaboration

The illusory “past” faded, and the chilling aura of Doomsday and decay returned, the dried riverbed filled with stagnant, foul-smelling blood.

“Ugh…”

Xuanyuan Mu Yan knelt on the ground, her face contorted in pain.

Gungnir wasn’t just a simple piercing wound; it was a fatal blow. Even a slightly weaker Xuanyuan Mu Yan might have died instantly.

However, Luo Ling’s flesh and blood disguise had mitigated some of Gungnir’s power, her injuries not as severe.

…If she hadn’t abandoned her defense and tried to intercept Moonflower, Camellia wouldn’t have had the opportunity to throw the spear. Gungnir’s most potent characteristic only activated upon being thrown.

Xuanyuan Mu Yan’s impulsive attempt to stall them had backfired, resulting in a severe injury.

Her long white hair cascaded down her back, spilling onto the polluted ground. Her usually sharp features were softened by pain, her slightly furrowed brow revealing a vulnerability that would shock the Xuanyuan disciples who had endured her brutal training.

Luo Ling looked at the spot where Moonflower and the others had vanished, a thoughtful expression on her face.

“Tsk, was this… planned?”

Luo Ling’s lips twitched. Although Moonflower’s actions were unexpected, they were understandable.

Iris’s role was limited. Her inclusion in this team was solely due to her identity as Jingwei’s God’s Favored.

Despite the supposed “fair competition” with Camellia, Iris had been excluded from the start.

And now, having fulfilled her purpose, and with Iris being… well, Iris… bringing her along would only be a burden.

Iris wasn’t a combatant, her skills focused on farming, sending her to the front lines would be asking too much.

But abandoning Iris here as a scapegoat was still… excessive.

If not for Luo Ling’s prior arrangement with the Xuanyuan clan, Iris, left alone here, would likely be terrified.

…Actually, even with Luo Ling’s presence, Iris had been quite scared.

Moreover, Iris found she couldn’t speak of Moonflower or anything related to her, unable even to curse her.

Luo Ling also noticed this silencing effect, but after a brief struggle, she could speak again. This minor technique wasn’t very effective against her.

It seemed Moonflower, before leaving, had taken precautions to prevent Iris from revealing their information.

“Perhaps she’s also relying on Iris’s identity as Jingwei’s God’s Favored, knowing the Xuanyuan clan wouldn’t harm her.”

Luo Ling sighed inwardly. Without communication, the only way to obtain information would be soul searching, incredibly damaging except for the Puppet Ballad’s abilities and a few other special methods. Jingwei, according to legend, was the Yan Emperor’s daughter; the Xuanyuan clan wouldn’t harm Her God’s Favored.

However…

Luo Ling looked at Xuanyuan Mu Yan, who also looked up at her, the pain in her eyes lessening.

Xuanyuan Mu Yan had taken emergency medicine, but it could only slow the spread of the injury, not heal the wound inflicted by a Taboo artifact.

“…Miss Crow?”

Xuanyuan Mu Yan said uncertainly, taking the seemingly lifeless crow from her pocket.

Before Luo Ling could react, the teal bird on her head flapped its wings excitedly, chirping in Luo Ling’s mind,

“Wow, it’s the red Lord Jingwei!”

“Cough, cough…”

Luo Ling coughed awkwardly, hearing Iris’s excited cries, then sighed.

“It seems… there’s no point in hiding anymore.”

She took the small bird from her head, patting it gently.

“Reveal yourself, Miss Iris.”

The teal bird tilted its head, trying to act cute, but seeing Luo Ling’s unwavering gaze, it reluctantly transformed, lowering its head shyly and hiding beside Luo Ling.

Even now, Iris still disliked “Zhuolu’s Battlefield at the Final Hour,” wanting to remain a bird nestled in Luo Ling’s hair.

Xuanyuan Mu Yan stared at the two nearly identical teal-haired girls, dumbfounded.

In her perception, these two were practically clones, identical in every aspect, including their auras, impossible even for twins.

But their personalities were clearly different, two distinct individuals.

“This is Jingwei’s current God’s Favored, Iris,” Luo Ling said. “My name is Black Kite, you could say… her younger sister, also the Miss Crow you know.”

Luo Ling snapped her fingers, and the crow in Xuanyuan Mu Yan’s hand instantly dissipated into white threads, scattering in the wind.

