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

The dungeon of the Tai Xuan Holy Land was so damp that it could support moss, and the smell of mildew was pungent.

Ye Chen huddled in the corner, his hair a mess like a bird's nest, his clothes torn and revealing bruises, and his lips so dry they seemed to bleed.

It's been three days, and no one has brought him water or food. He's like trash that's been dumped here.

There was only one thought in my mind.

Xie Zheng, I'll curse your ancestors!

If I could get out, I'd skin that kid alive.

Just as he was gritting his teeth, the dungeon iron door creaked open, and the blinding light made him squint.

As the footsteps drew closer, Ye Chen could recognize who it was with his toes, drawn by that aloof and indifferent aura.

"Young master, Ye Chen has been locked up here for the past three days. No one has dared to touch him, and he hasn't eaten or drunk anything."

The disciple leading the way bowed deeply, his back almost bent at a ninety-degree angle, his flattery so sweet it seemed to drip with honey.

Xie Zheng walked behind, his moon-white brocade robe spotless, completely out of place in this dilapidated dungeon.

He put one hand behind his back, glanced at his disciple, and said in a lazy yet irritating tone, "I know, get lost, don't get in my way."

The disciple didn't dare utter a sound, turned around and ran away, forgetting to even close the door.

Xie Zheng walked slowly to Ye Chen, looked down at him with a mocking smile.

"Hey, isn't this the genius from the Tai Xuan Holy Land? What's gotten into him?"

Ye Chen suddenly looked up, his eyes filled with murderous hatred, his voice hoarse as a broken gong: "Xie Zheng! You despicable person! My master will never let you get away with this!"

Xie Zheng chuckled, squatted down, and poked Ye Chen's arm with his fingertip, the force so light it was like a tickle.

"Master?" He drawled, his gaze lingering on the black ring on Ye Chen's hand. "Are you talking about the one in your ring, the one who hides away, too ashamed to show their face?"

Ye Chen's face turned pale instantly. He frantically stuffed the ring into his pocket, stubbornly saying, "You're lying! I don't have a master!"

"No?" Xie Zheng raised an eyebrow, stood up, and patted his robes. "Ye Chen, are you out of your mind? Your little secret is as obvious to me as being naked."

He raised his chin at the ring, his tone slightly provocative: "Senior, aren't you tired of hiding for so long? It's so degrading to always hide it in a junior's ring."

Ye Chen felt ice-cold all over. He opened his mouth, but his throat was so dry that he couldn't make a sound.

How did Xie Zheng know?

He even knows where his master is hiding?

Just then, a faint sigh drifted out from the ring, the voice exquisitely beautiful, yet full of helplessness.

"Young Master Xie, why make things difficult for my wretched soul?"

A flash of crimson light appeared, and the ethereal figure of a woman in red floated in mid-air. Her eyebrows and eyes were exquisitely beautiful, and her crimson eyes were captivating, but her figure was so transparent that it looked as if it were about to fall apart.

"Master!" Ye Chen was both shocked and anxious. He struggled to stand up, but fell back down as soon as he got up, wincing in pain.

"Don't come out! This Xie Zheng is no good; he wants to harm you!"

Xie Zheng stared at the woman in red, secretly thinking: I didn't expect her to be such a beautiful master. Ye Chen is really lucky.

Her expression remained indifferent, and her tone casual: "So you're a young lady, senior. I was rude of me."

Yan Ji lowered her eyes to look at him, her expression cold: "Young master, you must have something to gain by coming here. You might as well speak frankly."

She knew perfectly well that since Xie Zheng could find her, he had the ability to force her to show herself. It was better to take the initiative and save face.

Xie Zheng smiled, his tone seemingly sincere, but actually full of malice: "Nothing else, just curious, what kind of expert could teach such a stupid thing to be any better?"

"Who are you calling stupid!" Ye Chen instantly bristled, forgetting that he was still locked up, and struggled to pounce on Xie Zheng.

Xie Zheng kicked him in the chest, and Ye Chen fell back with a thud, gasping for breath in pain.

"Xie Zheng! If you have the guts, kill me! Don't insult me ​​here!"

Xie Zheng ignored him, his gaze still fixed on Yan Ji, and said slowly, "Senior, to be honest, with your skills, following Ye Chen is a complete waste of your talent."

"A wise bird chooses a good tree to perch on. Look at him, besides being able to take a beating, his brain is like mush. He'll get himself killed sooner or later."

He kicked Ye Chen's leg, his smugness reaching its peak: "See? I told you he's stupid, and he still won't listen. Once he dies, your remnant soul will fall apart too."

