Great Villain: Starting by Humiliating the Son of the Heavenly Fate

Seizing the moment, Liu Xiong darted into the center of the Purple Heaven Holy Land assembly. His voice, dripping with scorn, challenged them, "Are you blatantly lying with your eyes wide open?" His face twisted in disdain as his gaze settled on the members of the Golden Proud Cult.

"The Inheritance Master warned of a great enemy's approach. Do you consider me that great enemy? The true enemies are the demons and those who practice demonic cultivation. As for me, I've always stood firm, cutting down such demons and their followers."

"A bunch of mere worms, driven by petty motives. You bicker amongst yourselves in the shadow of the Inheritance. It's pitiful, disgraceful, absolutely worthless!" With that, Liu Xiong's tirade came to a close.

"Old man, repeat that!" Bao Xunwu's voice was a dangerous hiss, his teeth gritted as he glared furiously at Liu Xiong. He seemed on the verge of lunging forward in rage. "Today, I swear I'll tear you apart a thousand ways!"

Ji Mingxiu stepped in, his demeanor cool and detached. "If you dare, then try," he challenged, his voice as icy as a midwinter chill. "For each of mine you harm, I'll claim a hundred of yours. Mark my words."

Bao Xunwu's hands formed tight fists, tension evident in every line of his frame. He stood there, caught between action and restraint.

Meanwhile, Gu Ran observed the tense confrontation between the Purple Heaven Holy Land and the Golden Proud Cult. Intriguing thoughts swirled in his mind:

'Liu Xiong is actually from the Purple Heaven Holy Land!?'

'One of the biggest powers in the Everflowing Truth Domain, the Purple Heaven Holy Land! Could the Heavenly Gu Society have been formed by members of the Purple Heaven Holy Land?'

'No, the mightiest in the Purple Heaven Holy Land are merely at the Dao Palace realm. The leader of the Heavenly Gu Society has to be of the Transcendence realm!'

'Furthermore, the history of the Heavenly Gu Society is undoubtedly more ancient than the Purple Heaven Holy Land's!'

'It would be more accurate to say Liu Xiong is a part of the Heavenly Gu Society and also has ties with the Purple Heaven Holy Land.'

'The Heavenly Gu Society seems to have woven its influence into many dominant forces within the Immortal Martial Continent.'

Moreover, he eagerly anticipated the Purple Heaven Holy Land and the Golden Proud Cult clashing head-on.

In his eyes, neither side was commendable!

Meanwhile, from a vantage point above, Jiang Chen surveyed the unfolding drama, his Villain's Eye sweeping meticulously over every supporting character.

He noted with interest that the Fate Value of every Golden Proud Cult member was in rapid decline.

Similarly, many from the Purple Heaven Holy Land saw their Fate Value dwindling, dangerously verging on a critical low.

Jiang Chen's eyebrows raised slightly. Deep in thought, he pondered, 'Is a major conflict about to break out?'

'But given the current situation, it seems unlikely for them to actually fight.'

'So, some twist is bound to occur, pushing the plot forward?' His divine sense continuously swept around, keenly observing every shift.

Suddenly, the towering peak emitted another resonating hum.

Following that event, an ancient and ethereal voice rang out once more. "Since none of you could obtain the inheritance on your own,"

"And the invading demons and demonic cultivators have been cleared out,"

"The remaining contenders may now proceed to the mountain's core to receive the inheritance." With those words, the ethereal voice faded away.

A palpable silence enveloped the area.

The Golden Proud Cult members' expressions darkened, reflecting a deep desolation.

Their opportunity to acquire the coveted Transcendence realm inheritance had been irrevocably lost.

In stark contrast, the members of the Purple Heaven Holy Land brimmed with joy.

"The inheritance inside can still be pursued!" exclaimed one member, eyes shining with anticipation.

"Great, let's hurry inside!"

"Hahaha, to think that an inheritance could cause three Dao Palace realm members of the Golden Proud Cult to turn on each other—it must be something exceptional! We've truly hit the jackpot!" Voices from the Purple Heaven Holy Land rose, one after the other, as the cultivators trembled with excitement.

Simultaneously, a fervent gleam ignited in Gu Ran's eyes.

Despite the undeniable strength of the Purple Heaven Holy Land, he recognized an opening to contest for the inheritance.

His unique capability to render himself invisible was unparalleled, rendering even those at the Dao Palace realm incapable of detecting him.

