Return to Before the Villain’s Corruption

In the vast library, the scent of pine lingered in the air, and the glazed lamps burned quietly, filling every inch of space with soft light.

Qin Donglin spoke in his usual tone of stating facts, pausing only slightly when he uttered the name "Cheng Yi," his voice tinged with a dismissive sneer.

Across the vast lands and through all realms, countless holy maidens, fairies, and princesses abound, but when it comes to capturing attention, Qiu Shi and Mo Ruanruan are second to none; no one dares claim the first spot.

Both are treasured pearls, usually pampered and protected by secret guards, with not a single accident in a million years. Yet, coincidentally, the same person saved them in two separate incidents.

Anyone with a bit of sense couldn't help but think there was more to it.

After Qin Donglin finished speaking, Qiu Shi was momentarily stunned.

Cheng Yi had always been perceived as a person as gentle and pristine as the first snow, eloquent and graceful. Even when severely injured and dependent on others, he never showed a hint of disgrace or destitution.

Severely injured...

Injury!

Qiu Shi's delicate eyebrows furrowed as she asked, "He was so badly injured that he couldn't leave his bed two days ago. How could he suddenly save Mo Ruanruan?

What about Luo Ying?"

Even if Luo Ying was absent, Mo Ruanruan, as a princess of the celestial clan and a practitioner of their secret arts, was no easy target. She had the capability to defend herself, unless she faced a situation similar to what Qiu Shi had experienced years ago.

But such coincidences are rare in the world.

And how could so many special circumstances all happen to Cheng Yi?

In the past, even if Qiu Shi felt something was off, she would ultimately trust him. But since having that dream revealing her own fate, she couldn't help but think deeply about the current events.

"The people from Ye Du have arrived."

Qin Donglin spoke succinctly, clearly uninterested, "There was a bit of a conflict, and Luo Ying lost control."

Leaning against the cold, hard bookshelf, Qiu Shi's expression tightened slightly as she leaned forward, asking, "He lost control in the main city?"

Qin Donglin nodded, his long finger tapping on the spine of a book, his voice lazy, "Song Yunhe has already gone to handle it. With Luo Ying losing control, both the celestial clan and the people from Ye Du present were affected. The station is a mess now."

Qiu Shi put the rare book she was holding back on the shelf, turned around, and said, "I'll go have a look."

She knew what it meant when Luo Ying lost control.

Originally just an inconspicuous member of one of the hundreds of minor tribes of the celestial clan, Mo Ruanruan had brought the frail Luo Ying back to the celestial palace on a whim. It was a simple act of kindness, but no one expected that this boy would show astonishing talent in the path of immortal arts.

However, his foundation was very poor, and his body was weak, making his cultivation journey fraught with difficulties.

After becoming a young immortal king, he even practiced the most dangerous thunder techniques.

Lightning and yang are the epitome of vigor. While others dread the ordeal of tribulation, Luo Ying faces the soul-tearing agony daily, losing control whenever his emotions surge too wildly.

To gain formidable power, one must pay a greater price than ordinary folks, as has always been the case.

However, both the Celestial Clan and the residents of Yedu were arranged to rest in the largest inn at the heart of the main city, surrounded by many natives. Should Luo Ying lose control, that entire region would likely suffer.

Song Yunhe must be incredibly busy at this moment, being one of the stewards of the main city. Qiu Shi, if having some free time, would also need to manage affairs.

Halfway there, Qiu Shi seemed to remember something, turned back, and saw Qin Donglin, who hadn’t moved an inch, his demeanor lazy and aloof, clearly not planning to budge.

"Aren’t you coming with me?"

Qin Donglin hummed in response, placed the book he was holding back on the shelf, and said, "I prefer not to meddle in others' affairs."

At this moment, his expression made it clear that no invitation would work; if he said he would not interfere, he meant it.

Qiu Shi thought for a moment and then said, "Well then, continue your search here, see if you can find any clues."

Qin Donglin looked at the ancient tome he had just returned to the shelf, the indecipherable lines and dark clusters momentarily arresting his index finger.

Before he could speak, Qiu Shi added, "Or, I have several pieces of raw essence copper here; call Wu Fei to help me forge a furnace."

Six months ago, Wu Fei and Qiu Shi had a bet involving Qin Donglin, and after losing, they reluctantly agreed to forge a furnace for her when they had time.

