After the Villain Lost His Cultivation - Chapter 7

At that moment, Xi Jianglan’s face was completely confused and innocent, as if he didn’t understand why Sheng Jiao would say such a thing.

Even if the Xiezhi Sect’s most skilled interrogators were present, they probably wouldn’t be able to find the slightest anomaly in him.

Sheng Jiao pressed hard on the sharp tooth again, his finger brushing past Xi Jianglan’s pale lips as he extended it, revealing the pitch black poison pellet on his fingertip.

The evidence was irrefutable.

Xi Jianglan remained confused, ”What is the Lord talking about? How could I repay kindness with betrayal and harm you?”

Sheng Jiao’s eyes seemed to be filled with frost, coldly watching to see how he was going to make up a story.

Xi Jianglan sighed silently, gently holding Sheng Jiao’s hand as he leaned forward, extending his burning hot tongue to lightly lick Sheng Jiao’s fingertip, rolling the pitch black poison pellet into his mouth.

His adam’s apple moved slightly as he swallowed.

Sheng Jiao watched expressionless as he ‘disposed of the evidence’ right in front of him.

”This was the life-saving elixir I use,” Xi Jianglan explained… ,”It helps a cripple like me gather some spiritual energy at critical moments to escape. If you don’t believe me, take a look.”

He raised his hand and moved it lightly, and a ball of spiritual power suddenly floated out from his meridians, which had originally been devoid of spiritual power, hovering in his palm and emitting a faint white light.

Sheng Jiao, unsure if he trusted him, shook off his hand, allowing the wound to burst open, blood gushing out.

On the winding forest steps that climbed upward, countless fierce ghosts, smelling the scent of fresh blood, converged from all directions, their dead eyes fixed intently on the living flesh and souls.

Xi Jianglan looked at his grotesque wound with concern.

”Lord, your wound has reopened. Do you really not need me to draw out the sword intent for you?”

Without responding, Sheng Jiao raised his hand, and an overwhelming surge of spiritual power rushed forward with the howling cold wind.

Bang, bang.

The spiritual power resembled a twisting bolt of lightning, streaking wildly along the thousand layers of steps. Wherever it passed, it smashed the fierce ghosts into dust.

A chorus of shrill screams echoed, and in an instant, half the ghosts in the forest were reduced to ashes.

The howling wind whipped through the air, sending Xi Jianglan’s disheveled hair flying wildly around his numb face.

Xi Jianglan: ”…”

What a disaster, why is every person from the Xiezhi Sect more ruthless than the last?

Without saying a word, Sheng Jiao climbed up the steps.

Despite using his beauty, Xi Jianglan still couldn’t kill this person, faintly aware that this person was as ruthless as Sheng Jiao. He could only lick the poison pill hidden behind his other canine tooth and obediently follow.

He hoped that with all this commotion, Feng Yu would find him soon to rescue him from this predicament.

Xi Jianglan slowly climbed the steps, watching Sheng Jiao’s broad back, not knowing what kind of bad scheme he was plotting.

Suddenly, footsteps came from behind.

Xi Jianglan’s heart leapt with joy.

Feng Yu had arrived so quickly?!

If he was rescued this time, Xi Jianglan decided that he would not trick Feng Yu for three days as a form of gratitude.

Xi Jianglan suppressed his overwhelming joy and calmly turned to look.

But with just one glance, his expression immediately fell.

The person was not Feng Yu.

It was the two members of the Xiezhi Sect, known as the Wuchang (“Black and White Impermanence”), who had captured him earlier at the Twelve Houses Medical Clinic, their robes fluttering as they quickly approached.

Juan Xunfang spotted them from a distance and immediately realized that their sect leader had succeeded.

Just as he was about to step forward to pay his respects, Sheng Jiao suddenly turned around and cast a cold glance at him, transmitting a secret sound.

