Villain: Manipulating the Heroines into hating the Protagonist

Chapter 957: Golden Sky Burning Phoenix Flame

The secret chamber deep beneath the Cloud-Peak Pavilion was bathed in a sweltering, golden twilight. The air here was heavy, almost viscous, saturated with the overflow of pure Yang energy radiating from the three fist-sized fruits resting on a jade platter in the center of the room. The Golden-Flame Essence Fruits did not merely sit there; they hummed with a low, resonant vibration that seemed to synchronize with the heartbeat of anyone who looked at them.

Wang Jian sat cross-legged on a meditation mat, his expression solemn. Around him, arranged in a circle according to the Five Elements orientation, sat his family—his army. Yue Lingshan, Liu Ruyan, Chen Ying, and Mu Lianhua.

"The time has come," Wang Jian said, his voice cutting through the heavy silence. "This is not merely a meal. This is a metamorphosis. The energy contained within these fruits is the essence of a divine beast’s rebirth. It will burn. It will try to reject your mortal bodies. You must conquer it."

He reached out, his hand coated in a protective layer of Stellar Qi to resist the searing heat of the fruit’s skin. With a knife forged from cold-iron, he sliced the fruits.

There was no crunch. The knife slid through as if cutting through soft butter, and immediately, a rich, magma-like juice oozed out. The scent that filled the room was intoxicating—like honey, ozone, and molten steel. It smelled of power.

"Eat," Wang Jian commanded, handing a slice to each of them. "Do not waste a single drop."

He took his own portion and placed it in his mouth.

The sensation was immediate and violent. It wasn’t like eating food; it was like swallowing a miniature star. The fruit flesh dissolved instantly upon contact with his tongue, turning into a torrent of liquid fire that rushed down his throat.

"Guh!" Liu Ruyan gasped, clutching her throat, her eyes widening in shock.

"Hold it!" Mu Lianhua ordered sharply, her voice strained as she consumed her own piece. "Do not expel the heat! Cycle it! Force it into your dantian!"

Wang Jian closed his eyes. The pain was exquisite. It felt as though lava was being pumped through his veins instead of blood. The heat flooded his meridians, scouring the walls of his spiritual channels. It was a purging fire, seeking out every impurity, every speck of calcified marrow, every lingering trace of mortal weakness.

’This is it,’ Wang Jian thought, his mind an fortress of calm amidst the physical agony. ’The power of the Phoenix.’

His Triple Spirit Roots—Fire, Wood, and Water—roared to life within his dantian. The Fire Root, naturally dominant in this situation, expanded greedily, acting as a beacon for the wild energy. It absorbed the golden essence like a starving dragon. But the energy was too vast, too chaotic. It threatened to burn his Fire Root to ash.

Wang Jian mentally activated the Stellar Demonic Meridian Scripture.

’Grind it down. Devour it. Make it mine.’

His dantian became a black hole. The Stellar Qi spun wildly, creating a vortex that captured the rampaging Phoenix fire. The scripture acted as a celestial millstone, crushing the wild will of the Phoenix essence and refining it into a pure, usable power source.

Around him, the women were trembling. Steam rose from their skin—not water vapor, but a foul, black mist.

"It... it burns..." Yue Lingshan whimpered, her face pale, sweat pouring down her forehead only to sizzle and evaporate instantly.

"Endure, Lingshan!" Wang Jian projected his voice directly into her mind. "The pain is the weakness leaving your body! Guide the fire to your Wood root; let it feed the cycle of life!"

Chen Ying sat like a statue, her sword resting across her knees. Her teeth were clenched so hard her gums bled, but she did not make a sound. Her Wind Spirit Root whipped the fire into a frenzy within her, spreading it faster than anyone else, tempering her entire body at a terrifying speed.

Mu Lianhua was in a league of her own. As a Peak Core Formation expert, her capacity was immense. The golden fire rushed into her core, colliding with her existing Azure Sky-Heart Flame.

’Submit!’ Mu Lianhua’s inner voice screamed.

Inside her inner world, a war of flames erupted. The Azure flame, cool and majestic, clashed with the Golden Phoenix flame, hot and tyrannical. But Mu Lianhua did not try to suppress one with the other. She used her profound cultivation base to force them together.

The holy Phoenix flame, possessing the attribute of absolute purification, began to devour the Azure Sky-Heart Flame. But instead of destroying it, it assimilated it.

