After Rebirth, the Heroine is Consumed by Overwhelming Regret Chapter 48

Qi Qing didn’t know if the scene before her was real or fake.
But no matter what, she could never abandon Yu Yan.
This choice didn’t even need to be considered. Would she save someone who had killed her before and abandon the person she truly loved?
In reality, she hadn’t killed Ling Aorui, not because she couldn’t bear to, but because she felt it was unnecessary. The grudges of her past life were over. If she couldn’t let go, she would only become entangled with her again.
She didn’t want that.
She was already with Yu Yan.
So, she didn’t want to do anything that could affect their relationship. Previously, just meeting Ling Aorui once had led to Yu Yan finding out and having a huge fight with her. Further entanglements were completely unnecessary.
But now, it was different.
Since Hua Jiaolian had placed this choice before her, she could, of course, openly send Ling Aorui to her death. Deep down, she still harbored hatred for Ling Aorui and wanted her to pay for her crimes with blood.
In any case, their conflict with Hua Jiaolian was already unavoidable, so getting rid of Ling Aorui, a potential helper for Hua Jiaolian, wasn’t a bad thing.
This trial, which seemed designed to drive a wedge between her and Yu Yan, had turned into a sword pointed at Hua Jiaolian herself due to Hua Jiaolian’s ignorance of the truth from their past lives.
Of course, it was also possible that this trial was meant to be a psychological attack, and only she and Yu Yan were caught in it.
Qi Qing’s thoughts were not wrong.
The current Ling Aorui was nearby but not in the trial. The only real living people inside were she and Yu Yan. Ling Aorui was outside and had already encountered Jiu Chan.
Time rewound to an hour ago.
As the two of them rushed along, Jiu Chan sensitively detected that someone was following them.
This person’s cultivation was not low, and their aura felt somewhat familiar.
She pretended to glance back casually and found that it was the laborer she had recruited a few days ago. She hadn’t asked for their name, but their appearance here now was surely not a coincidence.
A spy? A villain?
On the surface, Jiu Chan remained calm, but she had already secretly investigated the person’s identity. She possessed the Record of Fleeting Worldly Affairs. Investigating wasn’t too difficult; within a few breaths, she found the person’s information.
Ling Aorui?
This name was somewhat familiar. Where had she heard it before?
After pondering for a moment, she suddenly remembered. Right, wasn’t this the scumbag who had wronged Qi Qing in their past life? Why was she here?
After thinking it over, she understood.
Why else? Of course, she was here to cause trouble for Qi Qing. Jiu Chan hadn’t investigated her identity before and had unwittingly invited a wolf into her house. It was truly a mistake. Now that this person was following them, she probably had ill intentions. Qi Qing hadn’t noticed yet, so Jiu Chan had to find a way to deal with her.
Just as they were about to meet up with Yu Yan, Jiu Chan suddenly stopped, turned around, and charged at Ling Aorui. Her cultivation level was actually higher than Yu Yan’s, and her movements were so swift and neat that there was no room for evasion.
But Ling Aorui, truly worthy of being a ghost demon, managed to stop and turn on the spot, barely dodging Jiu Chan’s fatal blow. Then, she drew her sword and thrust it towards Jiu Chan’s back.
She didn’t infuse spiritual energy, thinking there might be a misunderstanding.
When Jiu Chan saw her dare to attack, her suspicion immediately turned into certainty. This person definitely wanted to kill her so she could go trouble Qi Qing. Jiu Chan instantly manifested her dharma body to kill Ling Aorui—she had completely forgotten what she was there for at this point, and hadn’t noticed at all that Qi Qing was in danger.
And when Ling Aorui saw Jiu Chan suddenly turn hostile, each move a killing blow, she also understood that she couldn’t underestimate her anymore. The body she was currently using had insufficient cultivation. If she was careless, it was hard to say if she could withstand even a few moves. So, she had no choice but to fill her Demon-Slaying Sword with spiritual energy and fight with all her might.
Before long, the two were locked in battle.
This was a true, no-holds-barred battle between a god and a demon.
Not to mention the surroundings, even the weather within a few miles changed. The sky became overcast with dark clouds, fierce winds howled, and a thunderstorm brewed. Some animals sensed the abnormality and began to cower and bark.
Mortals were much slower to react. They grumbled in their houses, “Why is the dog so crazy tonight, barking non-stop?” Opening a window, they saw sand and stones flying outside. The large tree in front of their door was gripped by the fierce wind, almost about to be uprooted.
The person quickly closed the door, saying, “This is bad, there must be a monster outside! Let’s go to sleep quickly, don’t get involved.”
Before the words even faded, a shocking clap of thunder struck.
Outside, it was as bright as day, but no one dared to open their door to look. Continuous thunderclaps struck the ground. Soon, trees were innocently hit. And in the center of the storm, two figures, like two bolts of lightning, occasionally clashed and separated.
