After the Villain Lost His Cultivation - Chapter 15

Heng Yudu fell silent.

Feng Yu didn’t even bother studying how to untie the binding silk. He excitedly reached his fingers into his sleeves, seemingly intending to pull out a handful of pine nuts to snack on while enjoying the spectacle.

Tianyan is above.

(N/T: Heaven is above)

Wasn’t it just yesterday that Sheng Jiao turned from love to hate because he couldn’t have him? How could this guy develop feelings for Sheng Jiao after merely half a day of reunion?

Feelings in just half a day?

Feng Yu found it very amusing.

It was the first time Heng Yudu used “Changing Moon” and didn’t get the answer he wanted, so he fell silent, probably stunned by what he had just heard.

After a long pause, he spoke gently: ”There’s no need to make such private matters public, I was asking about your innate mark.”

Xi Jianglan raised his hand expressionlessly and gestured.

”Don’t ask me, I can’t answer anything right now.”

Heng Yudu tilted his head to glance at Sheng Jiao trapped in the cage, as if he understood something.

Sheng Jiao’s cultivation was unfathomable. Everyone said he was still in the Return to Void realm, but Heng Yudu had a vague feeling that his cultivation seemed to have reached a barrier.

…He was probably only a step away from the Mahayana stage.

(N/T: Great Ascension)

Xi Jianglan finally sighed in relief when he saw Heng Yudu put away the jade slip.

How embarrassing.

Xi Jianglan wished he could slap Heng Yudu.

But this was not the time for shame, Xi Jianglan turned around and asked Feng Yu, ”What about Xi Qingfeng’s innate mark?”

”Take it.” Feng Yu, thrilled after witnessing such a good show, casually pulled out the painting and threw it to him without a care for the hundreds of thousands of spirit stones. ”I have no impression of Xi Qingfeng, and I really can’t tell what significance this innate mark has.”

Xi Jianglan quickly unfolded the painting.

The innate mark were skinned from a living person and were extremely sinister. Looking at the “tree roots” that seemed to wriggle and breathe, Xi Jianglan shuddered slightly, trying to hide it.

He raised his hand, wanting to touch the innate mark, but Feng Yu stopped him, saying, ”Don’t move. Who knows how this innate mark was preserved? You have no spiritual power right now; be careful, or you might put your life in danger.”

Xi Jianglan valued his life highly, but with the painting in his hand, he was eager to know the origins and significance of the innate mark, and he was caught in a moment of hesitation.

Suddenly, it felt like a thunderbolt struck his head.

Boom—

Xi Jianglan froze, momentarily dazed for the first time in his life.

Seeing his pupils instantly dilate, Feng Yu reacted quickly, forming a hand gesture with his fingers and slapping his palm hard on Xi Jianglan’s forehead.

”Stabilize the soul!”

The cold spiritual energy settled on the stray hairs on Xi Jianglan’s forehead like a layer of white frost.

In just an instant,  Xi Jianglan felt as if he had wandered through a desolate dream. When he awoke, he was filled with confusion: “I… my heart…?”

”What’s wrong?”

”Don’t be timid, it’s not a thunderbolt.” Seeing him still dazed, Feng Yu quickly cast another soul-fixing spell and pointed his finger.

Following his gesture, Xi Jianglan looked over.

Heng Yudu’s glass cage…

Had actually been shattered by someone with a single sword stroke?

The colored glazed jade slip of “Changing Moon” was supposed to be the hardest thing in the world, but at this moment, it resembled true colored glaze, shattering one after another under the overwhelming sword intent.

It sounded like the crunching sound of dozens of porcelain pieces breaking at the same time in a kiln.

Heng Yudu raised his eyebrows slightly, having already anticipated that the ”birdcage” wouldn’t be able to trap Sheng Jiao. He raised his hand and waved at Xi Jianglan.

Caught off-guard, Xi Jianglan stumbled down the steps, nearly prostrating himself in a kowtow to Heng Yudu. He quickly steadied himself by grasping the armrests of his wheelchair, managing to regain his balance.

Heng Yudu held his wrist, his snow-like fingertips playfully tugging at the translucent binding silk hanging from his little finger.

