After the Villainess Awakens

When Leng Mushi was young, she often fell and got sick. She wouldn't even notice small injuries on herself, and when her mother found out, she thought her mother's anxiety was making a big deal out of nothing.

She always felt that her mother was too soft, as if everything was a big deal to her. A small injury would make her blow on it repeatedly, giving endless instructions and showing her distress.

At that time, while enjoying her mother's care, Leng Mushi also felt that her mother was too fragile. She never quite believed the saying "Your pain is my pain."

It was only at this moment, as she looked at Xiao Mian's weak breath, that she felt a sharp pain in her heart, as if someone had stabbed her in the chest. She couldn't see any external injuries on him, but bloodstains were trickling from his seven orifices. The pain was like a blade twisting in her heart, crushing her insides.

She didn't dare to put her hand on the Prison Lock Formation, fearing it would detect her intrusion and attack her with protective runes. She wasn't fully prepared yet, not even daring to call out to Xiao Mian.

She slowly knelt down along the edge of the Prison Lock Formation, as close to Xiao Mian as possible. She tried to wipe her eyes, attempting to see his current state clearly, but no matter how much she wiped, her vision remained blurry.

Though the Concealing Spirit Pill hid her figure, it couldn't stop the tears that splashed softly on the ground.

Leng Mushi didn't stay long. When the disciples guarding the formation checked and found nothing unusual, preparing to close the forbidden ground's barrier, she quickly got up and left. As she exited, she quietly embedded a small piece of spirit jade, which she had refined herself, into the closing formation.

She didn't notice that the moment the formation closed, Xiao Mian, lying on the ground, opened his eyes. His sluggish gaze swept across the ground in front of him. Through the runes of the Prison Lock Formation, he saw a small, water-blurred mark on the ground outside the formation.

With no one noticing anything unusual, Leng Mushi, concealed from view, returned to the Cangsheng Courtyard. She hurriedly took out the Law, and as she poured her spiritual energy into it, the spirit jade disguised as spiritual energy on the forbidden ground's grand formation flickered. Then, above the Law, a scene appeared, showing the area directly facing Xiao Mian.

Leng Mushi sat in the small house in the Cangsheng Courtyard, staring blankly at the seemingly still image, experiencing the feeling of her heart being repeatedly cut.

Leng Mushi couldn't help but think, ah, so this is what heartbreak feels like.

But she had waited so long, painstakingly setting up this elaborate plan, even sneaking into the forbidden ground using the Concealing Spirit Pill. Naturally, she hadn't gone through all this trouble just to create a transmission screen. She was observing the patrol and shift changes of the disciples within the forbidden ground.

She had already figured out the rotation pattern of the disciples guarding the forbidden ground outside, as well as the patrol pattern of the Law Enforcement Hall disciples.

During this time, she had even thoroughly studied the Prison Lock Formation and found a way to bring someone out without triggering its alarm.

However, she needed to wait for the right moment, a foolproof opportunity when most of the sect's elders were away from the mountain and no one could defeat her in a single blow.

Leng Mushi hadn't been so determined before. Xiao Mian, trapped within the Prison Lock Formation, could indeed suppress the awakening of the Heavenly Demon Pill within him. Every day he was suppressed meant another day he lived.

But Hua Yanyue's hesitant look made Leng Mushi's heart skip a beat.

In fact, there was no need for Hua Yanyue to say anything. Even if Leng Mushi had to guess, it wasn't difficult to figure out that if the Prison Lock Formation could suppress the Heavenly Demon Pill, which even soul threads couldn't restrain, then the person trapped inside must be suffering unimaginable torment.

As expected, she saw it with her own eyes - a fate worse than death.

Looking at Xiao Mian's deathly stillness on the screen, Leng Mushi clenched her fists until they ached. When she was bringing Xiao Mian back, she had countless thoughts of explaining everything and escaping with him.

She even thought of taking Xiao Mian back to the Peach Blossom Spring they had discovered together and spending the remaining, limited happy time with him.

But in the end, she still brought Xiao Mian back. Because once the Heavenly Demon awakened and the seal on the Four Great Demon Generals collapsed, Xiao Mian wouldn't recognize her. Her abilities wouldn't be enough to subdue him, and by then, the Four Great Demon Generals would surely slaughter the world.

Although the cause of all this wasn't on her - the Heavenly Demon was formed from the collection of all the darkness in the world - if she acted rashly, the unprepared cultivation world and the mortal realm would face a catastrophe.

Xiao Mian was so kind; he would never be willing to let this catastrophe happen because of his own selfish desires.

That's why Leng Mushi brought him back. As she had discussed with Hua Yanyue, they would let the sect elders find a way to delay the awakening of the Heavenly Demon. Leng Mushi had already expected that this method would definitely not be easy.

But it was one thing to think about it, and another to see Xiao Mian's half-dead appearance with her own eyes. Leng Mushi even had a fleeting thought: to hell with the mortal world. If she had to watch Xiao Mian suffer a fate worse than death in the Prison Lock Formation, she might as well end his misery herself.