Not far from the commotion, Hua Jiaolian couldn’t help but frown.
What’s going on? Why are these two fighting near the location I chose, and making such a huge disturbance? Are they after me?
No, no matter what, she couldn’t back down.
She coughed lightly twice. She knew she didn’t have much time left. If she let this chance slip by, she might never be able to avenge her mother, even until death.
Her mother… had died for her.
She herself didn’t have many days left to live either. Perhaps she would soon be reunited with her mother. Before that, she had to do everything in her power, use everything at her disposal, to slay her enemy.
She knew she wasn’t capable of killing those two. Fortunately, her family had no shortage of divine artifacts. This divine artifact was one she had carefully selected, precisely because of its ability to automatically locate gods. That’s how she was able to accurately pinpoint Yu Yan in a crowd.
Even if the sky fell outside, the inside of the divine artifact would remain unaffected.
Now, all she needed to do was wait.
Hua Jiaolian coughed twice more and focused on the scene within the divine artifact.
In the scene, Qi Qing walked resolutely towards Yu Yan, while Yu Yan looked up in disbelief—she had originally thought she would be the one abandoned.
As Qi Qing stepped onto the path leading to her, the path suddenly vanished, and Ling Aorui at the other end fell. Yu Yan gasped, looking at Qi Qing. She saw Qi Qing didn’t even bat an eyelid, still walking towards her with determination and composure.
The path that seemed very long was actually covered quickly. Until Qi Qing helped her up, she was still somewhat dazed.
“Why?” As Qi Qing helped her push open a door, countless lights flashed before her eyes. Yu Yan was momentarily dazed and subconsciously asked this question.
It was a very foolish question.
Normally, she would never have asked it.
But having just faced a life-or-death situation, in this moment of lingering fear and an uncertain future, Yu Yan asked. She wanted to know what Qi Qing was really thinking. She didn’t want to hide anymore, didn’t want to be sulky anymore. She just wanted a definite answer.
This was also the confidence Qi Qing’s choice had given her.
Those who are favored are always more fearless.
“For no particular reason,” Qi Qing said. “I’ve said it before, my love for you is more serious than you think. Saving you is a matter of course. If you still doubt something like this, then it’s my fault. I haven’t given you enough security.”
Yu Yan turned her head and saw Qi Qing looking at her earnestly.
“No, it’s me… I didn’t make it clear,” Yu Yan said. “Actually, that love trial isn’t what you think. We can still think of other ways…”
“A-Yan,” Qi Qing said, “If you truly love me, I would willingly die for you. So don’t overthink it. Just do what you feel is right. No matter what you do, I won’t blame you.”
Yu Yan was about to say more when the light suddenly returned to normal. What appeared before her was a place resembling an execution platform. She stood below it, holding a chain.
At this moment, Qi Qing was now in the center of the platform, her fate in Yu Yan’s hands. She was also bound and unable to move. Their roles had reversed. Yu Yan’s heart tightened. “Are you okay?” she asked.
Qi Qing didn’t seem to hear her, only tilting her head as she looked at her.
Only then did she realize there was a barrier between them, and sound couldn’t pass through. Qi Qing tried to walk over, but the moment she moved, the chains on her body clanked, restraining her.
“She has fallen in love with you.” Hua Jiaolian’s voice sounded by Yu Yan’s ear, carrying a faint, bewitching tone. “She also said she’s willing to die for you. So you can do it now. Kill her, and you can return to the Celestial Realm. Don’t worry, she won’t feel any pain, no sensation at all. Wasn’t this your plan from the beginning? The love trial is just one step away. How about completing it now?”
Yu Yan looked up at Qi Qing. Her eyes were clear, as if she already understood what this trial signified.
The other person looked at her and slowly nodded.
The meaning was: Pull it.
It’s okay. Don’t worry about me. Go back to the Celestial Realm.
Tears suddenly welled up in Yu Yan’s eyes. She shook her head repeatedly, saying “No” over and over again. She knew Qi Qing couldn’t hear her, but she could never bring herself to kill Qi Qing.
A look of relief suddenly appeared in Qi Qing’s eyes. Then, she mouthed: “A-Yan, it’s enough. Kill me. I won’t really die. We… will meet again…”
Yu Yan didn’t understand what she meant and continued to shake her head.
She couldn’t bring herself to harm Qi Qing. Even if she knew the other person wouldn’t feel pain, she still couldn’t do it. It wasn’t a matter of pain or not. Before, she had suspected Qi Qing didn’t love her, suspected Qi Qing and Ling Aorui would get back together, so she hadn’t listened to any of Qi Qing’s explanations. As a result, she had run off like this and implicated Qi Qing.
But Qi Qing didn’t blame her and was instead willing to die for her.
