After Rebirth, the Heroine is Consumed by Overwhelming Regret Chapter 7

Qi Qing suddenly felt a bit dazed, and unconsciously wanted to lower her head.
But her head had only lowered halfway when it was suddenly lifted. Then, the other person leaned down to meet her gaze, leaving only the distance of an apple between them. This was an incredibly embarrassing distance, especially since the other person was so beautiful. Qi Qing instinctively wanted to hide, but was held in place, and a hand gently caressed her face.
“Why are you crying?” Yu Yan gently wiped away her tears and asked, “Are you tired?”
Yu Yan’s voice was gentle and careful, as if afraid of scaring her. It was the first time Qi Qing had been treated so preciously, and she couldn’t help but feel even more upset.
She quickly shook her head, “No…”
“Then why are you crying?” Yu Yan actually had an answer in her heart—this young female cultivator had just returned from a suicide attempt and subsequent soul revival; painful memories still lingered. At that time, if she had had any means, or anyone to confide in, she wouldn’t have reached such a desperate state.
Yu Yan felt a deep ache in her heart for her, and so she unconsciously became gentler.
She wasn’t one of those old gods who heard believers’ prayers daily, nor was she accustomed to maintaining equanimity towards worldly suffering. Besides, this girl was her love trial, connected to her by countless threads.
In a way, their joys and sorrows were one. If the other was unhappy, how could she indulge in her own happiness?
For some reason, Yu Yan suddenly felt a bit agitated. She hadn’t intended to develop feelings for this young female cultivator, but she had come to the mortal realm for happiness. Now that someone was obstructing her path to happiness, she couldn’t just ignore it.
Her expression remained unchanged, but in her heart, she had already resolved to help the other settle the score—regardless of the facts, forcing someone to their death was a grave wrong. Moreover, this young female cultivator was so well-behaved; whoever pushed her to a dead end must be an unpardonably wicked sinner.
She had been idle in the Celestial Realm for a hundred years, with few occasions for judgment. Now that an injustice had landed before her, it was exactly what she desired.
So she asked, “What’s your name?”
Qi Qing had calmed down a bit. Hearing the other person ask her name, she quickly said, “My name is Qi Qing. And you are?”
This question was very presumptuous; no one dared to directly ask an Immortal Lord’s name. But Qi Qing meant no harm; she just felt that since the other person had asked her name, she should ask theirs in return.
Yu Yan was a little surprised. This was the first time someone had cared about her given name. Everyone knew her as Ming Huai, but Ming Huai was just her title; it didn’t represent her as a person.
“Yu Yan. My name is Yu Yan,” she said solemnly.
“That’s a really nice name.” Qi Qing smiled faintly.
Seeing Qi Qing’s mood improve a little, Yu Yan couldn’t resist teasing her again, “Have you considered what I told you earlier? Are you willing to be my young attendant?”
Qi Qing said in surprise, “Weren’t you joking?”
“I’m very serious. Look at my cave dwelling, it’s quite deserted,” Yu Yan said. “If there was someone for company, it would be livelier.”
Qi Qing did indeed have thoughts of leaving the Heavenly Sword Sect, but she didn’t know the other person’s background and couldn’t rashly change allegiance. The procedure for leaving a sect was complicated. If she still wanted to establish herself in the Immortal Realm, she would have to return and obtain permission from her Master and even the Sect Master.
Seeing her hesitate, Yu Yan asked, “Do you have any concerns?”
“Immortal Lord, your kindness overwhelms this disciple. It’s just that I’m still registered with the Heavenly Sword Sect as an outer sect disciple. If I were to rashly switch to your tutelage, I’m afraid…”
“You need to withdraw from the Heavenly Sword Sect, right? What’s so great about the Heavenly Sword Sect anyway? If you leave, you leave. It’s no big deal.”
“I also have this idea, but I still need to return to discuss it.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll go too. We’ll see who dares to stop you then.”
Qi Qing was startled. She looked up; the other person’s eyes held a smile, but it didn’t seem like a joke. They had only just met, and there was no particular fateful encounter between them. Why would the other person go to such lengths?
Just as she was hesitating, the system inside her suddenly spoke: “No, no! If you leave, how will you capture Ling Aorui’s heart? The Heavenly Sword Sect is a major sect! It wasn’t easy to get you in. Now you want to quit and become someone else’s nanny? What for?”
Qi Qing ignored it. Her mind was made up to leave.
Whether it was being an attendant or a nanny, she had no complaints. She didn’t want to live under the same sky as Ling Aorui, didn’t even want to see or hear about her.
“Making you a young attendant would be a bit unfair to you,” Yu Yan suddenly said. “I was inconsiderate just now. May I examine your innate talent?”
Her words followed the system’s almost without pause, as if answering its questioning. Qi Qing jumped, exchanged a glance with the system beside her, and tentatively asked, “Can you hear it?”
Yu Yan didn’t answer, but looked up towards mid-air—that was exactly where the system was. Qi Qing was terribly nervous and quickly mouthed for the system to hide.
The system was also scared speechless. It had never encountered a character who could see it, nor did it know who this formidable person was. It froze in mid-air for a good while before hearing Yu Yan say, “What?”
