The Villainess Refuses to Repent

Due to the urgency of Ye Chuxue's condition, the spirit vessel cut straight through the clouds, racing toward the ruins of the Yaowang Sect.

They encountered a few bumps along the way, but thanks to the cooperation of Gu Qingyuan and the others, they made it through safely.

Half a month later, the vessel finally arrived and docked at the ancient site.

Ever since the ruins of the Yaowang Sect reappeared over two decades ago, cultivators had been flocking there in waves. Everyone wanted a chance to try their luck—hoping to be the chosen one who would inherit the legacy of the once-mighty sect.

As they stepped down from the spirit vessel, they happened to cross paths with a cultivator emerging from the ruins.

The man's expression was filled with frustration and disappointment, clearly having come out empty-handed.

Ye Chuxue pressed her lips together, anxiety fluttering in her chest. With Song Wanníng refusing to help, they had no other options. According to rumors, the Yaowang Sect's inheritance included a pill formula that could purge all poisons under heaven—fierce and unrivaled.

That formula was exactly what they had come for.

Without delay, the group entered through the barrier into the ruins.

Not even fifteen minutes later, a shadowy figure appeared at the gate.

Clad in long robes that suppressed her spiritual presence, the person wore a golden mask that covered her face, leaving only her eyes exposed. Her gaze was sharp, her posture tall and composed.

It was none other than Song Wanníng, the one who was supposedly in seclusion. Her closed-door cultivation had been a ruse. She had come here in secret to claim the Yaowang Sect's inheritance for herself.

In her previous life, it was Ye Chuxue who discovered the legacy hidden within these ruins. Despite knowing nothing about alchemy at the time, she had walked away a grandmaster, hailed as a rising star in the cultivation world.

Those who once sought Song Wanníng for pills turned on her overnight, ridiculing her without mercy.

Fueled by anger, Song Wanníng had challenged Ye Chuxue to an alchemy duel, desperate to prove herself.

And she had lost.

That single loss had turned her into a laughingstock. Ye Chuxue, meanwhile, used her victory to rise to fame, celebrated as a prodigy across the realm. Praise for Ye Chuxue always came with a fresh round of mockery for Song Wanníng.

Under that relentless pressure, her resentment had reached its peak, and she spiraled down a path of no return.

Now that she had the chance to do it all over again, there was no way she would let history repeat itself. She had to stop it at the source.

Still, destiny was not so easily rewritten. Song Wanníng wasn't sure she could win against heaven's will. Her eyes darkened slightly as she withdrew all signs of her cultivation and silently entered the ruins.

From the outside, the ruins looked like they were sealed within a shimmering spiritual barrier, hazy and impenetrable.

But inside, a whole other world unfolded.

Palaces towered toward the sky like ancient giants frozen in time, casting long shadows over the earth.

Their foundations were carved from massive stones, smoothed and shaped with meticulous care. The support columns were as thick as ancient trees, requiring several people to encircle. Each pillar was etched with mysterious, age-worn markings—some depicting celestial patterns, others chronicling the legends of forgotten tribes.

Eaves arched and layered overhead. The roof tiles were neatly arranged, their glossy surface glinting like glass beneath the sunlight. But alongside these majestic structures were crumbling paths, overgrown with weeds and lined with murky green ponds. The contrast made the splendor seem even more surreal.

There was a strange beauty to it all.

Song Wanníng had once been here before.

The Yaowang Sect was one of the greatest sects of the ancient era, famed not only for its exceptional alchemists but also for its disciples' formidable cultivation. Their influence, backed by a near-endless supply of pills, had spanned the entire cultivation world. And yet, they vanished overnight—sect, mountain, and all. Their disappearance had shaken the world to its core.

All that remained were legends passed down in scrolls, stories that stirred the blood of generations.

No one could have expected the ruins to suddenly reappear over twenty years ago, like a spark thrown into dry grass, igniting the ambitions of countless cultivators. Since then, waves of treasure-seekers had poured into the ruins, combing the buildings for a chance at inheritance, hoping to change their fate.

As someone with a deep passion for alchemy, Song Wanníng could not let such an opportunity slip by. She had once searched the ruins for months without finding anything, and returned home with nothing but disappointment.

Looking back now, she realized that the ruins had reappeared the same year Ye Chuxue was born…

"So this was something the heavens had prepared just for her. Of course I had gained nothing."

Song Wanníng clenched her fists.

So what if the heavens favored her?

If she wanted something, she would fight for it, even if it meant staring down a heavenly tribulation.

She had never believed in fate.

And she certainly wasn't afraid of death.

The only thing she feared—was dying as miserably as she had before.

She buried the emotions roiling inside her and continued weaving through the ruins. Along the way, she encountered a few other cultivators. Everyone eyed each other warily, ready to strike if threatened.

With her face masked and her aura suppressed, Song Wanníng's presence was both mysterious and imposing—no one dared provoke her.

…

"Cough... cough..."

Ye Chuxue clutched her chest, her body racked with coughing fits.

Just moments after entering the main hall, she had been separated from the others. Whether it was a spatial trick or a hidden formation, she couldn't tell.

Her chest burned with pain.

The image of Song Wanníng's arrogant face flashed in her mind, fueling her fury.

If it weren't for that woman poisoning her pills, she wouldn't be in this state.

She never wanted to beg Song Wanníng for help again. Never.

This time, she would find the inheritance herself.

She would trample Song Wanníng underfoot, and slap that smug face until it shattered.

That thought rekindled her fighting spirit. Even though her body was weak, her confidence surged.

Since entering the ruins, she had been feeling a subtle guiding force, like something was drawing her forward.

"I was a transmigrator, after all. A child of destiny. The true heroine."

That thought made her move faster, heading straight toward the nearest chamber door. As the door closed behind her, she thought she saw someone enter just before it shut.

"Could someone else feel the pull of this inheritance too?"

She had to hurry. She couldn't let them take it first.

…

Following the trail of toxins, Song Wanníng arrived at the grand hall just in time to see the doors swing shut—and caught a glimpse of Ye Chuxue slipping inside.

Her lips curled, a glint of sharpness flashing in her eyes.

If Gu Qingyuan found out that the pill he had begged for on his knees was part of the trap that ruined his disciple's future, he might actually cough up blood.

She turned her attention to the grand hall.

Most sects had a dedicated hall for passing down inheritances. These usually included layered trials, designed to test potential candidates for talent, perception, and willpower.

If she was right, this should be the inheritance hall of the Yaowang Sect.

Song Wanníng's expression turned serious.

Since she was here, there was no way she would let anyone else take it.

As for who would win in the end—let their strength decide.

Soon, she located a formation node and pressed her palm against it. A hidden door slowly appeared.

Ye Chuxue had seen the door immediately. Song Wanníng had to find it herself.

The heavens were clearly playing favorites.

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If you haven't checked out my deep dive on 'Luck' in xianxia yet, I've dropped a link in the comments! It'll give you the full breakdown—how it works, why it's OP. and why it very important for cultivator. Hope it helps unravel those 'plot armor' moments for you! (･ω<)☆"