Cornered with no escape in sight, Lin Feng couldn't help but ask, "What condition?"
"It's simple," Jiang Chen replied indifferently. "Just endure one move from me to let me vent my anger."
'As expected, he wants to make my life a living hell!' Lin Feng seethed inwardly, his fists clenched tightly, his hatred for Jiang Chen deepening.
'With my current mortal body, being maimed by him would be worse than death!' he raged silently, a mix of despair and anger consuming his thoughts.
Not far away, Li Kai and Liu Qing's expressions shifted as they hesitated to step forward, but ultimately couldn't muster the courage.
The upper-grade Clarity Awakening Pill was simply too precious to give up, even for Lin Feng's well-being!
"What? Weren't you once the star of the show? Don't you have the guts to endure just one move from me?" Jiang Chen taunted, his mouth twisting into a cold, mocking smile.
"I... Accept!!!" Lin Feng declared, his voice laced with a blend of desperation and determination, aware that he had no other option at that moment.
"Good," Jiang Chen nodded subtly and advanced towards Lin Feng. "I'll use just one finger."
Tap tap tap...
The footsteps echoed, each step hammering against Lin Feng's chest, his body tensing, cold sweat drenching his back.
The surrounding disciples observed Lin Feng with detachment.
Li Kai and Liu Qing turned away, finding it too difficult to continue watching.
The onlookers anticipated an even bleaker future for Lin Feng.
At that instant, Jiang Chen raised his right hand and extended a finger towards the air.
A whirlwind of air burst from his fingertip, transforming into a ripple the size of a basin, and struck Lin Feng's chest and abdomen with force.
"Argh!" Lin Feng cried out, his body flung backward, rolling three times on the ground before he spat out a mouthful of blood with a retch.
However, the surrounding disciples were taken aback. It was evident to them that Jiang Chen had not used his full strength.
"What—what's happening?" one disciple whispered in confusion. "Did Senior Brother Jiang actually hold back?"
"All that tension, and this is the result?" another disciple whispered in disbelief.
"With Li Kai and Liu Qing having backed off, why didn't Senior Brother Jiang just severely injure Lin Feng?"
"..."
Exchanging bewildered looks, they murmured to each other, their eyes wide with shock as they observed the unfolding scene, struggling to understand the surprising turn of events.
"You..." Lin Feng pushed himself up with a shaking arm and wiped the blood from his mouth, his heart a tumult of relief and stunned disbelief.
He was equally puzzled by Jiang Chen's unforeseen restraint.
Though painful, the injuries from that single finger strike were far less severe than the grim fate he had braced for—a fate worse than death.
Just then, Jiang Chen lifted his gaze to Lin Feng and, with a slight wave of his right hand, said softly, "Leave."
As he heard those words, Lin Feng, pushing aside his swirling doubts, laboriously stood up. He took painful steps, dragging his sore body towards the sect's main gate.
Slowly, his figure blended into the winding mountain path, leaving behind a trail of unanswered questions and an atmosphere of stunned silence.
Observing Jiang Chen, who stood still with one hand behind his back, the surrounding disciples began to whisper among themselves.
"Did Senior Brother Jiang really just let him go?" one disciple questioned in disbelief.
"I think I get it now; we've been wrongly judging a noble character with our own narrow-mindedness. Senior Brother Jiang has always been more open-minded than we thought!" another disciple voiced his realization.
"Exactly, from the start, Senior Brother Jiang was genuinely trying to keep Lin Feng in the sect. It's just that Lin Feng, blinded by his situation, failed to see it!" a third disciple chimed in, his voice tinged with insight.
"Indeed, Lin Feng dismissed Senior Brother Jiang's assistance and pushed him away, but Senior Brother Jiang still showed restraint. Such generosity is truly commendable!" another remarked, his tone filled with respect.
"..."
The disciples' whispers gradually evolved into a buzz of newfound understanding and admiration. They continued to share their thoughts, re-evaluating their previous perceptions and beginning to see Jiang Chen in a different light.
Li Kai and Liu Qing looked at Jiang Chen, their eyes filled with even deeper gratitude.
