If I Were Ling Xian, I'd Choose Xiao Muchen Too

[Side quest: Make Feng Moyuan feel sorry for Ling Xian and punish you. Quest reward: Fifty points.]

The system announced the side quest in a rigid, mechanical voice.

Su Ying's scalp prickled. She hadn't expected to still receive quests designed to turn her into cannon fodder, even after straying from the original plot.

Feng Moyuan raised an eyebrow.

Feel sorry for Ling Xian?

If Ling Xian wore the same uniform as the other maids and stood among them, he probably wouldn't even recognize her.

The quests this system issued were certainly interesting.

How was he supposed to sympathize with someone he couldn't even recognize?

Feng Moyuan looked at Su Ying with amusement.

Meanwhile, Su Ying was looking at Ling Xian, her mind racing to figure out how to anger her enough to complete the quest.

"Senior Sister, I didn't, I didn't..." Ling Xian shook her head, her eyes brimming with tears as she looked pitifully at Feng Moyuan.

Su Ying thought to herself, The gu poison in her body should have taken effect by now, right? Then this side quest should be easy enough.

As she spoke, she tried to draw her sword.

To her surprise, someone had confiscated it.

Su Ying could only drop the memorial and charge straight at Ling Xian. "Junior Sister, since neither of us wants this, I'll send you on your way. Once you're gone, I'll kill myself too. At least we'll have each other for company on the road to the afterlife, so we won't be lonely."

"Ah! Senior Sister, don't!" Seeing Su Ying flying straight toward her, Ling Xian instinctively ran toward Feng Moyuan.

Su Ying's eyes darkened. Not completely stupid. There's still hope for her.

With that, she changed direction too, still heading for Ling Xian.

"Senior Sister, how could you do this!" Ling Xian hid behind Feng Moyuan. "You betrayed the sect, and now you want to kill me! Ah, help!"

"Stop!" Feng Moyuan hadn't wanted to get involved, but remembering Su Ying's quest and considering that she could still help him later, he raised his hand with a grim expression. A blast of force from his palm struck her.

Su Ying's eyes widened. She staggered back two steps and spat out a mouthful of blood.

This demon king! He could've just stopped me. Why did he have to hit me? Ah, it hurts so much! she wailed inwardly, even feeling strangely wronged.

[Host, internal injuries detected. You require prompt treatment.]

The system responded immediately.

Of course I know I have internal injuries. Su Ying was speechless. She hadn't expected Feng Moyuan to be so ruthless.

Clutching her chest, she stared at Ling Xian in disbelief and simply shoved the plot back onto its original track.

"Junior Sister, to think you were the one who betrayed the sect!"

Seeing Su Ying like this, Ling Xian felt an inexplicable surge of delight. Looking at the man shielding her behind him, she couldn't help feeling protected.

"Senior Sister, I didn't. You were the one..." As she spoke, her tears fell.

Su Ying pointed at them. "You shameless pair! Ling Xian, Master treated you so well, yet you actually got together with this demonic cultivator! If I get out of here alive, I'll tell Master that you betrayed the sect and colluded with the demons!"

"Shut up!" Feng Moyuan had let her act for a while, but he still hadn't heard the system announce that the quest was complete. He could only administer a stronger dose.

"If you dare harm anyone from my Demon Palace, I will never spare you!"

"Hahahaha!" Su Ying's inner actress took over. She was just about to launch into a tragic performance when a mouthful of blood nearly choked her. She hurriedly coughed twice, then spat out another mouthful of fresh blood.

Holy crap, are my internal injuries that serious? She hadn't expected to cough up a second mouthful after the first.

[They are indeed quite serious. Host, you must treat your injuries immediately. Also, congratulations on completing the side quest and receiving fifty points.]

The system abandoned its flippant tone and spoke plainly.

Su Ying was speechless. He really was ruthless.

That palm strike from Feng Moyuan had practically taken half her life.

Feng Moyuan frowned. Had he hit her too hard?

He hadn't expected Su Ying to be so fragile...

After learning how severe her internal injuries were, Feng Moyuan felt inexplicably irritated. "What are you laughing at!"

So I'm not even allowed to laugh now, Su Ying thought.

Then she heard Feng Moyuan say, "Consider today a lesson from me. If you ever dare harm anyone from the Demon Palace again, I will not spare you. Get back to your quarters."

"Thank you for sparing my life, Your Highness." Su Ying knelt and paid her respects before turning to leave, but she continued grumbling inwardly. Sigh, defending Ling Xian so fiercely, and he'll still end up abandoned. A male supporting character is a male supporting character, just as miserable as a female supporting character like me. But if I were Ling Xian, I'd choose Xiao Muchen too. This guy has no idea how to hold back. Ling Xian would probably be afraid he'd kill her.

[Host, you previously said you would choose the Demon Venerable.]

I was young and foolish then. I hadn't witnessed his brutality. Now I choose Xiao Muchen. At least he won't hit people with a palm strike at the drop of a hat. It hurts so much! No, I need to escape as soon as possible. Su Ying was genuinely frightened. Besides, her handsome young man was still waiting to be rescued on Repentance Cliff.

The poor thing still needed to eat. He definitely wouldn't be able to stand going hungry for two days.

Su Ying feared that if he truly couldn't bear it, he would jump straight off Repentance Cliff. Then she would be a sinner condemned for all eternity.

Listening to her thoughts, Feng Moyuan's face darkened. Choose Xiao Muchen?

So she would choose Xiao Muchen!

If she dared choose Xiao Muchen, he would snap her neck! Tear out her spiritual root, peel off her skin, and drain her blood!

Feng Moyuan's knuckles cracked.

Ling Xian thought Feng Moyuan was acting this way to avenge her, and admiration stirred in her heart.

Looking at that face, more beautiful than a woman's, she thought that although he was somewhat sinister and frightening, who didn't like beautiful people and things?

So perhaps Feng Moyuan was better than Xiao Muchen.

Perhaps being brought to the Demon Realm wasn't such a bad choice.

"Lord Demon Venerable..." Ling Xian tugged at his sleeve and said softly, "Please spare my senior sister."

Feng Moyuan looked at her in disgust and abruptly moved away. "What are you doing!"

Ling Xian jumped at his sudden outburst.

What was going on?

Why had the man who had just defended her suddenly become filled with disgust?

Ling Xian said timidly, "Lord Demon Venerable, I only wanted to plead for my senior sister."

"I detest people coming near me. Keep your distance from now on, understood?" Feng Moyuan was utterly blunt and showed her no kindness.

In his eyes, Ling Xian's sad, distressed expression was no different from that of an ordinary maid. They were equally ugly.

Although he had heard plenty of disciples praise Ling Xian's beauty during his few days at the Cultivation Sect, he truly couldn't see what was so beautiful about her.

In his eyes, the only thing even slightly special was Su Ying's lips.

"Demon Venerable, I thought you..." Ling Xian froze. When Feng Moyuan had protected her earlier, she had assumed he had fallen at her feet like all the other men.

"Get out!" Feng Moyuan took off his scarlet outer robe and tossed it aside as though it had brought him bad luck.