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

“What?!” 

Situ Qing’er gaped, shocked at how confidently Senior Sister declared she’d “stolen” Master’s belongings. She might’ve expected her to take some small items here and there, but wearing Master’s robe, with the ink-cloud embroidery clearly marking it as his, was bold beyond reason. Anger rising, she shot a glare at Yuan Kouxuan.

“Senior Sister, how could you? Taking Master’s robe now—what’s next? Are you planning to steal…? No! I’m telling Master!”

‘Tell Master? The robe was given to me…’ Yuan Kouxuan remained calm, casting an indifferent glance at Qing’er.

“Qing’er, I acquired this robe by skill. Go ahead, tell Master if you like. But if Master punishes me, I’ll make sure you’re punished too.”

Qing’er trembled slightly, frustrated and a bit frightened at her Senior Sister’s resolve.

“Senior Sister, this… this is unreasonable!”

Yuan Kouxuan simply responded with a nonchalant “Oh,” brushing off the confrontation entirely.

Seeing this, Qing’er clenched her fists, feeling her anger grow. ‘I’ve been trampled on so many times—this time, I have to stand up for myself!’

Abandoning the idea of tattling, since Senior Sister’s position would likely doom her attempt, she pulled a jade pendant from her cleavage and held it out in front of Yuan Kouxuan with a smug expression.

“Senior Sister, recognize this?”

One look, and Yuan Kouxuan’s expression turned dark. Her tone grew icy. “Qing’er, how dare you steal Master’s jade pendant? Don’t you know it’s his only keepsake from his family? Give it here—I’ll return it to Master!”

Yuan Kouxuan had long coveted the pendant but had never dared ask for it, knowing its significance. Qing’er, it seemed, had no such hesitation—maybe her backside was itching for another lesson.

Predictably, Qing’er pulled back, clinging to the pendant protectively. “I’m not like you, Senior Sister. Master gave this to me!”

Yuan Kouxuan frowned, skeptical. “You really think I’d believe that?”

“If you doubt me, we can go to Master and settle this face-to-face!”

Yuan Kouxuan’s eyes narrowed. “Why would Master give you his family pendant?”

Gauging her honesty, she noted that Qing’er’s tone held an air of confidence, leading her to believe she might actually be telling the truth—a fact that stung a bit.

“Because I… admire Master’s pendant! Since I saved Master’s life, he gave it to me as a token of gratitude,” Qing’er replied, nearly letting slip her true intentions. She certainly didn’t need to provoke Senior Sister any further or risk her life over a prank. And for now, with her skills not on par with Yuan Kouxuan’s, she decided to keep some secrets.

Yuan Kouxuan could tell Qing’er was holding something back, but she also knew Master would repay any favor generously. She couldn’t help but feel regretful—perhaps she should have delayed taking on the Mystic Essence Pavilion mission. Now it was too late.

“Qing’er,” Yuan Kouxuan said softly, her eyes gleaming with an almost affectionate light, “how do I treat you as Senior Sister?”

A shiver ran down Qing’er’s spine. Something was definitely wrong. Typically, Senior Sister, a sword cultivator, would assert her will forcefully rather than rely on emotional appeals. If she was doing so now, it meant she was planning something big.

Growing more alert, Qing’er gripped the pendant tighter. If Senior Sister so much as twitched, she’d hide it in her robes—though it wouldn’t prevent her from getting caught, it might slow her down.

“Senior Sister, you’ve always been good to me. If only there were fewer punishments,” Qing’er replied cautiously.

Without missing a beat, Yuan Kouxuan moved closer, her tone gentle yet persuasive. “Then let’s make a deal. Lend me the pendant for three days. I promise to return it after that. What do you say?”

Lend it to you? Qing’er wasn’t so easily fooled. She shook her head firmly. “No.”

Silently watching her defiant posture, Yuan Kouxuan was quiet for a moment before saying coolly, “Fine, keep it. It’s just a pendant, after all. Besides, I still have Master’s sword.”

Qing’er could tell this was merely Senior Sister’s way of pretending she didn’t care. Feeling a mischievous urge rise, she said, “Senior Sister, how about this: lend me your sword, and I’ll lend you the pendant for three days.”

“Not happening. Say something like that again, and I’ll make sure you regret it,” Yuan Kouxuan replied icily.

The pendant held her interest, but her sword, Purple Sky, was equally invaluable. As a sword cultivator, Zixiao was even more important to her than the pendant.

Realizing she’d gone too far, Qing’er quickly backtracked. “Just kidding, Senior Sister.”

“Hm.” Yuan Kouxuan nodded curtly, issuing a final warning. “Master is in seclusion—don’t disturb him.”

“Typical!” Qing’er muttered under her breath. “One rule for you, another for everyone else.”

“Focus on your cultivation,” Yuan Kouxuan replied, dismissing her. “I’ll be back to check on your progress in a few days.”

Then, without another word, Yuan Kouxuan flew off on her sword, leaving Qing’er stewing with frustration.

“Favoritism! Pure and simple!”

After Yuan Kouxuan’s departure, Qing’er stomped the ground, anger flaring. She’d set out to rile her Senior Sister but had instead backed herself into a corner.

In truth, she had been neglecting her cultivation recently, spending most of her time immersed in “research.” If Senior Sister found out her progress had actually regressed, it would spell trouble.

“Alright, enough studying,” she muttered to herself. “It’s not like Senior Sister is going to let me sneak off to test my theories with Master. I need to focus on leveling up—if I really buckle down, I should be able to make a breakthrough before she returns.”

Rubbing her face in resignation, Qing’er felt her fighting spirit return.