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

A cultivator from the Purple Heaven Holy Land exclaimed, "What?! Five directions? Are you sure you're not mistaken?"

The cultivator from the Golden Proud Cult replied with unwavering confidence, "My secret art is no less powerful than those of the Dao Palace realm. Its tracking range is vast. Of the five directions, four are places he once was. The remaining one indicates his current location."

A voice piped up, "Sounds logical! That little brat shouldn't slip through our fingers."

"With the power we possess now, dividing into five teams will still give us ample strength to capture that rogue."

"We'll split into five groups, each taking a direction. Let's see who gets the luck of nabbing that little menace!"

After some deliberation, the cultivators from both the Golden Proud Cult and the Purple Heaven Holy Land swiftly came to a consensus: they would proceed with this strategy.

From his vantage point high above, Jiang Chen's lips quirked in an involuntary twitch.

He'd been puzzled about why his focus had suddenly shifted to Gu Ran. Now it was clear: it was the machinations of the Heavenly Fate!

Gu Ran had initially planned to act without delay.

Yet, if he proceeded, his most significant loss would be his Protagonist Status—a result the Heavenly Fate surely wouldn't want.

Powerhouses like Ji Mingxiu from the Dao Palace realm had relocated their battles. The mightiest ones left were merely at the Dao Comprehension realm.

And considering the recent truce between the two factions, their defenses were notably elevated.

Still, to Gu Ran, they were a formidable force, making any aggressive move perilous.

As a result, under the subtle orchestration of the Heavenly Fate, this unforeseen twist emerged!

It was akin to hitting two birds with a single stone!

The first bird was the Golden Proud Cult and Purple Heaven Holy Land cultivators' decision to pursue and eliminate Gu Ran. Their choice cast Gu Ran's deeds in a righteous light, safeguarding his Protagonist Status.

The second bird? The very fact that these cultivators willingly divided into five separate teams. This strategic move drastically lowered the risks for Gu Ran, amplifying his odds of triumph.

Guided by the Heavenly Fate, Jiang Chen intuited that Gu Ran would surely succeed in vanquishing one group, progressing to the Dao Comprehension realm.

Subsequently, he'd overpower the remaining groups in sequence. Once he achieved that, advancing to the Dao Palace realm would be the next milestone.

Moreover, he might even seize an opportunity to ambush a Dao Palace powerhouse amidst the colossal clash between Ji Mingxiu's faction and Ji Junhao's side, reaping significant rewards.

Should he manage to take down all twelve Dao Palace realm powerhouses, his ascent to the Transcendence realm would be within arm's reach, if not achieved.

With this development, Gu Ran had masterfully turned the tables.

Upon his exit from the Cave Heaven, Gu Ran would decisively subdue the Ageless Spirit Heavenly Sect, both avenging past slights and silencing his doubters.

He could then join the continental conference for the ultimate prodigy title. There, he'd stun all by besting Jiang Chen, the reputed 'big boss', compelling the world to acknowledge his supremacy.

Finally, after triumphing over the demon race, his path would lead him to the Prosperous Stone Immortal Star, unlocking a new map.

However, this trajectory would remain unaltered only if Jiang Chen stayed out of the fray.

Currently, watching the fervent debates among the Golden Proud Cult and Purple Heaven Holy Land's members, Gu Ran found himself in a daze.

He had once contemplated betraying his values, discarding his moral compass, and transforming into someone prepared to wreak havoc.

Yet, what did he now witness?

Both the Purple Heaven Holy Land and the Golden Proud Cult were keen on hunting him down!

This shift in circumstances felt like a burden being removed from his shoulders.

'This is fantastic!' Gu Ran couldn't contain his joy. 'It's beyond wonderful!'

'If you've all resolved to hunt me down, then don't blame me for disregarding our shared humanity.' It felt as though the obscuring clouds had parted, revealing the azure expanse. His mood soared.

