The Nine Flames Heavenly Clan stirred with whispers even before dawn. Disciples moved cautiously through the jade courtyards, eyes lowered, hearts tense. Feng Xuanlong had become more than a prodigy; he had become the center of fate itself. His victories over the clan's elite geniuses and his humiliation of Ye Tianxing had left the hierarchy trembling.
Xuanlong, however, moved through the clan as if he were the calm at the center of a storm. Black flames traced along his robes, coiling and flickering like living serpents. Crimson eyes scanned the faces around him, noting fear, admiration, envy, and curiosity. All threads of emotion and fate were visible, now dancing like a map at his fingertips.
[New Quest: Consolidate the loyalty of remaining two harem candidates. Reward: VP and Fate Fragments.]
He smiled faintly. Three secured, two remain. Soon, all will orbit my will.
The first target of the morning was Meilin, a graceful and intelligent disciple whose cultivation rivaled many of the inner disciples. Her beauty and sharp mind had earned her respect, yet she had remained distant from Xuanlong.
He found her in the clan's training hall, practicing spirit sword forms. Black flames flickered lightly around him, unnoticed by the other disciples.
"Senior Brother Xuanlong," she greeted politely, though her eyes betrayed caution.
"I have come," he said, voice low and commanding, "to offer you a choice. Join me, and your Dao comprehension will expand beyond the ordinary. Refuse, and your fate remains… uncertain."
Her fingers tightened on her sword. "You would threaten me?"
"Not threaten," he corrected, crimson eyes narrowing. "I merely act according to the path I have chosen. Fate is not kind to the hesitant."
The Villain System chimed:
[Loyalty acquisition attempt: Successful. +150 VP, Fate Fragment obtained.]
Meilin's eyes widened, a mixture of awe and cautious respect. "I… accept, Senior Brother."
Xuanlong smiled. Four threads now bind to me.
The final candidate was Qiao Ling, known for her fiery spirit and mastery over dual elements. Independent, proud, and unyielding, she had resisted all previous attempts at persuasion.
Xuanlong found her on the cliffs overlooking the misty mountains, practicing elemental forms. Fire and ice danced around her in a deadly, beautiful rhythm.
He did not approach immediately. Instead, he allowed the Villain System to guide him.
[Suggested method: Demonstrate overwhelming power, then offer mercy and alliance.]
A black flame erupted from the tower behind him, consuming a boulder mid-air without harming Qiao Ling. She turned, eyes sharp, ready for confrontation.
"Observe," Xuanlong said calmly, voice carrying over the wind. "Power without control is useless. Power without strategy is wasted. Choose carefully where your loyalty lies."
Her gaze faltered for a fraction of a second—enough. Xuanlong extended a hand, black flames spiraling outward, not to strike, but to demonstrate his mastery and restraint.
[Loyalty acquisition attempt: Successful. +150 VP, Fate Fragment obtained.]
Qiao Ling bowed slightly, the first sign of genuine submission to his will. Five threads now bound. The inner circle is complete.
With all five harem candidates now loyal, Xuanlong's internal consolidation was complete. Crimson eyes scanned the courtyard below. Fear and admiration mixed in the gazes of the remaining disciples, but loyalty—true, unshakable loyalty—now radiated from the five women who followed him silently.
The Villain System noted:
[Quest Complete: Internal power fully consolidated. Reward: 2,500 VP, Fate Fragments obtained.]
Xuanlong exhaled slowly. Black flames flickered like living shadows, coiling around his arms and torso. "Good. Let them come," he murmured to himself. "Let Heaven, let mortals, let even Ye Tianxing come. I am ready."
Outside the clan, ripples of Xuanlong's growing influence had begun to spread. The Celestial Star Sect, along with other neighboring factions, had taken notice. Intelligence reports and scouts all returned with similar warnings: the Nine Flames prodigy had absorbed three elite geniuses, humiliated a Heaven's Chosen, and consolidated five powerful disciples under his personal loyalty.
Elders in distant sects whispered urgently:
"He's no longer a mere prodigy… he is a force capable of bending fate.""His inner circle… five disciples, all exceptional talents. They will fight for him as extensions of his will.""If unchecked, he could reshape the balance of power across the sects."
Ye Tianxing, now fully recovered, stood before the Celestial Star Sect elders, golden aura blazing. "Feng Xuanlong… the villain who dares to devour Heaven's threads… I will ensure he pays for every slight. Fate favors the chosen, and Heaven has not forgotten me."
Back at the clan, Xuanlong stood atop the tallest tower, crimson eyes reflecting the moonlight. Around him, the five loyal disciples formed a silent circle, each a master of their respective arts, bound to him by will and fate.
He looked down at the courtyard, thinking of the three devoured elite geniuses, the humiliation of Ye Tianxing, and the threads of fate now entwined around his own destiny. Black flames licked the air, whispering of power yet to be claimed.
The Villain System spoke:
[Alert: External threats detected. Prepare for confrontation with Heaven's Chosen and rival factions. Optional Quest: Begin offensive strategy against weaker neighboring sects to expand influence. Reward: VP and new cultivation insights.]
Xuanlong smiled faintly, crimson eyes gleaming with quiet malice. "Let them come. Let the world fear me. Let destiny itself tremble."
Above, threads of golden fate quivered in the night sky, bending toward him, recoiling, uncertain. A villain had devoured what Heaven had long considered untouchable. The rising storm of conflicts had only just begun.
And Feng Xuanlong, the Heaven-Devouring Villain, stood at the center of it all—unbound, unstoppable, and unchallenged… for now.