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

Xie Zheng had just given the system the command to add points, his fingertips still clutching the broken World Seed, and the arrogance on his lips hadn't faded when he heard Elder Ming's quiet footsteps outside the hall.

It wasn't like reporting back, but rather like secretly delivering a message, as if afraid of disturbing him.

"Young Master, there's some noise coming from the dungeon." Old Master Ming was hidden in the shadows, his voice low, with a hint of confusion in his eyes.

"That kid Ye Chen wasn't as dejected as expected. Instead, he spent a long time whispering with the remnant soul in his ring. Judging from his appearance, he's thinking of targeting the other powerful figures in the dungeon and planning to take the opportunity to escape."

Xie Zheng raised an eyebrow, his hand, which was toying with the World Seed, paused for a moment, his tone was calm but contained a hint of mockery: "Escape? With his abilities, he probably wouldn't have even made it to the dungeon door before the guards dragged him back."

He knew perfectly well that Ye Chen, despite his seemingly listless appearance, was actually incredibly stubborn and would never willingly remain in the dungeon as a "pawn."

But that's fine too. The more he stirs things up, the faster his luck points will drop, and he can just sit back and reap the benefits.

Elder Ming added, "The remnant soul's aura was very weak, and it looked like a powerful being who had fallen from the upper realm. I didn't dare to make any rash moves and just watched from afar."

"The opportunity you spoke of, young master, could it be this wisp of remnant soul?" He really couldn't see anything special about Ye Chen, except that the ring was a bit strange, with faint fluctuations of soul energy.

Xie Zheng chuckled, flicked his finger, and put the World Seed into his storage bag, his tone carrying a touch of smugness.

"What's the rush? Opportunities have to be seized slowly. Although that remnant soul is weak, it can still protect that kid Ye Chen from his cheat-like abilities. If we directly try to snatch the ring, what if that remnant soul fights desperately to protect him and then uses the luck to backfire? We might end up dead here."

He wasn't stupid. He had read countless online novels in his previous life, and he could guess this kind of "grandpa with you" protecting his own even with his eyes closed.

If force won't work, we'll have to resort to underhanded tactics, sowing discord between Ye Chen and his master. Then, without him lifting a finger, the luck points will come knocking on his door.

"Understood, Your Highness." Elder Ming bowed in response, then added, "I will continue to keep an eye on things, and report to you immediately if there is any movement."

"Go ahead, but remember, just watch and don't lift a finger." Xie Zheng waved his hand, a sly glint in his eyes. "Let him cause trouble. The more he stirs things up, the more miserable his death will be."

The old man acknowledged and withdrew, and the hall returned to silence.

Xie Zheng leaned back in his chair, stroking his chin as he pondered. Although the tactic of sowing discord was underhanded, it was undeniably effective.

The more he thought about it, the more feasible it seemed. He even started planning how to bring it up in a way that would precisely address the gap between them.

Just as he was lost in thought, a guard's cautious voice came from outside the hall, tinged with timidity: "My lord, Her Highness Princess Su Qingge requests an audience with you."

Xie Zheng snapped back to reality, the playfulness on his face vanishing instantly, replaced by his usual indifference and coldness, even his tone turning a few degrees colder: "Let her in."

He knew perfectly well that Su Qingge couldn't hold back any longer.

He left her hanging for three days to test her patience. He wasn't the kind of infatuated simp who would be unable to resist a beautiful woman. To make him back down, he needed sincerity and leverage.

In his past life, he read online novels and understood the mind of these clever female protagonists best. They knew how to seek good fortune and avoid misfortune, and they were good at assessing situations. Moreover, he had long since figured out their weaknesses.

These past three days, the old man must have been so worried that he almost lost all his hair, fearing that if he got upset, he might destroy the Tai Xuan Holy Land.

Su Qingge was a filial daughter, and naturally she couldn't bear to see her father suffer like this, so it was only a matter of time before she took the initiative to come to his door.

"The tactic of feigning indifference to lure the enemy is indeed foolproof," Xie Zheng muttered to himself, a smirk creeping onto his lips before quickly suppressing it to maintain the aloofness befitting a villain.

He wanted to see just how much sincerity this female lead could muster.

Footsteps approached slowly, soft yet hesitant. Su Qingge walked into the hall, dressed in white, her black hair flowing like a waterfall. Her features were exquisite, without a single flaw. Her eyes were like autumn water, her eyebrows like distant mountains, and her temperament was ethereal and otherworldly, making her look like a fairy descended from the heavens.

But at this moment, her face was no longer calm as usual; there was a hint of unease between her brows, and a trace of barely perceptible anxiety in her eyes.

This is understandable. She had been requesting an audience for three whole days before Xie Zheng finally summoned her. She was bound to be unsure of herself and couldn't figure out what this important person from the upper realm was up to.

In the past, all the men she had met, whether it was Ye Chen or geniuses from other sects, admired her greatly and regarded her as a goddess. Never before had anyone ignored her like Xie Zheng, leaving her hanging for three whole days.

But she had no way out; the safety of the sect and her father's worries weighed heavily on her shoulders.

Over the past three days, she and her other soul have discussed the matter repeatedly and have already come up with a plan. Only through honesty and surrender can they salvage the current situation.

"Qingge greets Young Master Xie." Su Qingge bowed slightly, her voice soft and respectful, her posture extremely humble.

Xie Zheng sat cross-legged on the seat above, slowly opened his eyes, and looked at her indifferently. He did not get up or respond, but just looked at her quietly, his eyes as deep as a cold pool, as if he could see through all her thoughts.

The atmosphere in the hall instantly became oppressive. Su Qingge felt uncomfortable under his gaze, her fingers slightly clenching the hem of her clothes, but she still tried to remain calm and spoke first: "Qingge has come today to apologize to Young Master Xie for what happened three days ago."

