Great Villain: Starting by Humiliating the Son of the Heavenly Fate Chapter 176: The Fated Finalists Face Off

Drawing in a ragged breath, Shi Junying, still standing on the platform, felt neither discontent nor anger toward Fang Yuan’s dismissive attitude, but rather shock and gratitude.

He was shocked by the extraordinary might Fang Yuan had displayed and grateful for the forewarning Jiang Chen had given him. This advice had prevented him from succumbing to the urge in his heart to ridicule Fang Yuan before their battle comnced.

Had he done so, Shi Junying shuddered at the thought, imagining himself trapped in such depths of humiliation that he would wish for oblivion.

Now, relieved that none of that nightmarish scenario had unfolded, relief washed over him. He turned his gaze towards the stoically serene Jiang Chen, feeling a surge of veneration well up in his heart.

anwhile, the crowd below bustled with chatter, their murmurs perating the air.

"Fang Yuan truly erged victorious."

"Senior Brother Jiang Chen’s prediction was spot on!"

"Isn’t it obvious? The accuracy of Senior Brother Jiang Chen’s judgnt is remarkable. If he predicts Fang Yuan’s victory, then victory will surely be Fang Yuan’s. There’s no arguing with that."

"Exactly, I agree. Our focus shouldn’t be on Fang Yuan; it’s the sharpness of Senior Brother Jiang Chen’s insight that really deserves our praise."

"Absolutely, I fully support your point of view."

Amidst the buzzing crowd, Fang Yuan stood in a corner, his expression inscrutable.

When several disciples tried to engage him in conversation, he dismissed them with a nonchalant wave of his hand.

Nearby, as the dust of the battle between Fang Yuan and Shi Junying settled, system prompts resonated within Jiang Chen’s sea of consciousness.

[Ding! You have successfully manipulated the narrative subtly, averting any chance for the protagonist, Fang Yuan, to be overly flamboyant or to deride others. Consequently, Fang Yuan’s Heavenly Fate Value decreases by 200 points.]

[Ding! Your Villain Value has increased by 400 points!]

Upon hearing the system prompts, a faint, satisfied smile appeared on Jiang Chen’s lips.

After a while, the second round of the tournant finally concluded. A fraction of the disciples were eliminated and relegated to the ranking contests.

The victorious thirty-two contestants drew lots, resulting in sixteen pairs of challengers, and the third round of battles comnced.

In keeping with his approach during the earlier rounds, Jiang Chen treated his opponents with due respect, concluding the fights swiftly.

Fang Yuan, anwhile, continued to dispatch his adversaries with effortless grace, reinforcing everyone’s admiration for what they terd Jiang Chen’s ’astute judgnt’.

Even Ji Mingxiu, along with the Supre Elders, found their doubts about Jiang Chen’s declarations steadily diminishing.

Ji Ruxue and Xie Xiaojing kept their eyes firmly on Jiang Chen throughout the matches.

As for Fang Yuan, Ji Ruxue’s glance rely shifted towards him briefly, mainly to confirm Jiang Chen’s predictions—nothing more.

It was evident that the fruits of Jiang Chen’s unwavering dedication over the past two months were now becoming apparent.

Nevertheless, Jiang Chen understood the importance of maintaining his vigilance, ensuring it never waned, even slightly, until the very end!

In due course, the third round of battles concluded.

The fourth round began, with sixteen contenders vying for the eight quarter-finalist spots.

As anticipated, Jiang Chen erged victorious from his match!

Fang Yuan also secured a win.

Following this, the fifth round comnced—a battle for the coveted top four spots, marking the semi-final qualifications.

Once again, Jiang Chen triumphed, dispatching his foe with a single decisive move.

In contrast, Fang Yuan adopted a steady approach against his increasingly stronger opponents. The strategies he had previously reserved proved unexpectedly effective, enabling a smoother victory and securing his place in the semi-finals.

After a brief respite, the semi-finals comnced.

Much like his previous clashes, Jiang Chen erged victorious.

Fang Yuan also triumphed over his adversary, who, despite deploying all his ace moves, could not secure a victory. This advanced Fang Yuan to the final round, further centing Jiang Chen’s predictions as indisputable truth.

This success deepened the awe surrounding Jiang Chen. Any surprise that Fang Yuan might have garnered was noticeably absent. While Fang Yuan’s breakthrough to the finals did earn him so recognition, it was completely overshadowed by Jiang Chen’s resplendent brilliance.

Their respective standings could be aptly depicted as a dim star juxtaposed with the luminous moon, vividly illustrating the contrast between Fang Yuan and Jiang Chen.

