Transmigrating into the world of Jade Dynasty, I was targeted by the female lead in a reverse romanc

A week later.

On the southern slope of Liubo Mountain, behind a leeward reef, waves crash against the black rocks not far away, splashing up white foam.

Jiang Xiaochuan stood there, looking at the Taoist priest Cangsong, who stood with his hands behind his back, his Taoist robe fluttering in the sea breeze.

The pine tree stood with its back to him, its form upright, like a lone pine tree perched on a cliff.

"Sister Hongli," Jiang Xiaochuan asked in his mind, his throat a little dry, "can my body really take it? Will he kill me with one slap?"

"I won't die." Hong Li's voice was languid. "It will definitely hurt a little. What, scared?"

"I'm not afraid." Jiang Xiaochuan took a breath, straightened his back, and felt the Xuanhuo Mirror burning slightly on his chest, giving him a little bit of unfounded confidence.

Cang Song slowly turned around. His face was thin and his gaze was sharp as lightning. He looked at Jiang Xiaochuan with scrutiny and a hint of barely perceptible doubt.

"Junior Nephew Jiang, what important matter brings you here?" His voice was calm, devoid of emotion.

Jiang Xiaochuan licked his slightly dry lips, looked up, stared directly into Cangsong's eyes, and spoke:

"Senior Uncle Cangsong, did you... collude with the Demonic Sect's Ten Thousand Poisons Sect?"

As soon as he finished speaking, only the sound of the wind and waves could be heard among the rocks.

The muscles on Cangsong's face tensed almost imperceptibly for a moment, and his eyes suddenly turned cold.

"Junior Brother Jiang, what do you mean by that? To slander an elder is a grave offense."

Jiang Xiaochuan ignored his question about the slander and continued speaking to himself, his voice low but each word clear: "It's because of... Wan Jianyi, Uncle Wan, isn't it?"

Cangsong's body suddenly trembled!

Although he remained standing ramrod straight, Jiang Xiaochuan clearly saw that his hands, which were hanging at his sides, instantly clenched into fists. However, his face still maintained its solemn expression, and even a hint of offended anger surfaced.

"Junior Nephew Jiang! Do you know what nonsense you're spouting? How dare you casually mention Senior Brother Wan's name? If you have no evidence, don't blame your senior uncle for punishing you for defaming an elder and disrupting the sect!"

Jiang Xiaochuan ignored his questioning, turning his gaze to the distant, hazy sea and sky, as if talking to himself:

"Five years ago, outside Grass Temple Village. The black-clad man who fought with the monk Puzhi of Tianyin Temple and used the 'Divine Sword Thunder Control Technique'... that was you, Uncle Master."

Cangsong's pupils contracted sharply, and the color drained from his face, but he quickly regained his composure. He stared at Jiang Xiaochuan with eyes as deep as an icy pool, without uttering a word.

Jiang Xiaochuan turned his head and looked at him again, his tone calm, even with a hint of emotion:

"Throughout Dragon Head Peak and even within the Qingyun Sect, countless disciples revere Uncle Cangsong, saying that you are strict in enforcing the law and fair in handling affairs. You are the right-hand man of the Sect Leader and a pillar of our Qingyun Sect."

He paused, then continued, "Junior Brother Jingyu regards you as his second parent, and reveres you as a deity. You passed the Dragon-Slaying Sword to him...you're treating him like a second Uncle-Master Wan, aren't you?"

Upon hearing "Lin Jingyu" and "Dragon-Slaying Sword," a crack finally appeared on Cangsong's calm face, and his eyes flickered violently.

But he still didn't admit it, only letting out a cold snort: "Junior Nephew Jiang, did you come to me today just to spout these nonsense? If there's nothing else, please leave. The sect rules are strict; you're not allowed to spout nonsense here."

Jiang Xiaochuan took a small step forward, closing the distance, and looked up at Cangsong's gloomy face: "Uncle-Master, you still refuse to acknowledge me?"

"What do I need to acknowledge? Your childish nonsense?"

Cangsong's eyes sharpened, and he raised his hand as if to reprimand him, "Is this how Junior Brother Tian teaches his disciples? It seems that today, your senior uncle will have to discipline you properly!"

