Villain: Manipulating the Heroines into hating the Protagonist Chapter 943: Mu Lianhua’s Sneak Attacks

The sun descended over the carnage, appearing as a blood-soaked orb through the haze of a thousand incinerated talismans. The roar of the primary battle—the collision of legions at the Spirit Mines—echoed like distant, rolling thunder, serving as a constant soundtrack to the silent, lethal operations occurring in the shadows of the borderlands.

Wang Jian glided through the canopy of a gnarled, ancient forest situated deep behind the Mystic Peak Sect’s defensive lines. He did not walk; he drifted like a phantom riding the breeze. His Void-Merging Breath was fully engaged, cloaking him in a shroud of absolute nothingness. To the spiritual perception of patrolling disciples and wandering beasts, he simply ceased to exist.

However, he was not traveling alone.

Beside him, seemingly floating within the warped air, was Sect Mistress Mu Lianhua. She was wrapped in a high-grade concealment cloak that Wang Jian had seized from the Silent Puppet Guild, yet the primary masking effect came from Wang Jian’s own Stellar Qi, which he had layered over her like a second skin.

"He is nearby," Wang Jian transmitted his voice directly into her mind. "Keep your aura completely suppressed, Lianhua. If even a tiny ripple of Core Formation pressure escapes, he will flee like a startled rabbit."

"I understand... Master," Mu Lianhua’s mental reply came. Her voice held a slight hesitation, a lingering thread of defiance that Wang Jian found exquisite. She was well aware of whom they were stalking.

They were hunting Elder Feng Wu.

Elder Feng Wu was a Core Formation Elder of the Mystic Peak Sect—Lianhua’s official ally, a man she had likely debated with in council or shared tea with. He was a steadfast, righteous cultivator famous for his wind-attribute techniques.

But in this moment, Elder Feng Wu was nothing more than prey.

They discovered him resting in a secluded, stony canyon, concealed beneath a massive cliff overhang. He was in a dire state. His left arm was severed below the elbow; though the stump was cauterized, it still leaked dark, venomous blood. His robes were tattered, and his face was pale, etched with deep fatigue. He gripped a glowing communication talisman, struggling to steady his breathing.

Wang Jian and Mu Lianhua perched on a branch overlooking the gorge, invisible and deathly silent.

"Observe him," Wang Jian whispered, his voice vibrating through the air. "He is attempting to refine the poison from his bloodstream. He is exposed. Weak."

"That is... Elder Feng Wu," Mu Lianhua whispered back, her physical voice barely a breath. "He is a decent man, Jian. He stood against Fu Yan’s aggression before. He is loyal to the Mystic Peak Sect."

"And that very loyalty resulted in his arm being severed," Wang Jian retorted with cold indifference. "Look at his hand, Lianhua. The storage ring."

Mu Lianhua shifted her gaze. Elder Feng Wu wore a heavy, jade storage ring on his remaining hand, which shimmered with a faint, protective glow.

"He commanded the western supply depot before their lines broke," Wang Jian explained with predatory logic. "That ring holds more than just his personal fortune. It contains emergency spirit stone reserves, high-grade healing pills for the front lines, and likely several crates of precious artifacts. If he perishes here—and he will, for that poison is devouring his heart meridian—some Azure Sword disciple will stumble upon him and strike it rich. Or a beast will devour him and the ring will be lost in the filth."

He turned his head, watching her through the veil of their cloaking. "We are not executing an ally, Lianhua. We are... reclaiming resources. Assets I require to increase your strength. Resources necessary for our survival."

"But to be the ones to kill him..."

"He is in agony," Wang Jian interrupted. "End it. Swiftly. Without pain. Utilize the Azure Sky-Heart Flame. Make it instantaneous. Ensure he feels nothing."

He reached out, his hand clamping onto her shoulder, fingers pressing into her skin. The Slave Seal on her midriff pulsed with a warm, commanding heat, sending a surge of pleasure-pain through her core that overrode her moral doubts.

"This is an order, Pet."

Mu Lianhua trembled. The command struck her soul, bypassing her conscience entirely. Her body reacted before her mind could offer further protest.

"Yes, Master," she exhaled, her eyes turning dull and focused solely on the target.

She glided off the branch, descending silently into the canyon. Without revealing her presence, she positioned herself directly behind the meditating, wounded Elder.

Elder Feng Wu gasped, his eyes flying open. He sensed a disturbance—a shift in the wind, a sudden and terrifying weight in the air.

