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

A short distance away, atop a hill surrounded by thick jungle, several people stood prominently, observing the fierce battle below with indecisive looks.

"Can you believe it? Someone’s already made a move!" exclaimed a young man, his brows deeply furrowed and his eyes filled with anger.

This man, clad in a luxurious brocade robe, his face slick and hair neatly styled, was none other than Zhou Yihe, the flamboyant second young master of the Zhou Clan, previously encountered by Lin Feng.

Beside him, slightly to the rear, stood a middle-aged cultivator, his attire a simple brown robe and his face showing signs of age and exposure. In his hands, he held a map, his expression mirroring the young master’s concern with a similarly furrowed brow.

Zhou Yihe had, by chance, come across the trail of the Entwined Silk Vajra Python, a fearsome demonic beast, in a different location some time back. He had also noticed the distinct aroma of a high-grade spiritual plant clinging to the creature.

In response, he had sent out teams to locate the lair of the Entwined Silk Vajra Python. Despite the demonic beast’s lack of high intelligence, it had the natural instinct to construct misleading nests. As a result, their search had been prolonged over several months, leading them to numerous false lairs. It was only today that they finally stumbled upon the genuine nest.

However, to their surprise, when an excited Zhou Yihe and his subordinates arrived at the spot, they discovered that someone had already gotten there first.

At that moment, the middle-aged man in the brown robe took a deep breath and said with a voice heavy with indignation, "Young Master, after all the hard work you put into finding this nest, we can’t let someone else take the spiritual plant from the python’s lair!"

"He dares to reap the benefits of your efforts; such a person deserves nothing but death. We will obliterate him later," he declared resolutely.

Ma Qiwei, the middle-aged man in the brown robe, was a cultivator in the Spiritual Awakening realm. He had been a devoted servant to the Zhou Clan for many years and also served as Zhou Yihe’s personal bodyguard.

Following their accidental discovery of the Entwined Silk Vajra Python’s trail, Ma Qiwei had taken charge of the hunt. He had spent the past several months living in the dense mountain forest, accompanied by a team of people, all dedicated to this task.

After enduring such hardships and dedicating so much time and effort, the idea of letting someone else claim the fruits of their labor was unthinkable to him.

Moreover, this issue was critical to the Zhou Clan’s reputation. The other bodyguards resonated with this sentiment, and when Ma Qiwei expressed his views, they all agreed without hesitation.

"This person dares to lay hands on my treasure; they must face death!" Zhou Yihe declared angrily. However, he was tactful enough not to lead his men into an immediate attack.

"Let’s first find out who this person is," he suggested cautiously, then pulled out a bronze mirror from his storage ring. This artifact was a small magical treasure, functioning much like a telescope.

Zhou Yihe raised the mirror, angling it toward the ongoing conflict below. In an instant, the intense battle between Lin Feng and the Entwined Silk Vajra Python was brought into sharp focus for all to see.

The once blurry features of Lin Feng were now displayed in striking clarity.

Recognizing Lin Feng, Zhou Yihe’s face twisted into a cold, mocking smile. "Oh? So it’s him!" he sneered.

"I remember him; he was with that delegate from the White Mountain Chamber of Commerce who visited Master Zhou Yongyan. His name’s Lin Feng, right? Mentioned something about participating in an appraisal contest?"

"But shouldn’t he be at the trade fair at this time? What’s he doing here, and all by himself?" he mused, puzzled by Lin Feng’s unexpected presence.

"No matter, his reasons are irrelevant. He’s just a Soul Refining realm cultivator with no significant backing. Taking him out won’t cause us any trouble," Zhou Yihe stated dismissively.

Seeing their second young master’s reaction, Ma Qiwei and the others also smirked, eagerly anticipating to take Lin Feng apart.

"Everyone, let’s not act rashly," Zhou Yihe instructed with a cunning look. "This young man has some abilities. He’s managing to hold his own against the Entwined Silk Vajra Python despite being only in the Soul Refining realm. He might have some unknown tricks up his sleeve."

"We should wait for the python to exhaust him first; then we can take advantage of their duel," he suggested confidently, his smile conveying his assurance of having everything under control.

Ma Qiwei and the rest quickly showered Zhou Yihe with praise, lauding his strategic acumen and bravery. Their compliments were effusive and without restraint.

...

In Autumn Glory City, the trade fair had progressed to the stage where participants were trading items directly with each other.

Jiang Chen, who hadn’t found anything particularly appealing to himself, and with no updates from the cultivators he had sent outside the city, chose to concentrate on Ning Xian. He carefully observed her interests, noting any item she showed interest in but didn’t buy.

Whenever he found an item she liked being offered at a reasonable price, Jiang Chen made a point of acquiring it. His intention was to gather these items and later present them to Ning Xian as gifts.