The “Changing Moon” bird let out a sharp cry and lunged at the red rope, its crystalline form reflecting the sunlight onto Xi Jianglan’s face.

Earlier, when Feng Yu had attacked Xi Jianglan with the blade, he had barely reacted. But now, after being lightly bumped by the glass bird, Xi Jianglan’s heart raced, almost causing him to lose his footing and fall.

Heng Yudu said, ”Ah…”

He seemed to have understood something.

Sheng Jiao had already shattered the cage, sheathing the Dong Rong sword, and was now approaching with a dark expression, step by step.

(N/T: Dong Rong= Winter Melting)

Suddenly, Heng Yudu said, ”Don’t move.”

Xi Jianglan was left confused.

The next moment, the jade slips around Heng Yudu suddenly transformed into cold glass swords, pressing against Xi Jianglan’s delicate white neck with a resounding “clang.”

Heng Yudu warned Sheng Jiao, “Don’t come any closer, or I will kill him.”

Xi Jianglan: “…”

Heng Yudu’s demeanor was far too gentle, even in the act of threatening, each of his movements remained as graceful as an orchid swaying in the rain.

Feng Yu continued to crack pine nuts, even sharing some with Shang Yuan.

Sheng Jiao was unmoved, his steps never faltering.

Heng Yudu pressed the glass sword down harder, a thin line of blood slowly trickling from Xi Jianglan’s neck, the vivid red starkly contrasting against his snow-white skin, a sight so striking it was almost blinding.

Even fragile glass could be sharpened into a blade, capable of taking a life.

Sheng Jiao paused.

Heng Yudu said, “I really will kill him, do you dare to bet on it?”

Sheng Jiao: “…”

Xi Jianglan inhaled sharply in pain and weakly raised a hand, his face pale as he gestured, ”Brother, I don’t dare to bet.”

No one paid any attention to him.

Heng Yudu said softly, ”The Xiezhi Sect captured Xi Jue solely to find clues about the disaster that befell the Xi family six years ago. But now, with Xi Qingfeng’s innate mark painting…”

As he spoke, he quickly snatched the painting from Xi Jianglan’s hand and threw it to Sheng Jiao.

Sheng Jiao frowned as he caught it.

”Here you go,” Heng Yudu said. ”With the methods of your Xiezhi Sect, you should be able to quickly discover who sold the painting and find the real culprit behind the massacre.”

”…” Xi Jianglan belatedly realized that the innatet mark painting was gone and shot an angry glance at Heng Yudu. ”I…”

He gestured, ”That’s my painting!”

Xi Jianglan, more than anyone else present, wanted to know who was the real culprit behind the massacre of the Xi family six years ago.

Feng Yu, who was watching the spectacle, couldn’t hold back any longer and said softly, ”Everyone, I’m barely clinging to life here. I spent a substantial amount on this painting. Could you at least consult me before making a decision?”

However, no one paid any attention to him.

Heng Yudu replied calmly, ”What now?”

Sheng Jiao finally spoke coldly, ”Nothing.”

Heng Yudu smiled, and the jade slips suddenly formed a circle around the wheelchair.

Sheng Jiao’s pupils narrowed, and he immediately stepped forward.

”This lord,” Heng Yudu said, ”The binding you placed on Xi Jue… it likely has a distance limitation.” Without revealing Sheng Jiao’s identity, he continued gently, ”What if I use a formation to take him thousands of miles away? Wouldn’t the binding tear his soul apart?”

Sheng Jiao could no longer maintain his icy demeanor and snapped, ”You…!”

Heng Yudu added, ”…Do you dare to bet?”

The glass circle surrounded Heng Yudu and Xi Jianglan, spinning continuously as if it was activating a teleportation array.

Seeing that Heng Yudu was using him to make a stand, Xi Jianglan quickly reached out: ”When two immortals fight, can you avoid harming the innocent? I don’t dare to bet. I’ve had terrible luck all my life and always lose. Spare me, please!”

He really couldn’t understand why Heng Yudu would use him to threaten the Xiezhi Sect people.

They were completely unaffected and would probably be happy if he died sooner.

