Reborn as the Novel’s Villain: Cultivation Lost, Female Leads Take Control - Chapter 186

The next day.

The ancient land of the Ji family.

Ancient peaks stood in rows, with rosy clouds lingering and endless spiritual creatures growing everywhere, including ten-thousand-year-old holy spiritual plants. It looked like a pure land on earth, a place of peace.

On the peaks were countless pavilions and fairy palaces, carved with beams and painted rafters, magnificent and noble. The entire mountain was shrouded in a fairy mist, flowing with light. Auspicious beasts and immortal birds soared through the sky, making it a true land of blessed fortune.

In the deepest part of the land, islands suspended in mid-air seemed like a city in the sky. Terrifying formations enveloped them, so powerful that even a Mahayana realm cultivator would be wiped out if they dared to trespass. These formations were laid down by the first generation of the Ji family’s ancestors and had been strengthened over generations. Their power was only natural.

In the most magnificent golden palace—

“Hahaha, my vision was spot on! This kid is exactly like me back in the day. No matter who you are, if you dare come to my door, you’ll get what’s coming. If I don’t deal with you, wouldn’t I be a coward? Young people should be hot-blooded!”

“No matter the enemy, just beat them first!”

“If you can’t beat them now, go cultivate. Once you’re strong enough, beat them then!”

“Unlike these useless bastards of mine—they only know how to rely on others for power. The moment they meet a strong enemy, they can’t even fart!”

“Maybe I should trick this kid into coming to the ancestral land. I’ll have him beat up all these good-for-nothings. Let them see what the difference between people really is…”

Ji Daoxuan, wearing a purple-gold crown, laughed heartily, his voice shaking the golden palace.

The Ji family members in the hall, however, lowered their heads, trembling slightly. Their ancestor had just called them “bastards,” but they dared not argue. Was he really planning to invite Xu Yang to the ancestral land just to beat them up? Wasn’t that like using a butcher knife to kill chickens? Xu Yang had fought against hundreds of immortal emperor imprints alone—wasn’t this a bit overkill?

Just then, a Ji family member rushed into the hall, knelt on one knee, and said respectfully:

“Ancestor, I have urgent news to report!”

Ji Daoxuan’s smiling face darkened instantly, and his voice grew cold:

“Speak!”

“Yes, Ancestor!”

The messenger dared not delay and immediately delivered the report:

“The Great Sage Xuanwu of the demon clan has issued a proclamation. He demands that Xu Yang return the soul of the Black Tortoise Emperor within five days and commit suicide. Otherwise, he will lead an attack on the Qingming Sect and flatten everything!

“Today is already the fourth day!”

The entire hall fell into stunned silence.

This old turtle must be suicidal! Otherwise, why would he pick a fight with Xu Yang?

In their eyes, Xu Yang was the ancestor’s most cherished and promising descendant. For him, the ancestor had even locked the Heir of the Era into solitary confinement indefinitely. Who knew when they would be released?

To demand Xu Yang’s suicide? This was no different from hanging oneself out of sheer desperation!

“That bastard has always been afraid of death. A thousand years ago, he would piss himself off just hearing my name. You could smell it thousands of miles away…”

Ji Daoxuan narrowed his eyes, a sharp glint flashing in their depths. He sneered:

“There’s definitely something strange about this. When things are out of the ordinary, there’s always a reason. That old turtle has probably found himself a backer and thinks he can act fearlessly. He’s not afraid of me anymore!”

“Backer?”

The Ji family members quickly caught on. They looked at their ancestor nervously and asked carefully:

“Ancestor, are you saying the Great Sage Xuanwu has set a trap for you?”

“Not a possibility—it’s a certainty.”

Ji Daoxuan’s expression remained calm and indifferent, as if this matter was hardly worth his concern.

