Villain: Manipulating the Heroines into hating the Protagonist

While Wang Jian and Yu Qing battled and bided their time, a storm of a different kind brewed within the Infernal Steller Smith Tribe. Vulkor and his team, their suspicions simmering with each passing day, had finally stumbled upon a piece of the puzzle.

The once dormant foreign arrays integrated into the Central Grand Power Array Formations had sprung to life. This wasn't a localized phenomenon - it was happening in every settlement across the star. Alarm bells started ringing in Vulkor's mind. This wasn't a coincidence; it was a coordinated attack.

He, along with Zhurga, Xal, and Drakos, rushed to report their findings to the High Council, a group of powerful devils who oversaw the Tribe's affairs. Yet, their urgency was met with skepticism.

"Are you suggesting someone is siphoning energy from our very lifeblood?" scoffed Lord Groth, the imposing leader of the Council. "Preposterous. We have defenses against such blatant theft."

Zhurga countered, "But the evidence is undeniable, Lord Groth. The energy flow…"

Lord Groth waved a dismissive hand. "Perhaps a malfunction. Perhaps a temporary fluctuation. We shall send investigators, but I suspect this is a mountain out of a molehill."

Vulkor, frustrated but undeterred, pressed on. "This is a serious matter, my Lord! We're talking about the very essence of our star being stolen!"

Xal, fiery as ever, added, "And who knows what nefarious purpose this stolen energy serves!"

Drakos, ever the strategist, interjected, "Lord Groth, consider the audacity of such an act! Someone is brazenly manipulating our core systems. We must act with swiftness and might!"

Their pleas, however, fell on deaf ears. The High Council, blinded by their arrogance and a belief in their own invincibility, dismissed the concerns as paranoia.

Days turned into weeks as the Elders deliberated, their indecisiveness a source of immense frustration for Vulkor and his team. The stolen energy continued to flow, the unseen threat slowly tightening its grip around the star.

Finally, the day arrived that shattered their comfortable denial. A tremor ran through the planet, a subtle shift in the very fabric of reality. The air crackled with a foreign energy, a palpable unease settling upon every living being.

The normally vibrant blue sun appeared sickly yellow, its warmth replaced by an oppressive heat. The ground beneath their feet trembled, once fertile lands began to crack and wither. Celestial beasts howled in confusion, their instincts sensing the looming disaster.

Panic erupted. The very foundation of their existence was crumbling, and the once skeptical Elders were thrown into chaos. They scrambled, desperately seeking answers, their eyes landing on Vulkor with a newfound respect bordering on desperation.

"Vulkor," rasped Elder Groth, his voice devoid of its usual arrogance, "You were right. We need to find the source of this… this catastrophe. Can you locate it?"

Vulkor, his initial anger replaced by a grim determination, nodded curtly. "Yes, but I require specific artifacts. Treasures capable of storing and manipulating the raw essence of Earth Vein and Heaven Vein."

Without hesitation, the High Council provided him with everything he requested.

The once dismissive council members were now desperate, their arrogance replaced by a gnawing fear.

Vulkor, with Zhurga, Xal, and Drakos by his side, wasted no time. Utilizing the celestial treasures, they conducted a meticulous survey.

They channeled the stolen energy, tracing its path back to its source. It was a meticulous process, akin to navigating a labyrinth blindfolded. Hours bled into days as they followed the invisible trail of stolen power.

Finally, a faint pulsating signature emerged in their instruments. A location was pinpointed - a desolate valley far removed from any major settlements. With a sense of dread, Vulkor knew they were closing in on the heart of the problem.

He gathered a formidable force, comprised of elite warriors and skilled cultivators. This was not a reconnaissance mission. This was a desperate attempt to avert a cataclysmic disaster.

The desolate valley materialized before them, a stark contrast to the vibrant landscapes they had traversed. A sense of foreboding hung heavy in the air, a tangible manifestation of the impending doom. As they approached, a colossal wave of energy pulsed from within the valley, warping the very fabric of reality.

Vulkor, his face etched with dread, recognized the telltale signs of the foreign array. The Power Convergence Array, a monstrous engine of destruction, stood at the heart of the chaos. A swirling vortex of raw power, infused with an unnatural darkness, crackled menacingly at its core.

Even without touching it, the Elders felt the insidious energy radiating from the array. This was the source of their woes, the malevolent force tearing their star apart. A collective gasp escaped their lips as they surveyed the devastation wrought upon the valley - a testament to the destructive power harnessed by this infernal machine.

"This is the one," an Elder murmured, his voice a low growl. "This is what's been plaguing our star."

Hope flickered in their eyes.

One of the younger warriors spoke up at this moment and asked, "So… if we dismantle this… this thing, will the destruction stop?"

"It's not that simple," he said, his voice grim. "By my estimates, this array has been operational for at least a fortnight. It's already saturated the core with this… corrupted energy."

Dismay flickered across the Elders' faces. They had deactivated the Central Grand Power Array Formations in each settlement, hoping to starve the Convergence Array of its power source. But it was too late.

The Elders' faces paled. "So dismantling this array won't stop the destruction?"

