The Harem System Belongs to the Villain-Chapter 13: The Council of Vipers and the Wavering Dao Heart
The atmosphere inside the grand meeting hall of the Velvetthunder Profound Marble Sect was heavy enough to completely crush a mortal’s cultivation foundation.
Sitting at the absolute apex of the long, spirit-jade table was an ancient man whose mere breathing dictated life and death.
He possessed a jawline sharp enough to sever heavenly artifacts and black eyes like a primordial, predatory hawk.
This was the Grand Patriarch of the Velvetthunder family, Bertholoma Velvetthunder.
"Is the crippled trash finally ready to hand over the jade seal?"
His voice carried the terrifying spiritual pressure of a supreme overlord. It brooked absolutely no defiance.
"Yes, Grand Patriarch. The useless waste has already agreed to the abdication. Next week shall be a glorious week of celebration for our bloodline."
The woman who respectfully bowed her head was none other than Romeo’s venomous viper of a stepmother.
She was the very same woman possessing the heaven-shaking bubble peach.
"Excellent. Then we shall proceed with swallowing the Lovecraft Barony whole.
"I am completely aware my grandson Caspian is a profoundly stupid toad with absolutely nothing but water inside his thick skull. I expect Tony to carefully guide this fat pig until he can officially sit on the Baron’s throne."
Bertholoma looked directly at Tony. Tony was the biological father of Romeo and the official stepdad of the piggy young master.
Tony was the absolute definition of average. He was a mere mortal among mortals.
He possessed terrible cultivation talent and an entirely forgettable face.
He was the classic, pathetic ’live-in son-in-law’ who had married into a wealthy sect for resources.
However, he possessed the one single supreme artifact that Bertholoma desperately coveted.
He held the legal bloodline key to the entire Barony!
"If the boy is willing to learn, this junior is willing to guide him. He seems completely uninterested in the profound Dao of Commerce. He only lusts after the supreme authority of a lord."
"The boy will definitely be willing! Speaking of supreme authority, we should seriously discuss how to divide the grand elder positions amongst ourselves once our beloved young master ascends!"
It was Uncle Roland rubbing his hands together exactly like a greedy merchant spotting a fat sheep.
He absolutely did not care about family loyalty. He only cared about personal gains.
He desperately wanted to stand at the absolute peak of the company. If he could somehow scheme his way into becoming the new Baron, he would gladly poison everyone in the room.
That was obviously the foolish dream of a frog at the bottom of a well. Especially when a terrifying, thousand-year-old monster like Bertholoma was manipulating the chessboard.
Bertholoma took a slow, deliberate sip of his morning spiritual coffee. He watched Roland without a single change in his cold expression.
That simple, unblinking stare was completely enough to drop the temperature of the entire room to the freezing point of the Nine Netherworlds.
"You will eat the scraps I generously throw at you. Stop barking like a starving dog and do your actual work. Impress this seat with your results, and you might eventually stand near the top."
"I-I will certainly work my bones to dust for this supreme sect, Grand Patriarch!"
Roland stammered pitifully. He broke out in a cold sweat and immediately bowed his head all the way to the jade table.
’You arrogant, half-dead old ghost! I eagerly await the day the heavens strike you with five bolts of divine lightning! Once you finally enter the yellow springs, I will ruthlessly swallow this entire company from your incompetent daughters and this profoundly stupid son-in-law!’
The old man was the absolute only obstacle blocking his grand path to heaven.
Roland would happily trade ten years of his lifespan to see the Patriarch drop dead right now.
Alas, reality was often cruel to ambitious juniors.
After this oppressive exchange, they plotted the final logistical matters of the grand takeover.
"Forgive my ignorance, Father. I mean, Grand Patriarch. What if the trash boy suddenly grows a spine and refuses? What if the other board elders completely reject our grand merging scripture?"
Ballerina asked with a hint of genuine worry. Bertholoma looked at her with supreme disdain.