How could she not know that the Qi Qing before her might be an illusion, or that the Ling Aorui in the previous trial might have been an illusion? But as long as Qi Qing was willing to choose her, she would do so without hesitation. Let alone just the status of a divine official, even if it was more…
Her hand loosened from the chain, and she took a few steps back.
Even if Qi Qing had reincarnated before, she was unwilling to take such a risk. What if they could never meet again? She absolutely couldn’t accept a life without Qi Qing by her side now. If Qi Qing had to die, then she would die with her.
Just as this thought occurred to her, a shattering sound suddenly came from in front of her. The barrier between her and Qi Qing had broken.
Her heart filled with joy, and she immediately rushed forward, unfastened the chains on Qi Qing, and hugged her tightly.
Qi Qing’s body was warm and soft. Hearing her strong heartbeat, Yu Yan suddenly felt relieved, and her tears flowed even more uncontrollably. She lamented, “How could I possibly kill you? How could I?”
Qi Qing said helplessly, “Alright, alright…”
“I will never kill you. So what if I can’t return to the Celestial Realm? I ran away from there to the mortal world in the first place. Am I afraid of staying a few more days? I will wait for you to ascend. No matter how long it takes, I’ll wait. Then, we can return together.”
This was the solution Yu Yan had come up with after many days, and it was practically the only one. If Qi Qing ascended, they could reunite in the Celestial Realm. Then, the talk of the love trial would naturally be debunked.
Because ascension, in reality, is a form of death.
It’s just that mortals go underground after death, while immortals go to the heavens after death. Their destinations are different, but they reach them by different paths—both involve leaving this secular world.
Therefore, it also fit the rule of “killing one’s wife to prove the Dao.”
“A-Yan, thank you,” Qi Qing said. “Thank you for staying for me. Actually, I’m not afraid of death. In fact, I’ve already died once. I don’t think death is a big deal. When I told you just now that we would meet again, it’s because… I’m not actually from this world.”
“What do you mean?” Yu Yan asked.
“I transmigrated here. This world is like a book to me. If I die, I should return to my original world. So it’s okay, it’s not that scary.”
Yu Yan was silent for a moment, then asked, “Do you want to go back?”
“If it were before, maybe I would, because there was nothing worth staying for. But now… I have you.” Qi Qing said, gently touching Yu Yan’s face. “We’ve finally cleared up our misunderstanding, haven’t we?”
Yu Yan knew she was talking about when she ran away from home. She couldn’t help but feel a little guilty. “I didn’t mean to throw a tantrum at you. I’m sorry. I was thinking a lot at the time… anyway, none of them were good thoughts. Chased by those thoughts, I ran so far.”
“It was me who didn’t give you enough security,” Qi Qing sighed. “I didn’t know if you would actually kill me, so I couldn’t completely rest assured. We were like believers and a god, full of misunderstandings because we couldn’t communicate.”
“But it doesn’t matter now. I already know you won’t harm me… In a way, this divine artifact wasn’t completely useless. At least it allowed us to see the truth. Otherwise, just talking would have made it difficult to convince each other.”
Yu Yan thought so too. Although they had faced life-or-death situations several times, being able to see each other’s true feelings was truly an unexpected joy.
Now, she felt like nothing else mattered.
Hardships, the future, everything—she didn’t care about any of it anymore. As long as she could be with Qi Qing, nothing else mattered. She used to hear people say “love can keep you full even if you only drink water” and found it ridiculous. But when such a day truly came, she only felt that being with the person she loved was the greatest fortune. All other problems were not problems at all.
Just as she was thinking this, Hua Jiaolian’s voice sounded above their heads again: “Such deep affection, like the ocean! Promises certainly come easily when your own vital interests aren’t involved~ However, the real test is only just beginning.”
As her voice fell, the execution platform beneath them rapidly descended, and the two of them followed, moving from the original room to another. This feeling of being manipulated at will was very unpleasant, but there was still no good news from Jiu Chan, who should have been doing something.
Other than Jiu Chan, their lifeline, they really had no other options at the moment. Yu Yan originally had a fiery temper, but she had seemed somewhat down due to her emotional setbacks.
But after learning Qi Qing’s true feelings, she gradually regained her fighting spirit and said sharply, “Hua Jiaolian, your mother plotted against us first! She got what she deserved! Why are you blaming us?”
Hua Jiaolian didn’t answer.
Yu Yan added, “Fine, so tough, are you? You better pray you can kill me. If I don’t die, I’ll make sure you die without a complete corpse when I get out!”
The other party still didn’t answer, only a faint snort was heard. Yu Yan was furious, but Qi Qing advised, “Don’t be angry. If she really had a way to kill us, she wouldn’t need to go to so much trouble. The problem now is, how many more trials are there? If this goes on endlessly, even if we aren’t killed by the trials, we’ll be worn down by the constant torment.”
