36: Wen Yan versus Lin Fan!

Lin Fan's roar was particularly ear-piercing.

On the high platform, the power holders of the various major forces looked at the young man on the battle stage, who was exuding an evil Demonic Qi, and all frowned slightly, their expressions varied.

"Brother Jiang, this child... seems a bit off," the Emperor of the Tianyuan Divine Dynasty, a middle-aged man in a nine-Dragon imperial robe, said in a deep voice.

"Demonic Qi has entered his body, his Heart-Nature is lost; he's nothing more than a fool whose head has been muddled by power," Jiang Shengtian said with a cold expression, seated in the main position.

He naturally saw the problem with Lin Fan, but he didn't care.

A waste who couldn't even maintain his own Heart-Nature, even if he gained powerful strength in a short time, would ultimately be nothing more than a flash in the pan, unable to achieve anything significant.

What he cared more about was his son's calm and composed attitude.

Facing such provocation, he could still sit steadily, and even had the leisure to tease a girl. This Heart-Nature now made him, as a father, very satisfied.

On the other side, Nangong Zhuo watched this scene, a glint flashing in his eyes.

He glanced at his daughter, who was still expressionless but whose knuckles holding the teacup were slightly white, then at Jiang Chen, who was exchanging glances with Su Qinger, and a subtle smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.

He raised his teacup, toasted Jiang Shengtian from afar, and transmitted a message: "Brother Shengtian, your nephew's cultivation has not only greatly improved, but his romantic luck also seems to be very prosperous."

Jiang Shengtian laughed heartily upon hearing this, and transmitted back: "Young people, being a bit romantic is no big deal. As long as he knows what's important, it's fine."

The two looked at each other and smiled, everything unsaid.

Below the battle stage, the old man's soul body in the ring, feeling the devouring Demonic Qi that Lin Fan could no longer conceal, let out a long sigh filled with disappointment.

He knew that from the moment Lin Fan swallowed that devil core, this Disciple was already ruined.

"This is outrageous!"

In the True Disciple's seating area, Xiao Tiandu snorted coldly, his eyes showing undisguised disgust.

He wasn't targeting Jiang Chen, but rather couldn't stand Lin Fan's behavior of resorting to any means for power and falling into the Demonic Path.

In his opinion, this was a defilement of the word Cultivator and a trampling of Hongtian Holy Land's reputation.

"If such a demonic evil is allowed to continue rampaging, what face will our Holy Land have?"

Song Ningxue's voice was as cold as she was. "If I encounter him in later matches, I will personally clean house."

Next to her, Wen Yan fanned himself, uncharacteristically shedding his cynical expression, and sighed with a tsk-tsk, "From love comes sorrow, from love comes fear. If one is free from love, there is no sorrow, no fear. What a pity, what a pity."

Qing Linghe remained silent, but a touch of solemnity also appeared in her tranquil eyes.

Jiang Chen naturally felt the surrounding gazes, some probing, some solemn, some gloating.

He, however, didn't care, merely looking at Su Qinger with interest.

"How is it? Seeing him like this now, do you still feel any reluctance in your heart?"

Jiang Chen's transmitted message clearly reached Su Qinger's ears.

Su Qinger's delicate body trembled, and she slowly raised her head, meeting Jiang Chen's eyes that seemed to see through people's hearts.

She shook her head, her voice very soft, but her eyes firm: "He is no longer the Brother Lin Fan I knew. The current him has become too unfamiliar to me."

She paused, gathered her courage, and asked in return: "You... will you really kill him?"

Jiang Chen smiled.

"As I said, it depends on him."

He picked up his teacup, gently blew on the hot Qi, "However, looking at him now, so eager to reincarnate, if I don't fulfill his wish, it would make me seem like a woman."

These words, though cruel, made Su Qinger's heart, which had been hanging, completely settle.

"Ding! Detected that Daughter of Destiny Su Qinger's knot has been completely untied, and her favorability towards the host has significantly increased, entering the infatuation stage!"

"Congratulations to the host, Villain Mission Phase Two completion 80%!"

The System's notification sounded in Jiang Chen's mind.

A satisfied smile appeared at the corner of Jiang Chen's mouth.

He put down his teacup and finally, for the first time, formally cast his gaze upon Lin Fan on the battle stage.

Lin Fan also felt this gaze; he trembled all over, thinking his provocation had finally worked, and couldn't help but reveal a sinister smile on his face.

However, he saw no anger, solemnity, or apprehension in Jiang Chen's eyes.

In those eyes, there was only pure... mockery.

It was like a person high above looking down at a self-important ant, enjoying its ridiculous and futile struggles.

This kind of gaze was more hurtful than disregard, more humiliating than contempt!

"Ah!!"

Lin Fan felt his dignity utterly crushed; he let out an unwilling roar to the sky, and the black-red Demonic Qi around him surged uncontrollably, making him appear even more deranged and terrifying.

"Silence!"

The Elder in charge roared, and the pressure of the Eighth Realm Mahayana descended, forcibly suppressing Lin Fan's rampant aura.

"Lin Fan, victorious! Next match!"

The Elder in charge took a deep look at Lin Fan and announced the result.

Lin Fan panted heavily, glaring fiercely at Jiang Chen, but was ultimately led off the battle stage by two enforcement Disciples and taken aside to rest, in reality, to be guarded.

The subsequent matches, though still exciting, no longer held the audience's full attention.

Everyone knew that the true highlight of this grand competition had become the struggle between Saint Jiang Chen, Lin Fan, and the True Disciples.

Soon, the first round of matches concluded.

The lineup for the second round quickly appeared on the huge water screen in the center of the plaza.

When they saw one of the matchups, the entire audience erupted in an uproar again.

"Lin Fan, against... True Disciple, Wen Yan!"

This matchup result surprised everyone, yet it was also within reason.

One was a newly risen, ruthless prodigy.

The other was a long-established True Disciple of the Holy Land.

This duel was not just a battle between two individuals, but more like an early collision between righteousness and the Demonic Path!

Wen Yan looked at the names on the water screen, his expression unchanged, merely slowly gripping the fan in his hand.

And Lin Fan, who was being guarded by the enforcement Disciples, upon seeing this result, grinned and let out a low, maniacal laugh.

"Wen Yan... True Disciple? Very good... very good!"

"Kill you, and I'll be the new True Disciple!"

"Jiang Chen, do you see? I will step by step, trample all these people underfoot! Then, I'll come for your dog-life!"

His eyes had lost all reason, leaving only pure desire for slaughter and revenge.