Xie Zheng raised an eyebrow, his tone flat, revealing neither joy nor anger: "Oh? What wrong has Saintess Qingge done?"

He did it on purpose, asking questions he already knew the answer to, just to test her patience and make her lower her pride and completely submit.

Su Qingge took a deep breath, looked up at Xie Zheng, her expression calm and without any concealment:

"The matter concerning Ye Chen was all caused by me. I have known him for many years, and he admires me. I have never mentioned this to Young Master Xie. It was my oversight that almost caused trouble for the Tai Xuan Holy Land and for Young Master Xie. This is my fault."

As she spoke, she slowly recounted the entire process of how she met Ye Chen, from their initial chance encounter to Ye Chen's constant pursuit and his admiration for her, down to the smallest detail.

This shows that she is very smart. She knows that in front of someone like Xie Zheng, any attempt to hide anything is futile. Only by being honest with him can she show her sincerity and appease Xie Zheng.

Xie Zheng listened quietly, his face remaining expressionless, but inside he was overjoyed.

He really didn't expect Su Qingge to be so straightforward, without even the slightest attempt to hide anything; she was even smarter than he had anticipated.

As expected of the female lead, unlike those pretentious vases, she knows how to assess the situation and understands what she should and shouldn't do.

You know, that kid Ye Chen probably still thinks that Su Qingge will do everything in her power to protect him and will fight against him for his sake.

If he knew that Su Qingge was selling him out completely, he would probably be so angry that he would vomit blood on the spot, and his luck points would drop by a lot.

"This woman is quite interesting." Xie Zheng's lips finally curled into a smile of interest, his tone tinged with amusement. "So, you're planning to sever ties with Ye Chen?"

Su Qingge nodded without hesitation, her eyes resolute: "Yes. Ye Chen is ignorant and has offended Young Master Xie. Qingge will naturally have nothing to do with him anymore. From now on, Qingge only wants to protect the Tai Xuan Holy Land and my father, and will never dare to cause Young Master Xie any more trouble."

Her words were sincere and her attitude was respectful enough. The unease in her eyes gradually faded, replaced by a more determined look.

She knew this was her only way out, and the only way to protect her sect and her father.

Just then, a system notification suddenly sounded in Xie Zheng's mind: "Ding! Detected a change in Su Qingge's temperament; she has severed ties with Ye Chen, the Chosen One of Destiny. Ye Chen's luck has been damaged by forty points, and the master has gained two hundred Destiny Points!"

Xie Zheng's eyes narrowed slightly, a sly smile flashing in them, his heart filled with joy.

Sure enough, winning over the female lead is much easier. She's only just opened her mouth, and she's already getting Fate Points, which is much faster than taking Ye Chen's Luck Points.

He deliberately put on a stern face, his tone still indifferent, but less cold: "You're quite sensible."

Su Qingge felt relieved, knowing that Xie Zheng had calmed down, and quickly said, "It is my honor to have Young Master Xie's understanding. In the future, if Young Master Xie has any requests, I will do my utmost to fulfill them."

Xie Zheng looked at her, his smile deepening. He thought to himself, "I'd die for you? Not necessarily. As long as you behave and give me some luck points, that's better than anything else."

On the surface, he maintained his aloof demeanor and said calmly, "Since you have this intention, then remember what you said today. I can protect the Tai Xuan Holy Land, but if I see you with Ye Chen again, you will bear the consequences."

"I will remember Young Master Xie's teachings and will never dare to overstep them in the slightest." Su Qingge quickly bowed and agreed, a relieved smile finally appearing on her face.

Xie Zheng waved his hand, his tone indifferent: "Alright, you can go back now. Tell your father not to worry anymore; with me here, no one dares to touch the Tai Xuan Holy Land."

"Thank you so much, young master!" Su Qingge was overjoyed. She bowed again, then slowly turned around and walked out of the main hall with light steps. The anxiety between her brows disappeared completely, replaced by relaxation and gratitude.

Inside the hall, Xie Zheng watched her retreating figure and couldn't help but laugh out loud, his silly side resurfacing: "This female lead is quite savvy. Looks like she won't have to worry about luck points and destiny points anymore."

With a thought, he brought up the system interface, looked at the 750 in the Fate Value column, and grinned from ear to ear: "750! If I can squeeze a little more out of them, I can unlock the system shop. Ye Chen, you'd better step up your game and be my sucker."

Just as he was feeling quite pleased with himself, Elder Ming's voice came through again: "Young Master, there's some activity in the dungeon. Ye Chen seems to be secretly contacting the powerful figures inside, planning to break out tonight."

Xie Zheng's eyes darkened, the smile on his lips vanished instantly, and his tone turned cold, yet still carried a hint of mockery.

"Escape? Perfect. I want to see what kind of trouble he can cause. Send word to guard the dungeon. If he dares to make a move, we'll play with him. Remember, don't kill him. I'll personally catch him."

"Understood!" Elder Ming replied and withdrew.

Xie Zheng leaned back in his chair, his fingertips twirling the jade clasp, a glint of cunning gleam in his eyes.

Ye Chen, you're courting death, so don't blame me for being impolite.

Tonight, let's see just how long your so-called master can protect you.

Moreover, he had an even more wicked idea: once Ye Chen's prison break failed, he would "kindly" inform Su Qingge, so she could see what a pathetic and troublesome good-for-nothing she had given up on.

When Su Qingge gives up completely, Ye Chen's luck points will probably drop even more, and his destiny value will rise even faster.

"Tsk tsk, I'm such a genius." Xie Zheng proudly raised his chin, his silly and arrogant appearance showing no trace of the majesty of a peak Saint Lord, but rather like a child who had succeeded in his scheme.