This Is What a Villain Is Like

Chapter 159: Chapter 90: Old Routines Win Hearts; The Heart-devouring Disease Is a Great Excuse

This place was clearly supposed to be accessible only to cultivators of the Fifth Realm, yet a Demon King with the strength of the Sixth Realm had appeared.

The crowd of cultivators began to panic, scattering and fleeing in all directions.

In the other pavilions and buildings, some had accidentally triggered arrays and were instantly crushed into a bloody mist by a single wisp of energy.

Elsewhere, other guarding Demon Kings emerged, the weakest of whom were at the Sixth Realm.

"It was a good thing we listened to Junior Sister Chu Chan. We avoided so much trouble by coming this way."

Meanwhile, the members of the Jasper Pool Sect followed Chu Chan, watching as she cleverly bypassed the cultivators outside and led them deep into the dojo grounds, facing thrills but no real danger.

The members of the Chen Family were also growing excited. A flush of excitement appeared on Chen Ning’s pretty face, and she clenched her delicate hands, her heart pounding with anticipation.

Zhao Dieyi and the other Jasper Pool Sect disciples marveled internally, now believing Chu Chan’s claim that her ancestors had a connection to the Purple Mist True Monarch.

Judging by her familiarity with the area, it was clearly her first time here, yet it felt as if she had visited many times before.

"The Purple Mist True Monarch’s real abode is actually deep within the dojo. These outer pavilions and halls are just where his disciples and their disciples used to cultivate."

"There should be a Hidden Soldier Hall not far ahead. It’s a hall where the Purple Mist True Monarch kept his collection of weapons, but it’s protected by mechanisms and arrays that will take some time to break..."

Chu Chan explained as she led the way. They quickly passed through several corridors and arrived at a side hall.

"Don’t worry, Junior Sister. As long as you can break the array, not only will we wipe the slate clean of our past grudges, but if you ever visit my Chen Family in the future, we will treat you as a guest of honor."

Chen Ning patted her chest as she made the promise.

While other cultivators were fighting for their lives elsewhere, they had arrived here unimpeded with Chu Chan’s help and were about to open the hall where the Purple Mist True Monarch displayed his weapons. How could she not be secretly delighted and thrilled by this?

’After we get the opportunities and fortunes here, I’ll just make Chu Chan swear a Dao Heart oath and plant a Slave Seal on her. What’s the harm in sparing her life then?’

"Thank you, Senior Sister."

A smile on her face, Chu Chan was about to walk forward.

Suddenly, a noise came from not far away. A rather scrawny-looking man burst in, then froze, apparently not expecting to run into anyone else here.

"It’s that Array Master surnamed Ye, the one who was with the Saintess."

Zhao Dieyi and the other disciples of the Jasper Pool Sect recognized him as Ye Ming, who had traveled with them earlier.

"Where is Saintess Zhu Yun?"

Ye Ming was pleasantly surprised. He hadn’t expected to encounter the female disciples of the Jasper Pool Sect, nor that they would be even faster than him, arriving here first.

But as he looked around, he couldn’t see Ling Zhuyun anywhere.

"The Saintess separated from us. She isn’t here..." one of the female disciples explained.

Ye Ming was disappointed, but seeing them here, he could only change direction and hurry away without asking how they had managed to get in.

He had just clashed with an old, purple-robed Daoist over a Magical Artifact, and now the man was in hot pursuit.

’He’s moving so fast. He must be hiding a huge secret.’

Chu Chan watched Ye Ming leave but didn’t pay him much mind. She had gone to great lengths to lure Chen Ning and the others here; her top priority was revenge.

She took the initiative and walked toward the hall ahead, her mind recalling the records of the arrays in this place.

However, not long after Ye Ming left, a powerful aura appeared. An old Daoist with a grim expression and a cold, gloomy gaze rushed over. It was the Zixia Daoist.

"You know that man who was just here. What’s his name? Which faction is he a disciple of?"

He stared at the disciples of the Jasper Pool Sect and barked the question coldly.

"Replying to you, Senior..."

"We... we’re not very familiar with him. We only know his surname is Ye, and he’s a Loose Cultivator," a few disciples answered, their faces pale with fright as they trembled.

’That brat surnamed Ye... How dare you ruin my plans.’

The Zixia Daoist’s expression was grim. Wasting no more time, he chased off in the direction Ye Ming had disappeared.

When that guy had been fighting him for the Magical Artifact, he had sensed something was off. The man had been able to see through the arrays here and use them to his advantage, fending off other cultivators.

It was remarkably similar to the methods used by the person outside this Secret Realm who had manipulated the arrays he had left behind, usurping his place.

...

Meanwhile, inside the karst cave.

"Are you sure you want to carry me on your back? Aren’t you worried about the impropriety between men and women?" Jiang Lan asked.

