Two Choices

"Little one, can you give me that fruit? I'll trade something with you," Lin Fan said after thinking for a moment, giving up the idea of forcefully taking the Sacred Blood Fruit from the bear-like creature.

He wasn't a fool. Any creature capable of guarding such a treasure in a forbidden land filled with fierce beasts had to be powerful, far beyond what he could currently handle.

"Yiya, yiya," the bear-like creature tilted its head, biting its finger as though deep in thought, just like a human.

Seeing this, Lin Fan's heart filled with hope. He quickly took out a spirit stone from his storage ring, thinking that most beasts loved the energy radiating from spirit stones.

The bear-like creature glanced at the stone and let out a curious "Hmm," its eyes widening. But after sensing that the stone wasn't of high grade, it snorted disdainfully and turned away, clearly unimpressed.

Realizing this, Lin Fan immediately began rummaging through his storage ring for a higher-grade spirit stone.

Suddenly, the little creature sprinted behind Lin Fan, its earlier aloofness gone.

"Yiya, yiya!" it cried out joyfully, leaving Lin Fan confused as he turned around to see what had caught its attention.

"Long time no see, Lin Fan," a voice called out.

The newcomers were none other than Qin Tian, Qingyao, and Ling Jiao.

Qin Tian smiled at Lin Fan as if they were old friends who hadn't seen each other in ages.

"It's you..." Lin Fan gritted his teeth, glaring at the man he would never forget—his mortal enemy.

"Qingyao... why are you with him?" Lin Fan's gaze flickered to Qingyao and Qin Tian, a painful lump forming in his throat. The sight of the woman he loved standing next to his sworn enemy tore at his heart.

The bear-like creature and the Sacred Blood Fruit were forgotten as a blazing fury overtook Lin Fan. Still, he tried to calm himself, hoping that Qingyao had been forced into this and wasn't willingly by Qin Tian's side.

Clinging to that hope, Lin Fan's eyes regained a faint glimmer of light. He remembered the care Qingyao had shown him during their adventures in a secret realm in the Eastern Wasteland.

"Qingyao, you didn't mean it back then. I don't care what happened. We can still be together. You're still the pure Qingyao in my heart," Lin Fan spoke with a trembling voice, trying to suppress the pain. He wanted to forget the humiliation she had endured and the fact that she had chosen to follow Qin Tian.

"Don't worry. Qingyao is doing just fine with me," Qin Tian said with a faint smile. He pulled Qingyao into his arms and, without warning, pressed a heavy kiss on her lips.

The sudden action left Qingyao stunned, and even Ling Jiao, watching from the side, was taken aback. Ling Jiao couldn't believe what it was seeing. Why would the young master kiss this woman? Ling Jiao wondered. Or... could it be that this woman has defiled the young master?

Qin Tian smiled lightly. The effect of the hidden substance in the pill he had given Qingyao earlier was starting to take hold. She felt a strange warmth spreading through her body, her blood rushing.

Unconsciously, Qingyao wrapped her arms around Qin Tian's waist.

"We should continue this in private," Qin Tian whispered, his tone gentle, as though speaking to a lover.

Qingyao's mind was hazy, not fully comprehending what was happening. All she knew was that she had been kissed by Qin Tian, and, shockingly, she had willingly embraced him in return.

"No..." Lin Fan's eyes filled with tears as his heart shattered completely. Before this moment, he could still find excuses for Qingyao's behavior. But now, there was no denying what he had seen with his own eyes.

There was no explanation. No justification. This was reality.

Qin Tian's eyes narrowed slightly, his lips curling upward in a faint smirk. Under normal circumstances, Lin Fan might have noticed that something was off with Qingyao, but Lin Fan's mind was clouded. The demon seed Qin Tian had planted in him was already taking effect, further clouding his judgment.

"Congratulations, Master. The protagonist's Dao Heart has been severely damaged. You have gained 2,000 destiny points," the system's voice chimed in.

Qin Tian glanced at the broken Lin Fan, a faint sense of amusement flickering in his eyes. Am I really that wicked? he thought to himself.

Being a villain wasn't so bad. As long as he felt good, and those around him feared him, life was simpler. He could take whatever he wanted without any rules or constraints.

"I'll kill you!" Lin Fan's eyes burned red with fury as he glared at Qin Tian. He blamed Qin Tian for everything and was consumed by the desire to kill both Qin Tian and Qingyao.

In broad daylight, the two of them had the audacity to act so shamelessly, even preparing to continue right in front of him.

Without even glancing at Lin Fan, Qin Tian allowed Ling Jiao to knock him down with a single strike, leaving Lin Fan on the ground, unconscious and near death.

"System, can I kill the protagonist now?" Qin Tian asked indifferently in his mind.

Lin Fan's destiny had dropped another 2,000 points, pushing him out of the category of a true protagonist. At best, he was now just a lucky mortal.

"Master, you have two choices," the system responded.

"First, kill the protagonist Lin Fan and receive 3,000 destiny points as a reward."

"Second, fully implant the demon seed into the protagonist, turning him into your slave, bound to serve you for eternity."

"The system suggests that while the first option grants immediate rewards, the second offers long-term benefits. As a protagonist, Lin Fan has immense destiny within this world, and his potential is limitless. As he grows stronger, he could become a powerful weapon in your hands."

Qin Tian's eyes narrowed. The first option was appealing, offering an immediate reward, but the second was far more suited to his ambitions. He didn't need more destiny points at the moment.

A protagonist as a slave would raise his own destiny subtly over time. And best of all, Qin Tian wouldn't need to invest any resources to cultivate Lin Fan. Protagonists were self-sufficient, destined to become powerful on their own. Imagine having a protagonist as your puppet—it was an exciting prospect.

"System, I choose the second option," Qin Tian decided silently.

"Congratulations, Master. You have successfully converted your first protagonist into a slave, gaining 5,000 destiny points."

"The transformation process is beginning."

Qin Tian no longer concerned himself with Lin Fan, turning his attention to the small creature known as the Sacred Spirit.

The bear-like creature didn't seem shy at all. As soon as Qin Tian produced a top-grade divine stone, the little creature eagerly tried to climb into his arms.

"You really are a Sacred Spirit, huh?" Qin Tian chuckled, amused by the small, fluffy creature that was now clinging to him like a glutton.

Who would have thought that this adorable little thing was a Sacred Spirit?