After the Mad Villain Is Reborn - Chapter 4

It was so cold.

Jiang Youbai’s lips pressed against Shen Changchuan’s ice-cold lips. It was like a dragonfly skimming the water; they touched slowly and collided gently. As they touched, spiritual energy flowed according to his guidance and returned into Shen Changchuan’s body.

However, Jiang Youbai’s thoughts were entirely consumed by the sensation of Shen Changchuan’s lips.

Those soft, thin lips were just like the man himself: cold and untouchable. Yet, as the other’s lips became stained with his warmth, he felt a surge of excitement.

Even if it was only for a fleeting moment.

If such a brief touch felt this pleasant, what would it be like if he went a little further?

His thoughts wandered. Behind Shen Changchuan, the ice along every step he had taken began to slowly crack and melt. The withered vegetation, which should have lost its vitality, regained its brilliance. The melting ice and snow turned into dew, dotting the leaves like morning dew and waiting for the rising sun.

Jiang Youbai’s claim that he would follow him in death was a lie. Since he had been given a second chance, he had no intention of dying again so soon after coming back to life. Furthermore, if anyone wanted his life, they would have to see if they were capable of taking it.

After returning the borrowed spiritual energy to Shen Changchuan, Jiang Youbai did not pull away immediately. Instead, his half-lidded gaze drifted downward and settled on Shen Changchuan’s neck. That segment of fair skin was laced with visible veins and tendons, with a vibrant power seemingly coiled beneath, pulsating and ready to surge. The scent belonging to an adult man was laid bare, tempting Jiang Youbai’s animal instincts.

He only needed to bite down, and that fragile human neck would snap and turn into his prey.

In his previous life, Jiang Youbai would have suppressed all such desires. To him, Shen Changchuan was his savior, his Master, and the one who taught him to distinguish right from wrong. He was the moon in the sky that was impossible to reach; he had yearned for him but never dared to disturb his peace.

But now…

Jiang Youbai’s eyes darkened. He lowered his head, his sharp teeth pressing against the skin where the veins were visible, and blood welled up.

“Manipulating my mind?” A cold, sharp voice emanated from above, like a pouring of freezing spring water. The next second, the back of Jiang Youbai’s neck was yanked by the man, forcing him to release his grip on Shen Changchuan’s neck and tilt his head to meet the other’s gaze.

Demonic beasts possessed an innate ability that grew alongside their demonic power, becoming their unique advantage. Jiang Youbai’s talent was to manipulate a person’s mind through eye contact, rendering them completely submissive to him.

“Ugh…” Jiang Youbai realized that after returning Shen Changchuan’s spiritual energy, the pain in his body had not subsided; it was intensifying. The demonic energy, mixed with something else, was rampaging through his meridians. He frowned but did not show too much; instead, he looked back at Shen Changchuan. “I am not dying anytime soon. I am afraid the Head Seat will be disappointed.”

Shen Changchuan gripped him as if holding a rabbit, his expression unchanged, though the strength in his hand did not waver. “I want you alive.”

Jiang Youbai: “…”

Whether it was because he had just been reborn and his mind was a mess, or because the demonic energy and the mysterious substance were wreaking havoc within him, he sensed that he was in no state to clash head-on with Shen Changchuan. Thus, he offered a well-behaved smile. “If you guarantee that no one in the Shangqing Sect will kill me, I will go back with you.”

Shen Changchuan’s expression was indifferent, his words carrying an unquestionable air of command: “They cannot kill you.”

Jiang Youbai did not actually believe in any oaths, nor did he care if the people of the Shangqing Sect killed him. However, just before he completely lost consciousness, he seemed to catch the faint, clean scent of pear blossoms.

Shen Changchuan, you brought this upon yourself.

He had never intended to return to the Shangqing Sect, but since he could not avoid it, he would not regret destroying them once more. This time, he would take Shen Changchuan’s life as well!

The wind wailed, and the beasts roared.

In the dead of night, the Shangqing Sect should have been serene, filled only with the sound of a gentle breeze and babbling streams. Yet, at this moment, panic erupted like a tidal wave.

Jiang Youbai emerged from his room and felt the tremors beneath his feet; the entire Shangqing Sect was shaking. He rushed rapidly toward where the crowd had gathered.

As soon as he stepped out, he realized what had happened.

The demonic beasts kept within the Shangqing Sect had somehow gone berserk, broken free, and injured many disciples, killing anyone in their path.

Jiang Youbai’s demonic energy had been concealed by Shen Changchuan’s spells. For years in the Shangqing Sect, he had never been discovered, and these beasts could not smell a fellow creature on him, treating him as human. Consequently, the attacks fell upon him as well.

