a smile from the villain ( ASV)

chapter 2 - Protagonist

Every transmigrator should possess a diamond-hard resolve. Without it, they might well fashion a noose and hang themselves.

From this perspective, Qin Kaiyi was oddly qualified. After a night of mental fortification, he’d finally accepted the cruel truth and turned his thoughts toward the present.

Becoming the villain? Merely following the plot? It was, after all, his own creation. Why fear an inability to uncover a BUG that might thwart the protagonist? But that system warning loomed—a vexing obstacle. Still, Qin Kaiyi clung to a belief: no matter how flawless a system seemed, there had to be a flaw. And rather than fret over distant, long-term concerns, he’d focus on the here and now.

He’d transmigrated into the child version of Qin Shi. Yet, he couldn’t recall writing a scene where Qin Shi blundered into forbidden grounds. What awaited him next? Qin Kaiyi’s memory faltered.

“I should’ve kept it concise,” he muttered, sinking onto the bed. “A million words, and even I can’t remember.” His chest tightened. Had Shen Feixiao entered their Spirit Mountain sect yet? The uncertainty gnawed at him.

In the vast cultivation world, Spirit Mountain Sect held a place of significance. While not the pinnacle, it certainly wasn’t feeble. Two Nascent Soul ancestors stood as its guardians, and its disciples hailed from a generation of prodigious talents. Among the inner disciples alone, their numbers exceeded ten thousand—an impressive count by any standard. As for the outer disciples, their qualifications were less noteworthy, but still numerous.

Qin Shi, the senior disciple under the sect head, occupied a lofty position. His status required no explanation.

Yet, it was this very status that fueled his enmity with the protagonist, Shen Feixiao. Shen Feixiao projected an introverted, diligent, and pragmatic demeanor—a personality that might not endear him elsewhere, but in the cultivation realm, it marked him as a promising seedling.

Cultivators prioritized the refinement of their minds. Steadiness, calmness, and unwavering persistence paved the way to the ethereal realms of immortality.

And therein lay the crux: Qin Shi’s shimei favored Shen Feixiao. She sought to mentor him, to nurture his potential. But Qin Shi, seeing his authority challenged, grew resentful. Liu LingEr, once his possession, now paled in comparison to the unexpected interloper, Shen Feixiao.

Thus, Qin Shi resorted to clandestine machinations, nearly costing Shen Feixiao his life. Little did he know, he was sowing the seeds of his own tragic fate.

The Enigma of the Digital Abyss

“Have they already ascended the mountain?” Qin Kaiyi inquired, his thoughts racing.

“They have,” Liu LingEr replied, her tone spoiled. “Shixiong, hurry! If we’re late, the best seedlings will be snatched up.”

“Understood.” Qin Kaiyi donned his outer garment, descended from the bed, and followed Liu LingEr to the mountain’s entrance.

Each year, during the selection process, Spirit Mountain Sect buzzed with activity. Mortal-born seedlings congregated at the entrance, subjected to rigorous tests. Those who faltered were promptly dismissed, while those who endured faced no automatic ascension to the immortal cultivation path. The sheer numbers precluded such favoritism. Some chosen ones would receive special attention from higher-ups, their education meticulously overseen. Others, however, would follow second-rate disciples, learning rudimentary cultivation techniques.

Shen Feixiao’s talent didn’t stand out, so he wasn’t singled out. But did it matter? The protagonist’s halo rendered him invincible. If only they knew his future, envy would consume them.