Villain: My fate is in my own hands, not in the heavens.

The main hall of the Tai Xuan Holy Land was bathed in the glow of gilded beams and pillars. What should have been a joyous occasion for the investiture of the Holy Son was turned into chaos by an angry shout.

"So this is what the reputation of the Six Great Holy Lands of the Eastern Wilderness is all about—this sycophantic and opportunistic behavior?"

The speaker was a handsome young man named Ye Chen, who was an inner disciple of the Tai Xuan Holy Land.

At this moment, however, he clenched his fists, veins bulging on his neck, looking as if he were about to act on behalf of heaven: "Pushing their own daughter into a fire pit without even asking if she wanted to! Today, I, Ye Chen, will seek justice for Su Qingge!"

He abruptly raised his hand, ripped off the disciple token from his chest, and threw it to the ground. The token landed with a crisp sound, as if slapping the entire Tai Xuan Holy Land in the face: "I don't want this disciple title anymore! I will repay this humiliation a hundredfold in the future!"

The hall erupted in chaos instantly.

The inner sect elder was so angry that his face turned ashen, and his beard almost stood on end. He pointed at Ye Chen's nose and shouted, "Insolence! A mere inner sect disciple dares to defy the Holy Lord? Does he really think that no one in my Tai Xuan Holy Land can deal with you?"

If it weren't for the fact that there were many guests from powerful foreign forces in the hall, he would have slapped this arrogant brat to death long ago.

After all, today's banquet hosted powerful figures from all over the Eastern Wilderness. To be humiliated in front of so many people by an inner disciple would be a huge disgrace to the Tai Xuan Holy Land.

The disciples watching whispered amongst themselves, glancing at Ye Chen as if he were a fool: "Has Ye Chen gone mad? Defending the Holy Maiden? I bet he's just lusting after her body!"

"Only he dares to cause such a ruckus. Didn't you see how respectfully the Holy Lord treats that guest elder?" A true disciple beside him whispered, his face full of fear. "If he angers that person, not only will Ye Chen suffer, but the entire Eastern Wilderness will be in trouble!"

The guests who came to watch the ceremony also crossed their arms and watched the spectacle. They looked at Ye Chen as if he were a clown jumping around. How dare a mere inner disciple challenge the Holy Land? His audacity was simply beyond belief.

Finally, the Supreme Lord of Tai Xuan, seated at the head of the table, spoke. Golden light swirled in his eyes, and the divine aura emanating from his body almost solidified. An overwhelming pressure pressed down on Ye Chen: "Ye Chen, you came from the Azure Sky Domain, and only by surviving the Great War of a Hundred Dynasties did you gain entry into my Tai Xuan. Now you intend to abandon this opportunity?"

Ye Chen's forehead was sweating, and his back was soaked with cold sweat, but he still gritted his teeth and straightened his neck: "Holy Lord, I just don't want to see the Holy Maiden fall into the fire pit!" After saying that, he secretly glanced at the white-clothed woman standing in the hall.

That was Su Qingge, the Holy Maiden of Tai Xuan. Her eyebrows and eyes were like paintings, her black hair was like a waterfall, and her white clothes made her look ethereal, as if she were a fairy from the heavens descended to earth.

Despite the farce, she remained unmoved throughout, acting like an outsider.

The Holy Lord's face darkened, and he was about to lash out when everyone's gaze in the hall invariably drifted to the side behind the main seat, where a man in white was sitting, slowly blowing on the foam in his teacup, seemingly oblivious to the commotion in the hall, as if nothing around him mattered.

This person was Xie Zheng, a true disciple of the Immortal Daoist Palace in the Upper Realm, and also the person the Holy Lord wanted to entrust Su Qingge to.

On the surface, Xie Zheng appeared indifferent and detached, as if he were detached from the matter, but in reality, a massive breakdown was unfolding inside his heart.

One second he was staying up all night reading fantasy novels in his rented room, and the next second he opened his eyes to find himself in a completely different world. The memories flooding into his mind were almost enough to overheat his CPU.

He is a true disciple of an immortal sect in the upper realm, possesses extraordinary talent, and has a terrifying background that makes even the holy lords of holy lands in the lower realm bow and scrape.

