Villains: Starting with the Landlady

Page 160

A steel ring flew towards the demon, striking him and causing him to pause. After he regained his balance, a man and two women were already standing in front of the girl.

Ling Yun and Gu Bingbing stepped forward to deal with the demons, while Xiao Xue helped the chivalrous young girl up.

"Get out of my way, I don't need your help!"

The girl roughly pushed away Xiaoxue's outstretched hand, a move that caught the naive Xiaoxue off guard.

"You bunch of Sui dogs, not one of you is any good!"

"Sister, you've misunderstood..." Xiaoxue said, feeling a little wronged. "I just wanted to help you."

"I don't want the Sui Gang, get out of here!"

On the other side, Ling Yun's overwhelming aura had already crushed the demons, and the one opposite him, after seeing Ling Yun's appearance clearly, knelt down tremblingly.

"I've seen the Great..."

A sword beam flashed, and the demon's corpse was separated from its body, which Ling Yun then collected into the Demon Refining Pot.

If he were to reveal the whole truth, it would be quite difficult to win over Tuoba Yu'er.

Name: Tuoba Yu'er

Age: 19, ☆

[Value: 167, C]

[Rating: 96]

[Combat Strength: A+]

[Affection: Falling in Love (Natural Affinity Up+)]

The brave young woman who intervened to help is none other than Tuoba Yu'er, one of the female protagonists. She is kind-hearted and has a strong sense of justice, but she is also fiery and impulsive. The female protagonist pairing in "Heaven's Scar" and "Chinese Paladin 1" is surprisingly similar: one is a gentle, supportive healing girl, and the other is an outgoing, headstrong, and chivalrous girl. One is active, and the other is quiet, complementing each other perfectly.

However, Lin Yueru and Tuoba Yu'er are different; the latter's impulsiveness caused her great harm in the game.

Ling Yun turned back to Yu'er's side and extended his hand to her.

Tuoba Yu'er glanced at Ling Yun. Although she liked him very much, a man who was skilled in martial arts and handsome, she still turned her head away in a huff, puffing out her cheeks, thinking about how her tribe had been massacred by the Sui Dynasty.

"Hey, how can you be so ungrateful, girl!"

Gu Bingbing wouldn't tolerate her. Ling Yun was like a god to her, and she couldn't believe there was such an ungrateful girl!

"You Sui people are all snakes and rats, not a single one of you is any good." Tuoba Yu'er struggled to get up, but her legs gave way and she fell back down. "Damn it..."

"Haha, young man, my sister embarrassed you, so I apologize in advance!"

A clear, deep male voice rang out, and the group turned to see a burly man with a full beard leading several people with exotic features toward them.

"Yu'er, if it weren't for their help, you would have died in the mouth of demons long ago. How dare you speak rudely to them?"

"Brother-in-law, you're still siding with outsiders!" Yu'er was even angrier when she heard her brother-in-law say that.

"You all take Yu'er back to heal her wounds first. I'll host a banquet for our benefactors!"

Upon hearing the burly man's instructions, two women stepped out from behind him and helped Yu'er leave.

Although Yu'er never gave him a friendly look, she still secretly glanced back at Ling Yun several times, turning her face away before he noticed.

Although Zhang Lie appeared to be a rough and burly man, he was actually quite meticulous. He noticed his sister's unusual feelings for Ling Yun, and after glancing at the two beautiful young women beside Ling Yun, he knew that Ling Yun was quite lucky with women. He laughed heartily and invited the three of them to a restaurant.

Just as Lingyun's dishes hadn't been served yet, the two joined a table together and went upstairs to a private room.

"My name is Zhang Lie. My wife is from the Xianbei Tuoba clan. The girls you just rescued are my wife's younger sisters."

"So it's Brother Zhang Lie." Ling Yun smiled and raised his cup to clink with his. "I am Ling Yun."

Zhang Lie almost spat out the wine he had just drunk. He had been secretly gathering troops to rebel against the Sui Dynasty, but the person in front of him was the most powerful and terrifying figure among his imagined enemies!

It can be said that if they cannot subdue Grand Tutor Lingyun, no matter how many troops they bring, it will all be in vain.

The destruction of the Chen state was still fresh in their minds!

Chapter 367 The Tuoba Clan

The men behind Zhang Lie were also sweating profusely. After all, Grand Tutor Ling Yun's fearsome reputation was not just a rumor, but a reputation built on human bones!

The atmosphere became extremely tense. Only Yu Xiaoxue looked completely bewildered. She lived in a remote village and had no idea what a Grand Tutor or Grand Tutor was.

"Brother Zhang Lie, there's no need to be so agitated."

Ling Yun finished his drink and gently placed the glass on the table: "Perhaps in popular lore, I, Ling Yun, am not a good person, but... in the end, I was young and ignorant and made mistakes. I haven't been out and about for a long time."

A bead of sweat trickled down Zhang Lie's forehead. Although he wasn't very famous, he still had quite a few friends in the martial arts world. He even thought that Ling Yun had been ordered by that dog emperor to kill him!

