Then stepped backward.
"Get up."
Lu Chen stared.
Shen Tian’s expression became arrogant.
"Come on."
"You wanted this."
"Get up."
Lu Chen slowly stood.
Blood appeared at the corner of his mouth.
His pride burned.
He attacked again.
Shen Tian disappeared.
Lu Chen’s eyes widened.
Behind him.
"Too slow."
BAM!
Lu Chen flew forward.
He rolled.
Recovered.
Turned.
Shen Tian was already there.
A fist stopped directly before his face.
The pressure alone blasted Lu Chen’s hair backward.
He froze.
Shen Tian smiled.
"Dead."
He lowered his fist.
Lu Chen attacked anyway.
Shen Tian’s smile disappeared.
"Enough."
Sovereign Suppression.
BOOOOOOOM!
Lu Chen collapsed.
Both knees slammed into the road.
His Qi immediately became chaotic.
His arms trembled.
His body refused to rise.
Tang Meilin stared.
Shen Tian slowly approached.
Lu Chen struggled.
Nothing.
Shen Tian stopped directly in front of him.
"You’re strong."
Lu Chen looked up.
Surprise briefly appeared.
Shen Tian continued.
"You survived wars."
"Built a mercenary organization."
"Fought killers."
"Reached this level through actual combat."
"If you fought most people..."
His green eyes narrowed.
"You’d probably win."
Lu Chen clenched his jaw.
Shen Tian smiled.
"Unfortunately..."
"You keep choosing me."
Silence.
Shen Tian crouched slightly.
Then...
His voice became quieter.
"I’m going to explain something."
Lu Chen glared.
"You think I’m your rival."
Shen Tian tapped Lu Chen’s chest.
"You’re wrong."
He stood.
"You are competing with me."
Shen Tian pointed toward himself.
"I am not competing with you."
Silence.
"There’s a difference."
Lu Chen’s expression twisted.
The humiliation was unbearable.
Because...
He couldn’t deny it.
Every challenge had come from him.
Every competition.
Every confrontation.
Every desperate attempt to prove superiority.
Shen Tian had never chased him.
Lu Chen had been chasing Shen Tian.
Shen Tian withdrew Sovereign Suppression.
Lu Chen remained kneeling.
Shen Tian turned.
Finished.
Tang Meilin stared.
Her heartbeat was loud.
Not because Shen Tian had beaten him.
Not only because of that.
Because he stopped.
Again.
No unnecessary cruelty.
No need to cripple Lu Chen.
No desperate need to keep proving himself.
Once Shen Tian had established the difference...
He walked away.
Tang Meilin watched him approach.
Her cheeks slowly became warm.
Shen Tian noticed.
"You okay?"
She blinked.
"What?"
"You’re red."
Tang Meilin froze.
"It’s..."
She desperately searched for an excuse.
"...Warm."
Shen Tian looked around.
Cool night air.
Tang Meilin immediately realized how stupid that sounded.
He smiled.
"Sure."
She narrowed her eyes.
"Don’t."
Shen Tian laughed.
Her heart jumped again.
Tang Meilin looked away.
This...
Was becoming dangerous.
Because she could no longer call it simple gratitude.
She liked seeing him.
She liked talking to him.
She liked his confidence.
She liked that he actually listened.
And apparently...
She really liked that smile.
Not love.
Not even close.
But...
A crush?
Tang Meilin’s cheeks became warmer.
Maybe.
Just a little.
Behind them...
Lu Chen slowly stood.
His expression was darker than ever.
Then...
Xu Ning appeared beside Shen Tian.
[Ding!]
[Major Fate Event Altered!]
[Original Destiny: Lu Chen establishes overwhelming dominance before the Tang Family.]
[Actual Result: Lu Chen suffers complete defeat at Shen Tian’s hands.]
[Fate stolen: 20,000]
Another notification appeared.
[Ding!]
[Tang Meilin’s admiration route has shifted significantly.]
[Fate stolen: 8,000]
[Lu Chen’s Current Fate Value: 488,000]
Shen Tian smiled.
Below five hundred thousand.
Good.
Then...
Xu Ning’s expression changed.
A red interface appeared.
[WARNING!]