Jiang Xiaochuan didn't dodge, but just looked at his raised hand, and suddenly spoke, his voice not loud, but like a thunderclap in Cangsong's ears:

"Master Uncle Wan Jianyi is still alive."

"What?!"

Cangsong suddenly reached out, as fast as lightning, and grabbed Jiang Xiaochuan by the neck!

The force was so great that Jiang Xiaochuan instantly had difficulty breathing and his face turned red. He was lifted so that his feet were slightly off the ground, and he was facing Cangsong's face, which was distorted with extreme shock and excitement.

"What...what did you say? Say it again!" Cangsong's voice was squeezed out from between his teeth, hoarse, trembling, and filled with an almost frantic urgency.

Jiang Xiaochuan's vision blurred and his lungs burned as he was choked, but he still managed to squeeze out a broken voice from his throat: "I... said... Uncle Wan... is... still... alive..."

"Where is he?!" Cangsong roared, his fingers tightening even more.

Jiang Xiaochuan was speechless, and could only shake his head with difficulty.

Cangsong stared intently at him, his eyes churning with turbulent emotions.

The two remained locked in a stalemate, with only the howling sea breeze. After a while, Cang Song slowly loosened his grip and placed Jiang Xiaochuan back on the ground.

Jiang Xiaochuan staggered, clutched his neck, and coughed violently. It took him a while to catch his breath.

"How...how did you know?" Cangsong's voice returned to calm, but the suppressed undercurrent beneath was even more unsettling. He stared at Jiang Xiaochuan as if trying to see right through him.

Jiang Xiaochuan rubbed his aching neck, forced a smile, but didn't answer.

How should I put it? Should I say I've read the script? He lowered his head, brushed non-existent dust off his robes, and began to speak in riddles.

Another long silence followed, with only the tireless waves crashing against the rocks.

Cangsong suddenly spoke, his voice cold: "Tell me your purpose."

Jiang Xiaochuan raised his head and looked at him: "Qingyun Sect is not Qingyun of Dao Xuan Zhenren alone, but Qingyun of all Qingyun people. This disciple hopes that Master Uncle will not make mistakes because of personal grudges and desires, and ruin Qingyun's thousand-year foundation."

"What do you know!"

Cangsong abruptly interrupted him, his face suddenly contorting with agitation and ferocity. He took a step forward, his voice trembling with suppressed rage: "What do you know about what happened back then! Daoxuan... he..."

His chest heaved violently, as if recalling extremely painful memories, but the words he was about to say stuck in his throat, turning into a short, bitter, and indignant laugh.

"How dare this brat spout such nonsense!"

"There are hidden reasons for what happened back then." Jiang Xiaochuan met his piercing gaze with a calm voice, "Perhaps it's not what my senior uncle thinks."

"Hidden story?" Cangsong's eyes were mocking, as if he had heard the biggest joke in the world.

"Tell me, what secrets could have led him to treat Senior Brother Wan so cruelly?! What could have made him... treat Senior Brother Wan..." He couldn't finish his sentence, his eyes reddening slightly.

He took a deep breath, suppressing his turbulent emotions. His eyes regained their cold, sharp intensity as he stared at Jiang Xiaochuan, saying each word clearly, "What would happen if I killed you right now?"

Jiang Xiaochuan met his gaze, then suddenly smiled, a smile tinged with the arrogance unique to young people, unaware of their own limitations: "Uncle-Master can't kill me."

He had Sister Hongli, he thought to himself.

Cangsong narrowed his eyes, his gaze sharp as a knife, scraping across him.

Jiang Xiaochuan stood with his back straight, neither dodging nor avoiding.

A stalemate. The wind grew colder.

After a long silence, Jiang Xiaochuan spoke again, his voice clear: "Ten years. Give me ten years, and I can let my senior uncle see Master Wan with his own eyes."

Cangsong shuddered and stared intently at him.

"The premise is that during these ten years, you must not betray Qingyun, nor collude with the Demonic Sect. You must be a good leader of Dragon Head Peak. After ten years, if you see Master Wan, how you plead your case and confess your sins to the Sect Leader will be up to you."

