Chapter 2

• Even though Bowen had been a good citizen on Earth, this was no longer Earth, but the Immortal Martial World, where the strong ruled, the weak were trampled like ants, and human lives were as insignificant as grass!
• One had to adapt to the environment.
• Moreover, once Tim regained his strength, it would be Bowen who would face certain death!
• But as the thought of eliminating Tim crossed Bowen's mind, the System's voice suddenly echoed in his head.
• [Ding! Reminder to the host: the protagonist was born with the powerful protection of Heavenly Fate!]
• [To eliminate the protagonist, you must first weaken his Heavenly Fate Value to the point where he loses his protagonist status, only then can you use force to kill him!]
• [Otherwise, you will suffer a backlash from the Heavenly Fate, triggering a chain of unforeseen consequences and potentially fatal crises!]
• [Actions such as breaking the protagonist's spirit and will, altering his personality, stealing his opportunities and love interests, scheming against him, killing his subordinates, and changing the plot's direction can weaken the protagonist's Heavenly Fate Value to a certain extent, earning you Villain Value.]
• [Once the Villain Value reaches 1,000 points, you can automatically unlock the Level 1 System Mall and redeem items!]
• [Successfully eliminating the protagonist grants you the Black Heavenly Fate and a chance to acquire the Heaven-Defying Fate Changer!]
• [Black Heavenly Fate: unique to the host, the higher it is, the greater the likelihood of encountering high-level opportunities and facing the protagonist, thus obtaining the identity of the villain!]
• [Upgrading the System Mall requires the Black Heavenly Fate Value to meet the standard!]
• These messages left Bowen somewhat bewildered.
• 'What the hell!'
• 'I'm a Spiritual Awakening Realm cultivator, yet I can't even use force to kill a crippled cultivator?'
• 'Is the protagonist's ability to transform misfortune into fortune truly that remarkable?'
• 'If Tim is so incredible, how did he end up having his dantian shattered by his predecessor's scheme?'
• '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 blessing"!'
• 'Darn, it seems I have no choice but to proceed cautiously.'
• Thoughts raced through Bowen's mind before he ultimately took a deep breath and regained his composure.
• Although his opponent was the protagonist, possessing Heavenly Fate in his body that allowed him to turn misfortune into fortune and achieve astounding success against all odds.
• Bowen was no mere sacrificial lamb; on the contrary, he had the System!
• Anyone who had read plenty of novels would know just how formidable a System could be!
• Although the System had not granted him any unique abilities yet, Bowen believed that it would not disappoint him.
• 'What's happening?'
• 'Has Elder Bowen not yet figured out how to handle that good-for-nothing Tim?'
• 'Elder Bowen hasn't uttered a word; could this be a form of psychological warfare? The longer it drags on, the more terrified he becomes?'
• '...'
• As the crowd observed Bowen's hesitation, they couldn't help but speculate in their hearts.
• At that moment, Bowen slowly opened his eyes, revealing dark, ink-like pupils.
• The instant he opened his eyes, the expressions of everyone present shifted, and their gazes were drawn to him one after another.
• In terms of appearance and stature, Bowen was undoubtedly among the finest.
• After all, the more attractive, influential, and powerful the villain, the more significant the impact when they faced defeat, and the greater the satisfaction derived from it!
• Next, they saw Bowen rise leisurely from the stone bench.
• With his hands behind his back, he strolled towards Tim, and as he did so, the corners of his mouth curled into a smile.
• "Elder Bowen!"
• The disciples, one after another, bowed with their hands clasped in front of them and saluted respectfully.
• In their minds, the brighter Bowen's smile, the worse Tim's fate would be.
• "Hm."
• Bowen nodded slightly, his footsteps unwavering as he continued towards Tim.
• "Bowen!"
• Tim's heart tightened as he looked at Bowen with cold eyes. "What are you trying to do?"
• "Elder Bowen!"
• "Tim is already in such a state, and your status is honourable. The past disputes..."
• Adron and Clement stepped in front of Tim, offering a smile, and cupped their fists in a salute, attempting to shield him for a moment.
