"A**hole!!!"
Ge Yanxia's face twisted in rage.
But before she could react further, a scorching breath sliced through the air.
A massive red foot descended from the sky, crushing down onto her with unimaginable force.
Ge Yanxia's bloated body was slammed into the ground.
"Spiritual Transformation Realm… Peak!!"
Her face turned pale. Just as she tried to circulate her true energy, the sheer force of that foot shattered her defense.
"I am an outer sect elder of Xuantian Sect! If you, the Chen family, dare touch me, aren't you afraid of Xuantian Sect's retaliation?!"
A howl like a broken gong erupted from her lips. She represented Xuantian Sect — her words were meant to terrify.
But a muffled, unbothered voice replied:
"Xuantian Sect? I'm stepping on Xuantian Sect!"
The sudden development left everyone in the reception hall utterly stunned.
It wasn't just an unknown powerful figure stepping on Ge Yanxia… it was Chen Xiao!
Liu Ruyan, a genuine foundation-building cultivator, had just had her face smashed by Chen Xiao's shoe and didn't even have a chance to retaliate. And Chen Xiao's spiritual fluctuations clearly belonged to someone at the foundation-building stage.
When did he establish his foundation?
A flicker of fear passed through Liu Ruyan's eyes.
"Chen Xiao! I am an inner disciple of Xuantian Sect! If you dare—Xuantian Sect will—"
She froze mid-sentence as she saw Ge Yanxia being crushed under Chen Xiao's foot.
The silence was deafening.
Chen Xiao leaned closer to Liu Ruyan, his voice cold and sharp:
"Eldest daughter of the Liu family, haven't you figured it out yet?"
"You are nothing more than a toy the Chen family found for this young master."
"Without the resources of my family, who do you think you are?"
"Used as a bet? That's all you're good for."
At that moment, Chen Xiao's arrogance and ferocity radiated like a storm. He had fully embraced the villain's path, leaving the destiny villain with no room to act.
Liu Ruyan struggled, but Chen Xiao's weight pinned her to the ground. Confusion flashed in her eyes:
This… this shouldn't be happening.
Chen Xiao? The unlearned loser? How did he become so powerful?
And… how dare the Chen family touch Elder Ge? Isn't this inviting Xuantian Sect's wrath?
Chen Xiao's gaze met Liu Ruyan's bewildered eyes.
"Liu Ruyan, didn't you ask why I used you as a stake?"
He lifted a photo stone in his hand. Light flowed across its surface, projecting a floating image.
Everyone in the room went pale. Their disbelief was palpable.
Liu Yuanzun, head of the Liu family, sank to the ground, face ashen.
The projection revealed Liu Ruyan, naked and entangled with a man whose face was obscured — clearly not Chen Xiao.
Chen Xiao loosened his foot slightly, allowing her to see.
"How could this be…?" Liu Ruyan murmured blankly.
Chen Xiao sneered. "I didn't bother you, but you came to me? Complaining first, are you?"
With a flick, the photo stone shot the image into the sky, projecting it over all of Aurora City.
"No! No—"
Liu Ruyan panicked, struggling, but Chen Xiao applied a bit of pressure, forcing her down.
This projection was copied from the Book of Heavenly Dao while Chen Xiao reviewed the plot last night.
Liu Ruyan was a key female supporting role in the early stage, and her personal affairs were recorded in heaven's script.
The villain entangled with her did not fall within heaven's records, so the Book of Tiandao could not reveal the villain's identity clearly.
At that moment, cultivators across Aurora City saw the scandalous scene.
The protagonist: Liu Ruyan, known as the most beautiful woman in Aurora City.
The city erupted.
Finally, the truth became clear: no wonder Chen Xiao had "lost" her to the Aurora City Lord's son the previous day!
Ye Sen, the young lord of Aurora City, stared at the projection, furious.
"So that's why Chen Xiao was foolish enough to lose Liu Ruyan!"
"Throw the hat at me emotionally? What bad luck! Anyone can have this hat; I want nothing to do with it!"
Elsewhere, a young man with feminine features watched the projection, puzzled.
"What's happening? Where did the system glitch?"
Crackling electricity sparked, and a cold, mechanical voice spoke:
[The host was spotted by a passing strong figure while trying to capture the female supporting character.]
[But the plot did not deviate.]
The villain asked, "What about Chen Xiao's luck?"
System: [Host, the protagonist's attempt to interfere failed, but his luck is intact.]
[Tomorrow, the protagonist will obtain the Xiantian Anti-Spirit Pill, forging an Immortal Spirit Root.]
[The host can take the pill when he obtains it, not only intercepting the opportunity but also plundering the protagonist's luck.]
The villain's eyes gleamed.
---
Back in the Chen family mansion, Chen Junluo also saw the projection, his eyes murderous.
"But… Xiao'er's cultivation and that scarlet foot…"
---
In the reception room, Chen Xiao looked at Liu Yuanzun.
"Master Liu, you've reviewed the compensation on this spiritual contract. Fine. I'll pay ten times the amount on behalf of the Chen family."
Liu Yuanzun's eyes widened. "Impossible!!!"
The contract's original compensation was over one million high-grade spirit stones. Ten times… ten million! Even selling everything, the Liu family could never pay. He would rather lose his daughter.
Chen Xiao ignored him and looked at Ge Yanxia gasping on the ground.
"You are an elder of Xuantian Sect, correct? Since you dare show off your power in my Chen family, there's no need for you to leave."
The red foot pressed down. Snap—
A sharp cry escaped Ge Yanxia. Her obese body turned into a pool of rotten flesh. As her Nascent Soul tried to escape, an invisible mouth devoured it.
The Spirit Transformation Realm elder of Xuantian Sect… was dead.
Everyone gasped. An Xuantian Sect elder… just died?
Chen Xiao exhaled calmly.
According to the scroll of Heavenly Dao, the Chen family would be destroyed three years later. Xuantian Sect was the main force behind this, and Ge Yanxia's cruelty spared no one, even infants.
Better to settle the hatred openly — heaven supported him; why fear?
Chen Xiao looked at Liu Yuanzun again. "Master Liu, I want the compensation delivered before noon today."
Liu Yuanzun slumped, utterly dejected.
Chen Xiao then turned to Liu Ruyan. She bared her teeth, eyes filled with hatred.
"Chen Xiao! I won't let you go!"
Chen Xiao smirked. "What a coincidence… I won't let you go either."
He flicked his hand, and a scarlet incense stick, as thick as a thumb, appeared, vanishing into Liu Ruyan's head.
Wisps of blood-red smoke rose above her. Fear finally filled her eyes.
"You… what did you do to me?!"
Chen Xiao stepped back, smiling faintly.
"Bone-eroding, soul-dispersing incense. Within three days, your muscles and bones will decay, and your soul will shatter."
"I, Chen Xiao, only lost my wife… but never broke off the engagement."