Villain Simulator, Ch 351-352

The black spear extended directly from Lucas's body at an astonishing speed. It was so fast that even the sect disciples with decent cultivation were unable to react in time. The spear pierced through the chest of the fleeing disciple, and in the next moment, his flesh visibly withered. In the blink of an eye, all that remained was a shriveled husk, collapsing weakly onto the ground.

Two eyeballs, having lost their support, rolled out from the shriveled sockets and landed at the feet of the other disciples, creating a horrifying scene.

After "absorbing" the life force of the fallen disciple, Lucas's chaotic, shadow-like body began to undergo a transformation—patches of human skin miraculously formed on parts of his body. However, only a portion of his body regained this semblance of humanity, while the rest remained an eerie, black, amorphous substance, making his appearance even more terrifying.

This grotesque sight finally shattered the last remnants of courage in the remaining four disciples. Fear took root in their eyes, and their will to fight completely crumbled. One of them, a disciple with the surname Ju, trembled uncontrollably before collapsing to his knees with a resounding thud. He pointed a shaking finger at the scar-faced disciple and stammered, "R-revenge has its targets! This is between the two of you! It... it has nothing to do with us!"

"You!" The scar-faced disciple's expression darkened with rage. Knowing that escape was futile, he gritted his teeth and made his decision. "Evil can never triumph over righteousness! I'll fight you to the end!"

From the very beginning, he had firmly believed that he was standing on the side of justice, while the opponent before him was nothing more than a ruthless murderer, a remorseless butcher who had wiped out entire clans.

With a sharp ring, his longsword was unsheathed. As if possessed, the scar-faced disciple charged at Lucas with reckless abandon. His sword thrust forward, piercing directly through Lucas's chest.

"S-success?"

The disciple froze for a moment, as if unable to believe that his strike had landed so easily. Could it be that this monster was all bark and no bite?

However, before he could process the situation, Lucas slowly extended a hand and grasped the blade of the sword. A wave of nausea hit the scar-faced disciple as he watched in horror—his own hand, still gripping the hilt, was rapidly shriveling. Wrinkles spread like cracks across his flesh, his strength drained in an instant. He struggled to let go, but his hand seemed fused to the sword, unable to move. Within mere seconds, his entire body withered, collapsing onto the ground like a frail, lifeless husk.

The remaining three disciples were already paralyzed with fear. They neither dared to run nor resist, resorting instead to desperate pleas for mercy.

"You three... one of you will live," Lucas rasped in a hoarse, grating voice, like sandpaper scraping against stone. "Decide among yourselves who that will be."

The three froze, exchanging tense glances. Then, in a flash, one of them drew his sword and plunged it into the chest of the disciple beside him. Before he could turn on the last one, a chilling sensation crept up his throat—blood spurted forth as a blade slashed across his neck.

The one who made the final move was none other than Ju Han.

The moment passed so quickly that even he seemed dazed by his own actions.

The arrogant, self-righteous disciple who had just moments ago been spouting bold words was now trembling uncontrollably.

Lucas stepped forward and patted his shoulder. "You've killed your fellow disciples with your own hands. That makes us the same." His voice was eerily calm. "I've planted a curse within your body. From now on, you must bring me a pure maiden every month... or you will die."

Ju Han did not hesitate for even a moment. He fell to his knees and kowtowed repeatedly. "I'll do it! Whatever you want! Just don't kill me! I'll bring you as many women as you need!"

Satisfied, Lucas turned and walked toward the jade coffin. Inside lay Qiqi—now in her fully grown form, free from the seals that once bound her. Yet, her eyes were closed, and not even the faintest breath escaped her lips.

The Extreme Yin Dual Cultivation Method could greatly enhance one's Yin-based arts, but it came with a severe drawback—one of the practitioners would suffer from an imbalance of Yin and Yang, leaving them in a state neither living nor dead.

