Villain: Manipulating the Heroines into hating the Protagonist

Chapter 864: Crimson Portals and Veiled Ambitions

The chill of the Glacial Bite longsword, strapped securely to his back, felt reassuring against Wang Jian's simple grey outer sect robe.

It was a true low-grade spirit artifact, a significant upgrade from his old Night Fang, and resonated well with the versatile Spiritual Energy cultivated by his Steller Demonic Meridian Scripture. He'd briefly considered using Ma Zhaolong's bloodthirsty demonic saber, but common sense prevailed.

'Wielding an obviously demonic weapon while surrounded by disciples of righteous sects, especially inside a place called the Blood Forbidden Ground? Not the brightest idea. Might as well paint a target on my back.' He had, however, kept the demonic saber carefully tucked away in one of his storage pouches. 'Emergencies might require… less orthodox solutions.'

The day had arrived. The Mystic Peak Sect disciples chosen for the expedition to the Blood Forbidden Ground were gathered in a large, open plaza near the sect's main teleportation array. Twenty of them in total.

Wang Jian stood slightly apart, observing. Princess Yue Lingshan was also there, a little distance away, her veiled figure exuding an aura of quiet grace. They maintained their public distance, their relationship a carefully guarded secret.

He scanned the assembled group. Most were Inner Sect disciples, their cultivation a palpable pressure of Twelfth or even peak Thirteenth Stage Qi Condensation. Their robes were of finer material, often embroidered with subtle clan insignias, and they carried themselves with an air of quiet confidence, occasionally punctuated by the glint of spirit artifact weapons.

'Inner sect elites. Predictable. This Blood Forbidden Ground is a significant opportunity, and the sect wouldn't waste its quota on average outer disciples.' He and Yue Lingshan were the only two from the outer sect, a testament to their rapid advancement and, in his case, his alchemical value to the sect.

He knew very few of these inner sect disciples personally. His and Lingshan's meteoric rise had made them notable, even famous within the outer sect, but the inner sect was a more insular, competitive world. However, they all knew of 'Junior Brother Wang Jian, the alchemy prodigy' and 'Junior Sister Yue Lingshan, the talented princess'. He could feel their curious, assessing gazes.

His own gaze, however, was on more… specific targets. He subtly scanned the group of female inner sect disciples. There were about five of them, including Yue Lingshan who had naturally gravitated towards them, her veiled presence adding to their collective allure. All wore veils, as was customary for female cultivators in public, hinting at the beauty beneath.

His eyes, aided by the subtle enhancement from his Eagle Eye Spirit Pills (he'd popped one earlier, just in case), lingered for a moment on each. One was tall and slender, her bearing proud, likely a sword cultivator. Another was petite, with an air of quiet intelligence, perhaps an array specialist like Lingshan.

Then, his gaze settled on one particular figure standing near Lingshan. Even through the fine silk veil, he could sense an exceptional presence, a beauty that seemed to radiate a soft, luminous glow. Her figure was voluptuous, the curves subtly hinted at by her well-cut inner sect robes. His powerful soul, even without direct divine sense, could perceive the exquisite harmony of her features beneath the veil – perfectly arched brows, large, intelligent eyes, a delicate nose, and full, alluring lips. She was, without a doubt, on par with Yue Lingshan in terms of raw, captivating beauty.

'Chen Ying,' Wang Jian recalled. He'd made it his business to learn the names of prominent inner sect disciples. Granddaughter of Ancestor Chen, the Core Formation Elder who had personally approved his alchemist privileges. She was at the peak Thirteenth Stage of Qi Condensation, rumored to be cultivating a rare and profound technique bestowed by her grandfather. 'Talented, beautiful, and well-connected. An interesting combination.'

A familiar, predatory spark ignited in Wang Jian's mind. 'If opportunity arises within the Blood Forbidden Ground… forming a… closer acquaintance with Fairy Chen Ying might prove… beneficial. And, of course, enjoyable.' He wasn't anxious about it. Such things required finesse, opportunity. He would observe, assess, and act when the time was right.

His attention was drawn away as two imposing figures materialized at the head of the plaza – Ancestor Chen himself, and another Core Formation Elder, a stern-faced woman known as Ancestor Liu, who was renowned for her beast-taming skills.