Both being a spiritual cultivator and a sword cultivator, forging a furnace—a task requiring repeated hammering—truly tested one's temperament.

The furnace had to be of high quality; anything less was unacceptable to Qiu Shi.

As she finished speaking, her eyes curved, a playful smile making it impossible to be angry at her.

Qin Donglin met her gaze for a moment, then, touching his forehead with a long finger, he chuckled lightly, his tone somewhat cool: "Alright. Let’s see."

Even someone as powerful as Qin Donglin had to compromise between reading and forging a furnace.

====

When Qiu Shi and Qin Donglin arrived, it was deep into the night, yet the inn was brightly lit, the lights never dimming. The Flying Fish Guards had the inn completely surrounded, and Lu Jue stood outside, his face stern as he set up a barrier to block the curious and prying eyes from outside.

A spatial rift appeared out of nowhere, perfectly positioned in front of the inn's main gate. Under the cold gaze of the Flying Fish Guards, Qiu Shi and Qin Donglin descended one after the other to the ground.

"Miss,"

Lu Jue, dressed in the crimson uniform of the Flying Fish Guards, greeted Qiu Shi with a fist salute, and upon seeing Qin Donglin, he added another bow, "Young Master Qin."

"What’s the situation inside?"

Qiu Shi looked inside, her probing spiritual power cut off by the barrier. She turned to Lu Jue, guarding the door.

Speaking of which, Lu Jue could only offer a wry smile.

Today, he was off duty and practicing his skills at home when a guard from the station rushed in, breathlessly reporting that something had gone wrong at the station.

He got up and left immediately, not even changing his clothes.

The station was currently housing various individuals, from the three minor celestial princes of the Heavenly Tribe to the noble young lords who had just arrived from Ye, as well as the sons and daughters of the cultivation sects. None were easy to deal with, and any trouble could lead to a major headache.

And indeed, it turned out to be the case.

When he arrived, half of the station was engulfed in a violent thunderstorm. The place was a mess, both inside and out, with people emerging with ashen faces, wielding spiritual treasures and lashing out at the Heavenly Tribe, who were under attack. They demanded to know what kind of play was being performed behind the scenes with deadly seriousness.

The Heavenly Tribe was also in disarray.

Mo Ruanruan, who was closest to Luo Ying, bore the brunt of the thunderous attack. The power was akin to undergoing a tribulation of thunder, and she was caught completely off guard and injured.

Mo Changheng and Yun Xuan had just left with a few elders, and those left behind at the station wanted to help, but they couldn't withstand Luo Ying's relentless assault. For the moment, they could only pull out a recording jade, hopping around to urgently call for help, while stiff-neckedly telling the group of furious people to shut up.

At that moment, Cheng Yi appeared in white clothes.

He seemed to have been drinking tea in the opposite tavern. Seeing the situation, he threw his teacup aside, and a ring of strange spiritual power emanated from his hand, activating a powerful spiritual treasure that pulled Mo Ruanruan out of the center of the thunderstorm.

The irrational Luo Ying, seeing someone daring to rescue Mo Ruanruan, pointed a finger, as if a deity descending to earth.

Even with the protection of the spiritual treasure, Cheng Yi was still affected, especially since he was already severely injured.

Several thunder dragons suddenly sprang forth, attacking the two of them. Just then, as Mo Changheng and Yun Xuan hurried back in shock, Cheng Yi shielded the trembling celestial princess with his body, taking the brunt of the thunderous wrath with his back.

He turned pale as paper and was thrown out like a cannonball, finally fainting in Mo Ruanruan's arms.

At that moment, with tears in her eyes, Mo Ruanruan urged the elders to stop Luo Ying, had Cheng Yi carried in for treatment, and herself rushed forward to whip the young lord of Ye, causing chaos on the scene.

Lu Jue encountered such a situation for the first time and was almost dumbfounded. He hurriedly stepped in, offering advice and comfort where he could.

But after all, he was just a junior general. These people, each of noble birth and fiery temperament, listened to no one, and the atmosphere was tense and chaotic.

Until Song Yunhe arrived.

But even then, the quarrel above continued.