[Protagonist Fate has fallen below a major threshold.]
[Destiny Compensation activating.]
Shen Tian’s green eyes narrowed.
"Oh?"
Xu Ning stared at the interface.
[Heaven is reacting.]
Shen Tian slowly looked toward Lu Chen.
His smile returned.
"Good."
Xu Ning blinked.
[Good?!]
"Yes."
[Host, Destiny Compensation means Lu Chen is about to receive an opportunity.]
"Exactly."
Xu Ning slowly understood.
Shen Tian smiled.
"If Heaven wants to keep giving him treasures..."
He placed both hands in his pockets.
"...I’ll keep taking them."
Suddenly...
Lu Chen’s phone rang.
He answered.
"Speak."
Silence.
His expression changed.
"What?"
Another pause.
His eyes narrowed.
"Where?"
Xu Ning’s system immediately reacted.
[Ding!]
[Major Opportunity Detected!]
[Ancient Martial Battlefield Legacy]
[Location: Western Mountains]
[Destined Recipient: Lu Chen]
[Opportunity Grade: Extremely High]
[Contains: Ancient cultivation inheritance, rare spirit medicine, combat techniques, Spirit Stones, and unknown artifact.]
[Potential advancement for Lu Chen: Massive.]
Shen Tian stared.
Then...
His smile widened.
Xu Ning slowly looked toward him.
[Host.]
"Hm?"
[You’re doing that smile again.]
"What smile?"
[The one you make before ruining someone’s life.]
Shen Tian watched Lu Chen hurry toward his vehicle.
"He’s going to the western mountains."
[Yes.]
"Ancient inheritance."
[Yes.]
"Spirit medicine."
[Yes.]
"Spirit Stones."
[Yes.]
"Unknown artifact."
[Yes.]
Shen Tian nodded.
"Sounds useful."
Xu Ning stared.
[Host...]
"What?"
[Technically they’re his destined opportunities.]
Shen Tian slowly looked toward her.
"His?"
Xu Ning immediately corrected herself.
[Your opportunities.]
"Good system."
Lu Chen’s vehicle disappeared into the distance.
Tang Meilin walked closer.
"Something wrong?"
Shen Tian looked toward her.
"No."
His green eyes gleamed beneath the moonlight.
"Everything is going perfectly."
She stared.
That expression...
Again.
Like he knew something nobody else did.
She wanted to ask.
But...
Didn’t.
Not yet.
Shen Tian looked toward Tang Jianhong.
"Thank you for dinner."
Tang Jianhong nodded.
"You’re welcome here anytime."
Shen Tian looked toward Tang Meilin.
"Goodnight."
Her heart jumped slightly.
"Goodnight."
Shen Tian entered his car.
Tang Meilin watched him leave.
Only after his taillights disappeared...
Did she realize she was still standing there.
Tang Jianhong walked beside her.
He smiled.
Tang Meilin immediately noticed.
"What?"
"Nothing."
"Father."
"Nothing."
She narrowed her eyes.
Then turned toward the mansion.
Tang Jianhong followed.
"He’s impressive."
Tang Meilin stopped.
"...Yes."
Her father raised an eyebrow.
Tang Meilin immediately continued walking.
"I meant his cultivation."
"Of course."
"And his control."
"Naturally."
"And..."
She stopped.
Tang Jianhong smiled wider.
Tang Meilin turned.
"Stop agreeing with me like that."
Her father laughed.
"Goodnight, daughter."
Tang Meilin walked away.
Her cheeks remained slightly red.
At almost the exact same time...
Gu Qingya stepped out of Qinghe Technologies.
Her driver opened the rear door.
She entered.
Then...
Her phone vibrated.
Tang Meilin.
Gu Qingya opened the message.
Tang Meilin: Lu Chen showed up.
Gu Qingya immediately sighed.
She typed.
Gu Qingya: Of course he did.
Another message arrived.
Tang Meilin: He challenged Shen Tian.
Gu Qingya stared.
Gu Qingya: Again?
Tang Meilin: Yes.
Gu Qingya already knew the answer.
Still...
She typed.
Gu Qingya: Who won?
Three dots appeared.
Tang Meilin: Who do you think?
Gu Qingya smiled.