For Qiqi, the consequences were even graver. As a zombie, her body had already been devoid of Yang energy. Now, having transferred all her remaining Yin energy to Lucas, she was left as little more than an empty husk, a soulless shell.

Fortunately, the jade coffin possessed powerful preservation properties, preventing her body from decaying. Lucas carefully sealed the coffin and muttered to himself, "Once my power reaches its peak, I will find a way to bring you back."

[Exiting Immersive Mode]

[Mission Completed: Survive]

[Skill Reward Acquired: Life Drain]

[Effect: Absorb the life force of other living beings to restore your own vitality.]

... A dangerous ability indeed.

Draining life from others—something about it felt inherently ominous.

[Through the Extreme Yin Dual Cultivation Method, your power has surged. Additionally, by absorbing the energy of evil spirits, you have obtained a new body. However, you are no longer purely human. You now exist as an entity that straddles the line between human, fiend, and ghost.]

[Yet, this also grants you a chance at rebirth. Furthermore, the synergy between the Extreme Yin Dual Cultivation Method and the Yin-Shattering Absorption Technique has enhanced your cultivation efficiency—absorbing the Yin energy of spirits still yields great benefits, but absorbing Yin energy from women will accelerate your growth even more.]

[At this moment, you no longer hold the moral constraints of your former human self. Your mind is dominated by three desires: First, to resurrect Qiqi. Second, to annihilate the Zong Family. As for the third... it involves Shenhe, but deep down, you know that given your current existence and circumstances, a future with her is no longer possible.]

[As for Ju Han, he is now bound to you—after slaying his fellow disciples and being cursed with your Yin toxin, he has no choice but to serve as your lackey, hunting for "nourishment" to further your cultivation.]

[The deaths of the other four disciples have been disguised as an unfortunate demonic attack. To make the deception even more convincing, you inflicted some wounds on Ju Han, ensuring his tale would hold up under scrutiny.]

[Your body is still incomplete—it requires more Yin energy to fully regenerate. Thus, you remain hidden somewhere within Liyue Harbor, waiting for Ju Han, your unwitting servant, to bring fresh offerings to sustain your rebirth.]

[Of course, your "deal" with Ju Han is not without benefits for him. Even a casual infusion of Yin energy from you significantly enhances his cultivation. He was already accustomed to deceiving naive young girls, and now, with his life on the line, he works tirelessly to fulfill your demands—delivering a pure maiden to you every month.]

[To avoid terrifying the young women with your monstrous appearance, you employ illusions, enchanting them so that, in their eyes, you take the form of their ideal man before engaging in intercourse to absorb their Yin energy.]

[Afterward, you use illusions to erase their memories, dulling their pain and making the events of the previous night feel like nothing more than a fleeting dream.]

[Ju Han once attempted to target the "offerings" you had already consumed, but you swiftly put him in his place.]

[It was not out of mercy, nor possessiveness, but simply to avoid unnecessary trouble. The women who had lost their Yin energy to you would only realize something was amiss on their wedding nights, when they discovered that their "most precious treasure" had long been taken from them.]

[Age 23: Over the past year, you have absorbed vital energy more than a dozen times. Some months, you even had multiple "harvests." Curiously, at some point, a legend began to spread—

The Tale of the 'Dream Lover.'

It is said that young women occasionally meet a handsome man in their dreams, going on enchanting dates that feel strikingly real. Upon waking, they even retain vivid memories of these encounters, some unable to forget the experience for months. Stranger still, rumors have surfaced about women mysteriously conceiving after these dreamlike encounters.]

[Of course, such a thing is impossible. You are no longer human, nor can you reproduce with humans. This is merely a testament to the boundless imagination of mortals.]

[Age 24: After absorbing enough Yin energy, you finally gained the ability to freely shift into a human form. With the immense Yin power accumulated from the Yin-Shattering Absorption Technique and Extreme Yin Dual Cultivation Method, along with the corporeal form you forged from devouring a hundred spirits, your strength has now reached an entirely new level.]

