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

At Cloud Cliff, in the Sword Trial Pavilion:

Yuan Kouxuan, dressed in a flowing white robe, sat quietly with her head lowered, brush in hand, painting something with a soft blush on her cheeks, delicate and enchanting like a flower in bloom.

“The book describes it like this… I wonder if it’s accurate,” she murmured. “It should be—I’ve tried it out, after all…”

Her brush stilled briefly, and she looked up, a peculiar gleam in her almond-shaped eyes. “Master… he’s coming out of seclusion.”

With a quick flourish, she put away her brush and summoned her sword, a glint of green steel spanning three feet. She set off toward Purple Cloud Hall with determination.

Purple Cloud Hall.

Xu Yang sat cross-legged, an overwhelming aura radiating from his body, as if he were the very heart of a boundless furnace. His eyes remained closed, while an illusory red dragon hovered above his head, fangs bared in a fierce display.

After a while, his heart pulsed with a resounding beat like a temple bell, a deep, primal thrum echoing within his chest. 

It was as if an ancient beast was roaring, devouring the essence of the True Dragon Dao Fruit within him. As he absorbed its energy, the dragon’s image faded, leaving him with the vast power of liquefied spiritual essence accumulating in his dantian.

This powerful essence, numbering in the tens of thousands of drops, was converging and compressing rapidly, forming into a resplendent, reddish-golden core, rotating with such intensity that it stirred the blood flowing through his limbs, like a river threatening to break through its banks.

For any other cultivator, such a force would have ruptured their meridians or even shattered their dantian, reducing them to a mere mortal. Yet Xu Yang, with his Supreme Yang Physique, absorbed every bit of the essence with ease, his indestructible body reinforcing his path.

Time passed without notice.

The countless drops of essence finally merged, creating a flawless, radiant golden core that stabilized within his dantian.

Core Formation achieved.

But the breakthroughs continued:

Core Formation realm, First Level!

Core Formation realm, Second Level!

Core Formation realm, Third Level!

…

The breakthroughs continued until he reached the Eighth Level of Core Formation, where the advancement finally slowed.

“True Dragon Dao Fruit… truly remarkable!” Xu Yang opened his eyes, the overwhelming aura withdrawing, leaving his gaze calm and steady. His inner sight focused on his dantian, where a perfectly smooth, golden core pulsed with ethereal light.

It might appear similar in size to an ordinary core, yet its power was incomparable. He was confident he could now crush twenty Situ Qingqings in a fight, with enough strength left to take on ten Yuan Kouxuans. As for Xue Jinli, still at the Ninth Level of Foundation Establishment—he didn’t even consider her worth the effort.

It wasn’t arrogance. The Supreme Yang Physique, coupled with the Undying Immortal Scripture and the True Dragon Dao Fruit, meant that each breakthrough exponentially increased his power. He felt he could rival the most legendary prodigies of ancient times without fear.

Additionally, his spiritual awareness had expanded manyfold. If he unleashed it, it could likely cover most of the Qingming Sect, if not the entire sect.

“The Core Formation realm is still a bit too low… If I can break into the Nascent Soul realm within ten days and regain my original power within a month…”

Just as he was envisioning his future progress, he felt a sudden wave of discomfort.

“What? Am I… poisoned?”

“I never heard that consuming the True Dragon Dao Fruit could have such side effects…”

Yuan Kouxuan quickly arrived at Purple Cloud Hall on her sword.

After glancing around and confirming no one else was present, she relaxed, taking a few steps forward into the hall.

“Master?” she called gently.

Standing before the inner chamber door, she hesitated, restraining her shyness before knocking softly.

Inside, there was no response.

Feeling uneasy, Yuan Kouxuan frowned slightly. Since the phenomenon had subsided, her master should have finished cultivating.

“Master, please forgive me… I’m only worried about your safety,” she muttered, gathering her resolve before pushing the door open.

The scene inside was unusual—scattered fragments of torn clothing lay around, and her master sat cross-legged on a meditation mat, shirtless, one hand on his forehead, the other rubbing his eyes as if trying to clear his vision.

Concern filled Yuan Kouxuan’s eyes as she approached quickly, her tone anxious, “Master, did something go wrong with your cultivation?”

Her master had previously lost his cultivation due to an inner demon attack, requiring him to start over from scratch. Xu Yang’s resilience was commendable; lesser cultivators would have given up in despair. But if he lost his cultivation again, she feared he might not recover.

“Huh? Why does Kouxuan look different? Am I… hallucinating?” Xu Yang muttered under his breath.

“Hallucinating?” Kouxuan’s cheeks flushed slightly. “Then even in Master’s hallucinations, I’m present…”

Her heart raced, but she softly said, “Master, I’m not a hallucination. I’m real.”

Xu Yang chuckled. “In my hallucination, Kouxuan even speaks… Let’s see if you’re as real as you seem.”

He reached out, gently pinching her cheek, surprised at how lifelike it felt.

“Now you believe I’m real, don’t you, Master?” Kouxuan’s almond eyes sparkled, her expression innocent yet somehow coquettish.

Xu Yang’s senses returned somewhat, and he shook his head, attempting to dispel the remaining illusions clouding his vision. “Disciple… I didn’t say anything strange just now, did I?”

Kouxuan shook her head, her smile playful. “Nothing strange, Master. You only wondered why I was still dressed.”

‘That’s right—why are you dressed? It’d be much nicer if you weren’t…’ Wait, what am I thinking? Xu Yang caught himself, suppressing the inappropriate thought with difficulty. He coughed and attempted to explain himself, though his mind was still slightly foggy.

“My apologies, Kouxuan. I consumed a spiritual treasure recently, which seems to have introduced a peculiar poison. It’s clouding my mind, making me speak… unfiltered thoughts.”

‘Unfiltered thoughts?’ Yuan Kouxuan’s heart leaped. ‘So Master does feel something for me!’

But as her mind raced with excitement, she recalled the source of the “poison”—the Dragon Blood Grass that Liu Beifeng had presented. Was Liu Beifeng a spy for a rival sect? If the herb was indeed tainted, her master could be in danger. She immediately considered seeking out Liu Beifeng.

Noticing her intention, Xu Yang quickly placed a hand on her wrist, his head throbbing. “No, it’s not as you think. Your junior sister is innocent—the herb itself carries the issue. Dragon Blood has a… certain influence on the mind.”

At Xu Yang’s explanation, Kouxuan nodded in understanding. It was well-known that creatures related to dragons often came with troublesome side effects, and the dragon lineage was known for its unpredictable nature.

“Master, there are far better spiritual treasures in the sect’s treasury. Why use the Dragon Blood Grass?” Kouxuan asked, a hint of something indescribable in her gaze as she felt the warmth of Xu Yang’s hand on her wrist.

‘What treasure could surpass the ten-thousand-year True Dragon Dao Fruit?’ Xu Yang thought, trying to focus. He forced himself not to dwell on her words and answered, “It was a gesture from your junior sister, after all. If you had offered it instead, I would have used yours as well.”

“Master, you…”