She didn’t even notice.
Another message.
Tang Meilin: It wasn’t even close.
Gu Qingya stared at the screen.
Something warm entered her chest.
Pride?
Why?
Shen Tian wasn’t hers.
They weren’t dating.
They barely knew each other.
And yet...
She smiled.
Tang Meilin sent another message.
Tang Meilin: He’s ridiculously arrogant.
Gu Qingya quietly laughed.
Then typed.
Gu Qingya: Yes.
She paused.
Then...
Gu Qingya: But at least he can back it up.
Tang Meilin stared at that message from her bedroom.
Then slowly smiled.
Two women.
Two different homes.
Two different families.
Neither one part of Shen Tian’s harem.
Neither one in love with him.
Not yet.
But...
Both thinking about him.
And neither quite willing to admit how much.
Far outside the city...
Lu Chen’s vehicle raced toward the western mountains.
Rose sat in the passenger seat.
Ghost and Bear followed behind in another vehicle.
Lu Chen’s face remained cold.
His ribs hurt.
His jaw hurt.
His pride hurt far worse.
But...
None of that mattered anymore.
Ancient ruins.
A hidden battlefield.
Powerful Qi fluctuations.
Something was waiting there.
Something capable of changing everything.
Lu Chen tightened his grip around the steering wheel.
[Shen Tian.]
Rose looked sideways.
Again.
[Enjoy your victory.]
Her expression became tired.
[Once I obtain this inheritance...]
Rose closed her eyes.
Of course.
[I’ll crush you.]
Then...
His thoughts shifted.
[And Qingya...]
Rose’s eyes opened.
Please don’t.
[She’ll finally understand.]
Rose sighed.
"Boss."
Lu Chen looked over.
"What?"
"Can you stop thinking about women for five minutes?"
Silence.
The vehicle swerved slightly.
"What?!"
Rose froze.
She had said it aloud.
"...Nothing."
Lu Chen stared suspiciously.
Rose looked out the window.
Then...
Another thought entered her mind.
Her own this time.
She remembered Shen Tian.
That arrogant smile.
The calm way he handled Lu Chen.
The difference between them.
Then she imagined something.
Lu Chen entering the ancient ruins.
Finding some legendary inheritance.
Reaching toward it.
And then...
Shen Tian appearing from nowhere.
Rose’s lips twitched.
If Shen Tian gets there first...
She covered her mouth.
No.
She shouldn’t laugh.
Lu Chen was her commander.
Her friend.
Her brother-in-arms.
She should support him.
But...
The mental image appeared again.
Lu Chen finally reaching some legendary treasure...
Only for Shen Tian to casually pick it up first.
Rose’s shoulders shook slightly.
Lu Chen looked over.
"What?"
"Nothing."
"Are you laughing?"
"No."
"You are."
"I’m not."
Lu Chen narrowed his eyes.
Rose turned toward the window.
Her smile widened.
This...
Was going to be interesting.
Back in the city...
Shen Tian stopped at a red light.
Xu Ning floated beside him.
[You’re going after him.]
"Obviously."
[Tonight?]
"No."
Xu Ning blinked.
[No?]
Shen Tian smiled.
"Let him work."
Her eyes widened.
Shen Tian leaned back comfortably.
"Let him find the entrance."
"Let him deal with the traps."
"Let him fight whatever is guarding it."
"Let him open the inheritance."
Xu Ning slowly smiled.
[And then?]
The light turned green.
Shen Tian accelerated.
His green eyes reflected the city lights.
"Then..."
His smile became arrogant.
"...I’ll take it."
Xu Ning laughed.
[Poor Lu Chen.]
Shen Tian raised an eyebrow.
"Poor?"
[Figure of speech.]
"Good."
He continued driving.
Lu Chen could run toward his opportunity.
He could gather Black Wolf.
He could risk his life.
He could struggle.
Fight.
Bleed.
Prove himself.
Shen Tian didn’t mind.
In fact...
He encouraged it.
After all...
Someone had to collect his rewards for him.
(Author’s Note: IMPORTANT!)
SEND POWESTONES!!!
ALL SUPER GIFTS (Magic Castle, Space Ship, Golden Gachapon) = MORE ChapterS!

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