Ex-Wife is a Big Villainess
Chapter 281 - 164: They Will Become Good Sisters

Chapter 281: Chapter 164: They Will Become Good Sisters

Hearing Qu Hongling’s mocking words, Ran Qingchen’s breathing became rapid, and her fingers clutching the sword trembled slightly from excessive force, as a sharp cold light flickered in her eyes.

Although the scars left by the opponent last time were not serious, the humiliation they brought haunted her constantly, making them impossible to forget.

A grievance of being grabbed at the chest, cannot coexist under the same sky!

At this moment, as they met again, old hatred intertwined, making Ran Qingchen’s fury erupt like a volcano.

"Since you’ve come today, don’t even think about leaving!"

The long sword in Ran Qingchen’s hand shot out with the white radiance of the sword’s energy boiling like molten lava, instantly gathering into piercing streams of Sword Qi.

"Big sister sure has a big temper; I bet your husband at home doesn’t like it," Qu Hongling said mockingly.

Qu Hongling’s fingers relaxed, resembling blooming petals, as tiny swords as fine as silk and sharp as silver needles quietly appeared, spinning rapidly.

In the blink of an eye, Qu Hongling’s wrist flicked, and the fine swords, like controlled meteors, shot out trailing bright glimmers.

As they neared Ran Qingchen, they instantly transformed into several small swords, dancing through the air in a strange pattern to form an incredibly intricate web of Sword Qi, enveloping Ran Qingchen within.

Both of their cultivation realms were nearly on the same level. In terms of the longevity of Qi, Ran Qingchen had the upper hand. However, given that Qu Hongling was of the Demon Clan, her physique was even more robust, and her demonic power, profound.

In the clash between the two, there was both offense and defense, and for the moment, neither could overpower the other.

Perhaps to avenge the previous chest wound, during the fight, Ran Qingchen repeatedly reached for the other’s chest, prompting Qu Hongling to also get riled up and fight back just as fiercely with her Dragon Claw Technique.

The two exchanged blows, even abandoning their long swords, resorting to moves that were as sinister as possible, scraping the bottom of the barrel.

If someone familiar with them saw this, their jaw would drop in shock.

Some people become friends through fighting and turn hostility into friendship. Others find more reasons to dislike each other the more they fight, becoming lifelong enemies. The latter clearly described the two women in this encounter.

After dozens of rounds, a sound like the tearing of silk rang out.

Both had disheveled hair.

One knelt on the ground, while the other leaned against the wall.

Their clothes were tattered, nearly that of a beggar’s, especially the upper garments, which were torn the most and hung in scattered pieces on their bodies.

Compared to Qu Hongling, Ran Qingchen had more wounds.

It couldn’t be helped.

She indeed had a disadvantage.

"Big sister, it seems I’ve got the upper hand again this time. Maybe you should consider wrapping a chest bandage next time?" Qu Hongling said with a smile brimming in her eyes, "Every time you’re at a disadvantage, it pains me."

A cold sneer curved Ran Qingchen’s lips, as she retaliated mockingly, "As a woman, some people seem to win, but in reality, they lose."

Qu Hongling’s expression stiffened as she looked at the villa twice as luxurious as hers, bit her silver teeth, and scoffed, "Just a burden, that’s all."

"What a pity, sister, you’re not burdened, but men don’t like it."

"Nonsense!"

Qu Hongling’s mentality nearly exploded at that moment.

Nevertheless, she quickly steadied her emotions and said coldly, "After all, you’re a high-ranking Sword Cultivator, but every time you fight, you tear at each other’s clothes and scratch and claw like a shrew. Aren’t you ashamed of yourself?"

"It’s mutual, what face do you have to lecture me?"

Ran Qingchen retorted with a sneer.

In a battle of words, Qu Hongling was indeed no match for Ran Qingchen, and she was instantly rendered speechless.

Just then, both women sensed a presence emerging in the attic at the same time.

Almost in the blink of an eye, they swiftly grabbed the hanging curtains beside them, wrapping them tightly around their bodies to cover their exposed skin beneath their torn clothes.

The two stared warily at the figure slowly making an appearance.

The first thing that caught their eye was a shiny, black broadsword as dark as ink.

Only then did they see the delicate figure of a young girl.

The petite girl and the broad broadsword formed a stark contrast in the somber attic, like a painting where stillness and motion coexist harmoniously.

It was Li Nanshuang!

Ran Qingchen’s face showed surprise before she quickly said with delight, "Li Nanshuang, you arrived just in time, help me capture this demon!"

