True Heir of Chaos: From Villainess to Empress

Ying Luo swiftly took the jade slip and left to arrange the formation. Jian Dan, as usual, remained leisurely sprawled out. A voice echoed in her mind—Liu Chuan had something to say.

"You're just going to hand over a formation to Mo Ying Peak for free? That's not like you."

"Oh? What am I like, then?"

"You're the type who won't get up without profit. Even wild geese passing overhead wouldn't escape plucking if you could help it. And now you're suddenly generous?"

Jian Dan choked slightly on her wine. Grinding her teeth, she finally said,

"'When poor, one cultivates themselves. When capable, one aids all beings.' Is that so wrong?"

"I don't buy it." Liu Chuan's answer was mercilessly blunt.

Jian Dan sighed. It was clear he wouldn't stop until he got an explanation. Given that he was an important combat partner, she figured she might as well indulge him a little.

"You really don't know how you fell out of the Purple-grade secret realm?"

"Tch. I was careless."

"In the cultivation world, 'careless' equals death."

This time, Liu Chuan fell silent.

"Honestly, I'm not sure what awaits us in the Ming Valley. But I keep feeling like its unrest has something to do with that foreign black-armored beetle."

"You're saying it found a crack in the dimensional barrier—used the Ming Valley, which clings to the edge of the Lingyun Continent, as a passage to infiltrate the cultivation realm."

"Exactly. I think the presence of nether beasts is what's slowing their invasion. The beasts don't want to die, so they resist. That's what caused the chaos."

"And what does that have to do with you giving out spirit stones like candy?"

"Cough. This is called extending goodwill. And more importantly, these fated opportunities emerging everywhere—they belong to the cultivation world. Tell me, if the Heavenly Dao is bestowing so many fortunes, isn't that a sign of it trying to save itself?"

A crack of purple lightning split the sky.

Jian Dan and Liu Chuan instantly stopped talking.

"Chuan, lovely weather today."

"Lovely, my foot! Didn't you see the lightning just now?"

"Alright, let's change the subject. Something safer."

"How do you even know when these fortunes are appearing?"

"Shhh. That's a secret."

Even as she joked, Jian Dan's heart stirred. A wave of unease washed through her. Maybe the real reason she had been reborn was precisely to scatter these fortunes across the world. Perhaps the Heavenly Dao had chosen her as its agent to cultivate more top-tier combatants.

She shut down the thought immediately. Better to remain willfully ignorant. Focus on what was right in front of her.

—

The next day, Jian Dan stood atop Mo Ying Peak, pleased with the blooming peach blossom barrier formation. With her newly appointed steward, Ying Luo, she headed for Cai Xia Peak for their appointment.

As they flew, Ying Luo handed her a jade slip.

"Jūnshàng, this was delivered by a steward from the Hua family. It contains information you requested."

"I see. In the future, anything from the Hua family comes directly to me."

"Yes, Jūnshàng."

Sweeping it with her divine sense, Jian Dan discovered a full report on Du Yanran. The Hua family had dug deep—her manipulation by Yin-Yang Gate cultivators, her ploy involving a treasure map to escape Bao Jūnshàng's clutches, her feigned innocence, her trail into Mo Rong City, how she slipped her stalkers and headed toward the central Lingyun region.

Jian Dan smiled. That was just like Du Yanran. Ruthless and clever. But it also confirmed Jian Dan's suspicion—clinging to a single opportunity hadn't given Du Yanran many benefits. She even needed a Lingrong Pill to stabilize her cultivation. Knowing her rival was in a precarious state lifted Jian Dan's mood.

They hadn't crossed blades yet, but Jian Dan had no doubt Du Yanran would try something soon. She would be ready.

Just as their light descended onto the outer peak, Jian Dan spotted a scene ahead.

A tall female demon cultivator blocked a grim-looking male cultivator. Both were at late Foundation Establishment and clearly outer peak disciples.

"Lei Li, you tricked my junior sister into handing over her sect contribution points. What's your angle?"

"Step aside. She gave them willingly. None of your business."

"Ha! You're a new disciple and already matched my cultivation. How many female cultivators have you swindled?"

"Don't get in my way. If you're not satisfied, let's settle it on the arena."

"Think I won't? Let's go. Outer sect arena. Now."

The female cultivator turned to leave, but Lei Li bolted in the opposite direction, clearly having no intention of fighting.

Jian Dan watched the scene unfold. This Lei Li… he seemed familiar.

Suddenly, it clicked. She had hunted high and low, only to find him right in front of her.

He was the same Heavenly Demon Palace disciple who had hunted her in her previous life. The one tied to Du Yanran. That egg had probably come from him.

"Young man, didn't you agree to settle this on the arena? Now you're running away?" She took a single step forward and blocked his path. Lei Li's face drained of color. The black robes adorned with Manjushahua patterns were unmistakable.

He knew exactly who she was.

The female cultivator also noticed he hadn't followed. Turning around, she saw the newly appointed master of Mo Yue Peak and bowed at once.

"Cai Xia Peak outer disciple Ni Na greets Mo Yue Jūnshàng."

"Outer disciple Lei Li greets Mo Yue Jūnshàng."

"No need for formality. Continue. You two were heading to the arena?"

Lei Li felt the Jūnshàng's gaze bore into him. He shivered.

"It was just a quarrel, not a real challenge."

"Oh? So you're planning to return my junior sister's contribution points?"

Ni Na saw him shrink back and decided to capitalize on the situation.

"Lei Li, you should return what you took."

Jian Dan intervened.

"Ni Na, that's not appropriate."

Ni Na was stunned. She had sensed the Jūnshàng's dislike of Lei Li. Why defend him now?

Still, she asked,

"Please advise me, Jūnshàng."

"You're loyal, that's commendable. But did your junior sister ask you to retrieve her points?"

"Not… exactly."

"Then it's her business, not yours. Maybe it's a private game between them."

"Thank you for the guidance. I understand."

"Make sure you do."

With that, Jian Dan and Ying Luo vanished, heading for the Observation Pavilion atop the peak.

Lei Li, drenched in cold sweat, made a beeline to the outer sect mission hall, picked up a beast-hunting task, and fled the Heavenly Demon Palace without looking back.

Watching him go, Jian Dan smirked.

Now let's see what you're really made of.