Villain : I reincarnated as a Prince! Shouldn't I have a Harem?

[Ding! Host, Protagonist spotted]

[Ding! Host, Protagonist spotted]

[Ding! Host, Protagonist spotted]

[Ding! Host, Protagonist spotted]

[Ding! ...

...

...

...

"What?" Ashen expressed his shock, his pupils shrinking in surprise.

"One two three four... " He counted the number of notifications to know the number of new protagonists that the system had detected.

"Sixteen!" Ashen finished his counting: "So there are sixteen new protagonists other than Mo Fan and Han Yujin"

[Ding! Host, Protagonist spotted]

Ashen's mouth twitched as he cursed in his mind: "Can't you send the notifications after completing the counting, you fucking system?" However, on the outside, he remained calm as he muttered: "So seventeen new protagonists, Good!"

He, softly speaking to not let anyone hear him, asked: "Hey system, where are these protagonists?"

[Ding! Host, the protagonists have already ascended their rings, and even if I told you their locations you won't be able to recognize them from the crowd. Just wait till the end of these preliminaries. And don't worry there is no Protagonist on your ring]

"Heh, Why would I worry? They should worry about themselves now that I know they are here" Ashen sneered before looking at the disciples he was about to face.

There were disciples from all the sects and one face he recognized. It was that muscle-head Vi Ling who had appeared to save Mo Fan from elimination.

Meanwhile, Veli became concerned as she said to Ling Yun: "Oh no, Brother Ashen is against that new disciple Vi Ling. He is at the peak Nascent soul realm while Brother Ashen is only at the first stage. It will be difficult for him to win for sure."

However, Ling Yun was oddly confident in him: "No, don't worry about Master. I'm that he will win!"

It was because Ling Yun had never seen Ashen vulnerable. The high confidence he had made him appear reliable and invincible. She just couldn't imagine him losing.

Veli, on the other hand, took her intentions the wrong way as she thought to herself in her mind: "Sure enough, She really loves Brother Ashen. Look how confident she is in him. Even I didn't believe in him this much. Do I really deserve Brother Ashen's love?"

She became sad from her own train of thought.

Chen Lu, however, was ready to announce the start of the Preliminaries: "I can see that everyone has ascended their designated rings. So, without any delay, I announce,"

"Let the match begin!"

Gong!

A Gong sound reverberated in the arena, marking the start of the preliminaries.

All the rings showed a similar behaviour with participants of similar sects forming groups in a plan to eliminate the other sect's disciples first.

Ashen was also approached by Phoenix Feather Sect's disciples, speaking: "Young Master Ashen, the elder had instructed us to help you eliminate the other sect's disciples. Let us help you!"

Ashen looked at their excited faces calmly before rejecting them straight, shaking his head: "No, I don't need your help, I would just ask you all to step down this arena if you don't want to get hurt"

"What?" The disciples had their eyes widened in disbelief.

Just what was he talking about?

They were his allies, not enemies, why does he want to be so overconfident?

A female disciple wasn't going to take this lying down and hence retorted: "Young master Ashen don't be so overconfident. The elder has given us a choice between you and Brother Vi Ling. If you don't cooperate then don't blame us for helping Brother Vi Ling win!"

Ashen smiled in amusement at her words as he said playfully: "Oh, that's great then. You all should go and help your brother Vi Ling." His eyes narrowing with a threatening gleam in them: "But remember, the moment you do that, I'll consider you all as my enemies!"

"Now choose, Either leave the ring or become my enemies!"

The female disciple snorted before leaving towards Vi Ling: "Then suit yourself!"

The other disciples bowed before leaving: "Then don't blame us, Young Master Ashen. This is what you chose for yourself!"

They went and joined Vi Ling as well, leaving Ashen standing alone in the left topmost corner of the ring.

Among all 64 rings, no one was alone except him.

Witnessing this, Chen Lao taunted Feng Xue: "What are your sect disciples doing, leaving the genius of the sect for some other middle-aged disciple, Feng Xue?"

From their seats, they couldn't hear what Ashen said in the ring, so they just assumed that there must've been some dispute and the disciples decided to leave him for another disciple.

But leaving a genius who had the chance of winning over some dispute?

Was their dispute so great that it took precedence over the sect's reputation?

Feng Xue was also confused, but knowing about Vi Ling, she Answered confidently: "What do you know, Chen Lao? That middle-aged disciple there, is a peak Nascent soul realm cultivator just like Han Yujin while Ashen is only at the first stage of the Nascent Soul realm.

He must have recognized the fact that Vi Ling is more powerful and It would be better for him to advance, that's why he returned those disciples to support Vi Ling!"

"Oh, So it's like that" Chen Lao exclaimed in realization before inquiring: "So does that mean Ashen is forfeiting the match to Vi Ling? And if what you say is true then why is he standing in that corner and not going to help that Vi Ling or whatever of yours!"

"Why does this bastard have so many questions?" Feng Xue cursed in her mind, however, on the outside, she smiled at him before replying: "Why don't we see that for ourselves? If I tell you everything beforehand then that would just spoil the fun, don't you think?"

"Hmm..." Chen Lao pondered before exclaiming: "Yes, you are indeed correct!"

Meanwhile, Veli was also in panic witnessing this: "W-Why are they leaving brother Ashen alone? Aren't they going to help him?"

Ling Yun with a confident smile assured her: "Don't worry, I'm sure the master must have a plan. This is all going according to him."

Veli looked at her in a daze, thinking to herself: "She really does love him!"

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(A/N - Thanks for reading. ^..^)