After the Villain Lost His Cultivation - Chapter 9

The Xi family is one of the prominent families in Zhongzhou, with a flourishing lineage and countless side branches.

In his youth, Xi Jianglan was like a star surrounded by admirers, focused only on enjoying life. Wherever he went, he was always surrounded by a crowd, so how could he possibly remember all the members of the Xi family’s side branches?

“…But he is still a member of my Xi family.” Xi Jianglan’s eyes were still red as he stubbornly said, “Doesn’t your Xiezhi Sect pride itself on justice? I’m clearly the victim here, so why am I being treated like a criminal with the binding silk?”

Sheng Jiao replied, “Tianyan Bead.”

“Just one Tianyan Bead, and I’m already condemned as guilty.” Xi Jianglan, in a reckless outburst, started spouting nonsense. ‘Way of Heaven’ is Sheng Jiao’s innate mark, and isn’t it up to him whether that bead says ‘Zhu’ or not? (T/N: execute/punish) Let me tell you the truth, if Sheng Jiao wasn’t lusting after my body, he would have long been so enraged that he would turn all 108 beads into ‘execute’ to silence me!”

Sheng Jiao: “…”

Juan Xunfang: “…”

Shang Yuan was astonished. “The Sect Leader is actually… lusting after you? Hmm.”

Jue Xunfang quickly delivered a silent zen strike.

Sheng Jiao, expressionless, said, “Did you not say before that Sheng Jiao has… deep feelings for you?”

The last four words almost slipped out between his teeth.

“That’s right.” Still bound by the binding silk, Xi Jianglan struggled to stand on his toes as his slender body began to tremble. However, he refused to back down and continued, “He just developed deep feelings for me on his own, and I’ve firmly rejected him. But Sect Leader Sheng, unable to get what he wants, has turned his love into hatred, gone mad and tried to tarnish my innocence and destroy my body.

Sheng Jiao: “…”

Juan Xunfang’s heart was as calm as still water. With a numb expression on his face, he said softly, “My Lord, can I destroy his soul now?”

Sheng Jiao: “………”

Relying on the warrant that required ‘capture alive,’ Xi Jianglan said, ‘Oh, you might as well use your Xiezhi Sect’s tough tactics to kill me. When the time comes, Sheng Wuzhuo will be so heartbroken over losing his beloved that he will ruthlessly expose the truth, become a demon, and massacre the thirteen provinces!”

Juan Xunfang finally exploded and drew his sword: “I will kill you!”

“Come on,” Xi Jianglan said fearlessly, a rare look of sharpness appearing in his eyebrows and eyes. “Make your move, I’ll be right here waiting for you to kill me if you have the guts.”

Juan Xunfang’s hand holding the sword stiffened.

Xi Jianglan was spouting nonsense, a real wastrel, to the point that Juan Xunfang almost forgot… This person had long held the top position at the Tianyan Academy and, like Sheng Jiao, had made waves in all thirteen provinces by forming a nascent soul at the age of seventeen.

He was the twelfth person in the entire Thirteen Provinces to possess an innate mark. Although no one knew which innate mark was, his cultivation speed at that time astonished countless people and was truly extraordinary.

When Juan Xunfang was still young, he had heard of the reputation of the “Little Immortal Lord of the Xi Family.”

If it weren’t for the Xi family’s disaster six years ago, given Xi Jianglan’s talent, he would likely have become a powerful figure rivaling Sheng Jiao by now. Perhaps in a few decades, he would have achieved enlightenment and ascended, becoming an immortal lord admired by thousands.

…But now, he couldn’t even break free from a single binding silk.

Juan Xunfang was in a daze, and Sheng Jiao glanced at him sideways

Juan Xunfang shuddered and reluctantly put down his sword.

Xi Jianglan was about to shout again when Sheng Jiao, finally at his limit, sealed his mouth with another Silent Zen.

The entire room fell silent.

Xi Jianglan: “…”

The binding silk suddenly pulled back, dragging Xi Jianglan forward as he staggered a few steps, colliding with Sheng Jiao before reluctantly sitting down beside him.

He had almost been hanged and beaten just moments ago, and a red mark surrounded his slender, pale wrist. Xi Jianglan gently rubbed his wrist as he glanced at the painting in the center through the crack in the bamboo curtain.

It seemed as if he had been injured by the impact, as his forehead furrowed and he blew gently on the wound.

It was indeed a complete innate mark.

