Chapter 244: Gu Ran's Growing Frustration

System prompts echoed within Jiang Chen's mind.

'1000 point reduction in Heavenly Fate Value!'

'Ha, quite a decent gain.'

A gratified smirk spread across Jiang Chen's visage. 'Indeed, this minor event holds significant meaning 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 Black Wood Island.

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 Black Wood Island, specifically at the Black Wood Public Square!

In the vicinity of the Black 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 the combat prowess equivalent to the Inquiring Journey realm.

"Proceed, intercept Gu Ran according to the original plan!"

Jiang Chen relayed Gu Ran's imminent list of victims to the death warriors.

Without delay, the death warriors sprang into motion.

Afterward.

'It's high time I took my move!'

A slight smile tugged at Jiang Chen's lips as he promptly masked his presence and aura, stealthily advancing towards Black Wood Island.

Within Black Wood Island, Gu Ran, still concealed, traversed at maximum velocity.

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

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

Meanwhile, the occupants of Black Wood Public Square persisted in scouring the entire plaza.

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

"What?!"

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

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

"Who relayed 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 Clan situated at Black Wood Public Square initially exhibited shock, then wore vigilant expressions, and started to converse surreptitiously.

At that moment.

'Four Heavenly Origin realm!'

'And a few Mysterious Platform realm cultivators.'

'Eliminating them all, even if it doesn't enable me to ascend to the Inquiring Journey realm, will enhance my cultivation base!'

A chilling gleam flashed across Gu Ran's eyes as he abruptly sprang into action!

Boom!

A formidable aura erupted in a flash.

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

However.

"Brace yourselves!"

The cultivators from the Feng Clan had prepared well and instantly put up their defenses in unison.

Boom!

Gu Ran's onslaught 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?!'

'And why, out of all places, here?!'

Gu Ran's heart pounded fiercely, his expression took a drastic turn, and without any hesitation, he relinquished his imminent victims and whirled to defend!

Clang!

The clamor of weapons clashing reverberated throughout the plaza.

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!'

'Damn it, I refuse to accept that others among them can also manifest Inquiring Journey realm battle prowess!'

Donning a grim expression, Gu Ran used the recoil to catapult himself a considerable distance, vanishing into the obscurity of the night.

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

[Ding! You have accumulated 600 Villain Value points!]

The system prompts chimed again.

'Only a reduction of three hundred points?'

'It appears those cultivators couldn't catalyze Gu Ran's breakthrough to the Inquiring Journey realm.'

Maintaining a serene countenance, Jiang Chen stood atop the dome of Black Wood Island, surveying everything beneath him, although his divine sense and gaze deliberately bypassed Gu Ran.

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

It was evident that Gu Ran had shifted his targets.

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

This was the only freshwater lake on the island, boasting exquisite scenery.

"Proceed, assume your positions!"

Jiang Chen relayed commands to his death warriors via divine sense.

Swiftly, a 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 now comprised five Heavenly Origin realm cultivators!

Not far off, Gu Ran, persisting in his concealment, stood secluded, eyes gleaming as he surveyed the group of cultivators busily probing their surroundings.

'Five of them are at the Heavenly Origin realm...'

'I refuse to accept that among these individuals, there exist ones who can manifest Inquiring Journey realm battle prowess!'

Harboring these thoughts, Gu Ran's eyes radiated resolve as he audaciously launched his attack!

Swoosh!

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

However.

"It's Gu Ran!"

One of Jiang Chen's death warriors instantly unleashed his Inquiring Journey realm combat prowess, directly thwarting Gu Ran's assault!

'Wh... what?!'

'How can there be another Heavenly Origin realm capable of erupting with Inquiring Journey realm combat power, this is preposterous!'

'How can such a minor locale like Black Wood Island host so many Heavenly Origin realm cultivators with extraordinary combat talents!'

'...'

Gu Ran was instantaneously dumbstruck!

Once or twice could be chalked up to chance, but thrice was outright absurd!

Gu Ran almost began to suspect he was trapped in some nightmarish hallucination, otherwise, how could everything go so awry!?

According to his calculations, he should have already eliminated a number of Feng Clan cultivators and advanced to the Inquiring Journey realm.

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

He hadn't even managed to slay 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 escalate excessively.

'This won't do!'

'While Feng Hongbo is entangled with that demonic beast, I must vacate Black Wood Island first, and seek retribution later!'

Gu Ran pondered, his teeth gritted, fists clenched tight, veins pulsating.

Without further ado, he seized an opportunity to retreat without a second thought.

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

Black Wood Island'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.

His thoughts had already been deciphered by Jiang Chen through the fluctuating Fate Value of the supporting characters!

'Thinking of making a getaway, are you?'

'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 Jiang Chen's face as he once more relayed his commands.

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