Chapter 3

"That's it; he certainly doesn't know. If he did, how could he have written these words?"

"Ah, this person is so bold, calling the Song Emperor a good-for-nothing and a tyrant."

"'Are kings and generals born of a special seed?' Well said indeed."

"Oh no! This person also ambitions to rule as king; won't that conflict with my cousin's grand undertaking to restore our nation?"

Reading this, Wang Wang Wang Yuyan was immediately filled with deep worry.

She knew all too well how immense South South Murong Fu's obsession with restoring his kingdom was; asking him to abandon it was utterly impossible, and once he clashed with the diary's owner...

Wang Wang Wang Yuyan had always been confident in South South Murong Fu, regarding him as the foremost young talent of the age, yet now facing a mysterious transmigrator possessing a diary system, she truly lacked confidence.

Alas, no matter how anxious she became, there was nothing she could do, so she forced herself to be patient and continue reading.

The next moment, her pink cheeks flushed slightly, and she spat, "I originally thought him some hero or great man, only to find he is also a lecherous rogue."

"Moreover, he actually... actually included Mother and me on that list; could this person harbor some sinister intent?"

Yet before Wang Wang Wang Yuyan could indulge further in shame and anger, she suddenly thought of something, and her face turned deathly pale.

Her gaze fell upon that list of beauties from "The Eightfold Path of the Heavenly Dragons," and specifically upon the phrase, "More than half are connected to Duan Duan Zhengchun, being either wives, lovers, or illegitimate daughters."

At first glance, Wang Wang Wang Yuyan felt nothing particular, merely thinking that this Duan Duan Zhengchun was far too promiscuous!

But then, she recalled how her mother ordinarily harbored an intense hatred for the people of the Dali Kingdom, while the Duan clan happened to be the most renowned family in Dali.

Could it be that this Duan Duan Zhengchun belongs to the Dali Duan clan?

Thus, a terrifying suspicion sprouted in the depths of her heart.

She did not wish to entertain the thought, yet that notion constantly lingered in her mind, refusing to dissipate.

"No! I must go and ask Mother!"

Wang Wang Wang Yuyan made up her mind.

However, she did not rush to depart immediately, but continued reading.

"Among the three peerless beauties that martial arts tales invariably cannot bypass, one is me? And I am the 'Fairy Sister'?"

Reading this, even though Wang Wang Wang Yuyan was usually impervious to favor or disgrace, she could not help but feel a surge of joy.

For she deeply understood the weight of such an honor.

Yet before she could rejoice for long, Wang Wang Wang Yuyan, having once again discovered hidden information, froze with a stiff expression.

Slap!

The diary copy slipped from her palm and fell to the ground.

004. Xiao Longnu: He wants to ride me?

Though the diary copy had slipped from her hand, Wang Wang Wang Yuyan seemed utterly unaware, standing rooted to the spot in a daze, foolish and stunned.

Even when she had just earlier suspected her own parentage, she had not lost her composure to such a degree.

For the diary had stated that she was the primary female protagonist of "The Eightfold Path of the Heavenly Dragons," while the primary male protagonist was Duan Yu.

Not South South Murong Fu!

According to the conventions of such tales, the male and female protagonists are invariably a couple.

Did this not mean that the man she would eventually marry was not her cousin, but someone named Duan Yu?

"Impossible! Impossible!"

Wang Wang Wang Yuyan repeated the words in a daze, murmuring them over and over, unwilling to accept this outcome.

Since childhood, she had worshipped and admired her cousin South South Murong Fu, her heart and mind set solely on becoming his wife; how could she possibly transfer her affections and marry another?

Unless... unless the problem did not lie with her.

"Could it be that Cousin... he... he does not want me?"

Such a speculation arose in Wang Wang Wang Yuyan's mind, and instantly her heart sank to the very bottom.

For she thought of the various ways South South Murong Fu had treated her with coldness in ordinary times.

This left her truly without the courage to claim that her cousin definitely liked her.

Thinking of this, Wang Wang Wang Yuyan felt a sharp pain constricting her chest; her limbs suddenly grew weak and limp, and she collapsed powerlessly onto the bed.

Her eyes, originally clear and bright, grew misty with moisture, and crystal-clear teardrops rolled down her flawless, fairy-like face like a string of pearls.

Her heart was filled with nothing but desolation and despair; she no longer had the mood to read the remaining contents of the diary.

Shanzhou, Mount Zhongnan, the Ancient Tomb.