"Alright, let's all disperse," Jiang Chen said, casting a light smile over the crowd.
Unbeknownst to them, Jiang Chen, in his role as the antagonist, had been keen to get rid of Lin Feng. However, Lin Feng's status as the Son of Heavenly Fate limited his actions. An outright attack on Lin Feng was too perilous.
His final demand from Lin Feng was a calculated move to subdue and harm him, and indeed, the result was satisfactory.
Meanwhile, Jiang Chen's thoughts were still occupied with the system notifications he had received earlier:
[Ding! You have successfully injured Protagonist Lin Feng. Lin Feng's Heavenly Fortune Value is temporarily reduced by 100 points. It will restore once his injuries heal. Note: Lin Feng's maximum Heavenly Fate Value remains unaffected.]
[Ding! You have gained 200 points of Villain Value!]
'Now that my Villain Value has hit 1,100 points, it's time to open the System Mall and claim some treasures,' Jiang Chen thought, his heart pulsing with excitement.
Feeling the rush of anticipation, he reminded himself to stay calm. 'I should get back to my residence first. I might not be able to contain my laughter otherwise!' Keeping this in mind, Jiang Chen controlled his excitement, took a step forward, and elegantly glided off towards another mountain path.
Though a practitioner at the Spiritual Awakening realm could fly, doing so at their level would significantly deplete their Origin Power. Therefore, it was more practical to mix brief flights with high jumps, making use of the ground's force for efficiency.
In an instant, Jiang Chen arrived and stood atop a cliff shrouded in swirling clouds and mist. His modest residence, complete with a courtyard, sat at the summit.
He passed through the protective formation of the courtyard and entered a serene room. Settling down, Jiang Chen turned his attention inward, communicating with the System in his sea of consciousness. 'System! Open the System Mall!'
Immediately, notifications from the system echoed in his mind:
[Ding! Your Villain Value has reached the required threshold; the System Mall is now open!]
[Ding! Congratulations on opening the System Mall. You have been awarded the Heaven-Defying Fate Changer 'Villain Eye'!]
[Ding! The current System Mall is Level 1. Accumulate 10,000 points of Black Heavenly Fate Value to unlock Level 2 System Mall!]
[Ding! You have a Level 1 System Mall Gift Pack*1 available for claim!]
As the final system prompt disappeared, two illusory panels materialized in front of Jiang Chen, visible only to him.
Yet, at that very moment, Jiang Chen couldn't focus on them.
His eyes were undergoing a significant transformation, a result of the integration of the Heaven-Defying Fate Changer, Villain Eye!
Finally, the transformation ceased.
'It's complete!' Jiang Chen thought, anxiously retrieving a mirror.
He scrutinized his eyes intently. To his surprise, they appeared unchanged, betraying no visible indication of the significant alteration he had just undergone.
Then, a surge of information inundated Jiang Chen's consciousness.
[Villain Eye: Enables the capability to discern key figures such as protagonists, heroines, quasi-heroines, and supporting characters. It reveals basic information about these individuals, including their names, identities, and Fate Values...]
'Amazing! I can now monitor the main protagonist's Heavenly Fate Value!' Jiang Chen thought with excitement, his hands rubbing together in eager anticipation.
'The moment it falls to a critical point, I'll be ready. That's when I'll strike, at the perfect time!'
'Plus, I can identify those close to the protagonist, discovering more vulnerabilities through them. This will help me prevent any efforts they might make to infiltrate my circle.'
'Hehe, this Villain Eye is incredibly powerful,' Jiang Chen mused. However, with no one nearby to test his newfound ability, he felt a bit disappointed.
Redirecting his attention, Jiang Chen turned to the System Mall panel, eager to see what it held.
The illusory panel shimmered before him, neatly segmented into four categories: 'Cultivation Methods', 'Pills', 'Artifacts', and 'Others'.
Despite the System Mall being at only Level 1, Jiang Chen was astonished to see that all four categories were accessible to him!
'This is incredible... I can even exchange for treasures at the Heavenly Origin rank!' His eyes gleamed with excitement as he browsed through the extensive assortment of items in the System Mall.
His heart throbbed with anticipation, each beat quickening with exhilaration.