Reborn as the Novel’s Villain: Cultivation Lost, Female Leads Take Control - Chapter 131

On the platform, over a hundred source stones from the Primordial Ancient Mine were neatly arranged.

Each stone varied in shape, encased in thick layers of stone skin, still covered in grayish-brown dirt, clearly freshly unearthed.

“Which one do you think might contain a divine source?”

A wandering cultivator tried using his spiritual sense to probe the stones, but the dense stone skin blocked his senses entirely. Disappointed, he turned to his companion and asked.

“We’re not formation masters. How could we know which stone holds a divine source? Besides, divine sources are rare. For all we know, none of these stones might yield one!”

“Even formation masters might not be able to tell,” another added. “The stones from the Primordial Ancient Mine are notoriously special. Without high-level source techniques, even an expert could end up frustrated.”

“I’m not concerned about divine sources,” a third said. “I just want to see if the stones Master Xu picks will yield anything valuable.”

“That’s unlikely,” a sect disciple speculated. “Master Xu is unparalleled in combat, but he’s probably spent all his time on martial arts and techniques. He likely knows nothing about formations or source techniques.”

This sentiment was echoed by many, even among the immortal heirs.

At this point, an immortal heir led a young man to Xu Yang, bowing respectfully. “Master Xu, this is Ye Wuwei, from a family of formation experts. He has extensive knowledge of source stones. Would you like his assistance in selecting stones?”

Xu Yang smiled faintly and declined, “I appreciate the thought, but I’ve heard that stone betting is all about luck. I’d like to test my luck today.”

While he claimed to rely on luck, Xu Yang was anything but clueless. Having recently mastered the Third Kill Formation, which involved complex formation techniques, including source techniques, this was well within his expertise.

Ye Wuwei’s eyes dimmed with disappointment. He had hoped to showcase his skills and earn a place as Xu Yang’s formation disciple on Purple Cloud Peak. Unfortunately, his plan fell apart with Xu Yang’s polite rejection.

The immortal heir bowed again. “Master Xu, your elegance and composure are admirable. We shall not disturb you further.”

As the scion and Ye Wuwei left, Yuan Kouxuan and Qin Kewan approached Xu Yang.

“Master, are we really relying on luck?” Qin Kewan asked, tilting her head.

“Of course,” Xu Yang replied with a slight smile. “Stone betting is all about luck. I feel lucky today. Perhaps I’ll open a divine source. Should I pick stones for you two as well?”

“Yes, please, Master!” Yuan Kouxuan agreed enthusiastically. She had absolute faith in Xu Yang’s instincts.

Qin Kewan hesitated. “Master, could you pick just one for me?”

Xu Yang raised a brow. “You already have a stone in mind?”

After glancing around to ensure no one was eavesdropping, Qin Kewan whispered, “I sniffed all the stones earlier. Two of them smelled particularly fragrant. I want to choose those two!”

Xu Yang chuckled at his disciple’s antics. “Alright, I’ll pick one for you.”

Once all eligible participants had finished their observations, Jiang Haoyu stepped forward. His gaze swept over the crowd before landing on Xu Yang.

“Master Xu, have you made your selection?”

“Yes, these three,” Xu Yang said, pointing at three stones. One was as large as a small house, another the size of a fist, and the third riddled with cracks and pockmarks.

Seeing Xu Yang’s choices, some disciples skilled in formations grew anxious.

“Source stone selection requires skill. Large stones are often worthless, small ones rarely yield sources, and cracked ones are the worst—they might have once held a source, but it would’ve dissipated long ago!”

“Does this mean all three of Master Xu’s stones are duds?”

“Perhaps Master Xu doesn’t care about the outcome.”

“Ha! At last, I’ve found something in common with Master Xu—we’re both clueless about formations!”

Hidden in the crowd, Xiao Ye sneered. “Xu Yang’s ignorance is showing. He chose three stones that are practically guaranteed to be worthless.”

Even Jiang Haoyu, though lacking deep knowledge of source techniques, knew enough from his family’s experience to recognize that Xu Yang’s choices were unlikely to yield anything valuable. Still, he respected Xu Yang too much to voice his doubts.

“Master Xu, are you sure about these three? Would you like to choose again?” Jiang Haoyu asked hesitantly.

“No need. These three will do,” Xu Yang replied calmly.

“Very well.”

Jiang Haoyu smiled wryly, interpreting Xu Yang’s decision as an act of humility—leaving the better stones for others. This only deepened his admiration.

“Master Xu, would you like to open them now?”

“Cut it open,” Xu Yang said casually.

Upon receiving Xu Yang’s approval, a professional source stone cutter employed by the Jiang family stepped forward to begin the process.

Having spent his life either cutting source stones or traveling to cut source stones, the cutter was confident in his experience. Often, he didn’t even need to start cutting to know whether a stone held anything valuable.

In his expert opinion, the three stones Xu Yang had chosen were highly unlikely to contain any treasures. As such, his cutting technique was perfunctory and rough. In a matter of moments, the large, house-sized stone was cracked open.

As expected by nearly everyone present, the first stone was a complete dud—just layers of plain stone, devoid of any valuable material.

When a source stone lacks any core material at its center, it is almost certainly a waste.

The cutter was tempted to advise Xu Yang to move on to the next stone, but, adhering to his professional ethics, he proceeded without comment.

Stone fragments flew as he continued his work, steadily reducing half the source stone to rubble.

“Master Xu, should I keep going?” the cutter asked, glancing at Xu Yang.

“Of course! We’ve already gone halfway. Let’s see it through,” Xu Yang replied, his tone lighthearted.

Xu Yang’s optimistic demeanor seemed infectious, drawing smiles from those watching.

With a resigned sigh, the cutter continued his work. However, the moment his blade sank another half-foot into the stone, a dazzling golden light burst forth, accompanied by a wave of intense heat. The surrounding temperature rose sharply as if a blazing sun had descended upon them.

The cutter froze in place, staring in disbelief. It was as if all his years of experience had been for naught. He’d written this stone off as a dud, yet here it was, proving him wrong in the most spectacular way possible.

He quickly shifted gears, cutting with the utmost care to avoid damaging whatever treasure lay within.

After what felt like an eternity, the cutter wiped the sweat from his brow and gently extracted a leaf radiating golden flames—the Golden Sun Flame Leaf.

“I can’t believe it! A legendary treasure! Wait, no… a Golden Sun Flame Leaf!”

“A stone this big was supposed to be a waste, but it wasn’t?”

“Xu Yang really hit the jackpot! A mutated source like this is so rare!”

“This Golden Sun Flame Leaf is an incredible treasure of heaven and earth. It may not be a divine source, but its value is still immense!”

“And don’t forget, this treasure has double the effect for someone with a Pure Yang Dao Body like Xu Yang!”

“I’m starting to believe in Master Xu’s luck. Could he be… the true child of destiny?”

The murmurs of astonishment spread through the crowd, with even seasoned cultivators openly marveling at Xu Yang’s extraordinary luck.

“He’s no child of destiny! I’m the child of destiny!”

Hidden among the crowd, Xiao Ye ground his teeth in fury, his bloodshot eyes fixed on the platform and the Golden Sun Flame Leaf.

“Xu Yang, don’t get too smug. This was nothing but a fluke. The next two stones you picked? There’s no way they’ll contain anything valuable!”

His hands clenched into fists so tightly that his nails drew blood. Xiao Ye’s resentment burned like a fire, stoked by jealousy and humiliation.

TN// Sorry for lack of updates, I’ve been busy. Also everytime I want to upload the damn website goes down…