Lu Jue briefly recounted the events, glancing at the brightly lit inn behind him with a hint of helplessness, "The current situation is that the little celestial insists it was the Ye Du demon prince who said something that provoked Luo Ying, causing him to lose control. The people from Ye Du, on the other hand, accuse her of slandering and being the first to strike, and now they're demanding an explanation from the celestial clan."

"Others in the inn who were affected are also in a bad mood. Lord Jun has reset the spiritual realm and arranged for them to rest."

Qiu Shi nodded, understanding the situation, and gestured towards the inn, whispering, "I'll go up and take a look."

Lu Jue stepped aside, clearing a path.

Qin Donglin followed her upstairs at a leisurely pace.

Upon entering the hall, they saw about a dozen people sitting with grim expressions. The people from Ye Du were on the left, those from the celestial clan on the right, and Song Yunhe sat in the middle, the atmosphere tense and eerily quiet.

"What's going on here?"

Qiu Shi walked over, her gaze sweeping over everyone as she asked.

"Heh."

The pale-faced demon prince from Ye Du, who looked as if he had never seen sunlight, exuding a sickly aura, saw Qiu Shi and sneered coldly, "I thought the main city was different, but it turns out it's just as subservient, completely in league with the celestial clan."

"Don't provoke me."

"If Mo Ruanruan had the ability to infuriate you like this, you wouldn't be red-eyed every time you see me."

Leaning against the doorway, Qiu Shi's tone was lazy, somewhat reminiscent of Qin Donglin.

Mo Ruanruan, unusually, did not retort. She pursed her lips stubbornly and said seriously, "It was Gui Tun who said something to Luo Ying that made him lose control suddenly."

Her voice broke, and her chubby little face twisted in distress, looking pitiful, "We were fine when we left, and Luo Ying even said he would take me to the tavern to try the new cakes."

Hearing Qiu Shi's words, Gui Tun's chest heaved twice in anger, pulling up his wide sleeves to reveal his unnaturally pale skin, marked by a whip scar that snaked around, emitting heat and turning a dark purple, a frightening sight.

"I ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‍was almost beaten to death, and you ask if I'm angry?"

Gui Tun's tone was chilling, "Wouldn't you be angry?"

Mo Ruanruan suddenly looked up, her eyes, dark as grapes, unusually fiery, "I should have beaten you to death!"

"Then try it."

Gui Tun was also fired up, leaning forward, his whole body tensed.

Mo Ruanruan's whip, sensing its master's intent, stretched out like a spirit snake, coiling around her snow-white wrist.

The situation was tense, as if a fight could break out at any moment.

Song Yunhe had been sitting and listening to their quarrel for over an hour, his head aching from the effort, his voice hoarse from too much persuading, "Can't you stop being so impulsive? If things really escalate, tomorrow you won't be sitting here, but kneeling in the ancestral hall."

"Song Yunhe, I didn't realize you had the potential to blindly play peacemaker."

"Did you learn that from Wu Fei?"

Gui Tun began to act all snide and irritably.

“Well, let’s see who’s really in the right.”

Mo Ruanruan was genuinely furious now.

“What’s with all the yelling?”

A cool, slightly impatient voice came from behind Qiu Shi, as Qin Donglin entered the room, stepping around Qiu Shi.

Mo Changheng and Yun Xuan simultaneously narrowed their eyes, and Gui Tun felt a certain pressure too. He awkwardly rubbed his nose, holding back from saying anything more provocative.

Qiu Shi moved to Mo Ruanruan’s side. Seeing her chubby little face and obvious red-rimmed eyes, her slender willow-leaf eyebrows raised slightly. Just as Mo Ruanruan thought she was about to be ridiculed, Qiu Shi handed her a clean handkerchief and turned her gaze away.

“Always crying about something,” Qiu Shi said flatly.

“Can you try having some backbone?”

Mo Ruanruan stared at the handkerchief for several moments before snatching it violently. She wiped her eyes haphazardly and, gritting her teeth, said, “He caused Luo Ying to suffer backlash—I should have beaten him to death!”

Qin Donglin stood silently, as if he hadn’t heard a thing. His gaze briefly lingered on Gui Tun for a couple of seconds.

Shuffling uncomfortably, Gui Tun sneered, “What are you looking at me for? You actually believe their absurd accusations?”

Qin Donglin’s gaze dropped to Gui Tun’s sleeve, which he had rolled up earlier to show Qiu Shi his injury. At last, he spoke.

“Put your sleeve down.”