Villain: I transmigrated with Mind Control Powers
Chapter 63: Chapter 63: The Cunning Aric

Aric stood at the center of the clearing, the flickering light of the torches casting long shadows across the faces of those gathered around him. The air was thick with tension, the kind that comes only after a hard-fought battle or a crushing defeat.

The members of the Bai and Zhen families, along with representatives from the Feng and Tang families, stood in a semi-circle, their expressions a mix of exhaustion, grief, and simmering anger. All eyes were on Aric, who had managed to capture their attention with his calm yet commanding presence.

Aric let the silence stretch for a moment, sensing the anticipation in the crowd. When he finally spoke, his voice was low and filled with a calculated sorrow. "My friends, we have all suffered today. The ruins, which we hoped would bring us treasures and opportunities, have instead brought us pain and loss. But what if I told you that our suffering was not just a matter of fate or bad luck?

What if I told you that there is someone responsible for the pain we have endured?"

The murmurs started immediately. Faces turned to one another, eyes widening with the realization that Aric was leading to something significant.

"What do you mean?" an member from the Feng family asked, his voice laced with suspicion.

Aric's gaze swept over the crowd before he answered, "I mean Ye Chen. He is the one behind our misfortunes. He stole the treasures we fought so hard for, the ones we rightfully earned. And if he hadn't, we would be walking out of those ruins with our hands full of priceless items instead of empty and broken."

A murmur of agreement rippled through the crowd. Many of them had heard of Ye Chen, the mysterious cultivator who had been making waves in the Starry Sky Sect. But to hear that he was directly responsible for their losses was something new, and it sparked a flame of anger that Aric was quick to fan.

"This Ye Chen," Aric continued, his voice rising slightly to emphasize his words, "didn't just steal from us. He attacked the Zhen family members, unprovoked, with the intention of wiping them out entirely. If it hadn't been for the bravery and skill of their team, the Zhen family would have suffered far more casualties."

Zhen Wei, who was standing to the side, nodded solemnly in agreement. "It's true," he said, his voice steady but filled with anger. "We barely escaped with our lives. Ye Chen set traps, activated formations—he did everything he could to ensure our downfall."

The crowd grew restless, the tension mounting as they absorbed this new information. Members of the Bai family exchanged worried glances, while the Feng family looked particularly disturbed.

"He's a monster," one of the younger Feng family members muttered under his breath, his fists clenched in anger. "We should have seen this coming."

Aric continued, his tone now more urgent, "And it wasn't just a single attack. Ye Chen is the one behind the beast waves that decimated so many of our people. He used the treasures of the ruins to make the nearby beast lose their mind and attack whoever is in front of them, to throw us off balance and pick us off one by one."

"How do you know this?" demanded a member of the Tang family, his voice trembling with barely suppressed rage.

Aric met the person's gaze, his expression serious. "Think back to where the beast waves struck. Were they not near the locations your scouts had identified as treasure sites? Ye Chen knew exactly where we were headed, and he used that knowledge against us. He lured us into traps and sent the beasts to do his dirty work."

The Tang family member's eyes widened as he realized the truth in Aric's words. "Yes, we were near a treasure site when the beasts attacked. It was as if they knew we were coming..."

A younger member of the Zhen family stepped forward, his voice thick with emotion. "We were too. We thought we were the only ones targeted like this, but if what Aric says is true... then Ye Chen has been playing us all for fools!"

Aric nodded, satisfied with how easily the pieces were falling into place. "Exactly. He used our desire for treasures against us, leading us into traps and then swooping in to take everything for himself. And he didn't stop there."

The reality, of course, was different. The true nature of the events inside the ruins was likely influenced by the will of the world itself, ensuring that Ye Chen, as the protagonist, would face challenges but also reap the rewards. But Aric knew how to twist the narrative, how to exploit the truth and bend it to his will.

Aric paused for effect, allowing the tension to build before delivering the final blow. "Ye Chen killed my brother, Jarod."

A collective gasp rose from the crowd. The name of Jarod was well-known among them, a prodigy who had shown immense promise. The idea that he had been killed was a shock, and the crowd fell into a stunned silence.

Aric's voice grew heavy with grief as he continued, "Jarod was not just a brother to me; he was a cultivator of exceptional talent, someone destined for greatness. But Ye Chen took that away from him, from all of us. When I found Jarod, he was already dead, struck down by Ye Chen's treachery.

And as if that wasn't enough, Ye Chen activated a formation to trap us there, trying to finish us off as well."

Tears welled up in the eyes of some of the younger members of the families, while the other members clenched their jaws in silent fury. The loss of such a promising talent as Jarod was a blow that resonated deeply with them all.

A voice broke the silence, one of the Bai family members, his tone soft but filled with sorrow. "Jarod was a bright star among us. To think that his light was snuffed out by Ye Chen... it's unforgivable."

