C2 2
The golden diary materialized before him.
Ye Ning took up his pen and began to write:
"I am the Eldest Senior Brother of the Irontalons, the beacon of hope for our sect's ascension!"
"Yet, at this moment, I am seized by panic."
"I have come to know my destiny!"
"I was meant to be a villain, a betrayer of my Master and ancestors!"
"Guilty of treachery towards my Master and harboring vile intentions towards my junior sister, exploiting her."
"My deeds were vile, my sins, monstrous."
"However, I had no choice before. Now, I yearn to be a good person!"
"End of entry."
...
A radiant glow emanated from the golden diary.
It lasted but a moment!
The Heart Devouring Bead's intrusive thoughts of 'doing as one pleases, not for the faint-hearted' vanished into thin air.
The sense of a healthy, virtuous soul returned!
What a relief!
"Is this... the system?"
Dear host, your diary entry has been successfully recorded. You have earned the following rewards:
1. Rectify deficiencies and achieve the pinnacle of the Golden Core Stage!
2. Max out the first level of the Azure Mysterious Sword Qi!
3. Fading Fire
"Uh..."
Wu Dao stood dumbfounded for a long while upon seeing the rewards.
It wasn't that they were unwelcome, rather, they were overwhelmingly generous!
"A few written lines and such lavish rewards?"
Firstly, the pinnacle of the Golden Core Stage!
The original villain had paid dearly to reach the Golden Core Stage as swiftly as possible!
With the augmentation of the Bloodthirsty Bead and a wealth of resources, he managed to enter the Golden Core Stage within three years.
Yet, his Golden Core was flawed.
It was power forcibly drawn from the Heart Devouring Bead.
Thus, if the Heart Devouring Bead faltered, his cultivation would weaken.
To sustain his cultivation, he was forced to take lives to empower the bead.
Hence, the Heart Devouring Bead was also known as the Bloodthirsty Bead!
Initially, Ye Ning showed restraint.
He satisfied the Bloodthirsty Bead by slaying demons and evil beasts.
But after discovering that killing humans was far more effective, even tenfold so, he embarked on a murderous rampage.
To keep the Bloodthirsty Bead functioning, he truly paid a blood price!
...
But now, with just a few written words—
Golden Core, perfected!
"Truly, the system's gratification knows no bounds!"
Next, the Azure Mysterious Sword Qi was maxed out.
This technique was the crowning jewel of the Irontalons.
The ethereal Green Lotus outside the Irontalons Peak was the emblem of the Azure Mysterious Sword Qi's ultimate mastery.
Named the Green Profound Lotus.
It's noteworthy that what the disciples and elders perceived was still an illusion.
The Heart Devouring Bead's power had intensified the current sword Qi, fabricating this false image.
"Hehe, it seems this formidable villain is quite astute, fully aware of the significance of phenomena!"
Phenomena, the essence of visual impact!
But now, I have truly maxed out the first level.
Genuine and deserving of its name, not a mere facade.
These two rewards were already extraordinary.
But the third reward was even more spectacular!
The Fading Fire, recognized as the premier 'strange fire' in this world!
A fire capable of incinerating all evil and filth, its destructive power is beyond measure.
This flame, which was originally a hard-won prize for the novel's lead female, Chen Qingwei, in the later stages, was now in his possession!
"Uh, this is a gift from the system. There shouldn't be any repercussions, right?"
Ye Ning shut his notebook.
"Ah, the clarity of a mind free from distractions is truly wonderful!"
When those not-so-innocent thoughts surged up, they were utterly unstoppable.
No wonder the original character succumbed to darkness and became a top-tier villain!
"I should take advantage of this seclusion to get my memories in order."
"From now on, I must tread carefully with every step. No room for carelessness!"
The villain, aspiring to be a good person in the future.
"That means I need to keep a clear record of the key players in this book!"
First and foremost, the person to watch is:
Chen Qingwei!
Chen Qingwei was, in her past life, a celestial fairy from the Upper Realm.
And not just any fairy—she was the daughter of the Immortal Emperor.