Juan Xunfang was taken aback, his knees, which were almost bent, immediately straightened as his gaze accidentally fell on the Xiezhi Sect’s outer robe worn by Xi Jianglan, and he took a deep breath.

The sect leader’s crane cloak?

Why is it on a prisoner?!

“My lord?”

Sheng Jiao looked at him.

“Xi Jianglan is treacherous and cunning, it’s best to keep him in prison to avoid any long-term troubles,”Juan Xunfang said. “Six years ago, he had the ability to escape from the Xiezhi Sect, so we must be cautious.”

The treacherous and cunning Xi Jianglan innocently blinked his eyes.

Sheng Jiao frowned.

As Juan Xunfang spoke, he took out the arrest warrant, ready to tighten the prison seal on Xi Jianglan.

The moment the arrest warrant was taken out, the branding mark that had finally faded from Xi Jianglan’s shoulder surged back, burning so intensely that he almost fell to his knees.

“Calm down,” he said.

Xi Jianglan had already fooled so many people, so he didn’t care about fooling a few more. He raised his hand to signal ‘stop’: ”Your sect leader Sheng has already proposed marriage to me. If he knows that you treat me like this, he will definitely make you experience all sixty-two punishments of the Xiezhi Sect.”

Sheng Jiao: ”…”

Upon hearing this ‘proposal of marriage’, Juan Xunfang and Shang Yuan’s eyes almost popped out.

”…What?!”

“What nonsense are you talking about?!!!”

Juan Xunfang respected Sheng Jiao the most in his life, immediately lost his composure when he heard that someone dared to slander the sect leader. Throwing aside his calm demeanor, he drew his weapon and shouted angrily, “You’re talking nonsense! I’ll kill you…”

Shang Yuan was stunned. ”The sect leader actually proposed?!”

Juan Xunfang: “He’s lying, don’t believe him!”

Xi Jianglan quickly hid behind Sheng Jiao, feeling encouraged as he said, ”If you don’t believe me, you can ask Sheng Jiao. We slept in the same bed at the Tianyan Academy, loving each other without distinction!”

Sheng Jiao: ”…”

Juan Xunfang: ”?!”

His first reaction was to look at Sheng Jiao.

But Sheng Jiao rarely showed his emotions, and it was impossible to read anything from his expression.

Shang Yuan gasped, ”The sect leader really has something going with Xi Jianglan…”

”No!”Juan Xunfang slapped Shang Yuan’s head. ”Why do you believe everything others say?!”

Juan Xunfang’s eyelids twitched, and he raised his hand to use the arrest warrant to catch this anomaly.

However, Sheng Jiao, who had remained silent, raised his hand and summoned the arrest warrants from Juan Xunfang and Shang Yuan into his palm in an instant.

With a gentle twist of his fingers, the jade warrants shattered into pieces.

The branding mark on Xi Jianglan’s shoulder transformed back into a red mole, and the burning sensation disappeared immediately.

Juan Xunfang exclaimed, ”…My lord!”

Seeing how Sheng Jiao was so protective of him, Xi Jianglan became even more convinced that this person truly believed the nonsense about ‘Sheng Jiao being madly in love with me.’

However, just one in the Transformation Realm was enough to handle, now there were two more.

Could Feng Yu take on all three?

Xi Jianglan inexplicably felt a sense of being trapped in a web, unable to escape.

He had to get out as soon as possible.

The bell of Gu Chang Temple suddenly resonated through the mountain steps and the ghost forest.

It was noon.

Xi Jianglan took a few steps, then suddenly raised his hand to grab the semi-transparent Binding Silk that was hidden in the air. He twisted his wrist a few times and violently tightened the Binding Silk connecting the two of them.

”My lord…”

Sheng Jiao’s wrist was pulled back, and he furrowed his brow as he turned around to see what kind of trick Xi Jianglan was up to this time.

