Quick Transmigration Cannon Fodder's Record of Counterattacks

Chapter 3690: Sword Fighting Across the Realm (29)

Qin Nianzhi had originally assumed Ning Shu was there to offer words of comfort. Since the deaths of Situ Xun and her father, she had been in a state of total despair, and she had refused to eat or drink while wandering in a daze.

In her heart, she harbored a deep resentment toward him, the senior brother who had killed the man she loved. She clung to the thought that she would never forgive him for the rest of her life.

But now her senior brother was saying he intended to leave Wanjian Manor to wander the world, seemingly planning to sever his ties with the sect entirely. Qin Nianzhi’s heart suddenly panicked. The pillar she had relied on so certainly had come crashing down.

If she had to face the empty Wanjian Manor alone, she would be the one responsible for every little thing. She simply couldn't do it.

Qin Nianzhi was stunned. Even though Ning Shu was standing outside the door, she could visualize exactly what face the girl was making—the face of someone who took everything for granted.

Didn't you want to have it both ways? Weren't you so torn? Now one is dead and the other is leaving. You no longer have to be caught in the middle, struggling between two men.

Ning Shu cleared her throat and said, "Junior Sister, I am leaving tomorrow. Since you are the heir to Wanjian Manor, you must take up the responsibility. Do not fail Master."

With a creak, the door opened. Qin Nianzhi, who had been hiding in her room, finally saw the light of day.

Good grief. Ning Shu couldn't help but twitch her lips at the sight of her. Qin Nianzhi looked like a ghost. Her hair was a mess, and her face was as white as paper. Her eyes were hollow and surrounded by dark circles, and her chin had become unnaturally sharp—the ‘snake spirit chin’ of someone who had wasted away. She no longer possessed any of the grace of the beauty she once was on the martial world beauty rankings.

No matter how high one’s beauty stats were, they couldn't withstand this kind of abuse. Beauty was a fluctuating variable, and keeping it stable was difficult enough, but it was rare to see someone sabotage themselves as thoroughly as Qin Nianzhi.

Ning Shu looked at her with an unchanged expression. "Take care of yourself, Junior Sister. Even if only for the sake of Wanjian Manor and Master, you should pull yourself together."

Qin Nianzhi turned her head like a stiff wooden doll. Her hollow, lifeless eyes stared straight at Ning Shu. When she saw Ning Shu’s face, a surge of hatred and resentment burst from her gaze.

"Senior Brother, you’re leaving?" Qin Nianzhi’s empty eyes welled with tears. Was everyone going to leave her?

Her father was gone, Situ Xun had been killed by her senior brother, and now her senior brother was leaving too. When Qin Nianzhi looked at Ning Shu, her heart was filled with despair and hatred. It wasn't that she didn't want to avenge Situ Xun, but this was her senior brother.

In her complex and confused state, Qin Nianzhi could only use this method to torture herself. Naturally, she also intended to torture Ning Shu. In the name of love, the people we care about are often the ones who hurt us the most, because we are humble in our caring.

If this had been the original host, Chong Xuefeng, he would likely have been at a complete loss by now.

Ning Shu nodded. "Junior Sister, I have to go. I promised Master I would rescue you. To prevent Situ Xun from harassing you further, I killed him. I did it for your own good."

How did it feel to be fed a pile of filth and then be forced to say it tasted good?

I did it for you, so… blah blah blah.

Qin Nianzhi’s face twitched. Her eyes grew even more hollow as she clenched her fists, her nails leaving deep marks in her palms.

A wheezing sound came from her throat. Ning Shu acted as if she hadn't noticed Qin Nianzhi's expression and said, "From now on, you are the head of Wanjian Manor. You must not be as willful as you were in the past. You must be strong. Don't cry."

Ning Shu saw that Qin Nianzhi’s gaze was full of resentment. "Junior Sister, given our current relationship, it isn't suitable for me to stay here anymore. Take care of yourself. Show some authority and don't let the servants bully you."

Ning Shu maintained her act of being concerned for the girl and finally let out a sigh. "I know you are suffering, but the dead are gone. Please restrain your grief."

Qin Nianzhi: …

She had killed Situ Xun, and now she was telling her to restrain her grief? Qin Nianzhi was so angry she actually laughed. "Senior Brother, you really are too cruel."

Ning Shu’s face remained calm as she said, "I am cruel, but this is the last thing I will do for Master."

"Then should I thank you?" Qin Nianzhi looked at Ning Shu. Her voice was raspy. Because she had been neglecting herself lately, her voice no longer sounded like the clear song of a warbler.

Ning Shu shook her head. "No need for thanks. Consider this my way of repaying Master’s kindness. Master treated me as his own son, and I did this willingly."

Qin Nianzhi: …

"Get out!" Qin Nianzhi’s anger finally overcame her bewilderment. Hearing that her senior brother was leaving had left her feeling lost and without support, but hearing such shameless words—each one of which stabbed her in the heart—made her want nothing more than for him to get out.

Ning Shu looked at the closed door and simply smiled. She turned and left, rolling out of there without a care in the world. It was a fantastic feeling.

During her travels, if Ning Shu encountered people in need of medical treatment, she would step in to help. Occasionally she would collect a small fee. Sometimes the payment was meager, just a coarse flour pancake, but she didn't mind.

While passing through towns, Ning Shu heard that her exploit of storming the demonic cult to save Qin Nianzhi and then wandering off into the sunset had already been turned into stories. In the teahouses, storytellers were speaking with such fervor that spit was flying everywhere.

Occasionally, Ning Shu would sit and peel peanuts, eating while listening to the storytellers’ flowery language. In short, after a bit of artistic exaggeration, the events became quite spectacular. They stopped just short of saying she had three heads and six arms.

In the stories, she left Wanjian Manor immediately after saving its former master's daughter. Despite being the heir to the sect, she had walked away from fame, power, and wealth.

The world struggled for profit and was burdened by fame, yet people also hoped for true transcendence from these things. Regarding money as dross had always been considered a noble sentiment.

Ning Shu: Give me a break.

When did she ever regard money as dross? Money could make her life a bit more comfortable, so why would she refuse it?

Some also said Ning Shu had been heartbroken and thus resolutely chose to leave. They went on about how pitiful she was.

In short, this kind of gossip spread like the wind to every corner of the land.

The gossip regarding Qin Nianzhi wasn't nearly as kind. People said she locked herself in her room every day and didn't care about the state of her home. Some servants were even stealing things from the house, since the master didn't know what was going on anyway.

Furthermore, some bandits and thieves often visited Wanjian Manor to swipe things—weapons, porcelain, money, calligraphy, and paintings—but Qin Nianzhi never reacted.

She stayed in her room until it practically stank.

Every day, servants would bring her food. At the very least, these servants knew she was the master, and as long as she didn't starve to death, it was best for them if she stayed in her room like that.

For the servants, it was paradise. With no one to supervise them, they drank and ate meat without restraint. They spent all day idling about and had even started gambling.

The steward saw all this and was anxious at heart. The once-prosperous Wanjian Manor had declined to this state in an instant. More than once, he begged Qin Nianzhi to come out and take charge. After all, she was the old sect leader's daughter and possessed martial arts skills that could intimidate these wicked servants.