75: It's better for both sides to lose than for one side to win.

"Alas... Young man, don't let your temper flare up so much..."

The voice was gentle, aged, and full of magnetism, seemingly containing a strange magical power.

It was like a warm spring breeze blowing into the banquet hall, which had already been filled with tension and murderous intent by the "backstabbing" and "reversals."

It was just a single sentence.

Yet, it caused the restlessness and anger in the hearts of all the magnates present—who had been stirred up and excited by Lin Chen's series of thunderous actions—to be slowly and uncontrollably soothed.

An absurd thought, "Yeah, it's such a small matter, why bother?" quietly sprouted in their minds.

Everyone looked over in shock, following the sound!

They saw that in the most mysterious chief guest seat, an old man dressed in plain hemp clothes, with white hair and beard, and a kindly face—looking like an ordinary old neighbor—was slowly setting down the teacup in his hand.

He was clearly sitting there, yet he seemed separated from the entire world by a faint, invisible veil.

You could see him, yet you felt he was ubiquitous.

Every one of his movements seemed to contain some ultimate truth of heaven and earth.

He was the stabilizing force of the Great Yan Dynasty, a man who had lived for nearly a thousand years and had long become a legend... the current Imperial Advisor!

No one knew his real name, and no one had ever seen him truly take action.

The world only knew that he was the Emperor's Teacher, and the recognized incarnation of "Wisdom" throughout the Eastern Barrens!

And at this moment, this legendary "Sage" finally entered the fray!

His turbid eyes, which seemed to have seen through the vicissitudes of ages, slowly turned toward Lin Chen, revealing a gentle smile full of "benevolence" and "tolerance."

That smile was full of amiability, like a kindly grandfather looking at his favorite mischievous junior.

"Lin Chen, is that right?"

The Imperial Advisor's voice was neither too fast nor too slow; every word seemed to carry a strange rhythm capable of soothing the heart.

"This matter tonight, this old man has witnessed it all. I must say, you are a very clever child. Your methods are also sharp."

As soon as he spoke, he first gave Lin Chen high affirmation. This was the first step of the [PUA Master]—gaining your trust and closing the distance between you.

Immediately afterward, he changed the subject, revealing a perfectly timed hint of "regret."

"However, child, your intent to kill is too strong."

He let out a long sigh and slowly spoke in the earnest tone of a "veteran":

"As the saying goes, it's better to resolve enmity than to deepen it. Elder Extinction certainly made a mistake, but she was temporarily blinded by hatred for the sake of her sect and her deceased disciples. As for the Lord Inspector, she merely valued the stability of the 'rules' too highly, which led to a slight error in Judgment. And regarding the child, Purple Moon..."

He glanced at High-Grade Fertilizer, who was already pale as death and tottering, his eyes filled with the "tolerance" of an "elder."

"She simply used some slightly dishonorable small tricks for the glory of her sect and to catch up to you, this peerless genius."

"When all is said and done..."

The Imperial Advisor's voice became increasingly gentle, increasingly filled with the "radiance" of "wisdom"!

"—No one here had malicious intentions!"

"Everything was for the sake of our respective sects, and for the future of our entire Eastern Barrens, wasn't it?"

"Lin Chen, listen to a word of advice from this old man."

His turbid eyes gazed deeply at Lin Chen, as if trying to brand these "profound truths" into the depths of Lin Chen's soul!

"Take a step back, and the world opens up. Forgive when you can. How about we just drop the matter tonight? Everyone smiles and forgets the grudges. You get the Champion title you deserve. They also received the necessary lesson. This is good for everyone. Don't you agree?"

What an "earnest" piece of advice!

What a perfect attempt to mediate by claiming "it's for everyone's benefit"!

This was the ultimate killing move of the [PUA Master]—using a seemingly "grand" "collective" interest to negate all the injustice and harm you personally suffered!

He lightly defined a life-and-death "premeditated murder" as a mere "misunderstanding" that could be settled with a "smile and forgotten grudge"!

He was making you give up accountability. If you refused, then you would be the "ignorant," "petty," and "unity-destroying"... culprit!

Instantly, the atmosphere of the entire hall became strange once more!

Under the rhetorical brainwashing of the Imperial Advisor, which resembled "sacred words," quite a few magnates actually nodded subconsciously!

"Lord Imperial Advisor, what you say is absolutely correct!"

"Indeed, it's better to resolve enmity than to deepen it. We are all colleagues in the Eastern Barrens, why make things so tense?"

"Holy Son Lin, young hero, why not give Lord Imperial Advisor some face and let this matter go!"

However.

