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

“Master, is it really like that?” 

Yuan Kouxuan’s gaze fell, a hint of disappointment in her eyes.

“Xuan’er, your suggestion was too reckless!” Xu Yang scolded sternly, seizing the opportunity. “Didn’t you think about the consequences of provoking Master Wanjun?”

Yuan Kouxuan lowered her head, visibly crestfallen. “It was thoughtless of me, Master.”

‘So even Senior Sister gets scolded by Master!’ 

Situ Qing’er did her best to keep a straight face, struggling not to laugh out loud and risk a beating from her senior.

“It’s good you realize it now,” Xu Yang continued, trying to keep up the act. “But next time, think carefully. My powers are still limited; if that old Lei Wanjun comes after us, all I could do is die protecting you.”

“Master?!” Yuan Kouxuan’s head shot up, her eyes wide with emotion. What had once been frustration now turned into deep guilt.

‘It was all for me’, she realized, feeling a wave of remorse. How could she have doubted her Master, even harboring complaints against him? She felt she could never make up for her lapse.

“Master, please don’t worry. I will never let you die before me,” she declared fervently. “If anyone dares to harm you, I’ll stand by you, no matter the cost—even if it means my life, my very soul, and no chance of rebirth. I will…”

Her voice grew more intense, tinged with tears.

‘This is too much…’ Xu Yang thought. To stop his disciple from bursting into tears, he quickly intervened.

“Xuan’er, enough of that talk! Don’t speak of death. We’ll both live well and strong,” he said gently.

Yuan Kouxuan’s eyes brightened with determination. “Yes, Master. I promise.” Inwardly, she made a vow: if anyone came for Master, they’d have to get through her blade first!

‘Alright, alright. Enough of the touching scene; I’ll leave you two to it!’ Situ Qing’er sighed as she watched the affectionate scene between her Master and Senior Sister. ‘Master, weren’t you supposed to tone down the charm? Why’d you go all out?’

The intensity of her Master’s words had even moved her heart, despite them not being directed at her. She could hardly resist practicing dozens of new stances, ready to be at his mercy.

With Yuan Kouxuan’s tears abating, Xu Yang let out a sigh of relief and turned his attention to more pressing matters.

“When is little Koi coming back?”

Xu Yang had managed to reap benefits from both Qing’er and Xuan’er, and he now looked forward to seeing what Koi, his third disciple, would bring him. With her auspicious name symbolizing good fortune, he held high hopes of acquiring something that would significantly boost his cultivation.

For as strong as he was, Xu Yang couldn’t help but feel he wasn’t advancing quickly enough. It had been nearly seven days since he arrived in this world, almost a whole year when rounded up. And yet he wasn’t invincible—how could this be reasonable?

Qing’er, sensing her Master’s concern, grew a little jealous as she responded, “Third Senior Sister is on her way back by spirit ship, but it’ll be a few more hours before she reaches Purple Cloud Peak.”

Although Heavenly Origin City was near the Qingming Sect, the sect’s territory was vast, covering nearly a quarter of the Northern Province. Traveling between its peaks was no small feat; lower-level cultivators often had to pay a fee to take the sect’s spirit ships, as they couldn’t cover such distances on foot.

Luckily, Purple Cloud Peak, with its wealth and few disciples, had its own high-grade spirit ship, unlike other peaks, whose disciples could only dream of venturing out.

“Alright, let’s wait until little Koi returns. If there’s nothing else, you both should leave; I need to cultivate,” Xu Yang said, ignoring Qing’er’s hopeful gaze.

While he would’ve liked to spend more time with her, the presence of Yuan Kouxuan, who neither indulged him nor let others do so, made him uncomfortable. ‘Better to avoid temptation and focus on training’, he thought, closing his eyes and settling into meditation.

“Understood, Master!” Yuan Kouxuan replied, bowing before she took Qing’er by the hand and led her outside. She still felt awkward after their earlier incident, and lingering alone with Master only made her feel more exposed.

Situ Qing’er, her plans thwarted, pouted, her arms crossed as Yuan Kouxuan led her away from the main hall.

After his disciples had left, Xu Yang returned to the back hall, where fragments of Yuan Kouxuan’s dress lay scattered across his bed. He blinked, feeling a strange urge to gather the pieces. The fabric was soft, and an unfamiliar scent lingered in the air as he held them close.

Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, he placed the pieces in his wardrobe, securing them with a lock. With his breath finally steady, he sat down on the edge of his bed and leaned back.

“Phew… close call.” He sighed, allowing himself to relax—until his gaze shifted back to the bed.

…

Outside, Yuan Kouxuan had just escorted Qing’er to the bamboo pavilion near the peach blossom grove.

As she was about to leave, Qing’er called after her. “Senior Sister!”

Yuan Kouxuan turned, her usual cool expression falling over her face. Whenever Senior Sister isn’t with Master, she’s like a block of ice, Qing’er noted, holding back a smirk.

“You’re wearing Master’s robes, aren’t you?” Qing’er demanded with a playful look.

Yuan Kouxuan’s pupils contracted, caught off guard. She had thought her secret was well-concealed, but somehow, Qing’er had seen through it. With a forced calmness, she answered, “I… stole them.”

…

TN// The “Jinli” (锦鲤) in Xue Jinli’s name has a strong association with luck due to its literal meaning, “brocade carp,” which is usually referred to as a carp. Koi (锦鲤, jǐn lǐ) are known to bring good fortune, perseverance, and prosperity. That’s why she is ‘lucky’. Also the Lei in Lei Wanjun is apart of his name.