Great Villain: Starting by Humiliating the Son of the Heavenly Fate (Old Version)

"Master, I am grateful!"

Having clothed himself, Jiang Chen demonstrated his respect towards Ji Mingxiu with a deferential bow.

"Well done!"

Ji Mingxiu returned his acknowledgement with a glowing grin, nodding his approval. He then shifted his attention towards the assembly of disciples. "Why the delay? Show your respect to your senior brother Jiang Chen!"

"Salutations, Senior Brother Jiang Chen!"

"..."

The gathered disciples' voices swelled, their unified greeting rolling forth like a surging ocean wave, its resonance shaking the very firmament.

In response, Jiang Chen acknowledged the gathered disciples, offering his silent salute.

Meanwhile, from a secluded spot within the crowd, Fang Yuan also offered his respect towards Jiang Chen.

But an incessant unease gnawed at his heart.

'Senior Brother Jiang Chen...'

'This man instills a peculiar unease within me. I must hasten my self-improvement to discern the root of this discomfort his presence stirs within me.'

'And before long, I will find myself in his current standing, commanding the gaze of even larger throngs of people!'

'...'

A glimmer of resolve flared within Fang Yuan's eyes as he ruminated on this.

From being revered at the summit to plummeting into oblivion, scorned and overlooked by the multitude, he was driven to validate his worth!

And such was the mindset of a gifted youtha perfectly natural inclination.

At that instance, the throng roared in deference to their senior brother Jiang Chen, offering their salutations.

Thus, Jiang Chen's standing as a disciple of the Purple Heaven Holy Lord was wholly established, not only within the boundaries of Purple Heaven Holy Land but acknowledged by the forces across the entire Everflowing Truth Domain!

"Everyone!"

"Now comes the declaration of the second agenda!"

"Upon careful consideration by the sect, we have decided to hold the contest for the Holy Son's title in two months, selecting the representative Holy Son of this era!"

Stepping forward, Ji Mingxiu announced, "Only disciples holding the rank of core disciples and above, and those not older than twenty-five years, are eligible to register."

Upon hearing this announcement, the crowd exploded with energy.

"The contest for the Holy Son's title has at last been slated!"

"In two months' time, eh? There's still room for improvement!"

"Within these two months, I must ascend to a higher realm, guaranteeing a superior rank."

"As for the role of the Holy Son, it's not something I dare to covet. It's unquestionably a position for Senior Brother Jiang Chen. If I could just reduce the disparity with Senior Brother Jiang Chen, I'd be content."

"Senior Brother Jiang Chen is overwhelmingly powerful, but I too wish to contend for the Holy Son's title!"

A spectrum of thoughts flickered through the minds of the disciples eligible for registration.

Only a remarkably small subset of disciples harbored the audacity to oppose Jiang Chen.

For the majority, the title of Holy Son was already deemed unattainable.

To them, the contest for the Holy Son's title signified an occasion to demonstrate their capabilities, and it was of monumental significance.

Such a large-scale event seldom transpired.

Despite the plethora of immensely talented disciples, this sort of opportunity rarely presented itself before they reached the age of twenty-five.

Should one radiate exceptional prowess in this grand occasion, they would inevitably draw the attention of numerous formidable entities!

This exposure would consequently bolster their renown substantially.

In its core, prestige and affluence are often intricately linked.

The more exceptional one's performance in this event, the greater the benefits one could accrue in the future, and the smoother the journey towards them would be.

"Now."

Scanning the crowd, Ji Mingxiu donned a stern expression. "Disciples willing to partake in the contest for the Holy Son's title may proceed with registration."

"I aspire to compete for the Holy Son's position."

Jiang Chen was the first to show his deference to Ji Mingxiu, declaring his intention.

"Excellent! Make a record!"

Ji Mingxiu unleashed a robust laugh and directed an elder in charge of documentation to register this down.

Such an occasion would be indelibly etched in the chronicles of the Purple Heaven Holy Land, and the individual appointed the responsibility of documentation would certainly be of considerable prestige.

"Senior Brother Jiang Chen is indeed entering the contest for the Holy Son's title."

"Isn't that a given? Haha."

"Senior Brother Jiang Chen shines so brilliantly, I'm eager to see how enthralling his combat style might be?"

Disciples initiated quiet discussions amongst themselves.

Many female disciples observed with fervent anticipation, their flirtatious glances consistently settling on Jiang Chen.

At that juncture.

"Junior Brother Fang Yuan had pressing engagements to deal with, yet he still managed to rush here with utmost urgency."

