Becoming a Minor Villain, I Encountered a Top-Tier Succubus from the Start

The color drained from Gu Manzhi's face, leaving her pale as paper...

No, she had completely turned into paper.

Her body rapidly collapsed. Skin, flesh, bones... peeled away layer by layer like a shed shell, exposing the "core" wrapped within—a palm-sized Paper Doll!

"So it really was the Paper Puppet Technique..."

Faced with this bizarre sight, Chen Mo showed no surprise.

With the methods of the Moon Radiance Sect's Holy Maiden, it would have been abnormal for her to die so easily.

He reached out and picked up the Paper Doll. A flicker of fire flashed at his fingertips, and the doll burst into flames out of thin air.

Faintly, it seemed as though wails could be heard.

A translucent phantom emerged, struggling to break free from the Paper Doll.

A dark-red talisman lit up between the doll's brows, suppressing it firmly until it finally turned to ashes.

At the same time, a prompt appeared:

[Killed "Nameless Wandering Soul." True Spirit +5.]

"An unexpected gain?"

Chen Mo's heart stirred, but his expression remained unchanged. He said coolly, "Come out. How long do you intend to keep hiding?"

A moment later, a figure stepped out from behind the screen.

Her appearance and figure were identical to the "Gu Manzhi" who had just died.

Only, there was less seductiveness between her brows and eyes, and more cool detachment. Her peach-blossom eyes looked at Chen Mo in astonishment.

How did he discover me?

Gu Manzhi was deeply puzzled.

Her Paper Puppet Technique had reached the pinnacle. In pursuit of perfection, she had even used a secret art to drive a wandering soul into possessing it. Its words and actions were nearly indistinguishable from those of a True Person.

Unless one was an Occultist proficient in this art and far above her in cultivation, it should have been impossible to spot the flaw.

Chen Mo was a martial artist, so he naturally did not fit that description.

By all rights, this should have been foolproof...

Suddenly, Chen Mo stood up.

Gu Manzhi took half a step back, staring at him warily.

Chen Mo paid her no mind as he walked to the tea table and sat down, raising a hand to tap the tabletop.

"Pour the tea."

"..."

Seeing how calm he was, Gu Manzhi became even less certain.

After a brief hesitation, she decided to play it by ear.

This was the Imperial Capital, after all. If she caused too great a commotion, it would only invite bigger trouble.

She moved with lotus-like steps and sat opposite Chen Mo. Rolling up her sleeves, she lifted the teapot with her delicate hand.

Warming the pot, adding the tea, pouring the water, rinsing the cups.

Her movements were practiced and pleasing to the eye.

Yet Chen Mo's attention was entirely on the box floating above her head.

[Moon Radiance Holy Maiden · Falling Flower Absolute String Feng Ningyu · Gu Manzhi]

[Realm: Sixth-Rank Occultist]

[Cultivation Art: Green Jade True Scripture]

[Arts: Six Jia Spirit Control, Paper Puppet Technique, Soul-Absorbing Absolute String Zither]

[Affection: 0/100 (Locked)]

[Note: Affection is divided into four stages from 0 to 100. Each stage corresponds to different rewards. A special reward will unlock upon reaching 100.]

Seeing the "Affection" entry, Chen Mo frowned slightly.

One of the signature mechanics of Absolute Immortal was courting the female leads to obtain generous rewards.

There was naturally no problem with such a setting when it was placed on the protagonist.

But he was a villain now.

As long as he got involved with a female lead, there would definitely be no good ending for him.

His predecessor was a bloody example...

"A woman's heart is like a cow: the more you lick it, the harder it gets."

Chen Mo understood this principle well, so naturally he would not repeat the same mistake.

What he was considering now was whether a Sixth-Rank Occultist would be easy to kill.

"Sir, please have some tea."

Gu Manzhi filled the teacup before him to seven-tenths full.

Chen Mo lifted the cup and savored it carefully. A sweet fragrance filled his mouth.

"Tianshan Silver Needle, the first tender buds of early spring. Fine tea."

"You know your tea."

Gu Manzhi praised him, then said with a half-smile, "But isn't Sir afraid there might be poison in the tea?"

