True Heir of Chaos: From Villainess to Empress

Jian Dan gave a satisfied nod, then extended her spiritual sense outward and spoke aloud:

"This is Jian Dan of Mo Yan Peak. By order of the Palace Master, I shall be temporarily assuming control of Mo Ying Peak. All stewards and overseers are to report to the main hall immediately."

Her voice, carried by spiritual force, swept across the entire Mo Ying Peak. Instantly, commotion stirred throughout the mountain.

Some cultivators reacted immediately, while others stayed seated or hesitated, waiting to see what this new 'acting' Peak Lord would do next. Jian Dan remained calm. Mo Ying Peak was one of the inner nine peaks and housed over ten thousand cultivators. She wasn't the strongest on the mountain, and as someone suddenly appointed from outside, it was only natural that others viewed her with suspicion.

At the base of the mountain, Ma Wen, the new head of the Ma Clan and a Void Refinement stage cultivator, arrived with his grandson Ma Chengjun and four others. Jian Dan's announcement echoed clearly in their ears.

Ma Wen's wrinkled face twisted with displeasure. "Where did this 'Mo Yue' come from?"

A Ma Clan elder quickly stepped forward. "She ascended to Divine Transformation alongside Mo Su at the Demon Abyss. Her real name is Jian Dan, formerly a Loose Cultivator, now considered a disciple of the late Mo Mei Zhūnzhǔ. She inherited the Mo Yue Zhan, and her title was personally granted by the Mo Yan Zhēnzhūn."

Ma Wen's frown deepened. He had come today to investigate Ma Yi's death using his soul lamp and to position his grandson as the next Peak Lord of Mo Ying. Clearly, the Palace Master had beaten him to it.

Beside him, Ma Chengjun's gaze flickered. He was in the mid-stage Divine Transformation realm, equal to his uncle Ma Feijun, and he was confident he could do better.

"Let's go meet this acting Peak Lord Mo Yue," Ma Wen said, placing heavy emphasis on the word "acting," making his intentions clear. Ma Chengjun couldn't hide his momentary smile. His great-grandfather was going to support him.

Just as the leader of the Black Robes led the Ma Clan party toward the peak, something unexpected happened.

The mountain's protective formation activated, and thousands of willow branches burst out from every crevice, from flowerbeds, spiritual fields, stone cracks, and tree lines, snaking around and lifting unsuspecting cultivators into the air.

As the formation settled, Ma Wen quickly shielded his group with a barrier. He wanted to see how this would play out.

Everywhere, Mo Ying Peak's cultivators were in a panic. Was Mo Yue here to cleanse the ranks?

"Mo Yue, what are you doing? You were sent to manage the peak, not to commit a massacre!"

A deep male voice rang out. From her seat in the main hall, Jian Dan immediately felt a spiritual sense attacking her, along with waves of demonic qi lashing out toward the willow branches, trying to suppress Liu Chuan.

Without hesitation, Jian Dan sent a mental command to Liu Chuan: "Do it."

Dozens of cultivators, ranging from Qi Refining to Nascent Soul, were instantly pierced through their dantian and spiritual seas.

"Mo Yue, how dare you?!"

"Senior, of course I dare. You might want to look more carefully before attacking me again. Otherwise..."

Everyone on the mountain was stunned. Communication talismans and recording talismans shot through the air, but the next moment chilled them to the bone.

From the foreheads of the dead cultivators, black-armored parasites emerged. The spiritual sense that had been attacking Jian Dan stopped abruptly, just three inches from her forehead.

The parasites flapped their membranous wings, searching for new hosts. But the Black Robes had already prepared. They activated demonic cages made of dark qi, capturing the creatures one by one. The larger ones resisted violently, ramming the cage walls in a futile bid for freedom.

Silence fell over Mo Ying Peak.

Then Jian Dan's voice rang out, slow and deliberate:

"What a pity."

What was she pitying? No one dared to ask. The writhing willow branches vanished in an instant, as if they had never appeared.

"Stewards of every section, you have fifteen minutes to report to the main hall. I will not repeat myself a third time."

The mountain's formation slowly receded. From beginning to end, the event took less than thirty minutes. It looked like a defensive test by a new Peak Lord. Yet countless flying swords and communication talismans were already soaring from the mountain. Jian Dan didn't seem to mind.

She gestured to Gong Yi, who approached silently. She handed him a willow leaf and spoke through spiritual transmission:

"Deliver this to Mo Zhang Zhūnzhǔ. There is a Divine Soul stage cultivator on Mo Ying Peak who is also compromised. I cannot guarantee I can kill him in one strike. The leaf will guide you to him."

Gong Yi nodded, turned sharply, and disappeared into the rear hall. As Ma Wen's group entered the grand hall from the front, Gong Yi circled back to nod subtly at Jian Dan.

She understood. The message had been delivered. Rising to her feet, she greeted the Ma Clan's new leader with a composed smile.

"Mo Yue greets Patriarch Ma. Congratulations on your succession. Under your leadership, I believe the Ma Clan will prosper."

There was an old saying: even a tiger doesn't strike a smiling face. Though Ma Wen disapproved of her position, he couldn't act too harshly. After all, this was the Heavenly Demon Palace, not his own territory.

Ma Chengjun, however, let a flash of yellow light flicker in his eyes the moment he laid eyes on Jian Dan. He was pleased. The new Peak Lord was still a virgin. Dual cultivation with her would drastically boost his strength.

Jian Dan felt a surge of rage. "So this was the Ma Clan, rotten from top to bottom. First meeting, and he already used spirit sight to inspect my purity?"

She lifted her eyes, one finger brushing the tear mole at the corner. Her smile remained, but her eyes flashed with cold blue light. Caught off guard, Ma Chengjun realized his mistake and quickly offered an awkward bow.

"Greetings, Junior Sister Mo Yue."

"You are?"

"Ma Chengjun."

"Patriarch Ma, Ma Daoyou, please be seated."

Jian Dan returned to the head seat and gestured for them to sit. Before Ma Wen could speak, she cut in:

"Patriarch Ma, please accept my condolences. We are all deeply grieved by the passing of the previous clan head and Peak Lord. The Palace Master has already assigned people to investigate. However..."

"However what? Ma Feijun died while serving as Peak Lord. My clan head also perished. I believe the Heavenly Demon Palace owes my clan an explanation."

Ma Wen was pressing hard, trying to draw Jian Dan into the conflict and use her as leverage to gain more for his family.

Her smile faded. Sitting steadily at the head, she glanced coldly at the six arrogant figures across from her. No wonder Mo Lie wanted her to clean house.

"You focus on their deaths, but do you realize they died simultaneously? Do you know the cultivator who killed them was at least at the Unity stage or higher?"