[But you know this is still not enough to overturn the Exorcist Clans. You need to accumulate more power, and more importantly, expand your network of subordinates.]

[You no longer rely on Ju Han to bring you pure maidens. Instead, you use your own charm and deception to lure them in.]

Sometimes, you disguise yourself as a refined and wealthy merchant, attending lavish banquets where gold-digging socialites willingly fall into your trap.

Sometimes, you play the role of a roguish wanderer in taverns, wooing innocent young women with your good looks and honeyed words.

Sometimes, you pose as a rugged dockworker, using your bronzed muscles and piercing gaze to earn yourself a night of passion in a ship's cabin.

[Every morning, you wake in a different bed, beside a different woman. Yet, without fail, you always vanish before they wake, leaving no trace of your presence. With each encounter, you shift into a new face, ensuring that no one ever recognizes you.]

[As the legend of the 'Dream Lover' spreads, its meaning distorts. Whispers tell of a celestial being descending in the guise of a handsome man to bless fortunate women with a night of ecstasy. You find this ironic—after all, you are nothing more than a vile predator, yet somehow, mortals have chosen to revere you.]

[Amusingly, some women who had long lost their purity even began fabricating tales to their husbands, claiming they were enchanted by the Dream Lover to avoid confessing the truth.]

[Age 25: But paper cannot wrap fire forever. As your influence spreads, Liyue's authorities become suspicious. The Ministry of Civil Affairs launches a special task force to investigate the mysterious 'Dream Lover.']

[Of course, this investigation yields nothing. Every woman questioned offers vastly different descriptions—some recall a slim, graceful youth; others, a towering, silent warrior; some even claim their lover was a silver-haired gentleman with a commanding presence.]

[All of them are telling the truth.]

[Realizing that this case defies logic, the task force eventually turns to Liyue's most esteemed Exorcist Clan. After a long investigation, they reach a chilling conclusion—

The Dream Lover is no mere man, but a supernatural entity that preys upon human women.

[Your identity being exposed was inevitable. The Zong Family has been dispatching disciples to hunt you down, but thanks to Ju Han's inside information, you are always one step ahead, dismantling their plans before they can even set them in motion.]

[Emboldened, you escalate your actions—even targeting female disciples of the Zong Family itself. Their cultivation techniques are primarily Yang-based, meaning that when you absorb their Yin energy, their strength is severely weakened.]

[To the Zong Family, this is an unforgivable provocation. But for you, this is merely the appetizer of your revenge.]

[One day, as always, you use your senses to locate a Zong Family female disciple. You take the form of a scholarly and refined young man, approach her from behind, and gently tap her shoulder with practiced ease.]

[You have long mastered the art of seduction—knowing exactly how to approach a stranger, what words to use, what expressions to make. With your flawless appearance, few women can resist. Even if you don't succeed every time, your chances are nearly perfect.]

[However, the moment she turns around, a flicker of surprise crosses your face.]

[It's her—Shenhe.]

[Even after all these years, you recognize her instantly.]

Her aura is even colder than before, as if sculpted from pure ice. But despite the distance of time, you can tell with a single glance—her strength is now at least equal to your own.

[Years ago, both of you received teachings from Cloud Retainer. But now, your paths have diverged completely.]

[Your emotions are conflicted. On one hand, you suspect she was deliberately sent by the Zong Family to lure you in. But on the other hand, if you could claim Shenhe for yourself, it would be the ultimate blow against them.]

[Besides… you've long known the truth.]

[You and Shenhe are not related by blood.]

[So you decide…]

[Play it safe and leave immediately.]

[Take the risk—claim Shenhe as your own.]

Was there even a choice?

"If you don't risk the bait, you won't catch the wolf. If you don't risk the bride, you won't capture the…"

"I choose the second option!"

[After a moment of contemplation, you make your choice—you will take Shenhe.]

[As expected of an "bait," she does not reject your advances. Before long, the two of you walk into a nearby tavern together.]

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Author's note: I finally remembered this account's password! Tehee!