In the original storyline, Ye Ning, the deranged villain, had reached the pinnacle of his life.
But at that moment, after enduring untold hardships, Chen Qingwei triggered her "Daddy's Power" mode.
In a mere instant, she vanquished Ye Ning.
His death was nothing short of tragic!
"Next up is Ye Rou."
Ye Rou shared the same surname as Ye Ning.
In the original story, she idolized Ye Ning, dreaming of one day marrying him.
And Ye Ning exploited her to gain numerous advantages.
Ye Rou's background was far from ordinary.
She was a phoenix reborn!
Then there was my Master, Jin Ling.
Jin Ling didn't appear often in the story.
But her every appearance significantly advanced the plot.
Initially, she was deceived and manipulated by Ye Ning.
Midway through, she chose to enter seclusion.
Later on, Ye Ning ambushed her during her retreat.
He even had designs on possessing her!
According to the novel's setup, she used her formidable power to protect herself.
Though imprisoned by Ye Ning, she remained unsullied in the end.
But Master also had quite the lineage.
She was the reincarnation of a revered Dao Venerate from the Upper Realm.
The novel reveals that her imprisonment was intentional, a ploy by Ye Ning to ignite Chen Qingwei's vengeful spirit and catalyze her awakening.
"Beyond them, there's also Junior Sister Chiang Yun, bearer of the ancient War God's lineage."
...
These individuals were the ones most deeply entwined with my fate.
And it was their combined might that ultimately led to my demise.
"With such formidable origins, I truly am a pitiable villain!"
To be honest, Ye Ning thought the Ye Ning of the novel was quite the inspirational figure.
He was, at his core, remarkably ordinary.
Merely a mortal.
Yet, he bore so much hatred...
"Enough of that. These are the original author's creations, and they have nothing to do with me."
"Time to return to reality and carefully consider my current predicament."
...
In reality, Ye Ning faced even more challenges.
Each of these heroines must have their own dashing male confidants, right?
Since it's a romance novel, these confidants are all strikingly handsome and resolute.
Then, they would throw caution to the wind, blindly aiding these junior sisters.
Thankfully, since it's a romance novel, these male confidants don't overshadow the story too much.
Otherwise, my life as a villain would be even more untenable!
...
Ye Ning began by sketching out the character relationships.
Then he delved into the details, strategizing how to interact with these junior sisters, his Master, and Martial Uncle.
In the grand hall of the Supreme Palace, a slender figure was seated on a meditation cushion. She gazed at the ethereal Green Lotus on the mountain with profound contentment. Her features were serene and refined, her stature graceful and dignified. Her Taoist essence flowed effortlessly, yet it was marked by an air of simplicity. This was Jin Lingzi, the reigning sect master of the Irontalons. Her true name remained a mystery to all.
Jin Lingzi was a formidable woman. She had stepped up to lead the Irontalons during their darkest hour, inheriting the sect when it was in disarray. In a cultivation world fraught with uncertainty, she had single-handedly kept the Irontalons from falling from the ranks of the top four sects.
Her decision to bring Ye Ning back had infused the Irontalons with fresh hope. "Ning, to think you've advanced to the Golden Core Stage so swiftly," she mused. "Master, if your spirit lingers above, bear witness to this moment. The Irontalons will not tarnish its reputation; on the contrary, it will rise to prominence once more." Her eyes, usually soft, now blazed with unwavering resolve.
But in an unexpected twist, a golden tome materialized in her mind. "What is this?" The abrupt intrusion took her aback. "Whose trickery is this?" As a powerhouse in the Dao Transformation Stage and a paragon of the Righteous Dao, she was baffled by such an enigmatic occurrence.
"Eh?" She paused, taken aback. Emblazoned on the cover of the golden book were the words: "Ye Ning's Diary of Feelings!" Ye Ning's diary? Jin Lingzi was at a loss for words, her emotions indescribable. Yet, her curiosity was piqued. She was eager to discover the thoughts and sentiments penned by Ning within the pages of his diary.