But she couldn't do it, not willing to let go, nor able to disregard everything else.

But now, the cultivation world was prepared to deal with the awakening of the Heavenly Demon. Even though it was still like throwing an egg against a rock, it was no longer completely powerless. Leng Mushi didn't need to wait any longer or worry about anyone else. The Heavenly Demon was destined to awaken, and she wanted Xiao Mian to live like a human for a few days before that happened.

Leng Mushi watched for a while longer and then put away the Law. The Law hadn't spoken for a long time. As Leng Mushi put it away, the tears on her fingertips brushed against it.

Leng Mushi put it into her storage bag, not noticing that the stone, which could usually recover even after being shattered and would return even after being thrown away, had developed fine cracks where her tears had fallen.

Leng Mushi put away the Law and before Hua Yanyue returned, she cleaned herself up and went back to the cellar to refine pills.

The opportunity that Leng Mushi was waiting for didn't take long to arrive. The news of the Blood Demon Mountain's tremors forced the leaders of each sect to gather there once again to reinforce the seal.

Only the Third Elder, Zhou Lan, whose true form was a phoenix, remained at the sect. She hadn't gone with the other leaders to Blood Demon Mountain this time because she might be affected by the demonic energy there.

Before leaving with the others at dawn, Hua Yanyue embraced Leng Mushi and promised, "After we return from reinforcing the seal, I will definitely talk to Elder Brother and let you see Xiao Mian."

They had no other choice. Even though they knew the "flood" was coming and had made preparations, they had to delay it as much as possible, even if it was for the sake of the world.

Leng Mushi didn't blame Hua Yanyue or anyone else. She obediently agreed and showed appropriate excitement.

Then, as soon as the sect leaders left the mountain, she activated the mount contract between her and Pink Lotus for the first time.

Once the mount contract was established, the master could access all the abilities of the mount, and the mount could draw vitality from the master.

At that time, Pink Lotus was sharing the demon beast pills they had brought back from the Demon Realm with Little Mei to increase their cultivation. When the contract within her was activated, she sensed that Leng Mushi was using her abilities.

Pink Lotus paused, pressing down on Little Mei's hand as she tried to feed her a pill. "Leng Mushi, she…"

Leng Mushi had changed her appearance to resemble You Zishu, who was currently busy in the main hall, handling the sect's affairs with his head buried in work.

Leng Mushi perfectly imitated You Zishu's missing arm and mannerisms. Holding the elder's token that Hua Yanyue always gave her, which she had transformed into the acting sect leader's token, she entered the forbidden ground's formation almost unimpeded.

Whether it was due to fate or a tragic twist of events, many of the Law Enforcement Hall disciples had also gone to Blood Demon Mountain with the sect leaders today. Inner sect disciples were temporarily assigned to guard the forbidden ground, and the person leading them was Leng Tianyin.

In the original story, Leng Tianyin would release Xiao Mian. But now, she just followed behind You Zishu with pity in her eyes. She glanced at Xiao Mian, unable to bear the sight, and turned her head away.

You Zishu stood beside Xiao Mian, looking at the Prison Lock Formation that had been reinforced again this morning and Xiao Mian inside, whose nose was still bleeding from the suppression. Holding back her own tears, she turned and attacked Leng Tianyin without warning.

Leng Mushi wasn't good at fighting, but during this time, she had refined countless pills that sealed the Shadow Sect's techniques. Yin Yi had personally demonstrated these techniques to her on the mountain.

Leng Mushi threw out a Spirit Sealing Pill, and the figures of the Shadow Sect disciples appeared like ghosts, subduing all the disciples who had entered the forbidden ground for inspection.

If the high-level disciples of the Law Enforcement Hall hadn't been away today, this move wouldn't have been foolproof.

Seeing Leng Tianyin collapse softly in front of her under the Shadow Sect's illusory techniques, Leng Mushi took a slight breath. Without delay, she took out a pair of gloves refined from the Shadow Demon's body from her storage bag. After putting them on, she released all her spiritual energy and tentatively reached towards the Prison Lock Formation.

There were conscious demons around, especially the male demon cultivator with vertical pupils who had spoken to Xiao Mian before. He had been observing Leng Mushi's movements and when she took out the Spirit Sealing Pill, his eyes narrowed, revealing his inhuman vertical pupils.

When he saw Leng Mushi put something invisible on her hands and then actually touch the Prison Lock Formation, the demon cultivator waited for her to be severely injured by the formation.

After all, he had seen with his own eyes what this formation could do. He didn't know what crime this young man had committed, but the runes on the Prison Lock Formation were countless times denser than the formation that trapped him. Those old geezers were really wary of this young man; they had even come to reinforce the formation this morning before leaving.

But what did he see now?! That female cultivator in disguise had actually placed her hands on the Prison Lock Formation, and she wasn't repelled!