Do you recognize this cauldron?

Ling Yun threw out the Shennong Cauldron, and Zhang Lie's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets when he saw it!

The Shennong Cauldron was kept by the Tuoba clan for a long time. More than ten years ago, it was stolen by the Sui Dynasty, and their tribe suffered heavy casualties. From then on, they hated the Sui Dynasty to the bone.

It was for this reason that Tuoba Yu'er hated the Sui people so much that she didn't even like the beautiful and innocent Xiao Xue.

"This cauldron was stolen by that dog emperor, but he didn't know its value. Now I've gotten it back."

Zhang Lie didn't understand what Ling Yun meant, but seeing his relaxed expression and the lack of any oppressive aura, an unrealistic idea popped into his mind, which he quickly rejected.

Wait a minute, if Ling Yun really wanted to rebel, what would he be after?

He's already in a position second only to the emperor, does he really want to go even further and become the emperor?

"When I destroyed the Chen Kingdom, I was just a child, tricked by my master..."

Ling Yun slowly delivered a prepared speech, sincere and earnest, recounting his journey from initial ignorance to enlightenment in Longchang, a profound awakening and repentance. Although Zhang Lie did not fully believe him, his wariness towards him lessened considerably.

Of course, no matter how vigilant they were, it was useless; Ling Yun could kill them without breaking a sweat.

"So, the Grand Tutor intends to..."

"Just call me Lingyun. I've long since lost interest in the title of Grand Tutor."

"Oh? Hahaha! That's great."

Ling Yun appeared quite composed. Zhang Lie, who considered himself quite good at judging people, thought that if Ling Yun's acting skills were truly that good and he could fool him, he would accept it.

“This cauldron cannot be returned to your Tuoba clan yet. I have other uses for it. Once I have finished using it, I will naturally return it to its rightful owner.”

"Could it be that Brother Lingyun has a relative who needs the divine cauldron's help?"

"No, it involves some secret matters." Ling Yun glanced at the people behind him, his meaning already quite clear.

After weighing the options carefully, Zhang Lie realized that if Ling Yun suddenly attacked, having more people wouldn't make a difference, so he gritted his teeth and told the others to leave first.

Ling Yun waved for Xiao Xue and Bing Bing to leave, as a gesture of respect.

Only the two of them remained in the room. Just as Zhang Lie was about to listen attentively, Ling Yun used his mental control to take him under his thumb.

After some questioning, Ling Yun's expression remained puzzling.

"He hasn't consummated his marriage with Tuoba Yue'er yet? That's interesting."

The man had a slight smile on his face. Tuoba Yue'er was Yu'er's older sister. The two women looked similar, but the older sister was more mature and gentle, quite different from her younger sister.

When the Tuoba clan members returned to the room, they saw Zhang Lie drinking and chatting with Ling Yun, and they were relieved.

"Brother Lingyun, why don't you come back to the tribe with us? That way, we can clear your name of some unfounded charges."

"Right on my mind."

Just as everyone was preparing to travel together, the scout responsible for gathering information ran back, but hesitated to speak after seeing Ling Yun and the others.

"Speak up, we're all on the same side."

The scout breathed a sigh of relief and quickly informed him of the information he had gathered.

"A group of Sui soldiers followed our tribe?" Zhang Lie frowned. "Where are they stationed now?"

"It's in the woods to the east."

Zhang Lie glanced at Ling Yun, and the young man stood up and said, "It's alright, you pack your things, I'll handle these people."

Zhang Lie was now under his control and had become a loyal subordinate, obeying his every word. He ordered his servants to prepare to pack their things and return to the tribe together after Ling Yun came back.

Ling Yun asked Gu Bingbing to stay here with Xiaoxue, as he didn't want to reveal his true identity to Xiaoxue too soon.

After Ling Yun left, Xiao Xue secretly asked Gu Bingbing, "Sister Gu, is there something on Brother Ling?"

"Hmm?" Gu Bingbing asked, puzzled. "What?"

"But... but whenever I get close to him, I feel like something is about to pop out of my head, but in the end I can't remember anything."

Xiaoxue was unaware that this was a connection between divine artifacts, while Gu Bingbing was completely clueless. She knew a little about the first Legend of Sword and Fairy game, but she knew absolutely nothing about the story of The Scar of the Sky.

"Why don't you get a little closer? Maybe then it'll break?"

This sentence was somewhat ambiguous. Xiaoxue immediately thought of the matter between Lingyun and Gu Bingbing, her pretty face turned red with embarrassment, and she quickly turned away.

"Sister Gu, you...you're so mean!"

On the other side, Ling Yun had already entered the woods. When the Sui army saw him coming, they first rubbed their eyes, and when they saw that it was indeed Grand Tutor Ling Yun, they immediately knelt down in a hula hoop.

"Release the child and go back to tell the princess that it was my order."

"what?"