Qu Hongling recognized Li Nanshuang, and her expression fluctuated.

At the Capital’s tavern, she had fought with Li Nanshuang once.

Back then, Li Nanshuang with the cultivation of a Great Profound Sect Master had withstood several moves against her. However, Shen Shengyuan later said that Li Nanshuang had been deliberately holding back, and her cultivation was not limited to that of a Great Profound Sect Master.

Now that these two were clearly allies, Qu Hongling couldn’t help but secretly regret getting carried away with her emotions and falling into a pointless entanglement with Ran Qingchen. Looking back, it was unwise.

Trapped between a rock and a hard place, escape would likely not come easily.

However, Li Nanshuang replied, "Why should I help you?"

At these words, Ran Qingchen’s expression suddenly stiffened, a hint of displeasure flitting across her brows as she said, "Li Nanshuang, you are an officer of the Liushan Division, aren’t you supposed to take action when you see a demon?"

Li Nanshuang retorted irritably, "Catching a demon is none of my damned business, I’m here to check out the situation."

"You—"

Ran Qingchen’s face was as cold as frost.

She turned her gaze toward Qu Hongling, her lively eyes shimmering with different colors, "Since I’ve run into you, let me ask, do you know the Sect Master of the Sky Demon Sect, Qu Hongling?"

Qu Hongling shook her head, then nodded, her expression extremely sincere as she said, "I know her, but not well."

"Then do you know where Jin Ao is?"

Li Nanshuang asked again.

Qu Hongling’s face remained unchanged, and this time she told the truth, "I heard Jin Ao went to Yanrong, but I do not know if it’s true or false."

"Gone to Yanrong, huh."

Li Nanshuang furrowed her pretty brows.

She looked at the fragments of cloth on the ground, and the curtains wrapped around the two women, her expression odd as she said, "Tell me, you two, when you fight, do you like to do it with your butts bare? Is this some new fashionable way to fight now?"

Both women blushed and then glared fiercely at each other.

Li Nanshuang turned to Ran Qingchen, and her eyes flicked towards the secret room as she spoke lightly, "How you two fight is none of my business. Ran Qingchen, I came specifically to find you because I have some clues to share with you.

My second uncle recalled something. He saw by chance that after Su Junyong and his people entered the secret chamber, someone opened the chamber’s secret door, leading to Jin Ao discovering the room."

Could it be that my own speculation was actually true?

Ran Qingchen’s expression changed, and she asked in a hurry, "Who is it?"

"The third young master of the Su family."

Li Nanshuang replied indifferently and then added, "I think his name is Su Junwen."

Ran Qingchen’s shock was evident on her face.

She had heard of this third young master of the Su family, who seemed to be Su Shanke’s illegitimate child and was treated poorly in the Su family.

Li Nanshuang said lightly, "I did some secret investigations, and on that day, Su Junwen arrived at Mengyao Pavilion with his second elder brother. Interestingly, although they are brothers, Su Junwen is usually just a lackey. What’s more interesting is that I’ve discovered a secret affair."

Li Nanshuang’s smile became somewhat playful,

"Su Junwen once had a girl he liked named Tan Shuangshuang. The two were childhood sweethearts, and they even privately promised each other lifelong commitment. However, later on, Su Juntong took a fancy to the girl and, taking advantage of his family connections, became engaged to Tan Shuangshuang."

Ran Qingchen’s brows furrowed deeply.

So, did Su Junwen open the secret chamber door, intending to use Jin Ao to kill his second brother?

Ran Qingchen decided to find Su Junwen to understand more.

However, Li Nanshuang guessed her thoughts and immediately threw cold water on her, saying indifferently, "Right now, Su Junwen has already left Qingzhou with Tan Shuangshuang, and it’s unknown where they have gone. The Su family has already sent people after them, and they have even mobilized many experts from their estate. With the Su family’s capabilities, by the time you see Su Junwen again, he will already be a corpse."

Ran Qingchen was stunned and then fell into deep thought.

If what Li Nanshuang said was true, then there wasn’t any other hidden story to this case.

Although Su Junwen played the role of the "second murderer" if the Su family really killed him later on, it would be like closing a case. The current task of the Liushan Division was still to capture the main culprit, Jin Ao.

As the woman was contemplating, suddenly Qu Hongling’s figure flashed across from her, darting toward a side door.

