Chu Xun was completely unaware of the commotion his breakthrough had caused.
At this moment, his eyes were closed.
He was carefully sensing the power within his body.
From nothing to something.
One step—straight into the Human Emperor Realm.
The amount of energy was simply too vast.
He needed time to slowly familiarize himself with it.
Fortunately, this was the Sutra Pavilion.
Layer upon layer of scriptures, formations overlapping formations.
He wasn't worried about accidentally tearing the place apart with his own strength.
—
Shua!
A peerless figure suddenly appeared before the Sutra Pavilion, startling the disciples passing by. They looked up and saw a graceful silhouette outlined by flowing red robes, standing proudly like a celestial being descended from the heavens.
Her gaze was cold and dignified. Under that pressure, the disciples instinctively lowered their heads, not daring to look directly at her, and respectfully greeted her.
"Greetings, Sect Master!"
This peerless woman—
Was none other than the master of Donglin Holy Land.
Xiao Rongyu.
Only a handful of disciples dared to sneak another glance. And in that brief moment, they caught sight of something utterly unbelievable—a trace of grievance in the sect master's beautiful eyes.
Their pupils widened.
They thought they had seen wrong.
But when they looked again, they realized they weren't the only ones.
The other disciples wore the same shocked expressions.
As if they had seen a ghost.
The head of Donglin Holy Land was famous for her obsession with cultivation. She had stepped into the Human Emperor Realm at a young age, suppressing the older generation of powerhouses within the sect. As sect master, she was always distant and cold, radiating an aura that kept others at arm's length.
And yet today—
There was resentment in her eyes.
Shua!
Xiao Rongyu's gaze lingered on the Sutra Pavilion.
Back when that man in green roamed the world with a sword, dazzling all under heaven, she had been one of the countless admirers he left behind. It was because of him that she joined Donglin Holy Land in the first place.
Memories surged like a tide.
She had been a少女 back then.
In the blink of an eye, she had become the sect master of Donglin Holy Land.
And he—
Had finally untied the knot in his heart.
She stood silently for a long moment.
Then turned.
And left.
…
Inside the Sutra Pavilion.
Chu Xun still knew nothing of all this.
Perhaps—
Even the original owner of this body had never realized it.
Back then, he had casually saved a little girl. Who would have thought she would one day reach such heights?
Cultivation knows no time.
Days flow like water.
In the blink of an eye—
Half a month passed.
During this time, Chu Xun completely stabilized his Human Emperor Realm cultivation. He felt that with a sword in hand, he could split the heavens themselves. But he had no desire to descend the mountain.
He knew very well that there were plenty of old monsters lurking below. His strength was far from enough to dominate even Donglin Holy Land—so what reason was there to go down the mountain and invite trouble?
So he continued as before.
Reading scriptures.
Reciting them daily.
Comprehending principles, cultivating martial arts.
Occasionally practicing calligraphy, admiring the scenery—balancing work and rest, nurturing both body and mind.
Life was peaceful.
Unchanged.
…
This day.
On the first floor of the Sutra Pavilion, a young man walked in.
He was handsome and refined, with striking features. Wherever he went, Donglin disciples bowed in greeting. Admiration filled the eyes of the men, while infatuation shone in the eyes of the women.
"Senior Brother!"
"Senior Brother!"
"Senior Brother!"
The newcomer was none other than the senior-most disciple of the younger generation of Donglin Holy Land—
Jiang Chen.
On the rooftop, Chu Xun sensed something. He slowly opened his eyes and looked down.
Then he froze.
Staring at Jiang Chen ascending the stairs, a strange expression surfaced in his eyes.
The senior brother of the holy land.
Extremely prestigious within the sect.
Peerless talent.
Handsome to an almost unreal degree.
A rare sight even in the cultivation world.
Isn't this… a classic destined villain?
Having read countless web novels in his previous life, Chu Xun knew this pattern all too well. For a protagonist to rise, they must trample geniuses like this underfoot. If Jiang Chen also had a goddess-like confidante—someone eternally out of reach—
Then he was practically a textbook fate villain.
And wait—
His surname was Jiang?
Chu Xun's gaze grew even stranger.
In fantasy novels—
The Jiang surname.
The Ji surname.
Two infamous villain surnames.
Born with villain physiques.
Now looking at Jiang Chen—gentle toward others yet clearly troubled, brows tightly furrowed—Chu Xun slowly opened the system panel.
---
[Name: Jiang Chen]
[Age: 27]
[Cultivation: Peak of King Realm]
[Luck: Purple (Fate Villain)]
[Life Evaluation: Born as the eldest son of the ancient Jiang family. Displayed extraordinary talent from a young age and joined Donglin Holy Land. Due to his kind nature, he often guided fellow disciples and earned widespread respect as "Senior Brother." However, after the Protagonist of Destiny enters the sect, his luck declines continuously. When he falls to rock bottom, he is completely erased.]
[Life Evaluation: Miserable.]
Chu Xun's mouth twitched slightly.
As expected.
Just his surname and background alone already sealed his fate as a major villain.
If you're not stepped on—
How does the protagonist rise?
"Senior!"
Jiang Chen climbed all the way to the top floor and bowed respectfully.
Even as the senior brother of Donglin Holy Land and a descendant of the ancient Jiang family—with elders holding key positions within the sect—he could only come here because of his status. Otherwise, the top floor of the Sutra Pavilion was not a place one could casually enter.
"Mm."
Chu Xun nodded gently.
Jiang Chen frowned slightly.
These past few days had been truly unpleasant. He didn't know what had happened to the goddess he admired, but she had somehow become entangled with a so-called fallen genius from some remote border town.
It left him deeply frustrated.
Any random cat or dog could now provoke his goddess?
But as the senior brother of the sect, it wasn't appropriate to bully the weak.
So he had his subordinates issue warnings.
Who would've thought that fellow would grow even more arrogant—beating up his junior brothers instead. As the senior brother of Donglin Holy Land, Jiang Chen still couldn't openly suppress him. He could only endure it and plan to teach him a lesson during the upcoming sect competition.
A few days ago.
An elder from the Jiang family—one who held an important position within Donglin Holy Land—had subtly hinted that it was time for him to acknowledge a master.
And Elder Chu of the Sutra Pavilion—
Was the best choice.
Thus, he came.
"What brings you here?" Chu Xun asked.
"I wish to take you as my master."
A strange expression flickered across Chu Xun's face.
Suddenly, a realization struck him.
If he hadn't transmigrated—
Then Jiang Chen would not have been the one standing here.
In a few days, the Protagonist of Destiny would have arrived at the Sutra Pavilion instead.
By chance, they would have met.
A few unintentional words from the protagonist would have resolved his heart knot.
Enlightenment would descend.
He would step into the Human Emperor Realm.
And from then on, he would become the greatest backing of the Protagonist of Destiny.
"Hm."
Chu Xun nodded slowly.
What a pity.
He had transmigrated.
And awakened the Villain Investment System.
As long as he invested in villains—
There would be rewards.
The strange look in his eyes lasted only a moment. Jiang Chen didn't notice it at all. All he saw was Elder Chu sitting cross-legged, his appearance plain and unassuming, his voice gentle and calm.
"Taking a master is no small matter. You should think carefully before making your decision," Chu Xun said slowly.
"I can see that your emotions have been unsettled and your heart restless recently. Since you've come, I might as well give you some advice."