Chen Mo shook his head. "Poison leaves traces too obvious. You are not that foolish. Otherwise, you would not have gone to such lengths—first using zither music to bewitch my soul, then using a Paper Doll to lure me."

This plan could truly be called seamless.

His predecessor had remained in the dark until his death, believing that he and Gu Manzhi were mutually in love, sharing the intimacy of fish and water. In truth, he had been dating a paper person all along.

Pain. Too painful.

"It was merely a little flirtatious trick."

Gu Manzhi's eyes shimmered, her seductive voice enough to melt one's bones. "If two of me served Sir together, wouldn't that be twice the pleasure?"

Chen Mo: "?"

Thinking about it that way, it actually seemed to make some sense...

Pah, shameless woman! She actually dared to undermine my Dao heart!

He had nearly forgotten. Gu Manzhi possessed the Innate Extreme Yin Body, born with seductive bones.

Once her physique fully matured in the later stages, a smile or frown from her could overturn all living beings. She would be known as the First Succubus of Absolute Immortal, even more outrageous than her demoness master!

When facing this woman, he had to stay twelve parts alert. One careless misstep, and she would lead him into a ditch!

Chen Mo steadied his mind, and his tone grew colder. "And the Heart-Devouring Gu? Was that also a little trick?"

Gu Manzhi asked in confusion, "What Heart-Devouring Gu?"

Chen Mo sneered. "Still playing dumb at a time like this? Do you really not know what Ji Lianxing told you to do?"

At the mention of "Ji Lianxing," Gu Manzhi was shaken to the core. Her wrist trembled, and the teapot fell to the floor.

Crash!

The pot shattered, and tea splashed everywhere!

Looking at that handsome face, those ink-black eyes were bottomless. A chill crawled up her spine to the back of her head.

Fear, shock, disbelief...

Even with a mind as deep as hers, she lost her composure for a moment!

He can speak Master's name. That means he has known my identity all along!

Could Yu Youhan have sent him? Has a net already been laid outside, ready to catch the turtle in the jar?

Thinking of that woman's terrifying methods, Gu Manzhi could not help shuddering.

If she fell into her hands, she would truly be unable to live or die!

As her mind roiled, Chen Mo's gaze sharpened.

Now!

His fingers formed a blade as he slashed down fiercely!

The instant his killing intent spilled forth, Gu Manzhi noticed it.

Her reaction was incredibly swift. Her sleeves danced, strands of azure smoke swirling forth and swiftly forming an ancient green mirror before her.

His palm blade struck the mirror's surface, sending ripples spreading across it.

The surging force vanished like a clay ox entering the sea, entirely absorbed and neutralized.

Chen Mo had expected this. He swung his hand again, delivering a second palm strike with even greater force.

A third palm, a fourth palm...

Each palm was fiercer, more vicious, more ruthless than the last!

The mirror's surface churned like waves. The ripples became increasingly dense, and the ancient mirror began to shake violently.

By the time the eighth palm descended, its force had increased by more than tenfold!

The ancient mirror's power of dissolution reached its limit. It let out a piercing wail, then shattered inch by inch under Gu Manzhi's horrified gaze, dissolving into azure smoke!

A palm wrapped in blazing firelight pierced through the smoke and struck squarely against her chest!

Bang!

Amid the crisp sound of snapping bones, Gu Manzhi spat out blood and flew backward, crashing viciously into the wall!

The entire room seemed to tremble!

In the blink of an eye, the situation had completely reversed!

"Do you have anything else to say?"

Chen Mo toyed with his teacup, his tone calm.

Gu Manzhi leaned against the wall, her ample chest rising and falling unevenly. Blood stained her pale, lovely face; like an orchid crushed and jade broken, she inspired pity at first sight.

She caught her breath and shook her head with a bitter smile. "It seems Young Master Chen hid himself even deeper than I did... I have nothing to say. Kill me or carve me up as you please."

Having said that, she closed her eyes as if resigned to her fate.

Her left hand, hidden behind her back, quietly gripped a jade talisman.

It contained the Dao art Blazing Thunder Curse, with power equivalent to a full-force strike from a Fifth-Rank Occultist. With only a thread of vital energy to trigger it, everything in this room could be erased.

Including herself.

She would rather have jade and stone burn together than allow herself to be captured without resistance!