Leng Mushi wasn't entirely sure either. Everything she had prepared for could still fail before it even began. The items refined from the Shadow Demon's body weren't necessarily as indestructible as the Shadow Demon's skin and flesh that had enveloped her and Xiao Mian, bringing them out of the Demon Realm.

If this didn't work, Leng Mushi couldn't even imagine what the powerful runes from the formation, jointly created by all the elders of the sect, would do to her.

Perhaps she would be instantly turned to ashes by the formidable runes released by the formation. After all, she was only at the peak of the Moon level, a pill cultivator who wasn't good at fighting, while this formation was created with the combined spiritual energy of all the elders of the Tai Chu Sect.

But she still came. Since she had brought Xiao Mian back and bought time for the sects to prepare for the battle, even if it meant violating the sect rules, even if it meant dying here today, she would take Xiao Mian away and let him live freely before he disappeared.

Leng Mushi stared wide-eyed as she placed her hand on the Prison Lock Formation, then slowly applied force. She watched as her hand completely sank into it.

"Ah… ha." She let out a soft sound, a sob of relief and joy.

The demons imprisoned around her, who had been watching, started to stir.

"Who are you!"

"Little sister, let me out, and I'll give you anything you want in this world, how about that?"

Perhaps Leng Mushi's disguise could fool Leng Tianyin and the others, but it couldn't deceive the eyes of these great demons. They saw through her disguise and abilities at a glance. What caught their attention was the transparent object on her hand that could easily penetrate the Prison Lock Formation without being detected, devoid of any spiritual energy or demonic energy fluctuations.

In the cultivation world, the Shadow Demon was the lowest level of demon, not even considered a real demon. It was like moss in the mortal world, ubiquitous and silent, yet tenaciously covering many places.

No one would have thought that after refinement, the Shadow Demon could be so powerful.

These great demons were envious of the transparent object on Leng Mushi's hand, but none of them could imagine that it was refined from a Shadow Demon.

They whispered among themselves, their strange cries and roars growing louder, as if threatening to attract the guarding disciples if Leng Mushi didn't respond and release them all.

Leng Mushi ignored them completely. Seeing that her hand, covered by the glove refined from the Shadow Demon, could pass through the deadly Prison Lock Formation without any resistance, she quickly took out a piece of cloth, also refined from the Shadow Demon, from her storage bag and covered Xiao Mian with it.

Then she grabbed Xiao Mian's body with both hands and, gritting her teeth, dragged him, covered by the Shadow Demon cloth, towards the outside of the Prison Lock Formation. She made sure that he wasn't exposed at all, lest he be instantly killed by the formation.

Xiao Mian was completely unconscious. He was still a little far from Leng Mushi's side. Kneeling beside the formation, Leng Mushi stretched her arms as far as she could. Unable to use any spiritual energy, she could only rely on brute strength.

In her haste and panic, Leng Mushi's glove slipped slightly, and the edge of the Prison Lock Formation instantly cut a deep gash in her arm, bone-deep.

"Ah… hiss…" She gasped, but didn't pull back, continuing to drag Xiao Mian out.

When Xiao Mian was halfway out, she adjusted the Shadow Demon cloth again, making sure that no part of him was exposed. Then, ignoring the blood gushing from her arm, she continued to drag him out.

The imprisoned demons, witnessing Leng Mushi rescuing someone, began to shout, even the demon cultivator with vertical pupils who had spoken to Xiao Mian earlier: "Girl, let us out with him! Your sect disciples will definitely chase you when they see you taking him away. We can help you deal with them."

The man's voice was deliberately gentle, laced with persuasion. His words were logical and reasonable. Leng Mushi paused and turned to look at him… She really didn't have any help.

Seeing her hesitate, the man continued, "We will be eternally grateful for your life-saving grace. Don't worry, we only want to escape and will never harm your fellow disciples."

He was too clever, seeing through Leng Mushi's thoughts and concerns at a glance. As he spoke, his eyes narrowed into slits, a glint flashing within them. He was actually casting an illusion spell on Leng Mushi through the formation.

Leng Mushi's hesitation lasted only a moment. She had already completely pulled Xiao Mian out of the Prison Lock Formation.

Her hands trembling, she touched Xiao Mian's face, which was no different from a dead person's. Her heart felt as if it were being cut by a knife. She looked at the man and said, "I've even killed a Mirage Fox. With your little remaining power after being consumed by the formation, you dare to use an illusion on me?"

Leng Mushi removed the gloves from her hands and the Shadow Demon cloth covering Xiao Mian. Then, she took out a pill from her storage bag, refined from her own soul thread. She pried open Xiao Mian's lips and fed it to him.

This was refined in secret from Hua Yanyue, using her own extracted soul thread and based on the formula of the Five Elements Pill. Leng Mushi named it the "Heart Sharing Pill."

Ordinary people couldn't lose too much of their soul, but she was a cultivator, so it wasn't a big deal. It would just make her weak, and she would also share Xiao Mian's pain.

After feeding him the pill, she got up and, supporting him, prepared to leave. But before she could reach the exit, she saw You Zishu rushing back to the barrier with people…

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