Reborn as the Novel’s Villain: Cultivation Lost, Female Leads Take Control - Chapter 184

Dawn broke.

Tingfeng Pavilion, within the secret room:

Boom!

Boom!

A strong aura burst forth.

Sitting on the futon, Liu Beifeng opened her beautiful eyes, her gaze sparkling. She could feel the flawless core in her dantian and the vast life essence swirling around her.

Looking in the direction of Purple Cloud Palace, her face filled with gratitude, she murmured to herself:

“If it weren’t for the treasures and Thunder Tribulation Liquid Master gave me, I would never have broken through to the fourth level of the Core Formation realm so quickly!”

“Master’s kindness is something I may never be able to repay in this lifetime…”

“All I can do is practice hard to protect Master, my senior sisters, and every blade of grass and tree on Purple Cloud Peak…”

“There are only a few days left until the Six Peaks Competition. I must not slack off now but continue to cultivate with all my might!”

Clenching her fists, Liu Beifeng cheered herself on. She then pulled out a martial arts manual and immersed herself in her practice.

In the blink of an eye, two days passed.

During this time, explosive news spread throughout the five regions of the world.

It caused a major uproar. Within moments, the name “Xu Yang” had struck fear into the hearts of countless geniuses and monstrous talents.

Cultivators everywhere were fiercely discussing the matter:

“I don’t know if you’ve heard, but in the Northern Province, among the so-called ordinary forces, there’s a peerless freak named Xu Yang. While undergoing the Void Shattering Tribulation, he actually shattered the imprint of the True Martial Immortal Emperor!”

“Your news sounds like hearsay. What I heard is that Xu Yang didn’t just shatter one imprint—he crushed hundreds of Immortal Emperor imprints by himself. He even rushed into the tribulation cloud and obtained a significant amount of Thunder Tribulation Liquid. You know how rare Thunder Tribulation Liquid is—it’s one of the ten great spiritual treasures of heaven and earth. Countless dying old monsters would give anything for even a drop to extend their lives!”

“Are you sure your information is accurate?”

“Absolutely. I paid a high price to purchase this news from Grand Evolution Mystic Sect. It’s undoubtedly true!”

“In this era of great contention, there are so many monstrous talents. I just don’t know if this Xu Yang can rival the Divine King of the Central Continent?”

“The Divine King Body? That’s nothing. I’ve got even more shocking news. The Black Tortoise Emperor of the demon clan wanted to become Xu Yang’s mount, but Xu Yang shattered his body with a single blow.”

“Just his body? What about his soul?”

A cultivator asked.

“His soul was detained by Xu Yang. He’s demanding that the Great Sage Xuanwu come and redeem it!”

Hiss—

Many cultivators gasped sharply at this revelation, their pupils shrinking with shock.

“The Great Sage Xuanwu is a veteran among the demon clan. His strength ranks among the top in the Mahayana realm. Even the immortal clans with their deep foundations avoid provoking that old turtle lightly. Xu Yang just broke through to the Void Shattering realm… How can he be so confident?”

“Does he think he can defeat an ancient monster who’s been immersed in the Mahayana realm for thousands of years just because he broke through the Void Shattering realm?”

“This sounds like a fairy tale!”

“You might not know this, but Xu Yang is said to be the son-in-law of the Ji family.”

“What?!!”

The cultivators were stunned, their faces filled with disbelief as though they’d just heard something unfathomable.

One cultivator, his throat dry, swallowed hard and asked:

“Are you talking about that Ji family? The one with Ji Daoxuan as its ancestor?”

“Who else? Besides that Ji family, what other family could bear the ancient surname?”

“Oh my heavens! That explains everything. With Crazy Ji—ahem—I mean, the Ji family’s ancestor backing him, there’s no need to fear the Great Sage Xuanwu!”

“I guarantee the Great Sage Xuanwu won’t dare to blockade Qingming Sect’s gates like before. He’ll probably even apologize to Xu Yang with a respectful tone!”

“Who would dare provoke Ji Daoxuan? Even the super immortal sects and the Immortal Palace have to show him respect!”

