This Is What a Villain Is Like

Chapter 155: Chapter 90: Schemes Always Win Hearts, and the Heart-devouring Disease is a Great Scapegoat

’Looks like he’s quite injured, too.’

In a slow-moving stream shrouded in purple mist, Jiang Lan’s robes were torn. His face and arms were covered in scrapes, and he looked utterly wretched.

His usually spotless robes were now stained with mud and blood. His long hair, once neatly tied up, now hung loose as he continuously dodged the attacks of mountain sprites and fiends.

A Jade Pendant on his person was emitting a faint glow, forming a barrier-like shield that protected his entire body.

In his hands, he clutched a number of gleaming talismans and jade stones, tossing one or two out from time to time.

Lightning flashed and flames erupted, making the gathered sprites and fiends shriek in pain. But this only fueled their ferocity. Their eyes grew even more crimson and cruel as they prowled nearby, ready to charge at any moment.

’In his hands, these Talismans can’t even unleash a tenth of their power.’

’If he runs out, he’ll probably die here and become food for these mountain sprites and fiends.’

Witnessing this, Ling Zhuyun felt a stir of complicated emotions. Although she held no fondness for Jiang Lan, she couldn’t just stand by and watch him die. Besides, she had drunk his Spirit Tea at the tea-brewing gathering before.

Because of the matter with Ye Ming, she had even covered for him, claiming that Ye Ming was with her on the day of the assassination attempt on Jiang Lan.

Both sentiment and reason dictated that she had to save him.

SHHH, SHHH, SHHH...

With this in mind, Ling Zhuyun raised her palm and sent out a blast of Sword Qi.

The gathered mountain sprites and fiends let out a wretched cry, instantly exploding into essence energy under the impact of the Sword Qi.

Jiang Lan seemed completely taken by surprise that someone would come to his aid. A look of astonishment crossed his face, and once he came to his senses, he looked in the direction from which the Sword Qi had come.

"Young Master Jiang..."

Ling Zhuyun, dressed in a snow-white long dress, appeared and walked over, speaking first.

"Saintess Zhu Yun?"

"What are you doing here?"

Jiang Lan narrowed his eyes, seeming extremely surprised to see her here.

Ling Zhuyun had no intention of explaining and asked directly, "Young Master Jiang, how did you get separated from your men and end up here?"

She had originally thought it was Chu Chan who had been separated from Jiang Lan and his group.

She hadn’t expected that even Jiang Lan himself would be separated from his men and appear here all alone.

If she hadn’t happened to run into him, Jiang Lan might have truly met a miserable end here.

Hearing Ling Zhuyun’s words, Jiang Lan’s expression seemed to sour slightly.

"Thank you for saving me, Saintess Zhu Yun. I will have someone send a generous gift to express my gratitude afterward."

He let out a soft breath and, paying no mind to the beautiful woman before him, found a green stone in the slow-moving stream and sat down unceremoniously. He began to wash his wounds, then took out some Elixir Pills and swallowed them to alleviate his injuries.

"As for why I’m here... it’s a long story."

"When the Purple Mist True Monarch’s Cave Mansion appeared, a purple mist rolled in, and the scene descended into chaos. I don’t know who it was, but some guy grabbed me, and by the time I came to my senses, I had been tossed into some unknown place."

"After that, it was just as you saw. These mountain sprites and fiends saw that I have no strength to even truss a chicken and ganged up on me..."

Jiang Lan explained casually, his expression calm and composed. He didn’t seem to find it the least bit shameful to mention such things.

After all, he had no cultivation and was completely powerless. It was only natural for him to be bullied like this.

Ling Zhuyun, however, was somewhat stunned. She never expected this to be the reason.

"Young Master Jiang, do you know who it was that grabbed you?"

After a long silence, her red lips parted, and she asked softly.

Following this line of thought, she had actually already formed a rough guess.

As the son of the Prime Minister’s Mansion, Jiang Lan had many life-saving treasures on him.

The person who acted back then might have been able to grab him amidst the chaos, but killing him wouldn’t have been so easy; it would have taken a considerable amount of time.

In any case, once Jiang Lan was separated from his men and left unprotected, he wouldn’t survive for long in a place like this. He would eventually die from one of the many dangers here.

Even if the Prime Minister’s Mansion sought revenge later, they wouldn’t be able to find a target.

It was a flawless plan, but unfortunately for the perpetrator, she had stumbled upon it...

"I didn’t get a clear look. I suppose that person didn’t dare let me see them clearly."

Jiang Lan shook his head, then looked at her and said, "Could it be that Saintess Zhu Yun knows who is trying to harm me?"

Ling Zhuyun didn’t meet his gaze, simply shaking her head and saying, "Even you couldn’t see clearly, Young Master Jiang. How could I possibly guess?"

In truth, she had her suspicions, but it wasn’t appropriate to voice them.

’Someone acting alone, possessing such stealthy, imperceptible methods, who also holds a grudge against Jiang Lan and wants to harm him.’

’Besides Ye Ming, there’s probably no one else...’

But this was just her speculation; she had no proof.

If it was later confirmed to be Ye Ming, the Prime Minister’s Mansion would surely retaliate with all its might.

"That’s true."

"In any case, there are plenty of people who want to harm me. Trying to find the culprit in a place like this would be like finding a needle in a haystack."

"This does make things a bit tricky."

Jiang Lan nodded and smiled in agreement.

’Shouldn’t he feel anger and resentment after experiencing something like this?’

’Could it be that he’s encountered this so often that he’s grown used to it?’

"Saintess Zhu Yun, instead of competing for the opportunities and inheritance of the Purple Mist True Monarch, what are you doing in a place like this? Could it be that you were separated from the Jasper Pool Sect?"

Jiang Lan asked casually after washing the mud and blood from his body.

Ling Zhuyun’s eyes dimmed slightly as she said, "A few of my junior sisters went missing, so I came looking for them alone. But from the looks of it now, I fear they may have already met with misfortune..."