Chapter 12

• Upon hearing this somewhat familiar voice,
• Tim's face transformed dramatically, his expression tensing slightly as he turned towards the entrance.
• There, Elder Bowen stood in the doorway, a subtle look of surprise and amusement playing across his face, as though he were observing a performance.
• This amusement manifested in a playful smirk aimed at Tim,
• As well as the system prompt still resounding in his mind -
• [Ding! You have successfully stopped Tim from both showing off and humbling others, reducing his Heavenly Fate Value by 200 points!]
• [Ding! You have successfully altered the plot, and Tim's Heavenly Fate Value has been reduced by 100 points!]
• [Ding! You have acquired 500 Villain Value points!]
• In the blink of an eye, 500 Villain Value points were earned, bringing the current balance to 700 points.
• Meanwhile,
• 'Elder Bowen!!'
• 'What's happening here?'
• 'How could he possibly be here?'
• 'Could it be that... he chased me all the way here!!!?'
• 'That can't be right; does he truly hold me in high regard and see me as a threat that must be dealt with!?'
• 'On top of that, I'm in trouble now; he has exposed the fact that I was expelled from the Starry Abyss Sect!'
• 'And, to make matters worse, my regained cultivation has been discovered; he'll definitely investigate it thoroughly!'
• 'Damn, what do I do now!!'
• '...'
• Tim's heart churned in turmoil, as if danger lurked everywhere, and a barrage of thoughts raced through his mind.
• Shock, bewilderment, alarm, confusion... and the sheer embarrassment of having his identity exposed; various emotions swirled within him.
• Piko and Valerie, on the other hand, were also filled with anxiety.
• If Tim's identity is revealed by Elder Bowen, he won't be able to intimidate Lim Yoda!
• Immediately,
• The pair's impression of Elder Bowen soured slightly.
• Simultaneously,
• "Bowe... Young Master Bowen!?"
• Lim Yoda gazed at Bowen, his eyes widening and his body trembling violently as he exclaimed, "It's truly you! You've returned from the Starry Abyss Sect!!!"
• In Lim Yoda's mind, Bowen ranked among the most important figures not to be trifled with, so he had already gathered information about him early on.
• Thus, although he had scarcely encountered Bowen in person, he recognized him instantly.
• "You can still recognize me?"
• Bowen regarded Lim Yoda and smiled faintly.
• "Of course I do, and more than just recognizing you!"
• "Ever since childhood, I've admired your portrait. Among the cultivation prodigies, you are the one I respect the most. I've always aspired to follow in your footsteps..."
• Lim Yoda's face brimmed with flattery as he continued to utter pleasing words, appearing as if he would do anything to become Elder Bowen's follower.
• Witnessing this, Piko and Valerie also recalled the figure of Bowen.
• Elder Bowen, the young master of the Bowen Clan, was rumored to have a dubious reputation, and his purpose for visiting the Vast Spirit Residence this time remained unclear.
• A few thoughts raced through their minds,
• And the two almost believed that Elder Bowen and Lim Yoda were in collusion, causing their impression of Elder Bowen to worsen even further.
• However,
• Contrary to the duo's expectations, Elder Bowen displayed no signs of appreciation for Lim Yoda's flattery.
• "Enough of this flattery."
• Elder Bowen glanced at Lim Yoda with a slight frown, "Tell me, what are you doing here?"
• "Young Master Bowen!"
• "I'm here to find Miss Valerie..."
• Lim Yoda said with an ingratiating smile.
• "Oh."
• Bowen promptly interrupted Lim Yoda, "There's no need to say the rest; I understand."
• "Eh hehe, hehe!" Lim Yoda hastily nodded his head, displaying the demeanor of someone talking to a close friend.
• Upon witnessing this scene,
• Valerie's eyes immediately dulled.
• Piko's face also turned pale, and the age spots on her face grew more prominent.
• One Lim Yoda was enough to place the Vast Spirit Residence in an extremely difficult situation, and now there was another – Elder Bowen, the young master of the Bowen Clan and a true disciple of the Starry Abyss Sect!
• With Lim Yoda now cozying up to Elder Bowen, what could they possibly do?
• 'Damn it, Elder Bowen!'
• Tim also gritted his teeth and cursed furiously in his heart.
• He harbored deep affection for Valerie and was determined to win her heart, but now Elder Bowen stood behind Lim Yoda...
• But just then!
• SLAP!!
• A resounding slap echoed throughout the inn lobby!
