After the Villain Lost His Cultivation - Chapter 21
Ying Zhuo felt his breath stop and his blood almost boil under the gaze of the person in front of him.
Yes.
That gaze, that aura…
This was the Xi Jue, the little immortal lord who was famous throughout the thirteen provinces in the past.
No one had ever known what the twelfth innate mark was or its purpose, but Xi Jue could, with just one person and one sword, fight to a standstill with Sheng Jiao, who was favored by the heavens and held the tianyan bead.
The next day, after being “patiently guided” by Xi Jue, the elder responsible for teaching at the Zhuxingzhai, had an urgent matter to attend to, so he sent his most proud disciple to teach a class.
Xi Jue, wearing a bright red robe and holding a rattan whip, walked slowly into the warm sunlight, his beauty so captivating that it made people lose their souls.
He was probably frail and sickly since childhood, and was much shorter than others his age.
He thought he could regain some self-respect in front of the group of kids in Lixiangzhai who were one or two years younger than him, but when he looked around, he found that each of them was taller than him.
Xi Jue’s beautiful eyebrows instantly drooped. He glared at those young men who were sprouting up like young plants, shook the whip with his wrist, and said nothing.
“Come and fight!”
Although the young men in Lixiangzhai had heard of Xi Jue’s reputation, they had never seen him in person, and they thought that those people were exaggerating to flatter the Xi family.
Seeing that he was so short and had a face like a pretty young girl’s, they didn’t say anything, but their eyes were full of teasing and mockery.
Xi Jue noticed their gazes on his head and almost lost his temper. He tightened his grip on the whip, and his eyes darkened.
“Fight.”
The young men from Lixiangzhai obediently went up to fight.
After a while, they all lay on the ground, groaning, unable to get up.
That was the first time that Ying Zhuo saw his classmates, who had bullied him so much in the past that he couldn’t even raise his head, in such a miserable state.
— Of course, including himself.
He beat the entire Lixiangzhai to the ground, forcing those taller than him to lie on the floor and look up at him. Only then did the short Xi Jue feel a little relieved.
He swiftly retracted the whip and was about to leave when his gaze suddenly fell on Ying Zhuo, who was half-lying in the corner.
Everyone in Lixiangzhai looked at Xi Jue with eyes full of hatred and fear, but only Ying Zhuo was filled with admiration…
And the passionate love that Xi Jue couldn’t see at that time.
Xi Jue tapped his palms twice with the whip, then suddenly walked over, bent down with interest, and stared directly into Ying Zhuo’s eyes, there was still a faint scent of osmanthus on him, and as he got closer, Ying Zhuo instinctively held his breath.
“I remember you.”
Xi Jue curled his lips into a smile, his youthful face full of beauty, more dazzling than the sunlight itself. “Your name is…”
“Ying Zhuo.“
Purple spiritual patterns covered his entire body, and Xi Jianglan’s eyes turned cold, filled with murderous intent. That Abandoned Immortal Bone wasn’t wasted at all and was absorbed into his shattered meridians.
The entire painted boat shook from Xi Jianglan’s spiritual power, creaking eerily as though it could collapse at any moment.
“Senior Brother…”
Ying Zhuo’s eyes burned with feverish intensity and sickness. He slowly stood up, activating the spiritual power of his innate mark.
“Weaving under the eaves” suddenly transformed into countless snow-white spider silks, and the crisp sound of “ding” spread in all directions, instantly turning the entire painted boat into a spider silk lair, covered in webs.
The priceless and exquisite furnishings of the painted boat were instantly destroyed without a trace.
The blood-stained spider silk that Xi Jianglan had just forcibly pulled out hit the ground and bounced, then was wrapped by the purple spiritual power, writhing and twisting wildly as if alive.
Xi Jianglan casually lowered his hand, and the spider silk abruptly morphed into a pitch-black rattan whip.
He grasped the whip handle with his five fingers, and with a “snap” it collided with his palm, tightening his grip.
