Reborn as the Novel’s Villain: Cultivation Lost, Female Leads Take Control - Chapter 177

Little Black rushed toward the mountain gate, furrowing his brows as he racked his brain for a way to resolve the “trouble” caused by his reckless boasting.

He hadn’t anticipated that his casual bragging in front of the spirit pets—meant to flaunt his status—would cause such an uproar. Now, every monster with even a hint of spirituality from the surrounding mountains had come to Qingming Sect to pledge allegiance to Purple Cloud Peak!

Rumor had it that the mountain gate was completely blocked, making it look like a monster tide…

“This is truly a disaster caused by my mouth,” Little Black muttered to himself, shivering as he recalled the stern words relayed by his master.

“I was thinking of being Lord Nine’s mount, but I can’t keep messing up like this!”

“I need to come up with a solution to settle this once and for all, so these monsters will never come knocking again…”

Pacing back and forth, Little Black suddenly paused, a spark of inspiration lighting up his face.

“I’ve got it! I’ll just announce that Purple Cloud Peak only accepts spirit pets stronger than me. That should scare them off!”

“Yes, that’ll work. I’m such a genius!”

Being a rare and extraordinary creature, Little Black had consumed countless spiritual treasures from heaven and earth. Whether in terms of bloodline or strength, he was leagues above his former self.

Ordinary monsters wouldn’t stand a chance against him!

Unless… it was a divine beast.

No, divine beasts wouldn’t do either. Purple Cloud Peak was already a small place, and with a spiritual farmer like him around, how could it possibly accommodate another spiritual pet?

Soon, Little Black arrived at the mountain gate. The Qingming Sect disciples maintaining order noticed his presence and immediately stepped aside, bowing respectfully before leaving.

Little Black nodded in acknowledgment and walked toward the throng of monsters. Sticking to his plan, he prepared to deliver his announcement.

But as he looked out at the crowd, his confidence wavered. Among the gathered beasts were numerous descendants of ancient monsters, and…

Is that… a divine beast?!

The aura of the Black Tortoise Emperor was unmistakable. Little Black recognized it instantly.

No way! You’re already a divine beast, and you still want to be a mount? What’s wrong with you? Is this position really that coveted?

Little Black’s shock was evident. But then he thought of his master. Well, considering who my master is, it makes sense for even a divine beast to surrender.

With that thought, Little Black’s chest puffed out in pride. Relaxing his stance, he waved his claws and declared:

“Go back! My master has decreed that Purple Cloud Peak is not accepting any mounts!”

Little Black had sensed that some of the monsters had incredibly strong bloodlines, with strength surpassing the Nascent Soul realm. He wasn’t foolish enough to pick a fight he couldn’t win.

Instead, he relied on the power of his master’s name, confident it would be enough to make the monsters retreat.

But his declaration didn’t sit well with many of the creatures.

“You say no? And what do you think you are?!”

“A mere beaver dares to speak so arrogantly. If we weren’t standing at Qingming Sect’s gate, you wouldn’t even be enough to fill my teeth!”

“Step aside! Don’t block us from worshipping Purple Cloud Peak!”

“If you ruin my plans, you’ll regret it!”

The insults came thick and fast as the beasts jeered at Little Black.

Fortunately, a nearby demon beast quickly recognized him and tugged at its companion, whispering nervously:

“Stop insulting him! That’s Sang Biao, Purple Cloud Peak’s only spirit pet, and his master is Master Xu!”

Hearing this, the other monsters stiffened and began scrutinizing Little Black more closely.

Apart from being slightly larger than average and having well-developed limbs, the beaver seemed unremarkable.

How could something like this become Master Xu’s spirit pet?

If it can manage that, then why can’t we?

Still, mindful of Little Black’s identity, they bit back their ridicule.

“Brother Sang Biao,” one demon called out ingratiatingly, stepping forward with a polite bow. “This is a small gift from me. Please accept it.”

Several other monsters chimed in, hoping to curry favor. They had heard of Sang Biao’s favor with Master Xu. If he could recommend them, perhaps they could bypass the competition and become mounts directly!

Little Black didn’t even glance at the gift and stuffed it back into the other party’s hand, saying righteously:

“What kind of monster do you think I am? You actually want to bribe me!

“My master has always been fair and selfless. As a spiritual pet, I naturally have to follow his example!

“So those who want to give gifts to build relationships, don’t be delusional!”

The gift from the monster tribe wasn’t a rare treasure, and Little Black, used to eating leftovers of delicacies from mountains and seas, naturally looked down on it. Even if he had the nerve to accept, doing so in public would be suicidal.