After all, he held only a counterfeit Fireheart Pinecone Fruit himself, having made Du Bailei bear the financial burden for it. As long as it didn’t strain their relationship, obtaining a few more items that were relatively affordable was not a problem for him.

Furthermore, Jiang Chen was extremely careful in his selections. If he noticed that an item caught Ning Xian’s interest but could also be beneficial to Lin Feng, he chose not to purchase it. His actions were marked by precision and thoughtfulness.

In a short period, Jiang Chen managed to acquire several moderately priced treasures. Notably, all these purchases were financed by Du Bailei.

Immediately after that, he discreetly sent a message to Elder Ge using his transmission jade token: "Elder Ge, when the next item that interests me comes up, bid on it for me." This approach was Jiang Chen’s way of circumventing the situation where Du Bailei might insist on paying if Jiang Chen himself made the bid.

"Understood, Young Master!" came Elder Ge’s prompt response. Elder Ge, having disguised his appearance, was blending in with the crowd, acting as Jiang Chen’s eyes and ears within the bustling environment of the trade fair.

As time went on, the trade fair continued.

...

Outside the city, in the forested battlefield, the fierce battle continued unabated.

As the confrontation seemed to reach a stalemate, a moment of sheer endurance and will, Lin Feng made a decisive move. In a swift motion, his right hand conjured a longsword. With intense focus, he unleashed his most powerful assault, ’Void Rainbow Third Sword Style! Burning World Raging Flames!’

In an instant, the longsword was engulfed in an overwhelming surge of crimson flames. The intensity of the flames was such that the sword itself appeared to struggle under their immense heat, its form shimmering in a semi-liquid, molten orange state.

The Entwined Silk Vajra Python, caught unprepared by this sudden and ferocious attack, was directly impaled by Lin Feng’s blazing longsword.

In a matter of seconds, a loud "boom" echoed as a massive surge of flames burst forth. The flames erupted from every possible opening of the Entwined Silk Vajra Python - its eyes, mouth, nostrils, and even from the tiny gaps between its scales. The flames intertwined with its writhing body, creating the appearance of a fiery serpent.

With a pained and piercing "Sssss!" the Entwined Silk Vajra Python shrieked in agony. Overwhelmed by the intense heat and force of the attack, it collapsed, its massive body hitting the ground with a thunderous crash.

"How is this possible!" Zhou Yihe exclaimed, his voice a mixture of shock and disbelief as he witnessed the scene, "He actually defeated the Entwined Silk Vajra Python! That’s a demonic beast of the Spiritual Awakening realm, the undisputed apex predator around here!"

"Damn it, he’s going to get to the spiritual plant in the mountain crevice. Mr. Ma, intercept him at once!" he ordered urgently.

Ma Qiwei, sharing the same look of astonishment, didn’t hesitate. He leapt into action, taking off with the speed and grace of a large bird, rapidly making his way towards the base of the mountain where Lin Feng was.

At the critical moment when Lin Feng was about to gather the spiritual plant and attend to the Entwined Silk Vajra Python’s carcass, he suddenly perceived a sharp surge of murderous intent. Reacting instinctively, he couldn’t help but shout, "Who’s there!!"

"The one who will end your life!" The words came with a thunderous sonic boom, as the blurred figure of Ma Qiwei launched a sudden, vicious attack on Lin Feng from behind.

"Courting death!" Lin Feng’s realization that someone was attempting to exploit his vulnerable moment ignited his rage. With lightning-fast reflexes, he spun around, unleashing a powerful and ferocious strike with his sword.

Ding!!

The sound of Lin Feng’s sword striking Ma Qiwei’s palm echoed, reminiscent of gold and iron clashing!

The force of the impact sent a shockwave of energy through the air, causing Lin Feng to be pushed back. He staggered, a hint of paleness washing over his face as he struggled to maintain his composure.

"Middle-stage Spiritual Awakening realm!" Lin Feng exclaimed, regaining his balance. He felt a faint throbbing in his hand from the force of the collision.

"Kid, you’re quite skilled!" Ma Qiwei acknowledged, slightly surprised, as he raised his right hand, now bearing a distinct black-red sword mark on his palm.

As this standoff unfolded, the sound of footsteps rapidly approached. Zhou Yihe, accompanied by his subordinates, arrived at the scene, quickly encircling Lin Feng with a sizable group of cultivators.

Zhou Yihe, with an air of nonchalance, opened a folding fan and waved it slightly. He looked at Lin Feng with a derisive smirk, taunting, "So, you’re Lin Feng? What a surprise to find you here."

"Shouldn’t you be at the appraisal competition? How did that turn out for you? Did they kick you out after your appraisal? I’m guessing your skills weren’t quite up to scratch, and you ended up embarrassing yourself, didn’t you?" he said, his tone dripping with mockery and disdain.