Transmigrating into the world of Jade Dynasty, I was targeted by the female lead in a reverse romanc

Back in the bamboo hut, I closed the door, shutting out the sound of the pouring rain and the faint rumble of thunder. The lingering scent of the morning I left still lingered inside, mixed with the dampness of the rain, creating a unique sense of privacy.

Jiang Xiaochuan stood at the door, half of his clothes were wet and his hair was dripping wet, looking at the familiar furnishings inside the room.

Embarrassment and nervousness belatedly welled up inside him, even more so than when he was in the rain, and he didn't know what to do with his hands and feet.

Lu Xueqi went into the inner room, took out a dry cloth, and handed it to him: "Wipe yourself off."

"Oh, thank you."

Jiang Xiaochuan took it and rubbed it haphazardly on his head and face, his eyes darting around, not daring to look at Lu Xueqi.

Lu Xueqi took a cloth and slowly wiped the rain from her hair and face. After she finished, she walked to the window and looked at the misty bamboo forest outside, shrouded in rain.

The room was quiet, with only the faint sound of cloth rubbing together and the two people's uneven breathing.

After a long while, Lu Xueqi suddenly spoke, her voice soft and tentative: "Why...are you so nervous?"

Jiang Xiaochuan paused in his act of drying his hair.

"I'm not going to eat you, relax." Lu Xueqi turned her head and looked at him, her eyes clear, with a faint smile on her lips.

Jiang Xiaochuan: "..."

His brain has gone blank again. How am I supposed to respond to that?

Saying "I wasn't nervous"? Nobody would believe that.

Saying "I'm afraid you'll eat me" seems even more inappropriate.

Seeing his dazed look, Lu Xueqi's smile deepened. She pursed her lips, as if she had made up her mind, put down the cloth, and walked towards him.

As Jiang Xiaochuan watched the approaching moon-white figure, his breath caught in his throat. He instinctively tried to back away, but his heel hit the door, leaving him nowhere to retreat.

"You, you...you..."

Lu Xueqi stopped in front of him, looked down at him, and then reached out and placed her hands on his shoulders, using a little force to push him backward.

Jiang Xiaochuan was completely caught off guard by her sudden attack. He staggered back two steps as she pushed him, his knees hitting the edge of the bed. He lost his balance and landed hard on his bottom on the bed.

"Sit still," Lu Xueqi said, her tone calm, yet carrying an almost commanding quality he had never heard before.

Jiang Xiaochuan was dumbfounded. He sat on the edge of the bed, looking up at her, completely unaware of what she was going to do.

Lu Xueqi sat down beside him, and then... reached out and placed her hand on his shoulder, her fingers gently kneading it.

Jiang Xiaochuan: "!!!"

His muscles tensed instantly, like a stiff stone. The cool yet soft fingertips, through the damp fabric, pressed on the acupoints on his shoulders and neck, bringing a strange sensation that was a mixture of soreness and a peculiar tingling.

"You, you, you..." He stammered for a long time, his face turning red, his tongue tied, unable to utter a complete sentence.

Lu Xueqi lowered her head and focused on pressing his shoulders, slowly moving from his neck and shoulders down to the tense muscles in his back.

Her technique was actually quite clumsy; she just relied on her sense of touch, pressing here and pinching there. But her fingers were very steady, and she controlled the pressure very carefully.

"Relax," she said again, her voice even softer and gentler than before, like a feather brushing against the heart.

"Your old injuries haven't healed, and you got caught in the rain, so your muscles are all tense. Let me massage them for you; it'll make you feel better."

Jiang Xiaochuan's mind was buzzing, half of it was shock, and the other half was that unfamiliar, touching thrill. He could smell the cool fragrance on Lu Xueqi's body, and because he was so close, he could feel the warmth of her breath as it brushed past his ear. He could see her long, drooping eyelashes casting small shadows on her fair face.

"I... I can do it myself..." He hesitated for a long time before finally managing to utter a sentence, his voice so soft it was like a mosquito's hum.

Lu Xueqi ignored him, pressed her fingers on a spot on his back, and applied a little more pressure.

"Hiss—" Jiang Xiaochuan was caught off guard and gasped, his body instinctively shrinking back.

Lu Xueqi immediately released her grip, looked up at him, a hint of panic flashing in her eyes: "Did I hurt you?"

"N-nothing..." Jiang Xiaochuan turned his face away, not daring to look into her worried eyes that were so close to his.

It wasn't pain, it was... it was just too strange, the feeling was so strange.

Looking at his flushed profile and evasive eyes, Lu Xueqi suddenly understood something.

The panic in her eyes faded, replaced by a deeper, slightly mischievous smile. She leaned closer and whispered in his ear, in a voice only the two of them could hear, "Xiao Chuan, your ears are so red."