Xi Jianglan’s face was pale and he was panting heavily as he weakly said, “I… I can’t go on. The bidding at Gu Chang Temple doesn’t start until the dog hour, and it’s still early. Can we rest for a moment?”

Sheng Jiao said nothing, andJue Xunfang coldly interjected, ”As a mere prisoner, what right do you have to rest?”

Juan Xunfang had been following Sheng Jiao since he was sixteen, he was convinced that he understood him extremely well.

This kind of pretentious words that are just asking to be hit, the sect leader would definitely will struck him by lightning one day.

Before he could finish his thoughts, he saw Sheng Jiao calmly say, ”The bidding will be at noon today.”

Was he really explaining this to a mere prisoner?

The most important thing was…

Juan Xunfang looked at him in astonishment

Everyone in the Xiezhi Sect was saying that the sect leader, Sheng Jiao, had been practicing silent meditation and had only used spiritual power to communicate for years. Now…

He actually spoke?

Shang Yuan said in a daze, ”So the leader is not mute… uh!”

Juan Xunfang quickly covered her mouth.

Xi Jianglan didn’t notice the two’s strange behavior and furrowed his brows, lost in thought.

Since its establishment, Gu Chang Temple has only sold spiritual items during the evening hours on the first and fifteenth days of each lunar month. This is the first time they are holding a bidding at noon.

It seems this spiritual item is indeed special.

”What kind of spiritual item is Guchang Temple selling today, and why are they bidding at noon?”

Sheng Jiao: “A painting.”

Guchang Temple usually sells rare and exotic treasures all year round.

The painting being auctioned today is not a beautiful scene with flowers, birds, or exquisite wome, instead, it is an ordinary yet eerie depiction of gnarled ancient trees and a pitch-black forest.

Naturally, anything auctioned at Guchang Temple isn’t an ordinary item. Just as everyone was speculating which famous artist had painted this ‘masterpiece’ after they’re drunk, the name of the author was noted at the bottom of the painting.

Xi Qingfeng.

All thirteen provinces were shocked.

Xi Qingfeng was the eldest son of the Xi family’s branch, who once served in the Punishment and Pardon bureau. However, no one had heard of him being skilled in painting.

Moreover, it was well-known that Xi Qingfeng had perished six years ago in that brutal massacre, leaving no remains behind.

Everyone exchanged glances, and upon closer inspection, they felt a chill run down their spines!

The painting was not an ordinary artwork at all, it was actually the innate mark of a spiritual vein that had been peeled off alive!

Sheng Jiao had been stationed in the Xiezhi Sect for many years, and his rare visit to the northern borders of Yuchuan was precisely because of this painting.

The person who sold the painting was not only the mastermind behind the slaughter of the Xi family but also certainly someone connected to it.

This is the only clue in the six years since the Xi family faced disaster, aside for Xi Jianglan.

Xi Jianglan asked, “What painting?”

Sheng Jiao didn’t answer.

A fierce wind howled through, sweeping a pile of yellow paper onto the mountain steps.

As Xi Jianglan was lost in thought, his gaze inadvertently caught a few fluttering pieces of yellow paper.

The wind on the ghostly forest steps felt like a chilling gust from hell, causing Xi Jianglan’s frail form to stagger and fall to his knees.

Xi Jianglan instinctively pressed his hand against the dirty yellow paper on the floor, but before he could reach it, a cold hand suddenly grabbed his wrist and gently pulled him back.

Caught off guard, Xi Jianglan’s slender figure seemed to flail like a butterfly with broken wings, tumbling sideways as the thick robe of the Xiezhi Sect swept over the thick yellow paper, crashing into a chest that carried the chill of ice and snow.

Juan Xunfang: “?!”

Shang Yuan: “Oh, oh, oh!”

Sheng Jiao said coldly, “Steady yourself.”

Xi Jianglan, still shaken, smiled gratefully at Sheng Jiao, ”Thank you, my lord, for saving me. Otherwise, I would have definitely knocked my head and bled.”