Heng Yudu kept his gaze on Sheng Jiao, without blinking, as if certain of his response.

Sheng Jiao’s eyes had never been colder, as if he wasn’t facing a longtime classmate but an enemy who had stolen something precious from him.

The Tianyan Bead moved on its own, as if brewing purple-silver heavenly thunder, ready to strike down at any moment.

Feng Yu was still muttering: ”You two, you two? My painting?”

Xi Jianglan gestured as well: ”You two, you two? My life?”

Whoosh—

The jade slips finally activated, stirring up fierce winds that sent Heng Yudu’s and Xi Jianglan’s long hair and robes flying chaotically. The intricate formations beneath their feet flickered erratically like stars, seemingly locking onto a location.

Sheng Jiao instinctively stepped forward, attempting to grab the person.

In the gale of the formation, the Heart-Binding Silk connecting Sheng Jiao and Xi Jianglan’s souls was blown wildly, as if it would break at any moment.

At the instant the formation was fully activated, Sheng Jiao gently closed his eyes.

A sudden flash appeared on his little finger, and the faint tug on his soul felt like a small boat caught in a storm.

Huge waves crashed.

The boat capsized.

The Binding Heart Silk was undone.

Heng Yudu had long anticipated that Sheng Jiao would release the Binding Heart Silk. Smiling, he disappeared completely, taking Xi Jianglan with him.

Only a small whirlwind remained on the ground, swirling for a long time.

Sheng Jiao’s expression was gloomy, and his sunken eyes revealed an unfathomable coldness.

He stared at the small whirlwind spinning on the bluestone slab when suddenly, the Tianyan Bead flashed with a lightning pattern, illuminating the side of his face with a ghostly pale light.

‘—!’

A purple-silver lightning bolt silently descended from the cloudless sky, crashing heavily into the wind vortex, splitting the moss-covered stone slab into charred fragments that shattered into pieces.

“Oh dear.” Feng Yu, already accustomed to Sheng Jiao’s silent thunder, cracked a bad pine nut, spat it out, and said to Shang Yuan beside him, “Kid, look at your Sect Leader. Doesn’t he look like someone just stole his wife?”

Shang Yuan, clutching pine nuts like a little hamster, nodded eagerly: “He really does!”

Sheng Jiao closed his eyes slightly, forcibly suppressing the violent rage surging within him, and quickly turned to stride toward the abbot’s residence.

Despite the commotion outside, the abbot of Guchang Temple didn’t even bother to come out and take a look.

Sheng Jiao strode up to the meditation room and slammed the door open with a heavy thud.

The meditation room was silent. The abbot of Guchang Temple, dressed in monk’s robes, sat facing the wall. A ray of light streamed in through the window, illuminating his golden kasaya.

He looked incredibly old, with a hunched back, a white beard that hung down to his chin, and eyes that were barely open, as if he lacked the strength to fully awaken.

Beside the abbot was a shattered glass bird.

Heng Yudu had been here before and had also used the “Changing Moon” technique on him.

Sheng Jiao took a quick look and frowned.

A silent thunderbolt flashed again, striking directly between the abbot’s brows.

Feng Yu strolled over and saw Sheng Jiao mercilessly using “Way of Heaven” to attack, hurriedly exclaiming, “Sheng Wuzhuo! He’s the abbot of Guchang Temple, how could you…?”

Before he could finish, the abbot’s body shattered into pieces, igniting a faint flame of thunder and fire.

Feng Yu, startled by the sudden action, instinctively flinched backward, but upon closer inspection, he realized that the abbot was merely a wooden puppet.

Sheng Jiao’s gaze darkened as he picked up the severed hand from the ground, turning it slightly to reveal a faintly discernible character on the palm.

“Answer.”

Feng Yu inhaled sharply.

”Qiao’er?!”

For some reason, Sheng Jiao’s expression was more terrifying than ever.

Ying Zhuo, whose courtesy name was Qiao’er, had been a prominent figure at the Tianyan Academy. He possessed deft hands that excelled at carving puppets and was skilled in crafting all kinds of intricately and sophisticated magical instruments.