He knocked out the beasts along the way until he reached the main peak, where the senior disciple, Tang Ci, was presiding over the situation.

The disciples had gathered at the main peak, where the barrier could still hold for a while, but the beasts were so frantic that they would soon break through.

“What do we do? So many demonic beasts have escaped, and their power is even higher than before! It is like out-of-control fireworks!”

Everyone looked at Tang Ci; he was their backbone now.

Jiang Youbai stood in the crowd, watching Tang Ci in the distance. The man was tall, his thin, gauze-like robes draped over him like flowing silk. Spiritual energy swirled around him. His expression was gentle, and even faced with such a situation, he showed no sign of panic. When he spoke, he calmed the frightened disciples: “The Sect Leader is in seclusion. With the beasts suddenly going mad, we must protect the peace of the Shangqing Sect. Disciples above the Qi Refining stage, protect your juniors! Those at Golden Core and above, follow me to slay those ferocious beasts!”

“Yes!” With Tang Ci there, the disciples seemed to lose their initial fear, filled only with the thought of protecting the sect. The cry was thunderous and pierced the clouds.

Tang Ci turned his head, smiling softly to comfort the person beside him. “Xiao Yuan, do not be afraid. Your seniors will protect you.”

Beside Tang Ci stood a refined figure. Although he was half a head shorter than Tang Ci, he still looked outstanding. He was thin and had very fair skin. Seeming startled, he hid behind Tang Ci and said, “Thank you, Senior Brother. These beasts suddenly went mad; one nearly bit me just a moment ago. It is fortunate you arrived in time.”

“What! The beasts nearly bit the Junior Brother!”

“Damn these beasts, watch me go and kill them all!”

Hearing that Mu Jiyuan had nearly been harmed, the surrounding disciples were suddenly filled with righteous indignation.

Jiang Youbai stood there, out of place among the disciples who cared so much for Mu Jiyuan. He seemed to not belong, isolated by everyone. He watched the scene quietly; this was a scene that had once centered on him.

He did not know when it had changed to this.

Just then, the beasts broke through the crumbling barrier. A white tiger pounced in, aiming its jaws at a Shangqing disciple.

Spiritual and demonic power intertwined throughout the sect. The immense pressure made Jiang Youbai feel uncomfortable, as if something within him was tearing and waiting to break free.

He looked at the beast pouncing toward him and channeled his spiritual energy. He had no intention of hurting the beasts and only meant to knock them out, but they ignored his attempts at mercy and struck to kill.

More and more beasts lunged at him. He struggled to fend them off and was knocked to the ground by a giant black wolf. He glanced sideways and saw Tang Ci, who was nearest to him, fighting another beast. He hesitated for a moment and shouted, “Senior Brother, save me!”

However, another voice rang out immediately after: “Senior Brother, save me!!!”

It was Mu Jiyuan.

Tang Ci paused slightly, acting as if he had not heard Jiang Youbai’s plea, and headed straight toward Mu Jiyuan in the distance.

Jiang Youbai watched Tang Ci leave and calmly withdrew his gaze. A trace of expected disappointment flashed in his eyes.

As expected.

Tang Ci was only five meters away; he must have heard his plea. It was just that the Junior Brother was more important.

He had been here long enough; he should be used to it.

As the black wolf’s fangs pierced his skin, the imprisoned demonic power ignited and broke through the barriers in his meridians. Crimson blood rose in Jiang Youbai’s amber pupils. In that moment, he did not even know what he had done.

He only knew that he had thrown the black wolf off him, sending it slamming into a nearby stone wall with a howl. He stood up slowly, and surging demonic energy overflowed from his body. The surrounding beasts, which had been eyeing him like predators, suddenly acted wilted and crouched on the ground as if in submission.

Silvery-white feathers emerged from behind Jiang Youbai. The spell that had hidden his demonic nature lost its effect and revealed his true form.

Moonlight poured down like silk, spilling onto Jiang Youbai. His silver tail emitted a faint, radiant light. He stood between heaven and earth, his fair, jade-like face appearing as if sculpted from the bright moon in the sky. The red hue in his eyes and the small mole beneath his eye were extraordinarily striking and vivid as blood-red agate.

But soon, the crimson in Jiang Youbai’s eyes faded. He looked at the scene of mutual destruction around him and let his demonic energy sweep across the entire Shangqing Sect. The beasts grew silent; that madness vanished after his power washed over them.

Yet, while the beasts quieted down, the Shangqing disciples did not stop. In an instant, the screams of the beasts and the scent of blood filled every corner of the sect.

