Reborn as the Novel’s Villain: Cultivation Lost, Female Leads Take Control - Chapter 155

Sect Master Peak.

Led by Little Flower, Ji Xiyao wandered aimlessly through the peak.

She admired the water, the mountains, the flowers, and the trees, exploring every corner until there was nothing left to see.

As the two hours neared their end, Ji Xiyao, who had grown increasingly anxious, looked at Little Flower and could no longer hold back.

“Two hours are almost up. Can we go back now?”

Little Flower, walking at her leisurely, feline pace, turned around and shook her head.

“Meow meow!”

Her response, clear in intent, meant: Don’t rush. Wait a little longer!

From Little Flower’s vast experience with her master, she knew that two hours would never suffice. The last time, the Qingming Palace shook for an entire night!

Better safe than sorry. If they returned now, they’d likely be turned away again. Waiting it out was undoubtedly the wiser choice.

This meow truly was the epitome of a sensible spiritual pet, meow!

“Then how much longer do we have to wait?” Ji Xiyao asked, her tone betraying her impatience.

Her main concern was confirming one thing: whether Xu Yang was a reborn person like her. Contrary to what Sister Hongluan might think, she wasn’t trying to steal a man. While she did have some affection for Xu Yang, her priorities were clear—the safety of the Ji family came first.

Her current predicament weighed heavily on her. She was restricted to Sect Master Peak and couldn’t leave. Meanwhile, Xu Yang resided on Purple Cloud Peak… along with Xiao Ye!

Suddenly, her train of thought derailed. Something didn’t add up.

If Xu Yang were a reborn person, he’d have already killed Xiao Ye. After all, Xu Yang’s demise in their previous life was directly caused by Xiao Ye, three years down the line.

And what about her unanswered message?

If Xu Yang had ignored it, that could only mean…

Ji Xiyao’s urgency dissipated slightly. Her focus shifted to a singular task: determining whether Xiao Ye was still alive.

If he was, she would take matters into her own hands and eliminate him.

Good people don’t live long, but scoundrels linger for centuries.

Little Flower glanced at the sky and assessed the time. With a few hours left until nightfall, she estimated they could safely return under the cover of darkness.

Master couldn’t possibly take an entire day. Even she isn’t capable of that!

“Alright.” Ji Xiyao sighed, nodding her agreement.

Under Little Flower’s lead, the pair arrived at a pavilion nestled on the mountainside.

To curry favor with the little cat, Ji Xiyao pulled out some high-quality spiritual food from her storage ring, carefully selecting the tastiest morsels.

However, before she could offer them, the bell hanging from Little Flower’s neck emitted a soft glow. Moments later, an array of spiritual delicacies, brimming with divine energy, appeared before the cat.

“…?”

Ji Xiyao froze, utterly dumbfounded. She hastily stashed away her offering, acting as if nothing had happened.

Is that bell actually a storage artifact? And such high-quality spiritual food, better than what I—an immortal clan descendant—usually eat!

Could Sister Hongluan actually be raising Little Flower as her daughter?

Little Flower, noticing Ji Xiyao’s hesitation, misinterpreted her actions as a desire to eat. Magnanimously, she nudged a small pile of food toward her and lifted her chin regally.

“Meow meow!”

Eat it! Eat it! If I have a bite, you can have one too!

“…!”

Ji Xiyao couldn’t help but laugh at Little Flower’s gesture. She accepted the kind offer, picked up a piece of spiritual food, and took a bite. Her eyes widened with delight.

“Little Flower (chew, chew, chew), why is your spiritual food (chew, chew, chew) so delicious (chew, chew, chew)?”

Pleased with the praise, Little Flower puffed up her chest and raised her tail so high it could seemingly prop up a water jug.

“Meow meow!”

This meow’s secret recipe: soul juice! Pour it over and perfection is achieved!

Ji Xiyao didn’t understand a word, but she was thoroughly impressed.

An hour later.

The sun dipped below the horizon, casting the world in hues of orange and purple as mist began to blanket the mountains.

And deep within the back hall…

Everything was silent, except for the sound of light breathing.

Ji Hongluan lay beneath a soft blanket, her eyes unfocused, her pupils slightly dull.

They say liars must swallow a thousand needles—she now had a vivid understanding of what that might feel like.

Xu Yang, lying on his side, reached out and gently poked Ji Hongluan’s delicate cheek. He called softly, “Your Majesty?”