The black cat almost roared: “Xi Jianglan, are you crazy?! You and Qin Banban are not even related, why are you ruining yourself for her?! You’re powerful now, but once the Abandoned Immortal Bone backfires, your life will be in danger!”
Xi Jianglan didn’t even glance at it. Expressionless, he flicked his wrist, and the several meters long black rattan whip coiled around him like a dragon. The purple patterns crackled, and his cold, emotionless eyes reflected a deep purple.
The tangled white spider silk and the snarling black rattan whip intertwined in the vast painted boat, creating a scene that was both eerie and breathtaking.
“Senior Brother, are you angry?” Ying Zhuo’s eyes were filled with madness. He didn’t understand where Xi Jianglan’s anger was coming from. He only knew he was inexplicably exhilarated. “Why? Are you angry that I was going to turn you into a puppet, or because of Third Watch Snow?”
Xi Jianglan’s face, which usually carried a natural smile even when expressionless, was now unusually cold. His eyes, which usually seemed alluring when he smiled, were like the eternal frost atop a cold mountain. When he looked at Ying Zhuo, it was as though he was gazing at a lifeless thing.
“You shouldn’t have taken her innate mark.” He said coldly.
When he said the word “taken”, the scar on the back of his neck seemed to flare with sharp pain.
Ying Zhuo had never seen Xi Jianglan like this, or rather, no one had ever seen Xi Jianglan in such a chilling state. It was as if his reverse scale had been touched, and he trembled all over, struggling to suppress the killing intent.
Ying Zhuo smiled and said, “In these thirteen provinces if one awakens the innate mark but has no noble family to protect them, it’s like holding a treasure. I took out her innate mark but didn’t take her life, and I also gave her spirit stones. It was a mutual matter of consent, so why is my brother angry?”
As soon as his words fell, the pitch-black rattan whip roared like a dragon, cutting through the white spider silk and charging toward Ying Zhuo’s face.
Bang—
Sensing the cruel spiritual power in the whip, Ying Zhuo’s expression darkened. He swiftly raised his hand, releasing countless spider silks from the severed arm of his right hand to block the whip.
“Brother, do you truly wish to kill me?”
For just a little girl, you’ve used the Abandoned Immortal Bone without regard for the consequences and even sought to take my life.
Even when Ying Zhuo openly stated he wanted to make him a puppet, Xi Jianglan had not been angered in the least.
Xi Jianglan seemed tired of talking. The whip lashed out sharply, like purple lightning, splitting the blocking ‘Weaving under the eaves’ without mercy.
Clearly, Xi Jianglan showed no mercy, but Ying Zhuo did not feel anger, only laughter.
“That’s right,” Ying Zhuo thought.
The senior brother whom he had admired for years but could never get was so wanton, ruthless, and cold-blooded.. such a person was worth turning into a puppet.
The vast painted boat was covered in white spider silk, black vine whips, and swirling snow. Xi Jianglan leaped up, flicking his winding rattan whip, and in the blink of an eye, he rushed face-to-face with Ying Zhuo, as light as a swallow.
In three breaths, they exchanged several moves.
He hadn’t used his spiritual power for many years, so when he first started, it felt a bit unfamiliar.
Ying Zhuo also saw through this, and the spider silk covering his body suddenly exploded like an intimate embrace. With a few “hissing” sounds, it wrapped around Xi Jianglan in mid-air.
Xi Jianglan instantly turned into a silkworm pupa wrapped in white silk.
Ying Zhuo smiled faintly.
Six years ago, Xi Jue was extremely talented, but he was still only at the Spirit Transformation Stage. Not to mention that over the years, he had lost all his cultivation and had made no progress.
Even with the “Abandoned Immortal Bone,” he couldn’t surpass the limits of this body, and couldn’t even enter the Return to Void Realm.
Ying Zhuo walked slowly to the tightly bound silkworm pupa, and with a casual movement of his fingers, as if playing a musical instrument, he manipulated the spider silk to probe into Xi Jianglan’s meridians bit by bit.