“Huh? What happened?”

Iris blinked, confused. What was going on? Did Miss Black Kite know this fierce woman? And Miss Crow… was that another new identity?

“Hmm? So… you’re not Jingwei’s God’s Favored?” Xuanyuan Mu Yan asked, surprised. In her perception, both Iris and Black Kite were equally close to Jingwei.

“How should I explain this… the situation is… different from what you imagine,” Luo Ling said, not wanting to elaborate, shrugging. “Anyway, as you can see, they abandoned us. Now… we’re on the same side.”

“……”

Xuanyuan Mu Yan didn’t reply, quickly composing herself.

She knew her priority wasn’t Jingwei’s God’s Favored, but this Miss Black Kite.

Her stance, how to interact with her… these were Xuanyuan Mu Yan’s concerns.

Clearly, Xuanyuan Mu Yan wasn’t good at this, simply staring at Luo Ling, making Luo Ling unsure what to say.

Just then, a soft cough echoed, and they looked towards the source.

A tall figure emerged from the shadows, a small, inconspicuous wheelchair beside her.

A young-looking woman, despite the large scar on her face, sat in the wheelchair, her chin resting on her only hand, looking at Luo Ling with a faint smile.

“Hello, Little Crow, or should I say, Little Black Kite?” Xuanyuan Linglong’s lips curved slightly, her injured eye opening, revealing a deep darkness. “But that’s just another name, isn’t it?”

Xuanyuan Linglong, whom they had just met, and her second son, Xuanyuan Mu Wu. The Grand Elder of the Enforcement Hall, initially furious about the grave robbers, now stood meekly behind his mother’s wheelchair.

“…You’re a little late, Sister Linglong,” Luo Ling said after a moment of silence.

“Who is this?” Iris whispered, tugging at Luo Ling’s clothes, confused. Black Kite had just arrived in the Great Xia Imperial City, her first encounter with the Xuanyuan clan, why were they so familiar?

“Not too late,” Xuanyuan Linglong shrugged. “There were some… matters… to attend to. Besides, I’m retired, I shouldn’t be involved in these things.” She looked at Xuanyuan Mu Yan, a hint of maternal authority in her gaze. “Especially since… even Yan’er is injured.”

“…I’m sorry, Mother,” Xuanyuan Mu Yan lowered her head, a rare display of embarrassment. “I was careless.”

“Be more careful next time, if there is a next time, if you don’t want to end up like me,” Xuanyuan Linglong said with a smile, a sharp edge hidden within.

Xuanyuan Mu Yan lowered her head further.

After this brief reprimand, Xuanyuan Linglong looked at Luo Ling again.

“This matter is more complicated than you imagine, Little Black Kite. My advice is to stay out of it, but you likely won’t listen, and I’m not in a position to tell you what to do, you’re not my daughter, after all.”

Luo Ling didn’t know what to say, Linglong having already said everything she wanted to say. Indeed, regardless of the Xuanyuan clan’s attitude, she would continue, their stance wouldn’t change her actions.

“However… I know what you’re after. Actually, for the Xuanyuan clan, Heavenly Woman Ba’s Taboo Authority isn’t important,” Xuanyuan Linglong said softly. “We don’t need it. If you’re interested, and capable, you can have it.

“But we don’t want anyone using this opportunity to touch the Xuanyuan clan’s true Taboo, or even threaten our existence.”

Luo Ling pondered for a moment.

“So?”

“So, don’t we have a basis for cooperation?” Xuanyuan Linglong’s eyes curved into crescents, a sweet smile on her face. “You take your Authority, we’ll deal with our own people, each getting what we want, isn’t that nice, Little Black Kite~?”

Her sweet, soft voice made it hard to imagine her as the mother of three, even harder to imagine her infamous reputation for ruthlessness and cruelty in the Great Xia Imperial City.

“I… don’t object to cooperation,” Luo Ling said, glancing at Iris.

Iris, noticing her gaze, blinked innocently.

Luo Ling felt a surge of helplessness.

Facing Moonflower, Camellia, and Snowdrop alone was a daunting task, especially with their hidden strengths, their true power unfathomable.

And Miss Iris…

She was a god-tier support, but on the front lines, she would be a burden, hopefully not actively hindering them. Expecting her help was wishful thinking.

