From Misfortune to Goddess: A Tale of Wicked Beauty and Redemption

"In a hurry, we need to find her quickly! If we can't find her, we'll be held responsible when they come down on us!" On the damp and sweltering streets, a group of men dressed in brown short robes swiftly made their way through a dim alley, holding lanterns. Their gazes scanned the surroundings anxiously, sweat streaming down their foreheads from the panic and rapid running. Chu Wei squeezed her way out of a narrow alley, sandwiched between two stone walls. Her feet stumbled, but she managed to reach out and stabilize herself on the sticky mud, avoiding a messy fall. Without a moment to catch her breath, she continued running ahead. Within the city of Wozhou, there was a wide Le Creek Lake that divided it into two halves. Water pavilions and towers adorned the lakeside, their colorful lanterns dazzling. Boating on the lake offered a view of the vibrant nightlife of Wozhou city. As Chu Wei emerged from the alley, she found herself at the lakeside of Le Creek Lake. The water surface shimmered with the reflection of the lanterns on both banks, creating a picturesque sight. She crouched down by the lake, one foot stepping on the path paved with bluestone, and slowly entered the cool water, which reached up to her calves. Staring at the lake's surface, Chu Wei finally let out a sigh of relief as the heat dissipated. She unbuttoned her shirt, revealing a slender neck with a faint pink hue, as if emitting heat from her entire body. She submerged both feet into the water and gradually immersed her body, allowing the lake to swallow her entirely. Only her head remained above the water to breathe. She moved her hands and feet gently, swimming further into the lake. Before those people caught up, she had to disappear completely. She couldn't be caught because being captured meant a future as a "Dinglu," a vessel for spiritual experimentation. She refused to accept that fate. As she moved through the water, the ripples she created were concealed by passing boats on the lake. The people by the lakeside shouted, "Where did she go? Have you found her? The auction is about to reach the 'Medicine Person.'" "What do we do? If we don't find her, what should we do? She even stole the spirit gu, we must find her at any cost!" "Boss, do you think she could be in the lake?" someone interjected. The night was too quiet, and Chu Wei couldn't afford to make any noise. She had no choice but to swim slowly towards the center of the lake, where the most boats were. She could hide beneath the boat hulls, assuming the people aboard were wealthy and wouldn't dare provoke the auction house easily. She swam for a while before surfacing to catch a breath. Then she submerged herself again, staying underwater for too long, feeling her strength draining away. Heat kept emanating from her lower abdomen, making her head spin and her limbs stiff and unresponsive. She wanted to cry. If she weren't in the water, her eyes would have been moist by now. But in the water, she couldn't cry. She had to swim farther, escape to safety. In the center of Le Creek Lake, a few boats floated leisurely. These boats were all rented from the Le Creek Lake Boat Rental, enchanted to follow a predetermined route and time. The boats had no boatmen, leaving ample space for the passengers to enjoy. On the most beautiful boat, delicate white curtains fluttered near the windows. The man sitting across from a charming lady was handsome, with a prominent nose and a serious expression on his face. The lady, with alluring eyes, couldn't stop looking at him. "Miss Zhang, are your eyes bothering you? Should I take you to see a doctor?" Lou Shiyuan had noticed her eyes for a while. She seemed unable to open them fully, always partially shielding her gaze from the light on his side, as if avoiding it. Then her eyes started blinking, making him suspect she had glaucoma. Zhang Meimei's warm smile froze on her lips. "We should go ashore. I'll take you to see a doctor," Lou Shiyuan raised his hand, ready to perform a spell to bring the boat to the shore. "No!" Zhang Meimei quickly stopped him, her face displaying a mix of red and blue. The budding affection in her chest was instantly crushed, leaving only frustration. But as she looked at Lou Shiyuan's face, she could still bear that frustration. She raised her hand, running her fingers through her hair and smiled, "There's nothing wrong with my eyes." "But you—" Lou Shiyuan started to voice his concerns. "I'm really fine!" Zhang Meimei interrupted Lou Shiyuan's doubts. She placed both hands on the table, propping her chin up and widened her eyes, blinking, "Look, there's nothing wrong." She possessed a pair of clear apricot eyes, and she believed that these eyes had the power to captivate ninety-nine percent of men, with the remaining one percent not being interested in women. Lou Shiyuan looked at her blinking eyes, wanting to say something, but ultimately stayed silent. He suddenly understood because she had seen how his sister behaved with his brother-in-law. His sister acted foolish and cute like this in front of his brother-in-law every day. "Oh, by the way, I heard from Aunt Xue that Brother Shi Yuan, you recently obtained an extraordinary sword. Did you bring it today? I also like collecting swords. Can you show it to me?" Zhang Meimei tried to find a topic. Lou Shiyuan's pitch-black eyes brightened a bit, and there was a hint of vitality in his tone, "You like swords?" "I do. My favorite swordsmith is Zhao Shan Yue Chi Ming, and I assume the sword you have was also crafted by him," Zhang Meimei blinked mischievously, her expression full of girlish charm. Lou Shiyuan nodded slightly, "Yes." He reached out his hand and grabbed an imaginary object. A silver long sword appeared in his hand, which he handed to Zhang Meimei, "It's rare to see a woman who likes these things. This sword is called 'Feng Ji'." Zhang Meimei received the sword in surprise. The sword was heavy, but Zhang Meimei was already at the Foundation Establishment Stage, so the weight was acceptable to her. She placed the long sword back into its scabbard, lying silently in her palm. Zhang Meimei's gaze moved from the simple and clean scabbard to the exceptionally exquisite and comfortable hilt. She examined it repeatedly and couldn't help but feel speechless. How could Lou Shiyuan like such a broken sword? But she maintained a gentle smile on her face as she looked at Lou Shiyuan, "Brother Shi Yuan, since you like swords so much, if one day you had to choose between the sword and me, what would you choose?" Lou Shiyuan frowned, not fully understanding her question, "What?" Zhang Meimei blinked her eyes, "I mean, is the future more important, or am I more important to you?" An uncomfortable feeling arose in Lou Shiyuan's heart, and he glanced at Zhang Meimei, extending his hand towards her, "Give it to me." The look he gave her was filled with unreasonable expectations. Zhang Meimei's eyelid twitched as she tilted her head back, holding the sword tightly in her arms, "You haven't answered me yet." Lou Shiyuan took a deep breath, suppressing the annoyance in his heart. He shouldn't have listened to his mother and come to meet this so-called obedient and sensible noblewoman. He remained silent, and Zhang Meimei held the sword tightly, not giving him a chance to snatch it away. After calming his emotions a bit, Lou Shiyuan spoke, "There is no comparison. This sword was crafted by Master Yue Chi Ming, incredibly rare." An expression of disappointment instantly clouded Zhang Meimei's face. "Give it to me," Lou Shiyuan raised his hand, indicating that she should give him the sword. Zhang Meimei clenched her teeth and mouthed, "Am I worth less than a sword?" Lou Shiyuan solemnly nodded, "For now, yes." Zhang Meimei scoffed, exasperated. She stomped her foot on the boat, initially wanting to curse, but then realized that Lou Shiyuan was not like the common folk she had encountered. She couldn't curse at him. She swallowed her saliva, rolled her eyes dramatically, and walked straight toward the water. Chu Wei was swimming underwater, just finding a good boat to approach, when suddenly a long object fell from above, narrowly brushing past her nose and disappearing into the depths. Startled, she thought it was someone from the auction house chasing after her, but then she realized that what fell seemed to be a sword. Before she could examine it closely, another person jumped in from above. Chu Wei unexpectedly met Lou Shiyuan's narrow and profound eyes.