Could it be that I am the cruel villain?
Chapter 349 - 227: Relatives from Mother’s Side are Coming?

Chapter 349: Chapter 227: Relatives from Mother’s Side are Coming?

The first light of dawn breaks.

Rising sun ascends from the east, revealing the startlingly breathtaking pale white that emerges from the darkness, then this hint of white intensifies, spreading the purple aura across the land.

The youth sits motionlessly on the chair, gazing out the window. No matter how many times he sees it, such a sight still profoundly shocks him, showing more traces of weariness and depression on his face compared to his spirited looks of the previous days.

Without uttering a word, just quietly watching the sunrise, unaware of what his heart is pondering over, not even noticing when someone else entered the room.

"Why so, have you been feeling down lately, has your spirit been shattered by a beating?"

"...Pretty much."

Rarely was he not defiant.

Compared to his senior sister, he realized that he indeed was a lesser being, crippled. If he remembered correctly, his senior sister began as a novice just like him.

In just two years, she was able to handle tasks alone, ran errands for their master to Southern Border, and on the way, she encountered and killed two Nascent Soul Stage practitioners from other forces.

And then there was him...

He was nearly crippled before even reaching half the Nascent Soul phase, annihilated in one swoop.

Turning his head, the sharp pain shooting through his body didn’t change Jiang Feng’s expression much; in fact, he didn’t even know how he got home. When he woke from unconsciousness, he was already back at the sect.

Apparently, his senior sister had directly called several adept brothers and sisters from Qingxia and Divine Wood Peaks, both proficient in healing, and they forcefully pulled him back from death’s door, and just yesterday, half-awake, he seemed to vaguely see a dignified and beautiful woman circling around him.

If he wasn’t mistaken, that must have been Senior Sister Lu from Qingxia Peak.

"This time you’re honest, but don’t be too disheartened. Jin Shan is formidable, and with a magic artifact from Master Guang Xian, his foundation is profound. Even if it was me back then..."

A raise of the brow, could his own senior sister not match up?

"...It would’ve taken more effort to defeat him."

A deflating sigh.

Showing a disheartened face, this scene almost made Liu Tangxi laugh out loud, with a mocking yet mirthful expression as if saying.

"What were you hoping for?"

After a few words of conversation, the gloom in Jiang Feng’s heart somewhat dissipated, sitting directly opposite and looking at his junior brother. Although appearing somewhat lifeless, he was still in a fairly good spirit.

It’s been five days since the chase to capture the Golden Monk, and under the full efforts of Purple Cloud Palace, using spell arrays, it only took three days to bring Jiang Feng and Lu Luo back to the sect, but they remained unconscious nonetheless.

Only yesterday did Jiang Feng barely regain consciousness for a bit, yet still unable to move. Today, although his face showed tiredness, at least he could sit up in a chair and chat.

"How is Sister Lu Luo?"

His voice was a bit hoarse and dry, a symptom of being unconscious too long, but Liu Tangxi had long anticipated what her junior brother would ask, simply responding indifferently, "Her injuries are severe, but rest assured, she won’t die."

He slightly relaxed.

"With Senior Sister Lu here, let’s not talk about such wounds, even if you brought back only a corpse, she could still extend its life for a few days. However, there’s some bad news—the girl’s life is not in danger, but recovery to her previous state would require several years at least."

"She is talented, about the same age as that Yan Family boy, but she lacks any special constitution or many opportunities, indeed her strength is quite weaker compared to you."

"This will likely delay her cultivation."

He nodded, revealing a relaxed smile.

Cultivation in Jiang Feng’s eyes wasn’t so important, as long as one could keep their life, everything else is finer, he tried his best to shift to a slightly more comfortable position, grimacing in pain.

He glanced at the youth.

"How did you feel about this experience, did it teach you any lessons?"

"..."

The smile instantly froze.

The interrogation proceeded directly to torture.

Initially, he thought he was almost beaten to death and was barely hanging on by a thread; he assumed he would only be tortured after his injuries had healed.

However, Liu Tangxi’s tone wasn’t blaming, so Jiang Feng pondered for a moment before speaking, "It was unexpected. I thought it was a routine task before we set off, but I didn’t expect the demon monk to be so tricky."

"Jin Shan’s personal strength is mediocre, though he practices Buddhism, he hasn’t learned any formidable Cultivation Techniques or Spells. It’s just the Da Boro Yin that’s a bit annoying. What truly surprised me were the Magic Treasures in his possession."

"One Buddhist Bell contained countless evil spirits that erode the mind with devilish sounds hammering my ears, one Buddha Tower held countless demons and ghosts, even some Arhat relics, and the piece of Fangcun Mountain provided a realm of its own, even housing Eight Great Vajra Buddha Statues."

"The scariest part was the demon monk’s tactics; he had completely anticipated our every move, knowing that the four of us would come, and had his defenses prepared. If Brother Wang hadn’t been cautious and gone to get reinforcements, we might have ended up staying there."

"Sister, considering all the Nascent Soul Disciples below us in the entire Purple Cloud Palace, what rank do you think Jin Shan could achieve in this cultural competition?"

Liu Tangxi replied without hesitation, "All those things together might barely squeeze him into the top ten, but don’t underestimate the disciples of Purple Cloud Palace. The batch of disciples who joined from fifteen to ten years ago are mostly at the Top-grade Core Formation or Peak of Core Formation."

"With their capabilities, tactics, Magic Treasures, Cultivation Techniques, and weapons, they might not necessarily be inferior to Jin Shan, but the difference wouldn’t be huge."

"You all weren’t defeated by Magic Treasures or the like; it was losing to a plot without any way to break through. Frankly speaking, you couldn’t threaten him."

"Your sword isn’t sharp enough. In my opinion, you should determine life and death with a single strike. Although it was the Yan family kid who took the lead this time, you can’t blame him."

"When you first joined, I told you that you and Master Guang Xian were fated and deeply connected. Even without the Yan family kid taking the lead, you would undoubtedly have been drawn there."

"Do you believe it now?"

He sighed.

Now he believed; sometimes, one truly cannot escape.

Glancing at the teapot on the table, this time his junior could only helplessly spread his hands, indicating that although he wanted to help pour the tea, he was powerless.

So, Liu Tangxi poured for herself without giving Jiang Feng a chance to speak, and Liu Xianzi slowly said, "But junior brother, I have both good and bad news for you. Which would you like to hear first?"

"Uh."

His expression seemed off.

He didn’t expect to hear such a life-or-death question immediately upon returning home, so he tentatively asked in a low voice, "The good news?"

Clearing his throat.

"The good news is that, although Lu Luo is gravely injured, there’s a way to completely heal her without any lingering effects."

"Really!?"

Overjoyed, he almost jumped up on the spot without even asking what the method was.

The people he cared about most were undoubtedly these two sisters; to Jiang Feng, their safety and health were more important than anything.

But...

"The bad news is."

Liu Xianzi leaned back, sipping her tea.

"The Clan Leader of the Fox Clan, having heard that his child was beaten to the brink of death and almost killed, has personally rushed here from the Demon Race’s territory, and as for who he is looking for."

"Of course, he’s coming for you, the chief culprit."