A terrifying transformation occurred. The blue fire darkened, taking on a deep, royal azure hue, while the core of the flame turned a blinding, molten gold.

BOOM!

A shockwave of heat blasted outward from Mu Lianhua’s body. The stone floor around her cracked.

She opened her eyes. They were no longer human irises; they were swirling pools of blue and gold fire.

"It is done," she whispered, her voice carrying a harmonic resonance that vibrated in the bones of everyone present.

Hours passed. The agonizing heat slowly receded, replaced by a profound, simmering warmth.

Wang Jian opened his eyes. A golden flash illuminated the dark chamber, casting long shadows against the walls. He exhaled, and a wisp of golden flame escaped his lips.

He looked at his skin. It was glowing with a faint, pearlescent luster. He felt heavy, dense. His bones felt like they had been replaced with divine metal.

He looked around. The floor was covered in a layer of black, tar-like sludge—the impurities forced out of their bodies. The smell was horrendous, a sharp contrast to the sweet scent of the fruit earlier.

"Cleanse," Wang Jian muttered. He waved his hand, a gust of wind sweeping the filth into a waste disposal array in the corner.

"We... we survived," Liu Ruyan breathed, looking at her hands. Her skin was flawless, radiating a faint rosy glow. She summoned a flame in her palm. It wasn’t her usual crimson blood fire; it was laced with veins of gold. "Teacher... look. My fire... it feels... holy."

"It carries the trace of the Phoenix’s divinity," Mu Lianhua said, standing up. She looked taller, more imposing. The oppressive aura she usually suppressed was now naturally contained, hidden beneath a layer of perfect control. "Ruyan, with this flame, you can refine pills with zero impurities. The fire itself will burn away the dross before it can settle."

Wang Jian stood up, stretching his limbs. His joints popped like firecrackers. He summoned a small flame on his index finger. It was pure gold, no larger than a candle flicker, but the heat it emitted warped the air around it.

"This burns spiritual energy itself," Wang Jian analyzed, staring at the flame. ’It is aggressive. Domineering. Just like the bird it came from.’

"Elder Lianhua," Wang Jian said, maintaining the formal address for Lingshan’s benefit, though his eyes lingered on Mu Lianhua’s chest with a familiar heat. "Your flame... it has changed."

"It has evolved," Mu Lianhua corrected, a small, proud smile touching her lips. She summoned her flame. It was a magnificent, terrifying thing—an azure lotus with a golden heart. "The Azure Sky-Heart Flame has merged with the Phoenix essence. I name it the Azure Sky Heart Phoenix Flame. It is stronger than anything I possessed before."

"Against the Iron-Blood Hall," she continued, her eyes narrowing, "this flame would be instant death. Their blood arts rely on corruption and filth. This flame is the ultimate purifier. I could burn their techniques out of the air before they even touch us."

"A secret weapon," Wang Jian nodded. "We agree to keep this flame a hidden trump card. To the outside world, we have merely recovered well and made slight improvements. No one suspects we hold a Heaven-grade flame."

Yue Lingshan stood up, testing her circulation. "My Wood and Water Qi... they are no longer conflicting with the Fire. The Phoenix essence has acted as a bridge. My foundation is... perfect."

"Excellent," Wang Jian smiled at his wife. "Now, we rest. Tomorrow, the real cultivation begins."

The next two months passed in a blur of intense, secluded training. The secret garden beneath the Cloud-Peak Pavilion became their world.

They spent hours every day meditating under the Phoenix Fire Tree. The tree, fed daily by Wang Jian’s Verdant Eternal Spring Essence, had grown to ten feet tall. Its leaves were like burning feathers, and it radiated a constant, soothing Yang energy that nurtured the flame seeds within their bodies.

Wang Jian’s routine was brutal. He would sit under the tree, stripped to the waist, letting the heat wash over him while he cycled his Stellar Demonic Meridian Scripture. He fed the flame seed with his own Qi, nurturing it from a spark into a steady, roaring furnace in his dantian.

One afternoon, the training hall rang with the sound of combat.

"Again!" Wang Jian shouted.

Chen Ying stood opposite him. Her eyes were sharp, focused. She held the Gale-Severing Frostblade.

"Be careful, Junior Brother," Chen Ying warned, her voice cool. "This technique... is unstable."