'Heavenly Fate, so impressive, truly impressive!' Jiang Chen laughed softly, shaking his head. 'But, as I always say, I possess more than one Heaven-Defying Fate Changer!'

By this point, the Golden Proud Cult and the Purple Heaven Holy Land had finalized their strategy, readying themselves to split up and pursue Gu Ran.

Suddenly, Liu Xiong and the other Dao Comprehension realm powerhouses from the Purple Heaven Holy Land felt a ripple in their Sea of Consciousness: a divine sense transmission from Jiang Chen!

"Elders, you may split to chase Gu Ran, but ensure you mix with members from the Golden Proud Cult."

"After all, can we trust that Golden Proud Cult cultivator's words completely? What if his directions are meant to mislead?"

"Also, when you divide, you might be walking into an ambush. The Golden Proud Cult could be ambushed too. I'll alert you when it happens."

After hearing Jiang Chen's transmission, understanding dawned on the faces of Liu Xiong and his fellow Dao Comprehension realm cultivators from the Purple Heaven Holy Land. They discreetly nodded in agreement.

"Let's move!" A Dao Comprehension realm cultivator from the Golden Proud Cult urged. "We need to split up and chase that young brat before he escapes too far!"

"Hold on," an Elder from the Purple Heaven Holy Land stepped in. "I suggest combining forces from both our sides and then breaking into five teams."

This caused a stir among the Golden Proud Cult members, as they exchanged glances of surprise.

The Purple Heaven Holy Land Elder's reasoning was sound. Were the situations swapped, the Golden Proud Cult would harbor the same apprehensions.

"Very well. Each of our major forces will form five teams. Then, we'll merge them one-to-one, creating stronger teams," declared a prominent Dao Comprehension realm cultivator from the Golden Proud Cult. "Once that young man is in our grasp, we'll distribute the rewards based on individual contributions. Does that sound fair?"

"Agreed!" Voices from the Purple Heaven Holy Land echoed in immediate consensus.

The logic was clear-cut, and with Liu Xiong refraining from commenting, Gu Ran remained oblivious to the covert manipulations of the Heavenly Gu Society's leader.

Meanwhile, the protagonist, Gu Ran, was bubbling with anticipation.

He envisioned himself laying ambushes for these two powerhouse factions, taking them down one after the other, and exponentially amplifying his strength!

At that exact moment, the two prominent forces, the Golden Proud Cult and the Purple Heaven Holy Land, seamlessly combined and divided into five distinct teams.

In each team, there was a mix of members from both the Purple Heaven Holy Land and the Golden Proud Cult, though the latter always held a majority.

"Forward!" The Golden Proud Cult cultivator, adept with the secret art, shouted, leading his group towards their designated direction.

The remaining four teams employed a temporary spell, which he had embedded into their respective artifacts, to guide their path.

'Best avoid Liu Xiong's team. I should target a team with the most weaklings first.' Gu Ran assessed the five branching teams, a smirk playing at his heart. Making up his mind, he mused, 'That's the one.' And began to tail them.

'Have you made your choice? Get ready to once again know what it feels like to be toyed with by me.' Jiang Chen's lips curled up slightly, his eyes observing the team with the diminishing Fate Value.

Within this team, the unfortunate 'designated inheritor' was present.

Perhaps this was the retribution they earned, trying to snatch away the protagonist's opportunity.

Such thoughts only intensified Jiang Chen's appreciation for his System's protection.

Time moved on.

The five teams, tasked with tracking down Gu Ran and having to adjust to the speed of the Inquiring Journey realm cultivators, didn't progress quickly.

Gu Ran managed to tail them effortlessly, skilfully concealing himself and moving amongst the teams unnoticed.

Along the path, a thought crossed Jiang Chen's mind, 'Gu Ran, once this plot plays out, it might spell the end of your story.' His eyes, surveying the teams below, carried a faint, knowing smile.