Although they came from different halls and classes, both Feng Yu and Sheng Jiao harbored a strong dislike for this person. Even the entire Zhuxingzhai, including the usually good-natured Rang Chen and Heng Yudu, showed no kindness when they saw him.

”Ah…” Feng Yu said softly, ”Could this innate mark painting have been released by Ying Qiao’er to bait Xi Jue? After all these years, he still hasn’t given up on Xi Jue?”

Is Xi Jue a fish that everyone wants to catch?

Sheng Jiao shot him a cold glance, lips unmoving: ”Rhino horn lamp.”

Feng Yu frowned: ”What about yours?”

He immediately regretted asking.

Sheng Jiao’s rhinoceros horn lamp had been stolen by Xi Jue to play with during their time at the Tianyan Academy, probably after telling too many lies, it was sealed away just two days later.

…Who knows how many years it has been sealed.

Feng Yu could only hand over his rhinoceros horn lamp over.

Without saying a word, Sheng Jiao skillfully activated Feng Yu’s lamp with the Ghost Binding Technique, as if he was searching for something.

Soon, he flicked his fingers, casually threw the rhinoceros lamp back, and turned to leave.

Feng Yu, still thinking about finding some clues for Xi Jianglan, hurriedly followed him: ”Where are you going?”

”The Wuyin City,” Sheng Jiao replied.

Feng Yu was startled, thinking that Sheng Jiao intended to go back and capture Xi Jue again, and was about to say something.

But Sheng Jiao didn’t even look back. Several dark blue lightning bolts patterns crackled around him, and his tall figure vanished in an instant.

Only his voice remained.

”…Evil Qi Road and Hezhou City should be carved there.”

Xi Qingfeng’s features must be connected to Ying Zhuo.

Xi Jianglan was shuttling aimlessly through the chaos of the void. Each passage through the teleportation array made him feel extremely uncomfortable, given his lack of spiritual power.

He didn’t know how long it had been, maybe half a day, or maybe just a moment, when the breath he had been holding suddenly became smooth, and his legs finally found solid ground.

Xi Jianglan staggered, clutching the armrest of the wheelchair and kneeling down, nearly vomiting.

Heng Yudu gently helped him to catch his breath: “Are you feeling unwell?”

Xi Jianglan nodded weakly, taking a long time to recover his breath.

He had thought that Heng Yudu would take him directly back to Tianyan Academy, but when he looked up and around, he realized that he was actually outside of Wuyin City.

Xi Jianglan’s face turned pale, unable to hide his surprise: “Aren’t you going back to Zhongzhou?”

Only after he said this did he realize that he could now speak normally.

”I came to the northern border of Yuchuan to recruit disciples,” Heng Yudu said, taking out a bottle of water from his storage ring and handing it to him lightly.

Xi Jianglan took a sip of water, barely managing to stand up before sitting listlessly on the armrest of Heng Yudu’s wheelchair: ”I thought you were eager for me to meet Rang Chen and die to atone for my sins.”

Heng Yudu chuckled: ”What nonsense are you talking about? I wouldn’t hurt you…”

Xi Jianglan huffed and tilted his head to show him the still drying bloodstain on his neck.

Heng Yudu: ”…”

Heng Yudu choked slightly, then raised his hand to gently wipe the wound, stopping the bleeding.

”…I just want to know what happened back then.”

Xi Jianglan’s disguised face seemed to carry a natural hint of amusement; even in such a state, his eyes and lips always bore a trace of joy.

However, as soon as he spoke these light-hearted words, his once vibrant expression instantly turned dejected and lonely, and even the red mole at the corner of his eye seemed to lose its brightness.

Heng Yudu stared at him intently.

Xi Jianglan lost his composure for just a moment before quickly regaining his smile, resting his elbow on Heng Yudu’s shoulder as usual and grinning: ”You all know this already, do you want me to repeat it?”

Heng Yudu spoke softly, ”I want to hear the truth.”

Xi Jianglan lazily hooked a strand of hair around his index finger, twirling it nonchalantly, his tone casual as if he were reciting a script.

”I’ve always told the truth. If you want to hear it, I can say it again.”

