Ye Fan, hearing that Chu Yanran had agreed to marry Su Chen, was so enraged he spat out a mouthful of blood, struggling to stand.
Seeing this, the elder behind Su Chen narrowed his eyes, intensifying the pressure on Ye Fan.
Pfft.
Ye Fan coughed up more blood, collapsing to the ground like a defeated dog, clinging to life. Despite his feeble state, his eyes burned with a fierce hatred directed at Su Chen. At that moment, his desire for revenge reached its peak—he wished he could strangle Su Chen on the spot.
Witnessing Ye Fan's pitiful state, Chu Yanran's delicate face turned pale, her eyes brimming with unshed tears. "Ye Fan, please... just stop."
Su Chen glanced at Chu Yanran, his gaze flickering with amusement before turning to Ye Fan. He spoke indifferently, "I, the young master, am marrying your master. Do you have any objections?"
"Pah! You despicable wretch!" Ye Fan spat another mouthful of blood, his voice shaking with rage. "If it weren't for the Su family backing you, you're nothing!"
Hahaha.
Su Chen threw his head back, laughing in delight at Ye Fan's defiance.
"What... What are you laughing at?" A sense of foreboding stirred within Ye Fan's heart, yet he couldn't help but raise his voice defiantly.
"I'm laughing because you're an utter fool." Su Chen sneered. "I was born into the Su family—that's fate's arrangement. It's part of my strength. Your jealousy only reveals your inferiority, a reflection of your own lowly origins."
Ye Fan's face darkened, his fists clenched tightly, and a flicker of despair crossed his gaze, signaling a fracture in his resolve. Su Chen's words echoed like a curse, each repetition a crushing reminder of his own weakness.
This was the brutal truth of power—the pressure that came with it.
Compared to Su Chen's noble birth, Ye Fan's origin was humble. His parents were ordinary villagers, and he was the first in a hundred years to awaken a martial spirit. Villagers revered him, but he yearned to join the Celestial Sword Sect. On the day of their open recruitment, he put everything on the line to prove himself, hoping to catch their attention and become a disciple.
Thanks to his dedication, he caught the eye of the Celestial Sword Sect's saintess, Chu Yanran, and became her personal disciple, entering the ranks of the sect's core disciples.
But his efforts hadn't earned him respect from the other disciples. Instead, he was often shunned and ridiculed for his humble background.
Yet, each time he recalled Chu Yanran's kindness, he found new strength, training relentlessly until he rose to prominence among his generation in the Celestial Sword Sect.
But today, faced with Su Chen, a man born with a golden spoon, his pride and self-worth were crushed. He realized just how insignificant he was in comparison.
He would always be beneath Su Chen.
He could never measure up to him.
In Su Chen's eyes, he was merely an ant.
No... Not even an ant!
Ye Fan's gaze dimmed, and a bitter smile spread across his face.
Seeing his despair, Su Chen's mocking smile deepened. Breaking the protagonist's spirit was far more satisfying than killing his body.
"No! It's not like that!" Ye Fan suddenly roared, his eyes ablaze with madness. "I am the Chosen One! You, a lowly scoundrel, have no right to judge me!"
Slap!
A crisp sound echoed through the grand hall.
"How dare you speak to the young master that way?"
An elder from the Celestial Sword Sect stepped forward, his cold eyes fixed on Ye Fan as he slowly withdrew his hand.
The one who had struck was Xuan Ming, the Celestial Sword Sect's law enforcement elder. After learning of Su Chen's standing within the Su family, he saw an opportunity to curry favor.
Witnessing Ye Fan publicly insult Su Chen, Xuan Ming seized the moment to showcase his loyalty.
"Ye Fan, you've repeatedly insulted the young master and defied him, clearly harboring malicious intentions. Do you seek to drive a wedge between the Su family and the Celestial Sword Sect?" he accused.
"Let me take him to the dungeon at once, young master, and await further punishment!" another elder chimed in, eager to display his allegiance.
These elders were all shrewd. Noticing Xuan Ming's attitude toward Su Chen, they quickly followed suit, one by one denouncing Ye Fan's disrespect.
Now that Su Chen was set to take their sect's saintess as a concubine, the Celestial Sword Sect would officially be tied to the Su family's towering influence.
"Indeed, Sect Master, perhaps we should abolish Ye Fan's cultivation and expel him from the sect."
"It would serve as a gesture of apology to the young master."
One after another, the elders stood up, their voices filled with righteousness as they chastised Ye Fan for his disrespect and audacity.