Master, forgive this disciple's incompetence for failing your trust. If there is another life...

At that moment, a cold voice entered her ears:

"Tell Ji Lianxing not to dream of provoking Highness. No matter how vast these Nine Provinces are, there will be no place for her to plant even a cone!"

"Between you and me, all debts and grievances are settled. From this day onward, we have no connection. You will not be so fortunate next time."

"...Hm?"

Gu Manzhi raised her eyes.

Chen Mo had already turned and walked out of the room.

Watching that tall, straight back, she stood frozen for a long while, lost in a daze.

"What a pity. I nearly killed her."

Chen Mo's face was grim as he walked toward the main gate.

The reason he had spared Gu Manzhi was not because he had gone soft-hearted. He simply lacked the strength.

Those eight palms had already drained every last drop of his true qi.

Blazing Flame Eight Slashes, a high-grade Earth-rank martial skill.

It had originally been a blade technique with eight moves. The blade force stacked upon itself layer by layer, making it extraordinarily powerful, and it carried blazing flame force that would continuously burn the enemy's meridians and organs after entering the body.

In terms of destructive power alone, it was no less formidable than a Heaven-rank martial skill!

Such a killing technique was naturally extremely difficult to cultivate. Not only did it consume an immense amount of true qi, but it also required profound comprehension of the blade Dao.

After reaching the introductory stage, one could slash twice in succession.

At the proficient stage, one could slash four times.

His predecessor had been exceptionally talented, and with a master's guidance, he had only been one step away from mastery. Yet he had never been able to fully integrate its principles, managing no more than six consecutive slashes.

To cross that threshold, effort, talent, and opportunity were all indispensable.

But for Chen Mo, who possessed the System Panel, there was only one thing to consider:

Adding points.

By killing vicious beasts, demons, and ghosts, he could obtain "True Spirit," which could be used to raise the realms of cultivation arts and martial skills.

He added the 5 points of True Spirit he had just obtained to Blazing Flame Eight Slashes, directly raising this martial skill from "minor mastery" to "great mastery"!

Though the difference appeared to be only a single word, in reality it was as distant as heaven and earth!

It was as if he had pierced through a membrane. The parts that had once been obscure suddenly became clear, and boundless insights surged into his heart...

In an instant, he reached the realm of perfect integration!

When one art was mastered, ten thousand arts followed. After his blade technique reached great mastery, he was no longer confined to weapons.

Chen Mo had deliberately closed the distance. Taking advantage of Gu Manzhi's shaken mind, he launched his attack, compressing all his true qi into a single line and turning his palm into a blade, forcibly inflicting grievous wounds upon her!

The price was an excessive depletion of true qi. He had already reached the point where the oil was spent and the lamp had gone dry!

His condition now was not much better than Gu Manzhi's!

"With my Seventh-Rank martial cultivation, using this move is still too much of a strain."

"It couldn't be helped. An Occultist's methods are elusive and unpredictable. The longer this dragged on, the more dangerous it became. I could only gamble everything on one strike."

"What a pity. The difference in our realms was too great. Even after seizing the initiative, I still failed to kill her... She may still have more tricks up her sleeve. This is not a place to linger."

Chen Mo panted heavily, his legs seeming to weigh a thousand catties.

With every step, his meridians felt as though they were being torn apart. His consciousness was gradually growing hazy.

"No, it isn't safe here..."

He forced himself through the main gate and looked around.

Not far away stood a two-horse carriage, its compartment covered by a black canopy with a tin roof—only officials of the fourth rank or above were entitled to use such a style.

With no time to think further, he strode over, lifted the curtain, and climbed into the carriage.

Inside sat a pretty young girl, her rosy cheeks puffed round with food. She still held a piece of osmanthus cake in her hand, staring blankly at this uninvited guest.

Chen Mo tore the jade pendant from his waist and threw it over, his voice hoarse:

"My father is the Right Vice Censor-in-Chief. Our home is on Ming'an Street in the eastern part of the city. Take me home—quick!"

The moment he finished speaking, all strength left his body, and he toppled stiffly into the girl's arms.

Plop.

The osmanthus cake was knocked from her hand and fell to the floor.

The girl looked at the man in her arms, then at the osmanthus cake on the ground.

(⊙ˍ⊙)

Eek!