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

“Hmm,” Liu Beifeng nodded softly, her lips pressed together and her beautiful eyes shining with admiration. She couldn’t help but think, ‘Master, oh Master, you’re so good to me. How will I ever repay you?;

Nearby, Little Black watched the master and disciple politely declining the treasures, and he nearly cried tears of frustration that almost slipped out through his snout.

‘If neither of you want it, why not just give it to me?’

“I’ll give you some time to say your farewells to your kin,” Xu Yang said to Little Black before leading Liu Beifeng away.

Little Black gave a grateful bow and turned to bid his clan farewell. However, as he approached them, his fellow beavers scattered as though he were a harbinger of calamity.

‘What…?’ Little Black’s face was a mask of confusion.

After all he had done for the beaver clan, bled for them, fought for them, they were treating him this way? It was truly heartbreaking!

‘Fine, if they don’t appreciate me, I’ll just go where I am appreciated! What is being the king of a river, anyway? My future lies as the sacred guardian of Purple Cloud Peak!’

Five days passed in a flash.

Xu Yang had spent the time… not slacking, but rather collecting offerings of treasures and fortuitous items from his disciples.

System notifications had been lighting up continuously:

[Ding! Yuan Kouxuan has offered the host a mid-grade Earth-rank pill, the Fiery Spirit Pill, triggering a 100x return of a low-grade Heaven-rank Fiery Saint Pill!]

[Ding! Ruan Yuer has offered the host a mid-grade Earth-rank Great Return Pill, triggering a 1,000x return of a Dao-enlightening Bodhi Seed!]

[Ding! Situ Qingqing has offered the host a mid-grade Earth-rank cultivation manual, the Hidden Spring Art, triggering a 100x return of the low-grade Heaven-rank Four Seasons Reincarnation Art!]

[Ding! Liu Beifeng has offered the host an Earth-rank artifact, the Gale Boots, triggering a 100x return of the low-grade Heaven-rank Skybound Boots!]
Each of the returned items came with unique effects:

Fiery Saint Pill: Grants ten years of cultivation; doubles effects for those with a Pure Yang Physique.

Dao-enlightening Bodhi Seed: A rare heaven-and-earth treasure, it aids cultivators in reaching deeper levels of understanding, enhancing the efficiency of any cultivation or martial technique.

Four Seasons Reincarnation Art: Harnesses the powers of nature’s cycles. At its peak, one may even glimpse the mysteries of space, time, and reincarnation.

Skybound Boots: These boots allow the wearer to traverse any terrain with ease, as if they had mastered a supreme movement technique.

Reading these descriptions brought Xu Yang immense satisfaction.

His disciples were truly considerate; any treasure they found that was of mid-grade Earth-rank or higher, they immediately brought to him.

In particular, Yuan Kouxuan and Situ Qingqing had even developed a quiet rivalry, each striving to find the most valuable offerings for their master.

Of course, Xu Yang didn’t let their efforts go unrewarded. Treasures he didn’t need for himself, he returned to them, knowing that as his disciples grew stronger, they’d find even more valuable gifts to bring to him. It was a sustainable, mutually beneficial relationship.

The Qi Yuan Cave only permitted cultivators at or below the peak of the Core Formation stage, as those with greater strength would be forcibly expelled by the cave’s rules. Thus, Xu Yang wasn’t in a hurry to cultivate further and was content to continue receiving gifts before making his next breakthrough.

“Master, is this cultivation art unique to me, or do my fellow sisters share it as well?” Situ Qingqing asked with a hint of jealousy in her voice.

“What do you think? Of course, it’s uniquely yours,” Xu Yang replied with a smile, careful not to fall into the trap of giving the same thing to all his disciples.

Situ Qingqing’s face lit up with a bright smile, like ripples spreading over a serene lake. “Master truly does care for me the most!”

Situ Qingqing, always attuned to her master’s needs, whispered, “Master, I care for you too.”

Just then, a loud whoosh broke through the quiet of the sky.

“Master!”

Xu Yang maintained his composure, sitting tall and serene.

Xue Jinli descended from above, casting a wary glance at Situ Qingqing, who was seated with her back turned to her.

“Qingqing, what are you doing, hiding like that?” Xue Jinli asked suspiciously.

“What do you think? I don’t want to see you right now,” Situ Qingqing replied, adjusting her disheveled robes quickly, feigning annoyance despite the flutter of nerves in her heart.

“Tch, what a miser. It was just a thousand-year-old spirit herb.” Xue Jinli waved it off dismissively and approached Xu Yang, reaching for his arm as though to pull him away.

‘Boldly taking Master in front of me?’

Situ Qingqing couldn’t stand it any longer. She spun around, grabbing Xu Yang’s other arm as she glared at Xue Jinli. “Sister Xue, what do you think you’re doing?”

“What’s it to you…” Xue Jinli began, but as she glanced back at Qingqing, her gaze sharpened with sudden insight.

‘Is that… could it be? But of all of us at Purple Cloud Peak, I’m probably the only one audacious enough to do such a thing…’

Deciding to play it cool for now, Xue Jinli shifted her focus back to Xu Yang, her tone urgent.

“Master, I found a major opportunity.”

“What kind of opportunity?” Xu Yang asked, curious.

“It might be the inheritance of the Venerable Qi Yuan himself! No need for too many questions; just come with me, Master,” Xue Jinli urged impatiently.

“I could go with you instead. Why insist on Master?” Situ Qingqing interjected.

“The area is surrounded by formations. Can you break them?” Xue Jinli retorted swiftly.

Situ Qingqing bit her lip, her frustration clear but unspoken.

‘Formations everywhere? This indeed sounded like the legendary Qi Yuan’s inheritance.’

By now, Xu Yang had calmed his vital energy completely. He gently patted Situ Qingqing’s hand and stood up, saying, “Very well. I’ll go with you and have a look.”

With the Heavenly Desolation Pagoda in hand, even the most intricate formations were unlikely to pose a challenge.

“Master, I want to go too!” Situ Qingqing couldn’t shake the feeling that Xue Jinli had ulterior motives toward her master.

“No, you’re too weak. You’d only hold us back,” Xue Jinli replied, waving her off before Xu Yang could speak.

Situ Qingqing stared in disbelief.

A mere Foundation Establishment stage cultivator, calling her, a Core Formation disciple, weak?

If it weren’t for the unique conditions of the Qi Yuan Cave enabling her sister’s physique to outshine her own, she would have taken her sister down long ago.

“Fine, we’ll all go. With me around, you’ll be safe,” Xu Yang said, easing the tension.

“Master is the best,” Situ Qingqing said sweetly, latching onto his arm, holding her chin high as she glared at Xue Jinli.

“Hmph!” she huffed, her expression smug, almost like a peacock spreading its feathers.