• Lim Yoda spun around three times before crashing to the ground with a thud, his swollen face a mixture of shock and bewilderment.
• The old man stared, dumbfounded, but dared not move a single muscle.
• "Laughing?"
• "What I, Elder Bowen, detest the most are despicable people like you who only think with their lower body!"
• "You've tarnished the reputation of Autumn Glory City's young generation with your foppish behavior!"
• "On top of that, you actually tried to establish a connection with me just now; get the hell out!!!"
• Elder Bowen's face remained impassive as he shook off the hand he'd used to slap Lim Yoda, his voice as chilling as a frigid wind emerging from an icy cellar.
• "Yes, yes, yes!"
• "I... I'll leave right away!"
• "I'll never engage in such vile acts again, and I'll make amends to the Vast Spirit Residence later!"
• "Young Master Bowen, I'm leaving, I'm leaving!"
• Lim Yoda snapped back to reality, frantically nodding his head as if he were a chicken pecking at rice.
• Immediately afterward,
• Amidst Piko and Valerie's astonishment and shock, as well as Tim's puzzled expression,
• Lim Yoda humbly and clumsily scrambled out of the Vast Spirit Residence!
• The old man cast a fearful glance at Elder Bowen, his body trembling violently, and he too hastily followed, leaving the inn behind.
• All of a sudden,
• Only Bowen and the other three people remained in the inn lobby.
• Watching Lim Yoda disappear,
• Tim didn't know why, but he suddenly felt a sense of emptiness, as if he had lost something.
• At the same time,
• Valerie and Piko exchanged glances, both seeing the astonishment, doubt, and a hint of relief in each other's eyes.
• It turned out that both the master and disciple had misjudged Bowen.
• Bowen and Lim Yoda were not in cahoots after all.
• It seemed that Elder Bowen was an exceptional young cultivator with an outstanding upbringing and high moral character!
• With that being the case, the situation wasn't as dire as they had feared.
• [Ding! Unpursued heroine Valerie's impression of you has changed, and protagonist Tim's Heavenly Fate Value has been reduced by 100 points!]
• [Ding! You have gained 200 points of Villain Value!]
• Two system prompts echoed in Elder Bowen's mind, causing the corners of his mouth to curl into a smile.
• The conquest of the heroine had begun!
• With a smile on his face,
• Bowen took a step forward and approached TIm, Valerie, and Piko.
• Abruptly.
• "Bowen!"
• "You don't need to feign innocence here!"
• "Before being expelled from the mountain, at the mountain gate, you humiliated me!"
• "Now, you've even pursued me to this Vast Spirit Residence; you truly are cold-hearted and merciless, employing vicious tactics!"
• As Bowen approached step by step, Tim, who had remained silent until now, finally clenched his teeth and growled.
• Once these words were uttered.
• Valerie and Tim's hearts sank immediately.
• From TIm's words, it was evident that a grudge existed between him and Elder Bowen.
• So.
• Was Bowen a heartless and ruthless individual, or was he an honorable young man with an exceptional upbringing?
• Confusion clouded the minds of the two, but for some reason, they found themselves gradually leaning towards Tim's side.
• However, just at that moment.
• "Tim, what are you implying?"
• "What do you mean by feigning innocence, and what do you mean by humiliation?"
• "When you were expelled from the mountain, I was the one willing to help you remain in the sect, and numerous sect disciples witnessed this event."
• "Yet, you believed I intended to harm you and rejected my assistance!"
• "I am a Spiritual Awakening Realm cultivator and a core disciple of the Starry Abyss Sect. Why would I go out of my way to harm you, an inner disciple with a shattered dantian?"
• "If I truly intended to harm you, with a single command, the entire Autumn Glory City would become your enemy, believe it or not?"
• Bowen gazed at Tim with a composed expression and spoke in a tranquil tone.
• Upon hearing this.
• Bowen and Piko both conceded that it did make sense.
• With the amount of power at Bowen's disposal, handling Tim would be far too easy.
• "No!"
• Tim's pupils narrowed slightly, filled with wariness, "If you're not here to kill me, then what brings you here?"
• "I'm here to locate alchemist Tim."
• "Encountering you here is purely coincidental. Please don't flatter yourself by assuming I'm here for you."
• "Even if you have now regained your cultivation and seemingly possess some secrets, I have no interest in you."
• Bowen cast a somewhat impatient and disdainful glance at Tim, then turned and walked to the door, gesturing towards a distant location.