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

Su Ru rushed over excitedly: "Xiao Chuan! You're awake? How are you feeling? Where does it hurt?"

Jiang Xiaochuan blinked, seemingly not fully awake yet.

He opened his mouth, his voice terribly hoarse: "Master's wife... I... am thirsty..."

"Okay, okay, drink some water." Su Ru quickly went to pour some water.

Lu Xueqi also stood up, her fingers unconsciously gripping the hem of her clothes, her eyes fixed on him.

Jiang Xiaochuan tried to sit up by supporting himself on the bed, but he didn't have much strength, and his arms went limp, causing him to fall back down.

Su Ru quickly helped him up and held the water glass to his lips.

He sipped his drink slowly, his eyes slowly moving, scanning the room, and finally landing on Lu Xueqi standing at the foot of the bed.

When Lu Xueqi met his gaze, her body stiffened almost imperceptibly, and her fingers clenched even tighter.

Jiang Xiaochuan looked at her for a few seconds, then suddenly forced a weak smile, his voice still hoarse: "Xueqi... why... why is your face so dark?"

Lu Xueqi was startled and subconsciously raised her hand to touch her face. Her hand was still covered with the black ash left from when she wiped his face earlier.

Su Ru looked over and couldn't help but laugh: "Xueqi wiped your face, but ended up getting herself all dusty."

Lu Xueqi blushed slightly, lowered her head, and remained silent.

Jiang Xiaochuan smiled, but the smile quickly faded. He closed his eyes, as if sensing something. His brows slowly furrowed.

Su Ru and Lu Xueqi both looked at him nervously.

After a while, Jiang Xiaochuan opened his eyes again, his gaze somewhat strange, as if confused, or perhaps... helpless?

"What's wrong, Xiao Chuan? Are you feeling unwell?" Su Ru asked.

Jiang Xiaochuan shook his head, his voice lowered: "It's nothing... it's just... I feel... my body seems... a little different."

"How is it different?" Su Ru pressed.

Jiang Xiaochuan did not answer immediately.

He closed his eyes again, this time for even longer. His brows furrowed deeper and deeper, and his expression became increasingly...interesting?

Su Ru and Lu Xueqi exchanged a glance, both seeing worry in each other's eyes.

Finally, Jiang Xiaochuan opened his eyes again, his confusion turning into disbelief, and even a hint of... absurdity?

He opened his mouth, but after a long pause, he managed to utter a few words, his voice dry and strained:

"My... cultivation level... seems to have... dropped."

The room was deathly silent.

Su Ru's smile froze. Lu Xueqi looked up abruptly, her face turning deathly pale.

"Did it fall?" Su Ru's voice was tense. "How much did you lose?"

Jiang Xiaochuan swallowed, his Adam's apple bobbing, his voice becoming even drier:

"It seems... I've fallen to... the third level of Jade Purity."

"boom!"

Lu Xueqi felt as if something had exploded in her head. Her vision went black, and she swayed, almost losing her balance. She grabbed the bedpost, her fingers digging into the wood.

Jade Purity...three levels?

He withstood the Divine Sword Thunder Control Technique head-on, only to lose cultivation level? Down to... the third level?

How is this possible? This isn't right! This doesn't make sense!

But... if it wasn't because of this, what else could it be? Because of her? Because of that lightning?

She suddenly looked at Jiang Xiaochuan, her lips trembling as if she wanted to say something, but her throat felt like it was blocked by something, and she couldn't utter a single word. Only the light in her eyes dimmed little by little, until finally only a cold, lifeless gray remained.

It's her. It really is her.

Not only did they almost kill him, but they also... crippled his cultivation?

The thought was like a red-hot knife, stabbing fiercely into her heart and then twisting violently. The pain sent chills down her spine, and her limbs trembled uncontrollably.

Su Ru was also stunned and remained silent for a long time. She looked at Jiang Xiaochuan, then at Lu Xueqi, who was pale and swaying, and felt a heavy weight on her heart, as if a huge rock was pressing down on it.

The room was eerily quiet. The only sound was the faint crackling of the light bulb.

Just then.

"Hey, don't make that face."

A lazy, slightly teasing female voice suddenly rang in Jiang Xiaochuan's mind.

Jiang Xiaochuan was startled and almost jumped out of bed. But he was too weak to jump; he just stared wide-eyed, looking like he'd seen a ghost.

"Sister Hong, Sister Hongli?!" he exclaimed inwardly.

"Hmm, it's me."

Hong Li's voice sounded like she was in a good mood, even a little... gloating?

"Surprised? Unexpected? Your sister Hongli has woken up."

"When...when did you wake up?" Jiang Xiaochuan asked in his mind.

"Just now. When that lightning struck, it had a lot of energy, and I absorbed some of it, which woke me up," Hong Li said casually.

"Did you take a little?" Jiang Xiaochuan's lips twitched.

"How much did you smoke?"

"Not much, not much."

