Chapter 12: Jiang Chen Makes his Appearance, Earning Villain Value Points
Upon hearing this somewhat familiar voice,
Lin Feng's face transformed dramatically, his expression tensing slightly as he turned towards the entrance.
There, Jiang Chen stood in the doorway, a subtle look of surprise and amusement playing across his face, as though he were observing a performance.
This amusement manifested in a playful smirk aimed at Lin Feng,
As well as the system prompt still resounding in his mind -
[Ding! You have successfully stopped Lin Feng from both showing off and humbling others, reducing his Heavenly Fate Value by 200 points!]
[Ding! You have successfully altered the plot, and Lin Feng's Heavenly Fate Value has been reduced by 100 points!]
[Ding! You have acquired 500 Villain Value points!]
In the blink of an eye, 500 Villain Value points were earned, bringing the current balance to 700 points.
Meanwhile,
'Jiang Chen!!'
'What's happening here?'
'How could he possibly be here?'
'Could it be that... he chased me all the way here!!!?'
'That can't be right; does he truly hold me in high regard and see me as a threat that must be dealt with!?'
'On top of that, I'm in trouble now; he has exposed the fact that I was expelled from the Starry Abyss Sect!'
'And, to make matters worse, my regained cultivation has been discovered; he'll definitely investigate it thoroughly!'
'Damn, what do I do now!!'
'...'
Lin Feng's heart churned in turmoil, as if danger lurked everywhere, and a barrage of thoughts raced through his mind.
Shock, bewilderment, alarm, confusion... and the sheer embarrassment of having his identity exposed; various emotions swirled within him.
Qiu Liaoxi and Ning Xian, on the other hand, were also filled with anxiety.
If Lin Feng's identity is revealed by Jiang Chen, he won't be able to intimidate Di Junda!
Immediately,
The pair's impression of Jiang Chen soured slightly.
Simultaneously,
"Jiang... Young Master Jiang Chen!?"
Di Junda gazed at Jiang Chen, his eyes widening and his body trembling violently as he exclaimed, "It's truly you! You've returned from the Starry Abyss Sect!!!"
In Di Junda's mind, Jiang Chen ranked among the most important figures not to be trifled with, so he had already gathered information about him early on.
Thus, although he had scarcely encountered Jiang Chen in person, he recognized him instantly.
"You can still recognize me?"
Jiang Chen regarded Di Junda and smiled faintly.
"Of course I do, and more than just recognizing you!"
"Ever since childhood, I've admired your portrait. Among the cultivation prodigies, you are the one I respect the most. I've always aspired to follow in your footsteps..."
Di Junda's face brimmed with flattery as he continued to utter pleasing words, appearing as if he would do anything to become Jiang Chen's follower.
Witnessing this,
Qiu Liaoxi and Ning Xian also recalled the figure of Jiang Chen.
Jiang Chen, the young master of the Jiang Clan, was rumored to have a dubious reputation, and his purpose for visiting the Vast Spirit Residence this time remained unclear.
A few thoughts raced through their minds,
And the two almost believed that Jiang Chen and Di Junda were in collusion, causing their impression of Jiang Chen to worsen even further.
However,
Contrary to the duo's expectations, Jiang Chen displayed no signs of appreciation for Di Junda's flattery.
"Enough of this flattery."
Jiang Chen glanced at Di Junda with a slight frown, "Tell me, what are you doing here?"
"Young Master Jiang!"
"I'm here to find Miss Ning Xian..."
Di Junda said with an ingratiating smile.
"Oh."
Jiang Chen promptly interrupted Di Junda, "There's no need to say the rest; I understand."
"Eh hehe, hehe!"
Di Junda hastily nodded his head, displaying the demeanor of someone talking to a close friend.
Upon witnessing this scene,
Ning Xian's eyes immediately dulled.
Qiu Liaoxi's face also turned pale, and the age spots on her face grew more prominent.
One Di Junda was enough to place the Vast Spirit Residence in an extremely difficult situation, and now there was another Jiang Chen, the young master of the Jiang Clan and a true disciple of the Starry Abyss Sect!
With Di Junda now cozying up to Jiang Chen, what could they possibly do?
'Damn it, Jiang Chen!'
Lin Feng also gritted his teeth and cursed furiously in his heart.
He harbored deep affection for Ning Xian and was determined to win her heart, but now Jiang Chen stood behind Di Junda...
But just then!
SLAP!!
A resounding slap echoed throughout the inn lobby!