“Do not!”

Jiang Youbai did not know how far or how long he ran. He told every disciple he encountered to let the beasts go; they had calmed down and would not hurt anyone.

But his fellow disciples looked at him with the same gaze they held for the other beasts, filled with hatred and contempt.

“Jiang Youbai, you are a demonic beast too!”

“You have been lurking in our Shangqing Sect all these years just for this, have you not?”

“You were the one who secretly let those beasts go all these years!”

“You deceived everyone, even the Senior Brother and the Sect Leader!”

“The madness of the beasts today was your doing! You wanted to destroy the Shangqing Sect while the Sect Leader was in seclusion!”

“Bah, ungrateful wolf!”

No, it is not… I am not…

On the other side, the beasts lying in pools of blood, or pinned under the disciples’ swords, glared at Jiang Youbai and roared at him.

Jiang Youbai understood what they were saying.

“You traitor, you are actually helping humans kill us!”

“Turncoat, I am going to tear you apart!”

“You are a demonic beast yourself, yet you became a human’s lapdog!”

Jiang Youbai stood in the midst of it all, yet felt he was not there at all.

Surrounded by insults, he faintly heard a voice, cool as snow, drifting through his mind and drowning out all other sounds.

“Perhaps, one day, humans and demonic beasts can coexist in peace.”

That was what he had hoped for, and what Shen Changchuan had hoped for, but it was not what the Shangqing Sect, nor the Cultivation Alliance, nor the Three Realms hoped for.

He was wrong. He should not have foolishly imagined that in this world of survival of the fittest, the humans at the top of the food chain could coexist with them.

Crimson climbed back into Jiang Youbai’s pupils. He looked at the carcasses of the beasts in the sea of blood and at his former fellow disciples, who were now holding their swords and surrounding him.

Tang Ci walked through the crowd and approached him. His brow knit together. “Jiang Youbai, you are actually a beast. You deceived us and the Master. You really… you are something else!”

He stopped five meters from Jiang Youbai and looked at him. His former gentleness was gone, leaving only coldness. “Today, I will cleanse the sect on behalf of our Master!”

Just as he was about to strike, a figure flashed before him. Mu Jiyuan blocked his path. “Senior Brother, be careful!”

Tang Ci reacted quickly. As he pulled Mu Jiyuan behind him, he moved to the side and thrust his sword at Jiang Youbai. Although Mu Jiyuan had been blocking him, the sword still pierced straight into Jiang Youbai’s dantian. Tang Ci stared at him with eyes as cold as ice. He was usually so gentle that everyone had forgotten he was taught personally by Shen Changchuan; the chill in his brow was identical to his Master’s.

“No one is allowed to hurt my Junior Brother!”

Tang Ci’s spiritual sword instantly pried out Jiang Youbai’s demon core. Jiang Youbai had not even reacted. Throughout everything, he never expected Tang Ci to show no shred of fellow-feeling, piercing his vital points, nor that he would be so vicious as to take his core.

In the next second, Tang Ci did not even give him a chance to explain or resist; he crushed the silver-white demon core directly.

Blood flowed from Jiang Youbai’s mouth and body, soaking his robes. The blood even dripped to his feet and pooled into a puddle.

Wrong. Everything was wrong!

Shen Changchuan lied to him. It was he who harmed so many beasts!

Jiang Youbai’s eyes were covered in a desperate, murderous intent. He allowed his animal nature to seize his body and surrendered his soul to his instincts.

He would make the Shangqing Sect pay the price for his kind!

Jiang Youbai’s consciousness became dim. In a trance, he only heard Tang Ci’s scream and the panicked cries of other disciples.

Firelight and blood intertwined and blurred the colors. He only heard voices around him: “Jiang Youbai has gone mad!” “The Senior Brother has been killed by Jiang Youbai!” and so on.

Until a golden light flashed at his feet. A formation array pushed him back and trapped him on the cliff edge. He stood there as if he were merely out to admire the night view if one ignored his blood-stained face.

The rune array rose from his feet to his head and trapped him. It contained immense spiritual power that made it impossible for him to break free.

“Go to hell, you beast!”

Jiang Youbai sneered. Just as he was about to make a desperate final stand, a figure as white as snow flashed from the horizon and fell like the moon from the sky.

In the next second, Jiang Youbai felt a sharp pain in his chest. His body felt light, and he flew backward, like a kite with a broken string, and plummeted straight off the cliff.

He met the cold gaze from the cliff edge. Despair and sorrow spread through his eyes once more.

As expected, it was all fake. Everything was a lie.

Shen Changchuan.