If Li Nanshuang wanted to stop her, she could have easily done so, but she didn’t even bother to lift a finger, letting the young girl disappear within the pavilion. Seeing the pursuit was hopeless, Ran Qingchen was so angry that her pretty face turned iron blue.

"Li Nanshuang! Are you really a member of the Liushan Division!?"

Ran Qingchen asked, holding back her anger.

Li Nanshuang rolled her eyes disdainfully, and then proudly said, "I, Li Nanshuang, never bully the outnumbered in a fight, nor take advantage of others in peril. If you have the capability, catch her yourself, I won’t stop you. If you can’t do it, don’t blame others. Being strong doesn’t make you remarkable, I am not bad either."

Ran Qingchen was speechless.

How did her husband end up with such a peculiar superior.

However, at that moment, the woman suddenly became puzzled. Why would the other party appear in Mengyao Pavilion, could it be that she was also here to investigate that murder case?

But didn’t she say she wasn’t familiar with Jin Ao?

Suddenly, a bizarre speculation flashed through Ran Qingchen’s mind like lightning.

She hesitated for a moment, then boldly put forth this daring conjecture to Li Nanshuang, saying slowly, "Do you think... the girl just now... could be Qu Hongling, the Sect Master of the Sky Demon Sect?"

Li Nanshuang blinked her curving eyelashes, "That shouldn’t be the case."

Ran Qingchen said, "Based on Liushan Division’s investigation into the Demon Clan, among the younger generation, the only one with such a high level of cultivation could only be Qu Hongling."

"Why didn’t you say so earlier!"

Li Nanshuang’s pretty face changed drastically, a touch of annoyance flashed in her eyes as she turned to pursue.

Ran Qingchen shook her head helplessly, "It’s too late to chase now."

----

Leaving the boundaries of Yuzhou, Jiang Shouzhong and his companions arrived within Qianzhou territory, three days’ travel from Fengcheng Longsu.

As it was getting late and looked like rain might fall, and they were in the middle of a wilderness scarce of human presence, to avoid sleeping in the open fields, Jiang Shouzhong found a nearby cave and planned to use it temporarily for shelter.

However, as luck would have it, as he approached the cave, he was startled to find a light inside—the person inside was none other than Jin Ao, the man who insisted on recruiting him as a son-in-law back at the inn in Muling County.

Right now, Jin Ao and the woman with the bamboo hat were chatting around a campfire.

Upon seeing Jiang Shouzhong and his group, Jin Ao showed an expression of surprise, grinning ear to ear as he greeted Jiang Shouzhong, "Jiang Shouzhong, we really must be fated to meet again like this."

Jiang Shouzhong’s expression was not pleasant.

After the incident at the inn, he had become wary of everyone.

Jin Ao was no exception.

Especially since everything about the man was shrouded in mystery, it was hard not to suspect that this fellow was intentionally creating these coincidences.

Jiang Shouzhong hesitated on whether to leave, but looking at the sky and remembering that Mengniang was with him, he boldly walked into the cave.

"Jiang Shouzhong, where are you folks heading to?"

Jin Ao cozying up asked, his face piled with a friendly smile...at least he thought so.

Jiang Shouzhong forced a smile, "We plan to go to Tongzhou, what about you?"

"What a coincidence, so are we,"

Jin Ao laughed.

Neither wished to reveal their real destinations.

Despite his fondness for Jiang Shouzhong, Jin Ao, being a fugitive and accompanied by a woman, naturally had to be cautious.

"Speaking of which, have you considered my previous proposal?"

Jin Ao, ever persistent, chuckled and inquired, "My master is very gentle and beautiful..."

"I’m sorry, I’m already married, and my wife is quite beautiful, as well as gentle and virtuous,"

Jiang Shouzhong apologized.

Jin Ao was taken aback, frowning, "Really?" The man’s face was full of disbelief.

Jiang Shouzhong said, "Would you like me to swear to it?"

Seeing that he did not seem to be lying, Jin Ao averted his gaze with a reluctant sigh, waving it off, "Forget it, forget it, it’s not meant to be—I mean, if all else fails, why not make your wife a concubine?"

Jiang Shouzhong was dumbfounded.

How unsightly must this person’s master be?

"Jiang Shouzhong, it’s quite normal for a man to have several wives and concubines,"

Jin Ao got excited, patting the other’s shoulder and laughing, "You say your wife is very gentle and virtuous, right? I believe she and my master would hit it off right away, becoming good sisters upon meeting."

[Author’s Note: This Chapter was blocked and I’ve made some changes.]