This time, Hua Jiaolian spoke: “Rest assured, things don’t happen more than thrice. This trial is also the last one. As long as you can pass this one, I will let you out. But conversely, if you can’t get out, don’t blame me for being ruthless.”
After saying that, she directly cut off the voice transmission.
Yu Yan cursed a few more times, but it was useless.
Fortunately, judging by what the other party said, they wouldn’t have to suffer too much longer—the last trial. As long as they worked together, they would surely overcome it.
This was the infinite strength that true love gave people.
Yu Yan took a deep breath, full of confidence.
Qi Qing also tightened her grip on her hand, and the two of them stepped forward.
They didn’t know yet that the upcoming trial would be the most difficult one, enough to shatter the trust they had just rebuilt.
Meanwhile, Jiu Chan had already captured the defeated Ling Aorui. Her cultivation was already a level higher, and in this timeline, Ling Aorui’s cultivation was insufficient, preventing her from displaying her full strength. So, there was no suspense in her victory.
Ling Aorui was beaten very badly.
Jiu Chan was a carefree fox; she didn’t bother with complexities. Once she decided something, she wouldn’t listen no matter how the other person tried to explain, let alone the fact that Ling Aorui’s identity was clear—she was someone who had harmed Qi Qing.
And upon investigation, she found out that Hua Jiaolian was the one using the divine artifact to trap Qi Qing and Yu Yan. That made the truth even clearer—this despicable pair must have deliberately gained her trust and then colluded, with one working from the inside and the other from the outside, to abduct Yu Yan here.
She and Yu Yan didn’t get along, but that was between them. She was under the Celestial Emperor’s orders to look after Yu Yan. This wasn’t just about watching her to prevent mistakes; if something happened to Yu Yan, she wouldn’t get off lightly either.
Thinking this, she whipped Ling Aorui again.
Ling Aorui was already covered in wounds, barely able to stand. This blow made her almost faint from pain. How could Jiu Chan let her lie down comfortably? So, another whip strike, this one imbued with divine power, forcibly cast a spell on Ling Aorui to prevent her from fainting.
“Speak! Where is that wretched lover of yours!”
Jiu Chan cursed as she whipped. She had searched the vicinity for a long time but couldn’t find Hua Jiaolian’s whereabouts. Her divine compass clearly showed Hua Jiaolian was nearby; she must have used some shady method to hide the entrance.
So, she herded Ling Aorui around in circles, hoping to force Hua Jiaolian out. After all, those two had an ambiguous relationship in their past life; it wouldn’t be strange for them to be in cahoots and cause harm in this life.
But she had clearly forgotten that in this life, the two didn’t know each other yet.
From Hua Jiaolian’s perspective, these two were acting inexplicably. After fighting outside her barrier, they started wandering around. They clearly had ill intentions. The outcome within the divine artifact wasn’t decided yet, so of course, she didn’t want to leave. But if anything unusual happened here, she also had to be prepared to flee at any moment.
Just as she was pondering, she suddenly heard a click from outside.
“Oh, so you are a little useful after all!” Jiu Chan’s cheerful voice came, very close, and even closer with the sound of a door opening. “Come, let me see who dares to trouble my family’s divine envoy! I was just worrying about not having any bones to go with my wine tonight. Quick, go catch your lover for me to deep-fry and eat!”
With a push, Ling Aorui was shoved in front of Hua Jiaolian.
Hua Jiaolian didn’t recognize her. Seeing her covered in wounds, she felt a flicker of pity, but only that. She warily watched the other person, wondering which exit would be easier to break through.
Seeing neither of them move, Jiu Chan got angry. “What, feeling shy now? In your past life, when you two conspired to cure this Miss Hua and killed Qi Qing, why weren’t you shy then? And you,” (addressing Hua Jiaolian) “if your mother hadn’t tried to harm Qi Qing, how would she have gotten herself killed? Besides, you already killed Qi Qing once in your last life. Are you planning to kill her again? For the sake of us being from the same clan, I’ll give you a chance. If you release Qi Qing now, we’ll pretend nothing happened. If you don’t obey, hehe, I’ll drag out your mother’s corpse and give it a good whipping!”
Hua Jiaolian remained silent for a long while before saying, “Cure my illness… Can my illness still be cured?”
Her gaze turned to Ling Aorui; she was clearly very interested in this topic. If this person could really cure her illness, then there was still a chance. She wouldn’t have to work herself to death. And it seemed that in their past life, this person was on her side and had now been beaten like this by the fox in front of her. So, she could definitely win her over.
Thinking this, she secretly extended a hand towards Ling Aorui.
As long as she could escape with this person, the future held great promise.
But unexpectedly, before her hand could touch the other person, it was suddenly dodged.
Ling Aorui swatted her hand away in disgust and said, word by word, “Release Qi Qing, or I will make you die!”