"Show me," Wang Jian grinned, widening his stance.

Chen Ying took a breath. She channeled her Wind Spirit Root, but this time, she drew upon the golden seed in her dantian.

The wind around her blade didn’t just howl; it ignited.

"Seven Absolutes: Firestorm Slash!"

She swung her sword. A crescent moon of wind was unleashed, but it was wreathed in roaring golden flames. The wind fed the fire, and the fire superheated the wind. It was a self-sustaining cycle of destruction.

The attack screamed across the room, melting the stone floor beneath it.

Wang Jian didn’t dodge. He wanted to test his body. He crossed his arms, channeling his Stellar Qi into a defensive barrier, reinforcing his skin with the Stellar Body Tempering Art.

BOOM!

The Firestorm Slash slammed into him. The impact was heavy, pushing him back three feet, his feet carving grooves in the floor. The heat was intense, singing his hair and clothes, but his skin—tempered by the fruit—held. It glowed with a metallic sheen, repelling the blade.

The flames dissipated. Wang Jian lowered his arms. There was a thin red line on his forearm, steaming slightly.

"Impressive," Wang Jian laughed, shaking his arm. "That attack could bisect a Mid-Stage Core Formation expert if they weren’t careful. The combination of wind and phoenix fire... it’s nasty, Senior Sister."

Chen Ying lowered her sword, a rare flush of pride on her cheeks. "It consumes a lot of Qi. But... it is powerful."

’My body,’ Wang Jian thought, looking at the rapidly healing scratch. ’It is now as hard as a Mid-Grade Spiritual Artifact. Combined with my Stellar Qi... I could crush an Early Stage Core Formation expert in ten moves without even using my trump cards. With the Phoenix Flame? One move.’

In another corner of the training ground, Yue Lingshan was working with a set of new formation flags. They were red, embroidered with gold thread.

"Elder Lianhua," Lingshan called out. "Could you test this barrier?"

Mu Lianhua nodded. She flicked a finger, sending a bolt of her Azure Sky Heart Phoenix Flame at the barrier.

The fire hit the formation. Instead of breaking it, the formation absorbed the fire, glowing brighter.

"It works!" Lingshan clapped her hands. "The Phoenix-Fire Killing Array. It absorbs Yang energy attacks to strengthen itself, and then reflects them back as a concentrated beam. It also has a passive heating effect that can boil the blood of anyone trapped inside."

"Your talent for formations is terrifying, Lingshan," Mu Lianhua praised, genuinely impressed. "You have integrated the flame perfectly."

The bond between the group deepened during these months. They were no longer just a loose collection of people; they were a family of monsters growing in the dark. They ate together, trained together, and shared the secret of their ascension.

Wang Jian watched them all. He saw the confidence in their strides. They walked with a new swagger. The fear that had dogged them since fleeing the State of Yue—the fear of being weak in a strong world—was gone. They were tigers hiding in the tall grass, waiting to pounce.

"We are ready," Wang Jian decided one evening, looking at the vibrant, burning leaves of the Phoenix Tree. "We have the strength to take what we want."

He turned his gaze towards the Orchid Palace, visible through the high windows of the pavilion.

"Now," he whispered. "It is time to look outward."

While the Cloud-Peak Pavilion remained a fortress of secrets, the reputation of the Fragrance Melody Sect in the outside world was soaring.

News of the sect’s miraculous recovery and their decisive victory over the Iron-Blood Hall had spread through the Inner Islands like wildfire. The Fragrance Melody Sect was no longer seen as a soft target, a harem of musicians waiting to be plucked. They were respected as a rising power.

Trade ships lined up at the docks. Envoys from the Starfall Island and other major Righteous sects visited frequently, hoping to establish alliances.

Wang Jian, in his role as Head Male Guest Elder, handled the male guests. He charmed them with his wit, impressed them with his ’modest’ strength, and quietly assessed their threat levels.

"Deacon Wang is truly a pillar of the sect," a visiting elder from the Azure Wave Sword Sect remarked to Hua Yimei during a banquet. "To take a blood arrow for the Young Mistress... such loyalty is rare in these times. He is a hero."

Hua Yimei smiled, her eyes drifting to where Wang Jian was pouring wine for a group of merchants. "Yes. He is."

