Get Lost Female Protagonist! I Choose the Villainess! - Chapter 104:

Chapter 104: The Ruins Are Opened, You Must Come Back Alive:

At this moment, Xiao Taoyi suddenly felt something was wrong with him mentally. 

Why was he feeling excited? 

Was it because of the effects of the medicine, or something else entirely? 

He began struggling with this question—this sudden but persistent confusion. 

When he saw Xia Yuping standing so close to the powerful Senior Brother Chu Mo, why did he feel a rush of emotion?

“Junior Sister, you…” Chu Mo finally came to his senses and looked at Xia Yumeng in front of him. 

What did she mean by this? 

Why did she suddenly kiss him? Even if it was just a kiss on the cheek, she had done it willingly. That kind of initiative conveyed a lot—it made him wonder if she really had feelings for him. If so, then everything he had gone through for her was worth it.

“Thank you. I became like this all because of me,” Xia Yu said with a gentle smile.

Chu Mo’s throat tightened. If it weren’t inappropriate, he truly wanted to embrace Xia Yu and kiss her again. He held back and instead reassured her, “Junior Sister, don’t worry. No one will be able to bully you again.”

Then, in a serious tone, he said, “Although I was careless this time, I’ll definitely help you get your revenge next time! Once we reach the ancient ruins, I’ll make him pay.”

“Alright! Thank you, Senior Brother Chu Mo,” Xia Yu replied sincerely.

“And as for that Jiang Ruoxi… How dare she humiliate you like that? I won’t let her go either!” Chu Mo added, his expression firm.

Xia Yu nodded lightly. She would never forgive Jiang Ruoxi either.

“Junior Brother Xiao, why are you crouching over there?” Xia Yu suddenly shouted at Xiao Taoyi.

“I’m fine! I just… urgently need to pee!” Xiao Taoyi replied quickly, trying to cover up his awkwardness.

“Could it be you were so scared that you lost bladder control permanently?” Xia Yu teased.

Her words made Xiao Taoyi’s face flush red. “No! It’s not like that! I… I’ll be back soon!” he stammered and then rushed away.

He ran straight back to his place. Behind him, Chu Mo chuckled. “Haha, this kid! He just needs to mature a little. He can’t stay soft and timid like a little girl forever.”

“Senior Brother Chu Mo, are the others okay?” Xia Yu asked again.

“It’s not a big deal. I’m an alchemist—no matter how serious their injuries are, I can treat them,” Chu Mo said confidently, patting his chest.

“Thank you for looking after them,” Xia Yu nodded once more.

“Junior Sister… it seems they all like you,” Chu Mo said with a sudden smile.

Xia Yu didn’t reply, but of course, she already knew that.

Chu Mo continued with a grin, “Well, it’s no surprise. Excellent girls always attract admirers. Unlike that Jiang Ruoxi, she doesn’t have any!”

He assumed Jiang Ruoxi wasn’t pursued simply because no one liked her. What he didn’t realize was that it wasn’t about preference—no one dared to pursue her. Everyone understood their own limits and knew they weren’t worthy of her. They didn’t even dare approach. Besides, Jiang Ruoxi had Ling Kong by her side. That alone made others back off without question.

Xia Yu just smiled faintly and said nothing more. The two continued chatting inside the house. After Xia Yuping’s bold move earlier, Chu Mo had become much more confident. He would now occasionally take her hand or touch her subtly during their conversation.

Meanwhile, at Xiao Taoyi’s place, after returning, he immediately shut the door behind him. He was panting heavily, drenched in sweat. There was a restless fire inside him that he couldn’t calm down. He quickly closed all the windows, climbed into bed, and curled up under the sheets, sweating uncontrollably. Over and over, he tried to settle his nerves, but the fire only grew worse.

In the end, he couldn’t resist anymore. Closing his eyes in shame, he gave in—just like a craftsman following an age-old ritual. Only this time, he wasn’t thinking of himself and someone else. He was thinking about Xia Yuping and Chu Mo. He imagined countless scenes between them. Later, he regretted it. But once you walk that path, there’s no turning back. Either you never do it again, or you do it… countless times.

Time passed slowly. More than half a month later, it was finally time to open the ancient ruins.

Ling Kong and Jiang Ruoxi had already sent Xue Er back to her parents. Then they prepared to head out to the ruins.

In the main hall of Sword Cloud Sect, the four of them—Ling Kong and his companions—stood in front of Sect Master Yun Jian and several high-ranking elders of the sect.

“This ring is prepared for you. It contains various medicinal pills and spiritual tools. They may save your lives in a critical moment,” Yun Jian said as he personally handed each of the four a ring.

