After the Villain Lost His Cultivation - Chapter 5

“Then where is my benefactor?” Xi Jianglan said. “You told me you would find someone to save me.”

Feng Yu: “…”

Let this scoundrel fend for himself!

Xi Jianglan had been evading pursuit for six years, and by now, he had honed his ability to keenly sense pursuers without relying on his spiritual power. He walked into the alley without batting an eyelid, noticing the beautiful blossoming sweet osmanthus nearby, and even reached out to pluck a bunch of flowers.

Feng Yu was worried about him when the little paper figure poked its tiny head out for a look. It saw the sickly man holding some crushed flowers, bringing them to his pale lips. He extended his tongue, gently curling it to lick the delicate osmanthus petals into his mouth. Despite his frail and weakened appearance, there was an inexplicable allure about him.

The osmanthus flowers weren’t particularly sweet when eaten, instead, they carried a hint of bitter juice.

Feng Yu was stunned.

Those words he had once treated as idle amusement suddenly held a trace of truth.

With a face like Xi Jianglan’s, it was indeed easy for someone to fall deeply in love with him.

Sheng Jiao was only called “Lord Tiandao,” but he was not truly heartless or unfeeling.

After finishing a cluster of osmanthus flowers, Xi Jianglan returned to the Twelve Houses Medical Clinic, stepping through the snow with a crunching sound.

Feng Yu snapped back to reality: “Since there are people tracking you, why did you come back? Aren’t you afraid of having your hideout exposed?”

“The shopkeeper knows where I live. If someone is tracking me using the Yutang flower to lure me out, they would definitely know as well,” Xi Jianglan said, closing the door and speaking lightly. “Since I’ve already been exposed, there’s no need to hide anymore.”

Feng Yu frowned.

“And besides…” Xi Jianglan reached out to touch Feng Yu’s little paper figure, smiling as he spoke, “I know that you will definitely rescue me.”

Feng Yu replied, “Ha! Only a ghost can save you.”

Xi Jianglan said with deep affection, “You’re just saying that out of anger, I don’t believe you.”

Feng Yu: “…”

Feng Yu felt that all the anger he had in this life had been stirred up by Xi Jianglan, and he endured it, almost suffocating his lungs to pieces.

But he really couldn’t watch Xi Jianglan die, so he reluctantly said, “Did you see that mirror? Not that one, the diamond-shaped mirror on the left, yes, that one. I’ve set up a teleportation array inside it”

“Where are we going?”

“Here, of course.”

“Gu Chang Temple?” Xi Jianglan hesitated. “Every time Gu Chang Temple sells spiritual items, many families from Zhongzhou go there. You should check if any of my enemies are there first… Oh, right, pay special attention to Sheng Jiao.”

Feng Yu said impatiently, “They only start selling in the evening. How would I know who’s coming? I’m out here in the Ghost Forest outside Gu Chang Temple catching ghosts for fun, you can come if you want.”

Xi Jianglan could only reply, “Alright, alright.”

He didn’t hesitate and quickly walked towards the diamond-shaped mirror.

The surface of the mirror was covered with a layer of mist, and dark, ghostly energy swirled above it. It was indeed the teleportation array of Fengzhou.

Xi Jianglan raised his hand to touch it.

Just as his fingertips were about to touch the mirror’s surface, a sudden gust of wind blew in from behind, whistling past his ear.

Clang!

The diamond-shaped mirror shattered.

Xi Jianglan: “…”

Feng Yu: “…”

Xi Jianglan turned around abruptly.

The door of the medical center remained tightly closed, but two figures, one in black and one in white, were standing next to the medicine cabinet. In the dimly lit medical center, they resembled the black and white grim reapers, especially as they stared at Xi Jianglan with piercing eyes.

A strong wind blew through the paper-covered window, causing the thin clothes of the two figures to rustle loudly.

They wore robes emblazoned with the pattern of the mythical beast Xiezhi.

They were members of the Xiezhi Sect.

Feng Yu inhaled sharply, “Juan Xunfang and Shang Yuan from the Xiezhi Sect, they’re Sheng Jiao’s right and left arms. You’re finished.”

Anyone trusted by someone like Sheng Jiao must undoubtedly be heartless and ruthless, completely unrecognizing of kinship.

Xi Jianglan was directly hit by the cold wind, choking and coughing a few times as he staggered back a few steps.