Her trust in him was absolute. She had even given him access to the sect’s financial ledgers, asking for his advice on trade routes and resource allocation. It gave Wang Jian a perfect map of the sect’s true wealth.

Meanwhile, Mu Lianhua had solidified her position. She was practically the Vice-Sect Leader in all but name. Her word on alchemy and internal discipline was law.

Through the Shadow Flowers, Wang Jian kept a finger on the pulse of the ocean.

"The Iron-Blood Hall has fractured," Bai Xue reported via transmission. "The remnants are terrified of the ’Mysterious Beast Tamers’ of the Fragrance Melody Sect. They dare not attack directly."

"Good," Wang Jian replied. " Fear is a useful tool."

With the steady supply of high-grade pills produced by Wang Jian’s group—refined with the Phoenix Flame to absolute purity—the sect’s trading revenue had doubled. The Fragrance Melody Sect was entering a golden age.

But Wang Jian was not interested in gold. He was interested in the flower of the sect.

Hua Ling.

Fueled by the endless resources Wang Jian provided and his... specialized "private tutoring" sessions involving Yang energy transfer (heavy petting and arousal), Hua Ling’s cultivation had skyrocketed.

She stood in the center of the training courtyard, her aura fluctuating. She had reached the Peak of the Initial Foundation Establishment Realm. She was on the verge of a breakthrough, but she was stuck.

Mu Lianhua observed her from the sidelines. She knew exactly what Wang Jian wanted.

Later that day, Mu Lianhua requested a private audience with Sect Leader Hua Yimei.

"Sect Leader," Mu Lianhua said, sipping tea in the Orchid Palace. "I have been observing Young Mistress Hua Ling. Her foundation is solid, her Qi is abundant. But she cannot break through."

Hua Yimei sighed, rubbing her temples. "I know, Sister Mu. She lacks... temperance. She has lived a sheltered life on this island. Her cultivation is too peaceful."

"Precisely," Mu Lianhua nodded sagely. "A sword must be tempered in fire. A cultivator must be tempered in blood. She needs combat experience. Real combat, not spars with disciples who are afraid to hurt her."

"But it is dangerous outside," Hua Yimei worried. "The demons..."

"The demons are scared," Mu Lianhua countered. "And she will not be alone."

She leaned forward. "I propose a hunting expedition. To the Coral-Spine Reefs. There are Third Order beasts there—perfect for her level. Challenging, but manageable."

"Who should escort her?" Hua Yimei asked.

"My eldest disciple, Chen Ying," Mu Lianhua said. "She is a Late Stage Foundation Establishment sword cultivator. Her skills are lethal. And..." She paused for effect. "I will lend her my Black-Scaled Flood Serpent."

Hua Yimei’s eyes widened. "The Fifth Order beast? You would do that?"

"For Ling’er? Of course," Mu Lianhua smiled warmly. "She is like a niece to me. With a Core Formation-level beast guarding her, she will be safer than in her own bed. But she must strike the killing blows herself."

Hua Yimei looked at Mu Lianhua with immense gratitude. "Sister Mu... you are too generous. I agree. It is time she spread her wings."

The order was given the next morning.

The expedition team assembled at the docks. It consisted of Hua Ling, Chen Ying, and a squad of ten elite female disciples from the combat hall.

Hua Ling wore a suit of silver-white light armor that hugged her figure, making her look like a valiant valkyrie. She looked nervous but determined.

"Senior Sister Chen," Hua Ling bowed to the swordswoman.

Chen Ying nodded curtly, her face impassive. "Young Mistress. Stay close. Do not hesitate when you draw your weapon."

Behind them, the water churned. The massive head of the Black-Scaled Flood Serpent broke the surface, its yellow eyes scanning the horizon.

Wang Jian stood on the balcony of the Cloud-Peak Pavilion, watching them prepare to leave.

"Go on, little flower," he whispered, swirling a glass of wine. "Grow strong. Ripen. I will be waiting to pick you."

The ship cast off, heading for the open sea. The objective was simple: hunt Third Order beasts, gather rare resources for alchemy, and return with a breakthrough.

But as the ship vanished over the horizon, Wang Jian’s smile turned predatory. He knew something Hua Yimei didn’t. He knew that while the Iron-Blood Hall was broken, the ocean was full of sharks who smelled blood. And sometimes, the best way to catch a queen was to use the princess as bait.