Reborn as the Novel’s Villain: Cultivation Lost, Female Leads Take Control - Chapter 156

After Xu Yang returned to Purple Cloud Peak, he used the communication jade slip to notify every disciple about his upcoming retreat.

Once the notification was sent, Xu Yang entered his secret chamber and began to take out all the cultivation resources stored in his system space. The resources formed a small mountain, glowing with spiritual energy and exuding overwhelming auras.

Among these resources were treasures like the Qilin Immortality Elixir and the Void Shattering Demon Flower—supreme spiritual objects of heaven and earth.

In the sealed chamber, swirling evil spirits and misty spiritual energy mingled, creating an atmosphere both righteous and sinister. Xu Yang, seated cross-legged on a futon, seemed to embody both a divine deity and a demonic overlord.

Holding the Enlightenment Bodhi Seed in his hand, Xu Yang calmed his breathing, focused his thoughts, and began channeling all his strength to break through to the Void Shattering realm.

Heavenly Ford Pavilion

Xue Jinli, leisurely soaking in a wooden tub and playing with a white jade radish, nearly leaped out when she saw the master’s message on her communication jade slip.

The radish slipped from her hands, landing in the tub with a loud splash that mirrored the shattering of her plans.

Her hopes, like the scattered water, lay in disarray.

Originally, she had been planning to approach her master with a request for guidance on source techniques—her excuse to get close to him. But with the announcement of another retreat, her carefully laid plans crumbled yet again.

“Master! Can’t you take a break like a normal person?”

Her voice echoed indignantly in the room as she slapped the water, causing more splashes.

It was infuriating. Qing’er seemed to effortlessly find opportunities to spend time with the master, while every attempt she made ended in failure.

Yet, in her frustration, Xue Jinli’s thoughts turned introspective.

The master’s seclusion was likely to break through the Void Shattering realm. If successful, the Qingming Sect would gain another Venerable.

However, as the third disciple of Purple Cloud Peak, she remained stuck in the Core Formation realm, an embarrassment compared to her master’s towering progress.

If word got out, wouldn’t she lose face?

Determination flashed in her eyes.

“No more baths from today onward! I’ll train as if my life depends on it!”

Clenching her fists, Xue Jinli resolved to emerge from seclusion only when her master finished his.

Standing abruptly, she dried herself with a surge of magical energy, her plump figure glowing briefly before her robe automatically wrapped around her. Without wasting a moment, she strode toward the secret room to begin her intensive training.

…

“Master, you’re truly a role model for us disciples,” Yuan Kouxuan murmured as she read her master’s message.

Her admiration ran deep. Apart from the occasional detoxification rituals, the master devoted all his time to cultivation. Such a single-minded pursuit of the Dao was awe-inspiring.

But Yuan Kouxuan knew she couldn’t afford to follow suit just yet. The Six Peaks Competition was drawing near.

As the first disciple of Purple Cloud Peak, it was her duty to ensure victory in the competition, a tradition since she joined the peak. While Junior Sister Liu had already reached the Core Formation realm, she still needed refinement and preparation for unexpected challenges.

Better to be overprepared than underprepared.

Yuan Kouxuan decided to focus her efforts on sharpening Liu Beifeng’s martial arts. Together, they would ensure Purple Cloud Peak claimed first place once more in the Six Peaks Competition.

Tingfeng Pavilion

In another corner of Purple Cloud Peak, Liu Beifeng clenched her fists tightly, determination burning in her eyes.

“Xiao Beifeng, you must work harder!” she told herself.

With a sudden burst of energy, magical power erupted from her palms, filling the secret room with roaring force.

Although her master had set no specific expectations for her, Liu Beifeng silently vowed to win the championship of the Six Peaks Competition.

The thought of her master emerging from seclusion to hear the news of their victory filled her with purpose.

It would be worth it just to see his smile.

Heavenly Thunder Peak.

A simple, unadorned cave came into view.