"Who is th—"

He spun around, forcing his remaining Qi to manifest as a gust of wind around his good hand.

But he was far too slow. Wounded, drained, and facing a Peak Late-Stage Core Formation expert who held the advantage of a total surprise attack, he stood no chance.

Mu Lianhua lifted her hand. Eschewing any flashy, loud techniques that might attract notice, she simply pointed her index finger.

"Azure Pierce."

A beam of concentrated, brilliant blue fire—the refined essence of her Heavenly Flame—erupted from her fingertip. It was as thin as a needle but burned with the ferocity of a star.

It pierced through Elder Feng Wu’s desperate wind shield as if it were parchment. The beam struck him squarely in the center of his forehead.

There was no cry of pain. No blast. Only a soft hiss as the extreme heat instantly vaporized bone and brain tissue.

The light vanished from Elder Feng Wu’s eyes before his mind could even process the strike. His body stiffened for a moment, then collapsed forward, hitting the stony ground with a heavy thud.

The assassination was perfect.

Wang Jian dropped from the tree, landing softly next to the corpse. A grin spread across his face.

"Impeccable," he remarked, walking toward Mu Lianhua. He ignored the dead man, focusing entirely on her. He reached out to cup her cheek. "You performed well. No hesitation at the critical moment. That is exactly what I expect."

Mu Lianhua was shaking slightly, staring down at the man she had just slain. "I... I killed him. A fellow Daoist."

"You liberated his holdings," Wang Jian corrected, stepping past her. He knelt by the body, grabbed the remaining hand, and slid the jade storage ring from the finger.

He projected his spiritual sense inside, shattering the fading soul imprint of the dead Elder with a brutal surge of Stellar Qi.

His eyes sparkled.

"Jackpot," he chuckled softly. "This is magnificent. Ten thousand high-grade spirit stones. Crates of ’Seven-Leaf Spirit Mending Grass’. Hundreds of vials of ’Qi-Restoration Pellets’. And... what do we have here? A map detailing the Mystic Peak Sect’s secret fallback arrays?"

He rose, tossing the ring in the air before stowing it. "This alone made the journey worthwhile."

He glanced at the corpse. "We can’t leave any evidence behind."

He looked at Mu Lianhua. "Incinerate it. To ash. Leave nothing but dust."

Mu Lianhua stared at the remains of Elder Feng Wu. She closed her eyes for a moment, offering a silent prayer, then opened them. They were cold once more. She was the weapon.

With a wave of her hand, a tide of azure fire consumed the body. The intense heat turned flesh, bone, and cloth to ash in seconds, leaving only a grey pile that was quickly scattered by the wind.

"Dust to dust," she whispered.

Wang Jian moved behind her, circling his arms around her waist and pulling her back against his chest. He pressed a kiss to her neck.

"See?" he murmured. "He feels no pain. And we have gained wealth. It is the law of the jungle, Lianhua. We either eat or we are devoured. Now... let us find something to ease your guilt. Let us go kill an enemy."

They headed east, crossing the invisible boundary that marked the skirmish zones. The ground became more rugged and treacherous. This was now Azure Sword Clan territory.

In this region, they didn't need to hide their intentions as carefully. They were hunting tigers now.

Wang Jian’s target was specific. His informants—the Shadow Flowers—had reported the location of a notorious Azure Sword Clan Elder known as Elder Tie Jian, or "Iron-Sword."

Tie Jian was a Mid-Stage Core Formation expert, renowned for his arrogance and cruelty. He didn't merely kill Mystic Peak disciples; he tracked them for sport. He was currently patrolling a ridge called the "Razor’s Edge," searching for stragglers to torment.

Wang Jian identified him from a distance. Tie Jian was a tall, broad-shouldered man with iron-grey hair and a massive greatsword fastened to his back. He stood over the corpse of a Mystic Peak Deacon, laughing while he wiped blood from his steel.

"Pathetic!" Tie Jian bellowed to the empty air. "Is this the finest Mystic Peak can provide? Nothing but rats and cowards!"

Wang Jian watched him from behind a large rock. "Mid-Stage Core Formation. Strong physical defense. A heavy hitter. But he is conceited. He relies on his sword aura to overwhelm his foes."

He turned to Mu Lianhua. "He is formidable. A direct attack might attract attention if he flares his aura too much. We must trap him. Silence him before he can call for reinforcements."