Likely, only the mysterious head of the Heavenly Gu Society could discern his actions.

Meanwhile, Jiang Chen's mind buzzed with rapid thoughts. 'Restarting the inheritance process, huh?'

'A fresh plotline is taking shape.'

'With Gu Ran's stealth abilities, in the original storyline, he'd have easily snatched the inheritance right under the Purple Heaven Holy Land's watch.'

'Furthermore, the Golden Proud Cult won't simply stand by. They'll definitely lie in wait outside, likely presuming the Purple Heaven Holy Land as the inheritance's possessors. This would spark a massive clash.'

'All the while, the true inheritor, a now-empowered Gu Ran, could either slip away or bide his time, observing the mayhem. He might even manipulate the situation, pitting both sides against one another for his gain.' These deductions flashed swiftly in Jiang Chen's mind, his eyes reflecting a chilling determination.

Just then, Ji Mingxiu looked around, his expression stoic. "Fellow disciples, follow me!" he commanded. With a decisive wave of his hand, he guided the Purple Heaven Holy Land group to the formation barrier's entrance.

Spotting an opening, Gu Ran deftly slipped into the Purple Heaven Holy Land's crowd, expertly masking his presence.

Unbeknownst to him, Jiang Chen, a figure he had always profoundly feared, had similarly hidden himself and merged seamlessly with the throng.

Without delay, Ji Mingxiu pressed his hand against the formation, channeling his Dao Yuan Power.

Like magic, the formation barrier shifted and morphed, revealing a sprawling gateway.

"Let's move in!" Ji Mingxiu motioned, leading the way for the Purple Heaven Holy Land cultivators to proceed.

"Dammit!" Bao Xunwu and his associates couldn't contain their frustration, witnessing the scene unfold. Temptation gnawed at them, urging them to dash towards the mountain's heart.

"Don't even consider it!" Ji Mingxiu, along with Yao Zong and Si Zhangjian, stationed themselves at the formation's entrance. Their icy stares locked onto Bao Xunwu and his group, warding them off.

In short order, every member of the Purple Heaven Holy Land had crossed into the formation's depths. As the last one passed, the formation barrier snapped shut.

Ji Mingxiu, accompanied by the other two, shot a final warning glance at Bao Xunwu's team before venturing deeper into the mountain.

Having expertly concealed himself, Jiang Chen seamlessly merged with the crowd. He quickly deduced that Gu Ran must've used the same strategy to sneak in.

The assembly pressed on.

Before long, they were met with a grand stone gate.

This entrance bore a resemblance to the previous formation barrier: the key was to channel Dao Yuan Power for access. Both Jiang Chen and Gu Ran discreetly latched onto a nearby Purple Heaven Holy Land cultivator, feeding their Dao Yuan Power in tandem and smoothly transitioning through the stone gate.

And they weren't alone in this tactic.

Many from the Purple Heaven Holy Land, driven by their eagerness, pooled their Dao Yuan Power collectively, hastening their passage through the gate.

Once inside, the group was faced with another gateway, this one shimmering with light.

Crossing this barrier was even more straightforward. Instead of Dao Yuan Power, it only required a hint of one's divine sense.

This divine sense was ethereal, unseen, and insubstantial. By merely extending a sliver and swiftly withdrawing it, one could progress without risk of detection.

In no time, they moved past this phase and reached the plaza paved with pristine white jade, leading up to the grand bronze entrance.

Accessing what lay beyond this door was just as uncomplicated.

All it took was the collective channelling of Dao Yuan Power from the attending cultivators.

Merely touching the bronze entrance allowed an understanding of its regulations, just as Bao Xunwu and his cohort had experienced before.

Rumble!

A deep, echoing rumble resounded as Dao Yuan Power from the gathered cultivators converged. The bronze entrance then slid open with ease, unveiling an expansive underground chamber of pristine white jade.

This was the sanctuary of the inheritances.

Eyes of every Purple Heaven Holy Land disciple sparkled with hope and expectation.

Yet, seasoned leaders like Ji Mingxiu managed to curb their enthusiasm. For they knew Jiang Chen had the counsel of two eminent Void Tribulation realm powerhouses - a privilege that eclipsed the allure of the dormant inheritances.

Suddenly, a light gate materialized, mirroring the bronze entrance. Characters slowly appeared on its surface, crafting the identical script Bao Xunwu and his group had deciphered earlier.