Perfect Villain Life: Universal Job Change

Chapter 122: Emperor Ying Yan

The Emperor, Ying Yan, who had been missing for twenty years, was arguably the most controversial ruler in the history of the Empire.  

He ascended to the throne thirty-three years ago, at just over thirty years old. Opinions about him varied widely. 

Some considered him a reckless and ambitious tyrant, obsessed with quick victories. Others saw him as a visionary and a ruler of unparalleled talent, destined to be remembered as one of the greatest emperors in history.

Regardless of the perspective, Ying Yan’s thirteen-year reign left an indelible mark on the Empire.  

During his time on the throne, Ying Yan restructured the military, reassigned top officials across all major ministries, and devoted immense national resources to building a third defensive line along the Void Frontline. 

He personally led campaigns into the Abyss and systematically dismantled the power of the noble families. Several Level 70 noble patriarchs were forced into retirement or exile due to his policies.  

When Ying Yan ascended the throne, the Empire’s thousand-year legacy was firmly under the control of the noble families, whose power had become entrenched and unwieldy. 

The Southern Army, from its commander down to its officers, was entirely composed of individuals loyal to these families.  

Three years into his reign, Ying Yan personally led a campaign into the Abyss, mobilizing the Southern Army, which was under the influence of the noble families. 

The five-year campaign was brutal but ultimately successful, with the Empire pushing back the Abyssal forces and advancing the defensive line by over ten thousand kilometers.  

However, the Southern Army suffered devastating losses and had to be restructured. Following the reorganization, control of these forces shifted entirely to the Emperor. 

Ying Yan dismissed all officers from noble families, replacing them with individuals from commoner and rising families. This dealt a severe blow to the noble families, with many losing key members.  

In subsequent years, Ying Yan tightened his grip over the Imperial Parliament, the Ministry of Police, the Ministry of Supervision, and the Ministry of Civil Affairs, consolidating his power and leaving the noble families with no room to breathe.  

During his reign, the Empire grew stronger, political corruption waned, and commoners found opportunities to rise to power. In this regard, Ying Yan was undeniably a formidable and enlightened ruler.  

However, his relentless pursuit of military expansion came at a heavy cost. Over his thirteen-year reign, the Empire waged more than twenty campaigns into the Void, eight of which were large-scale wars. 

These wars demanded a massive toll in resources and lives from both the Empire and humanity as a whole.  

Ying Yan also established numerous grand Divine Revelation Temples across the Empire to nurture new talent. Each of these temples required vast amounts of rare materials, and he built over twenty of them simultaneously.  

Moreover, Ying Yan sought to construct the Celestial Matrix, an altar capable of summoning the Will of Celestial Revelation. 

The resources needed for these projects drained the Empire’s reserves, and the harsh taxes imposed to fund them left the populace struggling under the weight of heavy levies.  

Regardless of the controversies surrounding him, Ying Yan remained the rightful Emperor in the eyes of the people. If he were to return, his call would undoubtedly rally the masses—a prospect that posed a dire threat to the Qin family.  

—

Qin Ming’s Reflection.

Qin Ming’s face remained impassive as a dark shadow flickered in his eyes.  

Twenty years ago, Ying Yan had launched a campaign into the Void, ordering Qin Ming, along with Qin family elites and other noble powerhouses, to accompany him on this mission. 

It was a calculated move to weaken the Qin family by exhausting its resources and manpower in war.  

However, the Qin family had already forged a secret alliance with the First Court of the Void. With the First Court’s cooperation, the Emperor’s camp was utterly annihilated. 

The royal family’s millennia-old elite forces and imperial guards were wiped out in a single stroke. Unfortunately, Ying Yan did not perish.  

As the bearer of the Dragon’s Final Chapter, the most powerful of the twelve Final Chapters, Ying Yan survived the catastrophe through his extraordinary strength and the Chapter’s unparalleled power.  

Though he survived, his condition was as good as dead.  

—

Qin Ming’s Orders.

Song Qi, standing beside Qin Ming, asked in a low voice, “Should we…?”  

After a moment of thought, Qin Ming replied, “Wait until Xian’er finishes with the auction. Have him come to see me.”  

Song Qi nodded, reflecting on the young master’s importance. Despite being in his early twenties, Qin Xian was already a key decision-maker within the Qin family.  

—

At the Divine Revelation Auction House

The auction had been underway for several hours. Qin Xian and his sister, Qin Li, were seated in the most luxurious private box available. The room, roughly thirty square meters, was furnished with sofas, a table, and even a bed for resting.  

Onstage, the auctioneer was enthusiastically presenting a purple-grade item.  

– [Tear of Dreams] – Purple Legendary Accessory  

– Required Level: 45  

– Attributes: Spirit +120, Intelligence +100  

– Effect: When your HP drops below 20%, gain a magical shield equal to 50% of your maximum HP. Simultaneously, create a dreamscape that reduces the hit rate of all enemies within it by 25% for 60 seconds. (Cooldown: 48 hours)

“Ladies and gentlemen, this rare accessory speaks for itself—a life-saving treasure of immense value. The starting bid is five million!”  

The bidding escalated rapidly.  

“Fifteen million!”  

“Thirty million!”  

“Seventy million!”  

In mere moments, the price of the Tear of Dreams soared past one hundred million.  

—

In the Private Box

Qin Xian watched the auction unfold with mild boredom, while Qin Li attentively massaged his shoulders.  

Though the accessory was valuable, it failed to pique Qin Xian’s interest. With his arsenal of life-saving abilities such as Invincible Holy Light and Rebirth from Fire, the item felt redundant. Similarly, Qin Li’s class as a Deathbringer Angel made the accessory’s magical shield irrelevant to her.

For someone like Qin Xian, only gold-tier Mythical equipment or a Divine Revelation Final Chapter could truly capture his attention.  

Just then, Qiu Bo approached with a subtle change in his expression. He leaned close to Qin Xian and whispered, “Young Master, I’ve received word that Eastern Army Commander Wen Yu has submitted her application for a debriefing. She will arrive in the Imperial Capital by tomorrow at the latest.”  

Qin Xian raised an eyebrow, a faint smirk curling on his lips. “She’s already coming to clean up her brother’s mess?”  

His smile grew colder. “If she stayed in the Eastern Army, she might’ve been harder to deal with. But since she’s coming to the Capital… she’ll have to play by our rules. If she’s so eager to seek death, we might as well oblige her.”  

After a pause, Qin Xian added, “Investigate that Gu Anran—her family, friends, and anyone close to her at school. It would be a shame not to put such a foolish woman to good use.”