Jiang Chen paused to do some quick calculations.
From the outset, Gu Ran's Heavenly Fate Value had plummeted by over twenty-five thousand. Now, only three thousand eight hundred eighty-eight points remained.
For Jiang Chen, the limit to act—the protagonist’s killing threshold—was set at one-tenth of the Black Heavenly Fate Value. This came to three thousand four hundred fifty-three points.
That meant there was a slim margin left: just four hundred thirty-five Heavenly Fate Value points separated Gu Ran from his fate. Once that gap closed, Jiang Chen could take decisive action against him.
If Jiang Chen could thwart the current turn of events, it would further erode Gu Ran’s Heavenly Fate Value. Even if it didn't hit the threshold, it would be dangerously close.
Simply put, Gu Ran stood before Jiang Chen with no real means to defend himself.
Therefore, Jiang Chen was resolved to take matters into his own hands this time around!
Always a shadowy figure, he now felt the urge to step into the spotlight.
Still, he tapped into his divine sense to apprise the Purple Heaven Holy Land team of the unfolding situation.
The news jolted the cultivators of the Purple Heaven Holy Land. But with Jiang Chen's guidance, they managed to maintain their poise, careful not to tip off their foe.
The sands of time flowed on.
The five major squads began to scatter, distancing themselves to the point where rapid assistance became unfeasible.
Meanwhile, Gu Ran, blending seamlessly among the teams, gauged the widening gaps between the squads. Sensing an opportunity, he prepared to strike!
'Die for me!' Gu Ran whispered, his steps silent as a ghost. He closed in on the slowest cultivator of the group—Mao Lun of the Purple Heaven Holy Land. With eyes locked onto his prey, he abruptly unleashed his ambush.
Swish!
He moved as if bending space itself, materializing suddenly behind Mao Lun, weapon poised for a lethal strike.
In Gu Ran's vision, the gleaming edge of his weapon was inches away from Mao Lun's robes. He could almost feel it piercing the heart beneath, sealing a fatal blow.
Yet, with just a simple gesture—a flick of Jiang Chen's finger—a command echoed: 'Rise!'
To Gu Ran's astonishment, a protective barrier burst forth around Mao Lun.
Boom!
His powerful assault crashed against Mao Lun's shield, but to his frustration, it didn't even produce a tremor, let alone shatter it.
'How... How is this possible? How did he react so fast? And that defense...' Gu Ran was in disbelief. He had picked his target believing him to be the weakest link, but his assured strike had come to nothing.
Suddenly, the air was filled with cries of alarm.
"Quickly!"
"That bastard's shown himself!"
"How dare he attack one of our own? Today, he won't just die. We'll torture him a thousand ways until he begs for the end!"
One after another, cultivators swarmed towards Gu Ran, their aim clear: surround and annihilate.
But Gu Ran's response was anything but predictable. Rather than trying to escape, he darted towards the densest part of the group, concealing himself amidst them.
His tactic was simple: create hesitation by making them fear they might strike down one of their own.
And just as he had predicted, members from both the Purple Heaven Holy Land and the Golden Proud Cult held back, worried about accidentally striking an ally.
'Damn it!' Gu Ran thought, masking his presence and watching the vigilant cultivators search their surroundings. His face was a portrait of despair, and his heart screamed silently with each beat. 'Why? Why?!'
'Why, with such an ideal moment, did I fail yet again?'
'Is this cursed feeling a result of some hidden hand from the Heavenly Gu Society obstructing me?'
'But Liu Xiong isn’t even on my selected team!'
'Is it possible... could the entire Purple Heaven Holy Land be under that individual's sway?'
'How? How can such an immense force even exist on the Immortal Martial Continent?'
'No, my gut tells me something's off. That immediate defense earlier wasn't something a mere Dao Comprehension realm cultivator could muster.'
'In the shadows lurks a hidden powerhouse, who’s at least of the Dao Palace realm!'
'And this modus operandi, preventing me from killing... the one who acted just now is that mysterious figure from the Heavenly Gu Society, the same one who snatched away the inheritance!'
'Damn him! He's stolen everything, aargh!' His mind teetered on the brink, consumed by fury and bitterness.
Simultaneously, the overwhelming sensation of being manipulated, of being utterly dominated, surged through Gu Ran. He felt as if he were drowning in an ocean of powerlessness, with waves of despair threatening to pull him under.
Yet, Gu Ran's spirit remained unbowed.
'That bastard! If you won't end me, then I'll persist. Let's see how many times you can thwart my plans!' With gritted teeth and measured breaths, Gu Ran covertly neared a Golden Proud Cult cultivator.
'So, now you're setting your sights on the Golden Proud Cult?' Jiang Chen observed the plummeting Fate Value of a Golden Proud Cult member named Te Dan and couldn't help but scoff silently.
In an instant, Gu Ran emerged from the shadows, his movements a blur as he lunged at Te Dan.
