Great Villain: Starting by Humiliating the Son of the Heavenly Fate

Chapter 147: A Protagonist’s Worst Nightmare

Once inside, Fang Yuan looked around his spartan cave mansion and casually remarked, "My place is quite simple, I hope Senior Brother Jiang Chen won’t mind."

"Haha! Junior Brother Fang Yuan, why worry?" Jiang Chen laughed warmly and gestured expansively as he replied, "A mountain’s height doesn’t define its majesty; its renown comes from the immortals it awakens. The depth of the sea is irrelevant; its essence is called forth by the dragon. This home might be modest, but it’s a heavenly realm with the right virtues."

As these poetic lines unfolded, Fang Yuan’s eyes widened slightly. He fully grasped the deep meaning behind Jiang Chen’s words, appreciating their profound significance.

However, he knew that if he had to express these thoughts himself, he would find it difficult to phrase them as eloquently.

Meanwhile, Nangong Wan and Shangguan Ning, hidden within the Soul Embodying Ring, were equally moved. Their respect for Jiang Chen grew unintentionally.

[Ding! The unpursued heroines Nangong Wan and Shangguan Ning’s opinions of you have subtly changed. Fang Yuan’s Heavenly Fate Value decreases by 200 points!]

[Ding! You have gained 400 points of Villain Value!]

These system notifications echoed in Jiang Chen’s mind, filling him with a quiet satisfaction.

Initially, he had intended to respond simply to Fang Yuan, but recalling the hidden audience of Nangong Wan and Shangguan Ning, he decided to showcase a dash of his scholarly flair.

This deliberate display was aimed at captivating these timeless beauties, and it seemed his calculated move had successfully nudged their perceptions in his favor.

At this point, Fang Yuan, now over his initial surprise, responded with an awkward smile, "Senior Brother Jiang Chen, your praises are overly generous, please have a seat." He gestured invitingly for Jiang Chen to sit down.

Internally, however, Fang Yuan’s opinion of Jiang Chen had worsened. His inherent bias led him to see Jiang Chen’s somewhat lavish praise as insincere...@@@@

"By all means," Jiang Chen nodded in acknowledgment and settled onto a simple stone stool.

Watching his guest sit down, Fang Yuan then took a seat opposite him, ready for their conversation to proceed.

A stone table stood between them, starkly bare, without tea or any refreshments.

Noticing the empty table, Jiang Chen quickly conjured up a tea set and boiling water, starting to brew tea. As he did, he smiled slightly and said, "This is a spiritual tea from the Everflowing Truth Northern Domain. It’s not extravagant, but it’s a unique product of our region."

After brewing, he poured two cups of tea, sliding one towards Fang Yuan as he invited, "Please, have a taste."

Fang Yuan was momentarily surprised but quickly accepted the tea, saying, "Thank you," though internally, he still doubted the sincerity of Jiang Chen’s friendliness.

...

As Nangong Wan and Shangguan Ning reached a consensus on their next steps, Jiang Chen, after pausing to let his startling revelation sink in, offered a sincere smile and reassured the still tense Fang Yuan, "Junior Brother Fang Yuan, there’s no need for such tension. I hold no malicious intent towards you or the two esteemed seniors."

"If I did," he continued earnestly, "I wouldn’t have openly pointed out their existence."

Upon considering Jiang Chen’s words, Fang Yuan saw the logic in them and felt his initial unease begin to subside. Yet, in its place, a strong internal conflict arose.

Fang Yuan had long believed Jiang Chen harbored ill intentions, but Jiang Chen’s recent actions contradicted these preconceived notions. This left Fang Yuan wrestling with doubt.

Nevertheless, embodying the energetic, youthful protagonist always in the spotlight, Fang Yuan saw himself as the center of attention and tended to trust his own intuition and judgment.

Quickly, he calmed the inner turmoil and reaffirmed his belief that Jiang Chen was a malevolent figure.

Moreover, now that Jiang Chen knew about Nangong Wan and Shangguan Ning’s existence, Fang Yuan’s vigilance towards him had significantly increased. He reached a point where he would scrutinize anything involving Jiang Chen with the highest level of suspicion.

At the same time, within the hearts of Nangong Wan and Shangguan Ning, their view of Jiang Chen significantly improved. It appeared their initial judgment was indeed correct.

Observing Jiang Chen’s candid and straightforward demeanor, which lacked any hint of craftiness, naturally stirred their admiration.

[Ding! You have successfully elicited mild fondness from the unpursued heroines, Nangong Wan and Shangguan Ning. Fang Yuan’s Heavenly Fate Value has decreased by 500 points!]

[Ding! You’ve gained 1,000 points of Villain Value!]

The system notifications resonated within Jiang Chen’s sea of consciousness, sounding exceedingly pleasing to his ears!

In the next moment, a melodious yet dignified female voice echoed through Fang Yuan’s cave mansion, "Jiang Chen, we had not expected you to detect our presence. Fortunately, you are sincere. If it had been someone else, they might already be plotting against us in secret."

"By the way," she continued warmly, "my name is Nangong Wan. I am grateful to you for today."

As Nangong Wan’s voice faded, another melodious voice, this one full of allure, filled the room, "Jiang Chen, this is Shangguan Ning. We won’t forget your kindness. If you need help, feel free to ask."

Regarding why the two women hadn’t corrected Jiang Chen and Fang Yuan’s misconceptions about the Soul Embodying Ring, Nangong Wan felt it wasn’t necessary at this stage, especially since the ring wasn’t hers.

Shangguan Ning, on the other hand, was enjoying the intrigue, her playful nature finding the situation more entertaining this way.