Did Sheng Jiao know that he was here, in Wuyin City?

No, that’s not right.

If he knew, Sheng Jiao would have come personally to take his life long ago, he wouldn’t have sent two subordinates to capture him.
The man in black was called Jue Xunfang. With an expressionless face, he took out a jade token for apprehension from his sleeve and coldly said, “Xi Jianglan, suspected of killing the entire Xi family, I have been ordered by the sect leader to take you back to the Xiezhi Sect for interrogation.”

As soon as the jade token for capture was taken out, Xi Jianglan felt as if he had been struck hard. His long eyelashes trembled, and he pressed his hand forcefully against his right shoulder, causing his knuckles to turn a shade of blue and white from the effort.

His body was too weak, even the cold wind could make him seriously ill, not to mention the journey to the Xiezhi Sect, a “Gate to Hell” from which there was no return.

Even the lightest form of “interrogation” could take half his life.

The little paper figure in his sleeve suddenly fell to the ground, transforming into a ghostly figure.

Feng Yu said coldly, “Just on suspicion of a crime, you’re going to take someone to the Xiezhi Sect for punishment? What kind of reasoning is that? You should call Sheng Wuzhuo!”

The young woman in white, Shang Yuan, paused slightly, as if persuaded. “Yes, Lord Jue, it’s just a suspicion. Why do we have to capture him?”

Juan Xunfang glared at her. “Shut up! Are you listening to him or to the sect leader?”

“Oh.” Shang Yuan looked a bit dazed. Her pale, slender hand lifted slightly, and dozens of feet of cold chains suddenly appeared, lingering around her body like a slender dragon.

“Then I’ll listen to the sect leader.”

As soon as she finished speaking, the chains jingled and whistled through the air, hitting Xi Jianglan.

That was the Xiezhi Sect’s Binding Silk, once caught by them, there would be no escape.

Feng Yu grabbed Xi Jianglan and angrily said, “What are you waiting for? I left another teleportation array in that shattered pond in the backyard…”

Bang

The Binding Silk brushed against Xi Jianglan’s shoulder and slammed straight into the wall, shattering half of it in an instant. If it had hit him directly, he would probably be dead or at least severely injured.

Xi Jianglan pressed hard on his shoulder, feeling that the Binding Silk only seemed to want to restrain him and had no intention of killing him.

Feng Yu used a strand of spiritual consciousness to block Shang Yuan’s attack with the Binding Silk and quickly dragged Xi Jianglan to the backyard.

This small pond was carefully tended by Xi Jianglan, and even on a snowy day, a few lotus blossoms were still blooming.

Two koi fish swam gracefully, and the water was clear enough to see the bottom.

Feng Yu held on as long as he could, but that strand of spiritual consciousness was about to dissipate. He suddenly pushed Xi Jianglan and quickly said, “I’ll wait for you at Gu Chang Temple!”

As soon as he finished speaking, the binding silk came from behind and, bang, Feng Yu’s spiritual consciousness was completely shattered.

The little paper figure turned into fragments, falling like snowflakes.

Shang Yuan walked over cheerfully, and when she saw the scene, she exclaimed, “Ah! Then she reacted, “Oh no, I’ve caused trouble with the Fengzhou clan people!”

All the while, Juan Xunfang didn’t intervene. He was playing with a strange strand of spiritual energy in the palm of his hand, and he raised his hand and pointed with his fingers.

With a drip, a drop of water fell into the pond, causing a faint ripple that spread out in a circular pattern, resembling a formation.

Xi Jianglan didn’t have time to think about it and jumped directly into the pond.

Shang Yuan immediately reached out with the binding silk to catch him.

However, just as she extended her hand, Juan Xunfang suddenly blocked her and said, “Enough.”

Shang Yuan’s binding silk froze in the air: “Didn’t the sect leader say that he should be brought back?”

Juan Xunfang glared at her and said, “The sect leader also said not to harm him. If your binding silk hits him, will he even have a life left?”

Shang Yuan, who seemed a bit stubborn, frowned and said, “But the sect leader said…”

“What are you worried about?”

Juan Xunfang slightly curled his fingers, and that strand of spiritual energy instantly dissipated, turning into countless tiny specks of light: “…Haven’t I already delivered the person to the sect leader?”

Shang Yuan tilted his head in confusion.

