Villains Aren't Stepping Stones!

Chapter 2: Chapter 2: Shen Haoran

”Finally broke through.” The young man smiled, a faint curve tugging at the corner of his lips, his expression filled with quiet satisfaction.

His figure flashed as he leapt from beneath the waterfall, landing gracefully by the riverside.

Droplets of water rolled down his robe, yet not a speck of filth clung to him, his presence as untarnished as jade.

At that very moment, the air split. A ripple of power spread through the valley, and a beautiful woman appeared without sound.

She looked to be in her thirties, her figure clad in a skin-tight black full-body suit that accentuated her elegance and lethality, with a long black hair and a pair of crimson red eyes.

Without hesitation, she dropped to one knee before him, bowing deeply.

”Congratulations, Young Master,” her voice was calm yet reverent.

But if one looked closer, they would feel their heart tremble. Beneath her composed exterior was a terrifying, suffocating aura.

The unmistakable pressure of a Profound Saint.

One must understand what that meant.

A Profound Saint was a figure who could make even Emperors hesitate to act rashly. In the world of cultivation, they were considered the peak of power one could deploy openly.

Earthly Saints, though stronger, usually guarded their sects and clans as immovable pillars, rarely leaving their domains.

Heavenly Saints, their eyes fixed only on transcending into Supreme Emperors, often secluded themselves in ceaseless cultivation.

That left the Profound Saints as the highest blades, walking openly in the world, unmatched by any ordinary force.

Yet this woman, one such terrifying existence, was kneeling humbly before a youth who had only just stepped into the Golden Core realm.

If outsiders were to witness this scene, they would be shocked to the core, unable to comprehend such a reversal of status.

But those who knew the truth would find it only natural.

Because this youth was not ordinary.

He was Shen Haoran, the first young master of the Shen Clan.

The heir of a clan whose very foundation shook empires. A clan so ancient and profound that even the throne of an empire existed beneath its shadow.

”Young master, the mistress asks me to bring you to her after you successfully broke through.”

Shen Haoran frowned, ”Mother? Is it about the engagement?”

Shen Haoran loosened the sash at his waist and slipped out of his white robe without hesitation. He stood bare by the riverside, utterly unconcerned with being seen in his nude state.

His body was lean, refined like carved jade, every muscle line precise yet filled with strength.

Across his right arm, a black-gold tribal tattoo shimmered faintly, coiling upward with ancient majesty.

The inked form of an eastern dragon wound around his arm, climbed his shoulder, and stretched to the right side of his neck.

Its fangs bared, its eyes sharp, the tattoo seemed alive, as though the beast within might roar at any moment.

This was not mere decoration.

This mark was the living seal of his physique—the Infinity Dragon God Divine Physique.

It was one of the Nine Divine Physiques, said to have been born at the very dawn of the universe.

Legends spoke of them as fragments of primordial law, each one the embodiment of creation’s origin. The appearance of any one of these physiques would shake the heavens, and the bearer was fated to stand above their peers.

The Infinity Dragon God Divine Physique was among the most mysterious.

It was said to house the endless vitality of the eternal dragon, capable of evolving limitlessly, never bound by bottlenecks, never halting its path of ascension.

It devoured obstacles, refined calamities, and grew stronger with each tribulation faced.

Even among the Shen Clan, famed for birthing countless monstrous talents across eras, no one had ever possessed this physique before.

For Shen Haoran to possess it, one would think he was the son of the heavenly dao.

The kneeling Profound Saint raised her head slightly, her eyes flashing with reverence and awe as she gazed upon the dragon tattoo.

She did not see the body of a twenty-year-old youth. She saw the shadow of an eternal sovereign, one who might one day dominate the heavens themselves.

”Indeed, young master.” She answered, ”The Mistress believes that your engagement with the Huo Clan heiress no longer has any meaning, and wanted you to dissolve it...but..”

She Haoran furrowed his brows, ”But?”

”Your cousin, Shen Ming, believes that breaking the engagement would make it look like the Shen Clan doesn’t treasure their words, and asked the Mistress to transfer the engagement to him.”

”...What did mother say?”

”She finds it reasonable, but wanted your opinion on it.”

Shen Haoran nodded and put on a black robe, with golden eastern dragon embroidered on it.

”Let’s go.”

The woman stood up and put a hand on Shen Haoran’s shoulder, ”Pardon me, young master.”

With that, the space seems to twist, and they dissappeared.

*

*

*

Peach Blossom Peak. One of the thousand peaks of the Shen Immortal Mountain Range.

The entire mountain was veiled in immortal mist, sacred light pouring from the heavens, and the air itself seemed to hum with spiritual energy.

On this peak, endless peach trees bloomed all year round, their petals drifting like pink snow, covering the paths, the stones, even the streams with quiet beauty.

At the very heart of the peak stood a vast mansion, its gates towering and adorned with intricate carvings of phoenixes and dragons.

These gates were not simply for show. Each line and pattern radiated ancient sealing power, inscriptions that could flatten even a Heavenly Saint should they dare to trespass uninvited.

This was the residence of none other than Chu Xueyu, the matriarch of the Shen Clan.

Before these gates, Shen Haoran and the Profound Saint woman appeared in a flash of light.

The woman bowed slightly, but Haoran’s steps were calm and steady, carrying no hesitation. With a simple push, the gates opened silently.

They entered.

Inside the mansion was silence. The air was thick with sacred fragrance from rare spiritual herbs burning in jade incense holders.

Every column, every step of the jade floor glimmered faintly with protective formations. This was not merely a mansion. It was a fortress of power, one of the most secure places in the clan.

Neither paused to look around. Together, they walked straight toward the inner sanctum, the grand hall.

The hall itself stretched endlessly, lined with celestial lamps that gave off eternal light.

At its center stood a dais carved of pure immortal crystal, and on that dais sat a woman dressed in flowing robes of pale silver.

Her beauty was unparalleled, ageless, her long golden hair cascading like a waterfall. Yet her presence was what stole the breath of any who dared meet her eyes.

She seems to not just be a simple a woman. But a will of heaven and earth, condensed into flesh.

She is Chu Xueyu. Matriarch of the Shen Clan. And mother of Shen Haoran.

The Profound Saint woman fell to her knees at once, her head lowered, silence her only show of respect.

Shen Haoran, however, simply cupped his fists and bowed, his expression calm, as if this supreme figure before him was not the matriarch of one of the oldest clans under the heavens.

The woman, normally cold and emotionless, showed tenderness and softness in her golden eyes, her lips curling into a gentle smile.

”Haoran, you have successfully broke through?”

”I have, mother.” He answered, ”1st Stage of Golden Core Realm.”

Chu Xueyu chuckled, ”As expected of my son. Not even those Young Supremes of Immortal Sects can compare to you.”

Her eyes narrowed, her once golden eyes glowed with rainbow colors as she observed him, ”...It seems your physique remained unawakened.”

Shen Haoran nodded, ”...Well, it is understandable. After all, this physique wasn’t mine originally.”

If one were to hear this, it would surely shocked the whole Primal Origin Realm.

After all, the incredibly domineering divine physique that Shen Haoran possessed wasn’t actually his!

This was actually known only to the few members of the clan.

The original owner of this physique was actually from a branch family of Shen Clan.

When Chu Xueyu found out about the divine physique, she immediately crippled the parents, took the divine physique from their newborn child, and banished them to the lower realm.

She then implanted the divine physique to her newborn son.

If someone from Earth who have read many cultivation novels were to hear this, they would immediately know that this is a villain template!

Unfortunately, neither of the people here are from Earth.