”Six years ago, the Xi family probably did too many evil deeds and finally faced retribution. The entire clan was slaughtered on the day of my coming-of-age ceremony, and no one had a complete body.”

”I was waiting for the blessings of Tianyan at the Tianyan Spirit Vein, completely unaware. By the time I returned, there were no survivors left in the Xi family.”

After finishing, he exclaimed, ”Oh!” and added, ”Someone even skinned off my cousin’s innate mark while he was still alive and turned them into painting to sell…”

Heng Yudu had been listening expressionlessly, but now he couldn’t hold back and whispered, ”Xi Twelve!”

The smile on Xi Jianglan’s face froze.

The young boy Xi Jue often boasted to others at Tianyan Academy that he was the twelfth person with an innate mark among the Thirteen Provinces, earning him the nickname “Xi Twelve” from Feng Yu and his friends.

Since the disaster of the Xi family and Xi Jianglan losing all his cultivation, no one had called him by that name again.

Hearing it now felt like a lifetime ago.

“Twelve?” Xi Jianglan laughed again, “I can’t call myself that anymore.”

He had disguised himself too perfectly, as if he hadn’t experienced the hardships of these years, and what he had lost wasn’t just some spiritual level innate mark.

Heng Yudu lowered his gaze slightly and noticed that the tips of Xi Jianglan’s fingers hanging in his sleeves were trembling violently.

He had never seen this man appear so sad and vulnerable.

Heng Yudu’s heart suddenly softened.

He gently asked, “Jianglan, what exactly is your innate mark?”

This time, Heng Yudu didn’t resort to using “Changing Moon” to force him to speak.

Xi Jianglan stretched lazily, the corners of his lips curved as he gazed at the lotus flowers blooming on the banks of Yuchuan River in the distance.

”Nothing’s left. Is it necessary to ask?”

Heng Yudu replied, ”I want to know.”

Xi Jianglan suddenly blurted out uncontrollably, ”Even if telling you will lead to my death, you still want to know?”

Heng Yudu frowned.

What kind of innate mark could lead to death just by talking about it?

After he finished speaking, Xi Jianglan regretted his words. It was as if he was frustrated with his own loss of control. He stood up from the armrest of Heng Yudu’s wheelchair, staggered a few steps, and turned his back to him.

He stared silently at the endless expanse of Yuchuan for a long time before finally murmuring softly, ”Do you dare to bet?”

Heng Yudu: ”…”

He had just used this very line to counter Sheng Jiao twice, but he didn’t expect that Xi Jianglan would throw it back at him now.

”If you dare to bet, then use ‘Changing the Moon’ on me.”

Xi Jianglan turned slightly, his face so exquisite and beautiful that the setting sun above Yuchuan made it seem as if he could melt into the fiery clouds.

Heng Yudu was momentarily stunned.

Xi Jianglan’s smile was as flamboyant and unrestrained as ever, almost giving Heng Yudu the illusion that they were still carefree and joking around at Tianyan Academy.

“I’m just a useless person now, as long as you ask, I’ll tell you.”

Heng Yudu opened his lips but couldn’t produce any sound.

Dressed in crimson, Xi Jianglan’s figure appeared even more slender. He turned back to gaze at Yuchuan, seemingly trying to conceal his despondency.

The wide sleeves caught the warm breeze, accentuating his already delicate waist, making it appear even more enticing.

Even in such a fallen state, he still seemed like a celebrated immortal king admired by everyone in Zhongzhou.

Heng Yudu sighed silently, thinking, ”Forget it.”

I’ll find another way.

A swirl of black mist silently emerged from Xi Jianglan’s shoulder, instantly transforming into a black cat that jumped onto the stone railing opposite him and crouched down.

Heng Yudu’s overwhelming spiritual power seemed to make him completely unaware of its presence.

The black cat licked its paw, meowed, and with a curious expression, said, “You really do speak differently to different people. Is this your new trick for deceiving others?”

Xi Jianglan’s eyes were deep and lost, staring blankly at the magnificent setting sun over Yuchuan.

He parted his lips slightly and uttered a silent word.

“Heh!”