Our Tragic Novel's Female Lead Was Like This

The Heavenly Profound Sect Master summoned one of his disciples and instructed, "Bring the Deputy Sect Master here."

The disciple acknowledged the order and withdrew.

A moment later, the Deputy Sect Master arrived. He bowed respectfully, then sat before the Sect Master.

"Luo Qingdie is heading to Qingyun City. Your plan has taken effect," the Heavenly Profound Sect Master said with a smile.

"Is that so?" The Deputy Sect Master remained utterly calm.

"You are not surprised?"

"After Luo Qingdie's temperament changed drastically, she began to haggle over every last penny. She could not even endure slander from her fellow disciples, much less from ordinary mortals. Once she entered a mortal city and saw the stories we fabricated, the books we wrote, Fried Luo, and the wooden figurines being whipped, she would naturally fly into a rage. She would investigate to find the true culprit, then be led into the Qingyun City we deliberately arranged."

The Deputy Sect Master said, "We arranged things this way, and she acted according to our arrangements. Everything is within the plan and within expectations. What is there to be surprised about?"

"Good, very good." The Heavenly Profound Sect Master nodded, then added, "However, luring her to Qingyun City is merely the beginning. Whether the plan succeeds ultimately depends on whether we can lead her into Qingyun City's trap, and whether that trap is effective enough."

"The trap we have set in Qingyun City is the Ten Directions Flawless Immortal-Locking God-Extinguishing Grand Formation. This formation was left behind by an Old Ancestor who has already ascended. Since the Old Ancestor said it was sufficient to deal with Mahayana Stage cultivators, then it will certainly be able to deal with Mahayana Stage cultivators." The Deputy Sect Master's tone was resolute.

Luo Qingdie was the only Mahayana Stage cultivator in the world, but that did not mean she was the only Mahayana Stage cultivator in history.

Before her, there had also been one or two such figures.

Thus, as the leader of the Righteous Path, the Heavenly Profound Immortal Sect naturally possessed an immensely profound foundation and one or two methods capable of dealing with Mahayana Stage cultivators.

"As for how to lure her into the trap... we have already found Luo Qingdie's parents and family, informed them of the entire matter, and they have agreed to help us." The Deputy Sect Master said, "It is said that Luo Qingdie has an excellent relationship with them and occasionally leaves the sect to visit them. No matter how drastically Luo Qingdie's personality has changed, blood ties and familial affection cannot be severed. She certainly will not suspect them."

"Good, excellent." The Heavenly Profound Sect Master nodded. "You are right. Even according to the rumors, Luo Qingdie only acted after suffering injustice. She is not some madwoman who runs wild without restraint. But how could the parents who gave birth to and raised her cause her any grievance? Even if they truly wronged her, would she dare to really strike them? Where would human ethics be? Even if she is a Mahayana Stage cultivator, can she strip herself of her identity as a daughter?"

"Precisely. The principles of human ethics are Heaven's laws and the bonds of order. Following them is the foundation of being human; it is only right and proper, and cannot be defied."

"But if something slips through the cracks... it is not as though she cannot escape." The Heavenly Profound Sect Master revealed a trace of worry. "Are the people you sent reliable?"

"Though Yang Ruying is young, he handles matters with the steadiness of an old hand. He is experienced and trustworthy."

"Then good. I shall wait for his good news!"

Meanwhile, elsewhere.

Chu Lu was galloping toward Qingyun City, hoping to resolve this matter as quickly as possible.

Although Luo Qingdie had said nothing along the way, he felt that this woman seemed to radiate a gloomy aura from head to toe.

Yet halfway there, he suddenly stopped.

"What is it?" Luo Qingdie asked.

"I suddenly thought of something." Chu Lu said, "The mastermind behind this seems rather despicable. To deal with us, he will certainly stop at nothing. His strength may be inferior to ours, but that does not mean we cannot capsize in a gutter."

At that moment, Chu Lu recalled many frustrating scenes from literary works. Clearly the protagonists held the advantage in strength, yet because the villains had taken hostages or something else, they could force the protagonists to surrender and be bound.

Chu Lu did not want such a thing to happen to him.

So he asked, "Is there anyone or anything you particularly care about?"

"Someone I care about..." Luo Qingdie's tone suddenly became subtle. She sighed. "Chu Lu, you need not worry about that. I have no such person."

"Really? Not even one?" Chu Lu asked in surprise.

"I once thought I did, but later discovered that I did not." Luo Qingdie's voice was exceptionally desolate. "Chu Lu, do you remember the story of my previous life that I described in the Chat Group before you transmigrated here?"

Chu Lu nodded.