At this critical juncture, the final battle was on the verge of beginning.

Within the expansive main square of the Holy Land, countless disciples engaged in hushed discussions, their voices blending into a continuous hum.

"Fang Yuan really made it to the finals," one whispered.

"Haha, after seeing his unbroken string of victories, I’m convinced Senior Brother Jiang Chen’s predictions were prophetic!" another exclaid.

"Yet, Fang Yuan’s winning streak will end here. There’s no way he can outmatch Senior Brother Jiang Chen," a third disciple argued.

"Absolutely, Fang Yuan may be undefeated until now, but it’s clear to anyone who’s been watching that Senior Brother Jiang Chen is the stronger contender," another added.

"Could you all stop with the speculation? The title of Holy Son has always rightfully belonged to Senior Brother Jiang Chen. There’s no doubt in this battle; Fang Yuan is destined to lose!" a fifth disciple declared confidently.

Anticipation rippled through the crowd, a preconceived notion hanging in the air—Fang Yuan was the inevitable loser.

If events unfolded as they did in the original storyline, this mont would undoubtedly mark a pivotal turning point.

Fang Yuan could silence all those who dared underestimate him, leaving them, including Jiang Chen, red-faced.

That was exactly the sentint harbored by Fang Yuan.

’, lose? Heh, clearly, you’re all blinded! Just wait until I overthrow Jiang Chen, then we’ll see the expressions on your faces!’ A scoff echoed in Fang Yuan’s heart as his eyes locked onto Jiang Chen, his thoughts sharp, ’Jiang Chen, you’re quite skilled at theatrics, aren’t you? After this battle, I’ll beco an omnipresent shadow looming over you!’

Just then, Jiang Chen, standing poised with a hand behind his back and a faint smile on his face, finally spoke. "Junior Brother Fang Yuan, your presence in the finals is truly no disappointnt!"

"I am here thanks to Senior Brother’s motivation!" Fang Yuan chuckled, offering a fist-and-palm salute. His deanor then shifted as he proclaid in a resolute and firm voice, "However, the final is not my destination. My aim is the title of the Holy Son!"

Upon hearing Fang Yuan’s bold declaration, the entire square fell into profound silence.

Then, like a tempest suddenly brewing on placid seas, the assembled crowd’s murmurs morphed into a wave of collective astonishnt.

"What?! Fang Yuan openly declares his aim as the title of the Holy Son!"

"Has he gone mad? He just scraped through to the finals by a whisker, while Senior Brother Jiang Chen has consistently swept victories with a single move. How does he intend to compete with Senior Brother Jiang Chen?"

"Fang Yuan must have let his triumph go to his head. It’s regrettable that Senior Brother Jiang Chen placed such esteem and encouragent in him!"

"Fang Yuan is simply indulging in a fantasy!" they exclaid, their voices a mix of disbelief and skepticism.

One disciple after another voiced their disbelief, their gaze upon Fang Yuan filled with scorn, contempt, and revulsion—as if Fang Yuan himself were emitting an obnoxious odor.

On the stage, Jiang Chen looked at Fang Yuan, whose determination was evident, punctuated by a hint of coldness in his eyes. Yet, Jiang Chen’s deanor remained composed and nonchalant, his expression still adorned with a kind smile, fitting the image of a caring senior.

"Oh? You wish to vie for the title of the Holy Son?" Jiang Chen asked rhetorically, nodding approvingly as he added, "Haha, you certainly possess the credentials, but whether you can attain it hinges on your capabilities."

For anyone observing, simply judging by their bearing alone, it was clear that Fang Yuan seed no match for Jiang Chen!

Unimpressed by what he instinctively felt was Jiang Chen’s feigned goodwill, Fang Yuan asserted confidently, "Don’t worry! I’ll ensure you understand the gulf that lies between us!" He already envisioned his triumphant face after toppling Jiang Chen, paired with Jiang Chen’s expressions of shock, agony, and defeat.

"Haha, that’s the spirit!" Jiang Chen’s laughter echoed, devoid of any irritation. "If a man doesn’t harbor so recklessness in his youth, he squanders it."

Just at that mont, the countdown crafted by the formation flickered into view.

Nine, eight, seven...

The Holy Land’s main square fell into an even deeper hush as the countdown progressed.

The silence wasn’t due to the anticipation of an epic showdown, but rather, almost everyone expected Jiang Chen to school Fang Yuan, who had been full of hubris, with a lesson he wouldn’t forget.

On the stage, both Jiang Chen and Fang Yuan unsheathed their chosen artifacts—identical long swords!

...Three, two, one!!

The instant the digit ’one’ vanished, the battle was set into motion!