Reborn as the Novel’s Villain: Cultivation Lost, Female Leads Take Control - Chapter 174

Purple Cloud Hall.

“Master Xu, you are a natural talent. Even the young Immortal Emperor cannot compare to you. Yet, despite your greatness, you remain so humble and approachable. It is truly admirable!”

Ying Wudi’s tone was sincere, his admiration for Xu Yang evident.

If it had been him with such talent, he would undoubtedly have been arrogant, unruly, and harboring ambitions akin to the Ancestral Dragon. But Master Xu was the complete opposite—modest, composed, and perfect in every way.

If Ying Wudi hadn’t witnessed it firsthand, he would have found it hard to believe that such a flawless person could exist in the world.

The other descendants of the immortal clans couldn’t help but voice their amazement:

“Senior Xu truly possesses the demeanor of an ancient saint!”

“If only I had met Senior Xu earlier! I would’ve brought a mountain of gifts to beg to become his disciple!”

“After I return to my clan, I must ensure that Master Xu’s name becomes renowned across the five regions!”

Many of the immortal descendants began to resent their ancestors, realizing they had grossly underestimated Senior Xu.

For a monster like him, giving away a holy treasure isn’t enough! If it required the entire clan’s strength to forge a friendship with him, it would still be worth it!

Their thoughts inevitably turned to the Ji family, who seemed to have outmaneuvered them all. The Ji family Ancestor had not only provided resources but also gifted Xu Yang a Daoist partner.

Look at their ancestors—so farsighted, so proactive!

Now, look at their own ancestors… Forget it. Better not to dwell on it.

A collective decision was made among them: once they gained control of their clans, they would “politely” send their ancestors to the ancestral land to enjoy their old age—a fitting act of filial piety.

Xu Yang, meanwhile, was curious about the Ji family Ancestor’s motives. Why had he orchestrated such a grand gesture, sending so many immortal descendants with gifts on his behalf?

It couldn’t be sheer coercion, could it?

But judging by the immortal descendants’ behavior, they seemed just as clueless as he was. Xu Yang resolved to ask Xiao Hongluan in private later.

For now, he accepted the gifts graciously, understanding they were sent with the Ji Ancestor’s intentions.

The descendants also began sharing valuable secrets from across the five regions:

• In Zhongzhou, there is a prodigy with the God King Body from the Breaking the Heavens Divine Sect. When the Golden Age begins, he is expected to rise, sweeping the world and fighting for the path to immortality.
• In the Western Regions Buddhist Kingdom, a monk rumored to be the reincarnation of Jin Chanzi has emerged. He is supported by three Dharma protectors: the Fighting Great Sage, the Purifying Altar Envoy, and the Eight Treasures Arhat—disciples from his past life, now aiding him to achieve enlightenment.
• In the Nanman Wu tribe, a young priest has inherited the ancient Witch God’s legacy. Revered as a leader, he commands the barbarian tribes with ruthless efficiency. A Mahayana priest who questioned his authority was brutally killed, his skull turned into a scepter ornament.
• In the Eastern Wilderness, the monster clans are flourishing. Among them is the Little Peng King, a descendant of the Golden-Winged Peng clan, who possesses innate magical powers and has slain several assassins from the Heavenless Pavilion. There is also the Demonic Sect, whose current Saint has undergone a blood mutation, resulting in three heads—each inheriting a different mysterious power.

Suddenly, Zhu Zaohou grinned and turned to Xu Yang. “Speaking of which, Master Xu, do you know who’s the most famous among the monster clans right now?”

“The Black Tortoise Emperor?” Xu Yang replied without hesitation.

He already knew everything they had shared so far, including the antics of the Black Tortoise Emperor. Among the monster clans, no one had been as brash—or as repeatedly humiliated in the original story—as this descendant of the mythical beast.

“Exactly!” Zhu Zaohou exclaimed, his grin widening.

“This monster relies on his bloodline to dominate the monster clans. Recently, he’s even begun challenging the major immortal clans. Brother Wudi here was among those defeated by him!”

“This inflated his confidence so much that he now believes no one in the human race can rival him. He’s even bold enough…”

Zhu Zaohou began recounting the scene at the Qingming Sect’s mountain gate, his storytelling vivid and animated.

Ying Wudi interjected occasionally, adding details to the tale.