He was now lying in the same spot where Ling Zhuyun had woken up.

However, his face was completely drained of color. He looked like someone who had just awoken after a bout of the "Heart-devouring Disease" and was still recovering from a major illness, seemingly unable to even stand.

"We can’t just keep delaying like this."

"There’s some kind of Heaven and Earth Wonder in the Purple Mist True Monarch’s abode that can cure your condition, isn’t there?" Ling Zhuyun asked, looking at him with a complicated gaze.

Just a moment ago, she had been at a critical point in her recovery.

Outside the cave, several streaks of bloody light had suddenly flown in—the Human-Faced Banners that had vanished earlier had returned.

Although she sensed the danger, she was at a crucial stage of using her Cultivation Technique to heal and couldn’t afford any distractions. Otherwise, her qi and blood would fall into chaos, risking Qigong Deviation. She couldn’t even cry out to warn Jiang Lan.

So, she could only watch helplessly as the Human-Faced Banners flew toward them, wrapped in a sinister wind and a bloody mist.

Fortunately, Jiang Lan noticed the disturbance in time. He immediately activated his Life-saving Jade Pendant, which formed a barrier to block the attack from the Human-Faced Banners.

He was safe, but the Human-Faced Banners then turned on her, making her their new target.

Ling Zhuyun grew anxious. Her qi and blood began to flow in reverse, and a trickle of blood escaped the corner of her mouth.

Protected by the Life-saving Jade Pendant, Jiang Lan’s life was not in immediate danger, but seeing this, he could only disregard his own safety and rush to stand in front of Ling Zhuyun, shielding her.

Unfortunately, the barrier from the Life-saving Jade Pendant was only large enough to protect one person.

To buy Ling Zhuyun time to recover, Jiang Lan could only shove the Life-saving Jade Pendant onto her. He then used the Talismans he had on him to draw the aggro of the Human-Faced Banners as best he could.

The result was that the Human-Faced Banners swarmed him. He was tackled to the ground as his Essence Blood was rapidly drained away.

Ling Zhuyun was forced to stop her cultivation prematurely. Although she suffered a backlash, she had fortunately made it past the most critical moment and would be able to recover with some conditioning afterward.

She quickly dealt with the Human-Faced Banners, then rushed over to check on Jiang Lan’s injuries, stuffing a large number of Great Nourishing Elixirs into his mouth.

And so, Jiang Lan’s "Heart-devouring Disease" acted up.

Even though Ling Zhuyun had a steady temperament and had weathered many storms, the scene still shocked her so much that her beautiful face turned pale. It took a long while for her to compose herself.

She then used her Magical Power to help Jiang Lan clear his meridians and absorb the medicinal power, allowing him to wake up sooner.

In the process, she couldn’t help but notice some abnormalities in Jiang Lan’s body and learned some of his "secrets."

Being as experienced and knowledgeable as she was, she naturally knew of the existence of the "Heart-devouring Disease."

And that was what led to the current scene after Jiang Lan "woke up."

Back in Yu Yi City, his "Heart-devouring Disease" had accidentally flared up in front of Su Qinghan, after which her attitude toward him had improved and her opinion of him had changed.

Jiang Lan understood then that this trick was exceptionally effective on women.

So today, he had found an opportunity to play the same trick again, choosing the perfect moment when time, place, and people all aligned.

The results did not disappoint. Regarding this, Jiang Lan only wanted to say two words: Nailed it.

"Saintess Zhu Yun is as sharp as ever."

Jiang Lan tried to sit up, but he seemed to have no strength, his face turning pale from the pain.

Seeing this, Ling Zhuyun came forward to help him up. Her gaze was still complicated, but it now held emotions that weren’t there before.

"The Heart-devouring Disease is indeed rare, but I never imagined that someone of your status, Young Master Jiang, would not have found a complete cure for it. Before, my judgment was clouded by too many preconceived notions," she said softly.

"There are ways to cure it," Jiang Lan said casually, "I just don’t want to."

"I will keep this secret for you, Young Master Jiang," Ling Zhuyun said.

"You don’t have to pity me. If I hadn’t bought you time, we both would have died once the Jade Pendant’s protective barrier disappeared."

"We were two grasshoppers on the same string. I had no choice," Jiang Lan said calmly.

He did this partly to gain Ling Zhuyun’s trust and partly to make it easier for Ye Ming to take the fall later.

Of course, the most important point was her karmic fortune.

’This Heart-devouring Disease makes for a really useful scapegoat.’

"..."

Ling Zhuyun was silent for a long moment.

Then, looking at him with a complicated expression, a sense of guilt welled up inside her. "I will do my best to help you obtain the legacy and fortune left behind by the Purple Mist True Monarch, Young Master Jiang."