Chapter 3: Becoming a Villainous Minion, I Run Into a Top-Tier Succubus Right at the Start

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

No—she had become paper entirely.

Her body rapidly collapsed inward; skin, muscle, sinew, and bone peeled away in layers like a shed shell, exposing the "core" within—a paper figure no larger than a palm!

"As expected, the Paper Puppet Art..."

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

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

He reached out and picked up the paper figure; a spark of fire flashed at his fingertip, and the paper figure burst into flames out of thin air.

Faintly, a wailing sound seemed to drift over.

A translucent phantom emerged, struggling to break free from the paper figure.

A dark-red talisman lit up at the paper figure's brow, pinning it down with all its might, until it finally crumbled completely into flying ash.

At the same time, a prompt appeared:

【Slain "Nameless Wandering Soul," True Spirit +5.】

"An unexpected bonus?"

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

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

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

Only her eyes and brows held a touch less allure and a hint more cool detachment; a pair of peach blossom eyes gazed at Chen Mo in surprise.

"How did he notice?"

Gu Manzhi was utterly baffled.

Her Paper Puppet Art had reached the Apex of Mastery; in pursuit of perfection, she had even used a Secret Method to drive a wandering soul to cling to it, making its speech and behavior nearly indistinguishable from a real person.

Unless one was a practitioner well-versed in this art, and at a far higher realm than her, it would have been absolutely impossible to spot any flaw.

Chen Mo, being a martial artist, naturally did not fall into that category.

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

Suddenly, Chen Mo stood up.

Gu Manzhi took half a step back, watching him warily.

Chen Mo walked on his own to the tea table and sat down, raising a hand to tap the table.

"Pour the tea."

"..."

Seeing him so nonchalant, Gu Manzhi grew even more uncertain.

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

This was, after all, the Imperial Capital; if the commotion grew too large, it would only invite greater trouble.

She moved with lotus-light steps, sat down across from Chen Mo, drew up her sleeves, and lifted the teapot with her slender hand.

Warming the pot, placing the leaves, pouring the water, rinsing the cups.

The motions were practiced and a pleasure to watch.

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

【Moon Huang Holy Maiden · Falling Blossom Absolute Strings Wind-Condensing Jade · Gu Manzhi】

【Realm: Sixth-Rank Practitioner】

【Cultivation Technique: Lu Qingyu True Scripture】

【Spells: Six Jia Spirit Domination, Paper Puppet Art, Soul-Capturing Absolute Strings Zither】

【Favorability: 0/100 (Locked)】

【Note: Favorability from 0–100 is divided into four stages, each corresponding to different rewards; reaching 100 will unlock a special reward.】

Seeing the "Favorability" column, Chen Mo's brow furrowed slightly.

One of *Absolute Immortal*'s signature mechanics was winning over the heroines to obtain generous rewards.

That kind of setup was, of course, no problem for the protagonist.

But he was now a villain.

Getting involved with a heroine was guaranteed to end badly.

His predecessor was a bloody example of that...

"A woman's heart is like a little snake—the more you lick it, the harder it gets."

Chen Mo knew this truth well and naturally had no intention of repeating the mistake.

What he was considering now was whether a sixth-rank practitioner would be easy to kill or not.

"Sir, please enjoy your tea."

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

Chen Mo lifted the teacup and savored it slowly; a sweet fragrance bloomed across his lips and teeth.

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

"A connoisseur."

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

Chen Mo shook his head. "Using poison leaves traces that are too obvious. You're not that foolish—otherwise you wouldn't have gone to such elaborate lengths, first using the zither's melody to bewitch, then sending a paper figure to lure me in."

The plan could truly be called seamless.

The previous owner died in ignorance, believing he and Gu Manzhi were mutually in love, deeply devoted, when in fact he had been dating a paper doll.

Pain, unbearable pain.

"Just a few little flirtatious tricks."

