Reborn As A Villainous Cannon Fodder

Chapter 487: Ch 487 – Why did the Liuli Sect seize the Holy Maiden of my Divine Abyss Gate?

“Actually…”

“Yino is just a bit strong-willed; he didn’t mean to humiliate you publicly like that…”

In the small cottage on Jinglan Peak, Ruoning lay sprawled by the bedside, puffing her cheeks and muttering, her fingers occasionally poking at her former master, who was curled up under the blankets, refusing to emerge.

This scene was almost too much for Ruoning to handle.

She had come to Jinglan Peak to comfort Chaerin under Dia’s guidance, expecting to be rejected or driven away. But when Ruoning knocked on the courtyard gate, no one answered. She cautiously pushed it open, tiptoed into the yard, and found the door to Chaerin’s chamber wide open, with Chaerin herself huddled silently under the quilts on the bed, withdrawn and mute.

And then…

That led to Ruoning squatting by the bedside, trying to coax her out.

Who would have thought that the aloof and strict master from the real world would, in her youth, be so upset that she’d curl up in tears?

Even more absurd was that Yino was the one who had provoked her like this.

According to Dia, the original plot should have involved Ruoning visiting, being seen as mocking by Chaerin, followed by a duel in the courtyard. Eventually, the two girls would become friends through sparring, gradually letting go of their prejudices and cultivating together.

But now…

Yino had reduced Chaerin to tears, and when Ruoning arrived, Chaerin wouldn’t even leave her bed.

[Forget it. She’s beyond comforting.]

[Chaerin is obsessed with cultivation; if you directly offer to teach her, she won’t refuse…]

In the sea of consciousness, Dia’s voice sounded somewhat helpless.

At the same time, Ruoning, following the guidance, swallowed nervously:

“If nothing else, how about I teach you some illusion techniques to help you defeat Senior Yino?”

As soon as she spoke, the quilt-ball finally stirred.

Ruoning raised an eyebrow curiously and leaned closer.

But just then, after some rustling, the blankets parted to reveal a hoarse, reluctant young voice: “Really?”

So cute…

Master, forgive my impertinence…

Hearing this contrasting voice, Ruoning couldn’t help but murmur inwardly.

“O-of course it’s true! I think you have great talent; you just made a careless mistake during the duel. If you’re willing, we can review and summarize together… Surely! Surely there’s room for improvement!” She quickly picked up Chaerin’s thread.

After a long silence, the girl trapped under the quilts finally dared to peek out her head.

Yet her expression was both adorable and naively confused: “I openly looked down on you in front of everyone… Why would you still teach me this despite what happened?”

Her beautiful eyes glimmered, making Ruoning, squatting by the bed, feel momentarily dazed.

“Because…”

“Because Yino said…”

[Because Jing Chen said that the Liuli Sect would be Dia’s new home from now on; Dia wants to become part of Jing Chen’s family; Dia doesn’t want to be disliked by Jing Chen’s family…]

At some point, the phantom of the illusion butterfly girl had materialized behind Ruoning.

Familiar and unfamiliar voices overlapped, stunning Chaerin’s beautiful eyes in an instant.

Time froze.

The entire Liuli Illusion seemed to solidify at that moment.

Time blurred.

The scene before them began to flow rapidly.

A momentary daze felt like centuries added to Ruoning’s memory.

She saw Dia and Chaerin cultivating together on Jinglan Peak, eating together, stargazing and admiring the moon together, even going to challenge Jing Chen together, bickering and making noise…

She saw Dia holding Jing Chen’s hand to visit the Liuli Palace Master, with many disciples. including Chaerin, pleading for Dia, hoping she could stay in the Liuli Sect family…

She saw the Liuli Palace Master soften repeatedly, finally agreeing to take Dia in as his third disciple, moved by the hopeful eyes of the disciples…

Those memories didn’t belong to Ruoning, yet she felt as if she were there, for they were all precious memories of Dia with her family in the Liuli Sect, with Dia and Jing Chen replaced by Ruoning and Yino in the scenes. Unnoticed, a tear brimming with myriad emotions had welled up in Ruoning’s eye.

Time flowed; with each passing year, that tear gathered strength.

Until the girl’s eye could no longer hold the larger teardrop.

Drip…

The teardrop fell.

The river of memories before her finally settled on an image of a Liuli Divine Palace.

“This is…?”

Ruoning jolted awake as if from a century-long dream.

Wiping the tears from her eyes, she looked around to find that Jinglan Peak and Chaerin had vanished. Instead, she stood immersed on a vast platform of a magnificent Liuli Divine Palace.

If Ruoning remembered correctly, this was the most solemn main hall of the Liuli Sect, where she had once bowed to Chaerin as her master and joined the sect, witnessed by all.

Now, Ruoning stood on the platform, surrounded by grandly robed elders of the Liuli Sect, with rows of disciples below whispering among themselves. The atmosphere was overly solemn, making Ruoning’s nervous glances seem abrupt.

Gradually, Ruoning dared not look around freely, only letting her eyes wander.

However, Ruoning noticed that under the anxious gazes of the disciples, a young man adorned in ornate dark gold-trimmed black robes was striding into the hall from outside.

Ruoning didn’t recognize this man.

But as her eyes met his, the lavishly dressed youth intuitively looked up, narrowing his cold, gold-veined eyes, his sharp and cunning gaze fixed directly on Ruoning. Instantly, Ruoning felt unprecedented fear and pressure.

Yet, at that moment, a male figure stepped in front of her, blocking the bare gaze from the youth below.

But unlike the previous time, this time Yino stood before Ruoning, his solid and broad back providing the most effective psychological shield under the public scrutiny.

“Yino, I think I just had a long dream.”

Ruoning swallowed hard, gently grabbing Yino’s arm and whispering into his ear from behind.

Yino glanced back at her, his eyes also slightly dazed.

“Me too. I just saw a long memory montage, the growth journey of Jing Chen and Dia, including their childhood friend Chaerin…”

“Perhaps because you previously unlocked some challenge requirement of the fourteenth layer of Illusion Dream on Jinglan Peak, the plot within Illusion Dream started skipping unnecessary scenes.”

“Logically, after a period of peaceful life, the story should introduce a sudden crisis, which is this new scene we’re in now, including that Divine Abyss Gate crown prince below who makes me physically uncomfortable…”

Yino analyzed the abrupt situation calmly while instinctively shielding the girl behind him.

He recognized this Divine Abyss Gate crown prince.

Wen Ruxiu, a villain appearing later in the game, with few direct ties to the protagonist but clearly malicious at first glance…

Honestly, this was Yino’s first time learning about this history between the Liuli Sect and the Divine Abyss Gate.

But as he spoke, Ruoning’s expression turned confused:

“Divine Abyss Gate crown prince?”