This Is What a Villain Is Like

’As expected, women always fall for this act...’

’Playing hard to get, a mix of intimidation and tenderness—it works every time.’

As Jiang Lan left the main hall, a blast of chilly night air swept over him, instantly dispelling what little drowsiness he felt.

He checked the status of his Destiny Dao Fruit, a knowing look on his face.

Just as he’d thought, not only had his actions not backfired, but he had even gained a significant amount of destiny.

Su Qinghan was a proud and aloof woman, one who was drawn to strength.

Ordinary methods wouldn’t work to make her loyal and obedient.

The easiest and most direct way was to first make her understand her place, to instill in her a sense of awe and admiration.

Thus, he had to make her understand one thing first: no matter if she was some favored daughter of the heavens, no matter how strong, steady, composed, or brilliant she was—in front of him, she was, in the end, just a woman.

It sounded rather immoral, but Jiang Lan wasn’t a good person to begin with, so he felt no guilt about it.

Jiang Lan knew the difference between simply having a female lead who feared and revered him, and having one who was obedient and submissive, yet capable of helping him shoulder his burdens in the future. The destiny he gained was a secondary concern.

However, Su Qinghan’s behavior tonight had still surprised him. He hadn’t expected her to pour her heart out like that.

’Unexpected, yet it somehow makes sense.’

’But, I’ll put the matter of Su Qinghan aside for now.’

’It’s time to think about the Immortal Embryo Creation Dew...’

’But before that, I need to refine my Divine Soul and advance my cultivation to the Fourth Realm, the Illuminating Nether Realm.’

With a faint stir, Jiang Lan’s figure vanished from outside the bedchamber like a wisp of smoke.

The stars and moon were dim, hidden by gathering clouds.

A streak of blood-red light flashed through the Void. When Jiang Lan reappeared, he was on a desolate mountain outside Yu Yi City.

After confirming he was alone, he casually cast several Restrictions. A hazy, blood-red halo shimmered into being, completely concealing his figure.

The Cultivation Techniques in the Blood-colored Forbidden Canon were all sinister and macabre, producing astonishing phenomena.

Refining his Divine Soul was bound to cause a massive disturbance. If he tried to cultivate inside the City Lord’s Mansion, someone would notice the abnormality at once. 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

Although Jiang Lan wasn’t worried about the consequences, it was, of course, better to be prudent and stay as far away from civilization as possible.

’In my memories, the legacy of the Blood Immortal Sect is one of extremely mysterious origins.’

’Even the Blood Immortal Ancestor, the sect’s founder, didn’t know where this legacy came from. It seemed to be related to the Outer Realm and was an enigma even in the original plot.’

’However, this White Bone Visualization Technique originates from an ancient being known as the White Bone Saint. It uses Qi and Blood Power to refine the Divine Soul. The body does not perish, the Divine Soul lasts forever—it suits me perfectly...’

Jiang Lan’s mind stirred.

In that instant, a series of obscure, mystical, and profoundly ancient syllables emerged in his mind, like a chant.

Vaguely, he thought he saw a boundless ritual ground filled with hundreds of millions of believers, all kowtowing in worship. They chanted ancient sacrificial hymns and hymns of the world as immeasurable light erupted, illuminating All Heavens.

In the depths of the ritual ground lay an endless, miasma-choked wasteland, in the middle of which stood a Daoist Temple.

Outside the Daoist Temple, demons danced in a frenzy while Fierce Beasts ran rampant.

The Temple Master of the Daoist Temple was a Daoist whose face was obscured. He sat cross-legged day in and day out, chanting Ancient Scriptures and guiding the souls of the departed.

Endless ages drifted by, yet he remained unchanging, an eternal observer watching over the epochs and looking down upon the world’s great transformations.

Until one day, the heavy scent of ages began to emanate from him. His mortal shell started to decay and grow old. An aura of death spread out, tainting the entire wasteland and seeping into the boundless ritual ground...

It was as if all worlds began to wither.

"The old saint is dead."

"A new saint must rise."

After an unknown time, the Daoist’s flesh faded away, leaving a skeleton, immaculately white, radiating both sanctity and destruction. It sat there cross-legged, compassionate yet indifferent, gazing down upon the myriad living beings.

Jiang Lan felt as if he had become that White Bone Daoist.

The Red Dust of all worlds, mortal Cause and Effect, the six desires of the Celestial Dao, the cycles of reincarnation—in his eyes, they were all but mist and foam, bursting with a single touch.

’All living beings, like myself, are but white bones...’

Within the deep, dark Mud Ball Palace, a wisp of ethereal light appeared. Destiny began to churn, emitting a great RUMBLE, as if a new world was being forged from Chaos.

The ethereal light then spread, illuminating a small patch of the darkness.

A grand, ancient Daoist Temple rose from the ground within, suffused with an aura of great antiquity.

A small figure with a blurry face, yet identical to Jiang Lan, sat cross-legged within the Daoist Temple, its gaze indifferent, devoid of desire or emotion.

’Illuminating Nether is achieved, and the Soul Palace has manifested...’

’Next is to strengthen my Divine Soul.’

Jiang Lan’s Heart Thought stirred.

Tendrils of blood-red mist billowed and surged around him. The Spirit Soul Minion, its expression indifferent, opened its mouth to inhale, and the mist instantly swirled into a vortex, converging upon it.

The once-quiet mountain was plunged into a sudden, deathly silence. All sounds ceased, and every beast trembled in terror.

Boundless terror and awe gripped the hearts of every living creature, as if an eternal, ferocious Demon was seated upon the mountaintop.

The once brilliant, star-filled sky seemed to turn dark and gloomy as massive clouds drifted in, obscuring the moon.

If anyone had been flying high above the desolate mountain at that moment, they would have seen a faint beam of blood-red light piercing the heavens and connecting all the way to the Star Realm—an utterly terrifying sight.

...

Just as the sky began to lighten, Su Qinghan was awakened by the sound of several maids knocking on the door to her chambers.

She rubbed her dazed eyes and slowly came to her senses. Her gaze fell upon the rumpled bed and the tell-tale crimson stain on the sheets, and for a moment, she froze.