Vulkor shook his head. "No. Dismantling it now would trigger an immediate detonation of the core. We'd be blowing ourselves to oblivion."

A heavy silence descended upon the group. The weight of their predicament settled in, crushing. They had stumbled upon a double-edged sword – a source of their suffering, yet its continued operation was their only defense against a far more catastrophic event.

"Then what do we do?" another Elder asked, his voice barely a whisper.

Vulkor's gaze swept across the desolate valley, landing on the distant horizon. "We evacuate," he declared, his voice firm. "We need to get as many of our people off this star as possible. Based on the current rate of deterioration, we have a week, maybe two, before the core reaches a critical point."

A ripple of shock ran through the group. Evacuating an entire star was a colossal undertaking, one bordering on the impossible. Yet, the grim reality of their situation left them with no other choice.

A wave of dissent rose amongst the younger warriors, their faces contorted in a mixture of fear and defiance. Abandoning their home? It seemed unfathomable. But the Elders, with a newfound understanding of the gravity of the situation, nodded grimly.

"Vulkor is right," Elder Xalith said, her voice heavy with sorrow. "We must prioritize the survival of the tribe. We can rebuild elsewhere, but only if we survive."

A tense silence descended upon the group. The weight of their situation settled in – their world was dying, and their only hope for survival lay in an exodus. They needed to find a new star, a new home, before their own was consumed by the self-inflicted cataclysm brewing within its core.

Vulkor outlined a plan. Utilizing their remaining resources and celestial ships, they would embark on a desperate migration. It would be a perilous journey, fraught with the dangers of the void and the possibility of encountering hostile forces. But it was their only chance.

As they strategized, a figure emerged from the shadows at the edge of the valley. Wang Jian, a smirk playing on his lips, watched the scene unfold. "Looks like our little project is nearing its climax," he said to Yu Qing, who stood beside him.

Vulkor and the Infernal Steller Smith leadership were consumed by their own unfolding crisis, oblivious to the true architects of their destruction.

The revelation of the Power Convergence Array had triggered a flurry of activity. Preparations for evacuation were underway, a desperate scramble to escape the impending stellar detonation.

Fortunately, the tribe possessed a formidable fleet of celestial ships, which were capable of traversing the vast expanse of the void.

Elders huddled together, strategizing various routes and destinations.

Their once-proud star, their cradle of civilization, was now a ticking time bomb, forcing them to seek refuge amongst other devil tribes.

Diplomacy, long neglected in favor of self-sufficiency, became paramount. The Infernal Steller Smith Tribe, known for their mastery of forgecraft and celestial weaponry, held a certain prestige within the devilish hierarchy.

They would leverage this reputation to secure temporary shelter and resources on a nearby star while they scouted for a permanent home.

Amidst the chaos, a meticulous process began. Generations of accumulated wealth had to be packed, precious artifacts and celestial tools carefully secured.

Among these treasures was the very reason Wang Jian and Yu Qing had orchestrated this elaborate operation – the reforged Scarlet Slaughtering Star, the essence of Yu Qing's former power.

However, patience remained key.

Details were still sketchy. Who amongst the high-ranking devils would assume custody of the reforged star core – the Sword?

Logic dictated it would be the Chieftain, a formidable cultivator and natural custodian of the tribe's most potent artifacts. But assumptions could be dangerous.

"We can't risk assumptions," Yu Qing murmured, her voice barely a whisper. "We need to know for sure who's carrying it."

Wang Jian nodded in agreement. A direct attack on the Chieftain was risky, bordering on reckless. But time wasn't a luxury they could afford.

The evacuation wouldn't take long, and with it, the opportunity to snatch the Sword would be gone and lost amongst the population of the higher ranking experts of the Infernal Steller Smith Devil Tribe.

Thus, Wang Jian employed a cunning strategy at this moment.

With a flick of his wrist, he channeled a sliver of celestial energy, conjuring a single, shadowed sheet of paper. In elegant script, a message materialized:

[Greetings, Esteemed Chieftain.

I, the architect of your current predicament, write to you with a proposition. The device that plagues your star, the Power Convergence Array, is but a thought away from deactivation. However, a fair exchange is required for this act of… mercy.

Surrender the reforged blade, the one birthed from the ashes of the Scarlet Slaughtering Star. Deliver it to the desolate valley where the array resides, and your home shall be spared from an immediate oblivion and your tribe will be allowed to escape from this star.

Failure to comply will result in the array's dismantling, and with it, the swift and fiery demise of your precious star. Choose wisely, Chieftain. Time is not your ally.

A Shadow in the Night]

The note, imbued with a touch of Wang Jian's shadow magic, materialized soundlessly before the Chieftain.

The Chieftain's eyes widened in shock, his breath catching in his throat. The spectral message hung in the air, a chilling testament to the unseen force manipulating their fate.

He reread the note, his mind racing.

A devil who could manipulate the shadow energy with such finesse truly shocked him as he couldn't find a trace of this shadow energy at all. Moreover, according to the words written on this, it was a threat beyond comprehension.

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