Qi Qing wiped her sweat, “Nothing. You were saying, you want to examine my innate talent?”
Previously, her ability to enter the Heavenly Sword Sect was thanks to the system. If she hadn’t been the sole survivor of her entire village, the Heavenly Sword Sect wouldn’t have made an exception to admit her.
So she didn’t know what her innate talent was like.
Yu Yan nodded and asked, “May I?”
She could, but Qi Qing didn’t know how it was done.
Following Yu Yan’s gesture, she moved closer. Then, the back of her neck was pressed. It felt incredibly comfortable. Qi Qing’s whole body went limp; she had to grit her teeth and hold firm to avoid making an unsightly scene.
“It’s alright, relax,” Yu Yan whispered.
Qi Qing then relaxed, allowing the other person to feel all her joints. This touch had nothing to do with romance; it was just a light pass-over, but it was inexplicably very comfortable. When the other person stopped, she felt a pleasant tingling numbness all over, as if she had received a deep massage.
Before she could come back to her senses, she heard Yu Yan say, “Your innate talent is excellent. How could you merely be an outer sect disciple? If others can’t see it, is Mo Tao blind too?”
Hearing her directly call the Sect Master by his respected name without any politeness, Qi Qing was too scared to say a word. After a long moment, she managed, “The sect is full of masters like clouds in the sky. Someone like me is considered subpar…”
“You’re not subpar. Believe me, your innate talent is very good,” Yu Yan said. “They are blind fools. If even someone like you is an outer sect disciple, then Mo Tao should be cleaning latrines.”
“…” Qi Qing dared not respond even more.
Sect Master Mo Tao was known as Immortal Lord Yu He. He was the oldest and highest-cultivation cultivator of the current age, completely beyond her reach. She certainly wouldn’t dare to casually judge him. Only an Immortal Lord of the same level as this person would dare to speak so unreservedly.
She didn’t know that back when Yu Yan hadn’t yet ascended, she was the female cultivator with the highest talent and best innate constitution in the entire cultivation world for a thousand years before and after. Moreover, she was stunningly beautiful and captivating, with features as picturesque as a painting. Needless to say her fellow sect members, even across the entire four seas and eight wastes, admirers were numerous and closely packed.
And at that time, Mo Tao was merely a junior disciple from a dilapidated sect. Every time he saw her, his legs would tremble with nervousness, and he couldn’t even utter a complete sentence.
After she ascended, he would often burn incense and pray, spouting useless nonsense, telling her to take care in the Celestial Realm and so on. It was incredibly annoying.
Yu Yan had no good impression of him at all, feeling he wasn’t someone capable of achieving great things. Yet, such a person had actually ascended to the position of Sect Master, revered by thousands. It showed how barren the Lower Realm had become.
Now, she actually had to attend his birthday banquet.
Yu Yan suddenly felt a wave of irritation. If it weren’t for Qi Qing, she really couldn’t be bothered to go. But the words had been spoken, and there was no taking them back. So she said, “Alright, let’s go.”
Qi Qing let out an “Ah?” and asked, “Go where?”
“Didn’t you invite me to the birthday banquet?”
Qi Qing hadn’t expected to leave so soon. Then all the cleaning she had done for so long, wouldn’t it be a waste of effort?
Seeing her looking aggrieved, Yu Yan immediately realized the problem. She casually pointed at a small flower on the table. Touched by her power, the small flower instantly transformed into several adorable, pure-as-ice-and-snow young girls. The girls wore yellow dresses, and looking from above, they indeed bore some resemblance to flowers.
“Master, we await your command.”
“Clean the cave dwelling well, and don’t let any outsiders in.” Yu Yan left this instruction and walked out. Qi Qing followed closely behind. The two boarded an immortal boat and flew towards the horizon.
…
Meanwhile, a major incident occurred at Nanhe Bay.
Just as the person in the dream had said, right when everyone thought the crisis had passed, a giant python emerged from an unknown place. This python, of unknown age, had cultivation close to the Soul Protrusion stage, tall enough to rival mountains. Its two translucent, vertical pupils stared fixedly at them. Its body drew closer and closer. The only reason it hadn’t attacked yet was because they hadn’t moved, and it couldn’t see them.
Ling Aorui’s heart sank. She understood the terror of this creature better than anyone else present. According to the dream, once bitten by it, one would have a slim chance of survival.
But she couldn’t act rashly. Moving would make them easier to detect. Right now, they could only compete in a contest of stillness. If they could outlast the creature until it left, they would be victorious.
She believed all high-level cultivators had this awareness, but there were new disciples among them. The actions of newcomers were unpredictable; they could do anything.
She had to give a warning.
But sound would also attract the beast’s attention. The choice was crucial—yet before she could make a decision, she heard someone behind her collapse, making a loud thud.
The giant python immediately coiled its neck—a precursor to an attack.
“Flee, now!”
Ling Aorui shouted, already summoning her Demon-Slaying Sword. Her swordsmanship was the best among them, and she had her Master’s magical treasure for protection. She had the highest chance of victory in a confrontation.