Di Junda spun around three times before crashing to the ground with a thud, his swollen face a mixture of shock and bewilderment.
The old man stared, dumbfounded, but dared not move a single muscle.
"Laughing?"
"What I, Jiang Chen, detest the most are despicable people like you who only think with their lower body!"
"You've tarnished the reputation of Autumn Glory City's young generation with your foppish behavior!"
"On top of that, you actually tried to establish a connection with me just now; get the hell out!!!"
Jiang Chen's face remained impassive as he shook off the hand he'd used to slap Di Junda, his voice as chilling as a frigid wind emerging from an icy cellar.
"Yes, yes, yes!"
"I... I'll leave right away!"
"I'll never engage in such vile acts again, and I'll make amends to the Vast Spirit Residence later!"
"Young Master Jiang, I'm leaving, I'm leaving!"
Di Junda snapped back to reality, frantically nodding his head as if he were a chicken pecking at rice.
Immediately afterward,
Amidst Qiu Liaoxi and Ning Xian's astonishment and shock, as well as Lin Feng's puzzled expression,
Di Junda humbly and clumsily scrambled out of the Vast Spirit Residence!
The old man cast a fearful glance at Jiang Chen, his body trembling violently, and he too hastily followed, leaving the inn behind.
All of a sudden,
Only Jiang Chen and the other three people remained in the inn lobby.
Watching Di Junda disappear,
Lin Feng didn't know why, but he suddenly felt a sense of emptiness, as if he had lost something.
At the same time,
Ning Xian and Qiu Liaoxi exchanged glances, both seeing the astonishment, doubt, and a hint of relief in each other's eyes.
It turned out that both the master and disciple had misjudged Jiang Chen.
Jiang Chen and Di Junda were not in cahoots after all.
It seemed that Jiang Chen was an exceptional young cultivator with an outstanding upbringing and high moral character!
With that being the case, the situation wasn't as dire as they had feared.
[Ding! Unpursued heroine Ning Xian's impression of you has changed, and protagonist Lin Feng's Heavenly Fate Value has been reduced by 100 points!]
[Ding! You have gained 200 points of Villain Value!]
Two system prompts echoed in Jiang Chen's mind, causing the corners of his mouth to curl into a smile.
The conquest of the heroine had begun!
With a smile on his face,
Jiang Chen took a step forward and approached Lin Feng, Ning Xian, and Qiu Liaoxi.
Abruptly.
"Jiang Chen!"
"You don't need to feign innocence here!"
"Before being expelled from the mountain, at the mountain gate, you humiliated me!"
"Now, you've even pursued me to this Vast Spirit Residence; you truly are cold-hearted and merciless, employing vicious tactics!"
As Jiang Chen approached step by step, Lin Feng, who had remained silent until now, finally clenched his teeth and growled.
Once these words were uttered.
Ning Xian and Qiu Liaoxi's hearts sank immediately.
From Lin Feng's words, it was evident that a grudge existed between him and Jiang Chen.
So.
Was Jiang Chen a heartless and ruthless individual, or was he an honorable young man with an exceptional upbringing?
Confusion clouded the minds of the two, but for some reason, they found themselves gradually leaning towards Lin Feng's side.
However, just at that moment.
"Lin Feng, what are you implying?"
"What do you mean by feigning innocence, and what do you mean by humiliation?"
"When you were expelled from the mountain, I was the one willing to help you remain in the sect, and numerous sect disciples witnessed this event."
"Yet, you believed I intended to harm you and rejected my assistance!"
"I am a Spiritual Awakening Realm cultivator and a core disciple of the Starry Abyss Sect. Why would I go out of my way to harm you, an inner disciple with a shattered dantian?"
"If I truly intended to harm you, with a single command, the entire Autumn Glory City would become your enemy, believe it or not?"
Jiang Chen gazed at Lin Feng with a composed expression and spoke in a tranquil tone.
Upon hearing this.
Ning Xian and Qiu Liaoxi both conceded that it did make sense.
With the amount of power at Jiang Chen's disposal, handling Lin Feng would be far too easy.
"No!"
Lin Feng's pupils narrowed slightly, filled with wariness, "If you're not here to kill me, then what brings you here?"
"I'm here to locate alchemist Qiu Liaoxi."
"Encountering you here is purely coincidental. Please don't flatter yourself by assuming I'm here for you."
"Even if you have now regained your cultivation and seemingly possess some secrets, I have no interest in you."
Jiang Chen cast a somewhat impatient and disdainful glance at Lin Feng, then turned and walked to the door, gesturing towards a distant location.