"I surmise Junior Brother Fang Yuan also aspires to contend in the contest for the Holy Son's title!"

Suddenly, Jiang Chen, with a beaming smile, turned towards Fang Yuan. "From my perspective, Junior Brother Fang Yuan will surely achieve outstanding accomplishments in this grand assembly!"

Upon hearing this, the assembly felt that Jiang Chen's initial couple of sentences resonated with them.

Fang Yuan had other obligations to address, and despite his delayed arrival, he made haste to be here.

This suggested a strong probability that he was interested in joining the contest for the Holy Son's title.

If Fang Yuan were to announce his intention, it would certainly evoke a tidal wave of surprise and scorn.

A buzz would assuredly ripple through the entire congregation!

But now, Jiang Chen had voiced his thoughts.

Hence, even if Fang Yuan were to confirm his intent, it wouldn't appear sudden, and the emotional reactions wouldn't be as tumultuous.

And that concluding statement, he explicitly asserted the accomplishment Fang Yuan would attain!

This assertion catapulted everyone present into a state of astonished disbelief, struggling to comprehend.

"What?!"

"Senior Brother Jiang Chen truly believes that Fang Yuan can secure notable accomplishments?!"

"Fang Yuan is merely at the Late-stage Spiritual Awakening realm. How can he perform well in the battle for the Holy Son's title, where contenders at the Heavenly Origin realm are abundant and competing vigorously?"

"Although it's hard to fathom, I place my faith in Senior Brother Jiang Chen. Being the Holy Lord's disciple, his words carry immense weight. If he's bold enough to declare so, he must harbor confidence!"

"Indeed, compared to Senior Brother Jiang Chen, we lack foresight. He proclaimed that Fang Yuan could secure a commendable position, and I choose to believe him!"

Disciples began discussing in surprise, their expressions filled with shock.

Even Ji Mingxiu regarded Jiang Chen with a hint of surprise.

However, their attention had pivoted from Fang Yuan to Jiang Chen!

At this juncture, to a certain degree, Fang Yuan had merely become an instrument for Jiang Chen to exhibit his dominance.

Moreover, if Fang Yuan himself were to boast grandly, such a proclamation would undoubtedly spark off a series of debates.

Everyone presumed that Fang Yuan's involvement in the contest for the Holy Son's title was a mere display of overconfidence, inviting their unreserved derision.

Yet, at this moment, Jiang Chen's stature was evident.

Utilizing his sway, he influenced a vast number of disciples into accepting his hypothesis!

At that very moment.

"Senior Brother Jiang Chen's words do hold weight."

"Fang Yuan is indeed here for the Holy Son competition."

"As for securing good results, Senior Brother Jiang Chen might be overly generous with his praise."

Fang Yuan took a deep breath, his demeanor calm, responding without a trace of subservience or arrogance.

However, in his heart, he was in turmoil.

His eyebrows were tightly knitted!

He was unable to fathom why Jiang Chen would prophesy his attainment of a high rank.

Was this mockery?

Encouragement?

Or perhaps he had seen something more in him?

Regardless, the true motivation was only known to Jiang Chen himself.

Fang Yuan, not being a mind-reader and having only just encountered Jiang Chen, had no significant understanding of him.

How could he decipher the enigma?

Meanwhile, for Jiang Chen, two system alerts reverberated in his mind!

[Ding! You have subtly influenced the plot. The protagonist Fang Yuan's Heavenly Fate Value has decreased by 300 points!]

[Ding! You have earned 600 points of Villain Value!]

'Outstanding!'

'The reduction of the Heavenly Fate Value has escalated to three hundred points!'

'And I've also reaped six hundred points of Villain Value!'

A faint smile gradually etched onto the corner of Jiang Chen's mouth, almost undetectable.

At this moment, a voice echoed.

"Jiang Chen."

"Why do you assert that Fang Yuan could secure a high ranking in the Holy Son's competition?"

Ji Mingxiu abruptly inquired.

Contrary to the other disciples who promptly accepted Jiang Chen's declarations, he had his own assessments.

Upon observing Fang Yuan, he could not discern any extraordinary strength that could secure a high ranking.

As these words were voiced, the four Supreme Elders, along with several of the more discerning and still doubtful disciples, were instantly stirred!

All of the remaining disciples, almost in unison, shifted their focus towards Jiang Chen.

Even Fang Yuan himself narrowed his eyes, his gaze settling intently on Jiang Chen.