Such was his swiftness that even the Dao Comprehension realm cultivators of the Golden Proud Cult were caught off guard!
However, just as Gu Ran's weapon neared Te Dan, signaling the moment of kill — swish — a protective curtain of light unfurled around Te Dan, repelling Gu Ran's attempt.
Undeterred, Gu Ran's voice was fierce. "Attack!" Without missing a beat, he directed his deadly intent at another.
Yet, once more, he was rebuffed!
"Argh! Damn you, Heavenly Gu Society! And you, the villainous bastard hiding in the shadows, if you're bold enough to halt my strikes, then face me head-on!" Gu Ran's rage reverberated around him, but it did not deter his relentless assassination attempts.
He seemed to have lost all reason, continuously moving in a shadowy dance of hide, strike, retreat, and strike again...
But each of his relentless attempts was seamlessly parried by Jiang Chen.
The Golden Proud Cult members looked on in bewilderment, unable to grasp the unfolding chaos.
And for those directly in Gu Ran's crosshairs, the sensation was surreal. Each felt the chilling embrace of imminent death, only to be cocooned by a mysterious protective force, an experience both terrifying and exhilarating.
"Give up, Gu Ran. I won't let you have your way," Jiang Chen's calm voice echoed as his divine sense finally locking onto Gu Ran.
Suddenly, a tidal wave of impending danger crashed over Gu Ran. Alarm coursed through him, making every hair on his body prickle.
This was eerily familiar. It was the exact feeling he'd encountered at the Black Wood Island seas, the moment he became the target of that mysterious Dao Palace powerhouse.
"It's you! You've been tailing me, hindering my journey to becoming stronger from the shadows!" Halting his assassination attempts, Gu Ran emerged and hurled his furious roar toward the vacant sky.
As he did, a trio of system notifications resounded within Jiang Chen's Sea of Consciousness.
[Ding! You've successfully altered the plot; Protagonist Gu Ran's Heavenly Fate Value has been reduced by 1000 points!]
[Ding! You've earned 2000 Villain Value points!]
[Ding! Protagonist Gu Ran's Heavenly Fate Value has breached below your set kill threshold. You now hold the liberty to execute Gu Ran without incurring the Heavenly Fate's backlash.]
Observing Gu Ran, whose face was now a canvas of pain and anguish, Jiang Chen's voice was laced with a hint of triumph. "Yes, it's been me all along. From the very beginning to this very moment, always me."
Jiang Chen paused to do some quick calculations.
From the outset, Gu Ran's Heavenly Fate Value had plummeted by over twenty-five thousand. Now, only three thousand eight hundred eighty-eight points remained.
For Jiang Chen, the limit to act—the protagonist’s killing threshold—was set at one-tenth of the Black Heavenly Fate Value. This came to three thousand four hundred fifty-three points.
That meant there was a slim margin left: just four hundred thirty-five Heavenly Fate Value points separated Gu Ran from his fate. Once that gap closed, Jiang Chen could take decisive action against him.
If Jiang Chen could thwart the current turn of events, it would further erode Gu Ran’s Heavenly Fate Value. Even if it didn't hit the threshold, it would be dangerously close.
Simply put, Gu Ran stood before Jiang Chen with no real means to defend himself.
Therefore, Jiang Chen was resolved to take matters into his own hands this time around!
Always a shadowy figure, he now felt the urge to step into the spotlight.
Still, he tapped into his divine sense to apprise the Purple Heaven Holy Land team of the unfolding situation.
The news jolted the cultivators of the Purple Heaven Holy Land. But with Jiang Chen's guidance, they managed to maintain their poise, careful not to tip off their foe.
The sands of time flowed on.
The five major squads began to scatter, distancing themselves to the point where rapid assistance became unfeasible.
Meanwhile, Gu Ran, blending seamlessly among the teams, gauged the widening gaps between the squads. Sensing an opportunity, he prepared to strike!
'Die for me!' Gu Ran whispered, his steps silent as a ghost. He closed in on the slowest cultivator of the group—Mao Lun of the Purple Heaven Holy Land. With eyes locked onto his prey, he abruptly unleashed his ambush.
Swish!
He moved as if bending space itself, materializing suddenly behind Mao Lun, weapon poised for a lethal strike.
In Gu Ran's vision, the gleaming edge of his weapon was inches away from Mao Lun's robes. He could almost feel it piercing the heart beneath, sealing a fatal blow.
Yet, with just a simple gesture—a flick of Jiang Chen's finger—a command echoed: 'Rise!'
To Gu Ran's astonishment, a protective barrier burst forth around Mao Lun.
Boom!
His powerful assault crashed against Mao Lun's shield, but to his frustration, it didn't even produce a tremor, let alone shatter it.
'How... How is this possible? How did he react so fast? And that defense...' Gu Ran was in disbelief. He had picked his target believing him to be the weakest link, but his assured strike had come to nothing.
