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

In the Purple Cloud Hall, Xu Yang watched his eldest disciple leave with his old sword, her joy evident in every step.

One thought ran through his mind: This disciple is far too easy to convince; I’ll definitely “convince” her again in the future.

No—he corrected himself—it wasn’t trickery; it was a benevolent gesture.

He’d given the Purple Sky sword to Kouxuan, making her happy, satisfying the sword’s will, and he’d received the superior Scarlet Sky in return—a win for everyone involved.

“Come forth!” Xu Yang called softly, extending his hand.

With a resonant dragon-like hum, the Scarlet Sky sword appeared in his grasp, seeming to cut through the void itself. As soon as it touched his hand, he felt an unparalleled sense of unity with the sword.

With a flick of his wrist, he gave the sword a light swing. The fierce sword aura burst forth, radiating a powerful, commanding presence that enveloped the room like an emperor surveying his realm. Hundreds of dazzling sword lights filled the air, seemingly slicing through the void itself.

“To think that without even practicing swordsmanship, I can produce such power with just a casual swing. Scarlet Sky truly deserves its reputation as the Imperial Sword!” Xu Yang marveled, watching the rift he’d opened in the air.

Fortunately, the hall was reinforced with protective wards; otherwise, the damage would have been far greater.

He admired the sword for a while longer before storing it away, then turned toward the inner chamber, preparing to continue cultivating his Immortality Sutra.

As he reached the chamber door, he noticed it was slightly ajar. Xu Yang frowned. He distinctly remembered closing it before he left.

Could someone have entered? he wondered.

He stepped inside cautiously, scanning the surroundings with vigilance, ready to call for help at the slightest sign of trouble. But after a thorough inspection, he found everything in its original place, undisturbed.

“Did I imagine it?” he muttered, puzzled.

Then a thought struck him, and he turned toward the bed. A particular set of robes he’d left there—soiled from his recent sword practice with Qing’er—was missing.

“Did a perverse thief sneak in here?” Xu Yang pondered aloud.

He ruled out Situ Qingqing, remembering how exhausted she’d been after their practice, and recalled her pleas for mercy. She wouldn’t have had the energy to come here.

That left only… Yuan Kouxuan.

Her aloof, pure demeanor flashed through his mind. Although he didn’t want to suspect his eldest disciple, he couldn’t ignore the possibility. Often, in mystery novels, the least likely person was the true culprit!

The only possible answer was… Kouxuan!

In mystery novels, another rule was that culprits tended to return to the scene of their crimes. So, if his suspicions were correct, she’d be back.

Xu Yang decided to keep an eye out during his cultivation tonight.

…

After leaving Purple Cloud Hall, Yuan Kouxuan considered showing off her new sword to Situ Qingqing but quickly dismissed the idea. After all, Qingqing had just endured punishment from their master, and as the eldest disciple, she should show some empathy, not flaunt her fortune.

However, sharing her excitement with her other junior sisters seemed like a great idea.

She pulled out her communication jade slip and sent a message to everyone except Situ Qingqing, eagerly waiting for replies.

Moments later, a light flashed.

Yuan Kouxuan quickly checked her jade slip.

“Yuan Yu’er has blocked you!”

And then more notifications followed.

“Xue Jinli has blocked you!”

“Qin Keban has blocked you!”

“Xu Dongying has blocked you!”

“Tu Shan Yaoyao has blocked you!”

Seeing her junior sisters’ reactions, a playful grin spread across Yuan Kouxuan’s face.

They might have blocked her, but she knew that their reactions said it all. They now understood that, in their master’s heart, she, the eldest disciple, held the most weight.

“Naive little sisters,” she murmured, a hint of smugness in her tone, “did you forget we also have a group chat?”

Retrieving a memory stone, she engraved the image of the ordinary-looking young man from earlier onto its surface. With ease, she sent the image to the group titled “Who Reaches the Pinnacle of Immortality?” and tagged everyone.

Message: “If you encounter this person, kill without mercy and remember to finish the job. Reply to confirm!”

“Qin Keban: Confirmed!”

“Xu Dongying: Confirmed!”

“Situ Qingqing: Confirmed!”

…

In Heavenly Origin City, a massive, ancient tree stood in the courtyard of the city lord’s estate. A petite girl in a light blue dress swung gently back and forth on a swing hanging from its branches. She looked like a pure, serene lotus flower, her bare feet softly swaying as sunlight filtered through the leaves above.

Her features were delicate, like dew-covered petals; her eyes sparkled with life, and her black hair cascaded like silk. With every movement, she radiated an innocent, enchanting charm.

This was Xue Jinli.

She held a jade slip in her hand, her brow furrowed slightly as she hesitantly typed out a response.

“Xue Jinli: Confirmed!”

“That irritating senior sister,” she muttered with a pout. “The Purple Sky sword was a reward for slaying the serpent, nothing to flaunt about.”

“Flaunting is bad enough, but to think she also expects us to handle her dirty work—she’s shameless!”

Grumbling to herself, Xue Jinli sighed. Of course, petty grievances aside, the entire Purple Cloud Peak was united. If the senior sister wanted someone dead, it was as good as an order from everyone on the peak.

Still, she thought dejectedly, I haven’t found any promising recruits yet. I can’t go back empty-handed; Master would be disappointed.

Looking to the sky, Xue Jinli clasped her hands in prayer. “Oh, heavens, please send me a perfect recruit to impress Master!”

At that moment, the soft sound of footsteps echoed from the corridor, and a kindly middle-aged man approached, bowing as he addressed her.

“Honored Envoy Xue, a young man by the name of Xiao Ye has presented his credentials, requesting an audience.”

“Xiao Ye?” She wrinkled her nose. “That doesn’t sound like the name of a respectable person.”

“Reject him,” she instructed, waving dismissively. “Lord Shangguan, in the future, don’t bring me such requests. Our Purple Cloud Peak only accepts the best of the best. If someone doubts their eligibility, tell them to leave rather than embarrass themselves at the Ascension Gathering in three days.”

“Yes, Honored Envoy Xue.” The man seemed hesitant as if there were more he wished to say, but in the end, he only gave a respectful bow before retreating.