Great Villain: Starting by Humiliating the Son of the Heavenly Fate

Chapter 145: Departure, the Red Maple Heavenly Valley

Chapter 145: Departure, the Red Maple Heavenly Valley

"I share your sentiments!"

A laugh escaped from Xie Xiaojing.

"In that case,"

Jiang Chen slightly inclined his head, inquiring, "Holy Maiden, have you decided where you intend to practice?"

"Well, now..."

"I have traversed much of the Purple Heaven Holy Land."

"I yearn for a destination I've yet to explore; otherwise, it would be quite a miss on this rare opportunity."

Ji Ruxue lightly stroked her petite, fair chin, her voice laced with a hint of concern.

"However,"

"The Holy Lord insists we remain within certain bounds."

"Moreover, we're constrained by a timeline. Merely a month is afforded to us. It's hardly practical to fritter away precious time journeying, wouldn't you agree?"

Xie Xiaojing, after a moment's reflection, proposed, "What if we sought a realm teeming with demonic beasts for our training?"

"Absolutely not!"

Ji Ruxue resolutely shook her head, "What benefit does that hold? I'd rather not embark on such a venture."

"Holy Maiden, there's no need for haste."

"I'll consult with others. Surely, there's a suitable training site near the Purple Heaven Holy Land, one that remains unexplored by you."

Jiang Chen promptly offered words of reassurance.

In the past, he had enlisted Rong Liangcai's aid to distract Fang Yuan, thwarting his attendance at the grand sect assembly.

The stratagem Rong Liangcai and his associates deployed involved assigning Fang Yuan to a patrol where demonic beasts were known to frequent within the sect.

Even during the commencement of the grand sect assembly, numerous disciples were dispatched to oversee the surrounding precincts of the sect.

This behavior strongly suggested that the demonic beasts around Purple Heaven Holy Land have displayed increased activity of late.

It stood to reason that new locales fitting for cultivation could have surfaced.

"Make your inquiries without delay!"

Ji Ruxue granted her assent to Jiang Chen, her gaze flickering with anticipation.

"I'll commence immediately!"

Jiang Chen wasted no time in contacting Rong Liangcai, requesting him to furnish a list of all cultivation-friendly sites within the vicinity of the Purple Heaven Holy Land, placing particular emphasis on the recently emerged ones.

Even though Rong Liangcai's cultivation base may be regarded as mediocre within the Purple Heaven Holy Land, his several hundred years of familiarity with the region has granted him a broad network of contacts and a wealth of information.

Shortly thereafter, Rong Liangcai proposed a location known as the 'Red Maple Heavenly Valley'.

This valley, renowned for its stunning landscape, had recently seen the emergence of some Heavenly Origin realm demonic beasts.

The sect had conducted an initial survey but found no Inquiring Journey realm demonic beasts.

Moreover, they had yet to assign anyone to subdue these creatures.

Finding the Red Maple Heavenly Valley to be quite suitable, Jiang Chen recommended it to Ji Ruxue.

"Red Maple Heavenly Valley?"

"That seems unfamiliar. I believe I've yet to visit that place!"

"Then, we should set our course for this Red Maple Heavenly Valley!"

Upon hearing Jiang Chen's description, Ji Ruxue promptly arrived at a decision.

"Agreed, we'll venture to the Red Maple Heavenly Valley."

Jiang Chen and Xie Xiaojing exchanged affirming glances, both nodding in consent.

"Hehe, I can hardly contain my excitement!"

Ji Ruxue rose, her spirit brimming with anticipation, declaring, "I'll get our preparations underway. We depart promptly tomorrow."

[Ding! You've successfully increased your favor with the unpursued heroine, Ji Ruxue. Protagonist Fang Yuan's Heavenly Fate Value decreases by 200 points!]

[Ding! You've acquired 400 points of Villain Value!]

The system prompts echoed in Jiang Chen's mind, eliciting an inward smirk from him.

"Very well."

"We'll reconvene tomorrow!"

Having declared this, Jiang Chen rose and departed, leaving behind the two maidens still buzzing with anticipation for their impending expedition.

During his journey back.

'Ji Ruxue is the heroine yet to be pursued.'

'Every event that befalls her might, in time, intersect with the protagonist, Fang Yuan.'

'This impending training expedition, though it seems irrelevant to Fang Yuan, may provoke unforeseen circumstances.'

'We dare not treat this training journey lightly!'

'...'

Jiang Chen mulled over these thoughts, then produced his transmission jade token, instructing Rong Liangcai and his compatriots to clandestinely monitor Fang Yuan's activities.

Currently, Fang Yuan was the center of attention, receiving a steady stream of visitors.

