Ye Qian blinked, the ink-black depths of his eyes flickering with a trace of crimson. The shade was ominous; even a fleeting glance would send primal fear into anyone who dared meet his gaze.
He closed his eyes for a moment, and when he opened them again, the abyss receded, returning his expression to its deceptively normal state.
He was about to check his status when a violent surge of energy erupted from his core—wild, turbulent, threatening to tear him apart from within. Without hesitation, Ye Qian activated the Ancient Demon Scripture.
Black Qi exploded around him, rampaging through his meridians, but the scripture was faster. The swirling mist, dense and domineering, devoured the chaotic power, refining it into pure strength.
Ye Qian had been stuck at the peak of the Enlightenment Realm. Now, fueled by this sudden influx and the scripture's overbearing circulation, the barrier that held him back shattered.
Crack, crack, crack!
The shackles within his body disintegrated. In an instant, he broke through to the Holy Induction Realm.
The black Qi that enveloped him was the manifestation of the Ancient Demon Scripture's aggressive Devilish Qi. It surged endlessly, resonating with the Supreme Demon Eyes, churning the air into a violent vortex. Furniture rattled and cracked; the opulent decorations were thrown into disarray.
Through the chaos, Ye Qian's ink-black eyes flickered with a terrifying crimson light.
Outside, the palace remained peaceful. The System had promised to isolate all demonic aura, and it delivered.
No one—not the guards, not the powerful elders of the Ye Family—had any idea that a storm of devilish energy was raging inside the Young Master's chambers, nor that he had just achieved a historic breakthrough.
Ye Qian immediately reined in the power. The System could hide him, but only if he didn't actively broadcast his aura. He forced the surging Devilish Qi back into his body, concealing it deep within his dantian.
Hoo!
He exhaled slowly. The breath shot out like a sharp sword, lingering in the air before finally dissipating.
Ye Qian opened his eyes. A sharp, divine glint flashed within them. He felt the immense change in his cultivation. He had completely mastered his body and was now a powerhouse in the Early Stage of the Holy Induction Realm.
In the Immortal Realm, anyone who reached the Holy Induction Realm was qualified to found a sect. But to reach this level at eighteen? Such an existence was unheard of. He was a singularity, a monster with an aptitude that defied history.
Clenching his fists, feeling the raw power coursing through his veins, Ye Qian asked, "System, where did this energy come from?"
He hadn't consumed any treasures. Why the sudden boost?
[Ding! The Supreme Demon Eyes fused with the Host contain inherent, immense energy that was previously dormant. Learning the Ancient Demon Scripture triggered a resonance, releasing this hidden power. The energy aligned perfectly with the scripture, fueling the Host's breakthrough to the Holy Induction Realm.]
Ye Qian nodded, satisfied. It made sense.
Then, a thought struck him. His predecessor had died from a Heart Demon.
"System, what about the Heart Demon? Is it still lurking?"
For a cultivator, a Heart Demon was a ticking time bomb.
[Ding! Host, please rest assured. The Supreme Demon Eyes and the Ancient Demon Scripture have refined the previous Heart Demon. Furthermore, the Host is now immune to generating new Heart Demons. You may cultivate without fear.]
Ye Qian breathed a sigh of relief. Immunity to Heart Demons was a massive advantage.
"System, open my status panel."
A translucent blue screen appeared.
[Host]: Ye Qian
[Age]: 18
[Identity]: Young Master of the Ye Family
[Cultivation]: Early Holy Induction Realm
[Physique]: Supreme Immortal Body, Supreme Demon Eyes
[Cultivation Technique]: Ancient Demon Scripture, Slaughtering Immortal Art, Primordial Sword Art
[Magic Treasure]: Void-Slaughtering Sword (Samsara Artifact)
[Luck Value]: -1000
[Villain Points]: 2000
[System Backpack]: None
Ye Qian let out a bitter laugh at his Luck Value.
-1000.
He was a villain, alright. A high-status villain with luck so bad it was practically a curse. But it made sense; if his luck was high, he'd be a Child of Destiny, not their stepping stone.
"System, what's the exchange rate for Luck Value?"
[Ding! Ten points of Villain Points can be exchanged for one point of Luck Value.]
Ye Qian did the math and mentally checked out. He would need 10,000 Villain Points just to break even at zero. With a measly 2,000 points in the bank, he decided to ignore the debt. Negative one thousand was just a number.
He glanced at the lottery function. It was a simple roulette wheel filled with treasures from the myriad worlds—techniques, bloodlines, god-tier items. But each draw cost 10,000 Villain Points.
Combined with his abysmal luck, gambling now would be throwing money into a black hole. He decided to save his points.
Ye Qian stood up and surveyed the room. It was a mess.
He shook his head. "Rich families are just different. The stuff I just broke is probably worth a mountain of spirit stones. My heart aches for the waste."
His personality remained intact, grounded despite the lofty memories.
Creak!
He pushed the heavy doors open. Sunlight flooded the room.
Outside, guards stood at attention, and two maids waited in readiness.
They were his personal attendants, Xia He and Qiu Lan. Both were stunningly beautiful, with flawless porcelain skin and delicate features. Dressed in long gowns of green and blue, their graceful figures and cherry-red lips were enough to captivate any man.
Yet, beneath their beauty, their expressions held a subtle, lingering sorrow.