This Is What a Villain Is Like

Chapter 131: Chapter 86: Going Ever Further Down the Path of the Blonde, Can You Take Us Along?

She was deeply moved, the affection in her bright eyes so abundant it seemed ready to overflow.

At the same time, she was hesitating, wondering how to tell Jiang Lan that the Purple Mist True Monarch’s Cave Mansion was divided into a Ming Mansion and a Dark Mansion. No matter how she explained it, she risked arousing his suspicion.

’The only way is to wait for the Purple Mist True Monarch’s Cave Mansion to appear. Then, I’ll find an excuse to have Jiang Lan take the Token to the Dark Mansion and claim the inheritance.’

After taking the Token, Chu Chan hurried away. Jiang Lan didn’t pay much mind to such a small matter; his thoughts were already on his next plan.

Currently, everything was developing just as he had anticipated.

The stage was set; he was just waiting for the final cue.

’By my calculations, it’s about time for the Zixia Daoist of Zixia Temple to make his move.’

Jiang Lan stood up and instructed Ying to send word to Li Daoyi, Luo Ying, and the rest of the young Celestial Prides, while also gathering his other men.

He had the Token, so he wasn’t worried about any surprises.

Meanwhile, Chu Chan, clutching the Identity Token as she left, soon met Chu Yun, who was waiting for her outside the courtyard.

She relayed Jiang Lan’s words and carefully handed Chu Yun the Identity Token that represented the Jiang Family.

Chu Yun hadn’t expected things to go so smoothly.

He stood stunned for a good while before snapping out of it.

"I’ll take you to the Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion first. I’m guessing you haven’t been there yet..." Chu Chan said, a smile on her face.

Chu Yun silently nodded and followed behind her.

At that moment, however, he couldn’t help but recall Cyan Ox Dahuang’s earlier taunts. ’He’d been annoyed at the time, thinking even the ox was just a sycophant fawning over the powerful.’

’But now, he had to admit... Young Master Jiang really was a good person.’

Chu Chan, however, was unaware of the complex emotions swirling in Chu Yun’s heart.

’Her current status isn’t high enough to secure her position by Jiang Lan’s side.’

The Tea-Brewing Assembly had given her a renewed, crystal-clear understanding of the Prime Minister’s Mansion’s power.

’Jiang Lan could probably have women just as beautiful as her—with far superior talent and backgrounds—with a mere wave of his hand.’

’This left her feeling more and more insecure. She was rational and clear-headed enough to know that just because Jiang Lan doted on her now, it didn’t mean he always would.’

’She still had a long way to go.’

...

The day after the Tea-Brewing Assembly concluded, an astonishing phenomenon manifested near Purple Mist Mountain.

A dense purple mist rose and billowed, shrouding the mountains and making them appear ethereal and hazy.

Many cultivators faintly felt as if they could hear ancient, enlightened masters expounding upon the Great Dao, bringing clarity to all living beings.

Naturally, this spectacle drew an ever-increasing number of cultivators and other beings, among them quite a few from the older generation.

They dispersed throughout the mountain ranges. Some, holding a Compass, practiced the art of seeking dragons and tracing ley lines, trying to find the source of the purple mist and pinpoint the cave mansion’s location in advance.

On the various mountain peaks, representatives from different Immortal Sects were also investigating. Squads of Knights clad in Heavy Armor and wielding Celestial Blades and Spears patrolled the skies, riding on the backs of Fierce Beasts.

From a distance, the area around Purple Mist Mountain was awash in a drifting, rosy mist that seemed to submerge the very heavens and earth.

"The Purple Mist True Monarch’s Cave Mansion will emerge within three days..."

Then, a white-haired elder holding a Compass, his eyes gleaming with insight, made a definitive declaration.

Some cultivators recognized him: a clan elder from Great Xia’s renowned Dragon-Seeking Family, a man of astonishing skill in the art of Geomancy.

Once his words spread, they immediately caused a massive stir. No one doubted their truth.

From the nearby cities, countless cultivators rushed over, unable to wait. They arrived early and began their vigil.

Purple Mist Mountain, already teeming with people, saw an even greater influx of cultivators.

Every day, Divine Rainbows streaked across the sky as more of the younger generation appeared. Some had hurried over from other regions, not having participated in the Tea-Brewing Assembly.

「Zixia Temple.」

The Zixia Daoist remained seated on a zafu, his breathing deep and even. His eyes were half-closed as wisps of purple mist swirled around him, which he absorbed and refined with each breath.

"Master, many cultivators have appeared outside Zixia Temple these past few days. Some even tracked us down to ask if we knew anything about the Purple Mist True Monarch."

"Senior Brother Fei Luo didn’t answer quickly enough, so those people from outside beat him up and broke several of his ribs."

"Master, you have to get justice for us..."

Before him stood all the disciples he had accepted over the years, their expressions indignant.

Many were on the verge of tears, nursing their injuries. They didn’t dare take a single step outside Zixia Temple.

Those cultivators outside knew the Zixia Daoist was profoundly powerful, with formidable Daoist Techniques, so they didn’t dare provoke or question him directly. That was why they targeted his disciples.

But to their dismay, the Zixia Daoist seemed to turn a blind eye, utterly unconcerned.

He spent his days meditating in the temple, never asking about the affairs of the outside world.

Only the occasional, audacious cultivator who dared set foot in Zixia Temple would be sent flying by a single flick of his Duster, their fate uncertain.

"Behave. As long as you stay quietly within Zixia Temple, you won’t have so many problems."

"Once this affair is over, those people will return to wherever they came from. You need only focus on your cultivation. There’s no need to concern yourselves with anything else." The Zixia Daoist opened his eyes. His gaze was placid, yet it held a profound indifference.

He suddenly looked at one of the disciples—a tall, slender youth wrapped in bandages—and asked, "Fei Luo, why has your progress with the Purple Mist Scripture I taught you stagnated for so long? Have you been slacking?"