Everything they had prepared during this time was inside those rings. As elders, this was all they could do. The rest depended on the four young cultivators themselves.

“Alright. Since you’re ready, it’s time to go!” Yun Jian waved his hand, and a portal appeared in the middle of the hall.

This portal, built long ago, connected directly to the location of the ancient ruins.

Immediately, Yun Jian led everyone into the portal, stepping into the unknown world of the ruins.

They emerged in an ancient forest. Towering trees pierced the skies, and dangerous mountains and rivers surrounded them. Amidst this dense wilderness, there was an open stone ground. The flat surface was covered with dense, intricate ancient runes. The whole formation was circular.

At the edge of this open space, five massive stone pillars stood tall, piercing the clouds. Each pillar was carved with ancient and dark patterns, and dry vines wrapped tightly around them, adding to the mystical, archaic atmosphere.

At this moment, the tallest rootless stone pillar emitted a faint glow. That light gathered at the center of the stone circle and formed a circular door descending into the earth.

This was the entrance to the ancient ruins.

Only cultivators under the age of 20 were allowed to enter, and only 20 individuals could go inside.

Just then, a ripple of light spread across the portal on the edge of the clearing. Yun Jian stepped through it, bringing Ling Kong and the others with him.

At this moment, disciples from the other four directions arrived at the site. They were from the remaining four sects. Each group was led by high-ranking elders, accompanied by four of their own young disciples.

“Heh, looks like everyone’s here,” Yun Jian said calmly, standing at the front of the crowd. “This trip into the ancient ruins is filled with danger and uncertainty. Although our five sects may compete with one another, I hope that once inside, everyone can stand united.”

“After all, no matter how fierce our rivalries may be, we are all part of the same empire. This is the first time these ruins have ever been opened. Our goal is simple—to explore. So within the ruins, let’s work together. What do you say?”

Yun Jian’s words carried a message of peace. And indeed, what he said was true. The five sects of the empire did compete in many ways, but they were still factions under the same imperial rule. There was no need to make things worse than they already were.

Besides, Yun Jian was particularly worried about Ling Kong. If something happened to him inside the ruins, and the empire were to blame the Sword Cloud Sect, the consequences would be hard to predict.

“Sect Master Yun is right! When facing the unknown, we should stand together and treat danger as a shared challenge,” one of the other sect leaders echoed.

“That’s right! Once you enter the ancient ruins, try to get along. Work together to uncover the secrets of this place and return with something valuable.”

“I agree with Sect Master Yun. When confronted by a common challenge, we must put our past grievances aside and move forward together.”

The sect masters of the other four sects voiced their agreement. Of course, in truth, they all had their own concerns. What if their disciples were bullied once inside? So they said they wanted unity—but only on the surface.

In reality, if there was no need to unite, then no one would. And if there was a chance to suppress someone else’s disciples, they wouldn’t hesitate. The call for unity was really just a way to keep up appearances and protect their own.

Everyone pretended to agree, but none of them were sincere.

“Alright then! If that’s settled, let’s begin!” Yun Jian waved his hand, then turned to look at Ling Kong and the others beside him. He leaned in and whispered, “Don’t take their words about unity too seriously. It’s all for show. Be cautious inside.”

The four from Sword Cloud Sect nodded quietly.

“Stay safe! You might not gain anything from this trip, but your lives are more important—especially yours, Your Highness,” Yun Jian said seriously, placing a hand on Ling Kong’s shoulder.

“You absolutely must not be harmed,” he emphasized.

Ling Kong gave a slight nod, and Jiang Ruoxi did the same.

“Alright, time to go. Be cautious in everything you do,” Yun Jian said, not wasting another word.

The four from Sword Cloud Sect slowly walked toward the gate in the center of the ruins.

At the same time, the other disciples from the four sects stepped forward as well. Xia Yuping and Chu Mo were among them, both feeling nervous but also a little excited. They were finally going to see what lay inside the ruins. More than that, they were looking forward to finding a way to deal with Ling Kong and Jiang Ruoxi.

The other sect disciples felt the same—nervous, yet full of anticipation.

Only Ling Kong remained cold and composed, as if nothing inside was unknown to him. While it was a mystery to everyone else, he seemed completely unfazed.

Jiang Ruoxi, too, appeared calm. With Ling Kong by her side, she felt no fear at all. To her, nothing else mattered.

In the blink of an eye, twenty people stood before the gate to the ruins. They exchanged glances, facing each other properly for the first time.

“Hey, brother, have we met somewhere before?” a young man with braided hair suddenly asked, looking at Ling Kong.

He smiled faintly, but the atmosphere was already tense.

The ancient ruins were about to open… and everything was just beginning.