But as soon as his fingers moved, it felt as though they were frozen.
Ying Zhuo frowned slightly.
In an instant, before he could even react, the rattan whip hanging on the ground “came to life” again, and with a “snap” sound, it broke through the air and unexpectedly wrapped around Ying Zhuo’s neck.
Ying Zhuo was stunned.
A burst of purple spiritual power erupted from within the silkworm cocoon that was wrapped in layers, and it exploded straight up like the collapse of the heavens and earth, causing even the void to ripple with circles of waves.
The snow-white spider silk shattered into catkins and mixed with the heavy snow, floating in the air.
Xi Jianglan stood in the midst of the spider silk and snow, dressed in a red robe, holding a rattan whip in his hand. His eyes, turned purple due to absorbing too much of the “Abandoned Immortal Bone,” were evil and alluring.
The murderous intent and cultivation level almost overlapped and rose together.
Golden Core, Nascent Soul, Spirit Transformation Realm…
Ying Zhuo’s pupils contracted.
Xi Jianglan’s aura had actually reached the Return to Void Realm, and there was even a faint aura of nearing the barrier of the Mahayana period.
Even with the “Abandoned Immortal Bone,” his cultivation should not exceed the limits of his meridians.
Could it be that…
“Ying Qiao’er.” Xi Jianglan seemed to sigh, seemingly confused, and spoke softly, “By the heavens above, why do you treat a living person as a cold, lifeless object?”
Ying Zhuo was about to speak.
Xi Jianglan’s five fingers curled together, and the rattan whip tightened around Ying Zhuo’s neck as if it were a living thing.
“Hush.”
Xi Jianglan stretched out his slender fingers and put them to his lips, his manners were elegant and noble, and he said softly: “Senior Brother doesn’t want to listen.”
As soon as he finished speaking, the whip tightened like a sharp blade.
All he heard was a crisp sound like wood breaking, Ying Zhuo’s vision spun upside down, and he heard a crisp “dong dong” sound in his ears.
It was not until his vision became crooked and he was looking up that he realized…
— Xi Jianglan actually used the rattan whip to cut off his head.
Because he had just been lying on the soft chair for a while, Xi Jianglan was barefoot at this time, with his bright red robe dragging on the ground. He walked slowly towards Ying Zhuo on the ground covered with spider silk and snow. He crouched down slightly and gently stroked Ying Zhuo’s face with his cool fingertips.
“Wooden…” Xi Jianglan tilted his head expressionlessly and said softly, “Where is your real body? I’ll go kill you.”
Even when he said something like “I’ll go kill you,” his tone was still gentle, like a whisper of love.
Not only was Ying Zhuo’s right hand made of wood, his entire body was made to imitate human bones and blood. His neck was neatly cut off, and even some red sap was overflowing from the clean and smooth cut, as if it was bleeding.
Ying Zhuo’s head was separated from his body, and the spiritual power that maintained the fake heart was also constantly dissipating.
He couldn’t move at all, but he laughed out loud like crazy.
“Senior Brother, hahahaha, Senior Brother…” Ying Zhuo’s eyes were filled with tears, staring crazily at Xi Jianglan’s face. “Did you know I was a wooden puppet before you struck, or after?”
Xi Jianglan said gently, “Silly child, of course it was before.”
Ying Zhuo looked into his cold, merciless eyes and suddenly felt a chill run through him.
This was the first time, and the only time, he finally realized whether his senior brother, who was always lying, was telling the truth.
Ying Zhuo laughed louder, but the tears kept falling.
Boom—
It felt as if the painted boat was sailing into the deep sea, and a deafening thunder struck suddenly. White lightning from outside split the air, flooding into the boat like a pile of snow.
Xi Jianglan’s eyes went blank for a moment.
The black cat jumped out again, with a soul-binding spell on its claws, and slammed it onto Xi Jianglan’s face.
“Soul-binding!”
Xi Jianglan’s face turned as the slap hit, and a red paw print appeared instantly on his pale face.
