The air in the Great Hall of the Primordial Ancient Clan was heavy enough to crush a mortal's lungs.
I sat upon the Black Obsidian Throne, resting my chin on a pale hand. Below me, the floor was polished to a mirror sheen, reflecting the flickering soul-lamps that lined the towering pillars. My silk robes, embroidered with silver dragons, flowed around me like a dark tide.
External to the world, I looked like a god. Internal to my mind, I was screaming.
'I'm fucked...!'
That single thought had been echoing in my head for the last ten minutes—ever since the seal on my memories from Earth finally shattered. I wasn't just some talented young master. I was the Origin Villain. I was the "Final Boss" destined to be the steppingstone for every lucky brat in the Nine Heavens.
"Young Master... how should we handle this trash?" a cold, syrupy voice whispered beside me.
It was an Elder of my clan, a man whose cultivation alone could level a mountain, yet he stood bowed before me. I didn't look at him. My eyes were fixed on the youth kneeling in the center of the hall.
He was bruised, bleeding, and his clothes were rags. But his eyes... they burned with a fire that belonged in a shonen manga.
"Gu Xian!" the youth spat, his voice trembling with a mixture of rage and agony. "You stripped my sister's engagement! You stole my family's ancestral jade! Even if I have to crawl through the Nine Hells, I will make you pay a thousandfold!"
I didn't answer. Instead, I focused my gaze.
'System... show me his status.'
[DING! System Initializing...]
[Target Identified: Lin Tian]
[Role: Mandate Bearer (Protagonist Template)]
[Current Realm: Mortal Body (Peak)]
[Providence Value: 2,500]
[Luck Color: Green (Main Character)]
[Hidden Status: Carrying the remnant soul of the 'Sword Saint of the Void' in his rusted iron ring.]
A cold smirk tugged at the corner of my lips. 'Green luck? A hidden master in a ring? It's a textbook setup.'
If I were a typical villain, I would kill him now and accidentally let his soul escape. Or worse, I'd throw him in a dungeon and wait for him to have a "sudden breakthrough."
But I wasn't a typical villain. I was the one who knew the script.
"Lin Tian," I said, my voice smooth and devoid of any emotion. It echoed through the silent hall, making the disciples nearby shiver. "You talk of debt and revenge as if the Heavens themselves owe you a favor."
I slowly stood up, the pressure of my Transcendent Realm cultivation blooming outward like a physical weight. The floor beneath Lin Tian's knees cracked.
"You think you're the hero of this story?" I stepped down from the dais, the violet glow of my system flickering in my vision. "In my eyes, you're just high-quality livestock. And it's time for the first harvest."
'Let's see how much "Providence" I can squeeze out of you before you break,' I thought, my eyes locking onto his rusted ring.
I looked down at Lin Tian, who was currently biting his lip so hard it bled, his eyes overflowing with a "righteous" fury that made my skin crawl.
'Green luck. A hidden soul in a ring. A tragic backstory involving his sister. He's basically a walking treasure chest,' I thought, my gaze lingering on the rusted iron ring on his finger.
If I killed him now, I'd get a one-time reward of Villain Points. But if I let him live? He would lead me straight to the "Ancient Secret Realms" and "Primordial Treasures" that only a Mandate Bearer could find.
"Young Master," the Elder beside me whispered, his eyes cold. "Shall I cripple his Dantian and throw him into the Beast Pit? A bug like this shouldn't be allowed to breathe the same air as the Primordial Ancient Clan."
Lin Tian stiffened, his hand white-knuckled as he gripped the floor. I could see his ring flickering with a faint, invisible silver light. The "Sword Saint" inside was likely preparing a desperate escape technique.
"No," I said, my voice cutting through the tension like a blade.
The Elder blinked, confused. "Young Master?"
I stepped closer to Lin Tian, leaning down until our eyes were level. The pressure of my Transcendent Realm cultivation forced his head down, but I kept it just light enough that he could still glare at me.
"Lin Tian, you talk of a thousandfold repayment," I said, a thin, mocking smile playing on my lips. "But look at you. You're a speck of dust at the bottom of my boot. Killing you now would be... boring."
I reached out, my fingers brushing against the cold air just inches from his ring. I felt a slight tremor of spiritual energy—the hidden master was terrified.
"I'll give you three years," I announced, my voice booming through the Great Hall. "Three years to crawl out of the mud. Three years to find whatever 'fortuitous encounters' the Heavens have hidden for you. Grow strong, Lin Tian. Gather treasures. Build your strength."
Lin Tian's eyes widened. "You... you're letting me go?"
"I'm letting a seed grow," I whispered, so low only he could hear. "After all, a harvest is only satisfying when the fruit is ripe."
I straightened up and waved a hand dismissively. "Throw him out of the Mountain Gate. If I see him before the three years are up, kill him."
As the guards dragged a screaming, confused Lin Tian away, a violet screen flickered in front of my eyes.
[DING! Successfully 'Sowed the Seed' on a Mandate Bearer!]
[Lin Tian's Providence Value has stabilized... for now.]
[Reward: 500 Villain Points!]
[Bonus: You have placed a 'Soul-Tracking Mark' on the Target. All future fortuitous encounters found by the Target will be shared with the Host.]
I sat back down on my throne, resting my head on my hand.
'Go on, little protagonist,' I thought, watching his retreating figure. 'Go find those Saint-Grade pills and Ancient Divine Swords. I'll be right behind you to take every last drop.'