"Did I not mention it then? After I was driven out of the Inquiry Sword Sect, I suffered several more betrayals." Luo Qingdie began to explain. "Those betrayals showed me the true faces of many people."

"Can you tell me more?"

"...All right. After I was driven out back then, I first went to seek refuge with my parents."

"Huh? Your parents are still alive?!"

"Yes. What is wrong with that?"

"No, nothing..." Chu Lu thought it over, wondering whether Luo Qingdie had perhaps given her parents abundant resources after she rose to prominence.

"Actually, my relationship with my parents was not particularly good." Luo Qingdie said, "They favored my younger brother. Ever since childhood, any good food or fun things went to him first, and whatever he did not want was given to me afterward. When my master came to my home to take in a disciple, they desperately pushed my brother forward and hid me away, terrified that Master might choose me. They even lied to me, saying they thought Master was a bad person and cared deeply about me, which was why they hid me."

"Later, Master saw through their deception, found me, and wanted to accept me as a disciple. They absolutely refused, saying they could not bear to let their daughter be outside alone unless my younger brother came along too. If my brother had not lacked even the slightest spiritual root, they might truly have gotten their way. When I finally left, they gnashed their teeth in fury, their eyes red, weeping tears of hatred."

"After I achieved success in cultivation, they learned of it and actually came to the Inquiry Sword Sect to see me. I was so angry that I cried. I had thought I would never need to see them again in this life. Afterward, they even demanded that I return home and support the younger generation of the family, such as their grandsons. When I did not want to go, they cursed me viciously and called me unfilial. My master and senior brothers in the sect were unhappy as well. I had no choice but to go every few days. But though they called it going home to visit, what they truly wanted were the spiritual pills, magical treasures, and cultivation manuals in my hands. As for me personally, they did not care what happened to me."

"They said that their daughter had made something of herself and that they were happy, but behind my back they said a daughter was an outsider who could not be relied upon. They said they needed to squeeze more things out of me to support their own people. They thought I could not hear them."

Chu Lu: "..."

He inwardly complained, This is a cultivation world, right? This really is a cultivation world, right?

"So when I first sought refuge with my parents, I did not hold much hope. Yet when they saw that all my cultivation had vanished, they were shocked at first, then deeply distressed. They told me to stay home and rest. I was so moved that tears streamed down my face."

"Huh? Then isn't that quite good?" Chu Lu asked, utterly puzzled.

"Yes, it was quite good at first. Until I later woke up and discovered that I had been tied to an altar, and my parents wanted to sacrifice me to a demon god." Luo Qingdie sighed. "Especially since while sacrificing me, they cursed me bitterly, saying I had no abilities at all yet still had the nerve to come back and burden them. They said that if I had even a shred of self-awareness as their daughter, I should obediently let them sacrifice me in exchange for a longer lifespan."

Chu Lu: "..."

"I escaped with great difficulty, then went to seek refuge with my closest friend, Mo Yushang. I had known her for many years. We first met while exploring a secret realm. Later, we became acquainted through a fight, broke through the secret realm together, and became friends. When she learned of my situation, she was shocked at first, then deeply distressed. She told me to rest in her home. I was so moved that tears streamed down my face."

Chu Lu: "Wait, why does this feel so familiar?"

"That is right. A few days later, I woke up and found myself tied to a sickbed, while she was holding a knife and preparing to take the heartblood from my chest. It turned out she had gotten involved with a demonic cultivator, and that demonic cultivator needed heartblood to practice his art, so she set her sights on me." Luo Qingdie sighed again. "Especially since while sharpening her knife, she said she had no choice either. If she did not do this, her husband would not be willing to remain together with her until their hair turned white. She said that if I had even a shred of self-awareness as her close friend, I should obediently let her take my heartblood."

Chu Lu: "..."

"I escaped with great difficulty again. This time, I was afraid and sought refuge with no one. I hid in some small place and started a small business. Then one day, a little beggar collapsed outside my door, looking as though he was at death's door. I pitied him, so I brought him in and cared for him. After saving him, I kept him and raised him as my son. He was very obedient and made me feel warmth I had not felt in a long time. I was so moved that tears streamed down my face."

Hearing that last sentence, Chu Lu's face immediately filled with astonishment. "?? Wait? No? This too?"

"Yes. I woke up and found myself thrown into a Pill Furnace. It turned out he had discovered that this body of mine had once belonged to a Mahayana Stage cultivator. Though my cultivation was crippled and my spiritual root and Phoenix Bone had been dug out, some remnants still remained, so he wanted to refine me into a pill." Luo Qingdie sighed for the third time. "While lighting the fire, he said he had no choice either. His aptitude was limited, and he had to find a way to improve his spiritual root. He said that if I had even a shred of self-awareness as his adoptive mother, I should obediently let him refine me into a pill."

