This Is What a Villain Is Like

"You’re too kind, Young Master," Chi Yunxiao said, waving his hand dismissively. "My Red Bright Ancient Sect was once attacked by enemies and was on the verge of collapse. If the Prime Minister hadn’t sent aid, we wouldn’t be here today."

The group of young disciples behind him all chimed in to agree.

’Regardless of their sincerity, getting closer to the Prime Minister’s Mansion now is undoubtedly the right move.’

’By befriending Jiang Lan, the young master of the Prime Minister’s Mansion, I’ll have more confidence and backing in my future bid for the position of Sect Leader of the Red Bright Ancient Sect.’

Soon, more Divine Rainbows arrived one after another from every direction.

Many from the younger generation of clans and Immortal Sects, all on good terms with the Prime Minister’s Mansion, came to lend their aid. As soon as they heard Jiang Lan had entered Qianyuan Prefecture with the intention of vying for the top spot, they had rushed over.

A watery mist rose from the surface of the lake, accompanied by a sound that resembled the cry of a dragon.

A burly, honest-looking man in a golden robe arrived on a Divine Rainbow. He bore the distinct features of the Dragon-man Race—it was none other than Ao Xu, the Celestial Pride who had once followed Jiang Lan in Anyang City.

Many young members of the Dragon-man Race followed at his side.

Among the Alien Races of the Celestial Central Province, the Dragon-man Race was a renowned royal clan with a profound heritage. Each of its members possessed uncommon talent and astonishing combat power for their realm.

"Young Master," Ao Xu greeted him heartily.

Jiang Lan smiled. "It seems your cultivation has deepened once again."

"It’s all thanks to the Ancient Scroll you bestowed upon me in Anyang City, Young Master. It allowed my bloodline to become another step purer..."

Ao Xu rubbed the back of his head and laughed. His Qi and Blood Power radiated like a blazing furnace. If one got close enough, they could hear the sound of thunder rumbling within his very blood.

The group of young Celestial Prides who had followed Jiang Lan in Anyang City had all, to some extent, received rewards for their service.

He, in particular, had received an ancient Scripture Scroll that Jiang Lan had brought back from the Purple Mist True Monarch’s Cave Mansion. The scroll contained records of the Dragon Feeding Ancient Technique, which had profoundly inspired him. By building upon its principles, he successfully purified his Bloodline Power by a fraction, dramatically increasing his strength.

Not long after Ao Xu arrived, a delicate-looking young woman appeared.

She was casually dressed in clothes sewn from beast hide. Her features were exquisite, indistinguishable from those of the Human Race. Upon closer inspection, however, one would notice her skin was slightly paler, revealing faint, light-blue blood vessels beneath the surface.

It was Luo Ying from the Sea Abyss Saint Sect, who was also rumored to be a descendant of the ancient Sea God. Her talent was said to be terrifyingly immense.

She preferred to act alone and had no followers with her.

Seeing so many young Celestial Prides gather around Jiang Lan in such a short time...

The expressions of the watching higher-ups and Elders from the various major powers shifted slightly. They were somewhat shocked by the unifying influence of the Prime Minister’s Mansion.

And this was just from the news getting out a short while ago.

Had word gotten out sooner that Jiang Lan was determined to take the top spot, the number of young cultivators gathering to his side would likely have been even greater.

No matter how powerful an individual was, their strength was still their own. In this world, connections and background were often what truly mattered.

Otherwise, the younger generation of the major sects wouldn’t bother selecting followers, nor would the young masters of the great clans and Noble Families bother cultivating retainers and Tributors.

Of course, these Immortal Sect Lineages were merely the ones openly aligned with the Prime Minister’s Mansion, the ones everyone could see. As for the ones in the shadows... they were likely hidden much deeper, not to be revealed until a critical moment.

With these thoughts running through their minds, the Elders from the various Immortal Sect Influences wore complicated expressions.

The smile had vanished from the face of Prince Zhenbei, Xiao River, ever since he’d seen Jiang Lan enter Qianyuan Prefecture. Now, his face was a mask. After witnessing this scene, he turned and left the high platform, leading his retainers back to Prince Zhenbei’s Mansion.

The expressions on the faces of the other Commandery Princes, Vassal Princes, Nobility, and the Royal Family and Relatives also grew subtle.

Only Emperor Xia, seated within the black Jade Carriage, remained impassive, his face revealing neither joy nor anger.

"On my way to meet you, Young Master," Luo Ying said from the shore of Bihu Lake, revealing a neat row of small white teeth, "I ran into a group of people. It looks like they’ve been searching Qianyuan Prefecture for several days, so they should have plenty of good stuff on them. I thought you might be interested."

"Oh? That’s perfect," Jiang Lan said with a smile. "Saves me the trouble of hunting them down one by one."

Ao Xu, Chi Yunxiao, and the others nearby also smiled. They shared similar news, explaining that on their way to rendezvous with Jiang Lan, they had deliberately kept an eye out for crowded areas.

They made no effort to hide their intentions, already viewing the other young cultivators here as a crop ripe for the harvest.

The smiles vanished from the faces of many onlookers, and the Elders of the various Immortal Sect Lineages furrowed their brows.

「For the next few days, Qianyuan Prefecture was thrown into a frenzy.」

Led by Jiang Lan, the group of young Celestial Prides rode the clouds and mists, moving like lightning as they swept through the various regions like a whirlwind.

The members of the younger generation who had entered early, secured advantageous positions, and begun to collect the surrounding fortuitous encounters now suffered miserably.

Even the children of many Commandery Princes were robbed clean. Several days of hard work were wiped away in an instant. Their expressions were as sour as if they’d eaten a dead rat, yet while they were furious, they didn’t dare to voice their anger.

Anyone who refused to hand over their gains would inevitably receive a vicious beating and be publicly humiliated, damaging the prestige of the power backing them.

Among the victims, the young masters from the Imperial Capital had it the worst.

Some of them were already acquainted with Jiang Lan and had hoped to get him off their backs by handing over a portion of their gains. But Jiang Lan acted as if he wouldn’t leave them with a single scrap.