Cuddling with the Cold Female Protagonist – Chapter 108

Volume 4: The Perils of the Jianghu

Hibernation

Yue Ling felt like she had never run so fast in her life.

Her legs barely felt like her own, and the arms carrying the others felt no trace of soreness. A steady stream of warmth flowed from her back, making her feel full of energy, as if she could run for dozens more li.

What in the world? Did my trip to Changsheng Valley, soaking in medicinal fragrances every day, somehow break my body’s limits and turn me into a woman of immense strength?

Half-puzzled and half-excited, Yue Ling felt an even greater vigor in her stride. Her legs were moving so fast they were practically a blur. She had no idea how far she had run when she suddenly heard Xue Zhining, whom she was carrying on her right, speak up. “This is far enough.”

The moment those words fell, it was as if a rope had bound her, preventing her from taking another step forward.

She came to an abrupt, yet steady, halt.

Just as she set the two people down, she heard a retching sound. Su Yi leaned against the wall bricks, dry-heaving nonstop.

Xue Zhining walked to her side and placed a hand on the center of her back. “My apologies, Miss Su. I was so focused on escaping that I forgot about your poor health.”

Su Yi’s face was several shades paler than a normal person’s. Anyone with a bit of medical knowledge could tell she was in bad health.

The way Yue Ling had been carrying her wasn’t ideal, and the ride had been incredibly bumpy. It would have been strange if she didn’t feel sick.

A warm current flowed from the center of her back, and Su Yi felt much better. She straightened up. “Cough… Thank you, miss.”

“It’s nothing.”

“What… what kind of sorcery did you use?” Yue Ling had also recovered by now, but she stood ramrod straight, unable to move. Her legs felt like noodles, utterly sore and weak. “You… you… Why can’t I move?”

“I am truly sorry.” Xue Zhining looked at her apologetically. “The situation was urgent just now. I was afraid they would catch us, so I used a little trick.”

As she spoke, she walked over to Yue Ling, placed a hand on her back, and tapped it lightly.

Yue Ling felt waves of warmth spread from her back. Her whole body felt like it was being pulled by strings. Though it was still a bit painful, she had at least regained some of her strength.

Su Yi finally recovered. As she straightened her back, her eyes fell upon the scene. She asked hesitantly, “Miss Xue, what you did was…”

“As you both saw, this is the power of my clan’s priestesses.” Xue Zhining didn’t hide it. She raised her hands, her ten fingers glowing with a crimson light as brilliant as flames, like embers breaking free from a phoenix rising from the ashes.

She told them truthfully, “As I’ve mentioned to you both before, my clan is said to be the guardians of the phoenix. We can perform divination and some minor magic.”

She paused, her smile deepening. “Of course, this little trick of controlling people is something only I can do. I’m afraid even the High Priest can’t do it. I haven’t even named this parlor trick yet. Do you two have any suggestions?”

The feeling of being controlled was not pleasant. It was like being a puppet, helplessly pulled along. Yue Ling’s expression was grim. She ignored her. Xue Zhining blinked and, as if performing a magic trick, produced a small dagger from behind her back. The blade glinted with a cold light, clearly a fine weapon capable of slicing through iron like mud.

She chuckled softly. “Fourth Princess, this is my apology.”

Yue Ling turned her head away, her chin slightly raised, not wanting to even look at her. “Keep it for yourself.”

“Is the Fourth Princess angry?” Xue Zhining tilted her head, maintaining that standard, gentle smile. “But if it weren’t for me just now, we would have been captured. I did a good thing. The Fourth Princess is a person of great principle; surely you wouldn’t get angry at me for doing something good, would you?”

How could such infuriating words come from someone with such a gentle and serene face?

Yue Ling let out a cold snort, resisting the urge to punch the person in front of her.

Su Yi, having watched her produce a dagger out of thin air, was flabbergasted. “Miss… Miss Xue, where did you get that from?”

Remembering the uniforms of the Huachen Kingdom soldiers from earlier, Su Yi almost thought she had returned to her own time, if not for the ancient-style palace before her. “And the clothes those soldiers were wearing… why…”

“Hmm…” Xue Zhining tilted her head and walked forward.

They had fled to an unknown, abandoned palace. Inside, there was a clear pool of water. Xue Zhining used a teacup from the palace to scoop up a bowl of water and brought it to them.

“Please, look into this bowl of water.”

Her fingertip lightly touched the teacup. As the scarlet light flowed, ripples spread across the water’s surface. Then, a familiar scene unfolded before Su Yi’s eyes—

An unfamiliar city. Professionals in suits carrying briefcases, mothers pushing strollers, students in school uniforms walking in groups of three and five, and so on. Pedestrians walked on the sidewalks, flanked by streets packed with cars.

There was no sound from the scene, yet Su Yi could almost hear the blaring of car horns.

Yue Ling’s brow furrowed. “What are all these things? They look so strange. Why are these people dressed so differently from us?”

Su Yi remained silent. Xue Zhining tapped the teacup lightly, and the image vanished. Her face had also grown considerably pale. “About seven years ago, someone in the clan suddenly began to see these things from time to time through a water mirror like this. We don’t know which country… or even which dynasty these things are from. But without a doubt, the items within are extremely fine, so we borrowed some of their designs.”

It was just that they couldn’t hear any sound. Some things looked good, but they had no idea how to make them, which was truly vexing.