The Ji clan members looked at their ancestor’s casual demeanor and couldn’t help but complain inwardly:

Ancestor, you’re too careless. They’ve set a trap for you, yet you’re still so calm. You’re not taking this seriously at all!

“Ancestor, it’s better to be safe than sorry. Why don’t we send someone to bring Xu Yang and Hongluan to the ancestral land now? That way, even if the Xuanwu Great Sage is plotting something, his plans will ultimately fail. At the same time, we can hold a wedding for the two newlyweds. This move would kill two birds with one stone. What do you think?”

An elder of the Ji family tentatively suggested.

“No matter what, are you telling me to be a turtle? A dead turtle at that? If I’m afraid of that thing, how could I still call myself a man?”

Ji Daoxuan snapped, his temper flaring.

Although the elder had been scolded, he still tried to persuade him, “Ancestor, this isn’t about hiding like a turtle. It’s just temporarily avoiding the sharp edge. After four days, you can do as you please!”

After all, the black tortoise had always been timid, never provoking those it shouldn’t. Now, its behavior was completely out of character—daring to poke at Ji Daoxuan’s whiskers. There had to be a massive conspiracy at play, something capable of destroying them all.

As a member of the Ji family, he couldn’t sit by and let their ancestor take such a risk.

“High EQ: temporarily avoiding the sharp edge. Low EQ: being a turtle. Isn’t that the same thing?” Ji Daoxuan sneered.

“Shut up, all of you! If you lot weren’t so useless, why would I, half-buried in the ground already, still have to stand up and fight for you?”

Ji Daoxuan cursed, glaring at his descendants.

Fight for us?

This time it’s clearly for Xu Yang, the Ji family’s son-in-law!

The Ji clan members grumbled silently but dared not say it aloud. In truth, many of them agreed with the elder’s suggestion. If Xu Yang and Ji Hongluan were brought back to the ancestral land, they would be safe, and no calamity would come to the Ji family.

“Look at your pathetic faces. You think I can’t tell what you’re all thinking?” Ji Daoxuan’s sharp voice echoed in the hall.

“You all think I’m doing this for Xu Yang, don’t you?”

“Ancestor, we would never dare think such a thing!”

The Ji family members quickly denied it.

“You wouldn’t dare admit it, you bunch of cowards! After I die, this Ji family will fall apart because of you!” Ji Daoxuan cursed again.

“You say it’s a trap set for me, so you assume it’s all about me? A bunch of brainless idiots. You’re going to make me die of anger!”

“Ancestor, in that case, why not just ignore them? They wouldn’t dare come to the Ji family ancestral land anyway.”

A prominent member of the Ji family stepped forward and spoke respectfully.

“You’re even more brainless!” Ji Daoxuan glared at him. “Let me ask you—why wouldn’t they dare come here?”

The Ji clan member hesitated and replied awkwardly, “Because of the formation protecting our ancestral land…”

“If you’re not using that brain of yours, feed it to the dogs!” Ji Daoxuan said bluntly.

“The reason they don’t dare attack isn’t because of some formation. It’s because I’m still alive!”

“When I’m dead, who will protect this family? You think this formation will save you? It’ll collapse faster than you can say ‘Ji family!’”

The hall fell silent. Even the slowest among them understood what Ji Daoxuan meant.

“That’s why, for your sake, for the Ji family, I have no choice but to step into this trap!” Ji Daoxuan sighed, his tone carrying helplessness.

“Ancestor…”

The Ji family members looked at him with sorrowful faces.

“Stop crying like you’re mourning my seventh day! You’d think I’m already dead!” Ji Daoxuan scolded, his fierce gaze sweeping across the room. Then, a murderous glint appeared in his eyes, and he spat fiercely on the ground:

“Bah! You cowardly rats have finally shown your heads. I won’t even have to hunt you down one by one. This time, I’ll kill you all in one go!”

“You think you can set a trap for me? Even the heavens can’t take my life. What makes you think you trash can?”

T/N: I love this guy.