Chu Lu: "..."

"I barely escaped again. Afterward, I found a place to rest, and then I was killed by people sent by Liu Yan'er." Luo Qingdie said faintly, "So, Chu Lu, you need not worry. I no longer have anyone I care about."

"This, this truly is..." Chu Lu's expression was complicated. "You are far too miserable, aren't you?"

"Yes." Luo Qingdie continued sighing.

No, I do not think you understand what I mean. You are far too miserable, aren't you?! Chu Lu thought. Your master favored your junior sister, who had already died, and believed you were no good. Your senior brother spent so many years with you, yet drew his blade against you for Liu Yan'er, whom he had known only briefly. Your disciples called you old hag every other word and even dared to swing swords at you. That was miserable enough already. Yet now you are telling me that your parents wanted to kill you, your closest friends and loved ones wanted to kill you, and even a beggar you picked up outside wanted to kill you?!

Is there really no one in this world who likes you?

However, Chu Lu hesitated again and again, and in the end, he did not say those words aloud. He feared he would break Luo Qingdie's defenses too thoroughly.

Thus, he said, "That is good, then I can rest easy."

Then he continued on his way in silence and said nothing more.

Elsewhere, in Qingyun City.

Yang Ruying's expression was calm as still water. As the overall commander of this operation, he knew full well that this was a tremendous opportunity. If he succeeded, he would soar straight into the clouds within the Heavenly Profound Immortal Sect.

But if he failed, the consequences would be just as disastrous.

Therefore, he absolutely could not let down his guard.

This plan was divided into two parts. The first was setting up the Ten Directions Flawless Immortal-Locking God-Extinguishing Grand Formation, while the second was using Luo Qingdie's parents to lure Luo Qingdie into the formation.

Unexpectedly, of these two parts, the former was the comparatively easier one.

Though the Ten Directions Flawless Immortal-Locking God-Extinguishing Grand Formation was an ultimate formation capable of trapping and killing Mahayana Stage cultivators, the senior who left behind this formation had clearly considered that seas could turn into mulberry fields and times could change. Anything could happen. If the difficulty of setting up the formation were raised too high, such that later generations could only stare eagerly at it but be unable to use it, that would be far too ridiculous.

Thus, he had done everything possible to drastically lower the threshold.

That was why Yang Ruying could easily set up this grand formation within Qingyun City.

But the other side of things was troublesome.

Though the Ten Directions Flawless Immortal-Locking God-Extinguishing Grand Formation was extremely well concealed, even Mahayana Stage cultivators would be unable to detect it unless they deliberately searched for it. Furthermore, it activated with astonishing speed and possessed tremendous power.

As long as Luo Qingdie stepped into it without any precautions, she would undoubtedly die.

But how could they make her enter it without any precautions?

"Bring those two people here," Yang Ruying ordered his subordinate.

"Yes." The subordinate answered and withdrew.

A moment later, an elderly couple entered.

One could tell at a glance that these two were either wealthy or noble.

The old man wore a dark gray round-collared robe woven from silk, with black leather boots on his feet. The old woman wore a broad-sleeved robe patterned with clouds.

Both of them appeared in good spirits, but their eyes were filled with fear when they looked at Yang Ruying.

Yang Ruying was also examining them.

These two were Luo Qingdie's parents. They both possessed miscellaneous-grade five-element spiritual roots, yet their cultivation had reached the Nascent Soul Realm. Clearly, they had been forcibly raised through Luo Qingdie's unceasing supply of pills.

When Yang Ruying first approached them, he had worried that he would be unable to persuade them to deal with Luo Qingdie. Yet unexpectedly, after he merely explained the situation and threatened that if they refused, they would be treated as demonic cultivators and eliminated along with her, they agreed without the slightest hesitation.

Their answer had been so decisive that he could not even tell whether they were upright and noble, selfless and devoted to the public good, or simply afraid of death.

"Esteemed elders, I have received word from the sect. Luo Qingdie is currently rushing here," Yang Ruying said. "We need to take action as well."

"Good, good." Luo's Father said with righteous indignation, "That unfilial daughter of mine committed such evil deeds. She truly cannot be tolerated by this world. The Heavenly Profound Immortal Sect is a renowned righteous sect, open and aboveboard in all its actions. Now that you require this old man's help, this old man will naturally not hesitate. No matter what you ask this old man to do, this old man will not utter a single complaint!"

"Very good." Yang Ruying nodded. "We have already discussed the plan prepared for you. The most crucial point is how to lure her into the formation without arousing her vigilance. Do either of you elders have any ideas?"

Upon hearing this, the elderly couple exchanged a glance, then laughed.

"That could not be simpler!"