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

Chapter 7: A Loyal Devotee Ruins My Grand Plan:

It didn’t take long for You Ruo to complete Shen Yuan’s orders perfectly. She returned with an assortment of pastries, rattles, puppets, and other items favored by children.

“Master!”

“Come in.”

As You Ruo entered, she saw Shen Yuan toying with a small teddy bear in his hands. The sight of silk and sewing tools on the table gave her an idea of what had happened.

“I didn’t realize Master possessed such craftsmanship. I’m impressed,” You Ruo remarked.

This wasn’t flattery. As Shen Yuan’s hidden blade, she excelled at killing, not delicate tasks like sewing. It surprised her that her master, a man, had such skills.

Still, wasn’t this something that could have been left to the maids?

Ignoring her comment, Shen Yuan handed her the teddy bear.

“What do you think of this doll?”

“It’s excellent—almost as good as those sold in specialty shops.”

“I want the truth.”

“It’s slightly inferior to the ones sold in stores, but still very exquisite.”

Shen Yuan nodded, placing the bear into an ornate gift box.

“Come. Accompany me to deliver a gift.”

“A gift? Master, who are we delivering this to?”

“Princess Qian Rou.”

“Princess Qian Rou?”

You Ruo was stunned. Princess Qian Rou was only five or six years old—a mere child. Knowing Shen Yuan’s pragmatic nature, she found it hard to believe. He only associated with people who could provide some benefit, such as Pei Duan or Qiu Bai.

But a little girl like Princess Qian Rou? What could she possibly offer him? Could it be that her master simply liked children?

Shen Yuan didn’t bother explaining. Taking the gift box, he prepared to leave.

“Let’s go. We’re heading to the palace.”

“Yes!”

…

Meanwhile, Qin Yang had returned to White Cloud Sect, the sect he called home.

“Junior Brother Qin Yang, weren’t you bringing Miss Shen to propose marriage to her family? Why have you returned alone?”

“Yeah, where is Miss Shen?”

As soon as Qin Yang arrived, his fellow disciples bombarded him with questions. Normally, Qin Yang would have answered them all with ease, but today, he felt nothing but irritation—overwhelming and suffocating.

“Apologies, Senior Brothers. I need to see my master.”

Seeing his despondent demeanor, the disciples refrained from pressing further. Qin Yang, once the prideful prodigy, now resembled a defeated quail.

Even worse, Qin Yang could feel his Dao heart wavering. A subtle but insidious inner demon was taking root within him.

This was all part of Shen Yuan’s plan. By gouging out Shen Xiao’er’s eyes and forcing Qin Yang to marry her, Shen Yuan intended to sow the seeds of an inner demon.

This emotional obstacle—betraying vows of eternal love and abandoning Shen Xiao’er due to her blindness—would be a significant hindrance to Qin Yang’s cultivation journey. Once the inner demon grew, it would become his greatest obstacle.

Unfortunately, Pei Duan’s devotion had foiled Shen Yuan’s plan.

Shen Yuan couldn’t blatantly force Shen Xiao’er onto Qin Yang without offending Pei Duan, whose father, Pei Jianghai, was a critical ally.

Curse that loyal fool for ruining my plan!

Seated in the palanquin en route to the palace, Shen Yuan reviewed everything that had transpired. If not for Pei Duan, his scheme to plant an inner demon in Qin Yang would have succeeded. Now, he would have to devise another plan.

Ruining Qin Yang’s relationship with Shen Xiao’er brought little satisfaction. Knowing the story, Shen Yuan was well aware that Shen Xiao’er was only one of Qin Yang’s nine harem members. Moreover, White Cloud Sect housed Qin Yang’s ageless master, another significant obstacle.

“Taking down Shen Xiao’er is just the beginning. Why does the protagonist always have countless helpers, while I, Shen Yuan, must do everything myself? Every subordinate I send ends up as fodder for his growth. The only one I can rely on is You Ruo. Even she, in the original novel, met a tragic end when her true identity was exposed.” Shen Yuan thought bitterly.

“Master… Have I done something wrong?” You Ruo asked hesitantly, noticing Shen Yuan’s gaze fixed on her. A faint blush colored her cheeks.

As a demon, her secret was known only to herself and Shen Yuan. Even the Shen family’s elders were unaware. In the Northern Qi Empire, where demons were sworn enemies, this knowledge was dangerous.

“Be careful around Shen Bin,” Shen Yuan warned.

In the original novel, Shen Bin had accidentally discovered You Ruo’s demonic nature. Manipulated by Shen Xiao’er, he and Shen Xiao’er revealed the secret to Qin Yang, leading to You Ruo’s downfall. This stripped Shen Yuan of his strongest ally.

The timeline didn’t specify when Shen Bin made the discovery, so Shen Yuan was taking precautions.

“What about Elder Shen Bin?” You Ruo asked cautiously.

Shen Bin, the fourth-ranked among the Shen family’s nine elders, was widely respected and addressed as “Fourth Elder” or simply “Elder.”

“When you use your demonic powers, ensure there are no witnesses. If there are any… eliminate them.”

“Master… Are you worried about me?”

“Hmph. If your true identity is exposed, don’t expect me to protect you. I’ll sever ties with you immediately.”

“Rest assured, Master. If that day ever comes, I’ll be the one to sever all ties with you.”

“Good,” Shen Yuan said, closing his eyes and ending the conversation.

You Ruo, however, had taken his words to heart. Her master’s warning confirmed her suspicions about Shen Bin. That old man must have been paying too much attention to her.

The Shen family doesn’t need these elders. All they do is oppose Master. They’re useless!

“Arrived at Sunset Palace!”

The eunuch’s announcement broke her thoughts as the palanquin reached its destination.

“Prime Minister Shen, what brings you to Sunset Palace today?” an elderly eunuch asked politely.

“Oh, nothing much,” Shen Yuan replied, slipping some silver notes into the eunuch’s hand. “Just here to visit Princess Qian Rou.”

The eunuch’s smile widened as he led Shen Yuan inside. “Please, this way, Prime Minister.”

“Prime Minister!” The carefree young princess rushed toward him. “What brings you to my palace today?”

Shen Yuan bowed slightly. “I’ve come to play with Your Highness.”

“Play?!” Princess Qian Rou’s eyes lit up with excitement.

At Shen Yuan’s signal, You Ruo presented the gifts they had prepared.

“This is a doll I made myself, Your Highness. Do you like it?”

“Wow! It’s so cute! I—I mean, this princess loves it!” Qian Rou exclaimed, quickly correcting her tone.

“These are pastries from the market. Though not as exquisite as the palace’s, they have a unique flavor…”

“Wow!”

Shen Yuan patiently introduced each gift, treating Qian Rou as if she were his own daughter. After playing together for a while, the princess grew tired and rested in the gazebo.

“Your Highness, I’ve also brought some stories from the market. Would you like to hear one?” Shen Yuan asked at just the right moment.

“Yes, yes! Quickly, tell me!”

“This story is called ‘Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.’ In a distant land, there was an ancient magical mirror…”

Shen Yuan had adapted the story for this world, changing the magic mirror into an ancient artifact and the seven dwarfs into ancient spirits. Qian Rou listened intently, her interest unwavering.

When the story ended, she still looked eager for more.