The aura emitted by the Tianyan Innate mark was different from that of ordinary spiritual roots. Xi Jianglan’s cultivation had been crippled, so he couldn’t tell what level the innate mark was. However, even if it was at the Profound level, it would still be enough to cause an uproar throughout the thirteen provinces.

Xi Jianglan looked at this with a gloomy expression, not knowing what he was thinking. He opened his mouth to Sheng Jiao beside him, but no sound came out.

He had no choice but to quickly make a series of hand gestures, causing the binding silk to jingle with the movements of his hands.

“Can’t the Xiezhi Sect just forcefully take this painting? Do they really need to buy it with spirit stones?”

Sheng Jiao furrowed his brows and said, “Noisy.”

Xi Jianglan suddenly flung his hand, making the binding silk jingle even louder.

Sheng Jiao said, “No need to buy it. The Xiezhi Sect only wants to know who the seller is.”

A Profound level innate mark wouldn’t reveal any clues, even if they managed to buy it.

Xi Jianglan gestured quickly, “What about my brother’s innate mark?! Aren’t you going to do anything about it?”

After finishing the gestures, he suddenly realized: Wait, how does this person even understand sign language?

Xi Jianglan knew sign language because his classmate Rang Chen, who also studied at Zhuzinghai in Tianyan Academy, practiced silent meditation, which led the others to pick up most of it.

Ordinary people who are neither deaf nor mute shouldn’t typically understand sign language.

Xi Jianglan stared at him for a long moment, and his heart suddenly skipped a heavy beat.

‘Could this person… actually be Sheng Jiao?’

As soon as this thought crossed his mind, Xi Jianglan shivered violently.

No, that can’t be right.

He immediately dismissed the terrifying thought.

If it were Sheng Jiao, he would have slashed my neck with a sword the moment he saw me. And after hearing all those made-up stories about non-existent love affairs along the way, he would have been furious and killed me with the Way of Heaven.

 He shouldn’t be so indifferent.

Besides, Sheng Jiao is easy to fool, but this man is far too cunning.

It couldn’t possibly be Sheng Jiao.

Even though he thought that, Xi Jianglan still decided to find an opportunity to test him.

Today, Gu Chang Temple seemed to want this painting to take center stage. As the sound of the bell rang, a master in a cassock quietly appeared under the Bodhi tree, joined his hands in prayer, and bowed to the people around him.

He began auctioning off other spiritual items.

Xi Jianglan’s gaze was fixed on the painting, his mind calculating something unknown.

After a moment, the silence was finally broke.

In the past, if he had the chance to speak, he would have chattered endlessly. However, this time he was surprisingly obedient and didn’t utter a single word.

Sheng Jiao glanced at him.

Xi Jianglan smiled at him, looking extremely obedient.

Sheng Jiao lowered his gaze again to continue observing the painting.

Xi Jianglan lazily rested his chin on his hand and began to stare intently at Sheng Jiao’s profile. Having just pretended to cry, his eyes resembled a deep pool with ripples, making them very charming.

Sheng Jiao remained unmoved, not even giving him a glance.

However, Juan Xunfang couldn’t take it anymore and said quietly, “What are you looking at?”

Xi Jianglan leaned back with a smile, his back resting against the table. He slightly tilted his head to meet Juan Xunfang’s gaze and grinned, “I’m admiring how beautiful your lord is.”

Juan Xunfang: “…”

Juan Xunfang looked at him blankly, regretting why he had thought this person was pitiful just moments ago.

Pitiful, my ass!

“I heard that Sect Leader Sheng was in Wuyin city yesterday,” Xi Jianglan said with a smile. “You might not know, but I live there too. Sheng Jiao is probably here to rekindle our past relationship.”

Juan Xunfang: “…You’re talking nonsense!”

“Little girl,” Xi Jianglan turned to the dazed Shang Yuan, “Do you believe it?”

Shang Yuan believed it, she believes everything the others said. She looked surprised and asked, “Does the Sect Leader really want to rekindle his past relationship with you?”

“That’s right.” Xi Jianglan rested his elbows on the table, narrowing his eyes and smiling continuously. “Otherwise, why wouldn’t Sheng Jiao come in person for such a big deal if Xi Qingfeng’s innate mark painting is here at Gu Chang Temple?”

Shang Yuan tilted her head, seriously pondering this complex question for her.

Xi Jianglan clicked his tongue inwardly.

He babbled on, but neither Shang Yuan nor Juan Xunfang showed any signs of doubt, and even the person behind them didn’t look over.

Could it really not be Sheng Jiao?

