2 Actually, I Admire You

'Maybe... I should nip this in the bud and eliminate Lin Feng right now!' Jiang Chen contemplated, his eyes flickering with a sudden burst of ruthlessness.

On Earth, he had lived cautiously, using his exceptional intellect and relentless determination to neutralize threats while abiding by the law. But in this cultivation world, where the strong reigned supreme and the weak were trampled mercilessly, where human lives were as trivial as blades of grass, such constraints no longer bound him.

He could not afford the luxury of softheartedness; indulging an enemy was to court disaster. After all, should Lin Feng regain his strength, it would be Jiang Chen who faced inevitable doom.

But as Jiang Chen began to seriously consider the immediate elimination of Lin Feng, a system prompt abruptly brought him back to reality.

[Ding! Reminder to the host: the protagonist is protected by the potent safeguard of Heavenly Fate.]

[To eliminate the protagonist, you must first reduce his Heavenly Fate Value to the point where he loses his protagonist status; only then can you forcefully end his life.]

[Failure to adhere will result in a backlash from Heavenly Fate, unleashing unpredictable and potentially lethal consequences!]

[Actions such as breaking the protagonist's spirit and will, altering his personality, usurping his opportunities and love interests, orchestrating schemes against him, assassinating his subordinates, and diverting the plot's course can gradually reduce the protagonist's Heavenly Fate Value, thereby increasing your Villain Value.]

[Upon accumulating 1,000 Villain Value points, the Level 1 System Mall will unlock automatically, allowing you to redeem various items.]

[Eliminating the protagonist not only yields Black Heavenly Fate Value but also offers a chance to obtain a Heaven-Defying Fate Changer!]

[Black Heavenly Fate Value: Exclusive to the host. The higher it rises, the more likely you are to encounter advanced opportunities and cross paths with protagonists, solidifying your role as the villain.]

[To upgrade the System Mall, your Black Heavenly Fate Value must reach the required threshold.]

These system prompts left Jiang Chen perplexed. 'What in the world! As a cultivator of the Spiritual Awakening realm, am I truly unable to forcefully eliminate a crippled cultivator?'

'Is this famous protagonist's halo, the ability to turn misfortune into fortune, really so powerful?'

'If Lin Feng is so incredible, how did he end up with his Dantian shattered by his predecessor's scheme?' he mused skeptically, only to realize with a jolt, 'No... This time, the shattering of his Dantian seems to be the catalyst for his true rise to power!'

'To some extent, this is a tremendous case of misfortune turning into a blessing!'

'Shit, it seems even in this life I have no choice but to proceed cautiously.' Jiang Chen reflected grimly, before ultimately taking a deep breath and regaining his composure.

Despite his opponent being the protagonist, blessed with Heavenly Fate that turned misfortune into fortune and enabled astounding triumphs against all odds, Jiang Chen was not just a pawn or a sacrificial lamb in this new life. He had an ace up his sleeve – the System.

It was unclear to him whether these unfolding events were mere coincidences resembling the plots of novels he had read on Earth, or part of a more intricate and mysterious design. But one thing was certain for those familiar with such tales: a System could be an exceptionally powerful asset.

Even though the System hadn't granted him any unique abilities yet, Jiang Chen harbored unwavering faith in its latent power.

Meanwhile, as the crowd observed Jiang Chen's hesitation, unease began to grow in their hearts. They couldn't help but speculate silently to make sense of his inaction.

'What's happening? Hasn't Senior Brother Jiang Chen figured out how to deal with that good-for-nothing Lin Feng?'

'Senior Brother Jiang Chen hasn't uttered a word; could this be a form of psychological warfare? The longer it drags on, the more terrified Lin Feng must be getting.'

'...'

As they struggled to find reasons for Jiang Chen's stillness, at that precise moment, he slowly opened his eyes. His pupils, deep blue and reminiscent of sapphires, held an enigmatic depth.

The instant this happened, there was a noticeable shift in the expressions of all present. Their gazes, one after another, were irresistibly drawn to him.

In terms of appearance and stature, Jiang Chen was undeniably among the finest.

His hair, long and dark, flowed back in a style that combined elegance with a hint of wildness. Subtle streaks of gold, reflecting the ornate gold earrings he wore, added a regal touch to his presence.

His fair skin stood in sharp contrast to his well-defined facial features. Bold, arched eyebrows sat above piercing blue eyes, giving him a penetrating and somewhat imperious gaze. This look, combined with a slight air of authority on his face, clearly marked his position of power.

After all, the allure of a villain lies in their charm, influence, and might. The more formidable they are, the more impactful their eventual defeat becomes, enhancing the satisfaction derived from their downfall!

Next, they watched as Jiang Chen leisurely rose from the stone bench. With his hands clasped behind his back, he strolled towards Lin Feng, a slight smile curling the corners of his mouth.

"Senior Brother Jiang Chen!" The disciples, one after another, bowed, their hands cupped in front of them, saluting him with deep respect.

In their minds, they equated the brightness of Jiang Chen's smile with the severity of Lin Feng's impending misfortune.

"Hm." Jiang Chen gave a slight nod, his footsteps steady and unwavering as he continued his approach towards Lin Feng.

"Jiang Chen!" Lin Feng's heart clenched as he fixed Jiang Chen with a cold stare. "What are you planning?"

