Chapter 170 : Psychological Assault
Chapter 170: Psychological Assault
Just as Ye Jingchen was rendered speechless by the handsome young man’s words, a clear sound of a door opening suddenly echoed from the depths of the mist-shrouded secret chamber.
In the next instant, a figure he was all too familiar with walked forward gracefully.
Her waist-length pink hair shimmered with a dreamlike luster, her flawless face seemed beyond mortal dust, and those pale violet eyes were capable of seizing one’s very soul.
Who else could it be but the Hehuan Sect’s Saintess, Yaxi?
“Oh my…” Yaxi lightly covered her crimson lips with her slender fingers. Her gaze flowed as it landed upon Ye Jingchen, who was kneeling on the ground.
The corner of her lips curved into a half-smile. “Isn’t this the little thief who stole something from me? How did you end up in such a miserable state?”
With lotus steps, she slowly circled him. After confirming that the nauseating face before her was indeed the right one, she finally let out a long breath.
The Karmic Backlash she had inexplicably borne these past days would finally be settled today.
“Saintess? It’s you…” Ye Jingchen’s pupils shrank violently as everything clicked into place. “No wonder they could so easily lock onto my whereabouts… So it was you!”
“Who else but this Saintess?” Yaxi raised a brow with a light laugh, though her tone carried coldness. “Originally, I truly couldn’t find your trail. But since you insisted on being clever and transferring those unspeakable karmic ties onto me, well… that worked out nicely. I simply followed those Karmic Threads all the way here and caught you red-handed.”
These words were like the final straw that completely crushed Ye Jingchen’s psychological defenses. He cursed himself countless times in his heart.
When he had cast that secret art to transfer karma, it wasn’t that he hadn’t hesitated. But in the end, he believed the rank of the magical artifact in his possession was high enough that it would not be discovered in this world. So he had boldly used it.
Now he was filled with regret. He had always been cautious and meticulous in his actions—so why, when facing a figure like the Hehuan Sect’s Saintess, had he grown so arrogant?
When he had first obtained that secret treasure, he had reminded himself daily to remain vigilant—only steal a tiny bit of Destiny Luck each time, and after succeeding, lie low until all traces completely dissipated before making further moves. But as success came easier and easier, that original resolve had long been devoured by greed. And now… he was finally suffering the consequences.
“True Lord Luohong, since both the culprit and the stolen goods have been secured, let us proceed according to our prior agreement.” Saintess Yaxi flicked her sleeve lightly, her tone returning to the cold detachment befitting a saintess.
True Lord… Luohong?
The moment Ye Jingchen heard that title, his mind buzzed. Amid his shock was a strange sense of absurd relief. No wonder even the Sect Master could only stand by in attendance.
So this seemingly young and handsome man was the famed True Lord Luohong, renowned throughout the entire cultivation world!
What virtue or ability did he possess to warrant such a great power personally laying out a trap and taking action against him?
Yet True Lord Luohong showed no concern over the reverence revealed by his identity being exposed. He merely said calmly,
“Rest assured, Saintess. I will not go back on our agreement.”
He then turned toward Ye Jingchen, his tone still level. “Ye Jingchen, this is your last opportunity. Tell me—what is the origin of the ‘key’ you use to steal Destiny Luck, and how does it operate?”
“Heh…” Ye Jingchen instead relaxed completely, adopting a reckless, broken-jar attitude as he mocked, “So even the world-famous True Lord Luohong has things he cannot figure out? Why don’t you… lower yourself and guess again, like before?”
To his surprise, True Lord Luohong actually stroked his chin and showed a thoughtful expression.
Just as Ye Jingchen assumed he was about to say something earth-shattering, a sudden change occurred!
Four figures, half-solid and half-illusory, appeared without warning between him and True Lord Luohong.
When he saw those four incomparably familiar faces, Ye Jingchen’s pupils contracted to the extreme.
A torrent of fury, betrayal, and absurdity erupted in his chest like a volcano!
Liu Ruyan.
Su Ningxue.
Old Yao.
Tang De.
These four were the people he had invested the most emotion into since entering the Nine-Xia Heavenly Sect—aside from Zhou Qingshu, his subordinate—and the ones he believed to be his closest “own people.”
Now they stood before him alive and well, wearing their most familiar and amicable smiles. This time, the smiles were genuine—not the uniform fake smiles from the Martial Arena.
“Luohong!! You!! They… the four of them!!” Ye Jingchen’s eyes split with rage, his voice trembling from extreme fury. Though he had long suspected the truth, when it was presented so vividly before him, he realized he could not bear it at all.
