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

At Qingming Hall on the Sect Master Peak, a figure reclined lazily in the main seat.

She wore a flowing purple palace gown, her unadorned face radiating soft charm. Her skin was as flawless as snow, and her demeanor exuded natural regality. She didn’t resemble a typical cultivator but rather an empress who ruled over the nine provinces with unmatched majesty.

Her figure was nothing short of breathtaking—graceful and curvaceous. Even her casual posture accentuated her full, rounded hips, a figure so captivating it could leave any young man’s heart racing.

This was Ji Hongluan, the Sect Master of the Qingming Sect. At the moment, she was absentmindedly stroking a round, plump cat in her lap.

Suddenly, a vibration interrupted her. Ji Hongluan let out a frustrated sigh, lifting the cat off her lap. She reached into the depths of her chest, pulling out a glowing jade slip.

“Which troublesome peak is it this time?” she muttered, clearly annoyed, as she activated the jade slip with her spiritual sense.

To her surprise, the sender was marked with a note: The Fool.

“Him? What does he want now? Surely he’s not here to lecture me again!”

Memories of previous messages flashed through her mind. Ji Hongluan hesitated to open it, recalling how this particular sender—Xu Yang, the Peak Master of Purple Cloud Peak—was a constant thorn in her side. Every message from him seemed like an endless critique of her leadership, as if he were the only one who truly cared about the sect while she spent her days idling away.

“Still, if I don’t respond, he might barge into my peak again, like last time,” she grumbled.

Reluctantly, Ji Hongluan activated the message. However, as her eyes scanned its content, her initial annoyance gave way to shock. Her elegant brows furrowed, and her eyes widened in disbelief.

Message:

To the Divine Fairy Hongluan,
As this message reaches you, it feels as though we’ve met once more. Time flows swiftly, and though it has only been a few years since we last saw each other, it feels like three lifetimes have passed. Unable to suppress my longing, I write to you now.

There is much I wish to say…
Sigh, about the past… my feelings for you…
Has your beloved pet grown chubbier? Do you still need…

…

On another note, there are rumors of the emergence of the Qi Yuan Cave Mansion in the Heavenly Secret Mountains. I urge you to dispatch sect disciples immediately for training and exploration.

“???”

Was this truly from him? The tone was so polite, so… affectionate. If it weren’t for the last line about the cave mansion, she might have thought this was a love confession!

“Has this fool had a change of heart? He actually addressed me as ‘Fairy Hongluan.’ Before, he would call me ‘Sect Master,’ or even rudely use my name directly!”

A rare smile graced her lips, and a soft glimmer danced in her eyes. She leaned back, her long, graceful legs swaying slightly, clearly in a good mood.

“Let me read it again.”

After years of enduring his jabs and criticism, this unexpected show of respect was a balm to her soul. Ji Hongluan eagerly reread the message. Each time her eyes swept over the words, her lips curled into a pleased smile.

Minutes turned into an hour.

Ji Hongluan had reread the message dozens of times but still found herself unwilling to stop.

“This will be the last time,” she told herself, her fingers gripping the jade slip as if it were a treasure. This time, however, as she reread the message, a startling realization dawned upon her.

“‘I… sigh… beloved pet…’”

Her expression froze. Was this an acrostic?

Ji Hongluan’s mind raced, piecing together the hidden meaning. “I love you.”

Her face turned crimson, and her heart pounded like a drum. “He… he’s actually confessing to me? That fool!”

Flustered, she paced around the hall, her delicate feet bare against the plush carpet. Even her usually composed demeanor crumbled as she clutched the jade slip, unsure how to respond.

Ji Hongluan’s thoughts spiraled. As the Sect Master, she prided herself on her composure and authority. Yet here she was, blushing like a maiden in love.

“He dares? And why not earlier? Does he think I’d reject him?”

Still, a flicker of warmth bloomed in her heart. Ji Hongluan wasn’t cultivating the cold, emotionless Dao of detachment. Deep down, she longed for companionship. Watching her peers find Dao companions over the years had left her feeling isolated.

“But I’m Ji Hongluan, the Sect Master of Qingming Sect,” she whispered. “Who could possibly be my equal?”

Her mind drifted to Xu Yang. His talent rivaled hers, if not surpassed it. From the moment she met him, she had entertained thoughts of taking him as her disciple, hoping to guide him to greatness.

However, when she extended the offer, he rejected her outright, claiming, “Your talent is inferior to mine. How could you be my master?”

From that moment, their relationship had been fraught with tension. Still, Ji Hongluan couldn’t help but admire his ambition and determination.

“Could it be… he planned this all along?” she mused. “Rejecting me as his master, questioning my authority as Sect Master—all to stand as my equal?”

Her heart raced as realization struck. If that were true, it meant… he had feelings for her all along.

Ji Hongluan’s thoughts were interrupted by a soft “meow.” Looking down, she saw her plump cat gazing up at her with a quizzical expression.

The cat’s meaning was clear: “What if you’re wrong? What if it’s just a coincidence?”

“You’re right, Little Flower,” Ji Hongluan said, her cheeks still flushed. “I can’t rush into this.”

She scooped up the cat and pressed her face into its soft fur. “Little Flower, you’re the only one who truly understands me.”

Regaining her composure, Ji Hongluan sighed. “I’ll wait. If he truly has feelings for me, he’ll confess properly.”

For now, there was the matter of the Qi Yuan Cave Mansion.

“Summon all peak masters to the Qingming Hall immediately,” Ji Hongluan ordered a servant.

“As you command, Sect Master,” the servant replied, bowing before leaving.

Left alone once more, Ji Hongluan’s thoughts wandered back to Xu Yang. Holding the jade slip close to her heart, she murmured, “Foolish man… why must you make me wait?”

From her lap, Little Flower meowed again, seemingly unimpressed by her indecision.

“Don’t you start,” she said, narrowing her eyes. “And what do you mean by ‘beneath me’?”