Just as this false atmosphere of "you're good, I'm good, everyone's good," meticulously crafted by the Imperial Advisor, was about to completely seize control of the entire venue.

Lin Chen smiled again.

He looked at the Great Yan Imperial Advisor, whose face was full of benevolence and who seemed to have everything under control.

The smile on his face was no longer mocking or cold, but one filled with pity.

It was the pity of a Doctor of Psychology watching a beginner flaunt outdated theories from the last century in front of him.

"Lord Imperial Advisor."

Lin Chen's voice was calm yet clearly suppressed all the noise.

Not only was he completely unaffected, but he slowly began to applaud the Imperial Advisor.

"Your words are truly excellent. So excellent that this disciple almost believed them."

The Imperial Advisor's eyes narrowed slightly, but the smile on his face remained unchanged: "Oh? Child, then why didn't you believe it?"

"Because..."

Lin Chen's smile suddenly became incredibly "sincere"!

He looked at the Imperial Advisor and slowly spoke in a tone even more "earnest" and even more "for your benefit" than the Imperial Advisor had used!

"Lord Imperial Advisor, you were right just now! This disciple is actually doing this for your benefit too!"

As soon as these words came out, the entire audience was stunned!

Lin Chen's face was filled with the "grievance" of being "misunderstood"!

"Look!"

"It is precisely because this disciple worried that you would be deceived by 'treacherous villains' like Elder Extinction!"

"It is precisely because this disciple worried that you would be tricked by 'obstinate and self-serving' subordinates like Lord Codename: Sharp Blade!"

"It is precisely because this disciple wanted to help you recognize the extent of the harm that 'unprincipled' juniors like Saintess High-Grade Fertilizer would bring to the future of the Eastern Barrens!"

"Therefore!"

Lin Chen's voice suddenly rose, filled with the great fearless spirit of "sacrifice" inherent in "If I don't go to hell, who will?"

"I had no choice but to step forward! I had no choice but to endure the pressure of being misunderstood by everyone! To reveal the truth of all this!"

"Lord Imperial Advisor!"

Lin Chen's gaze was so "sincere"!

"I am doing all this for your benefit! I distinguished the loyal from the treacherous for you! I cleared hidden dangers by your side! I pointed out who the truly trustworthy 'righteous' people are! I sacrificed so much for you!"

"But..."

Deep "incomprehension" and "confusion" appeared on Lin Chen's face.

He looked at the Great Yan Imperial Advisor, whose smile had completely frozen on his face.

He asked the most damning question!

"—Why are you unwilling to accept this 'good intention' of mine?!"

"Could it be..."

Lin Chen's gaze suddenly became incredibly "sharp"!

"—Are you being hypocritical?!"

Boom—!!!!

Defeating magic with magic!

Returning your "PUA rhetoric" back to you, word for word!

At this moment!

The entire hall fell into a deathly silence!

Everyone's brains completely crashed due to Lin Chen's "miraculous" logical counter-attack!

They finally understood!

The Imperial Advisor's "it's all for your benefit" rhetoric sounded so lofty and so irrefutable.

But when Lin Chen reversed this rhetoric and used it on him... why did it become so absurd! So ridiculous! So utterly shameless?!

The Imperial Advisor's originally kind and gentle old face completely collapsed at this moment!

For the first time, his turbid eyes revealed emotions named "shock" and "disbelief"!

He was choked!

He was literally choked into silence by the "mind control" rhetoric he was most proud of!

He finally experienced the extreme humiliation and stifling frustration that Extinction Sword Crone and Codename: Sharp Blade had felt earlier—being pressed down and rubbed repeatedly on the ground using one's own sharpest weapon!

And right at this moment, Long Yan, the City Lord of Qianlong City, who had seemed to be watching a play the entire time, finally spoke slowly from the main seat.

Her voice was still gentle, but carried a hint of the undeniable majesty belonging to the supreme authority.

"Lord Imperial Advisor, Holy Son Lin. Tonight's 'farce' should come to an end."

Her gaze slowly swept across the entire venue, finally landing on Lin Chen. For the first time, a hint of genuine solemnity appeared in her deep phoenix eyes.

"Lin Chen, you are outstanding. So outstanding that you exceeded everyone's expectations. Whether it is your strength or your wisdom. You won. You won all the stakes of this 'Hongmen Banquet'."

Long Yan's words were like a heavy hammer, completely declaring the utter defeat of the four forces: Extinction Sword Crone, Codename: Sharp Blade, High-Grade Fertilizer, and the Great Yan Imperial Advisor!

But her words were not yet finished.