The perfect image he had constructed in his heart—capable and reliable senior sister, innocent and admiring junior sister, profound and mysterious guiding elder, loyal and useful lackey—collapsed in an instant. All fake! All of it was fake!!
Yet True Lord Luohong himself did not speak. Among the four “puppet constructs,” the plump “Tang De” stepped forward first. His face still bore that simple and slightly sycophantic smile, but his words sent Ye Jingchen into an icy abyss.
“Brother Ye, since you’re unwilling to speak, how about your little brother makes a guess?” Tang De spoke fluently, devoid of any trace of nouveau riche vulgarity. “The runes on that key are typical of ancient styles. Combined with the honorifics you previously shouted—‘Star Lord of Fate,’ ‘Old Weaver of Destiny’—that thing of yours… likely has something to do with the long-collapsed Ancient Heavenly Court, or perhaps the Great Dao of Fate, doesn’t it?”
Looking at this “little brother,” who had once only known how to flatter, now speaking of ancient secrets with ease, Ye Jingchen felt an overwhelming sense of absurdity wash over him, as though he were still trapped in an unawakened nightmare.
Before fake Tang De finished, “Senior Sister” Liu Ruyan took over. She wore the familiar expression Ye Jingchen knew best—gentle, with a hint of sternness.
“Jingchen, is there truly a secret you can’t even tell your senior sister?” She shook her head lightly, eyes filled with “heartbroken” disappointment. “I truly misjudged you. To think you would commit something so despicable as stealing another’s Destiny Luck… You’ve truly disappointed me.”
“Ah! Luohong! You bastard! Don’t use their faces to say such things! Shut up! Shut up!!” Ye Jingchen nearly went mad.
Seeing the face that once stirred affection in him, hearing that familiar caring tone speak such words, his eyes instantly filled with blood vessels, tears spilling uncontrollably. It was spiritual dismemberment.
Even Saintess Yaxi, who was observing from the side, could not help but glance away slightly, a trace of pity arising in her heart.
Though she had already learned from True Lord Luohong about the existence of these puppet constructs, witnessing these four highly deceptive faces take turns “backstabbing” him still sent chills down her spine.
At the same time, a strange thought surfaced in her mind.
A plump lackey, a gentle senior sister, an adorable junior sister, a mysterious old grandpa… This configuration looked suspiciously like the “standard protagonist team” from the fantasy novels she had read in her previous life.
For some reason, Long Tao’s face flashed through her mind.
At that moment, “Junior Sister” Su Ningxue also spoke. She blinked those pure, innocent eyes and, in the sweetest voice, uttered the cruelest words.
“Senior Brother Ye, you’re so bad. If I had known you were this kind of person, I would’ve gone to play with Senior Brother Nan Yuchen instead!” She tilted her head cutely. “Ah, right! When I told you I disliked Senior Brother Nan before, I was lying! I actually… like him very much! And besides, Senior Brother Nan is much more handsome than you!”
Coming from “Su Ningxue,” these words carried devastating power. Even Yaxi’s lips twitched slightly. The Sect Master and True Person Mingzhu both shifted their gazes uncomfortably.
Even knowing these were puppet constructs, seeing such a pure and lively “girl” speak the most heart-piercing words with an innocent expression was truly testing one’s psychological endurance.
“Ahhh!! Luohong! I’ll fight you to the death!!” Ye Jingchen completely collapsed.
Like a madman, he tried to lunge forward, but invisible force restrained him in place. He could only release beast-like roars.
Finally, the silent “Old Yao” slowly spoke. Stroking his long beard, his eyes carried the helpless instruction of an elder.
“Jingchen, I told you long ago. The path of immortality must ultimately be walked step by step. Relying on external objects and wicked arts is but illusory reflection. When faced with the Inner Demon, you would not pass.” He sighed softly, his gaze seeming to pierce through Ye Jingchen’s soul. “That key in your hand… if I am not mistaken, it is not some magical artifact at all, but a gateway to a fragment of the Heavenly Court, is it?”
Already shattered, Ye Jingchen felt as though struck by lightning at the words “fragment of the Heavenly Court.” He suddenly raised his head and stared at “Old Yao” in disbelief.
And “Old Yao,” like a true sage who saw through all worldly matters, continued smiling.
“Do not underestimate an old man. Nor assume you alone are special. The cultivation world has a long history; in any era, there are those who obtain fortuitous opportunities. Those who have received the inheritance of Heavenly Court fragments… you are not the first.”
He paused, then delivered a revelation that shook Ye Jingchen to his core.
“In fact, within our Nine-Xia Heavenly Sect… more than one Heavenly Court fragment is sealed away.”