''1000 point reduction in Heavenly Fate Value!'' Jiang Chen thought to himself, ''Ha, quite a decent gain.''


    A gratified smirk spread across his visage. ''Indeed, this minor event has significant implications for Gu Ran. He was originally poised to ascend to the Inquiring Journey realm at this juncture...''


    Thereafter, Jiang Chen persisted in observing the supporting characters residing on ck Wood Ind.


    At this juncture, Feng Liu''s party had momentarily survived the lethal predicament, and their Fate Value had experienced a marginal upsurge.


    Those with the lowest Fate Value were found elsewhere on ck Wood Ind, specifically at the ck Wood Public Square!


    In the vicinity of the ck Wood Public Square, although there were no Inquiring Journey realm experts like Zhang San, several Peak-stage Heavenly Origin realm death warriors were present.


    These death warriors were all carefully selected by Jiang Chen.


    They were cultivators capable of temporarily exhibiting thebat prowess equivalent to the Inquiring Journey realm.


    "Proceed, intercept Gu Ran ording to the original n!" Jiang Chen instructed, rying Gu Ran''s imminent list of victims to the death warriors, who sprang into action without dy.


    ''It''s high time I made my move!'' A slight smile tugged at Jiang Chen''s lips. Promptly masking his presence and aura, he stealthily advanced towards ck Wood Ind.


    Within ck Wood Ind, Gu Ran, still concealed, traversed at maximum velocity.


    In no time, he reached the ck Wood Public Square.


    Those assigned to Golden Leaf Street had already received the information and retreated to their respective territories.


    Meanwhile, the upants of ck Wood Public Square persisted in scouring the entire za.


    Suddenly, a voice disseminated through divine sense jolted them into heightened vignce "Brothers, stay alert, Gu Ran, known by the alias ''Niu Qing'', is suspected to have infiltrated the ck Wood Public Square!"


    "What?!" Someone eximed.


    "That fellow has infiltrated ck Wood Public Square?!"


    "I heard that youngster used a strength-boosting secret art to reach the Inquiring Journey realm, utterly daunting!"


    "Who ryed this message, and where are they now?"


    "It''s Old Chen who arrived with Elder Zhang on that spirit boat. I''m acquainted with him! He should be in the vicinity. We can align our actions with his!"


    The cultivators from the Feng n situated at ck Wood Public Square initially exhibited shock, then wore vignt expressions, and started to converse surreptitiously.


    At that moment, Gu Ran, in his concealed state, observed his next targets. ''Four Heavenly Origin realm!'' he thought.


    ''And a few Mysterious tform realm cultivators.''


    ''Eliminating them all, even if it doesn''t enable me to ascend to the Inquiring Journey realm, will surely enhance my cultivation base!'' A chilling gleam shed across his eyes as he abruptly sprang into action!


    Boom!


    A formidable aura erupted in a sh.


    Gu Ran''s fierce assault ruthlessly zeroed in on the Heavenly Origin realm cultivators from the Feng n.


    "Brace yourselves!" However, the well-prepared cultivators from the Feng n instantly put up their defenses in unison.


    Gu Ran''s onught shattered their collective defense.


    But just as he was priming to deliver the lethal strike, an Inquiring Journey realm aura abruptly ambushed him from the rear!


    ''How can there still be an Inquiring Journey realm presence?!'' Gu Ran''s heart pounded fiercely as his expression took a drastic turn.


    ''And why, out of all ces, here?!'' Without any hesitation, he relinquished his imminent victims and whirled into a defensive stance!


    ng!


    The mor of weapons shing reverberated throughout the za.


    Gu Ran''s silhouette and Jiang Chen''s death warrior were forced apart upon collision!


    ''It''s a Heavenly Origin realm cultivator employing a secret art!'' Gu Ran realized, his frustration mounting.


    ''Damn it, I refuse to ept that others among them can also manifest Inquiring Journey realm battle prowess!'' With a grim expression, he used the recoil to catapult himself a considerable distance, vanishing into the obscurity of the night.


    [Ding! You have sessfully slightly altered the plot. Protagonist Gu Ran''s Heavenly Fate Value decreases by 300 points!]


    [Ding! You have umted 600 Viin Value points!]


    The system prompts chimed again.


    ''Only a reduction of three hundred points?'' Jiang Chen mused, feeling slightly disappointed.


    ''It appears those cultivators couldn''t catalyze Gu Ran''s breakthrough to the Inquiring Journey realm.'' Maintaining a serene countenance, he stood atop the dome of ck Wood Ind, surveying everything beneath him, his divine sense and gaze deliberately bypassing Gu Ran.