"Why should I believe you?" Cangsong's voice was dry.

"The opportunity is right in front of you, Master Uncle." Jiang Xiaochuan spread his hands. "Believe it or not, the choice is yours. This is all I have to say."

Cangsong stopped speaking, but looked at the boy in front of him with a completely new and extremely complex gaze.

He knew of Tian Buyi's lazy disciple, of course. He was talented, even better than Lin Jingyu. He had once defeated Puzhi, who had fallen into demonic possession, and defeated Qi Hao two years ago. He knew that Tian Buyi had withstood the Divine Sword Thunder Control Technique at the Seven Veins Martial Arts Tournament. But he never thought that this seemingly carefree and lazy boy would know so many secrets and dare to stand in front of him and say such things.

Only the sound of the wind remained on the reef.

After a while, Cangsong's shoulders slumped almost imperceptibly, as if a heavy burden had been lifted, or as if he had aged considerably in an instant.

He exhaled a long, slow breath, closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, the turbulent emotions in his eyes had subsided, leaving only a deep weariness.

"I... I agree." His voice was low, carrying a sense of helplessness as if he were admitting defeat.

Jiang Xiaochuan breathed a sigh of relief, but didn't show it on his face. He thought for a moment and then said, "There's one more thing. Does Uncle Master have anything he obtained from the Ten Thousand Poisons Sect? Like... a seven-tailed centipede?"

Cangsong suddenly looked up, his eyes filled with undisguised shock: "You even knew that?!"

Jiang Xiaochuan didn't answer, he just stretched out his hand.

Cangsong's expression changed, and after hesitating for a moment, he finally took out a jade box about an inch long from his bosom. He opened it, and inside lay a ferocious centipede with seven thin tails forked at its tail. It was motionless, as if it were asleep.

Jiang Xiaochuan originally intended to take it and crush it, but Hong Li's voice suddenly rang in his mind: "Wait, kid, this thing... try eating it."

"Huh?" Jiang Xiaochuan was taken aback, wondering to himself, "Eat? You can eat this?"

"Just eat what I tell you to eat. What are you dawdling for? I'm here, you won't die," Hongli said impatiently.

Jiang Xiaochuan felt a chill run down his spine as he looked at the ferocious centipede.

But remembering Hong Li's words, he gritted his teeth, steeled his heart, reached out and grabbed the sleeping seven-tailed centipede, and, to Cang Song's astonishment, stuffed it into his mouth and swallowed it whole.

A cool, slippery sensation in my throat quickly disappeared, and I felt nothing at all.

Cangsong stared at him in disbelief, as if he were a madman. After a long while, he asked in a hoarse voice, "You...you're alright?"

Jiang Xiaochuan smacked his lips and shook his head: "I don't feel anything."

Cangsong seemed to have all his strength drained away in an instant. He staggered back a step and leaned against the cold reef. He stared blankly at Jiang Xiaochuan, then looked down at his empty hands. His expression was a mixture of crying and laughing, indescribable. In that short moment, he seemed to have aged decades.

Jiang Xiaochuan cupped his hands in greeting, said nothing more, and turned to leave the reef.

Even after walking a long way, he could still feel that heavy, complex gaze following him from behind.

Meanwhile, thousands of miles away, at the headquarters of the Demonic Sect's Ten Thousand Poisons Cult.

In the dimly lit hall, the Poison God suddenly opened his eyes and looked at the incense table in front of him. On the incense table was an identical jade box. Inside the box, another seven-tailed centipede suddenly twitched violently, and then with a soft "snap," its shell shattered, its juices flowed out, and it instantly froze to death.

The Poison God's face suddenly turned ashen, his eyes flashing with cold light.

Your Highness, Qin Wuyan, dressed in white with a delicate face, stood with his head bowed. Upon seeing this, a hint of surprise and doubt flashed in his eyes.

Seven-tailed centipedes, born in pairs, bound by fate, sharing both glory and ruin.

The Poison God stared at the dead centipede, slowly uttering a few words through clenched teeth, their tone chilling:

"Well done... like a towering pine tree!"