Gu Manzhi's eyes shimmered, her seductive voice softening bones and melting sinews, "Wouldn't it be double the pleasure, having two maids serve you together?"

Chen Mo: "?"

Thinking about it like that, it does seem somewhat reasonable…

Pah, you foul woman, how dare you damage my Dao heart!

I nearly forgot—Gu Manzhi is a primordial Yin Chai body, born with a seductive bone.

By the later stages, when her constitution reaches perfection, every frown and smile can bewitch all beings; she is called the "Supreme First Seductive Demon," even more extraordinary than her demoness master!

Facing this woman, you must be utterly alert—slight carelessness and you'll be led straight into the ditch!

Chen Mo calmed his mind, his tone growing colder, "Is the Heart-Eating Worm also just a little trick?"

Gu Manzhi asked in confusion, "What Heart-Eating Worm?"

Chen Mo sneered, "Still pretending ignorance now? What did Ji Lianxing have you do—don't you know?"

Upon hearing the name "Ji Lianxing," Gu Manzhi trembled violently, her wrist jerking, the teapot crashing to the ground.

Crack!

The pot shattered, tea splattering everywhere!

Gazing at that handsome face, those pitch-black eyes depthless as abysses, a chill crept up her spine to the back of her skull.

Fear, horror, disbelief…

Even someone as calculating as her lost her composure in an instant!

"To speak my master's name means he long ago knew my identity!"

"Could Yu Youhan have sent him? Has she already laid a net of heaven and earth, preparing to trap me like a fish in a jar?"

Thinking of that woman's terrifying methods, Gu Manzhi shuddered.

If she fell into her hands, she would beg for death but be denied even that!

As Gu Manzhi's spirit reeled, Chen Mo's gaze sharpened.

Now!

He pressed two fingers into a blade and slashed down fiercely!

The moment killing intent spilled forth, Gu Manzhi instantly sensed it.

She reacted with lightning speed, her sleeves swirling, threads of blue smoke coiling swiftly into a pale blue ancient mirror before her.

The palm-blade struck the mirror's surface, sending ripples cascading outward.

The surging force vanished like a mud ox sinking into the sea, entirely absorbed and neutralized.

Chen Mo had anticipated this—he reversed his hand and struck a second palm-blow, stronger than before.

Third blow, fourth blow…

Each blow was fiercer, crueler, more brutal than the last!

The mirror's surface churned like stormy waves, ripples growing denser, the ancient mirror beginning to shake violently.

By the eighth blow, the force had multiplied tenfold or more!

The mirror's absorption capacity reached its limit—it emitted a piercing shriek, then shattered inch by inch under Gu Manzhi's horrified gaze, dissolving into blue smoke.

A palm wrapped in blazing flame pierced through the smoke and struck her chest dead center!

Boom!

With the crisp crack of snapping bones and tendons, Gu Manzhi spat a mouthful of blood, hurtled backward into the air, and slammed hard against the wall!

The entire room seemed to tremble!

In the flash of an eye, the tide of battle had reversed!

…

"Do you have anything else to say?"

Chen Mo toyed with the teacup, his tone calm.

Gu Manzhi leaned against the wall, her chest heaving, her pale face streaked with blood—like a fragrant orchid crushed, a jade broken, pitiful to behold.

She steadied her breath, shook her head with a bitter smile, "It seems Young Master Chen hides deeper than I do… I have nothing to say. Kill me or cut me up—do as you please."

With that, she closed her eyes as if resigned to death.

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

It was inscribed with the Dao technique Radiant Thunder Incantation, its power equal to a fifth-rank sorcerer's full strike—only a wisp of qi needed to activate it, and it could erase everything in this room.

Including herself.

She would rather perish with it than surrender to slaughter!

"Master, forgive your disciple's weakness—I have betrayed your trust. If there is a next life…"

At that moment, a cold voice entered her ears:

"Tell Ji Lianxing not to dare provoke the Lady. If she does, even all of the Nine Provinces will offer her not a single inch to stand upon!"