Based on his extensive experience reading online novels, this configuration is definitely a template for a villainous cannon fodder!

Then look at Ye Chen, who is jumping around happily. His name contains the character "Chen" (尘), his eyes are resolute, and he even has the acting style of "seeking justice for the beauty". What else could he be but a chosen one?

Is this villain just a tool to give others experience, opportunities, and beauties?

Xie Zheng sighed inwardly. He had just transmigrated and immediately stumbled upon the protagonist's face-slapping scene. His luck was truly unbelievable.

"Xie Zheng! Xie Zheng!"

Ye Chen called out twice, but the other party ignored him completely, not even lifting an eyelid.

The anger of being slighted surged to the top of his head instantly, his fists clenched so tightly they cracked, and his knuckles turned white.

The newly appointed Holy Son of Tai Xuan, Chu Xuan, immediately jumped out to protect his master. Runes flashed in his palm, and divine light surged, as if he were about to stand up for Xie Zheng: "How dare you! How dare you address the young master by his name? Today I will show you what it means to distinguish between superiors and inferiors!"

He was able to become a Holy Son entirely because of Xie Zheng's casual remark that he was "acceptable." He was just worried about not having a chance to show his loyalty, and Ye Chen was just delivering an opportunity to him.

Several elders quickly followed suit, vying to rebuke him: "Holy Master, Ye Chen has repeatedly provoked the sect, harboring treacherous intentions. He should be stripped of his cultivation and expelled from the sect!"

"This is a good opportunity to apologize to Young Master Xie, so as not to offend his eyes!"

A group of people fawned over Xie Zheng, their obsequious manner causing the guests outside the hall to gasp in astonishment. The identity of this mysterious man in white was probably even more terrifying than they had imagined.

Ye Chen's face turned ashen instantly. He couldn't understand why everyone was fawning over Xie Zheng, who had suddenly appeared, when he was supposed to be the one to save the beauty and win the heart of the Holy Maiden.

Even Su Qingge, whom he longed for, remained silent, as if it were none of his business.

Just then, a cool sensation came from the ring on Ye Chen's finger, and a gentle power surged into his body, gradually calming his agitated mind.

He touched the ring, feeling emboldened, and glared at Xie Zheng again: "Xie Zheng, what else can you do besides bullying others?"

He was convinced that Xie Zheng had stolen his opportunity: "If it weren't for you, how could Qingge have been forcibly sent here by the Holy Lord? Someone like you, who relies on your background to bully others, doesn't deserve to have her at all!"

At this thought, Ye Chen felt a surge of resentment in his heart, wishing he could rush up and tear Xie Zheng to pieces.

You know, he and Su Qingge went through thick and thin together, and he always treated her with the utmost respect. He never even touched her sleeve. How could he be willing to let her fall into the hands of someone else?

Xie Zheng finally raised his eyes, his gaze sweeping over Ye Chen's angry face before finally landing on the unremarkable black iron ring on his finger, a hint of amusement flashing in his eyes.

Sure enough, it's the old man's ring that's a standard accessory for the chosen one.

He slowly sipped his tea, his tone flat and emotionless, revealing neither joy nor anger: "Bullying others with your power?"

Xie Zheng scoffed inwardly. In the original owner's memories, there was no such insignificant person as Ye Chen.

Su Qingge was sent to him by the Holy Lord, not asked for by him, so he won't take the blame for this.

In a fantasy world where the strong prey on the weak, isn't currying favor and currying favor perfectly normal? After all, he has a powerful background and is very strong.

This Ye Chen has no real skills, but he's a master at labeling people.

Xie Zheng put down his teacup and tapped the table lightly with his fingertips, making a crisp sound. The hall fell silent instantly, and everyone held their breath, waiting for him to speak.

He glanced at Ye Chen, who was still glaring at him, and a faint smile appeared on his lips, carrying a hint of nonchalant mockery: "You want to seek justice for her? But she herself doesn't seem to realize that she's fallen into a fire pit."

Upon hearing this, Ye Chen was speechless. He subconsciously looked at Su Qingge, only to see that she remained calm and even nodded slightly, as if she had tacitly agreed with Xie Zheng's words.

Ye Chen felt a tightness in his chest and almost spat out a mouthful of blood. How come this plot was completely different from what he had expected?