However, his previously scattered pupils quickly focused.
The “Abandoned Immortal Bone” was still continuously supplying him with spiritual power, and Xi Jianglan sensed the familiar spiritual energy from outside in an instant.
Sheng Jiao, he really came.
Xi Jianglan bit his lower lip hard, leaving a bloody mark on his pale lip. The pain kept him awake.
“Hurry up and leave—” Black Cat didn’t have time to scold Xi Jianglan, “Sheng Jiao is definitely coming for the Xi family’s innate mark painting, let him check it out! Run for your life first!”
Xi Jianglan’s eyes were cold. He stretched out five fingers and moved them gently.
He was judging his current level of cultivation and whether he could save Sheng Jiao’s life here if he made a desperate attempt.
At this moment, Ying Zhuo, who had been crying quietly, suddenly said, “Brother, the other paintings of the Xi family are in the attic of the painted boat.”
Xi Jianglan’s train of thought was interrupted and he looked down at him.
“Brother, Brother.” Ying Zhuo called him a few more times, murmuring, “I’m in Zhongzhou, if you want to know who was the culprit who massacred the Xi family, then come find me.”
Xi Jianglan looked at him for a long time, and finally smiled: “Okay.”
He casually ran his fingertips across Ying Zhuo’s still warm face, and raised his lips: “…As long as Sheng Jiao dies.”
“I will kill him.” Ying Zhuo’s tearful eyes were once again tinged with a hint of passion and madness. “I will kill him for my brother.”
It was clearly he who threatened Xi Jianglan to come to Zhongzhou, but it was Xi Jianglan who put forward the conditions in the end.
After hearing this, Xi Jianglan stood up listlessly, ignoring Ying Zhuo who was desperately trying to assure him, and opened his palm to catch a handful of cold snowflakes.
The “Third Watch Snow,” which is fused with the painted boat, seems impossible to separate.
Xi Jianglan touched the cat’s paw print on his face, and feeling that the restriction on the painted boat could still hold for a while, he walked towards the attic of the painted boat that Ying Zhuo mentioned.
Just as Black Cat had said, the entire boat was filled with the aura of “Third Watch Snow.”
The black cat jumped onto his shoulder, extremely nervous and fearful about the upcoming Sheng Jiao: “What are you doing again?!”
Xi Jianglan didn’t answer.
Upon reaching the loft of the painted boat, he looked around and saw strange paintings covering the wooden walls.
Xi Jianglan walked over and gently stroked the innate mark painting that was slightly moving, as if it still had life. His purple eyes dimmed, and no one knew what he was thinking.
Black Cat was extremely anxious: “Are we leaving or not? The people from Xiezhi Sect are coming to attack us!”
Sheng Jiao from the Xiezhi Sect was indeed about to attack.
The Tianyan bead drove the heavenly thunder to smash the “turtle king shells” on the painted boat layer after layer. Only when he could vaguely hear sounds from within the painted boat did Sheng Jiao turn away the deafening thunder with an expressionless face.
Silent thunder struck again and again, finally breaking all the restrictions completely.
Sheng Jiao didn’t even pause and quickly entered the painted boat.
He glanced around quickly and frowned.
The entire painted boat was covered with traces of battle, with snowflakes and spider silk scattered across the ground in disarray. In the center, there lay a body with its head severed from the body.
Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be Ying Zhuo.
Sheng Jiao’s face darkened.
Had Xi Jue restored his spiritual power?
Seeing Sheng Jiao approach, Ying Zhuo, whose face was almost soaked in tears, suddenly snarled, “Sheng Jiao!”
Sheng Jiao looked at him coldly.
Even though Xi Jianglan had severed the distraction’s head, Ying Zhuo still hadn’t given up on his evil intentions. Instead, he became even more greedy for Xi Jianglan. The moment he saw Sheng Jiao, he recalled what Xi Jianglan had said about “playing around and enjoying the pleasures of the flesh.” His tear-filled eyes were almost consumed by jealousy.