Xiao Longnu held the diary copy in her hands, her gaze fixed unblinkingly upon every character on the pages.

Upon learning the truth of this world, even though she had cultivated the "Jade Maiden Art" since childhood, severing the seven emotions and extinguishing the six desires so that her mood rarely fluctuated, she could not help but change color.

However, very soon, she adjusted herself once more.

For all of this, to a homebody like herself, was far too distant.

Including the truth of the world; it was not so very important.

She could view life and death with such indifference; what difference did it make whether she was fictional or real?

Having reasoned this out, the lake of Xiao Longnu's heart became calm once again.

However, this novel object, the diary copy, which she had never seen before, also aroused her curiosity, so Xiao Longnu, who suffered from a lack of entertainment, continued reading downward.

Divine arts, treasures, golden fingers... she cared about none of them.

It was only until she saw herself listed as one of the "three women martial arts tales cannot bypass," and furthermore, that according to the diary's owner, she was capable of making men brave fire and water for her sake.

Seeing this, Xiao Longnu's beautiful eyes shifted slightly; she gently parted her crimson lips, and her clear, ethereal, heavenly voice echoed within the dim tomb chamber: "He would brave fire and water for me?"

The Ancient Tomb Sect had a rule: if any man were willing to die for a disciple of the sect, then she could descend the mountain to be with him.

Judging by the implications within the lines of the diary, the diary's owner seemed capable of achieving precisely this.

In other words, she could descend the mountain right now.

"Leave the mountain?"

Xiao Longnu's spirit faltered for a moment.

This term was truly somewhat unfamiliar to her, for from childhood until now, she had never left the mountain.

Now that the conditions for leaving the mountain had suddenly been met, Xiao Longnu could not help but feel some curiosity: what exactly was it like down the mountain?

However, in the end, her homebody nature prevailed; Xiao Longnu shook her head and dismissed the thought.

Continuing to read further down, Xiao Longnu's gaze immediately hardened!

She would be defiled?

Was it done by someone named Zhen Zhen Zhibing?

And did the matter seem related to both Yang Guo and Ouyang Feng?

Xiao Longnu's delicate brows knitted tightly, and her heart, usually as still as an ancient well, suddenly stirred with waves.

Although she had nearly severed all emotions and desires, regarding life and death with indifference, that did not mean she would not care about her chastity as a woman.

That this person named Zhen Zhen Zhibing would dare to take advantage of her distress to defile her was something she could not tolerate.

"Granny Sun," Xiao Longnu called softly.

Shortly after her voice fell, an old woman with an ugly face walked in: "Young Lady, what do you need from me?"

Xiao Longnu asked: "Do you know someone named Zhen Zhen Zhibing?"

"Zhen Zhen Zhibing?" Granny Sun was stunned: "Why has the Young Lady suddenly inquired about him?"

Xiao Longnu did not answer but countered: "Do you know this person?"

Granny Sun nodded: "I do not know him personally, but I am aware of him; this person is the chief disciple of the third generation of the Quanzhen Sect."

"So it is a stinking Daoist from the Quanzhen Sect." Xiao Longnu's brows furrowed even tighter.

Because Lin Chaoying, the founding ancestor of the Ancient Tomb Sect, loved Wang Wang Chongyang, the founding ancestor of the Quanzhen Sect, yet could not be with him, and ultimately died of grief, although both sects resided on Mount Zhongnan as neighbors, their relationship was actually extremely strained.

It could be said they would die of old age without ever interacting.

Even if they met face to face, generally not half a sentence would be exchanged.

Having been immersed in this atmosphere since childhood, Xiao Longnu held not a shred of goodwill toward the Quanzhen Sect.

She never expected that the one who might someday ruin her purity would be precisely the stinking Daoist she despised most.

Suddenly, Xiao Longnu recalled the spying glances she had detected many times while gathering honey at the rear mountain in the past.

"Could it be him?" Xiao Longnu mused.

In the past, she had paid no heed, feeling the other party posed no threat to her, but now things were different.

Thinking that the stinking Daoist had been plotting against her all along, Xiao Longnu decided that the next time she encountered him, she would definitely stab him with her sword!

Seeing rare shifts of expression appear on Xiao Longnu's face, Granny Sun asked with concern: "Young Lady, what is wrong with you?"

Xiao Longnu regained her focus slightly and said coldly: "I am fine. Granny Sun, do you also know Yang Guo?"