At that moment, a small monk brought up a delicate flower pot under the Bodhi tree. The pure white spiritual flowers swayed gently, releasing a strong fragrance.

It was actually Yutang flower!

Xi Jianglan frowned.

The appearance of two Yutang flowers in one day was rather strange.

Was someone trying to bait him again?

No one who came to Guchang Temple today genuinely wanted to buy anything,Yutang flowers were not a spiritual medicine that everyone needed. As soon as they were brought out, no one offered a price.

Xi Jianglan fixed his gaze on the Yutang flower, subconsciously licking his pale lips.

At that moment, a familiar voice resonated throughout the entire Gu Chang Temple.

“Fifty thousand spirit stones.”

Xi Jianglan’s eyes lit up.

It was Feng Yu’s voice!

Feng Yu was too lazy to compete with others, so he simply called the price to the maximum.

A single Yutang flower had been priced at just ten thousand spirit stones six years ago, fifty thousand spirit stones was more than enough.

The monks who were watching exchanged confused glances, not understanding why this flower was so precious.

Xi Jianglan’s heart sank instantly.

Although Feng Yu had a bad temper, he was still very reliable at critical moments.

Xi Jianglan held onto the railing with both hands and looked out through the gap in the bamboo curtain, searching for Feng Yu’s figure, his beautiful eyes full of anticipation and relief.

Sheng Jiao glanced at him.

Xi Jianglan suddenly tilted his head, smiled at Sheng Jiao, and said, “My Lord.”

Sheng Jiao did not answer.

Every time Xi Jianglan deliberately softened his voice to call him “my lord”, he was sure to cause trouble.

As expected, even though Sheng Jiao ignored him, Xi Jianglan was still able to continue his one-man show.

“My lord, I want that flower. Can you buy it for me?”

Sheng Jiao didn’t bother to answer.

Juan Xunfang furrowed his brows. “If you want that flower, why should… my lord buy it for you?”

“It’s for your Sect Leader’s sake,” Xi Jianglan said.

Juan Xunfang exploded in anger, “What does it have to do with our Sect Leader?!”

“You don’t understand,” Xi Jianglan started talking nonsense again. “Your Sect Leader is wise, powerful, and has exceptional cultivation, naturally, he has boundless energy and insatiable desires. If I were truly taken back to the Xiezhi Sect, I would definitely be forcibly taken by Sect Leader Sheng, who would turn love into hatred and drag me into bed against my will.”

The “insatiable” Sect Leader Sheng: “……”

Juan Xunfang: “……”

He subconsciously wanted to shut this person’s mouth, but when he turned around, he saw that Sheng Jiao was listening with a cold face, and his hand that was forming a hand gesture stopped.

Xi Jianglan was still muttering: “But with my broken body and severed meridians, I will probably bleed to death in no time. By then, your Sect Leader will surely cry over my corpse and slaughter the thirteen provinces to accompany my burial!”

Juan Xunfang’s trembling hands began to grope around his waist again, probably looking for a sword.

Xi Jianglan finally concluded, “So, without the Yutang flower to prolong my life, how can your Sect Leader enjoy our intimate union of souls?”

Shang Yuan was left dumbfounded by this statement.

Juan Xunfang was trembling all over, murmuring, “Where’s my sword?”

Where’s my sword?!

If he doesn’t kill this man today, he would be failing the Sect Leader’s trust!

Shang Yuan blocked him and exclaimed in panic, “Calm down! The Sect Leader would slaughter all thirteen provinces for him!!”

Juan Xunfang roared like a ferocious dog, “Why do you believe that again?! The Sect Leader wouldn’t do that!”

Xi Jianglan cheerfully sat back down, his dark crane cloak contrasting with his pale face, resembling the ghostly Yutang flower blooming under the Bodhi tree, exuding an alluring charm that was both vibrant and chilling when he smiled.

He smiled at Sheng Jiao: “So, my lord, for the sake of the Sect Leader…”

Before he could finish his prepared words, he saw that Sheng Jiao seemed to have finally had enough of his nonsense and coldly transmitted a sound.

“Sixty thousand.”

Feng Yu furrowed his brow.

Where did this sucker come from?

Juan Xunfang and Shang Yuan were also stunned.

Shang Yuan murmured, “It’s the first time I’ve seen my lord be so generous.”

Xi Jianglan looked up to him with respect for his wealth and generosity.

He finally confirmed.

This person…

It definitely couldn’t be Sheng Jiao, the miser who only bought cheap jade as birthday gifts!