Thinking about how Xi Jianglan had once been intimate with this man, Ying Zhuo wished he could rush from Zhongzhou right now and reduce him to ashes.
Sheng Jiao looked at him with disgust, and before Ying Zhuo could utter anything unpleasant, he summoned the thunder from the heavens.
A silent bolt of lightning struck, instantly turning Ying Zhuo’s wooden body into dust.
The distraction was also crushed, causing the original body far away in Zhongzhou to suffer severe injuries and vomit blood.
A sound seemed to come from the top of the painted boat.
Sheng Jiao quickly moved forward, and for some unknown reason, he donned the ‘tough’ disguise once again. He even swung his hand and threw the tianyan bead, which had been wrapped around his wrist, straight out of the painted boat.
The unique spiritual energy of Sheng Jiao was completely concealed.
It was only then that Sheng Jiao reached the top of the painted boat.
Xi Jianglan did not flee. Instead, he stood with his back to him, facing a pile of innate mark paintings. His head tilted slightly, and his disheveled jet-black hair mixed with his crimson robes, trailing on the ground and swirling into a few loops.
Upon hearing the footsteps, Xi Jianglan remained unfazed, turning his head to look indifferently.
He froze for a moment after just one glance.
Wasn’t the person supposed to be Sheng Jiao? Why was it that tough guy from the Xiezhi Sect?
Xi Jianglan calmly met the tough guy’s gaze. The spiritual energy of the “Abandoned Immortal Bone” within him continued to surge, allowing him to detect the man’s spiritual power without leaving a trace.
Indeed… this doesn’t feel like Sheng Jiao.
Moreover, there was no aura of the tianyan bead.
Sheng Jiao and the tianyan bead never parted. Even if an illusion was used, the bead would be hidden, but its aura would remain present.
Xi Jianglan stared at the other person for a while, then suddenly smiled. His red lips looked as though they had been wiped with fresh blood, and he spoke softly, “My lord, it seems we meet again in this life.”
When he called “My lord,” it was with that same lazy, teasing tone, as though the previous expressionless face and murderous intent were mere illusions.
Sheng Jiao looked at him and frowned. “Abandoned Immortal Bone?”
Xi Jianglan curved his eyes into a smile. “My lord, you know of such a fine thing as the ‘Abandoned Immortal Bone’?”
Sheng Jiao’s gaze fell on Xi Jianglan’s hand that hung by his side.
The bloodstained hand was trembling slightly.
A closer look revealed that not only Xi Jianglan’s hand but his entire body was shaking, as if he had finally reached his limit. A trace of blood had begun to spill from the corner of his lips.
Sheng Jiao’s hollow pupils contracted sharply.
He was about to move forward to catch Xi Jianglan, but just then, Xi Jianglan seemed to have reached his breaking point. Without warning, he spat out a mouthful of blood, his body faltering and collapsing like a butterfly with broken wings.
Sheng Jiao held his breath, his figure moving like a flash of heavenly lightning, instantly appearing in front of Xi Jianglan to catch him.
Xi Jianglan’s frail body leaned into his arms. It seemed the pain was unbearable, and his entire form curled up, almost like a small ball.
He pressed his hands firmly against his lips, as though he thought that would stop the bleeding, but blood still poured out from between his fingers. His once-vibrant face turned pale in an instant, and the hint of death became evident.
“Cough cough!”
Sheng Jiao felt the cold, fragile body leaning against him, spitting up blood, and his own body seemed to freeze in place.
Seeing the expressionless “tough guy” before him stretch out his hand as if to show mercy and infuse him with spiritual power, Xi Jianglan shook his head with his dying breath and tremblingly pressed down Sheng Jiao’s hand, which was clasped on his wrist.
“My lord…” Xi Jianglan spoke intermittently, his vacant eyes gradually losing focus. “Is Sheng Jiao here? I want to see him.”
Sheng Jiao was stunned.
