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

At the scene, Elder Li’s outburst left the Qingming Sect disciples in shock and disbelief.

“My heavens, I never imagined Xiao Ye could be such a person!”

“What’s there to imagine? Heavenly Thunder Peak used to have over a hundred personal disciples, and now there are only seventy left—all thanks to Xiao Ye!”

“Attacking his own sectmates so ruthlessly—it speaks volumes about his vile character!”

“So you’re saying Xiao Ye’s strength came entirely from this Venerable’s remnant soul tutoring him?”

“Such fortune, yet he was still ungrateful!”

“If I had a Venerable as my master, I’d treat him like my own father!”

The Qingming Sect disciples’ discussions, unrestrained and unabashed, reached Xiao Ye’s ears. Yet he showed no shame, turning instead to snarl at Elder Li:

“Old dog! Don’t act so righteous! The only reason you helped me was to restore your body!”

Turning to Venerable Xuanqi, Xiao Ye adopted a servile demeanor, bowing deeply.

“Senior, please don’t listen to this old ghost’s nonsense! I swear, I’ve never stolen your sect’s treasure, nor have I harmed your disciple, Wang Teng!”

“But I understand your grief—losing a prized disciple and a treasured artifact is a devastating blow to any master.”

Xiao Ye’s tone turned fawning as he continued:

“To ease your sorrow, I’m willing to join the Mystic Heaven Sect and become your disciple. With my Yang Flame War Body, I dare say my talent and potential are no less than your late disciple’s!”

Faced with imminent death, Xiao Ye believed this was his best option.

If Wang Teng was gone, he could simply take his place!

Venerable Xuanqi stared at Xiao Ye in silence for a moment. Then, his eyes filled with unbridled killing intent.

“I’ve never encountered someone as brazenly shameless as you!”

“You dare compare yourself to Teng’er? Die!”

With a thunderous roar, Venerable Xuanqi raised his hand. A terrifying wave of power surged forth, manifesting as a celestial palm wreathed in dazzling divine radiance. Like a cascade of silvery starlight, it fell upon Xiao Ye with overwhelming force, ready to obliterate him completely.

Under this oppressive might, the Qingming Sect disciples and elders could barely stand upright, their breaths labored.

Everyone was certain—Xiao Ye would die.

“Am I really going to die?”

“But I haven’t yet ascended to the pinnacle, dominated an era, or become an immortal emperor revered across the ages!”

“Ahhhhh!”

Xiao Ye’s body convulsed in agony. His bones cracked under the immense pressure, his internal organs felt like they were being torn apart, and despair filled every fiber of his being.

Blood gushed from his mouth, mingled with fragments of his shattered organs. His aura was utterly depleted, his vision dimming as he teetered on the edge of death.

But just as Venerable Xuanqi’s strike was about to claim his life, the sky above Xiao Ye suddenly distorted. A colossal black hand, shrouded in ominous demonic energy, emerged from the void.

With a casual sweep, it dispersed Venerable Xuanqi’s attack, scattering the divine light into harmless mist.

“Hmm?”

Venerable Xuanqi’s eyes narrowed. Staring at the black hand, he spoke coldly:

“A demonic path fiend?”

“Fiend? How crude. We prefer to call ourselves emissaries of the Sacred Hall.”

A genderless voice echoed from the void.

“Vermin skulking in the shadows dare to claim holiness?!”

Venerable Xuanqi’s aura erupted. His power surged like a tidal wave, and he formed a colossal mystic seal in the air, preparing to strike.

But the black hand moved faster. It snatched Xiao Ye up in an instant and withdrew into the void, vanishing without a trace.

“Boom!”

Venerable Xuanqi’s mystic seal crashed into the empty space, splitting the void with an ear-splitting roar. Though devastating, it was too late—the perpetrator had escaped.

“How dare they!”

Venerable Xuanqi’s rage was palpable. He unleashed a barrage of strikes, obliterating nearby mountains and scattering countless beasts in terror.

Clenching his fists, his voice dripped with venom:

“Return to the Eastern Wastelands!”

“I’ll make sure the demonic path finds no refuge on this land!”

Though livid, Venerable Xuanqi bore no grudge against the Qingming Sect. The infiltration of demonic spies was a universal problem, even for sanctuaries and immortal sects.

It was now evident—Xiao Ye was a spy planted by the demonic path.

The Magnetic Earth Heart, now in demonic hands, was likely irretrievable. His anger would have to be redirected toward exterminating the demonic forces in his homeland.

The Qingming Sect disciples and elders, stunned by what had just transpired, slowly regained their composure.

The disciples erupted into discussion:

“Xiao Ye was a demonic spy all along?”

“What was Heavenly Thunder Peak thinking, taking in a spy as a personal disciple?”

“It all makes sense now—Xiao Ye’s ruthlessness toward his own sectmates was because of his demonic origins!”

“We shouldn’t call him Xiao Ye anymore. Xiao Demon seems more fitting!”

“Thankfully, the Mystic Heaven Sect intervened. If Xiao Ye had been left unchecked, who knows what disasters might’ve befallen our sect?”

“Why didn’t that Elder Li reveal Xiao Ye’s identity earlier?”

“You idiot. The demonic path has soul banners. If he had spoken up, he’d have been trapped!”

Among the elders, one spoke gravely to another:

“Elder Qu, this matter of Xiao Ye being a demonic spy and nearly inciting conflict with the Mystic Heaven Sect is grave. We must report this to the Sect Master immediately. Do you have anything to add?”

“What could I possibly add? Xiao Ye wasn’t my disciple. If the Sect Master seeks accountability, it’ll fall to Heavenly Thunder Peak’s master to explain!”

Qu Changlao’s face was pale, his lips trembling. He had never expected Xiao Ye to be a demonic spy.

‘Master, oh master… you’ve ruined Heavenly Thunder Peak…’