“Exactly. He’s a supreme figure who once competed with a young Immortal Emperor. Unless someone from the Tribulation Realm appears, who could possibly rival him?”

Many cultivators nodded in agreement, their discussions growing more animated.

Donghuang, the Demon Clan

In a vast and boundless fairy mountain, ancient peaks stood tall amidst a lush forest. Strange rocks jutted out at odd angles, while mist swirled like a dreamlike veil over the landscape. Orchids and fairy flowers bloomed in profusion, their brilliant hues blending with the auspicious light that seemed to radiate from the earth itself. This place was no less magnificent than an ancient land of legend.

Sky-high waterfalls cascaded down the cliffs, their roar stirring up white mist, creating a breathtaking spectacle of natural grandeur.

At this time, within some mountain, a thunderous roar shook the heavens and the earth, reverberating across the landscape and causing the entire mountain to tremble.

“Ahhh!!! My good nephew!!!”

The roar came from a giant turtle exuding a surging demonic aura. Its mountainous body, dark and imposing, loomed over the trembling earth. Its bloody maw gaped open wide, as if it could devour the sun and the moon.

This was none other than the Great Sage Xuanwu.

Though he referred to the Black Tortoise Emperor as his “nephew,” in truth, he treated him like a son. He lavished resources, skills, and treasures on him without reservation. Be it through painstaking effort or outright plunder from other demons, the Great Sage Xuanwu would stop at nothing to satisfy his nephew’s needs.

He doted on the Black Tortoise Emperor excessively. If the Emperor wanted the sun and the moon, the Great Sage would find a way to pluck them from the sky.

After all, the Black Tortoise Emperor was a pure-blooded descendant, his noble bloodline far surpassing that of the Great Sage himself. His future held infinite potential, and the Great Sage had pinned his hopes on him, dreaming that his nephew might one day ascend to immortality and restore the glory of the Xuanwu lineage.

But now, someone had dared to attack the Black Tortoise Emperor, destroying his physical body and even demanding a ransom for his soul.

This human named Xu Yang was beyond audacious.

After venting his anger, the Great Sage Xuanwu turned his icy gaze upon the servants kneeling before him. His voice, cold and biting, carried an unmistakable threat:

“Have you found out the truth? What is the relationship between that Xu Yang boy and the Ji family of the human race?”

The servants, trembling under his oppressive aura, kept their heads bowed as they cautiously replied:

“Reporting to the master, Xu Yang is indeed the son-in-law of the Ji family. The ancestor of the Ji family, Ji Daoxuan, is highly protective of him. To support Xu Yang, he personally ventured into the restricted area to suppress a demon, even going so far as to slay an ancient creature that stood in his way!”

“Ji Daoxuan!” the Great Sage Xuanwu roared, his voice filled with rage and frustration. “Why hasn’t that old thing died yet?!”

The force of his roar shattered a nearby mountain, sending debris cascading into the valley below.

The Great Sage Xuanwu feared Ji Daoxuan deeply. Among the hidden immortals of the human race, the Ji family stood as one of the few powers he dared not provoke. Ji Daoxuan’s unparalleled cultivation and terrifying combat power, combined with his fierce protectiveness of his kin, had earned him the nickname “Madman Ji.” Few in the world were bold enough to cross him.

“Do I really have to bow my head to a mere child?”

The Great Sage Xuanwu’s face was filled with humiliation and reluctance. He had lived for thousands of years, his life spanning countless generations. Bowing to Xu Yang would be akin to trampling on his pride.

In his younger days, swallowing his pride might have been tolerable. But now, after centuries of survival, he thought he’d put such indignities behind him. The very thought of bowing now felt unbearable.

On one side was his cherished nephew, treated like his own son. On the other side was his ancient dignity, hard-earned and jealously guarded.

The Great Sage Xuanwu found himself caught in a painful dilemma.

Just as he wrestled with this internal conflict, a chilling voice echoed from the void, its tone as smooth as it was sinister:

“Great Sage Xuanwu, how about we cooperate?”