Therefore, collaborating with the Xuanyuan clan seemed like a viable option.

“Good, Little Black Kite, I knew I saw something special in you,” Xuanyuan Linglong’s smile widened, hearing Luo Ling’s answer. “I’d love to see your true form. Would it be even cuter than this?”

“…Not very convenient,” Luo Ling said, averting her gaze slightly, flustered by Xuanyuan Linglong’s enthusiasm, unsure of her intentions. However, she was certain of one thing: the woman held no malice, although her thoughts were still unreadable.

“Oh, what a pity,” Xuanyuan Linglong feigned disappointment, then, seeing Luo Ling’s indifferent reaction, shifted slightly, reclining lazily against her chair, and chuckled.

“It seems… Little Black Kite is still… adorably serious… about certain things.”

Luo Ling remained silent on this topic, having learned her lesson from Xuanyuan Linglong, it wasn’t time for revelations yet, and silence was golden.

Xuanyuan Linglong quickly turned serious.

“As for how to cooperate… the Xuanyuan clan can’t act openly right now. Their timing is perfect. Most of our high-ranking members are still at the ancestral rites. Our clan leader’s return with a few elders is already pushing it, a large-scale return would cause panic.

“Besides Zhuolu’s Battlefield, the Xuanyuan clan has other restricted areas to protect, including myself, we can’t be away for long.”

They couldn’t abandon their other territories just for Zhuolu’s Battlefield.

“Therefore, regarding this collaboration, the Xuanyuan clan can only send a… suitable representative—there, Xuanyuan Mu Yan, my beloved eldest daughter.”

Xuanyuan Linglong’s tone turned playful.

Xuanyuan Mu Yan was practically a copy of Xuanyuan Linglong, just taller.

However, unlike her mother, Mu Yan was serious and rigid.

She exchanged glances with Luo Ling, nodding slightly.

“Little Black Kite, I’m even entrusting my beloved daughter to you, how’s that for sincerity?” Xuanyuan Linglong chuckled.

“Does the Xuanyuan clan have a way of entering the ‘past’?” Luo Ling asked, ignoring her question.

If they did, she wouldn’t need to use Omniscience.

She knew Omniscience could tear through the barrier between the present and the past, but the consequences were unpredictable, potentially disastrous.

The Chaos Path’s unique characteristics were always troublesome.

“Unfortunately, no,” Xuanyuan Linglong shrugged. “The Fairy of Penglai Island relies on this to evade us, a constant headache.”

They couldn’t defeat her, and her escape methods were unmatched.

“Discuss the details with Yan’er. Whether obtaining ‘Past Medicine’ from Penglai Island, or visiting Qing Qiu Kingdom or Xi He Palace, our clan leader has made arrangements, you can decide.”

Xuanyuan Linglong said, “In any case, this is a collaboration, not a commission. Achieving our mutual goals is ideal, but even if we fail… it’s fine.”

She stopped abruptly, a strange glint in her eyes as she looked towards where Moonflower and the others had vanished.

This one also held grudges…

Wait, why “also”?

“Anyway, you can continue now,” Xuanyuan Linglong looked back at Luo Ling, her smile returning. “Cooperate with Yan’er, I look forward to your results.”

Xuanyuan Linglong waved her hand, and Xuanyuan Mu Wu wheeled her away.

After they left, Luo Ling and Xuanyuan Mu Yan met each other’s gazes.

“Black Crow… Miss Black Kite, what’s next?” Xuanyuan Mu Yan asked, her voice filled with killing intent. “Where should we attack? Xi He Palace? Qing Qiu Kingdom? Or directly to Penglai Sacred Land?”

“……”

Luo Ling’s gaze lowered slightly, noticing the gaping wound on Xuanyuan Mu Yan’s chest, a fatal injury for ordinary people, even strong ones would be incapacitated…

But Xuanyuan Mu Yan’s aura remained undiminished…

“Do most Xuanyuan clan members only think about killing…?” Luo Ling wondered, then shook her head. “There’s no need, I have my own methods of accessing the ‘past.’

“Now, the priority is… to heal your injury.”

Xuanyuan Linglong hadn’t mentioned Xuanyuan Mu Yan’s injury, knowing Luo Ling’s ability to manipulate flesh and blood.

With her, this injury was a trivial matter.

“Remove your upper garment—or should I… help you?”