The monster tribe scratched his head and retreated back to the group. The other monsters, who had been ready to offer gifts, were glad they hadn’t acted rashly. They realized their chances of being accepted by Purple Cloud Peak might have vanished otherwise.

“Everyone, I’ve already said that Purple Cloud Peak does not accept mounts. Please, return to your homes!”

“Can you even represent Master Xu?”

“We won’t leave until we see Master Xu himself!”

“You say Purple Cloud Peak doesn’t accept spiritual pets, but what are you, then?”

“Are you afraid that we’ll take your position if we join Purple Cloud Peak?”

“Exactly! If even you can be a spiritual pet, why can’t we?”

Little Black responded earnestly:

“Everyone, I am just a spiritual pet. If it weren’t for my master’s instructions, how dare I come here to persuade you to leave?

“It’s not productive for you to wait here. How about you go back for now? When the news of Purple Cloud Peak recruiting spiritual pets is released, you can come back and line up. How about that?”

“Then when will Purple Cloud Peak recruit mounts?” a demon asked, its expectant gaze betraying eagerness.

Little Black felt exasperated but kept his composure. “You should return for now. Rest assured, I’ll notify you as soon as there’s news.”

The monsters began to nod in agreement. Waiting for definite news sounded logical. With their exceptional talents, they were confident they’d catch Master Xu’s attention when the time came.

Just as the monsters were about to leave, a dissatisfied voice rang out.

“It’s one thing for Master Xu to dismiss ordinary monsters, but my master is a descendant of a divine beast and has been queuing here for so long. Even if Master Xu doesn’t want to accept a mount, he should at least come out to meet him!”

Little Black’s brow furrowed as he turned toward the speaker. The voice belonged to a wild woman with two horns atop her head, Niu Lanshan. She wasn’t just any follower; she was the Black Tortoise Emperor’s Daoist companion, and her bloodline was extraordinary. Her ancestor was the famed Pingtian Dasheng, a being of legend.

The Black Tortoise Emperor, standing nearby, made no attempt to stop her. This was precisely what he wanted to say himself.

After all, he was a pure-blooded descendant of a divine beast, with unparalleled potential. If he could become Xu Yang’s mount, it would undoubtedly elevate his status and be seen as a great advantage.

Yes, part of his willingness to become a mount stemmed from coercion and desperation. But in his eyes, this was a calculated move.

Should he achieve immortality one day, his actions today would not only avoid ridicule but might even be celebrated.

However, if he didn’t even get a chance to meet Xu Yang and was dismissed by an ordinary beaver, returning to the demon clan would be a humiliation of epic proportions. The Xuanwu clan would forever be nailed to the pillar of shame, mocked by all demon tribes as unworthy—even to be a mount.

He now had one foot on the edge of the cliff and couldn’t take a step back.

The only solution was for Xu Yang to come forward and accept him as a mount!

After all, with the example of the True Martial Immortal Emperor, he would not be humiliated for no reason, and the elders would understand his actions.

“Excuse me, did my master ask you to line up?”

Little Black looked puzzled as it turned to Black Tortoise Emperor and asked.

“No, my master took the initiative to come here to line up!” Niu Lanshan interjected.

“Since my master didn’t ask you to line up, why should he come to see your master?”

“Is it because your master is a pure-blooded descendant with noble blood?”

“Don’t make me laugh. My master has never made any distinctions based on bloodlines!”

“Divine beasts and demon beasts, there’s no difference at all. If my master says he won’t accept mounts, then he won’t accept mounts. It’s impossible for him to make an exception just because you’re supposedly a descendant of a divine beast!”

“Take my advice and go back. Otherwise, you’ll only embarrass yourselves!”

Little Black’s implication was clear—Black Tortoise Emperor wasn’t important enough for Xu Yang to meet in person.

Of course, to avoid causing trouble for his master, Little Black restrained himself. Otherwise, he would have directly pointed at Black Tortoise Emperor’s nose and shouted:

“You stinking turtle, stop pretending and leave already!”

The surrounding demons heard Little Black’s words and couldn’t help nodding in agreement.

If Xu truly valued bloodlines, then Sang Biao—a common beaver—would never have been qualified to become his spiritual pet!

Thinking this, they felt much better.

After all, if even the Black Tortoise Emperor couldn’t meet Xu, it meant Master Xu was fair and impartial.

Many of them wanted to sigh:

Master Xu truly treats everyone equally!