"Senior Brother Jiang!" Li Kai and Liu Qing quickly positioned themselves before Lin Feng, their expressions cordial. With a smile and a fist-and-palm salute, they attempted to momentarily shield Lin Feng.

"Lin Feng is already in this state, and you, with your esteemed status... The past disputes..." Li Kai began, his tone striving to be respectful, yet revealing a hint of hesitance as he attempted to mediate the situation.

Seeing their reaction, Jiang Chen didn't seem bothered. Instead, with his smile unchanged, he waved his hand dismissively and chuckled, "Haha, you all have misunderstood me."

'What does he mean?' Lin Feng, Li Kai, Liu Qing, and the disciples who had mocked Lin Feng earlier were all left momentarily speechless.

Jiang Chen smiled warmly as he turned towards Lin Feng, speaking in a surprisingly gentle tone, "Junior Brother Lin, there are cases of people returning to the path of cultivation despite having their Dantian shattered."

"Though we've had our differences, I must admit that actually, I admire you. Therefore, I'm willing to intervene and try to keep you in the sect. What do you think?" he proposed, his voice tinged with a hint of earnestness.

As far as Jiang Chen could ascertain, Lin Feng's opportunity lay at the foot of the mountain. If that were true, he would endeavor to keep him within the sect and under his watchful eye, awaiting the outcome.

By doing so, he could potentially alter the original course of the plot.

At that moment, as Jiang Chen made this proposal, everyone present was left dumbstruck. Particularly, the disciples who had mocked Lin Feng earlier stared at Jiang Chen in disbelief.

"What?" they murmured in shock and confusion, "Senior Brother Jiang Chen actually admires Lin Feng?"

"No way, how could Senior Brother Jiang Chen want to help Lin Feng?"

"Could it be that my ears and eyes are deceiving me?"

"..."

They exchanged bewildered glances, their faces a mix of shock and uncertainty.

The person in question, Lin Feng, as well as his close friends Li Kai and Liu Qing, were equally incredulous.

'What exactly is Jiang Chen trying to do?' Lin Feng wondered internally, his mind swirling with suspicion.

'He has targeted me many times, and I have embarrassed him publicly on numerous occasions. The feud between us cannot be resolved so simply.'

'He actually wants to help me stay in the sect, but why?' he questioned inwardly, his instincts alerting him that Jiang Chen's friendly demeanor might be a façade.

Li Kai and Liu Qing, meanwhile, exchanged a glance that mixed joy with their astonishment. Despite the slim chances of Lin Feng's Dantian being repaired, they knew it was still a better outcome than him being expelled from the sect and left to fend for himself.

However, at that moment, a female disciple exclaimed with excitement that couldn't be contained, "I got it!" She quickly lowered her voice, leaning in to whisper to those nearby: "Senior Brother Jiang Chen plans to keep Lin Feng in the sect as a means of slow torture. Hahaha, the very thought of it is thrilling!"

Her remark quickly spread among the disciples. Their faces lit up with understanding, yet they looked at the excited female disciple with somewhat peculiar expressions.

This girl believed she had kept her voice low. However, in her excitement, she had actually failed to conceal the content of her words!

In fact, the faces of both Li Kai and Liu Qing abruptly froze. The brief flicker of joy in their hearts was swiftly extinguished, replaced by a chilling coldness and a lingering sense of fear.

Lin Feng's face turned pale, and he inwardly cursed, 'Jiang Chen, you bastard! I knew you had no good intentions!'

'You're actually so vicious, planning to keep me in the sect to be slowly tortured!' he thought, his mind swirling with anger and disbelief.

Jiang Chen turned his head to look at the female disciple and said with a hint of sarcasm, "This junior sister, you think you're very clever, don't you?" Internally, he couldn't help but lament the absurdity of the situation.

"Senior brother, I'm sorry!" The female disciple's legs trembled with fear as she stood there, overwhelmed with trepidation, unable to utter another word.

She was also deeply puzzled by her own behavior; how had she lost her composure and voiced such thoughts aloud?

Jiang Chen turned to Lin Feng and his two close friends, smiling. "You three, that junior sister was just making wild guesses; I'm not that type of person."

Lin Feng's expression remained unchanged, but inside, he was boiling with frustration, thinking, 'A wild guess? She's probably the one who's right!'

"Hahaha!" Li Kai laughed forcibly, his tone overly enthusiastic but clearly strained. "Of course, of course, we all know Senior Brother Jiang isn't cruel."

"However, Lin Feng is now crippled; he really isn't suited to stay in the sect anymore," he added, his voice wavering slightly, revealing his discomfort.

"Yes, yes, he is crippled; how can he stay at the Starry Abyss Heavenly Peak?" Liu Qing joined in, his smile not quite reaching his eyes, mirroring Li Kai's statement.

Hearing this, Lin Feng knew that Li Kai and Liu Qing meant well, but the words still caused him a deep, sharp pain. The label 'crippled' was particularly difficult for him to accept.

Jiang Chen sighed and looked at Lin Feng. "What do you think, Junior Brother Lin?"

"I... I think it's best I leave the sect," Lin Feng answered, his voice carrying a mix of resignation and subtle bitterness. He forced a small smile and nodded to Li Kai and Liu Qing, thanking and bidding them farewell, then readied himself to leave immediately.