Jiang Xiaochuan shuddered as if struck by an electric current, and abruptly turned his head, staring at her with wide eyes.

Seeing his wide, incredulous eyes, Lu Xueqi could no longer hide her smile, which spread from her eyes to the corners of her mouth, blossoming into a clear smile with a hint of mischief and pride.

That smile softened the usual coolness in her eyes, making her bright and lively, like the first melting of ice and snow, and the first bloom of spring flowers.

Jiang Xiaochuan stared at her smile, mesmerized, his heart skipping several beats without warning.

He snapped out of his daze, realizing he had been staring blankly again, and immediately became furious (though mainly embarrassed).

He stood up abruptly, took two steps back to create distance, and tried to regain some control.

"You, you stand still!" He pointed at Lu Xueqi, his voice still a little unsteady.

Lu Xueqi readily stood up, dusted off non-existent dust from her hands, and looked at him with a leisurely smile in her eyes, as if asking: And then?

Jiang Xiaochuan was even angrier when he saw her "at your mercy" attitude.

He took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down, and then circled around Lu Xueqi, looking her up and down carefully.

Well, the moon-white casual clothes were made of ordinary material, but they looked beautiful on her. Her posture was upright, like a bamboo or a pine tree in winter. Her chest... ptooey, ptooey, ptooey, don't look! Her waist was very slender, her legs were very long, and her face... needless to say, was exquisitely beautiful, with eyebrows and eyes like a painting. At this moment, she was also smiling, which added to her liveliness.

It's Lu Xueqi, that's right.

The cards are fine.

"Finished reading?" Lu Xueqi raised an eyebrow, seemingly finding his "verifying" manner amusing.

"I've seen it all! It's you, it's you, you weren't switched." Jiang Xiaochuan replied stiffly, looking away, his face still flushed.

Lu Xueqi laughed again, this time a low laugh that escaped from her throat, carrying a hint of pleasure. She took a step forward, getting closer to him.

Jiang Xiaochuan immediately retreated, his back pressed against the table, with nowhere left to go.

"What...what are you planning to do now?"

"Nothing."

Lu Xueqi stopped a step away from him, tilted her head slightly, and looked at him:

"I just thought... you looked kind of cute."

Jiang Xiaochuan: "..."

He died. He chose to die on the spot, and Lu Xueqi said he was cute. This was more terrifying than being struck by lightning.

Seeing that he looked like he was about to faint, Lu Xueqi finally had a change of heart (???) and stopped teasing him.

She stepped back, walked to the table, poured herself a glass of water, took a sip, poured another glass, and handed it to him.

"Drink some water to calm your nerves," she said, her tone returning to its usual calm, though the smile in her eyes hadn't completely faded.

Jiang Xiaochuan mechanically took the water glass and gulped it down. The cool water quenched his thirst and slightly extinguished the heat on his face and in his heart. He held the empty glass, looked down at the little water stain at the bottom, his mind still in a mess.

Lu Xueqi... seems really different, at least not like the one in my memory.

Is this really Lu Xueqi? Or is he still stuck in that absurd dream?

He secretly glanced at her. Lu Xueqi was standing by the window, looking at the continuous rain outside. Her profile was serene, and the rain reflected on her face, softening her features, yet she was still unrealistically beautiful.

Jiang Xiaochuan sighed inwardly. Regardless of whether it was a dream or not, regardless of what it turned out to be, this face, this person, was right here, and he seemed... truly unable to refuse.

Ghost King Sect, Fox Ridge Mountain

The stone corridor was deep and dark, the dim light reflecting off the ferocious animal head reliefs on the walls, casting distorted and swaying shadows.

The Fairy of Three Wonders, dressed in pristine white, stood quietly in the stone hall where the Ghost King Sect held its reception.

Behind her stood several female disciples of the Hehuan Sect, all of whom were beautiful and had a cold demeanor. The leading female disciple was about twenty years old, dressed in a pale yellow dress. She had delicate features and a graceful air about her, but at this moment she stood quietly with her head down.

The Ghost King emerged from the inner room, his face bearing his usual refined and gentle smile, though a hint of weariness and solemnity lurked deep within his eyes.

"We are deeply sorry for not welcoming the Fairy Sanmiao properly. May we ask what brings you here?"

Fairy Sanmiao nodded slightly in return, her voice as clear and cold as jade: "Sect Leader Ghost King, you are too kind. I have come here for two reasons. First, to discuss the future situation with you regarding the losses suffered by various factions within our Holy Sect after the Battle of Qingyun Mountain. Second,..."

She paused, then calmly looked at the Ghost King. "I've heard that your esteemed Miss Biyao recently obtained a magical artifact passed down by Lady Jinling of my Hehuan Sect—the Hehuan Bell?"

