This Is What a Villain Is Like

Chapter 194: Chapter 97: A Flawless Immortal Embryo; Suspected of Deliberately Releasing Ye Ming?

’The Wordless Celestial Book is in my hands, after all. I can study it whenever I wish.’

’But at this rate, I’m almost out of leaves on the Ancient Vine...’

’All the destiny I’ve gathered recently has gone into growing new leaves, but it’s still not enough to keep up with the massive consumption.’

Jiang Lan’s gaze swept over the Ancient Vine.

Most of its leaves had already transformed into different shapes. Though new buds were sprouting, they hadn’t fully developed and were not yet usable.

The consumption of destiny was immense; he was truly struggling to keep up. After the second stage of maturation, the Destiny Dao Fruit required even more.

And that wasn’t to mention the other Destiny Dao Fruit that was still growing. He was actually quite curious to see what kind of Dao Fruit it would become once it matured.

Of course, the main drain on his destiny was the absorption and refinement of these inherited Cultivation Techniques.

His gaze swept across them. One leaf, suffused with a bloody glow like a piece of Blood Jade, held the condensed inheritance of the Blood Immortal Sect. Another, shaped like a sword, had absorbed Lin Fan’s Sword Dao inheritance. Then there were the four representing the Four Saints Ancient Celestial Skill, as well as the three from just now...

’This world has no shortage of people with great destiny. I don’t need to be anxious.’

Jiang Lan gave the cave one last look, making sure he hadn’t missed anything he hadn’t already committed to memory, then prepared to leave.

He had been delayed for a whole night. By the time he stepped out of the cave, it was already 5:00 AM. The sun was just beginning to rise, a thin mist drifting through the woods around Bihu Lake. The air was fresh, and the plants were beaded with dew.

"Young Master..."

Hearing the commotion from the cave, Li Daoyi, Ao Xu, Luo Ying, and the others all rushed over. But when they got a clear look at the approaching Jiang Lan, they all froze, doubting their eyes. Even Ling Zhuyun was taken aback.

At the mouth of the cave, rosy mists steamed and billowed, suffused with a Five-Colored Divine Light.

A young man in white approached. He was tall and slender, and a peaceful Dao Rhyme seemed to emanate from him. Yet, with every step, he moved in perfect harmony with heaven and earth, following some unknowable cadence.

His features were so handsome they would make countless women of the world jealous. His skin was like jade—fair and flawless. He truly possessed the grace of an immortal and the bearing of a god.

His entire body shimmered with a crystalline luster, bathed in a flowing, divine radiance.

As the rays of the nascent sun fell upon him, he looked like a Banished Immortal stepping out of a divine radiance, too brilliant for anyone to gaze upon directly.

’The Young Master was already handsome enough before. Now, I’m afraid he’d outshine even the Fairies and Saintesses...’

’His face hasn’t changed much, but his aura and Dao Rhyme are as if he’s been completely reborn. The Immortal Embryo Creation Dew truly lives up to its name.’

Everyone sighed inwardly. As a woman, Luo Ying even felt a little plain and inadequate in his presence now.

"Congratulations, Young Master Jiang, on your complete transformation."

Ling Zhuyun’s red lips parted as she offered her congratulations. She averted her beautiful eyes, not daring to look directly at Jiang Lan, worried that staring might be seen as impolite or lead to a misunderstanding.

Jiang Lan nodded slightly. "Thank you for standing guard for me, Saintess Zhu Yun."

With that, he turned to Li Daoyi, Ao Xu, and the others. With a flick of his sleeve, a selection of books and Jade Scrolls he had chosen appeared, spreading out on the ground before them.

"These are the records and Jade Scrolls left behind in the Dark Mansion. You have all served me well by escorting and protecting me on this journey. Don’t be polite—choose whatever you like."

"After we leave the Secret Realm, I will have other rewards for you as well."

"Thank you, Young Master."

Li Daoyi, Ao Xu, Luo Ying, and the others all cupped their fists in a salute. Not standing on ceremony, they began to search through the items and make their choices.

These items had been intentionally left behind in the cave by the Purple Mist True Monarch, so they were naturally no ordinary things. Even with their worldly experience, their eyes lit up as they examined the scrolls, and they nodded to themselves in approval.

"Saintess Zhu Yun, although you were unable to kill Ye Ming for me, I have not forgotten the great favor you did me by fighting for the Four Saints Ancient Celestial Skill..."

"This appears to be the zafu left by the Purple Mist True Monarch. Its effects are extraordinary. I would like to gift it to you, Saintess Zhu Yun, as a small token of my gratitude."

"I hope you won’t refuse."

Jiang Lan took out the zafu and offered it to Ling Zhuyun.

"I am truly unworthy of this. I failed the trust you placed in me, Young Master Jiang. I couldn’t kill Ye Ming, nor could I help you reclaim the Four Saints Ancient Celestial Skill..." Ling Zhuyun was stunned for a moment, then waved her hand and took a step back, stubbornly refusing to accept.

Seeing her reaction, Jiang Lan didn’t insist. He understood that she most likely wouldn’t accept it anyway.

’The gesture was merely to maintain the persona I’ve cultivated in front of her.’

’Although Ling Zhuyun’s break with Ye Ming netted me a huge amount of destiny, as long as Ye Ming is alive, he won’t give up on her. Therefore, I can still use Ling Zhuyun to strike at Ye Ming and plunder his destiny.’

’This isn’t a loophole. As long as a Child of Fortune remains alive, the world’s fortune will continuously flow toward him, endlessly tipping the scales in his favor.’

’Under the influence of such a powerful worldly trend, people with great destiny, like Ling Zhuyun, will inevitably be drawn to his side.’

’I still need a massive amount of destiny to nurture the Destiny Dao Fruit and help it grow. So, even though I’ve already caused the rift between Ling Zhuyun and Ye Ming, I’m still not done with Ling Zhuyun.’

’After all, my initial target wasn’t just Ye Ming. Now, I need to continue... ’schooling’ her a bit.’

"It’s fine if Saintess Zhu Yun won’t accept it."

"I’ll find some other way to repay this favor to you," Jiang Lan said casually. He then told everyone to get ready to head out of the Secret Realm.

He had already taken everything worth taking; there was no longer any reason to stay in this place.

Ling Zhuyun, however, stood frozen in place for a moment. She didn’t feel that Jiang Lan owed her any favors. On the contrary, because of everything that had happened, she felt that she owed him and was sorry for having ignored his previous warnings.