"Why be a villain when the world offers infinite paths?" Ye Qian muttered, a dry laugh slipping out, laced with cold irony rather than fear. "Haven't you read the novels? The villain always meets a wretched end, crushed beneath the heel of righteousness. Is this System trying to kill me? That's a bit excessive."
He straightened, movements unhurried yet sharp with restrained tension, like a sword half‑drawn. His brow furrowed as he addressed the presence in his mind, eyes calm but carrying a dangerous glint.
"System," he said evenly, "are you sure… your name is Great Villain System?"
A brief silence stretched, heavy and expectant. Then, the mechanical voice resonated once more, colder than before.
[Master, the designation is correct: Great Villain System. Its purpose is to forge the Master into a ruthless, unscrupulous sovereign of darkness.]
[The Master will encounter countless Children of Destiny and Daughters of Heaven, beings blessed with the golden favor of Luck. The System exists to help the Master seize that Luck.]
[Since the Heavens intend for the Master to be their stepping stone, then defy the Heavens! Crush these chosen ones and transform them into the cobblestones of your own path to ascension!]
[By suppressing these Children of Destiny and draining their Luck, the Master will acquire Villain Points.]
[Villain Points can be exchanged for Luck Points or used in the System Raffle. The Raffle contains artifacts from all heavens and myriad realms, and can even be exchanged directly for cultivation base.]
[When a Child of Destiny's Luck Points fall below a critical threshold, the Master may eliminate them to obtain a Villain Treasure Chest.]
[The Villain Treasure Chest contains unimaginable treasures from across the universe. Furthermore, when Villain Points accumulate to a specific tier, the Great Villain System will trigger an evolution.]
Ye Qian leaned back against the headboard of the immortal jade bed, his dark eyes narrowing.
As expected.
This System wasn't merely a helper; it was a predator. It demanded that he not only rival the protagonists of this world but hunt them, drain them, and ultimately execute them.
It was truly striving to mold him into a monster.
Yet, Ye Qian knew he had no choice.
His predecessor, drunk on noble privilege, had already sown seeds of hatred across the realm. He was already a villain in the eyes of many. Even if he did nothing, the momentum of fate would eventually bring some vengeful "Child of Destiny" to his doorstep to trample him.
Ye Qian refused to be anyone's stepping stone.
If the script called for a villain, then he would play the role to perfection. He would not be a petty thug or a stepping stone for a hero's rise. He would be a Great Villain—an insurmountable peak, an eternal nightmare.
He would crush the so-called chosen ones and pave his road to immortality with their broken dreams.
At that moment, his resolve solidified. His aura shifted, the last traces of confusion vanishing, replaced by a cold, sharp arrogance.
Being a villain isn't so bad, he mused, a faint, dangerous smile playing on his lips. With the Ye Family's colossal resources and this System, I hold all the cards. I can do as I please, free from the hypocritical moral shackles that bind the protagonists.
Accepting his fate with a terrifying calmness, Ye Qian suddenly recalled a crucial detail.
"System," he asked, his tone now casual, commanding. "Is there a novice gift package? Don't Systems usually provide a starter kit upon activation?"
[...The Master is remarkably knowledgeable. Yes, a Novice Gift Package has been deposited in the System Space. Please inspect it at your leisure.]
Information on how to access the System Space flooded his mind. With a mere thought, Ye Qian projected his consciousness inward. A vast, ethereal storage dimension appeared, visible only to him. Floating in the center was a glowing parcel.
"Open it," Ye Qian commanded.
[Opening Novice Gift Package...]
A brilliant flash erupted within his mind's eye. Bursts of golden light radiated from the package, swiftly overtaken by a surge of ominous, swirling black Qi. The energy was cold, malevolent, carrying a primordial dread that seemed to lower the temperature of the room.
From the darkness, a pair of eyes emerged. They were pitch-black voids, abysses that swallowed light. When Ye Qian looked into them, a primal fear gripped his heart, forcing him to instinctively look away.
[Ding! Novice Gift Package opened successfully. Congratulations, Master, for obtaining: Supreme Demon Eyes, Ancient Demon Scripture, and Villain Points x2000.]
Ye Qian stared at the notification, stunned.
Supreme Demon Eyes? Ancient Demon Scripture?
Good heavens.
Both items were inextricably linked to the word "Demon."
He didn't know whether to laugh or curse. In the Immortal Realm, "Demon" was a taboo of the highest order. It was a trigger word that united all orthodox sects in a frenzy of extermination. If anyone—regardless of their status—was found harboring demonic arts, they would be hunted down and obliterated.
"System, are you trying to get me killed?" Ye Qian hissed, his voice low. "Or are you specifically targeting me? Can these items even be used? If a sliver of this demonic Qi leaks out, the entire Immortal Realm will descend upon the Ye Family to flay me alive."
The System paused, seemingly calculating. It hadn't accounted for the host's acute awareness of the realm's politics.
[Master, please rest assured. The System possesses the capability to completely conceal all demonic Qi.]
[Unless the Master deliberately exposes it, detection is impossible. Even an existence in the Great Emperor Realm would fail to perceive it.]
Ye Qian exhaled slowly, the tension leaving his shoulders.
Even a Great Emperor can't see it?
He had to admit, the System was impressive. This capability alone was worth a kingdom.
True villainy wasn't about mindless slaughter or arrogant posturing in the streets—that was the behavior of cannon fodder. A Great Villain operated in the shadows, manipulating the threads of fate, smiling while plunging a dagger into the world's heart.
"Extract my rewards," Ye Qian ordered, his voice laced with anticipation.
[Distributing rewards. Please brace yourself, Master.]
Instantly, a searing pain assaulted his eyes. It felt as though hot needles were boring into his optic nerves, a sensation that made his scalp tingle and his vision swim.
Simultaneously, a torrent of information crashed into his psyche. Complex diagrams, ancient chants, and profound philosophical truths flooded his memories. The Ancient Demon Scripture.
It was an overbearing, domineering cultivation method, terrifying in its potency. Yet, unlike the crude, blood-thirsty demonic arts of the current era that required the sacrifice of souls, this scripture hailed from the primordial age. It didn't need blood; it simply devoured energy with ravenous greed. It was cleaner, more refined, but infinitely more dangerous.
The pain in his eyes slowly receded, replaced by a cool, pulsating power.
Ye Qian walked to a bronze mirror in the room.
He slowly opened his eyes.
Where once there were normal pupils, now sat two pools of endless, terrifying ink. They swirled with a cold, captivating darkness, emitting an aura that seemed capable of devouring the soul of anyone who dared to meet his gaze.