Rong Liangcai and his companions felt little concern about their covert operations being detected.

Upon returning to his Cave Mansion, Jiang Chen promptly resumed his cultivation.

The night unfolded uneventfully.

At the crack of dawn the next day, Jiang Chen coordinated with Xie Xiaojing, and they ventured towards Ji Ruxue's palace together.

Surprisingly, Ji Ruxue had remained vigilant throughout the night, poised for this moment.

"Quickly! Let's set forth!"

"This is my flying artifact, Jiang Chen, you'll be at the helm!"

Upon laying eyes on Jiang Chen and Xie Xiaojing, Ji Ruxue instantaneously tossed a jade flute towards Jiang Chen.

"Understood!"

Jiang Chen examined the jade flute. It was a top-grade Heavenly Origin artifact, equal in ranking to his Unbroken Thousand Strings Rainbow Boat.

Indeed, he surmised that if Ji Ruxue's cultivation base was capable of operating a superior-level artifact, her flying artifact would likely ascend to at least the Inquiring Journey realm.

Upon receiving the jade flute, Jiang Chen channeled his Dao Yuan Power into the object.

Instantaneously, the jade flute magnified, stretching to ten feet in length.

It was ample in size to accommodate all three of them.

"I claim the front seat!"

Overflowing with anticipation, Ji Ruxue vaulted onto the jade flute artifact, claiming the foremost position.

"I suppose I'll take up the rear."

Xie Xiaojing responded with a smile.

"Then, I'll occupy the middle."

Jiang Chen offered a slight grin, "It's conveniently the most suited spot for maneuvering the flying artifact."

With a beauty seated before and behind him, it was undeniably a delightful scenario.

Regrettably, the jade flute's extensive length of over three meters ensured a considerable distance between the trio.

"Let's embark!"

Once Xie Xiaojing was comfortably seated, a mere thought from Jiang Chen ignited the jade flute.

It promptly morphed into a radiant beam, slicing through the sky and vanishing beyond the horizon.

The Purple Heaven Holy Land was expansive, extraordinarily expansive!

It stretched over an area much larger than the entire Thousand Mountain Range, which encompassed the Starry Abyss Sect.

The spiritual Qi within this territory was incredibly rich, reputedly the densest within the whole of the Everflowing Truth Domain, and even outmatching several neighboring domains.

Only the Imperial Extreme Heavenly Palace and the Jade Lake Heavenly Temple could match the concentration of spiritual Qi found within the Purple Heaven Holy Land.

An intriguing point worth noting was...

The Imperial Extreme Heavenly Palace and the Jade Lake Heavenly Temple were positioned in such a way as to create a triad with the Purple Heaven Holy Land.

At the core of this triad rested a location known as the Bottomless Abyss!

The Bottomless Abyss.

In the entirety of the Everflowing Truth Domain and the adjacent larger domains, it was an extraordinarily well-known locale.

That's because the density of the spiritual Qi there even outstripped that of the Purple Heaven Holy Land, the Imperial Extreme Heavenly Palace, and the Jade Lake Heavenly Temple.

However, the spiritual Qi in the Bottomless Abyss was tremendously violent, teeming with other anomalous energies.

Cultivators could not directly absorb it for their practices.

Doing so would certainly trigger Qi Deviation.

Furthermore, several great powerhouses at the Dao Palace realm had once attempted to penetrate the Bottomless Abyss using Transcendence realm treasures.

However, they were forced to abort their efforts halfway.

Simply because they could not endure the progressively intensifying spiritual Qi environment.

Subsequently, the three major forces of the Purple Heaven Holy Land attempted to harness the spiritual Qi of the Bottomless Abyss, but all endeavors ended in disappointment.

Ultimately, the Bottomless Abyss had become a forbidden zone for cultivators.

Barring those pushed to desperate straits, no one would willingly venture here.

Returning to the matter at hand.

The course towards the Red Maple Heavenly Valley, where Jiang Chen and his comrades were navigating, coincided with the direction of the Bottomless Abyss.

Though they were still at a considerable distance from the Bottomless Abyss, Jiang Chen heightened his vigilance.

'If my conjecture holds, there will undoubtedly be complications this time around.'

'Given Ji Ruxue's Fate Value, she won't meet her downfall, but she will unquestionably encounter distinct tribulations.'

Jiang Chen drew in a deep breath, fully deploying his Inquiring Journey realm divine sense!

As the realm of the Second Step on the Cultivation Path, the divine sense of the Inquiring Journey realm was tenfold that of the Heavenly Origin realm!

At this juncture, the radius of Jiang Chen's divine sense detection spanned a massive 100,000 meters, equivalent to a full 100 kilometers.