What Do You Mean I’m Supposed to Be the Villain, But Everyone’s Chasing After Me? - Chapter 19:

Chapter 19: Compared to Him, Our Demon Clan Is Still Too Conservative!:

Li Changju froze on the spot as if struck by lightning. He turned his stiff neck to look at Xue Fulan’s stunning side profile, his whole body as still as a statue.

Wait… wasn’t Xue Fulan supposed to appear much later in the plot? 

Why was everything happening so early?

He remembered clearly—in the original plot, only after Li Changju betrayed the Radiant Jade Sword Sect and entered the Demon Abyss would he meet Xue Fulan. It was also because of her help that he unified the Demon Clan and became the new Demon Emperor. 

But now…

This was completely out of order! The butterfly effect was too terrifying.

Xue Fulan suddenly asked, “Earlier, I saw the technique you were cultivating. The demonic energy was soaring. Could it be… you are a descendant of my Demon Clan?”

Li Changju’s heart trembled. No, the sect’s plotline here hadn’t even ended yet. He couldn’t let her discover anything. 

He straightened his face and said seriously, “What demonic energy? That was clearly purple qi rising from the east! I cultivate Hongmeng Purple Qi. If you mistook it for demonic energy, that’s understandable.”

Xue Fulan nodded lightly. “True, how could Su Qingjue’s disciple possibly be of the Demon Clan.” She tilted her head slightly, her gaze narrowing. “But since you already guessed I am from the Demon Clan, why aren’t you afraid?”

Li Changju gave a wry smile. “What’s the use of being afraid? Besides, I’ve always believed there are no evil techniques, only evil hearts. The so-called immortals and demons are nothing more than two paths of the Dao.”

Xue Fulan’s eyes lit with appreciation. “Good. I like that answer. Once, demonic cultivation was also the true orthodox path of the heavens!”

Her lips curled into a playful smile. “You’re quite interesting. Why not give up Su Qingjue as your Master and become my disciple instead?”

Li Changju chuckled. “My heart is devoted to the Dao. How could I betray my Master?”

“Tch, pedantic!” Xue Fulan snorted coldly. “But I’ve never misjudged people. If you followed me, you’d soar to the heavens, surpass even your Master.”

She wasn’t wrong. 

In the original plot, once Li Changju turned to demonic cultivation, his progress was meteoric. Within just five years, he had reached the Saint Realm. If not for the Demon Abyss army being too weak, he would have already dominated the continent.

Since he had run into Xue Fulan early, why not probe the depths of the Demon Abyss now?

Li Changju smiled and asked, “Then I’d like to know—what resources does the Demon Abyss have that allow demon cultivators to improve their strength?”

Xue Fulan raised her brows proudly. “Ah, now you’re asking the right question.”

“Oh? I’m all ears,” Li Changju said, feigning curiosity.

Xue Fulan smiled faintly and explained, “Demon cultivators rely on absorbing baleful qi and resentment to advance. Unfortunately, our progress is much slower than humans. That’s why we use other methods, such as tempering the flesh and bloodline with human essence blood.”

Li Changju frowned. “And how do you obtain these?”

“Naturally, by taking them by force.” A shadow flickered across her eyes.

“From whom?”

“The weak, of course.” Xue Fulan’s lips curved into a cruel smile. “Our Demon Clan is bloodthirsty by nature. Whenever the chance arises, we never hesitate to kill. Unlike you immortals, who enjoy abundant spiritual qi, spirit stones, and heavenly treasures handed to you by fate, we have to fight and snatch everything ourselves!”

Her words carried the weight of grievance. Indeed, the Demon Realm had thin baleful qi and pitiful resources. Countless demon cultivators perished each year. Meanwhile, immortal sects monopolized fortune, birthing countless Divine Infant and Void Returning experts every year. The disparity was immense.

Li Changju laughed lightly. “No, I think the heavens are fair. If anything, the heavens favor the demonic path instead.”

“Nonsense!” Xue Fulan’s brows arched sharply. “If that were true, why would our Demon Clan be reduced to hiding in barren mountains, struggling to survive under the heavens’ suppression?”

Li Changju shrugged. “That only means you’re using the wrong method. First, your Demon Clan lacks unity. You’re nothing but scattered soldiers, no different from rogue cultivators.”

“This is true…” Xue Fulan sighed softly. “In our peak, the Demon Clan had countless strong figures. Now, we are but a shadow of what we once were.”

She paused, then fixed her gaze on him. “Do you have a way to unite the Demon Clan?”

“Simple. Do it as we immortals do—establish sects, form a united alliance. If the righteous path can build a grand alliance, so can the demonic path.”

Li Changju spoke eloquently.

Xue Fulan shook her head. “Easier said than done. Unless a Demon God descends again, how could the great Demon Lords ever bow their heads? Right now, we’re nothing but a pile of sand, each Demon Lord tearing at the other for power.”

Then her eyes grew sharp. “Earlier, you said the heavens favor the demonic path. What did you mean by that?”

Li Changju said, “Didn’t you just say that demon cultivators draw strength mainly from baleful qi and resentment?”

“Yes. What does that have to do with heavenly bias?” Xue Fulan asked, puzzled.

“It has everything to do with it.” Li Changju gave her a look as though teaching a child. “And where do those come from?”

“From people?” she guessed. Was that all he had to say?

“Of course, resentment and baleful qi are generated by humans, immortals, demons, monsters alike. But they’re scattered, easily cleansed away by righteous spiritual qi before they can even be gathered.”

She chuckled dismissively. Clearly, she didn’t take his words seriously.

Li Changju’s smile grew faintly sinister. “But… have you heard of demonic industrialization?”

Xue Fulan blinked. “Demonic… industrialization?” It was a phrase she had never heard before.

“You demon cultivators always slaughter cities to generate resentment, offering blood sacrifices, refining soul banners… But have you ever thought there might be better ways?”

He stepped toward her slowly, a dark glint in his eyes, a twisted smile curling on his lips. His aura was dangerous.

“What way?” Xue Fulan asked before she could stop herself.

“Simple,” Li Changju said smoothly. “Round up 100,000 guilty women and confine them to the Demon Abyss. Use special pills to shorten pregnancy to thirty days. With monster women, you can even achieve one body bearing eight embryos at once. Newborn ghost infants, tempered in blood pools, would produce resentment twenty times stronger than normal, providing a constant supply of baleful qi…”

Xue Fulan’s jaw dropped, utterly dumbfounded. This kid was more demonic than the demons themselves!

“And that’s not all.”

“Not all?” Her eyes widened in shock.

Li Changju took a leisurely sip of tea and continued, “You could also create memory-cleansing drugs, like Meng Po’s soup. Erase their minds every three days, let them generate new resentment endlessly. That way, resentment becomes a renewable resource.”

Xue Fulan swallowed hard. “This… this is far too vicious!”

“Vicious?” Li Changju smirked. “Then pick the worst sects—like the Sakura Sect of the East Islands. Industrialize them. Who knows, you might even trigger golden light of morality while you’re at it.” He leaned closer with a wicked smile. “Of course, if you could find the River of Mother and Child, that’d be even easier. Men could bear children too. With that, your Demon Clan could produce several Great Emperors in just a few years.”

The information struck her like thunder. Xue Fulan stood frozen, dazed, unable to respond for a long time.

Compared to him, our Demon Clan really is too conservative.

But the more she thought about it, the more she felt… his words made terrifying sense.