Suddenly, the air was filled with cries of alarm.
"Quickly!"
"That bastard's shown himself!"
"How dare he attack one of our own? Today, he won't just die. We'll torture him a thousand ways until he begs for the end!"
One after another, cultivators swarmed towards Gu Ran, their aim clear: surround and annihilate.
But Gu Ran's response was anything but predictable. Rather than trying to escape, he darted towards the densest part of the group, concealing himself amidst them.
His tactic was simple: create hesitation by making them fear they might strike down one of their own.
And just as he had predicted, members from both the Purple Heaven Holy Land and the Golden Proud Cult held back, worried about accidentally striking an ally.
'Damn it!' Gu Ran thought, masking his presence and watching the vigilant cultivators search their surroundings. His face was a portrait of despair, and his heart screamed silently with each beat. 'Why? Why?!'
'Why, with such an ideal moment, did I fail yet again?'
'Is this cursed feeling a result of some hidden hand from the Heavenly Gu Society obstructing me?'
'But Liu Xiong isn’t even on my selected team!'
'Is it possible... could the entire Purple Heaven Holy Land be under that individual's sway?'
'How? How can such an immense force even exist on the Immortal Martial Continent?'
'No, my gut tells me something's off. That immediate defense earlier wasn't something a mere Dao Comprehension realm cultivator could muster.'
'In the shadows lurks a hidden powerhouse, who’s at least of the Dao Palace realm!'
'And this modus operandi, preventing me from killing... the one who acted just now is that mysterious figure from the Heavenly Gu Society, the same one who snatched away the inheritance!'
'Damn him! He's stolen everything, aargh!' His mind teetered on the brink, consumed by fury and bitterness.
Simultaneously, the overwhelming sensation of being manipulated, of being utterly dominated, surged through Gu Ran. He felt as if he were drowning in an ocean of powerlessness, with waves of despair threatening to pull him under.
Yet, Gu Ran's spirit remained unbowed.
'That bastard! If you won't end me, then I'll persist. Let's see how many times you can thwart my plans!' With gritted teeth and measured breaths, Gu Ran covertly neared a Golden Proud Cult cultivator.
'So, now you're setting your sights on the Golden Proud Cult?' Jiang Chen observed the plummeting Fate Value of a Golden Proud Cult member named Te Dan and couldn't help but scoff silently.
In an instant, Gu Ran emerged from the shadows, his movements a blur as he lunged at Te Dan.
Such was his swiftness that even the Dao Comprehension realm cultivators of the Golden Proud Cult were caught off guard!
However, just as Gu Ran's weapon neared Te Dan, signaling the moment of kill — swish — a protective curtain of light unfurled around Te Dan, repelling Gu Ran's attempt.
Undeterred, Gu Ran's voice was fierce. "Attack!" Without missing a beat, he directed his deadly intent at another.
Yet, once more, he was rebuffed!
"Argh! Damn you, Heavenly Gu Society! And you, the villainous bastard hiding in the shadows, if you're bold enough to halt my strikes, then face me head-on!" Gu Ran's rage reverberated around him, but it did not deter his relentless assassination attempts.
He seemed to have lost all reason, continuously moving in a shadowy dance of hide, strike, retreat, and strike again...
But each of his relentless attempts was seamlessly parried by Jiang Chen.
The Golden Proud Cult members looked on in bewilderment, unable to grasp the unfolding chaos.
And for those directly in Gu Ran's crosshairs, the sensation was surreal. Each felt the chilling embrace of imminent death, only to be cocooned by a mysterious protective force, an experience both terrifying and exhilarating.
"Give up, Gu Ran. I won't let you have your way," Jiang Chen's calm voice echoed as his divine sense finally locking onto Gu Ran.
Suddenly, a tidal wave of impending danger crashed over Gu Ran. Alarm coursed through him, making every hair on his body prickle.
This was eerily familiar. It was the exact feeling he'd encountered at the Black Wood Island seas, the moment he became the target of that mysterious Dao Palace powerhouse.
"It's you! You've been tailing me, hindering my journey to becoming stronger from the shadows!" Halting his assassination attempts, Gu Ran emerged and hurled his furious roar toward the vacant sky.
As he did, a trio of system notifications resounded within Jiang Chen's Sea of Consciousness.
[Ding! You've successfully altered the plot; Protagonist Gu Ran's Heavenly Fate Value has been reduced by 1000 points!]
[Ding! You've earned 2000 Villain Value points!]
[Ding! Protagonist Gu Ran's Heavenly Fate Value has breached below your set kill threshold. You now hold the liberty to execute Gu Ran without incurring the Heavenly Fate's backlash.]
Observing Gu Ran, whose face was now a canvas of pain and anguish, Jiang Chen's voice was laced with a hint of triumph. "Yes, it's been me all along. From the very beginning to this very moment, always me."