From a distance, Li Cangxuan could be seen stumbling along the path. Every few steps, he had to pause, leaning on his knees to catch his breath. His body exuded a thick aura of death, his blood and qi were faint and scattered, and his complexion was pale and lifeless. He resembled a porcelain figure, painstakingly repaired yet still riddled with cracks, threatening to shatter at the slightest touch.

The junior brothers standing outside the cave observed Li Cangxuan’s pitiful state with mixed emotions. However, recalling Senior Brother Yan’s strict instructions, they swallowed their sympathy and said coldly, “Senior Brother Li, remember to help Senior Brother Yan take care of the spiritual field again tomorrow!”

Under Peak Master Wanjun’s reign, the former master of Heavenly Thunder Peak, a disciple like Li Cangxuan would have been crushed long ago for showing the slightest defiance.

Now, however, with Peak Master Wanjun’s fall and the fear of being labeled as sympathizers with an evil demon, the senior brothers of Heavenly Thunder Peak allowed Li Cangxuan to cling to life—albeit barely.

But life for Li Cangxuan was anything but easy. The other disciples treated him like a beast of burden, forcing him to endure backbreaking labor, hoping to make him crumble under the weight of exhaustion.

And yet, despite the harsh treatment and his seemingly half-dead appearance, Li Cangxuan stubbornly clung to life.

The aura of death clinging to him had grown so thick that when some disciples approached him, they instinctively wrinkled their noses, thinking he had already succumbed to death.

“Alright… Junior brother… see you tomorrow…”

Li Cangxuan’s voice wheezed out with difficulty. He raised a trembling hand, waving feebly as though every movement sapped what little energy he had left.

A nearby junior brother, unable to suppress his pity, glanced around furtively. Making sure no one was watching, he tossed a small bottle of pills to Li Cangxuan and whispered.

“Senior Brother Li, don’t let anyone know I gave you these.”

Without waiting for a response, the junior brother hurried away, vanishing into the distance.

Li Cangxuan stared at the bottle in his hand, a flicker of light glimmering in his otherwise dim and cloudy eyes. He muttered to himself, “Junior brother, this bottle of pills might just save your life someday.”

Maintaining his act to perfection, Li Cangxuan continued to shuffle toward the cave door. He pushed it open with deliberate slowness, the creak of the hinges echoing hollowly. Once inside, he shut the door behind him, staggering toward the bed.

The moment the wooden door closed with a faint thud, the frail demeanor he had displayed vanished in an instant.

In the blink of an eye, he moved with astonishing speed, arriving at the bed like a shadow.

“No time to waste—I need to cultivate now!”

Without hesitation, Li Cangxuan lay down on the bed, closed his eyes, and calmed his breathing. Within moments, he appeared to fall into a deep sleep.

When his eyes opened again, the world around him had shifted.

He found himself within Cloud Dream Immortal Realm, an ethereal realm brimming with spiritual energy.

Gone was the fragile, decrepit shell he wore outside. Here, his body glistened like jade, suffused with a radiant luster. Clouds of spiritual energy swirled around him, surging into his body with an intensity that was both breathtaking and terrifying.

Li Cangxuan’s aura revealed the undeniable strength of the Core Formation realm. He looked nothing like the sickly figure from the outside world; instead, he radiated unparalleled vitality, appearing every bit the genius cultivator.

The Eternal Life Scripture—a scripture of immortality—had forcibly elevated his talent to an astonishing level, transforming his very being.

From a distance, an old man with an immortal-like presence rode a crane toward him, his eyes filled with a mixture of curiosity and confusion.

“Kid, you’ve already formed your core. Why do you still hide your strength?”

The old man’s voice was calm, yet it carried an air of authority that could not be ignored.

TN// Releases might be a bit sporadic for the next week and a half, I have finals coming up and I am going to be busy with work. Once I’m on winter break though my goal is to catch up with the raws, which we are about ~ 200 chapters behind. So expect a lot of chapters then!