The Reborn Man and the Transmigrated Woman

It wasn’t only Su Mo who had transmigrated into a book; Xu Qingzhu, too, had undergone a profound change. He had been reborn, having met his end beneath the protagonist Xiao Yao’s sword. At the brink of death, a torrent of bitterness and hatred surged, only to freeze within his chilling body. He knew of Xiao Yao’s meticulous caution; anyone he slew would have their soul extracted, then repeatedly ground into oblivion. To scatter a soul to the winds was one of Xiao Yao’s signature techniques.

“I didn’t die?” Opening his eyes once more, Xu Qingzhu felt a tickle at the tip of his nose, a playful strand of hair brushing against him. Looking up, he saw a terrifyingly pale face, a woman seated sideways, gazing down at him. Her naturally alluring eyes were softened by a steady, slightly surprised gaze. It was like a splash of vermilion staining a clear lake, an elegant hue imbued with the profound depth of ink wash. Yet, in the eerie depths of the forest, Xu Qingzhu’s first impression was—

‘A painted-skin demon!’

Without hesitation, he rolled to his feet, deftly sweeping up his longsword and bringing it down. Years of countless sword-wielding experiences meant he could sever the woman’s head in an instant. But he hesitated.

“Brother… Benefactor, why is your blade at my throat?”

The familiar voice stirred memories within Xu Qingzhu. In his previous life, spanning hundreds of years, the genesis of all his nightmares lay in the destruction of the Su family. Back then, he had believed Xiao Yao to be a good man, joining him in the ‘Elimination of the Su Family’ plan. He had not only personally slain a servant or two from the Su family but had also aided Xiao Yao in spreading the so-called ‘truth.’ Like most people, Xu Qingzhu had also believed the Su family to be a hidden demonic sect. Though he later understood, during his long life, that the Su family had been slandered as a demonic sect, realizing it was merely a means for Xiao Yao to secure his own interests. Yet, undeniably, the Su family’s methods bore too striking a resemblance to those of the demonic path. Especially the Su family’s only daughter, the Fourth Young Miss, who regarded mortals as mere blades of grass. Her name was Su Mo.

Her appearance? During a visit to his ‘friend’ Xiao Yao, he had once glimpsed a white-haired fox woman in the courtyard. If he wasn’t mistaken, that bewitching fox woman was none other than the woman before him now—Su Mo. The Fourth Young Miss of the Su family, whom he had encountered the very first moment after his rebirth.

A cold glint in his eyes, Xu Qingzhu mused internally, ‘Very well. The Path of Ruthlessness requires a ‘medicinal ingredient.” In his previous life, he had stumbled upon an immortal cultivation method, the Path of Ruthlessness. In his practice, he had only lacked one ‘medicinal ingredient’ to break through his bottleneck and achieve the Immortal Path of Ruthlessness. Had he not failed, he would have long since slain Emperor Xiao of Heaven, avenging his father’s murder, his friends’ deaths, and the deceit he suffered…

The woman before him was Su Mo, the ‘Poisonous Woman,’ an absolute villain. The softness of heart he’d displayed in his previous life would not be shown to her. To use her, kill her, and achieve the Path of Ruthlessness—it was simply a heaven-sent opportunity.

He murmured internally, ‘Heavenly Dao, have you finally opened your eyes?’ as he slightly pressed down his longsword, preventing Su Mo from squirming. Having not spoken to anyone for a long time, he was somewhat blunt and quick-witted in his reply:

“Shut up. Come back with me and get married.”

At his words, Su Mo’s expression instantly changed.

“Um… Young Master, what did you just say?”

Calling him ‘benefactor’ again felt awkward for Su Mo. Though she was immensely grateful for being saved, offering herself in marriage was far too exaggerated. With her advantage of transmigrating into the book, repaying her benefactor with a few grand opportunities in the future would be simple. But to repay him with her body? She wasn’t a gay man!

“Get up. Demonic creatures are gathering…” Xu Qingzhu removed his sword, held it upright, and used it to brace himself as he stood. Gasping on the ground, Su Mo only then realized her back was throbbing; the bloodied marks from the tree demon’s constriction had been further torn open by the hard stone.

The longsword hummed as it lowered. Xu Qingzhu looked down at her from his superior height.

“You are a good choice, but not the only one,” he uttered.

To be honest, hearing that, Su Mo felt a slight surge of relief. If she wasn’t his *only* choice for marriage, didn’t that imply there was still room for negotiation? However, with the young master telling her to rise, she could only grit her teeth and push herself up.

