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

After experiencing dozens of deaths.

Xiao Ye’s consciousness had grown blurry, his entire body feeling like it had been pierced by countless swords, barely held together by haphazard stitches.

“Am I going to die?” he croaked, his voice harsh and barely audible, each word dripping with a hint of blood.

As the sword light bore down on him again, he looked up and focused on the figure wielding it. She was ethereal, cool as the moon, graceful as a willow by the riverbank, her skin as flawless as jade. She seemed more like a celestial fairy than a mere mortal.

How could someone so beautiful possibly want to kill him?

All his life, Xiao Ye had charmed women from all walks of life, even woodland foxes, who would have loved to whisk him away for endless merriment.

“This must be an illusion!”

He burst into wild laughter, remembering that this was just the Heart Inquiry Test. Calmly, he faced the fearsome sword light.

Sure enough, the sword light shattered before it touched him!

“To think a mere Heart Inquiry Stone could trap me—what a joke!”

“This third round is mine, hands down!” Xiao Ye smirked, confident he’d soon wake up to bask in everyone’s admiration.

Yet, just as he was ready to return to reality, the scene shifted again.

Now, he was in a traditionally decorated room filled with a faint orchid fragrance. Beside him lay a charming and voluptuous woman, drunk and slumped over a table, her skin flushed and radiant, like a ripe peach.

His throat tightened, eyes blazing with desire. He reached out and gently traced her smooth back, whispering, “Lady Yun, are you alright?”

The elegant woman, whom he addressed as Lady Yun, turned her head, her eyes glazed with intoxication, her lips alluringly soft. “Husband,” she murmured, “our child has grown up. Don’t you want another one?”

“Of course I do!” Xiao Ye leapt at her, as eager as a starving wolf.

Outside the Test

“Look! Didn’t Liu Beifeng’s eyelid just twitch?”

“Yeah, it moved! No way, though—hasn’t it only been one incense stick’s time? Can his willpower really be that strong?”

“You underestimate him. Liu Beifeng was raised under harsh training since childhood, and at ten, he survived several months in the treacherous Drifting Cloud Mountains. His resilience is remarkable!”

“Please, Liu Beifeng, stay unconscious! I bet a hundred mid-grade spirit stones on Xiao Ye!”

“You only bet a hundred? I wagered five hundred!”

“Looks like you’re both out of luck. Look at Xiao Ye—his face is pale, and he’s frowning deeply. I doubt he’ll pass this round!”

“Nonsense! Xiao Ye’s talent is supreme; his willpower can’t be that weak!” a bettor shouted, though the tension in his voice betrayed his anxiety. Xiao Ye’s pale face and furrowed brow certainly weren’t promising signs.

In the jade pendant, Elder Li was equally worried. He knew Xiao Ye all too well. His disciple had rarely faced life-threatening situations, and the biggest crisis Xiao Ye had ever encountered was a mere sword strike. In that case, Elder Li had used his soul power to shield Xiao Ye, with a ferret cushioning the impact, so Xiao Ye had never truly faced death.

For a cultivator, a lack of life-and-death experience often meant weaker mental resilience, especially compared to those who constantly skirted danger.

And Xiao Ye had another, glaring flaw.

He was a hopeless philanderer.

Young maidens, mature women, wives, widows—if they were beautiful, Xiao Ye couldn’t resist.

This was what worried Elder Li most. He had wanted to warn Xiao Ye not to be swayed by lust, but Shangguan had rushed him before he could say a word.

Elder Li watched Xiao Ye intently, filled with concern.

Suddenly, he noticed Xiao Ye’s pale face regain color, his breathing growing steady and strong. Was he…?

Elder Li’s heart lifted, while the crowd erupted in cheers.

“Liu Beifeng has awakened! Though it took longer than an incense stick’s time, he woke within half an hour. His willpower is rated as high-quality, and he passed the test as the first!”

“Second place in combat, first in willpower—he has a solid chance to become Purple Cloud Peak’s disciple over Xiao Ye!”

“Those who bet on Xiao Ye are in for a rough night! They’ll be lining up to jump off the city wall!”

“Stop it. Keep talking, and they’ll drag you down with them!”

Liu Beifeng opened his eyes, still radiating a faint bloodlust. He recalled the heart-wrenching scene he’d faced: his ten-year-old self, battling three demonic wolves in Drifting Cloud Mountains. A single misstep had nearly cost him his life. The memory was so vivid that it haunted his dreams, often leaving him drenched in sweat.

When he first found himself back in that mountain range, terror gripped him, and the wolves tore at him repeatedly. Yet, after dying a dozen times, he began to sense something was off. He remembered defeating the wolves at age ten. They hadn’t been this monstrous.

Realizing it was all an illusion, he calmly let the wolves lunge at him. As they went for his throat, he struck them with a decisive palm. Instantly, the scene shattered like a reflection in water.

“I’m first!” Liu Beifeng looked over at the still-unconscious Li Cangxuan and Xiao Ye, a hint of satisfaction lighting his face before he quickly masked it.

Shangguan approached him, congratulating him sincerely. “Liu Beifeng, congratulations on passing the Heart Inquiry Test as the first. The next step is for Envoy Xue to personally assess you. I hope you can give it your all and impress her!”

After his brief interactions with Xiao Ye, Shangguan had realized Xiao Ye was vindictive. If Xiao Ye became a Purple Cloud Peak disciple, Shangguan would surely face retribution.

Rather than wait for misfortune, Shangguan decided to ally with Liu Beifeng. Although Liu Beifeng’s talent and strength were slightly inferior to Xiao Ye’s, in the cultivation world, talent might set one’s starting point, but one’s temperament determined how far they could go.

If he were Envoy Xue, and he had to choose between these three, he would undoubtedly pick Liu Beifeng.

Finishing his words, Shangguan subtly slipped a storage ring into Liu Beifeng’s hand and patted his shoulder.

Liu Beifeng looked at the ring in his hand, his expression slightly uncomfortable. He glanced back at Shangguan, seeming to make a decision. “City Lord Shangguan, it’s been my goal to join Purple Cloud Peak. Keep this ring for yourself.”

Shangguan was momentarily taken aback but managed a stiff smile.

“Very well. I wish you the best of luck.”