The captain hesitated for a moment, but seeing Ling Yun's unquestionable gaze, he could only grit his teeth and order his men to release the child. He also specifically instructed the captured child to say that it was Grand Tutor Ling Yun who had ordered them to release him.

They dared not offend the young princess who was favored by the emperor, but they dared not offend Ling Yun, who was a favorite of the emperor, even less!

Moreover, it is said that the young princess has always liked Ling Yun, but the master in front of her always seems to be aloof from her... I can't think about it anymore, or my life will be in danger!

"Don't worry, I told the princess before I came that she shouldn't do such immoral things anymore."

Ling Yun did indeed tell Nicole, but not by reasoning with her or appealing to her emotions. Instead, he directly confronted her, telling her that he already knew the other party's identity.

This really scared Nicole. Her strength as a reincarnated human was not strong at all, far less powerful than her demon form, and even in her complete form, she was no match for Ling Yun.

However, Lingyun told her that he was willing to help the Demon King Lucifer rule the human world, and would also collect the five divine artifacts as she suggested to set up the Lost Array to help the Demon King descend to the human world.

Nicole almost succumbed to Ling Yun's charms and readily gave herself to him, so she naturally believed his words.

Ling Yun didn't particularly like the current Dugu Ningke. He preferred Nicole, who had died after her plan failed and was resurrected in the Demon Realm after losing all her memories—that was the truly innocent and naive little devil.

Chapter 368 The Crescent Moon Hangs High

After Ling Yun returned to the restaurant, the Tuoba clan members were all ready and led him to the tribe's encampment.

"Brother Ling...you...you are not..."

As Xiaoxue approached Lingyun, the information that gradually popped into her mind made her realize something.

The man deliberately slowed down by half a step, took her hand, and said softly, "You should remember something now, right?"

"Hmm... Nuwa Stone?"

"Yes, you are the reincarnation of Nuwa Stone, and I am the reincarnation of Kunlun Mirror. When we get close, we will have some reactions and find out about our origins."

Gu Bingbing tried to eavesdrop, but Ling Yun slapped her, and she walked away quickly with a red face.

"The Nuwa Stone... I never imagined I would have such a fate."

Xiaoxue lowered her head, glanced at her little hand clasped with Ling Yun's, and said softly, "Then, Brother Ling, haven't you already collected three of the five divine artifacts you were looking for: the zither, the cauldron, the seal, the mirror, and the stone?"

The Kunlun Mirror, Nuwa Stone, and Shennong Cauldron are all there, but the Fuxi Qin and Kongtong Seal are still missing.

The Fuxi Qin is hidden in the Dunhuang Grottoes, and people have already been sent to find it. The Kongtong Seal, on the other hand, is hidden in the deep sea, and it will take some effort to find them.

"Yes, but I won't let you repeat the same mistake."

Ling Yun gently stroked her snow-white hair. DaYu, this game company, is good in every way, except that it likes to force tragedies. This is true of Legend of Sword and Fairy, and even more so of Xuan-Yuan Sword.

There are two endings in the game "Heaven's Scar". After Tuoba Yu'er discovers Dugu Ningke's true intentions, she is killed by Dugu Ningke. When sealing the Heaven's Scar with the Lost Array at the end, the game will decide whether to use Xiaoxue's Nuwa Stone ability to revive Yu'er based on the level of affection between Yu'er and Xiaoxue.

The Lost Array, with the Fuxi Qin as its core, can manipulate people's hearts; with the Shennong Cauldron as its core, it can refine immortal medicines; with the Kongtong Seal as its core, it can grant immortality; with the Kunlun Mirror as its core, it can traverse time; and with the Nuwa Stone as its core, it can create a rebirth barrier.

It is one of two special formations designed by the ancient gods using the special power of the Central Plains artifacts (the other being the Void Formation). It consists of five artifacts, each of which requires a guardian.

The Lost Array requires a vast amount of energy to operate, which is provided by the artifacts and their guardians. For the artifacts or their reincarnations, the Lost Array consumes their own power, while for the guardians, it consumes their dreams and aspirations.

If Xiaoxue's affection level is high, the player will be forced to give up saving Yu'er, ultimately losing their most precious memory—the happy times they spent together. Yu'er, in turn, will pay the price of only living to twenty years old in her next seven incarnations, appearing in the player's dream and revealing the true identity of Dugu Ningke. However, by this time, it's no longer a secret. Afterwards, peace reigns, but the player has forgotten all memories of Yu'er. Years later, when they encounter the reincarnated Yu'er in the back mountains with Xiaoxue, only Xiaoxue weeps alone.

If Yu'er's favorability rating is high, Yu'er will eventually be resurrected by Xiaoxue. This act consumes a large amount of Xiaoxue's power, causing her to exhaust her power when sealing the Heavenly Scar and revert to her original form as the Nuwa Stone. She cannot take human form for 600 years, but she can still have thoughts and hearing. 600 years later, Xiaoxue comes alone to sweep the graves of the two of them.