Meanwhile, the Black Tortoise Emperor and his followers looked grim. The Black Tortoise Emperor himself maintained some composure, though his face turned red and pale alternately before calming down. His followers, however, glared at Little Black with fury, their faces dark and ferocious as though ready to devour him.

“How dare you, a mediocre beaver, speak nonsense about my master!”

“If it weren’t for Master Xu’s sake, you would already be a corpse!”

“Go back now and tell Master Xu that my master, the Black Tortoise Emperor, wishes to worship at Purple Cloud Peak and become his mount!”

The followers couldn’t stand their master being disrespected like this.

Since ancient times, if a divine beast or a powerful demon willingly surrendered, the human race would treat it with the utmost respect. To be treated this way was a disgrace!

“Forget it. Stay here if you want. The rest of the demon tribes, leave!”

Little Black waved dismissively. He didn’t have time to waste arguing with fools. He had to return and feed Little Nine.

That little ancestor was truly troublesome.

Even under his watch, the spiritual fields were constantly being trampled. Now, after being away for so long, who knew what kind of devastation awaited him?

Better to salvage what he could.

“Stop right there! Who told you to leave?”

A follower growled darkly.

They couldn’t tolerate Little Black’s arrogant behavior. How could a mere beaver act as though it were a dragon or phoenix, blatantly disrespecting their master? In the demon tribe, such insolence would have been met with execution to set an example.

Little Black glanced back at the angry follower with disdain, smirked, then turned toward the Qingming Sect’s mountain gate.

As he stepped inside, he twisted his head to make a face, sticking out his tongue provocatively.

“I’m leaving. What can you do about it? Come in and fight me if you’ve got the guts!”

He thought to himself, You think this is still your demon tribe, where you can do whatever you want?

His master was Venerable Xu of Purple Cloud Peak. These idiots wouldn’t dare touch him!

“You’re courting death!”

One follower couldn’t hold back any longer. Furious, he surged forward with murderous intent, rushing straight for Little Black.

“Don’t take its life,” the Black Tortoise Emperor ordered coldly.

“Don’t look at the monk’s face, look at the Buddha’s face.” After all, it was the master’s spiritual pet. If the follower killed it, explaining to the master would be difficult.

Of course, once he became a mount, the Black Tortoise Emperor was determined to persuade Xu Yang to abandon this beaver. A mere beaver, even if it had grown larger, was limited in combat power and could only become a burden to the master.

Black Tortoise Emperor believed that with his strength and insight, he could lead the master to surpass even the True Martial Immortal Emperor—if the master was willing to listen to him.

“Do you really think I’m afraid of you? Sit down!”

Little Black waved his claws at the approaching follower, showing no fear.

“You don’t know how to live or die!”

The follower sneered. He stretched out his hand to grab Little Black, releasing a powerful pressure filled with surging demonic energy.

This follower was also born a rare species, carrying traces of true dragon blood in his veins, though very thin. He took pride in his noble lineage, looked down on ordinary demons, and certainly didn’t respect a mere oversized beaver like Little Black.

Confident in his superiority, he moved to seize Little Black easily.

But the next moment, an astonishing scene unfolded.

“Ah!”

The follower screamed in pain and collapsed to the ground. Clutching his arm, he curled up like a shrimp, his face pale as sweat dripped down. His arm seemed to have shattered in the collision.

“What just happened?”

“Did Brother Sang Biao win?”

“Isn’t he just a beaver?”

Many demons who had lingered to watch the commotion were shocked. They stared wide-eyed at the scene, unable to believe what they had just witnessed.

“You all underestimate Brother Biao. He eats top-grade spiritual objects at Purple Cloud Peak. How could his fighting power be weak?”

Some demons whispered in awe, tinged with envy.

Do you really think I’ve been eating all those spiritual treasures in vain? Little Black shook his claws nonchalantly, then cast a disdainful glance at the fallen follower.

“You call yourself a demon and dare to talk big? Go home and practice for a few more years before you embarrass yourself like this again.”

With that, Little Black delivered a powerful kick, sending the follower flying like a worn-out ball, landing near Black Tortoise Emperor’s feet. Little Black turned and began to leave.

“You are indeed strong,” Black Tortoise Emperor said, his tone indifferent. “But you are still not qualified to be the mount of Master Xu.”

He raised his hand, releasing a sharp aura that instantly locked onto Little Black.

A deep hum filled the air.

The entire world seemed to freeze.

Little Black felt an overwhelming pressure, as though an endless weight of water was pressing down on his body. His chest tightened, his mouth and nose felt blocked, and he struggled to breathe…