Instead of the sect's main teleportation array, two massive spirit beasts stood patiently beside the Elders. One was a Golden Scaled Python, its scales shimmering like a thousand suns, its head larger than a carriage. The other was a Stormwing Eagle, its feathers the color of a thundercloud, its eyes like chips of lightning, easily capable of carrying ten disciples on its broad back. Both beasts radiated a faint, ancient pressure, hinting at a trace of powerful, long-lost bloodlines.

"Disciples!" Ancestor Chen's voice boomed, cutting through the low murmur of conversation. "The time has come. The Blood Forbidden Ground awaits. You will board these spirit beasts. They will transport us to the staging area near the Ground's entrance."

The twenty chosen disciples, a mix of excitement and trepidation on their faces, carefully boarded the python and the eagle. Wang Jian and Yue Lingshan ended up on the Stormwing Eagle, seated a polite distance apart, surrounded by inner sect disciples who cast curious, sometimes envious, glances their way. Chen Ying was also on the eagle, seated near the front, her posture calm and regal.

With a powerful beat of its wings, the Stormwing Eagle took to the sky, the Golden Scaled Python slithering through the air beside it with surprising grace. They soared above the Mystic Peak Sect, then out over the vast landscape of the State of Yue.

The journey took several days. As they approached the designated staging area – a desolate, rocky plateau on the very edge of the State of Jin's volatile borderlands – Wang Jian saw that the other four major sects had already arrived.

Their encampments were distinct. The Azure Sword Clan disciples, nearly fifty strong, all carried an air of sharp, sword-like arrogance, their spirit swords glinting even in the dull light.

The Crimson Pill Sect, about forty of them, had a more scholarly, alchemical aura, many carrying intricately carved pill gourds and jade boxes.

The Hundred Beast Manor disciples, around thirty, were a rowdier bunch, many accompanied by small, exotic-looking spirit beasts perched on their shoulders or leashed at their sides.

The Silent Puppet Guild, the smallest contingent with only about fifteen disciples, were an unsettling group, their faces often hidden by masks, their movements unnervingly precise, with several life-sized combat puppets standing silently beside them.

'Their numbers are significantly higher than ours,' Wang Jian noted. 'Mystic Peak Sect is clearly being more conservative, or perhaps has fewer elite Qi Condensation disciples to spare. This will be a fierce competition for resources.'

His gaze, as always, swept over the female disciples of the other sects. Veils were ubiquitous, but aura and bearing often hinted at the beauty beneath. His eyes, however, paused, then focused intently on one particular figure within the Crimson Pill Sect contingent.

She stood slightly apart from her sect mates, her robes a soft, medicinal green, embroidered with silver herbs. Even through her thick, almost opaque veil, there was an otherworldly temperament about her, a serene, almost ethereal grace that seemed to set her apart from the more grounded beauties he had encountered so far.

Her figure, though modestly robed, hinted at a delicate, willowy slenderness, yet with subtle, alluring curves. He couldn't see her features clearly, but his soul resonated with a profound sense of unique, almost transcendent beauty, different from Yue Lingshan's vibrant allure or Chen Ying's elegance. It was a beauty that seemed to speak of moonlit gardens and forgotten celestial melodies.

'Now that,' Wang Jian thought, a slow, appreciative smile touching his lips, 'is a rare bloom indeed. Crimson Pill Sect, eh? Known for their alchemy and… their exceptionally beautiful female disciples, if this one is any indication.' He made a mental note. 'Fairy of the Crimson Pill… added to the list. Opportunities must be cultivated.'

He was also profoundly curious about the Hundred Beast Manor. 'Cultivating spirit beasts alongside personal cultivation… an interesting path. That insect rearing manual I found was basic. Their techniques must be far more profound. If I could get my hands on their core methods…' His ambition was a hungry fire, always seeking new fuel.

The air on the plateau grew thick with anticipation as the sun climbed towards its zenith. Half a day, the Elders had said, until the Blood Forbidden Ground's restrictive barrier weakened enough for entry.

During this waiting period, the Core Formation Elders from each of the five sects gathered their respective disciples for final instructions.

Ancestor Chen and Ancestor Liu addressed the Mystic Peak contingent.

