It was noon. The blazing sun hung high in the sky, and the scorching light filtered through layers upon layers of leaves, scattering over the young girl’s tender green ru skirt, only to be shaken off onto the ground as she hurried forward.
【Host, you can rest for a while.】
The system’s voice sounded in Jiang Yin’s mind, tinged with concern.
“It’s fine!” She raised her hand to wipe the sweat from her brow, her voice bright and clear. “I’m not tired at all!”
Though shaded by the trees, her cheeks were still flushed red from the summer heat, like a peach just beginning to ripen. Only her pair of almond-shaped eyes remained clear and bright, dazzlingly so.
Since birth, Jiang Yin had been diagnosed with butterfly disease, a rare genetic disorder. Her skin was as fragile as butterfly wings, tearing at the slightest friction, and wounds were extremely difficult to heal. For eighteen years, she had lived with utmost caution.
But now, things were different.
She had transmigrated into a book, into a restricted novel.
This was a fantastical world known as the Eastern Profound Continent. In the original storyline, the male and female leads worked together to eliminate demons, and through continuous dual cultivation, they comprehended a high-level cultivation method. With the power of that method, they divided the cultivation world into the upper and lower realms, sealing all demonic beasts in the lower realm.
The story ended with their grand wedding, both achieving success in love and career, a perfectly written happy ending.
But for some unknown reason, things had gone wrong. The female lead did not fall in love with the male lead, but instead became devoted to the male supporting character. The male and female leads failed to cultivate together and comprehend the world-protecting method. In the end, demonic beasts ran rampant, and all living beings suffered.
Unable to bear it, the Heavenly Dao reset the timeline and sought help from the Transmigration Bureau.
And so, Jiang Yin was chosen and sent here.
The system had cured her illness. In exchange, she had to win over the male supporting character, Xie Huaian, in advance to prevent the abnormal plot where the female lead fell in love with him from happening again.
Jiang Yin patted her chest, her eyes curving into crescents. “I’ve already read the entire story thoroughly. I guarantee I’ll complete the mission. You can rest easy and go into sleep mode.”
The system was not at ease.
But it had no other choice. Jiang Yin had transmigrated in her physical body, and the “Jiang Yin” of this world had likewise been frail and sickly. Yesterday had been the original host’s time of death. The system had first handled the corpse, then expended a great deal of energy to restore Jiang Yin’s health. Being able to accompany her this far was already its limit.
【Host,】 the system instructed worriedly, 【the protective spell given to you by the Transmigration Bureau can only be used three times. If you encounter minor demons, avoid them if you can. If you meet a powerful demon, run if possible. Save your chances of survival for critical moments.】
This so-called protective spell was a shield that would automatically activate upon detecting a fatal threat. It could temporarily eliminate the opponent’s killing intent. Even though it only lasted for about an hour, it was still an extremely precious life-saving measure.
Jiang Yin nodded solemnly.
“Once I find Xie Huaian, I’ll immediately bring him home and get married. I won’t linger outside at all.”
With her assurance, the system stopped forcing itself to stay active and shut down into dormancy.
From here on, Jiang Yin would have to fight on her own.
According to the original plot, tonight was when Xie Huaian would meet the female lead.
In the dead of night, under a torrential downpour, Xie Huaian would fall into a beast-trapping pit and break his leg. He could only lie there, helplessly watching as the rainwater rose over his body. Just as he was on the verge of despair, the female lead, Zhu Nian, would descend from above. Under the moonlight, her figure would resemble that of an immortal. The amnesiac Xie Huaian would fall in love with her at first sight.
Jiang Yin’s top priority was to find Xie Huaian before Zhu Nian did and take him away.
She took out a compass from her robes.
This was a magical artifact given to her by the system, called the Demon-Seeking Compass, capable of detecting demonic aura nearby.
A powerful demon had left a curse of demonic power inside Xie Huaian. All the spiritual energy in his body had been wiped out, leaving only an overwhelming demonic aura. The Demon-Seeking Compass could guide her to the place with the strongest demonic presence in the surrounding area.
The book had mentioned that within a radius of several dozen kilometers, the densest demonic aura belonged to Xie Huaian. Zhu Nian had followed the compass as well, which was how she encountered him.
The pointer slowly rotated twice before suddenly stopping, pointing straight to the left.
Jiang Yin tightened the bundle on her shoulder and, without hesitation, stepped toward the left.