“The armor you two ladies saw earlier was something we created after seeing it in the water mirror. It’s just that the things we saw in the mirror could defend against swords and even some strangely shaped weapons, but for some reason, the ones we make can’t do that.”

Of course they can’t. Modern military uniforms aren’t something you can just casually replicate.

Even if you copy the design, the effect won’t be as good.

But… seven years ago… Su Yi hesitated. Wasn’t that right when I transmigrated?

Could it be that my transmigration caused this?

“These things are a symbol of another world,” Xue Zhining said nonchalantly, tapping the rim of the teacup. “The previous High Priest—the father of the man you just saw—once performed a divination twenty years ago. He said a woman with the Nine Heavens Phoenix Fate would descend upon the world, and once she did, the Huachen Kingdom would surely face a calamity. Later, through the clan’s unremitting efforts, we divined that the woman with the Nine Heavens Phoenix Fate was an imperial princess of the Yanxue Kingdom. The current emperor didn’t believe in these things at first, but ever since he personally witnessed these otherworldly objects, he has become a firm believer. He had Xue Cong—the man who was trying to capture us, the current High Priest—create many fine things for him based on what appeared in the water mirror. The Huachen Kingdom’s power is now flourishing, and it’s inextricably linked to these things.”

“His Majesty is getting older, and the prophecy of the Nine Heavens Phoenix terrifies him. He is determined to eliminate that Phoenix-fated princess from the Yanxue Kingdom, and furthermore, to eliminate the Yanxue Kingdom itself. Over these years, he has waged war against Yanxue many times. Miss Su, you are from the Yanxue Kingdom, are you not? You should be well aware of this.”

Su Yi nodded grimly. The book did indeed mention that Ji Qingchi had some kind of precious fate. It was because of this that she got entangled with some handsome priest, who she then took into her harem.

Wait a minute, could that guy from before, Xue Cong, be part of Ji Qingchi’s harem?

Thinking about it, it seemed quite possible. Although she couldn’t remember the handsome priest’s name, the book did state that he was the High Priest of the Huachen Kingdom.

And from what Xue Zhining said, it seemed he was the only High Priest in the Huachen Kingdom at present.

Throughout her journey, anyone deeply in love with Ji Qingchi had treated her like a thorn in their side. Su Yi was already used to it. The moment she realized this Xue Cong might be part of Ji Qingchi’s harem, her first reflex was to ask, “Miss Xue, this High Priest of yours, does he have any weaknesses?”

He’d better behave himself and not have any ideas about harming me.

If he tries to harm me, then sorry, but I’ll have to find a way to get rid of him first.

“A weakness?”

“That’s right. Like a soft spot, or maybe he’s prone to jealousy, or isn’t very bright, things like that.”

“Hehe…” Xue Zhining covered her mouth and chuckled. Her face was as white as a sheet of paper. Before she could laugh twice, she collapsed.

Su Yi cried out in alarm and rushed to catch her. “Miss Xue!”

She was too far away to reach in time. Just as the beautiful young woman was about to fall flat on her face¹, Yue Ling, who was closest, grudgingly reached out and caught her.

Xue Zhining wasn’t reserved in the slightest. After realizing Yue Ling had caught her and she was leaning against her, she shifted, adjusted her position, and ended up lying directly in Yue Ling’s arms.

“Fourth Princess, my apologies. I have no strength left. I’ll have to trouble you.”

Su Yi retracted her hand, feeling a bit awkward, and quickly changed the subject. “Miss Xue, your face is so pale. Is it because you showed us that scene just now?”

“Yes,” Xue Zhining said bluntly. “Everything has a price. Although my clan can perform divination and briefly glimpse the secrets of heaven, we become weak for a period of time after each use.”

She turned her head to smile at Yue Ling. “My apologies, Fourth Princess. If the pursuers come later, I won’t be able to walk. I can only trouble you to carry me.”

Yue Ling: “…”

If I throw her out right now, is it too late?

As if she didn’t see Yue Ling’s darkening expression, Xue Zhining smiled faintly and turned back to Su Yi. “It’s me.”

“Hm?” Su Yi was still lost in her own awkwardness and didn’t immediately register what she had said.

“Weren’t you just asking about Xue Cong’s weakness?” Repeating her question, Xue Zhining smiled. “I said, it’s me. His weakness is me.”

Su Yi’s eyes widened. “Don’t tell me he has a secret crush on you?”

“Hehe, Miss Su, you’re quite the kidder. Must there be romantic love between a man and a woman for it to be considered a weakness?”

Xue Zhining laughed. “The fact that his skills are inferior to mine is his greatest weakness.”

She and Xue Cong had grown up together, studying the arts of divination in the palace together. Xue Cong was even privately tutored by his father, the High Priest, for several years.

Yet in divination competitions, he still couldn’t beat her. Back then, even though they couldn’t see the water mirror yet, whether it was divination or foresight, she was always far ahead.

She had triumphed over everyone in the entire clan.

But in the end, the one who became High Priest was the inferior Xue Cong.

She got nothing but gossip from others.

Yet when the Fourth Princess of the Dongli Kingdom fled her marriage, the old men holding positions in the Priest Hall were unanimous in their decision to have her marry the Crown Prince in Yue Ling’s place.

“All these years, I have been engrossed in studying the art of divination. The control technique from earlier was also something I developed.”

She smiled faintly, her face pale, but her eyes blazed with a fierce light. “I have waited far too long to become the High Priest.”

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