"Ye Chen is a danger to us all," Aric declared. "He is not what he appears to be. You may think he is just a Foundation Stage cultivator, but do not be fooled. His true power is far greater than that. He possesses artifacts that supplement his cultivation, allowing him to fight against those two realms above his own. This means he can challenge even those in the Nascent Soul realm!"

Aric allowed himself a moment of silence before responding, his voice low and determined. "It is unforgivable. And that is why we must act now, before Ye Chen grows even stronger. If we don't stop him now, he will become unstoppable."

Gasps of shock echoed through the crowd. The implications were terrifying. Most of the prodigies present were at best in the Core Formation Realm, and the idea that Ye Chen could stand against them, or worse, surpass them, was enough to strike fear into their hearts.

The anger that had been simmering now boiled over. "He must be stopped!" someone shouted, a sentiment that quickly spread among the crowd. The murmurs of discontent turned into calls for action, for revenge.

The crowd was growing more agitated, the whispers turning into angry mutterings. The members of the Tang family, who had suffered the most from the beast waves, looked particularly enraged.

"He's a coward!" spat one of the Tang family member, Tang Wan. "Using treasures and formations to do his dirty work. He doesn't deserve to live!"

"Ye Chen is a disciple of the Starry Sky Sect," Aric continued, dropping another bombshell. The crowd collectively stiffened at this revelation. The Starry Sky Sect was one of the most powerful sects on the Velara continent, and its members were not to be trifled with.

"An outer disciple, for now," Aric added quickly, sensing their hesitation. "But he will not remain so forever. If we do not act now, he will grow stronger, become an inner disciple, or even the Holy Son of the sect. By then, it will be too late. He will be untouchable."

The crowd's fury reached a fever pitch. They could not allow this threat to grow unchecked. Aric had successfully painted Ye Chen as the villain, the one responsible for their losses, the one who had to be stopped at all costs.

"Then we must act now!" cried a member of the Feng family, his voice echoing the sentiments of many in the crowd. "We cannot let him walk away from this. He has wronged us all!"

Aric nodded, satisfied with the growing momentum. "Indeed. But remember, this is not just about revenge. It's about justice. It's about ensuring that no one else falls victim to Ye Chen's schemes. We must unite against him, and only then can we bring him down."

As the crowd grew more animated, Aric lowered his voice slightly, addressing them with a tone of quiet confidence. "But we must be smart about this. Ye Chen is cunning, and he will expect retaliation. We must spread the truth about his actions, turn the people against him. Destroy his reputation, and weaken his support. And if we can, we must strike him down before he becomes too powerful."

The crowd, now fully roused, erupted in agreement. The anger, the grief, the desire for revenge—it all coalesced into a single, unified will to take down Ye Chen. Aric had successfully turned them all against him, and now they would stop at nothing to see Ye Chen brought to ruin.

The leaders of the various families exchanged glances, their anger and grief tempered by the realization that Aric was offering a plan, a way forward that could turn their misfortune into a path to justice.

Aric noticed their expressions and pressed on, "We will start by spreading rumors, destroying his connections, and isolating him from his allies. Target his family, his friends, anyone who might support him. And when the time is right, we will strike."

The crowd, now fully roused, nodded in agreement. They had been beaten, humiliated, and left with nothing. But now, thanks to Aric's words, they had a target, a focus for their anger and pain.

As the night drew on, Aric gathered the leaders of the families in a secluded tent, away from the eyes of the others. Alicia, his loyal follower, served them wine, a gesture of goodwill that none of them questioned. But the wine had been tainted with Aric's blood, an elixir that would bind them to his will, making them his puppets in the grand scheme he was weaving.

The leaders drank deeply, unaware of the trap they were falling into. As the blood took hold, their eyes grew distant, their expressions blank and obedient. They were now fully under Aric's control.

"Betrayal must be met with swift justice," Aric said, his voice cold and commanding. "Your task is clear: spread the truth about Ye Chen, destroy his reputation, and eliminate him and anyone who stands by his side. Do this, and you will have my support, my protection. Fail, and you will share his fate."

The leaders, now fully under his thrall, bowed to him in unison. "Yes, Master Aric."

Aric was feeling quite happy. He was aware of this fact that the crowd needs someone to blame for their weakness and their defeat. And making Ye Chen an enemy of everyone will benefit everyone.

As they left to carry out his orders, Aric allowed himself a moment of satisfaction. Everything was falling into place. The families were united in their hatred of Ye Chen, the leaders were his puppets, and soon, Ye Chen would be surrounded by enemies on all sides. His reputation would be destroyed, his allies would abandon him, and when the time was right, Aric would strike the final blow.

The world was moving according to Aric's will, and he would stop at nothing to see his plans come to fruition.