About an hour later, a collapsed pit appeared in the ground ahead.
A beast-trapping pit!
She had found it, just as expected.
Jiang Yin suppressed the excitement in her heart and did not rush forward.
She took out a handkerchief from her bundle, dampened it with water from her flask, and carefully wiped her face. Then she tidied her slightly disheveled hair, checked her reflection in a small bronze mirror, and only after feeling satisfied did she walk toward the pit.
For a first meeting with her target, a pleasing appearance was crucial. After all, in the book, Xie Huaian had fallen in love at first sight with Zhu Nian, who looked like an immortal.
Although Jiang Yin could not be described as a breathtaking beauty capable of toppling kingdoms, now that her sickly pallor had faded, her lips were rosy, her teeth white, and her skin smooth and radiant. Her almond-shaped eyes were clear and bright, and when she smiled, two faint dimples appeared at the corners of her lips, brimming with lively charm.
But would Xie Huaian like someone of her girl-next-door type? She remembered that the female lead, Zhu Nian, had the persona of a mature, commanding beauty.
But she did not know what Xie Huaian looked like.
Unlike the male lead, who had a tear mole beneath his eye, or the female lead, whose heroic brows were distinctly described, as a tool-like male supporting character, the original text only gave one line about his appearance.
That was when Zhu Nian saw him smile for the first time. She described that smile as “rendering one speechless.”
So Jiang Yin could only be certain that Xie Huaian was not ugly.
After all, Zhu Nian could not have been rendered speechless by sheer ugliness, right?
…Well, that was not entirely impossible. What if Zhu Nian had fallen for his personality instead?
Amid her tangled thoughts, Jiang Yin had already reached the edge of the pit.
Forget it.
No matter how unattractive Xie Huaian might be, she had to win him over. This was her mission for coming here, the price she had to pay in exchange for her health.
Jiang Yin steadied her mindset and leaned forward to look into the pit.
Sunlight poured down from above, and a striking figure suddenly entered her view.
The young man’s eyes were gently closed as he rested quietly against the earthen wall. His long eyelashes cast faint shadows over his pale cheeks. His white robes were soaked with blood, like dark blossoms blooming across the fabric, giving him a fragile yet breathtaking beauty.
Jiang Yin’s breath hitched, and she unconsciously swallowed.
“…Ahem.”
She cleared her throat and, in the softest and sweetest voice she could manage in her entire life, gently called out, “Wake up, Brother Huaian, I’m here to save you.”
The young man showed no response.
It seemed he had fallen unconscious from his severe injuries. She would have to climb down first and wake him.
Jiang Yin took out a hemp rope, found a sturdy tree, and tied one end to it. Gripping the rope tightly with both hands, she carefully lowered herself into the pit.
But just halfway down, her arms began to tremble.
She had no strength left.
Although the system had cured her illness, her body had lacked exercise for years. After walking the entire morning, her stamina was already severely depleted.
Unable to hold on any longer, before she fell, she could only pray that she would not crush Xie Huaian to death.
“Ah—!”
A sharp scream pierced the silence within the pit.
The sound of rushing wind descended from above. Seeing that the person was about to crash into him, Chu Nanci frowned slightly, a trace of impatience and irritation flashing across his opened eyes.
He truly did not feel like seeing blood again today.
Consider her lucky.
A fluffy, snow-white fox tail silently extended from behind him, curling around the girl midair and flinging her toward the opposite side.
Although it looked like he was tossing away something filthy, it still cushioned Jiang Yin’s fall.
“Ow—!”
By the time Jiang Yin rubbed her aching arm and climbed to her feet, that snow-white fox tail had already withdrawn behind the young man.
She only felt that the fall had not been too severe.
But why had she landed on this side!?
This beast-trapping pit was quite large, about three meters in diameter. Based on inertia, she should have landed on or near Xie Huaian. How had she ended up on the opposite side instead?
Jiang Yin cast a suspicious glance at the hemp rope that had fallen to the ground with her.
Just now, she had felt her waist tighten for a moment, as if something had wrapped around it.
This world had demons, after all. Could it be that the rope she had casually taken from the original host’s home was not an ordinary rope?
As she examined it, her gaze followed the end of the rope and landed on the young man, only to realize that he had opened his eyes at some point.
His pupils were an extremely pale amber, gleaming under the sunlight like gemstones. Jiang Yin could not help but stare in a daze.