Xi Jianglan gazed at him absentmindedly, his beautiful eyes like a dry well on the verge of drying up, and two lines of hot tears suddenly slid down from the corners of his eyes.
“Sheng Jiao…” Xi Jianglan murmured with an almost unnoticeable sob in his voice, as if pleading, “I don’t blame him…”
Sheng Jiao’s hand trembled.
Perhaps it was because too much of the “Abandoned Immortal Bone” had been used, Xi Jianglan’s mind was nearly shattered. For a moment, he almost forgot where he was. He stared at Sheng Jiao in a daze, slowly raising his hand as though to embrace him.
“Sheng Jiao…”
But he was too weak, having no strength left. As soon as he raised his hand, it fell limply and crashed heavily to the ground.
Xi Jianglan seemed to have a final burst of clarity and opened his lips as though wanting to say something.
Sheng Jiao bent down to listen.
Xi Jianglan gathered the last of his strength, letting out a strained sound, and barely managed to hook his neck. He leaned close to his ear and whispered: “I…”
His voice was faint and weak, like the dying breath of someone using all their remaining strength just to speak a few words.
Sheng Jiao had an expressionless face, allowing him to climb onto his shoulder and press his hot breath close to him.
Where Sheng Jiao couldn’t see, Xi Jianglan’s beautiful eyes suddenly flashed with cold, ruthless intent, and a ball of purple spiritual power silently emerged from the hand pressed against Sheng Jiao’s neck.
The Abandoned Immortal Bone filled his meridians and struck with unstoppable force from his palm towards the neck of the person in front of him.
Hiss—
Xi Jianglan used all his strength this time. Even if this person had overwhelming spiritual power, he would not survive.
Forget about whether this person is Sheng Jiao or not, eliminate him first, then escape.
Xi Jianglan’s face, feigned to be on the brink of death, was filled with indifference. His spiritual power and the purple light in his eyes flashed briefly, and cold light emerged.
But just as he was about to succeed, a hand suddenly grabbed the wrist filled with spiritual power, twisting it slightly, causing Xi Jianglan to hiss in pain.
Xi Jianglan looked in astonishment.
Sheng Jiao coldly grasped his hand and forcibly pulled him from his embrace.
“Still want to kill me?”
Xi Jianglan: “…”
Seen through again?!
Xi Jianglan was about to be completely broken by this “tough guy.”
Why does it seem like all my tricks are invisible to this person?!
Is this person a human or a ghost?!
All the disguises and lies were exposed. Xi Jianglan had no idea what the word “embarrassment” meant. He decided to go all out and, without blinking, blasted out the spiritual power with his palm.
Even if I can’t kill him, it’s a sure win if I can injure him!
Sheng Jiao didn’t expect that Xi Jianglan would dare to attack him at this point. In just a moment of distraction, the purple spiritual power was already rushing towards his face.
Bang!
Sheng Jiao was a little slow in blocking the merciless and brutal spiritual power, but Xi Jianglan was too ruthless. He attacked with the intent to kill, and the spiritual power came out indiscriminately, landing on Sheng Jiao’s face.
Two “hissing” sounds.
The purple spiritual power was like water entering hot oil.
Circles of boiling and jumping waves suddenly appeared on Sheng Jiao’s face, and like flames burning white paper, the thin illusion was forcibly broken, and the disguise faded away bit by bit.
Xi Jianglan was secretly thinking about how to escape after injuring this man. His eyes wandered around. When he heard a strange sound, he turned his head in confusion and was suddenly stunned.
Xi Jianglan is best at the techniques of illusion and disguise, so he naturally knows the reaction after an illusion is broken.
The disguise faded away with the ripples, revealing the real face beneath the fake skin.
His face was cold and handsome, just like the howling wind on the top of a snowy mountain, so cold and chilling that it was intimidating.
—It’s Sheng Jiao.
Xi Jianglan was completely stunned.
Hello Guysssssssss, I’m back and I’ll be reviewing the other chapters, as I’m already doing, to make some changes and will keep you updated. 🙂