The Ghost King's smile remained unchanged, but his eyes subtly darkened.

He thought that Sanmiao had come to ask for the Hehuan Bell. The Hehuan Bell was indeed a possession of the Hehuan Sect, which had been lost for many years. It was fortunate that Yao'er obtained it in the Dripping Blood Cave. But once something is obtained, how can it be returned so easily?

Moreover, Yao'er was particularly fond of that bell...

The Ghost King spoke slowly, his tone devoid of emotion: "It is indeed so. My daughter had a fortuitous encounter. What, does the fairy wish to retrieve it?"

Fairy Sanmiao shook her head, her face still expressionless: "Magic treasures have spirits and choose their own masters. It is Miss Biyao's good fortune and the bell's destiny that it was able to be recognized as her master. I did not come here for that reason."

She then changed the subject: "Since the Hehuan Bell has already recognized Miss Biyao as its master, their destinies are now intertwined. Our Hehuan Sect happens to have several cultivation techniques that complement the Hehuan Bell. I wonder if Miss Biyao would be willing to learn them?"

A glint of light flashed in the Ghost King's eyes.

They don't want the bell, they want the cultivation technique? Is there really such a good thing?

He was wary, but showed no sign of it on his face. He simply smiled and said, "I appreciate your kindness on behalf of my daughter, but she is young and her cultivation is shallow. I fear that she will fail to live up to your kindness and disgrace the profound techniques of the Hehuan Sect."

Fairy Sanmiao said calmly, "Sect Master Guiwang is too modest. Miss Biyao is exceptionally talented and possesses the wonders of both Guiwang Sect and... Heavenly Book. Her future is limitless. If she can complement the techniques of Hehuan Sect, her achievements in the future will surely surpass ours."

She deliberately emphasized the words "heavenly book" in her tone.

The Ghost King's heart skipped a beat. The Heavenly Book! She really knew about it! Or rather, the higher-ups of the Demonic Sect had many guesses about this matter, and her mentioning it now was both a test and a bargaining chip.

Fairy Sanmiao continued, "In the Battle of Qingyun, our Holy Sect appeared to be powerful, but in reality, each faction harbored its own agenda, resulting in heavy casualties. The intentions of the Longevity Hall and the Ten Thousand Poisons Sect are unfathomable. Your sect has developed rapidly in recent years and has the assistance of the Heavenly Book. Given time, it will surely become the mainstay of our Holy Sect. Our Hehuan Sect is weak and is willing to form an alliance with your sect to rely on each other."

She glanced at the Ghost King's expression and added, "I can personally teach Miss Biyao the two true techniques of the Hehuan Sect, 'Bewitching Heart Technique' and 'Entwined Silk Technique.' These two techniques, when combined with the Hehuan Bell, will be doubly powerful. As for the other unique skills of our sect..."

She pointed to the female disciple in the pale yellow dress behind her, "This is my little disciple Jin Ping'er. She has some talent. In the future, we can let her get closer to Miss Biyao and learn from each other."

Having said all that, the intention is quite clear.

They formed alliances, exchanged cultivation techniques, and even offered their next generation core disciples (Jin Ping'er) as a bond.

All they sought was to rely on the Ghost King Sect, a powerful force that might grow even stronger thanks to the Heavenly Book, and secure a stable place in the future landscape of demonic sects.

The Ghost King remained silent, clearly understanding the advantages and disadvantages. Although the Joyful Union Sect was weak, it still possessed a strong foundation, and the Three Wonders Fairy herself was unfathomable.

Obtaining its techniques would indeed benefit Yao'er, and forming an alliance could also slightly restrain the Longevity Hall and the Ten Thousand Poisons Sect.

But... could there be any hidden dangers in this technique? Sanmiao is a man of deep thoughts and is by no means an easy person to deal with.

Just as he was weighing his options, soft footsteps came from behind the curtain on the side of the stone hall, and a figure in light green emerged.

It's Biyao.

She looked thinner than before, her face was a little pale, but her eyes were no longer as empty and blank as before, but rather filled with a deeper, more complex emotion.

She walked to the Ghost King's side and bowed to Fairy Sanmiao: "Biyao greets Senior Sanmiao."

The Three Wonders Fairy's gaze fell on Biyao, scrutinizing her closely.

The young woman was slender and beautiful. The natural pride and liveliness between her brows had not been completely worn away by the recent setbacks. Instead, they were mixed with a faint melancholy, which added to her charm.

In particular, the aura that subtly flowed around her body actually resonated with the Hehuan Sect's techniques, and her foundation was far more solid than that of her peers.

"Miss Biyao, there's no need for such formality." The Three Wonders Fairy's tone softened somewhat, a rare occurrence for her. "Did you hear what was said just now, Miss? What are your thoughts?"