“Hiss~” A soft hiss escaped her lips. This delicate body, though pampered, was still that of a cultivator. Yet, she hadn’t undergone body tempering. With her spiritual energy depleted and her qi and blood severely weakened, she was only twice as strong as an ordinary person. Was she weak? Cultivators in the Qi Refining Realm were typically like this. Su Mo had inherited a Qi Refining Realm cultivation, and it was at the stage of Grand Completion. However, she had only just acquired it and was still very unpracticed. The spells in her mind were ‘immortal techniques’! How could a modern person have ever encountered the real deal?

“Leave quickly. The blood qi here is too dense,” Xu Qingzhu stated, his gaze chilling. A chilling gloom hung in the air. For some unknown reason, a heavy fog had descended? It enveloped their surroundings, so cold that Su Mo instinctively pulled her neck in. The young master stood beside her, sword in hand, exuding an aura of unwavering composure, as if Mount Tai itself could crumble before him without stirring a ripple of emotion. Was he planning to cover their retreat?

“Thank you, Young Master,” Su Mo said, tearing off a tattered corner of her skirt before immediately taking to her heels.

One step.

“Buzz!”

The longsword seemed quite fond of Su Mo’s neck, resting there, its cold gleam flashing across her face. Using her slender fingers to press down the longsword, Su Mo looked at him in confusion:

“Young Master? Why?”

“…Carry me away,” Xu Qingzhu said, his expression unchanged. After a long moment of shared gazes, Su Mo finally discerned from his cold eyes that he was serious. Though the young master felt somewhat peculiar, Su Mo, holding her nose, decided she would accede to her benefactor’s request. The moment he uttered the words ‘get married,’ Su Mo had found it deeply strange. Didn’t they say ancient people were quite reserved? Why was he immediately asking her to offer herself in marriage? Once this ordeal was over, she decided she would flee, only returning to repay his kindness once she possessed sufficient strength. As for staying at the young master’s home and eating all his rice? Did he truly believe she *wanted* to get married?

Under his indifferent gaze, Su Mo circled behind him, gesturing with her hands as she pondered how to best perform a princess carry. Upon contact, she lifted him in one swift motion; the position was unexpectedly suitable. Only, her arms pressed against his ‘red robes,’ and the blood seeped into her skin, feeling uncomfortably sticky.

‘He’s truly gravely injured,’ Su Mo mused internally. Lowering her head, she saw the young master gazing at her with lifeless, ‘dead fish’ eyes, his hand clutching the longsword trembling uncontrollably.

“Hmm?”

“Put me down,” he managed to squeeze out.

“Young Master? Didn’t you say to carry you away?” Su Mo tried to analyze.

“…”

For the first time, Su Mo detected other emotions on his face. Speechlessness, a faint hint of shame, and a touch of anger. So much so that his sword grew even colder, its gleam dazzling Su Mo’s eyes. It seemed he genuinely might cleave her in two with a single strike, scaring her into quickly setting him down. The moment he was down, Xu Qingzhu, disinclined to explain, placed a hand on her delicate shoulder to steady himself. His current body was simply too weak. How many years had it been since he was this feeble? Cultivation, treasure hunting, reconnaissance—every single step required his meticulous planning.

‘Xiao Yao, I will surely kill you,’ he vowed inwardly.

A soft pat sounded beside his ear. Before he could even react, Xu Qingzhu caught sight of her casually slinging an arm over his shoulder.

“You and I are like brothers; we’ll definitely make it out of this dark forest,” Su Mo declared, recalling her college buddies. “Shoulder to shoulder, we walk together; if we want to eat or drink, we simply go. No worries, no sickness; brothers for the journey, friends for life.”

Oh? You ask if Su Mo isn’t afraid of her enemies pursuing her? She was already so miserable; living one more day was a bonus. With a change of thought, the next second, Su Mo was pulling him toward a specific direction. That was the direction of the family’s surviving orphan and several other servants who had also escaped.

“Let’s go that way; it’ll be better for long-term planning,” Su Mo said, plotting internally, ‘I need to control this strange young master.’ Though he was her benefactor, his current demeanor genuinely frightened Su Mo. The deathly silence emanating from him was like the desolate evening wind beneath a winter moon—cold and sorrowful, imbued with an unspeakable loneliness. Especially after slinging her arm over his shoulder, Su Mo distinctly felt a profound stillness, yet one that concealed a terrifying madness, making all the hairs on her body stand on end. Control him, escape him, and repay him later. Contentment with one’s lot? Su Mo had never heard of such a thing.

But after only a few steps, Xu Qingzhu raised his sword, indicating she should change direction.

“Young Master? Is this the way to your home?” Su Mo asked, pressing down the longsword again with a faint smile.

“I have no home… No, you and I will build a home,” Xu Qingzhu corrected himself.

“Haha,” Su Mo chuckled awkwardly, feeling an urge to turn and run. She had a strong sense of being coerced, pushed into a corner, and ultimately forced to yield. ‘Will I be assaulted?’ Who could understand her plight? She had just escaped one danger only to fall into another.