Return to Before the Villain’s Corruption

The pale moonlight was obscured by thick layers of clouds. A light drizzle had kept the sun hidden, leaving the horizon tinged with a dark bluish hue. The courtyard, soaked in dew, brimmed with vitality—lush greenery sparkled on every leaf, clusters of plants standing tall and vibrant, exuding youthful energy.

The move by the master of Fuyu Zhai instantly silenced both sides.

After a long pause, they bowed respectfully to the elder, thanking him for the gift of the map, before turning to leave.

Leaning on his cane, the elder waved cheerfully for his attendants to refresh the tea and serve fruits. Once done, he sank onto a long bench in the courtyard as if exhausted, watching the straight-backed figures of the young men with amusement before sighing wistfully.

"Master, why did we give away the relic map?"

The attendant who had served him the longest watched the scene unfold, confusion evident in his voice.

Fuyu Zhai had its own rules—everything here was traded for a price. Behemoths like the Heavenly Palace and the Main City would spare no expense, and this relic map would undoubtedly fetch an unprecedented fortune. It would not only bring immense profit to Fuyu Zhai but also elevate their reputation across the Six Realms.

Yet, they had willingly given away such a priceless treasure.

"An old debt of gratitude. To repay it with just a map—this half-buried old man can finally close his eyes in peace." The elder stroked his snow-white beard, his spirits high as he answered the attendant with warmth. "The young ones of this generation… time is pressing."

His clouded eyes shifted, lingering briefly on the gray expanse of the sky before he shook his head and murmured, as if to himself, "They must learn to unite—quickly."

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Leaving Fuyu Zhai, they were met with a misty drizzle as fine as ox hair. Qiu Shi removed the spatial ring from her finger and tossed it into the one with the largest capacity. Though obtaining the relic map should have been a joyous occasion, their expressions remained grave.

They had exited before the Heavenly Clan and headed straight to the tavern Qiu Shi frequented. The hour was still early, and the usually quiet establishment stood completely empty.

The waiter who came to serve them was a new hire—young but efficient, swiftly setting their table with everything they needed before murmuring, "Enjoy your meal," and retreating discreetly.

Qin Donglin raised a hand, casting a barrier around their table to seal off any eavesdroppers.

Four clean wooden stools surrounded the modest table, each of them occupying a side.

Qiu Shi’s bright eyes, sharp and clear, flickered as she shifted closer to Qin Donglin. "Is it really the relic map?" she urged. "Let’s see it."

Qin Donglin responded with a low hum. Without any visible movement, a glowing orb drifted from his moon-white sleeve, hovering midair like a giant firefly.

Qiu Shi reached out and grasped it. The texture was cool and silken, smooth beyond mortal craftsmanship.

As if sensing something, the light on the fabric gradually dimmed. Qiu Shi unfolded it, spreading it flat across the table.

The four of them leaned in to examine it closely.

The fabric appeared ancient, its four corners yellowed with age. Roughly half the size of the tabletop, its white surface was marked with twisting black ink lines—seemingly random, nothing like the detailed, clearly labeled map Qiu Shi had imagined.

The lines twisted into a dense blot of ink at the very center, where the fabric had been cleanly severed.

This was only half of the relic map—the other half had been given to the Heavenly Clan.

The most crucial clue, perhaps the only useful one, ended right there.

After scrutinizing it for a long while, Qiu Shi’s brows furrowed. Once the others had finished examining it, she tapped a finger on the chaotic lines and spoke. "There’s not a single city name marked—just these black scribbles. The center has a character that looks like ancient divine script from the Primordial Era, but… with only this half, we can’t decipher what it is."

There was no doubt—that character was the key.

Qiu Shi was well-versed in the myths, legends, and secret realms of the Six Realms. Having read extensively, she recognized fragments of even the most obscure scripts, including some from the Primordial Era.

Wu Fei’s brow creased as he tapped his fan against the edge of the table. "I never imagined the relic map would look like this."

Indeed, it bore little resemblance to the neatly drawn maps they were accustomed to—the kind that simply pointed the way forward. At a glance, one might mistake this for some cryptic riddle.

"What do you think?" Song Yunhe’s refined fingers traced the blurred ancient character at the map’s edge. His long brows arched slightly. "What does this character resemble?"

Qiu Shi leaned forward again to take a closer look. After a moment, she shook her head and said, "If it's the divine language from the prehistoric era, there are quite a few words with such a structure, like 'Gu', 'Mi', and words with double characters. If it's from a later era, 'Yun', 'He', and 'Ye' are also possible."

She concluded, "I need to see the other half of the picture to tell what it is. There are too many possibilities just by guessing from this half - character."

Wu Fei and Song Yunhe exchanged a glance and then sat back on their respective stools.

Qiu Shi stared at the relic map that looked like a scribble in front of her, frowning. "The Luyuan Secret Realm is too vast. We can't take this map and explore every corner of it. These lines must have some meaning, but we just can't figure it out now."

It was because half of the map was missing.

It was only at this moment that Qiu Shi finally understood what the kind - hearted owner of Fuyu Zhai meant by "act independently or cooperate for a win - win situation".

The most important information was split in two. If they couldn't piece it together into a complete map, this half - map was basically useless.

"What should we do?"