"How?" Mu Lianhua inquired, her eyes narrowing as she studied the Azure Sword Elder. Unlike her feelings toward Feng Wu, she felt no remorse about killing this man. He was an enemy and a butcher.

"I will act as the bait," Wang Jian said with a smirk. "He enjoys hunting rats? I will give him one."

He adjusted his attire, disheveled his hair, and suppressed his cultivation aura down to the Late Stage of Foundation Establishment. He produced a flashy, high-grade storage pouch and fastened it visibly to his belt.

"Wait for my signal," he instructed her. "When he overcommits... crush him."

Wang Jian stepped out from cover, intentionally stumbling and kicking a loose stone.

Clatter.

Elder Tie Jian spun around immediately, his eyes locking onto Wang Jian.

Wang Jian feigned pure terror. He froze with wide eyes, then turned and scrambled away with a clumsy, panicked gait, clutching his storage pouch as if his life depended on it.

"Hah!" Tie Jian roared, his eyes gleaming with predatory delight. "Another rat! And a wealthy one, judging by that pouch!"

"Don’t kill me!" Wang Jian shrieked, his voice cracking convincingly. "I am just a messenger! I have spirit stones! Take them!"

"I will take your head and your stones, boy!" Tie Jian bellowed.

He didn't even bother to fly. He charged forward, his heavy boots thudding against the rock, savoring the hunt. He intended to run this little rat into the ground.

Wang Jian fled into a narrow ravine, a dead end hemmed in by high cliffs. He reached the back, spinning around to press his back against the stone wall while heaved for breath.

Tie Jian slowed to a walk, blocking the only exit. He drew his massive greatsword, the metal ringing with a lethal tone.

"Nowhere left to hide, little rat," Tie Jian grinned, revealing yellowed teeth. "Give me the pouch, and I might make your end quick."

The terrified look on Wang Jian’s face vanished instantly. He straightened his posture, brushing dust from his robes. A cold, mocking smirk replaced his fear.

"You are fast, old man," Wang Jian said, his voice now calm and steady. "But not fast enough."

Tie Jian hesitated, bewildered by the sudden shift in attitude. "What?"

"You really should pay more attention to your surroundings," Wang Jian tutted.

A chill ran down Tie Jian’s spine as his instincts screamed a warning. He hoisted his sword. "Die, fool!"

He swung the blade.

But the strike never connected.

The atmospheric pressure in the ravine suddenly intensified ten times over. It felt as though the heavens themselves had collapsed onto his shoulders.

"KNEEL!" a female voice commanded, cold and authoritative.

Mu Lianhua stepped out of the void directly above Tie Jian. She no longer hid her presence, unleashing her full, Peak Late-Stage Core Formation aura. It slammed into the Mid-Stage Elder like a falling mountain.

Tie Jian’s knees gave way. His sword swing was halted in mid-air, forced down by an invisible weight.

"Peak... Core... Formation?!" he gasped, his eyes bulging. "Who...?!"

Mu Lianhua did not reply. She formed a complex hand seal.

"Nine-Lotus Suppression Art."

Illusory, azure lotus flowers manifested in the air around Tie Jian. Nine of them spun, releasing chains of pure spiritual binding energy that lashed around his limbs, his throat, and his weapon.

Tie Jian roared, his Qi flaring as he struggled to break free, but the disparity in cultivation was insurmountable. He was paralyzed, pinned like a specimen in a display case.

"Now, Master!" Mu Lianhua called out.

Wang Jian stepped forward. He unsheathed his demonic saber, ’Blood’s Thirst’. The blade hummed with a dark, ravenous red light.

He did not use a simple strike. He channeled his Stellar Qi, compressing it into the edge of the blade until it vibrated at a frequency capable of severing space itself.

"Stellar Severing Slash."

He moved. He was a shadow cutting through the light.

He walked past the restrained Elder Tie Jian, sheathing his saber with a soft click.

For a heartbeat, nothing happened.

Then, a thin red line appeared on Tie Jian’s thick, muscular neck.

The Elder tried to speak, but only a wet gurgle came out. His head slid slowly from his shoulders, hitting the ground with a dull thud. His body remained upright for a moment, supported by the lotus chains, as blood erupted from the stump.

Wang Jian looked back. He saw a small, translucent, panicked form rising from the corpse—Tie Jian’s soul, attempting to flee toward reincarnation.

Wang Jian opened his mouth. He did not speak; he inhaled.