    Shortly after, he observed that the Fate Values of the cultivators at ck Wood Public Square had seen a modest increase.


    It was evident that Gu Ran had shifted his targets.


    Upon detailed scrutiny, Jiang Chen quickly identified a group of cultivators with the lowest Fate Values, situated at a location known as Vernal Horizon Lake.


    Theke, the ind''s only source of freshwater, boasted exquisite scenery.


    "Proceed, assume your positions!" Jiang Chenmanded his death warriors via divine sense.


    Swiftly, the battalion of death warriors encircled those cultivators.


    Gu Ran, still moving stealthily, was unable to mobilize at his maximum pace and thus fell behind Jiang Chen''s death warriors.


    By the time Gu Ran reached Vernal Horizon Lake, Jiang Chen''s death warriors were already primed for action.


    At this juncture, hovering above Vernal Horizon Lake, a group of cultivators were meticulously scrutinizing their environment, even beneath the water surface.


    However, this batch of cultivators was feeble, with only a single individual at the Heavenly Origin realm.


    Even with the preemptive alert from Jiang Chen''s death warriors, they would undoubtedly fail to withstand Gu Ran''s assault.


    Hence, Jiang Chen directed his death warriors to merge with this group of cultivators.


    The team nowprised five Heavenly Origin realm cultivators!


    Not far off, Gu Ran, still concealed, stood secluded with gleaming eyes as he surveyed the group of cultivators busily probing their surroundings.


    ''Five of them are at the Heavenly Origin realm...'' Gu Ran noted, his heart pounding with anticipation.


    ''I refuse to ept that among these individuals, there exist ones who can manifest Inquiring Journey realm battle prowess!'' Harboring these thoughts, his eyes radiated resolve as he audaciouslyunched his attack!


    Swoosh!


    Gu Ran''s figure abruptly materialized, his long sword striking like a venomous serpent towards a Heavenly Origin realm cultivator.


    "He''s here!" However, one of Jiang Chen''s death warriors shouted. He instantly unleashed his Inquiring Journey realmbat prowess, directly thwarting Gu Ran''s assault!


    ''Wh... what?!'' Gu Ran was instantly dumbstruck. ''How can another Heavenly Origin realm cultivator erupt with Inquiring Journey realmbat power? This is preposterous!''


    ''How can a minor ce like ck Wood Ind have so many Heavenly Origin realm cultivators with extraordinarybat talents?''


    Once or twice might be chalked up to chance, but thrice was downright absurd!


    Gu Ran almost began to suspect he was trapped in a nightmarish hallucination. Otherwise, how could everything go so horribly wrong!?


    ording to his calctions, he should have already eliminated a number of Feng n cultivators and advanced to the Inquiring Journey realm.


    Yet in reality, from the moment he exited the Feng n''s banquet until now, he gained absolutely nothing!


    He hadn''t even managed to y a single insignificant cultivator!


    Gu Ran was swallowed by a surge of frustration, akin to a nauseating swirl in his gut, threatening to explode.


    Additionally, the time window for his secret art was rapidly closing.


    If circumstances remained unaltered, the risk would escte excessively.


    ''This won''t do!'' Gu Ran pondered, gritting his teeth, clenching his fists, and feeling his veins pulse.


    ''While Feng Hongbo is entangled with that demonic beast, I must leave ck Wood Ind first and seek retributionter!'' Without further ado, he seized an opportunity and retreated without a second thought.


    Cloaking his presence, he sped towards the boundary of ck Wood Ind''s Great Formation.


    ck Wood Ind''s Great Formation primarily served as a defensive barrier against outside threats; its effectiveness at trapping individuals within was not potent.


    Even restraining a genuine Inquiring Journey realm expert was a challenging task.


    Furthermore, formation masters usually positioned themselves at the formation node or adjacent to the formation disc.


    Eliminating the formation master and decimating the formation node or the formation disc would simplify the process of navigating through the formation.


    However, Gu Ran remained oblivious.


    Jiang Chen had already deciphered his thoughts through the fluctuating Fate Value of the supporting characters!


    ''Thinking of making a getaway, are you?'' Jiang Chen mused, a glint of triumph in his eyes.


    ''It appears his mindset is beginning to crumble under my machinations.''


    ''Next, let''s toy with him one more round, then initiate the final stage of the current strategy.'' A mischievous smile crept onto his face as he once again ryed hismands.


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    The first protagonist, armed with a system, takes the stage.


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