C1 He Went Back to the Novel and Became the Villain!
In the Mystic World, atop the Immortal Mountain of the Irontalons Sect, a sword light suddenly pierced the heavens! A single stroke split the sky, cleaving through the sun and moon. The swirling green sword qi ultimately transformed into an ethereal Green Lotus. This phantom Green Lotus hovered over the Immortal Mountain, unwavering for three full days, captivating every member of the Irontalons Sect. Elders and disciples alike, from the highest ranks to the newest initiates, were left in awe.
"What's happening? What's causing this extraordinary event on Profound Clarity Peak today?" A young disciple, only three months into their journey with the sect, was bewildered. Amidst their confusion, a venerated inner sect senior sister gasped in realization, "It has to be Senior Brother Ye Ning! He must be emerging from his seclusion!"
"Three years!" she cried out. "Senior Brother, I've waited for you for three long years! And now, you're finally returning!"
The news set off a wave of jubilation among both the outer and inner disciples. "It's really Senior Brother Ye Ning!" "Is he truly about to leave his seclusion?" "This is wonderful! I've longed for this moment for three years!" "When Senior Brother returns, I will make him mine!"
The young disciple was astounded by the fervor. Within the Irontalons, there existed an Eldest Senior Brother so beloved? Compelled by curiosity, she inquired, "Seniors, if I may... who is Senior Brother Ye Ning?"
The question drew all eyes to her. "What? You don't know of Senior Brother Ye Ning?" The surrounding seniors looked at her with a mix of surprise and scorn. "Junior Sister, you'd do well to listen," one of them said. "Senior Brother Ye Ning is the beacon of hope for our Irontalons Sect, our future!"
A senior brother to her left chimed in, "Indeed, it's said that Senior Brother Ye Ning is none other than the reincarnation of our Irontalons Ancestral Master!" "What?" she exclaimed. The Ancestral Master had ascended to immortality; how could he have... passed away?
To her right, a plump senior sister, eyes alight with admiration, gazed toward the peak. "Whether he's the Ancestral Master reincarnated, I cannot say. But without a doubt, Senior Brother Ye Ning is a man of extraordinary presence!"
Another disciple eagerly added, "His visage is as fine as jade, his demeanor noble and otherworldly. His swordsmanship is enlightened, grasping the Dao in a mere thought!" Some even claimed, "He stands eight feet tall, with a breadth to match, a true marvel of our times!"
Regardless of the tales, the legend of Ye Ning surged anew among the sect.
Not just among the disciples. Elder Lin Youde of the Irontalons Sect extolled, "Martial Nephew Ye Ning has at last grasped the essence of the sword, mastering the Green Lotus Sword Dao! With this, our Irontalons Sect shall thrive!"
The Irontalons Sect had long stood as a paragon of virtue among the righteous paths of the human world. Yet, a millennium ago, the sect's former leader, Daoist Withered Leaf, vanquished seven great Demon Masters with a single sword strike, only to fall victim to treachery. Since then, the Irontalons Sect had waned.
The previous Sect Leader of the Irontalons had been thrust into command during a time of crisis, enduring the burden for five centuries. Tragically, he perished while attempting to transcend a tribulation outside the sect, leaving no legacy behind. The Irontalons Sect suffered yet another devastating blow.
In this generation, Jin Lingzi, a woman of remarkable strength, assumed the mantle of Sect Leader amidst peril. She fought valiantly to maintain the sect's precarious standing. The world, however, was in flux, with malevolent forces on the brink of overwhelming the land. While the Dao of Righteousness and the Buddhist Temple were bolstered by their own formidable experts, the Irontalons Sect teetered on the edge of collapse. What the sect desperately needed was an unparalleled prodigy to lead them out of obscurity and back to glory.
It was against this backdrop that Ye Ning arrived. A mere child from a remote village, he had witnessed unspeakable horrors when the Devil Dao annihilated his home, the Grass Temple Village. His survival was nothing short of miraculous, owed to his parents' quick thinking in concealing him within a cellar.
Upon joining the sect, Ye Ning's innate talent shone through as he mastered the introductory heart technique in a mere three days. Within three months, he had ascended to the Foundation Establishment stage.
The Cultivation World recognized the following realms of cultivation: Foundation Establishment, Spiritual Pedestal, Golden Core, Nascent Infant, Void Treading, Dao Transformation, Tribulation, and Mahayana. Each major realm was further divided into nine minor realms. Cultivation was akin to rowing upstream, a relentless struggle against the current. Yet, Senior Brother Ye Ning seemed to traverse this path with ease.
