Turns Out, I’m In A Villain Clan!

Chapter 453 Changed Heaven Sword Sect

The Heaven Sword Sect had changed.

Not in name.

But in spirit.

What was once restrained discipline had rotted into open disorder.

Sword halls that once echoed with controlled sparring were now filled with raised voices and cruel laughter.

Patrols existed only in name. Rules were enforced selectively-if at all.

Those aligned with the former Anti-Sect Leader faction walked openly, arrogantly.

They no longer feared consequences.

After all, there was no one left to punish them.

In one of the outer courtyards, a small crowd had gathered.

Not to cultivate.

Not to train.

But to watch.

At the center, a female disciple was forced to her knees, her sword knocked aside, robes torn at the shoulder.

Dust clung to her palms as she struggled to rise-only to be kicked back down.

"Did you hear her?" one disciple sneered. "She actually asked why her senior brother was detained."

Another laughed loudly.

"Asking questions now counts as defiance, junior sister. Didn't anyone teach you that?"

The girl clenched her teeth, trembling-not from pain, but humiliation.

"I... I only wanted to know-"

Slap!

Her head snapped to the side.

A red mark bloomed on her cheek.

"Know your place," a tall disciple said coldly. "Your master didn't help Sect Leader Han. That already makes you suspicious."

Another stepped forward, crouching down to her level.

"Be grateful," he said mockingly. "If this were yesterday, you'd already be expelled."

The surrounding disciples laughed.

One of them nudged her fallen sword with his foot.

"Pick it up."

The girl reached out-

He stepped on her hand.

She gasped, biting back a cry.

"Look at her," someone scoffed. "Still pretending she's a Heaven Sword disciple."

No one intervened.

No elder appeared.

Those passing by averted their eyes.

This was normal now.

Then-

A cold wind swept through the courtyard.

The laughter faltered.

Footsteps approached-calm, unhurried.

The disciples turned instinctively.

A figure in pale robes stood at the courtyard entrance, sword at her waist, eyes

cold as frost.

Bai Xueqing!

And along with her was Chu Ziyan.

She took in the scene with a single glance-the girl on the ground, the torn

robes, the smug expressions that had not yet faded.

Her gaze settled on the disciple standing on the girl's hand.

"Move!"

Two syllables.

Flat.

The disciple stiffened.

"...Senior Sister Bai."

He hesitated-but slowly lifted his foot.

The girl pulled her hand back, cradling it, eyes red.

Bai Xueqing stepped forward.

Chu Ziyan followed half a step behind her, already kneeling beside the injured

disciple.

"Can you stand?"

Chu Ziyan asked quietly, her voice gentle.

The girl nodded shakily.

With support, she was helped to her feet. Her sword was retrieved from the

ground and pressed back into her hands.

The trembling did not stop-but the humiliation in her eyes slowly gave way to disbelief.

Who would have thought that she, a proud disciple of the Heaven Sword Sect would face such humiliation here at her own sect?

Bai Xueqing did not look at her again.

Her gaze was fixed on the group.

Cold and unyielding.

She stood there-silent-for a breath longer than necessary.

The courtyard seemed to shrink under her presence.

Then-

"Explain!"

The word fell like a blade. It was definite from her voice that Bai Xueqing was

furious.

If it had been anyone else any other disciple-they would have laughed it off, dismissed it, or turned their cruelty outward once more.

But this was Bai Xueqing.

Princess of the Bai Clan.

The woman hailed as the Desolate Heaven Empire's greatest talent of this

generation.

Even arrogance had limits.

And even if they dared to-did they even have the strength to go against Bai

Xueqing?

One of the disciples swallowed hard and stepped forward, forcing a smile.

"Senior Sister Bai, this... this is-"

The disciple who had spoken took a step back.

Then another.

"No offense intended, Senior Sister Bai," he said quickly. "This was a

misunderstanding!"

"Let's go," someone whispered urgently.

They did not wait and immediately made a run for it.

They didn't think that Bai Xueqing would dare to break sect rules like they had

-and indeed, she didn't chase after them.

One by one, the group retreated-eyes lowered, movements stiff, fleeing the

courtyard as if chased by something unseen.

None of them looked back.

When they were gone, silence returned.

Bai Xueqing exhaled slowly.

Her fingers tightened at her side.

"This place..." she said quietly.

Chu Ziyan glanced around the empty courtyard, her expression dark.

"...is no longer the Heaven Sword Sect we knew."

The injured disciple bowed deeply, tears finally falling.

"Thank you, Senior Sisters..."

Bai Xueqing turned away, jaw clenched.

Chu Ziyan watched Bai Xueqing's clenched jaw for a moment, then let out a soft

sigh that sounded almost amused.

"How did this become like this?"

Bai Xueqing couldn't help but sound helpless.

"Well," Chu Ziyan said lightly, brushing dust from her sleeves, "isn't your clan

one of the reasons why these people became so desperate?"

She said it teasingly, but there was truth in her words.

Bai Xueqing paused.

For a moment, she said nothing.

She knew Chu Ziyan wasn't wrong.

In fact... It was painfully accurate. Though it wasn't Bai Clan's fault, they did

accelerate things.

She didn't understand it either-her father and her brother.

Releasing such a cultivation technique to everyone without much condition.

She knew there had to be a reason.

Bai Zihan never acted without one. But understanding that didn't make things easier.

Especially not when she was forced to witness this.

Bai Xueqing let out a slow breath.

As they continued walking through the sect grounds, the atmosphere grew

heavier instead of calmer.

Whispers followed them.

Eyes darted away too quickly.

Too many people were watching.

Then-

A large group had formed before them, even bigger than the one before.

Bai Xueqing stopped mid-step.

Her eyelid twitched. "...Again?" she muttered.

She lifted a hand and pressed it to her forehead, rubbing lightly.

"For heaven's sake," she sighed. "Who is it this time?"

Chu Ziyan's smile faded.

"This one sounds... bigger."

Bai Xueqing quickened her pace, already resigned.

Bullying again, she thought.

But as they drew closer, Bai Xueqing's steps slowed.

Her brows furrowed.

There was no cruel laughter.

No mocking jeers.

Instead-

Shock.

Confusion.

And fear.

The crowd ahead wasn't circling inward.

They were backing away.

Making space.

At the center of the commotion stood several disciples frozen in place, faces

pale, expressions stiff as if their souls had been seized. People naturally gave way to Bai Xueqing as she got closer, though she was still

far from being able to see anything clearly with such a dense crowd.

"What's all this commotion about?" Bai Xueqing couldn't help but ask.

The disciple nearby didn't dare refuse her question. "Senior Sister Bai," he said hurriedly, "Young Master Bai is here!"

Bai Xueqing's and Chu Ziyan's eyes widened in surprise. "What is this idiot doing here?"