The other immortal descendants, having already laughed at the Black Tortoise Emperor’s antics once, couldn’t suppress their laughter as Zhu Zaohou retold the story.

“This Black Tortoise Emperor really is a descendant of Xuanwu!”

“He’s bold and cunning, but it’s hard to tell if he genuinely wants to become Senior Xu’s mount or if he’s just pretending!”

“Regardless of his intentions, there’s no way the Black Tortoise Emperor could stir up trouble in front of Senior Xu!”

“That’s true, but remember, the Black Tortoise Emperor was adopted as a nephew by the Great Sage Xuanwu. If he does become Senior Xu’s mount, it’s likely the Great Sage Xuanwu will come looking for him in person!”

At the mention of the Great Sage Xuanwu, the immortal descendants’ laughter faded, replaced by serious expressions.

The Great Sage Xuanwu was no trivial figure. An ancient and powerful being, he commanded immense respect within the monster clans, and his strength was unfathomable.

“If he really comes, it could be trouble for Senior Xu,” one descendant remarked solemnly.

“Indeed,” another agreed. “The Great Sage Xuanwu is known for his persistence. If provoked, he’ll blockade your gates indefinitely. With his near-impenetrable tortoise shell, he’s impossible to defeat. Even if you drive him away, he’ll just return and keep causing problems. We’ve heard of clans forced to pay him immense tributes just to placate him.”

Many nodded grimly.

This is why the Black Tortoise Emperor could roam so arrogantly among the human race—he leaned on the massive tree that was the Great Sage Xuanwu.

Xu Yang, however, was unconcerned.

He recalled how, in the original story, the Black Tortoise Emperor had provoked the Buddha of the Western Regions, only to be suppressed. When the Great Sage Xuanwu tried to rescue him, he was smashed into pulp by the Douzhan Great Sage with a dozen strikes of his staff. His end had been downright miserable.

Xu Yang brushed off the immortal descendants’ concerns and instead turned to Ji Hongluan, gently rubbing her soft hands.

“My lady,” he asked with a smile, “why are there so many spirit beasts queuing outside the mountain gate?”

Ji Hongluan rolled her eyes at him. “How dare you ask me? This is all because of that beaver of yours on Purple Cloud Peak. It went around bragging to every spirit beast about how great the treatment is as a spirit pet of Purple Cloud Peak, claiming it could eat spirit creatures over a thousand years old whenever it wanted. Naturally, all the monster beasts in the vicinity flocked here, hoping to become your spirit pets!”

Her phoenix eyes glared at him with mild exasperation. “Now that you’re out of retreat, you can handle this mess yourself. Otherwise, people will think the Qingming Sect is some kind of beast-taming sect!”

Xu Yang chuckled. He knew all about Little Black’s antics. The little beaver loved boasting about its status as Purple Cloud Peak’s spirit pet but never bullied others or exploited its power. For this reason, Xu Yang had never been harsh with it.

But he hadn’t expected this boasting to snowball into such a situation.

“Alright, my lady,” Xu Yang said with a grin. “I’ll take care of it right now!”

He pulled out a communication jade slip, quickly edited a message, and sent it to his eldest disciple. The message was simple: instruct Little Black to disperse the monsters outside the gate. If it couldn’t handle the task, then Little Black itself would be “dispersed.”

One of the immortal descendants hesitated before asking, “Senior Xu, aren’t you even curious to meet the Black Tortoise Emperor?”

Xu Yang’s response was calm and unshaken. “I don’t lack mounts.”

His tone was matter-of-fact, yet it carried an air of absolute confidence.

Everyone present was stunned.

For ordinary cultivators, obtaining a divine beast as a mount wasn’t just about status—it was also a significant boost to combat power. But for someone like Senior Xu, a mount was unnecessary, even burdensome.

Only someone of Senior Xu’s caliber could be so indifferent to such a prize!

They couldn’t help but feel the gap between themselves and Senior Xu was greater than the gap between mortals and gods. His strength and mindset were on an entirely different level.

The immortal descendants looked at Xu Yang with even greater reverence, their behavior becoming more restrained and respectful. To them, Senior Xu wasn’t just a peer—he was an ancestor in all but name.

After sharing a few more secrets with Xu Yang, the descendants of the immortal clans took their leave. Each hurried to return to their respective clans, eager to report what they had seen and heard—and to plead for more holy treasures to gift Senior Xu.