“Don’t call me ‘Your Majesty.’ Your Majesty is dead,” Ji Hongluan replied weakly, her voice faint as if it could dissipate at any moment.

“I told Your Majesty it wasn’t a good idea before, but you didn’t listen. You insisted on favoring me!” Xu Yang teased, his tone playful.

Ji Hongluan rolled her eyes at him, raised her hand, and gave him a soft punch. Her fist landed on his shoulder like snowflakes, completely devoid of strength.

“Don’t be ungrateful, you traitor!”

She huffed, her tone half annoyed and half indulgent. “I only favored you because I saw how tired you were from your travels outside and how you weren’t tempted by those vulgar women!”

“But mark my words—no next time!”

This wasn’t just a warning for Xu Yang but also a solemn vow to herself. Next time, she had to maintain control, and two hours had to be the absolute limit!

Hearing Ji Hongluan’s declaration, Xu Yang realized he might have overdone it this time. He reached out, hooked her chin with his finger, and said softly, “Your Majesty, didn’t you notice that your cultivation level has been increasing much faster than usual?”

Ji Hongluan blinked, forcing herself to focus. She turned her attention inward, inspecting her cultivation state carefully. To her surprise, it was true—her cultivation had advanced significantly.

She had originally been at the seventh level of the Void Shattering realm, yet now she was teetering on the edge of the eighth level.

The progress was undeniable—and shockingly rapid!

“I have the Yin Shura Physique, and you have the Supreme Yang Physique… It makes sense for my cultivation to improve so quickly,” she said, her voice a little tight as she feigned calmness.

However, her slightly trembling tone betrayed her embarrassment.

“That’s not the only reason,” Xu Yang said with a smile. “Your Majesty doesn’t know this, but I’ve also cultivated a special technique…”

“You’re treating me like a furnace, aren’t you? I’ll beat you to death!” Ji Hongluan’s beautiful eyes widened, and she swung her fist at him in a fury.

Xu Yang caught her hand effortlessly, kneading her palm gently as he explained patiently.

“Your Majesty, this is a proper martial technique!”

“How can anything from the Harmonious Joy sect be proper?” Ji Hongluan glared at him suspiciously.

Xu Yang tapped her nose lightly and said, “If it were really from the Harmonious Joy sect, you wouldn’t be seeing cultivation improvements for both of us.”

“Humph!”

Ji Hongluan turned her head away, clearly unconvinced.

“Your Majesty, I brought it up because I think you should practice it too. That way, we can fully realize its potential—one plus one will be greater than two,” Xu Yang suggested, his tone as sincere as it was cheeky.

“One plus one is greater than two…”

Ji Hongluan blinked, mulling over his words. At first, they seemed reasonable, but after giving them more thought, her face flushed with realization. She quickly pulled her hand away and curled up under the blanket.

“Don’t even think about it!” she mumbled, her voice muffled. “I already said there wouldn’t be a next time. You actually still dare to…!”

Xu Yang sighed theatrically. “Since Your Majesty doesn’t want to, then forget it. I’ll just throw away this jade slip containing the technique.”

“The jade slip of the technique?”

Ji Hongluan’s voice emerged from the blanket, tinged with curiosity. After a moment of thought, she poked her head out and said hesitantly:

“Don’t throw it away! If someone else finds it, it could lead to disaster. Just leave it with me. I’ll study its pros and cons. That way, if you encounter problems with your practice in the future, I can help you correct them.”

She added quickly, “But don’t misunderstand! I’m not planning to make one plus one greater than two with you…”

“Your Majesty is thoughtful and wise. I admire you deeply!” Xu Yang said, placing the jade slip on the pillow beside her.

Then, ignoring Ji Hongluan’s flushed face, he leaned down, kissed her forehead lightly, and whispered:

“Your Majesty, rest well. I’ll take my leave.”

With that, Xu Yang tucked the blanket snugly around her and left the Qingming Palace without another word.

“…!”

Ji Hongluan remained motionless, her cheeks burning and her heart pounding as she stared at the ceiling. Her frustration boiled over as she thought:

That evil disciple! Even when leaving, he couldn’t resist taking advantage of me!

Seething with embarrassment and indignation, her gaze eventually shifted to the jade slip resting on her pillow. She hesitated briefly before picking it up, her expression growing serious.

Pressing her consciousness into the jade slip, she muttered resolutely.

“I need to see if this technique is as serious as that evil disciple claims it to be!”