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

“Now, the third round of fighting begins!”

“Xiao Ye against Li Cangxuan!”

“Liu Beifeng gets a bye!”

With only three participants left, one inevitably had a bye. Li Cangxuan glanced at the bamboo slip in his hand, then looked over at Xiao Ye, who was smirking a short distance away. After a moment of hesitation, he raised his hand and forced a bitter smile.

“City Lord Shangguan, I concede!”

During his previous matches, he had stolen glances at the other platforms and witnessed Xiao Ye brutally punch Shen Lang’s face to a pulp. It startled him so much that he nearly lost focus, allowing his opponent to almost knock him off the stage.

Li Cangxuan had sparred with Shen Lang in private before, and he had lost. Since even Shen Lang couldn’t withstand a single blow from Xiao Ye, Li Cangxuan knew he wouldn’t fare any better. Rather than suffer the humiliation of being knocked unconscious, he decided it was better to maintain his dignity by conceding upfront.

City Lord Shangguan wasn’t surprised. Xiao Ye’s strength was beyond extraordinary, so he simply nodded and announced, “Xiao Ye wins!”

“Next up, Liu Beifeng!”

“Wait, City Lord Shangguan, I also concede!” Liu Beifeng said hurriedly. He too preferred not to face Xiao Ye, as he had secrets he didn’t wish to expose just yet.

“Very well, I declare Xiao Ye the winner of this round!” Shangguan announced, his voice ringing out over the gathered crowd.

The onlookers, hoping for more excitement, let out a chorus of boos.

“Come on, what a bunch of cowards!”

“Afraid of what? Xiao Ye isn’t unbeatable. I refuse to believe he won’t lose someday!”

“Liu Beifeng, you’re one of the Eight Warriors of Divine Origin City. Don’t embarrass us!”

“Oh yeah? If you think it’s so easy, go fight him yourself! Liu Beifeng’s no woman. One hit from Xiao Ye, and his bones would be crushed!”

“It’s over. Xiao Ye’s really going to become Purple Cloud Peak’s personal disciple. My poor Fairy Xue!”

“Calm down; there’s still one last test!”

“What test could possibly stop Xiao Ye?”

Several of Xue Jinli’s admirers murmured, worried for their beloved fairy’s fate.

Although the first-place position had been decided, a match was still required to determine the second and third positions. Shangguan explained this to Li Cangxuan and Liu Beifeng, who both nodded and began taunting each other, each promising to leave the other bruised and battered.

Seeing their enthusiasm, the crowd couldn’t help but mutter, “Why didn’t they show this energy when facing Xiao Ye?”

The match between Li Cangxuan and Liu Beifeng was intense and thrilling, but the audience felt a pang of disappointment—they’d hoped to see someone finally give Xiao Ye a good thrashing.

In the end, after about the time it takes to burn a stick of incense, the match concluded with Liu Beifeng narrowly defeating Li Cangxuan.

The second round rankings were finalized:

Xiao Ye.
Liu Beifeng.
Li Cangxuan.

From the moment Xiao Ye shattered Shen Lang’s sword and dreams of becoming a master swordsman, this outcome had seemed inevitable.

On the Ascension Platform, Shangguan looked solemnly at the three finalists and said, “The third round is the Heart Inquiry Test. Only by successfully passing this test can you become a personal disciple of Purple Cloud Peak!

“I must warn you, this test is dangerous. It delves into your heart, and there’s a risk of losing control. If any of you fear the test, you may withdraw now. Those who choose to forfeit will be disqualified.”

Li Cangxuan and Liu Beifeng exchanged a look, then nodded determinedly. “City Lord Shangguan, we’ve come this far. There’s no way we’ll back down!”

“Hmph, such weaklings, but you talk big,” Xiao Ye sneered, then turned to Shangguan and urged impatiently, “Let’s not waste time. Start already!”

Shangguan frowned slightly but said nothing, instead ordering servants to bring over a massive stone platform, placing it before the three contestants.

“This is the Heart Inquiry Stone. Like the Bone Testing Stele, you simply place your hand on it,” he explained. “Once the inquiry begins, if you awaken within the time it takes to burn a stick of incense, your heart will be deemed supreme. Waking within a half-hour indicates a high-quality heart. Only those with high-quality hearts or better qualify as personal disciples of Purple Cloud Peak. The rest will not be accepted.”

Both Li Cangxuan and Liu Beifeng looked tense. They were only one step away from becoming Purple Cloud Peak disciples, and failure at this point would haunt them forever.

Meanwhile, Xiao Ye seemed utterly relaxed, exuding confidence, as if he were sure he’d pass with ease.

Elder Li, sensing Xiao Ye’s arrogance, decided to offer some advice. “Disciple, do not be careless.

“This Heart Inquiry Stone can manifest your deepest desires or fears. If you’re trapped by what it shows, you might never wake up. In this test, I can’t help you.”

“What?!” Xiao Ye’s expression shifted.

He had been acting nonchalant precisely because of his reliance on his master. Every time he’d encountered danger, his master had intervened to save him. But now, his master was saying he couldn’t help?

If he failed this test… wouldn’t that be…?

“Master, what should I do?” Xiao Ye asked, panicked.

Elder Li replied, “Stay calm. Just remember that everything you see is an illusion. Focus on staying true to your heart.”

“I understand, Master. But… what is my true heart?” Xiao Ye asked.

Elder Li thought for a moment. “Your true heart…”

Before he could answer, Shangguan’s voice called out, “Xiao Ye, you may place your hand on the stone.”

“Forget it! I, Xiao Ye, am single-mindedly devoted to the Dao. My will is as solid as rock! What do I have to fear from this test?”

With that, Xiao Ye placed his hand on the Heart Inquiry Stone, not bothering to hear the rest of Elder Li’s words.

Buzz!

The surroundings changed instantly. Xiao Ye looked down and found himself suspended in mid-air, with no time to make sense of his situation.

A dazzling sword light shot toward him!

In an instant, he felt death’s shadow envelop him.

In terror, he called out to his pendant, “Master, save me!”

But the pendant remained silent, as if broken.

“Master! Master!”

“Damn it! You’ve absorbed so much of my soul force, but now you’re useless when it counts! I’ve been calling you ‘Master’ for so long—what a fraud you are, Venerable Li Huo!”

Still furious, he reached to tear the pendant from his neck, but before he could throw it, his vision went black…

When he regained consciousness, his body felt as though it had been crushed.

“So painful!”

“Who am I?”

“Where… where am I? Ah! Why am I in the air?!”

Xiao Ye was terrified.

Just then, a sword light tore through the void, aiming right at him.

To Xiao Ye, the sword wasn’t just a weapon; it felt like an entire mountain pressing down on him, pinning him in place. No matter how he struggled, he couldn’t move, as if death was only a heartbeat away.

“Little Mink, save me!” he screamed, his voice filled with fear as he desperately called out to a nearby purple beast.

But the purple beast looked at him indifferently, then flew off without a second glance.

“W-why?” Xiao Ye stammered, his voice quivering. “Aren’t we brothers?”

“When you were near death, I saved you!”

“You traitor! I was blind to trust you…”

The sword light pierced through his body, his eyes dimming as he fell, lifeless.