"Between you and me, our grudges are settled. From now on, we have no further ties. Next time, you won't be so lucky."

"... Huh?"

Gu Manzhi lifted her eyes.

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

Watching that upright back, she remained frozen for a long while, staring blankly.

…

"What a pity, I almost killed her."

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

The reason he let Gu Manzhi go was not out of mercy, but simply because he had the will but not the strength.

Those eight palms just now had already drained every last drop of his true Qi.

Blazing Flame Eight Slashes, a high-grade Earth-tier martial technique.

It was originally a saber art, comprising eight moves. The saber momentum layered upon itself, its power extremely fierce, and it carried an attached Blazing Flame Qi force that, once it entered the body, would continuously scorch the opponent's meridians and viscera.

In terms of killing power alone, it was in no way inferior to Heaven-tier martial techniques!

With such a lethal move, the cultivation difficulty was naturally very high — not only was the true Qi consumption enormous, it also required extremely profound comprehension of the saber Dao.

After entering the basics, one could consecutively slash twice.

Cultivated to mastery, one could slash four times.

His former self had exceptional talent, and with a grandmaster's guidance, was only a hair's breadth away from great completion, yet he could never fully integrate and master it — at most he could consecutively slash six times.

To cross this threshold, effort, comprehension, and opportunity — none could be lacking.

But for Chen Mo, who possessed a system panel, there was only one thing to consider:

Add points.

By killing fierce beasts and demonic ghosts, one could obtain "Spirit Essence," which could be used to raise the realm of Cultivation Techniques and martial techniques.

He added the 5 points of Spirit Essence he had just obtained to Blazing Flame Eight Slashes, directly elevating this martial technique from "Minor Completion" to "Great Completion"!

It looked like a difference of only one word, but in reality it was a world apart!

As if a membrane had been pierced, the previously obscure passages suddenly opened wide, and boundless comprehension welled up in his heart…

In an instant, he had reached the realm of perfect fusion!

When one method is mastered, all methods are mastered. After the saber art reached great completion, it was no longer confined to a weapon.

Chen Mo deliberately closed the distance, seized the moment when Gu Manzhi's mind was shaken to launch a sudden strike, compressed all his true Qi into a single line, used his palm as a saber, and forcibly grievously wounded her!

And the price was the excessive overdraft of his true Qi — he had already reached the point of his oil being exhausted and his lamp going dry!

Now his condition was no better than Gu Manzhi's!

"With my Martial Dao seventh-grade realm, using this move was still too much of a stretch."

"No choice — a sorcerer's methods are unfathomable, the longer I delay the more dangerous it gets. I could only stake everything on one throw."

"What a pity, the realm gap was too great. Even though I seized the initiative, I still couldn't kill her… She might still have a trump card; this place is no good for staying long."

Chen Mo panted heavily, his legs feeling as if they weighed a thousand jin.

With every step, the meridians within his body ached as if being torn apart, and his consciousness was gradually growing fuzzy.

"No good, this place isn't safe…"

He forced himself to walk out the main gate and looked around.

He saw a two-horse carriage parked not far away, pulling a cabin with a tin-topped black canopy — this style was only permitted for use by officials of the fourth grade and above.

With no time to think it over, he walked straight over, lifted the curtain, and climbed into the cabin.

Inside sat a girl of delicate features, her pink cheeks stuffed round and bulging, a piece of osmanthus cake still held up in her hand, staring at this uninvited guest with a face full of bewilderment.

Chen Mo pulled off the jade pendant at his waist and tossed it over, his voice hoarse:

"My father is Mao Youfu, the Right Vice Censor-in-Chief. We live on Ming'an Street in the east of the city. Send me home — quick!"

The moment his words fell, his body completely lost all strength, and he tumbled stiffly into the girl's arms.

*Plop. *

The osmanthus cake was knocked onto the ground.

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

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