Hong Li chuckled, "So... I just absorbed you down from the ninth level of Jade Purity to the third. While I'm at it, I also healed all those messy internal injuries, bruises, and the damage from this lightning strike. How about that? Aren't you touched? Isn't your sister Hong Li good to you?"

Jiang Xiaochuan: "..."

Touched? He was so touched he wanted to curse!

Jade Purity Ninth Floor Dropped to Third Floor! Is this what you call "not much"? Is this what you call "just by chance"?

"Sister Hongli! You..." Jiang Xiaochuan wailed inwardly, "I've cultivated so diligently for so many years, and you absorbed six levels of my cultivation in one go? Do you know how long it took me to cultivate to the ninth level?!"

"I know."

Hongli smiled as always, "That's why I cured your body. You're much stronger than before. Try it and see, get out of bed and run a couple of laps. I guarantee you'll feel as light as a feather and have boundless strength."

"Why would I need such a robust body!"

Jiang Xiaochuan was on the verge of tears. "I need cultivation! Cultivation! Jade Purity Level 3! If I go out now, not only Qi Hao and Lu Xueqi, but even Zeng Shushu could easily crush me!"

Hong Li didn't take it seriously: "What's there to be afraid of? You can just practice again if you lose your cultivation. Your talent isn't bad, and with the guidance of an ancient god like me, plus the bones and heart that I've modified, your cultivation will be twice as effective. It won't be long before you regain it, and you might even reach a higher level."

Jiang Xiaochuan: "..."

What else could he say? He had nothing to say.

"Oh, right."

Hongli suddenly remembered something and her tone became more serious, "Those two outside, one is your master's wife, and the other is that little girl named Lu Xueqi, right? I saw that little girl's face was as white as paper, she was about to faint. You should quickly explain, don't let her really think that she ruined your cultivation. Young girls are often thoughtful, don't let her develop inner demons."

Jiang Xiaochuan was stunned for a moment, then suddenly came to his senses.

Yes. Lu Xueqi is still here. Seeing his cultivation level drop, who knows what she's thinking.

He quickly opened his eyes and looked towards the bedside.

Su Ru was looking at him with worry. Lu Xueqi… Lu Xueqi stood there, her face ashen, her lips pressed tightly together, her eyes fixed on the ground, her body trembling slightly. She looked as if she were about to collapse at any moment.

Jiang Xiaochuan's heart tightened, and he couldn't bother arguing with Hong Li anymore.

He took a deep breath and sat up, supporting himself on the bed. The pain was indeed gone; instead, he felt a sense of...relief? A warm, comforting feeling spread through his bones, and he felt incredibly strong.

He threw back the covers and got out of bed. Su Ru tried to help him, but he waved her hand and steadied himself. He walked up to Lu Xueqi.

Lu Xueqi didn't look up, her eyes still fixed on the ground. Her fingers were clenched so tightly that her knuckles turned white.

"Xueqi," Jiang Xiaochuan called her, his voice softening.

Lu Xueqi's body trembled slightly, and she slowly raised her head. Her eyes were blank and unfocused, filled only with bottomless pain and...deathly stillness.

Jiang Xiaochuan's frustration over his declining cultivation level was instantly shattered by that look.

He panicked a little, raised his hand to touch her shoulder, but then felt it was inappropriate. His hand paused in mid-air, and finally landed on the back of his head, where he scratched it.

"Um... please don't do that."

He said dryly, "My cultivation level has dropped, it's not your fault. It really isn't your fault."

Lu Xueqi looked at him without saying a word. The lifelessness in her eyes slowly cracked, revealing an overwhelming sense of guilt and despair.

"It was me..." Her voice was so hoarse it was almost inaudible, "It was me who used the Divine Sword Lightning Control Technique...it was me..."

"no!"

Jiang Xiaochuan quickly interrupted her, his tone resolute, "It has nothing to do with you! It's my own... uh... constitution problem! Yes, constitution problem!"

His mind raced, trying to figure out how to cover it up.

The existence of Hong Li cannot be revealed, nor can the secret of the Bloodthirsty Bead's soul-devouring power. So... let's make up something plausible?

……

Tian Ling'er returned to the room, sat on the edge of the bed, tears still streaming down her face.

She didn't want to cry. To curse like a madwoman in front of so many people would be incredibly embarrassing.

But she couldn't help it.

The thought of Jiang Xiaochuan lying on the bed, his face as black as the bottom of a pot and his hair all burnt, made her heart ache so much she could hardly breathe.

What's even more painful is that it was Lu Xueqi, not her, who was by his bedside.

When she rushed in, she saw Lu Xueqi sitting there, her eyes red, looking like she had been waiting for a long time. The fire in her heart ignited instantly.

On what grounds?

What right does she have to stay there?

But after she finished yelling, she regretted it.

Lu Xueqi's eyes... didn't seem faked. She was genuinely upset and felt truly guilty.

Tian Ling'er buried her head in her knees, her voice muffled: "...Was I...very unreasonable?"

"But...I really...feel so bad."