His compliments and thanks were never sincere.

Sheng Jiao didn’t respond, still holding onto his hand.

“But please let go of me, my lord,” Xi Jianglan said softly. “Sect leader Sheng is quite the jealous type. If he finds out that his subordinate is holding the hand of his Taoist companion so intimately, tsk tsk, oh!”

Sheng Jiao: “…”

After silently reciting the Qingxin Mantra dozens of times and finally calming down, Juan Xunfang became angry again: ”I’ll kill you!!!”

Shang Yuan quickly hugged him and pulled him back: “Calm down! That’s the Sect Leader’s Taoist companion!”

Juan Xunfang struggled to kick Xi Jianglan, his head buzzing with anger: “What Taoist companion? Our sect master practices the ruthless way, how could he be tempted by worldly desires?! How dare you spout such nonsense and tarnish our sect leader’s reputation? What are your true intentions?!”

Sheng Jiao had long since gotten accustomed to the noise from his subordinates and released Xi Jianglan.

“Let’s go.”

Xi Jianglan obediently said, “Yes, my lord.”

He intentionally elongated the tone of “my lord,” likely because he grew up in Zhongzhou, and his intonation had a soft quality, like a little hook.

Sheng Jiao paused for a moment before continuing to walk forward.

Xi Jianglan watched as he walked down several steps, but for some reason, when he took a step forward, his foot slipped again, and he stumbled down.

He thought that since Sheng Jiao had already gone so far, he definitely wouldn’t be able to save him this time. Just as he closed his eyes, ready to fall, he felt a surge of spiritual power wrap around him.

As the world spun around him, Xi Jianglan stumbled and was suddenly overcome by a feeling of weightlessness.

When he opened his eyes again, he found himself in Sheng Jiao’s arms.

Xi Jianglan: “???”

Juan Xunfang was probably too shocked, he stood there numbly and stiff, his eyes not even moving.

Shang Yuan covered her lips, exclaiming in shock, “So they really are Taoist partners?!”

The crane cloak covered Xi Jianglan’s thin and frail figure, and his knees were hooked by a strong and sturdy arm. His bare feet dangled anxiously in the air, and he gently kicked, seemingly wanting to get down.

“S-sir…”

Sheng Jiao looked at him with indifference, as if he were doing something completely ordinary.

“Didn’t you say you couldn’t walk?”

Xi Jianglan: “…”

Xi Jianglan chuckled awkwardly, struggling to get down. “N-No need to bother you, my lord. If Sect Leader Sheng finds out… Mmm!”

Sheng Jiao seemingly didn’t want to hear any more about how “furious” he would be, directly placing a brief silence on him and stepping forward.

Xi Jianglan: ”…”

Xi Jianglan stared in shock, instinctively grabbing Sheng Jiao’s shoulder as he looked back.

Among the pile of yellow paper that had been blown over earlier…

The little paper figures that Feng Yu had scattered around in search of people were caught in there!

Feng Yu’s technique of summoning ghosts to search for people was practically the best in the thirteen provinces. Xi Jianglan guessed that among the group of fierce ghosts he had just encountered, there were probably some summoned by Feng Yu, but before he could even see Xi Jianglan, he had been completely obliterated by Sheng Jiao.

That little paper figure trapped in the cracks of the mountain steps was a manifestation of Feng Yu’s spiritual power, and as soon as it was touched, it would immediately inform Feng Yu of his location.

Watching the life-saving little paper figure move further and further away from him, Xi Jianglan’s heart sank.

Sheng Jiao looked straight ahead, and with one foot, he smashed another small figure floating on the ground into a pile of yellow paper, making it unable to move.

Xi Jianglan: “……”

Xi Jianglan had never taken such a hard fall before. He stared blankly at Sheng Jiao’s neck, gently licking the poison pill lodged between his teeth.

This person was truly a tough nut to crack.

He needed to come up with a different approach.