• "Haha."
• "You all have misunderstood me," Bowen said, his smile unchanging as he waved his hand dismissively.
• 'What does he mean?'
• Tim, Adron, Clement, and the disciples who had mocked Tim earlier were all left momentarily speechless.
• "Tim."
• "Cases of people returning to the path of cultivation despite having their dantian shattered are not unheard of."
• "Although we have had our differences, I must admit that I actually admire you."
• "Therefore, I'm willing to step in and try to keep you in the sect. What do you think?"
• Bowen smiled warmly as he looked towards Tim.
• As far as he could tell, Tim's opportunity lay at the foot of the mountain. If that were the case, Tim would strive 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 story.
• At that moment, as Bowen made this proposal, everyone present was left dumbstruck.
• "What? Elder Bowen actually admires Tim?"
• "No way, how could Elder Bowen want to help Tim?"
• "Could it be that my ears and eyes are playing tricks on me?"
• "..."
• One by one, the disciples who had mocked Tim earlier stared at Bowen in disbelief.
• The person in question, Tim and his close friends Adron and Clement, were also left incredulous.
• 'What exactly is Bowen trying to do?'
• 'He has targeted me many times, and I have disgraced him in public on numerous occasions. The feud between us cannot be resolved so easily.'
• 'He actually wants to help me stay in the sect, but for what reason?'
• Tim pondered, instinctively feeling that Bowen's amiable demeanor was not as genuine as it appeared.
• Adron and Clement, on the other hand, exchanged glances with a hint of joy amidst their astonishment.
• Although the chances of Tim's dantian being repaired were extremely slim and nearly impossible, it was still better than being forced down the mountain and left to die alone.
• Just at that moment!
• "I got it!"
• A female disciple exclaimed excitedly, then lowered her voice and whispered to those around her:
• "Elder Bowen is going to keep Tim in the sect and slowly torture him. Hahaha, just thinking about it is so thrilling!"
• This remark spread quickly among the disciples.
• The faces of the other disciples around them instantly showed a sense of understanding.
• However, they looked at the excited female disciple with a somewhat peculiar expression.
• This girl seemed to think that she had kept her voice low.
• But in reality, she was so excited that the content of her words hadn't been concealed at all!
• As a matter of fact.
• Both Adron and Clement's faces froze as the joy in their hearts instantly vanished, replaced by a dense coldness and lingering fear.
• 'Bowen!'
• 'I knew you had no good intentions!'
• 'You're actually so vicious, planning to keep me in the sect to be slowly tortured!'
• Tim's face turned pale as he cursed inwardly!
• "This junior sister, you think you're very clever, don't you?"
• Bowen twisted his head to look at the female disciple and couldn't help but roll his eyes internally.
• "Elder, I'm sorry!"
• The female disciple's legs trembled as she stood there with trepidation, not daring to say a word.
• She was also very puzzled herself; how could she lose her mind and say something like that out loud?
• "You three."
• "That fellow junior sister was merely speculating wildly; I'm not that kind of person."
• Bowen turned his head to look at Tim and the others, saying with a smile.
• 'A wild guess?'
• 'I think she's the one telling the truth, alright!'
• Tim's face remained unchanged, but inwardly, he was gritting his teeth.
• "Ah ha ha!"
• "Yes, yes, we all know that Elder Bowen isn't the cruel type."
• Adron forced a laugh, "It's just that... Tim is crippled now; he truly isn't fit to stay in the sect anymore."
• "Right, right, right."
• "He is crippled; how can he remain in the sect? It's better for him to leave the mountain."
• Tim also chimed in with a smile.
• Upon hearing these words,
• Even though Tim knew that the two were acting in his best interest, he couldn't help but feel a stabbing pain in his heart.
• The fact was that the word 'crippled' was incredibly irksome to him!
• "Ugh."
• Bowen sighed and looked at Tim, "What do you think personally?"
• "I... I'd better leave the mountain."
• Tim forced a small smile and nodded to Adron and Clement, intending to depart immediately.