Hearing their rebukes, Ye Fan's face turned deathly pale, and waves of shock surged in his heart. He could sense the tides turning against him; everyone was siding with Su Chen. Even his master, Chu Yanran, and Sect Master Jiang Yunxi remained silent.
What was going on?
Why were all these elders so keen on supporting Su Chen? He was the Celestial Sword Sect's rising prodigy—how could they side with an outsider?
At that moment, a faint golden glow flickered from the ring on Ye Fan's right index finger, calming his fraying spirit.
The golden glow was subtle and fleeting, noticeable only to those who were watching closely. However, Su Chen, having read the original novel, knew well the power hidden within Ye Fan's ring.
All this time, he'd been discreetly watching that ring on Ye Fan's finger.
Interesting. Su Chen smirked inwardly. The goddess Luo Shen... Seems like you've intervened after all.
Yes, that's right. The ring on Ye Fan's finger contained the spirit of Luo Shen, one of the ten heroines in Invincible Martial Spirit. However, at this moment, she was nothing more than a fragmented soul.
According to legend, during the ancient war among the myriad races, Luo Shen perished. In her final moments, she sealed a fragment of her soul within this ring.
She had remained dormant for millions of years until Ye Fan stumbled upon the ring, allowing her soul to see the light of day once more.
Out of gratitude, Luo Shen had guided Ye Fan through his cultivation journey, helping him avoid many pitfalls. Over time, their bond grew closer.
Ye Fan respectfully addressed her as "Aunt Luo."
In the original story, Ye Fan eventually helped Luo Shen regain her physical form, claiming her as his own.
This was all part of Ye Fan's fortuitous destiny.
But as someone who had transmigrated into this world, Su Chen had no intention of allowing these heroines to follow the original plot.
Any blessing destined for the protagonist? He'd take it all.
Chu Yanran was merely the beginning; Luo Shen was next on his list.
As he thought of this, Su Chen's lips curled into a sinister grin.
Noticing Su Chen's gaze lingering on him, Ye Fan's rage reignited. He roared, "Su Chen, I challenge you to a life-and-death duel!"
At this declaration, everyone turned their attention to Su Chen.
In the cultivation world of the Sky Profound Continent, conflicts between cultivators could be resolved through life-and-death duels. Should Su Chen accept, no one could interfere in their battle, or they'd face the wrath of every cultivator on the continent.
Hahaha.
Hearing Ye Fan's challenge, Su Chen burst into laughter. "You, a lowly insect of humble birth, are unworthy of being my opponent!"
In other words, Su Chen wouldn't waste his time on such a juvenile contest.
Shaking his head indifferently, Su Chen withdrew his gaze, finding it hardly worth his attention.
Why is every protagonist in cultivation novels so childish and pretentious? he mused to himself. My mission here is simple—break the protagonist.
No, break him completely! And enjoy it while I'm at it!
Turning, Su Chen wrapped an arm around Chu Yanran's slender waist and spoke with a warm smile, "Saintess, I'll ask you one final time: Will you willingly marry me? If not, I'll leave now. I won't force you."
Pfft!
Hearing this, even the elder nearby could barely contain himself, rolling his eyes inwardly. This kid... He's as shameless as I was in my prime.
The elders of the Celestial Sword Sect all looked nervously at Chu Yanran, fearing she might reject the marriage on the spot.
Su Chen's words sounded gentle, devoid of threats, but the implications were terrifying. If Chu Yanran refused, the Celestial Sword Sect would be wiped from the Sky Profound Continent the next moment.
All their lives rested in her hands; cold sweat began to trickle down their backs.
Feeling their gazes, Chu Yanran stole a glance at Su Chen. Seeing his deep, composed eyes, her cheeks flushed, though she quickly composed herself.
Lightly biting her lip, she responded, "Young Master, I willingly pledge myself to serve you."
Hearing her words, the elders let out a collective sigh of relief, some even wiping cold sweat from their foreheads.
"Very well! Since that's the case, you will come back to the Su family with me right now. I want to see for myself how well you can serve."
Upon hearing this, Chu Yanran visibly trembled, her voice quivering as she replied, "It's all up to the young master."
She understood perfectly what Su Chen meant by that, but she couldn't bring herself to refuse. In the grand scheme of things, her purity was nothing compared to the lives of thousands within the sect.
Noticing the shiver that ran through her, Su Chen smirked. "Good, then we'll set off immediately!"
A forcibly picked fruit may not taste sweet, but it certainly quenches thirst!
"No!"
Suddenly, a fierce shout erupted within the grand hall.
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