Only when he slightly narrowed his eyes and his long lashes veiled the light within them did she barely come back to her senses.
Embarrassed, she averted her gaze and quietly took two deep breaths.
‘…Is the system serious?! It wants someone like me, with zero romantic experience since birth, to win over a man with looks like this?!’
The mission’s difficulty had far exceeded her expectations, but for the sake of her health, Jiang Yin had no choice but to go through with it.
She broke into a bright smile and rushed to the young man’s side. “You’re finally awake, Brother Huaian!”
Her call was crisp and clear.
Chu Nanci’s eyelashes lifted slightly, and the confusion in his eyes was unmistakable.
He had not used any illusion technique to alter his appearance today.
Faced with his bewilderment, Jiang Yin was not surprised at all.
After all, he had lost his memory.
But she had to act surprised. In a startled tone, she said, “Brother Huaian, it’s me, Ah Yin, Jiang Yin, your fiancée. We grew up together as childhood sweethearts. Ten years ago, you left home to join the Xuantian Sect and promised that once you finished your training, you would come back to marry me. Don’t you remember me?”
Jiang Yin actually did not know what kind of relationship the original host had with Xie Huaian.
In the book, because of the demonic curse within his body, Xie Huaian had always been mistaken for a demon. He did not dare appear openly and only showed himself when the female lead needed him.
Outsiders only knew that there was a powerful and mysterious shadow guard by Zhu Nian’s side.
To maintain this sense of mystery, the author omitted as many details about him as possible. Even his appearance was never described, let alone any specifics about his relationship with his fiancée.
But even if there had been no feelings between them, Jiang Yin could not possibly tell the truth.
It had to be deep love and mutual devotion!
“Now that I’ve turned eighteen and reached the age of marriage, yet you still haven’t returned, my father fears that you’ve become a cultivator and look down on mortals, so he wants to betroth me to someone else. But I know you’re not that kind of person, which is why I ran away from home to find you.”
Jiang Yin forced out two tears. “Brother Huaian, in this life, I will marry no one but you.”
This confession was sincere and fervent. After speaking, she reddened her eyes and looked at him, half expectant and half aggrieved.
The young man’s expression did not change in the slightest. Only the confusion in his eyes grew more pronounced.
Jiang Yin understood the unspoken meaning in his gaze: What nonsense are you babbling about? I don’t understand.
Alright then.
Since the character introduction was already finished, Jiang Yin simply gave the conclusion. “Oh no, have you lost your memory?”
There was still no response from him.
Jiang Yin’s shocked expression was about to collapse. “Don’t you have anything you want to ask me?”
Even though in the book he also showed little emotional fluctuation after losing his memory, this was a bit too calm. At the very least, he could say something to her.
Under her urging gaze, the young man lifted his eyelids and, as she wished, gave her a response.
“Get lost.”
His thin lips parted slightly. His voice was gentle, yet the words he spoke were cold and merciless.
Jiang Yin choked on her breath, thinking that he might as well not have said anything at all.
Of course, she could not leave. She could only find a way to keep gaining his trust.
“I really am your fiancée!” She took out a half-moon-shaped jade pendant and held it in front of him. “This is our betrothal token. Each of us holds one half, and together they form a complete piece. You always carry yours with you. Just take it out and you’ll know I’m not lying.”
People could lie, but objects could not.
In the book, Xie Huaian always kept his betrothal jade close to his body. Later, the female lead had also confirmed his identity through this jade.
As long as he took out his piece and matched it with the half in her hand, it would prove who she was.
She extended it a bit too hastily, and the dirt on her fingertips accidentally smeared onto his clothing.
Chu Nanci lowered his eyes to glance at the small stain. When he looked up again, his gaze had grown colder, his lips moving slightly.
Jiang Yin’s eyelids twitched. Sensing that what he was about to say would not be anything pleasant, she hurriedly cut him off. “Alright! I understand!”
If he could not even remember his own name, how could he possibly remember carrying a jade pendant?
Then she would have to find it herself.
Chu Nanci had thought that this mortal girl had finally learned some sense, but before his second “get lost” could even leave his lips, her hand had already reached toward his waist.
Because she was merely a mortal, she did not even trigger his instinctive defensive reaction.
Only when the faint, delicate fragrance from the girl drifted into his nose did he suddenly realize what she was about to do.
…Courting death.