"However," her tone slightly deepened, and a terrifying pressure belonging to a Deity Transformation Realm Mighty Expert—far more vast and unfathomable than that of Inspector Leng Yan—slowly enveloped the entire hall like an invisible tide!

Under this pressure, Lin Chen's human emperor seal aura slightly stagnated!

He clearly felt that this power had surpassed the limit of what he could currently resist!

This was the true strength of the City Lord of Qianlong City!

"The victor has the right to claim the spoils. But the victor must also abide by Qianlong City's... rules."

Long Yan's eyes calmly watched Lin Chen.

"You cannot kill them here. At least, you cannot do it yourself."

This was the "show of force" from the highest combat power!

It was also her final bottom line as the "rule-setter"!

The entire venue was dead silent!

Everyone held their breath, watching the final direction of this confrontation!

How would Lin Chen choose? Would he forcibly tear things apart by resisting the City Lord's pressure and taking action? Or would he... stop here and accept the Imperial Advisor's mediation?

However.

Lin Chen's choice exceeded everyone's expectations.

All the sharpness on his face quietly receded at this moment.

He bowed slightly toward City Lord Long Yan in the main seat, revealing an extremely "humble" smile.

"The City Lord is correct. This disciple has always been the most obedient regarding the rules."

He actually... backed down?!

Just as the eyes of Extinction Sword Crone and the others flashed with the wild joy of surviving a catastrophe.

Lin Chen slowly straightened his body.

His gaze calmly swept over the four "queens" whose core values had already been shattered.

Then, he slowly spoke in a tone that was calmer yet colder and more cruel than ever before.

His voice was not loud but clearly reached everyone's ears.

"City Lord, this disciple naturally wouldn't dirty your territory by acting personally. This disciple merely wishes to ask the Lord Inspector to fulfill her essential... duty."

His gaze finally landed on Codename: Sharp Blade, who was trembling violently.

"Codename: Sharp Blade. Now that the human evidence (all the guests) and material evidence (two shadow-recording stones) are all present. Myriad Sword Pavilion's crime of cheating in the Grand Competition, premeditatedly harming the Champion, and disrupting order is unforgivable. Crimson Flame Divine Palace's crime of framing the loyal, attempting to manipulate the Grand Competition, and subverting fairness deserves execution. I now, in my capacity as the Champion of this Qianlong Grand Competition and the 'sole victim' in this case, request you, the Inspector of the Sky Patrol Hall, to publicly—in accordance with the iron laws of the Sky Patrol Hall—"

His voice paused slightly, and a devilish smile appeared on his face.

"—Carry out a righteous 'Judgment' upon them!"

Boom—!!!!

The entire venue fell into a dead silence!

Everyone's brains boiled over because of Lin Chen's final, "masterstroke" counter-attack!

He wouldn't do it himself!

He was going to borrow a knife to kill!

And the "knife" he borrowed was the sharpest one—the very one that had previously wanted to "judge" him!

He perfectly tossed that extremely hot potato back into the hands of Inspector Codename: Sharp Blade!

At this moment!

Everyone's gazes were focused like spotlights on Codename: Sharp Blade's face, which was already pale as paper!

Judgment?

What could she use to judge?!

Judge Extinction Sword Crone and High-Grade Fertilizer? That would be personally sending her "allies" to the execution block! She would thoroughly offend the two most powerful forces in the Eastern Barrens!

Not judge them?

Then, under the double scrutiny of City Lord Long Yan, the "highest witness," and Lin Chen, the "sole victim," she would be openly violating the iron laws of the Sky Patrol Hall!

The consequences... would be worse than death!

"Pfft—!"

A mouthful of fresh blood violently sprayed out from Codename: Sharp Blade's mouth!

Her spiritual pillar, named "rules," finally and completely... snapped under Lin Chen's final fatal blow!

And Lin Chen looked at the four "queens" who were now completely manipulated by him.

Watching this earth-shattering "Celebratory Hongmen Banquet."

He knew he had obtained everything he wanted: supreme prestige, the victory of the rules, and the key to the new map!

He slowly turned around and bowed slightly again to City Lord Long Yan, whose eyes held a complex expression.

"City Lord. The disputes in the Eastern Barrens are too noisy. This disciple is tired. I wish to claim the quota to the Central Continent Sacred Domain right now. As for the 'Judgment' here..."

A meaningful arc curved at the corner of his mouth.

"—Just leave it to the most professional person to handle."

Having said that.

He no longer spared a glance for the four women who had already fallen into collapse and despair.

Under the gaze of the entire audience, filled with awe, fear, and disbelief.

He turned around dashingly.

And walked toward the great gate... leading to a wider world!