"Listen well, disciples," Ancestor Chen began, his voice grave. "The Blood Forbidden Ground is a place of great opportunity, but also extreme danger. You will be teleported to random locations within its vast expanse. Your primary goal is to gather rare, high-age spirit herbs. Many recipes for crucial sect pellets, including the Foundation Establishment Pill, require ingredients found only within the Ground."

Ancestor Liu continued, "The Ground is also home to many unique, and often extinct, beast species. Some are merely dangerous; others are remnants of the great war in ancient times, their bloodlines tainted, their ferocity unmatched. Hunt them if you can. Their inner cores, their bones, their hides – all are valuable to the sect. But do not be reckless. Your lives are more valuable than any beast core."

"You have three months," Ancestor Chen stated. "No more. After three months, the exit portal will stabilize for a short period. Anyone not at the designated exit zone when it closes will be trapped within the Blood Forbidden Ground for another ten years, likely perishing before then. Do not be late."

Inner Sect Deacons then moved among the disciples, handing out two items: a crudely drawn but functional map of the Blood Forbidden Ground, marking major known geographical features – the Crimson Scar Valley, the Weeping Willow Mire, the Bone Dragon Peaks, the Obsidian Forest – and a jade slip.

Wang Jian accepted his, Yue Lingshan likewise. He infused a wisp of Spiritual Energy into the jade slip. Information flooded his mind: detailed descriptions and images of dozens of rare spirit herbs, their preferred growing locations within the Ground, their harvest times, and their potential dangers (some were poisonous to the touch, others attracted specific beasts). There was also information on known beast species, their strengths, weaknesses, and the typical value of their cores.

For Twelfth and Thirteenth Stage Qi Condensation disciples, with their developed spiritual senses and memory, absorbing this information was a matter of a single, focused perusal. Wang Jian committed it all to memory instantly, already cross-referencing it with his Compendium and his alchemical knowledge.

The sun reached its peak. A palpable shift occurred in the ambient Spiritual Energy. The air above a vast, barren expanse of rock and twisted, dead trees a few miles from their staging area began to shimmer, to distort.

"The barrier weakens!" Ancestor Chen declared, his eyes fixed on the phenomenon. "The entry portals will form soon! Prepare yourselves!"

A tense excitement rippled through the hundreds of assembled disciples from all five sects. This was it.

The shimmering intensified. Then, with a series of soft, tearing sounds, dozens of small, swirling vortexes of crimson and black energy appeared across the barren expanse – the temporary entrance portals into the Blood Forbidden Ground.

"Go!" the Elders roared in unison. "May fortune favor the bold!"

A chaotic surge of cultivators rushed towards the portals, each disciple eager to be among the first to enter, to claim the richest spoils. Wang Jian and Yue Lingshan, moving with calm efficiency, chose a less crowded portal on the periphery.

As Wang Jian stepped through the swirling energies, he felt a familiar, disorienting tug of spatial distortion, then a wave of incredibly dense, yet strangely tainted, Spiritual Energy washed over him.

He found himself standing on soft, blood-red soil. The sky above was a perpetual twilight, stained crimson and bruised purple, with no discernible sun or moons. Twisted, black-barked trees, their leaves the color of dried blood, clawed at the eerie sky. The air was heavy, humid, carrying the metallic scent of old blood, damp earth, and strange, unseen flora. Strange rock formations, like a dragon's teeth, thrust towards the sky.

Massive bones, some clearly draconic, others belonging to unidentifiable colossal beasts, lay half-buried in the earth, remnants of ancient battles. A faint, mournful wind sighed through the skeletal landscape, carrying whispers that seemed to echo with the death cries of long-forgotten warriors.

The Spiritual Energy here was thick, yes, but it was… wild. Tainted. Streaked with residual demonic energies, resentful spiritual imprints, and the raw, chaotic essence of spilled blood from countless millennia. Cultivating it directly would be dangerous, likely leading to Qi deviation or madness. But it fueled the growth of incredibly potent, if often bizarre, spirit herbs.

This was the Blood Forbidden Ground. A realm of ancient death, teeming with dangerous life, and brimming with forbidden treasures.

Wang Jian took a deep breath, a predatory smile touching his lips.

'Good. Let the hunt begin.'