In just ten years, he achieved great success at the Spiritual Pedestal stage. Three years prior, at the tender age of fourteen, Senior Brother Ye Ning declared his intent to enter seclusion and strive for the Golden Core Stage. Now, three years later, the sword qi of Upper Clarity Peak had transformed into a Green Lotus. Senior Brother Ye Ning had achieved the Golden Core Stage, his sword piercing the heavens as the Green Lotus blossomed—a spectacle that captured the attention of all.
Within the Heavenly Mystery Cave of Upper Clarity Peak, Ye Ning felt a tingling sensation on his scalp. "I... transmigrated?" he questioned. "I've become... the villain!"
Could it be? Had he transmigrated simply because his name matched that of the villain? It seemed too hasty, too absurd. "All I did was glance at a romance novel on a whim, and now I've crossed over?" he pondered incredulously.
In the novel, Ye Ning was portrayed as an utter hypocrite. Initially, when reading with a clear mind, Ye Ning had found himself identifying with the character. The fictional Ye Ning's narrative was reminiscent of Yue Buqun's—driven by a desire to revitalize the sect, to seek vengeance, and to fulfill his ambitions. However, it was this very ambition that led him down a dark path, ultimately succumbing to the Devil Dao.
Initially, Ye Ning was the esteemed Eldest Senior Brother, revered by the sect for his exceptional cultivation and elegant manner. His swordplay was legendary, vanquishing demons and devils with ease. As the story progressed, however, Ye Ning's actions grew increasingly vile, from violating his junior sister to usurping his Master's position...
The ending, as one might expect, was grim. He was executed, his spirit shattered, his existence erased from the path of cultivation.
If his memory served him right, this three-year seclusion marked the onset of Ye Ning's descent into villainy. Undoubtedly a natural-born talent, Ye Ning had sought shortcuts to reach the Golden Core Stage sooner. It was during his childhood that he had stumbled upon the remnants of the Heart Devouring Bead.
Driven by revenge and the desire to restore his sect, he ultimately decided to merge with the Heart Devouring Bead.
For the last three years, everyone believed he was immersed in mastering the essence of the sword and forming his Golden Core.
But the truth was, this period marked his integration with the Heart Devouring Bead!
Now, as he reached the pinnacle of the Golden Core Stage, the bead had fully assimilated with him!
...
"This is it. Why did I end up as the villain?"
"And why is time traveling so problematic?"
Had I arrived three years earlier, I would've discarded the Heart Devouring Bead without a second thought.
Alas, the bead is now within me.
With a thought, Ye Ning discovered a semi-transparent, dark red bead in the mysterious expanse of his spiritual void.
The bead's surface shimmered with faint glimmers, like delicate strands of lightning.
The novel claimed the Heart Devouring Bead would grant immense power.
Yet, it came with insidious whispers.
Simply put, it amplified one's inner desires, luring one ever closer to the abyss of the Devil Dao!
...
If only I hadn't been tempted to read that book.
"Esteemed Host, remain calm. The diary system is now linked."
"System?"
"Diary System?"
No need to panic; the system is here to assist!
"What advantages can you offer me?"
In a flash, the myriad functions of the system flooded his mind.
Essentially, "Keep a diary, maintain your wits, and grow stronger?"
The system's purpose:
By consistently writing in his diary and logging his emotions,
He could ward off the Heart Devouring Bead's influence.
Moreover, he would periodically reap rewards from the system.
These perks included but were not limited to: Tao Heart, insight, talent, treasures, pills, and sword techniques...
And beyond that...
He didn't have to lift a finger.
The system imposed no tasks or missions to complete.
It was, by all accounts, a system of high integrity and strong principles.
"Ye Ning, stay calm, stay calm, don't panic!"
"Yes, you've merged with the Heart Devouring Bead."
"But you have the system, and you're a transmigrator..."
"You have the opportunity to reform and start anew."
...
Wait, why start anew?
I haven't turned evil!
I'm a transmigrator!
I'm aware of the Heart Devouring Bead's peril.
And I have the diary system...
"If I just live as a decent person, isn't that enough?"
Knowing this, I'm sure I can keep my composure, system or no system.
"The antagonist in the original story was hasty for success, but that's not me..."
"Of course, to avoid the manipulative 'powers of the world,' I'll need to tread carefully from now on!"
As he pondered, the Heart Devouring Bead flickered.
Suddenly, Ye Ning felt an overwhelming thought begin to unfurl in his mind.
The moment he considered his Junior Sister and Master, the bead stirred.
It sought to twist his pure and noble thoughts into unspeakable directions.
"So this is the Heart Devouring Bead's doing!"
What a curse!
"Write in the diary, quickly write in the diary!"