Qiu Shi twirled the black hair by her temple around her fingertips, curling it up and then letting it go, repeating the action unconsciously. "Should we really cooperate with the Celestial Clan?"

As soon as she said it, even she thought it was unrealistic.

The Luyuan Secret Realm was no small matter. Its danger was beyond the imagination of ordinary people. Naturally, there were also many opportunities.

It was said that every time the Luyuan Secret Realm opened, some dark - horse prodigies would emerge among the young talents who survived. Some might obtain the inheritance of ancient great masters, while others might get the sacred bones of some prehistoric beasts, which would completely activate their ancestral bloodlines.

If there were only some spiritual stones and spiritual items in the relic, it would be easier to handle. But if it was the kind of opportunities mentioned above, how could they be divided?

Whose would they be?

Moreover, the relationship between the Celestial Clan and the Monster Clan was one of constant vigilance and caution. In such a state, how could they travel together?

How could they cooperate?

"I think, how about this," Qiu Shi rolled her eyes and said. "This is the main city, and the powerful figures of the Celestial Clan haven't arrived yet. Now that they haven't gone far, we can just go and have a fight with them and snatch the other piece of the map."

After saying that, she twitched the corner of her mouth and added angrily, "Back then at the Celestial Clan's auction house, the sacred spring that Wu Fei and I bid for was snatched by Mo Ruanruan and Yun Xuan."

She showed her two sharp little canine teeth. The lively anger on her face dispelled some of the delicate and frail look. At this point, Qiu Shi turned to Wu Fei and asked, "Do you still remember what they said back then?"

"Could I forget?"

Wu Fei's peach - blossom eyes slanted upwards. The smile on his face didn't fade at all; instead, it became even more intense. He seemed to be lost in a memory as he repeated the words, "Remember, this is not bullying with power. It's because you are not as good as us."

Just because Mo Ruanruan suddenly wanted the sacred spring they had bid for, the slightly older young people of the Celestial Clan used this method to please their little princess.

Since then, Qiu Shi and Mo Ruanruan had officially become enemies.

"I agree," Wu Fei, going against his usual self, was the first to express his support. He shrugged and said, "If they can beat us, it's their ability. If we lose the things, it just means we are not as good as them. Then we can just return the same words to them."

Qiu Shi's eyes lit up, and she was eager to try as she counted the number of people. "Qin Donglin will hold off Luo Ying. You two will surround Yun Xuan and Mo Changheng. I'll tie up those elders with my father's Immortal - Binding Rope. I'll deal with Mo Ruanruan. The relic map must be on her."

In the main city, there was no shortage of people on their own turf.

Song Yunhe watched as Wu Fei joined Qiu Shi in this reckless plan. He couldn't help but have a headache. He reached out and stroked the top of Qiu Shi's head to comfort her and dispelled their idea. "They were just kids back then and didn't know any better. They were punished and apologized afterwards. Now that you're all grown - ups, it's not appropriate to cause such a ruckus."

"Anyway, they are here to congratulate my father on his birthday. They are guests."

Qiu Shi had only been talking for the sake of venting. After being lectured by Song Yunhe, she lost interest and turned her gaze back to the piece of cloth that had been evenly divided into two.

"Take it back and check it," Qin Donglin, who had been silent all this time, suddenly spoke up. "It looks a bit like the words on the Boundary Wall Stele."

Qiu Shi's expression became solemn. She knew he wouldn't say such a thing for no reason. She looked at the character again and again, then nodded in agreement. "Okay, I'll go to the library to check it. I'll inform you if I find anything."

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On the second day after Cheng Yi moved out of the main city mansion, the huge copper knocker on the high - walled courtyard "clanged" twice. After a moment, Qing Feng poked his head out of the yard. First, he looked around warily. After making sure there was no one around, he rushed back in a hurry.

Cheng Yi's injury had improved a lot. The strong recovery ability of the Monster Clan was fully demonstrated at this time.

"Sir, there's new news," Qing Feng said.

Qing Feng looked at the lean and upright man standing in the gentle rain. He lowered his voice and spoke quickly, "I used the Invisibility Spell to get it. The guards sent by the main city government didn't notice."

Cheng Yi had beautifully shaped fingers, with distinct and translucent joints. He calmly took the letter from Qing Feng's hand, slowly unfolded it, and after reading it, crushed the letter into powder, which fluttered down from his handsome palm.

"The main city and the Celestial Clan each got a piece of the incomplete map."

Cheng Yi covered his lips and bent over to cough softly. His voice was like a gentle murmur, "The time for the Luyuan Secret Realm is approaching, but my injury hasn't healed yet."

It had to be said that he was as pure as snow. This kind of temperament came from his very core and was bound to catch anyone's eye.

"Where are the group from the Celestial Clan staying now?"

After a while, Cheng Yi asked.

Qing Feng replied respectfully, "My lord, they are at the Shanhai Post Station in the main city. Many core disciples from Ye Capital and the cultivation sects are also there. The Flying Fish Guards of the main city government are guarding the comings and goings, and the security is very tight."

"It doesn't matter."

Cheng Yi's voice was gentle, "Tomorrow, Mo Ruanruan and her group will come out."

From beginning to end, this innocent and simple little princess, who was the most beloved in the Celestial Clan and had few scheming thoughts, was his real target.