In the pond, the koi fishes scattered in all directions, and the water became clear again, leaving only one koi hiding in the corner.

Outside the Gu Chang Temple, in the Ghost Forest.

Feng Yu was sitting cross-legged by a small pond, quietly watching the water’s surface as he waited.

The teleportation array would have a few seconds of delay, he silently counted to ten and, having prepared himself, reached into the pond, intending to pull someone out.

However, he furrowed his brow for a long time, stirring up the water, but Xi Jianglan, who should have been transported to this location by the formation, did not appear.

In the water, there was only a koi that had shown up at an unknown time.

Feng Yu exchanged confused glances with the koi, his heart skipped a beat, and he suddenly had a bad feeling.

Where is Xi Jue?

Xi Jue was cursing.

He was also waiting for Feng Yu to pull him out, but his heavy cloak was too thick, once soaked, it would drag him down into the unfathomable depths.

Xi Jianglan struggled to take off his outer cloak and swam upwards in just his thin robe.

However, his body was too weak, and the lingering pain in his shoulder made it difficult to hold his breath without spiritual power. After only a few desperate strokes, he exhausted his strength.

The surface of the water seemed so close, yet Xi Jianglan had lost all his energy, his body growing colder and colder, as if a strange cold was slowly boring into his heart.

This was… the icy breath of death.

Xi Jianglan coughed out a breath, his ears gradually buzzing with the noise of countless voices.

“Xi Jue…!“

“The slaughter of the Xi family, does it have anything to do with you?!“

“What is your innate mark? Is it that your innate mark went out of control, causing the Xi family’s misfortune?“

“What did you see that night?“

The incessant questioning filled his mind, as if it would shatter his consciousness.

Xi Jianglan’s gaze gradually became unfocused, and in his hazy state, he couldn’t help but think, “Is there really such a thing as justice in this world?

Everyone says that Sheng Jiao is righteous and just, but why did the Xiezhi Sect determine his guilt based solely on that Tianyan bead?

Surrounded by water, Xi Jianglan’s breath became weaker and weaker, and he could only instinctively raise his hand upwards.

He seemed to be trying to grasp something, and it seemed that he was seeking a trace of justice from heaven that he didn’t know wether it existed or no.

But as soon as he spread his five fingers, he couldn’t even retain the last bit of warmth in his palm.

Just as he was about to suffocate, a hand suddenly reached out from the water’s surface, firmly grasping Xi Jianglan’s slender wrist and forcefully dragging him out.

Xi Jianglan suddenly got a breath of air, gasping sharply, but was immediately filled with cold wind in his lungs, causing him to choke violently.

”Cough…!”

The intense coughing made Xi Jianglan’s head throbbing with pain. His black hair, soaked in water, looked even darker as it dripped continuously. His eyes shone brightly as if he was about to cry, and his cheeks were sickly red. Every breath came in fits, as if he was struggling to catch his breath.

“Feng…” Xi Jianglan knelt on the ground, instinctively grabbing the hem of the nearby person’s clothes to steady his swaying body. He said intermittently, “I… cough, I will eventually die at your hands.”

Who would place a teleportation array in the water?

Was Feng Yu not afraid he could drown?

There was no answer.

Xi Jianglan suddenly realized that something was wrong.

If it were usual, Feng Yu would have already rebutted him loudly by now, so why was this time different..

The earrings were still on his ears, and he could vaguely hear the faint sound of water dripping from his dark hair to the ground.

Xi Jianglan’s heart skipped a beat as he raised his head in confusion.

His gaze fell first on his slightly raised hand, he was clutching a thick crane cloak, half of his body pressed against the other person’s leg, his pale fingers trembling slightly, revealing the familiar… on the robe he was holding…

The dark pattern of the mythical beast Xiezhi.

Xi Jianglan was momentarily stunned.

He might have been frozen and dazed in the water, and his brain didn’t react for a moment.

Until a sword, radiating a chilling light, silently pressed against Xi Jianglan’s neck, the icy sensation sent a shiver down his spine that he couldn’t suppress.

“Xi Jue,” the person said.

Xi Jianglan shivered all over, and a burning sensation surged again in his thin shoulder, causing his dazed mind to clear instantly.

Through his damp clothes, the mark of the Xiezhi Sect that had been branded on his shoulder for a long time flickered with ghostly blue lightning patterns.

It was the character for “burn”.