A vortex of Stellar Qi formed in his throat, catching the shrieking soul.

Slurp.

He swallowed the soul whole, his demonic scripture instantly refining the spiritual essence. it tasted spicy, saturated with rage and sword intent.

"Delicious," Wang Jian muttered, his eyes briefly flashing crimson.

He approached the headless body and stripped it efficiently. The storage ring. The armor. And the massive greatsword.

He weighed the sword. "Quasi-Earth Grade," he judged. "Heavy. Brutal. Not my style, but it will command a high price. Or perhaps I can melt it down to enhance Chen Ying’s blade."

He walked to Mu Lianhua, who was floating gracefully to the ground as the lotus chains dissolved.

He seized her waist and pulled her into a passionate, adrenaline-charged kiss, right beside the fountain of blood.

"Superb suppression, my dear," he whispered against her lips. "We make a flawless team. The bait and the hammer."

Mu Lianhua flushed, the violence and the praise blending into a potent cocktail. "He... he was arrogant. He deserved his fate."

"They all do," Wang Jian said. "Because they possess things I desire."

He let her go. "Clean the area. Scorch the ground. Make it appear as a chaotic energy surge. Leave no trace of our specific techniques."

They scrubbed the ravine clean, leaving only a blackened scar on the earth—another unsolved mystery of the conflict.

Night descended over the Iron-Root Hollow.

The hidden cave system, guarded by Yue Lingshan’s constantly improving arrays, stood as a sanctuary of warmth and luxury in the cold, hostile wilderness.

The group assembled in the main cavern. It was a bizarre, domestic scene in the middle of a war zone.

The five married maids—Li Mei and her sisters—met them at the entrance. Dressed in clean, practical robes, their faces glowed with health from a steady diet of cultivation pills.

"Welcome back, Master! Welcome back, Mistresses!" Li Mei chirped, bowing deeply. "We have prepared a banquet. Roast spirit-boar and wine."

They had also prepared hot baths in the side chambers, warmed by geothermal vents. They were the ideal logistics team, maintaining comfort at home while the warriors were out hunting.

Wang Jian walked to the center of the cavern. "Empty them," he commanded.

They overturned their storage pouches.

A mountain of loot spilled onto the stone floor. It was a staggering display of wealth. Piles of spirit stones, stacks of artifacts, crates of pills, and bundles of rare herbs. The day’s harvest from hunting both enemies and ’allies’ was massive.

Yue Lingshan sat by the pile, her eyes shining as she began to categorize the artifacts.

"This sword..." she held up a blue blade. "It is standard Azure Sword Clan issue, but upgraded with wind runes. High quality. We can fetch at least five thousand spirit stones for this on the black market."

She picked up a defensive talisman. "Mystic Peak Sect issue. Deacon level. Pristine. Very useful."

Wang Jian stood over the spirit stones, performing a quick mental tally. "Fifty thousand," he estimated. "Plus the materials. Enough to power our cultivation for months. And the war is only starting."

He looked around at his harem. They were all present. Mu Lianhua, regal and potent. Yue Lingshan, intelligent and loyal. Chen Ying, honing her blade in the corner with her wolves at her feet. Liu Ruyan, sorting the new herbs. The Shadow Flowers—Qiu Yun, Su Ning, and Bai Xue—who had just returned from their own mercenary tasks, looking exhausted but successful, adding their own smaller piles to the mountain of loot.

"Excellent work, everyone," Wang Jian declared.

He grabbed several jade bottles—’Blood-Bursting Pills’ and ’Qi-Restoration Pellets’—and tossed them to the women.

"Take these. Continue to grow stronger. This chaos is our ladder, and we are ascending it quickly."

He walked over to Yue Lingshan. Disregarding the onlookers, he pulled her onto his lap in front of the group.

"You fought exceptionally today, wife," he said loudly, ensuring everyone heard him. "Your arrays were flawless."

He kissed her deeply.

Chen Ying watched from her corner, her expression neutral, though her hand tightened on her sword hilt. Mu Lianhua watched with a flicker of jealousy in her eyes, yet she lowered her head submissively. Liu Ruyan smiled, knowing her own time would come later in the night.

Wang Jian released Lingshan and turned to Chen Ying. "Report. What is the current status of the front lines?"

Chen Ying stood up, her voice sharp. "The Azure Sword Clan is making a heavy push toward the Spirit Mines in Sector 7. The Mystic Peak Sect is currently falling back to the second defense..."