Reborn as the Novel’s Villain: Cultivation Lost, Female Leads Take Control

At Purple Cloud Peak, the celestial phenomenon continued to intensify. Yuan Kouxuan looked up at the skies, her gaze dazzled by the overwhelming display.

“Is Master about to break through to the Divine Transformation stage?” she mused, her expression a mix of awe and worry. “I wonder if he’ll get poisoned again…”

Resolute to prevent a repeat of previous events, Yuan Kouxuan picked up her brush and began crafting a new artistic masterpiece.

Not far away, Ruan Yuer stood with her hands clasped over her chest, gazing nervously at the sky. Her delicate features were etched with concern.

“Master, I believe in you. You’ll succeed, just as you did last time!” she whispered with quiet determination.

The path to the Divine Transformation stage was perilous, a journey that defied the natural order. As Nascent Souls evolved into Primordial Spirits, the heavens themselves would retaliate with tribulations—mental demons and devastating lightning.

Liu Beifeng stared reverently at the ominous figures appearing one after another in the sky. Her brows furrowed slightly as the spiritual imprint on her forehead stirred uncomfortably. She raised a slender hand, stroking the mark as she murmured softly:

“You suspect my master is the reincarnation of an Immortal Emperor? Why bother doubting? I think Master surpasses any so-called Young Emperors.”

Meanwhile, at Heart Lake, chaos reigned.

“Qing’er, what are you doing? Are you trying to kill me?” Xue Jinli exclaimed, her cheeks flushed with indignation as she struggled fruitlessly.

Completely caught off guard during her bath, she’d been ambushed and tightly bound by a turtle-shell binding technique, courtesy of Situ Qingqing. Now, immobilized, she could do nothing but glare furiously.

Situ Qingqing stood above her, wielding a whip, her gaze icy. “Kill you? Senior Sister, you think too much. I’m just here to reclaim what’s mine.”

She had timed her ambush perfectly, knowing Xue Jinli would be most vulnerable during her bath. After all, who could resist when they were relaxed and defenseless?

“What are you talking about? I haven’t taken anything!” Xue Jinli tried to feign ignorance.

Snap!

The whip cracked loudly, striking the edge of the wooden tub.

“Senior Sister, don’t play dumb with me. If you hand over the Voice Stone, I’ll let you go,” Situ Qingqing demanded, her voice steely.

“Hmph, I won’t. Go ahead and hit me if you dare! See if you can kill me!” Xue Jinli retorted, her expression defiant despite her awkward position.

“Fine. If Senior Sister insists, then I’ll gladly oblige,” Situ Qingqing replied, raising the whip high.

“I’m not afraid of you!” Xue Jinli declared, her eyes squeezed shut in preparation for the impending blow. Yet, after a few breaths of silence, the expected sting never came.

She cautiously opened one eye, glancing sideways at Situ Qingqing. “Why aren’t you hitting me?”

Situ Qingqing twirled the whip in her palm, smirking slightly. “Just hand over the Voice Stone, including any backup copies you’ve made, and I’ll release you.”

“I don’t have any backups!” Xue Jinli fumed, her eyes blazing with indignation.

“Come on, Senior Sister. You and I both know that’s a lie,” Situ Qingqing countered, her tone exasperated.

Caught, Xue Jinli hesitated before gritting her teeth. “Fine! But I won’t give them to you. Tie me up forever if you must!”

“Is that so?” Situ Qingqing arched a brow, reaching for a recording talisman. “Then I’ll record this scene and share it with the others. Let’s see what they think.”

“Go ahead!” Xue Jinli shot back. “If you dare, I’ll make sure we both go down together!”

The two women glared at each other, the tension thick in the air. Situ Qingqing, frustrated, was about to retort when a deafening rumble shook the lake.

Boom!

Thunder cracked as bolts of lightning struck the water, sending shockwaves rippling across the surface.

“This… this is the Divine Transformation phenomenon?!” Situ Qingqing abandoned her quarrel, rushing to the window to gaze at the skies. Her eyes widened as she took in the sight. “Master is about to recover his full cultivation!”

The sheer rapidity of his progress astounded her. Barely over a month ago, Master had ascended to the Nascent Soul realm, and now he was reaching for Divine Transformation.

“If Master’s physique keeps advancing at this rate…” Situ Qingqing muttered, her face paling slightly. “How will I even last half an hour?”

The thought left her mind racing. From behind, Xue Jinli’s voice interrupted her musings.

“Qing’er, untie me! I want to see it too!” Xue Jinli pleaded, tugging at her restraints. “Fine, I’ll give you the Voice Stone, okay? Just let me go!”

“Still thinking about that?” Situ Qingqing sighed, snapping her fingers. The restraining ropes unraveled and fell away.

As Xue Jinli rubbed her wrists, she leaped from the tub, a glint of mischief returning to her eyes. “Now, about earlier—”

“Stop!” Situ Qingqing cut her off, raising a hand.

Xue Jinli hesitated, narrowing her eyes. “What now?”

“I’ve decided,” Situ Qingqing declared, her expression serious. “I’m going to help you advance.”

“What?” Xue Jinli blinked, taken aback. “Really?”

“Really,” Situ Qingqing replied firmly. “If you don’t believe me, I’ll swear it upon the heavens!”

For a moment, the tension between them dissipated. Xue Jinli regarded her junior with a mixture of suspicion and hope. Could she actually mean it?