Villain: Gouging Out the Heroine’s Spiritual Eyes at the Beginning

Chapter 17: White Cloud Sect, The Hundred Sect Assembly:

After returning to the Shen family, Shen Yuan immediately began implementing his plans, with his first target being Ye Fei. Although they hadn’t yet crossed paths, he believed in preparing for potential threats in advance.

“Youruo.”

There was no response after a long pause.

Shen Yuan smiled wryly, realizing that he had already sent Youruo to the Yin Void Valley. Naturally, she wouldn’t be at the Shen residence at this moment. It seemed like he always relied on her for everything.

With Youruo absent, he had no choice but to assign the task to others.

“Shen Jian, Shen Dao.”

“We are here. Shen Jian and Shen Dao greet the Patriarch!”

Shen Jian and Shen Dao were twin brothers of the Shen family. Though their talents were considered outstanding within the clan, they were destined to be stepping stones for the protagonist in the original plot. Despite their exceptional potential, they would inevitably become experience fodder for the protagonist in their encounters.

Both had reached the 6th stage Spirit Fusion Realm at a young age and were unwaveringly loyal to the Shen family, just like Youruo. They were stronger than the protagonist by a small margin, and there were two of them, yet fate dictated their inevitable defeat.

The protagonist’s halo truly defied the heavens.

“You two, contact our spies in Dongyi and have them closely monitor someone named Ye Fei.”

“Ye Fei? You mean the one who’s currently making a name for himself in Dongyi?”

Shen Yuan nodded without bothering to explain further.

“Keep a close watch on him and report to me immediately if anything happens. But remember—do not alert him unnecessarily.”

“Understood!”

After the two left, Shen Yuan sat down cross-legged and began circulating his spiritual energy.

Taking out the Saint-Breaking Pill, he murmured to himself, “Right now, I’m at the Half-Step Supreme Realm. I must break through to the Supreme Realm soon and use this pill to transcend. If I take it now, it could be detrimental rather than beneficial to my cultivation.”

“If I can break through and become a Supreme Saint… heh…”

A sinister smile appeared on Shen Yuan’s lips. Once he ascended, his power would surpass that of the current Empress of the Northern Qi Immortal Empire, giving him a major advantage in their confrontation.

Unfortunately, he hadn’t yet reached the Supreme Realm. Consuming the pill prematurely would be unwise.

The Saint-Breaking Pill was meant to assist Supremes in breaking through to the Saint Realm. The stronger the foundation at the Supreme level, the higher the success rate of transcending.

This was why the Empress hadn’t consumed the pill immediately after obtaining it. Instead, she planned to cultivate to the peak of the Supreme stage before taking it for a single decisive breakthrough.

The probability of a Supreme breaking into the Saint Realm was only around thirty percent, but with the Saint-Breaking Pill, it could be raised to eighty percent.

Even so, there was still a twenty percent chance of failure.

As long as one’s Supreme cultivation was stable and they had the aid of the pill, the chances of success were high—unless they were exceptionally unlucky.

Ultimately, however, the Empress’s Saint-Breaking Pill ended up benefiting Shen Yuan.

After storing the pill back into his storage ring, Shen Yuan leaned on his cane and silently walked to the window. The chilly night breeze brushed against him, and his gaze turned sharp.

Xiao’er, whose eyes he had gouged out, wouldn’t give up easily, nor would Qin Yang.

Killing Xiao’er would have been the best choice. If not, forcing Qin Yang to marry the blind Xiao’er could have disrupted his mental state.

But alas, there was Pei Duan, the relentless sycophant, to contend with.

And unfortunately, he couldn’t afford to ignore Pei Duan’s influence. His every move was restricted.

“Let them come… let’s see what kind of waves they can stir up.”

The following days went by as usual. After the morning court sessions, Shen Yuan would head straight to the Falling Sunset Palace. Each time he treated the little princess, he would send everyone away, leaving only Physician Zhou by his side.

Eunuch Li often tried to peek through the door but couldn’t penetrate the spiritual barrier set by Shen Yuan.

Every day, after using the Thousand Illusion Spirit Eye to treat the princess, Shen Yuan would tell her fairy tales, making her laugh joyfully.

Three days later, after completing the princess’s treatment, Shen Yuan prepared to leave.

The little princess panicked.

“Prime Minister, you haven’t told me today’s story yet!”

Shen Yuan smiled gently.

“I have important matters to attend to today, Your Highness. Please forgive me. I promise to make it up to you tomorrow.”

Eunuch Li quickly interjected, “His Excellency is busy with state affairs, Your Highness. Please don’t be willful.”

Pouting, the princess looked aggrieved. Shen Yuan gently patted her head.

“Your Highness, I truly have urgent matters to handle. Consider this story as something I owe you. Is that alright?”

“Fine…”

Reluctantly, the little princess allowed him to leave.

Once outside Falling Sunset Palace, Shen Yuan’s warm smile vanished completely.

If not for his greater plans, he wouldn’t have wasted so much time on a little girl.

Climbing into his carriage, Shen Yuan said flatly, “White Cloud Sect.”

“Yes, my lord!”

…

At the White Cloud Sect, the atmosphere was bustling. Crowds filled the place, making it nearly impossible to move.

Prodigies from various sects had gathered, eager to showcase their talents.

Qin Yang’s master, Yun Zhan, was beaming with joy while entertaining the honored guests from the Northern Qi Immortal Empire. If they could impress these nobles, it could pave the way for a brighter future.

Qin Yang, a rising star of the White Cloud Sect, was the center of attention. Many geniuses flocked to him with admiration.

“Brother Qin, long time no see!”

“Greetings, Daoist Qin!”

“Brother Qin…”

Qin Yang responded to everyone with a confident smile.

“Everyone, I believe Brother Qin is destined to be the champion of this year’s Hundred Sect Assembly.”

“Indeed! To have reached the 5th stage Spirit Fusion Realm at such a young age—such talent is truly enviable!”

“I believe if Brother Qin shines in this assembly, he may even catch the eye of the imperial family and be invited to join them!”

The imperial family—every martial artist in the Northern Qi Empire dreamed of such an opportunity.

If they could secure a position in the imperial family, who would willingly continue struggling in the blood-soaked martial world?

Especially in the Demon Suppression Bureau, which was rumored to offer incredible benefits.

“The arrival of Lord Wei!”

At this announcement, all the prodigies, including Qin Yang, immediately paid their respects.

“Greetings, Lord Wei!”

“No need for formalities. I’m here today simply as a guest to observe the event, thanks to the White Cloud Sect’s generous invitation.”

The young prodigies were in awe. Wei Qi, the Commander of the Dragon Gate Guards—second only to the Emperor himself—had graced the event.

Could it be that the White Cloud Sect was secretly under his influence?

A flurry of thoughts swirled in everyone’s minds.