"Why be a villain when I could be anything else?" Ye Qian muttered, his voice low and edged with sarcasm. "Have these Systems never read the novels? The villain always ends up dead in a ditch. Is this thing trying to get me killed?"
He narrowed his eyes, the weight of skepticism heavy in his tone. "System, are you sure... your name is the Great Villain System?"
A brief, calculating silence followed before the mechanical voice echoed in his mind.
[The full designation is indeed the Great Villain System. Its purpose is to assist Master in becoming a ruthless, unscrupulous Great Villain.]
[Master will encounter countless Children of Destiny and Daughters of Heaven blessed with the power of Luck. The System will facilitate the seizure of their Luck.]
[Since the Heavens intend for Master to be their stepping stone, then defy the Heavens! Crush these so-called chosen ones and pave your road with their broken ambitions!]
[By suppressing these Children of Destiny and draining their Luck, Master will acquire Villain Points.]
[Villain Points can be exchanged for Luck Value or used for System raffles. Raffles include items from all heavens and myriad realms, or can be converted directly into cultivation base.]
[When a Child of Destiny's Luck drops below a critical threshold, Master may eliminate them to obtain a Villain Treasure Chest.]
[Villain Treasure Chests contain treasures from across the universe—everything imaginable. Furthermore, accumulating Villain Points will eventually trigger a System upgrade.]
As expected. It wants me to steal their Luck and then kill them.
The path was clear: the System was hell-bent on molding him into an antagonist.
Ye Qian realized he had no choice. His predecessor, relying on his noble status, had already committed heinous acts.
The bridge was burned—he was already a villain in the eyes of many. Even if he achieved greatness, the narrative dictated he would eventually be trampled by some rising protagonist, reduced to a mere stepping stone for their glory.
Reborn in this life, Ye Qian refused to be anyone's experience pack.
If I must be a villain, then I will be a Great Villain! I will crush those Children of Destiny and grind them into dust beneath my feet!
In that moment, Ye Qian's resolve hardened. Since he had transmigrated into this role, he would play it to perfection.
Besides, being a villain wasn't so terrible. With his heaven-defying background and the System, he held advantages the protagonists could only dream of. He could act as he pleased, free from the moral shackles that bound the righteous.
Accepting his fate, a thought occurred to him.
Standard procedure dictates a starter kit, right?
"System, is there a novice gift package? Don't Systems usually hand those out upon activation?"
The System seemed almost surprised by its Host's savvy.
[...Master is knowledgeable. There is indeed a Novice Gift Package in the System Space. Please inspect it at your leisure.]
Knowledge of the System Space flowed into Ye Qian's mind. By simply focusing his intent, he could perceive a dimensional storage visible only to him.
Ye Qian didn't hesitate. "Open the Novice Gift Package!"
A flash of light erupted in his mind's eye. The package within the System Space burst open, releasing a blinding golden light that was instantly swallowed by a surge of ominous black Qi.
The black mist radiated a chilling, malevolent energy.
Through the darkness, Ye Qian glimpsed a pair of pitch-black eyes. The moment his gaze met them, an instinctual terror forced him to shut his own eyes.
[Ding! Novice Gift Package opened. Congratulations, Master, for obtaining: Supreme Demon Eyes, Ancient Demon Scripture, and Villain Points ×2,000.]
The ink-black eyes were undoubtedly the Supreme Demon Eyes. They lived up to the name—a single glance was enough to instill primal fear.
As for the second reward, Ye Qian was speechless.
Ancient Demon Scripture? Good heavens!
Both items were inextricably linked to the concept of 'Demon.'
He didn't know whether to laugh or cry. In the Immortal Realm, the word 'Demon' was taboo—a death sentence.
Regardless of one's identity or background, if the righteous sects—or even his own family—discovered he was harboring Demonic Arts, they would strike to kill without hesitation.
Ye Qian had just obtained two supreme demonic treasures, and he couldn't decide if it was a blessing or a curse.
"System, are you messing with me? Or are you trying to get me killed? Can I even use these? If anyone senses this demonic energy, I'm doomed before I even start!"
[...]
The System paused, seemingly recalculating Ye Qian's unexpected prudence. These were god-tier items, yet in this setting, they were indeed hot potatoes.
[Master, please rest assured. The System can perfectly conceal all demonic Qi.]
[Unless Master deliberately exposes it, detection is impossible. Even an existence in the Great Emperor Realm cannot perceive it.]
Ye Qian exhaled, his anxiety vanishing.
Awesome.
To deceive the perception of a Great Emperor—the System truly lived up to its name.
This was the essence of a true Great Villain: one who schemes from the shadows, manipulating the world while appearing spotless. Those who jumped around provoking protagonists were mere thugs. A Great Villain played a deeper game.
"Extract my rewards!"
Ye Qian couldn't wait to test the power of the Supreme Demon Eyes.
[Rewards distributed. Please receive, Master.]
As the voice faded, a sharp discomfort assaulted Ye Qian's eyes. It felt as though something was burrowing into his skull, a sensation that made his scalp tingle.
Simultaneously, a deluge of information flooded his mind—cultivation techniques, profound methodologies, and ancient secrets.
This was the Ancient Demon Scripture.
It was an overbearing, tyrannical manual. However, it originated from the primeval era of the Demon Path, fundamentally different from modern Demonic Arts.
It did not require the blood of innocents or the consumption of souls. It was simply domineering power, refined and absolute. This was a relief—it meant less risk of accidental exposure.
Slowly, the pain in his eyes subsided.
Ye Qian opened them. His pupils had transformed into pools of abyssal ink, radiating a cold, terrifying aura that seemed to devour the light around them. The Supreme Demon Eyes were now part of him.