"Ignorant! To officially force the merger of the company and the Barony, we only need exactly two more elder votes. We already possess four solid votes sitting at this very table. Buying the loyalty of two greedy mortals is as easy as flipping my palm. Consider the deed already done."
Tony sat in silence and looked at his alleged new family. He thought deeply about his crippled, blood-related boy and his comatose first wife.
A sudden, violent wave of profound regret assaulted his Dao heart. He genuinely wished he could turn back time.
He would gladly give up all this wealth to return to that simple, peaceful life before the Velvetthunder Sect arrived.
"This grand scheme is completely for the ultimate good of the crippled boy and his sleeping mother. Do not think too hard and accidentally breed inner demons, Tony."
Bertholoma’s voice sliced through the room like a flying sword. He had easily sensed Tony’s wavering Dao heart and delivered a thinly veiled threat.
Tony’s body trembled slightly. He quickly suppressed his rebellious thoughts and nodded his head like a subservient dog.
"I understand perfectly, Grand Patriarch. I shall follow your supreme will."
.
..
...
Meanwhile, inside the dilapidated young master’s quarters, Romeo was aggressively rubbing his chin.
He was lying spread eagle on his coarse bedsheets like a profound starfish. He was deeply pondering his morning meeting with Elder Hall.
Romeo was now absolutely certain the old butler’s Dao heart remained entirely loyal to the Lovecraft bloodline.
That specific detail was not the profound mystery bothering his mind.
It was a terrifying hidden truth the elder had reluctantly revealed.
"Ermm... Supreme Patriarch Baron Romeo, there is another massive problem in this castle."
"Hmm. Speak your mind freely, Elder Hall."
"It is your personal serving maid, Lily. Her mother was an incredibly loyal retainer to your mother, the Baroness. The young lady herself completely lacks filial piety! She secretly reports every single breath you take directly to your venomous stepmother!"
"Hmmm. Elder Hall, that is indeed a fatal flaw in our defensive formation. By the way, I want to ask you a profound question. What exactly happened to Lily’s loyal mother all of a sudden?"
"T-that is a dark secret..."
Recounting the heavy conversation, Romeo found himself facing a supreme dilemma.
He previously did not care about Lily at all. He only viewed her as a convenient furnace for farming Lust Points.
Knowing she was a hidden spy for his snake-like stepmother completely changed the battlefield.
She was going to be a massive stumbling block on his path to heaven!
’She will definitely jeopardize my grand ambush against that shadowy assassin who cursed my mortal root! I absolutely cannot allow a lowly spy to ruin my heavenly tribulation!’
If Elder Hall spoke the absolute truth, then Lily must have already reported his strange, manly behavior to his stepmother.
If this treacherous maid goes unchecked, walking the path of face-slapping revenge will become as difficult as ascending the heavens!
He was planning on leveling up with terrifying speed. He was going to gain heaven-shattering powers overnight!
If Lily witnessed his frail body getting more confident and muscular, she would immediately tell it to his stepmother.
That venomous Matriarch would undoubtedly do everything in her immense power to completely cripple his dantian once again!
’I am currently only at a measly Level 12! I cannot risk getting ambushed by high-level Awakeners! The Velvetthunder family possesses enough profound wealth to hire an entire army of elite assassins!’ 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶
That would be a tragic, premature ending to his glorious web novel journey. It would completely obliterate his ultimate goal of supreme revenge.
Knock! Knock!
"Young Master, I am here for the daily clean up."
The heavy wooden door was twisted open completely without his permission.
The bouncy bunny maid strutted inside wearing her incredibly tight, criminally short maid uniform.
"Welcome to my inner sanctum, Lily. This young master was eagerly waiting for your arrival. He he he."
Romeo welcomed her with a warm, predatory smile. His sudden, confident greeting caused Lily to gasp in profound shock.
For some incredibly strange reason, her spiritual senses were screaming that something fundamental had shifted in the universe.
She felt like a plump rabbit stepping into a dragon’s den.
[Activating Hidden Class: Old Royal...]