Yan Ji's expression shifted slightly. She wasn't unaware that Ye Chen was foolish, but Ye Chen had the grace of awakening her and was also resolute in character.

Xie Zheng's words, however, struck a nerve with her. She was entirely dependent on Ye Chen's luck; if something happened to Ye Chen, she wouldn't survive either.

"Is Young Master trying to sow discord?" Yan Ji's eyes turned cold. "I have been kind to Chen'er, and I will never abandon him."

Xie Zheng shrugged, looking innocent. "I wasn't trying to sow discord, I was just stating the facts. If you don't believe me, ask yourself if you often do stupid things."

Ye Chen panicked, looking at Yan Ji's expression, and said urgently, "Master, don't listen to him! He's doing it on purpose! I'm not stupid!"

As he spoke, he struggled to his feet again and lunged at Xie Zheng, shouting, "Xie Zheng, I'll fight you to the death!"

Xie Zheng dodged to the side, and Ye Chen missed his target, his face hitting the ground, his cheeks covered in dust, looking utterly disheveled.

Xie Zheng laughed, raising his eyebrows: "See? I told you you were stupid, and you insisted on proving it to me? You couldn't even touch a single finger of mine. You're hopelessly stupid."

Yan Ji frowned, sighing inwardly. Xie Zheng might be a bit of a jerk, but he wasn't wrong about what he said.

Ye Chen was too impulsive. He lost his composure after being provoked by someone's casual remark. Isn't that just stupid?

Ye Chen lay on the ground, anxious and angry, his eyes red: "Master, I didn't mean to, I just didn't want him to insult you..."

Xie Zheng squatted down, patted his head, and said in a smug yet annoying tone, "Don't rush me, I haven't finished yet."

He turned to Yan Ji: "Senior, following Ye Chen, you can only hide in the ring, living in constant fear. Following me, I'll give you spiritual energy to help you recover your remnant soul and allow you to re-form a physical body. Isn't that better than following this foolish brat?"

"Don't even think about it!" Ye Chen roared. "Master is mine! Xie Zheng, you're despicable and shameless!"

Xie Zheng stood up, raised an eyebrow at Yan Ji, and said, "Senior, you can choose for yourself. You only have one chance, so don't regret it."

Yan Ji fell silent, looking at Ye Chen, who was furious on the ground, and then at Xie Zheng, who looked confident.

Xie Zheng's words were harsh, but every word made sense. Ye Chen was truly stupid.

Seeing that Yan Ji remained silent, Ye Chen panicked even more. He scrambled to his feet, grabbed her sleeve, and pleaded, "Master, please don't listen to him! He's lying to you! I promise I'll work hard from now on and won't let you down!"

Xie Zheng chimed in, "Try harder? With your brain, no matter how hard you try, you'll still be a fool. You can't change."

Ye Chen's face turned bright red, but he couldn't refute it and could only hold onto Yan Ji's clothes tightly.

Yan Ji sighed softly, brushed his hand away, and looked at Xie Zheng: "I appreciate your kindness, young master."

"I owe Chen'er a debt of gratitude for awakening him. No matter how foolish he may be, I will not abandon him. However, thank you for the reminder. I will discipline him properly in the future."

Xie Zheng's smile faded slightly, and he cursed inwardly, thinking that this woman was quite loyal and devoted.

However, it wasn't a wasted trip. At least it made Ye Chen panic and let Yan Ji see how stupid this kid was.

He glanced at the ecstatic Ye Chen, his tone becoming irritating again: "Fine, since you insist, senior, I won't force you."

"If you regret it later, don't come looking for me. I might not take you in."

Then, he looked at Ye Chen, a mocking smile playing on his lips: "Consider yourself lucky. I'm not killing you because I'm afraid of you, but because I think killing you would be too easy for you."

"I want to watch you live in my shadow for the rest of your life, forever branded as a fool, unable to hold your head high."

Ye Chen trembled with rage, glaring fiercely at him: "Xie Zheng, you wait! I'll defeat you one day and make you pay!"

"Oh? I'll wait and see." Xie Zheng sneered. "You'd better practice your brain first, so you don't lose without even knowing why you were so stupid."

After saying that, he turned and left. His figure in the moon-white brocade robe quickly disappeared through the door, leaving only Ye Chen's roar and Yan Ji's sigh.

Ye Chen slumped to the ground, filled with boundless hatred, yet utterly powerless.

He had to admit that Xie Zheng was right; he was truly stupid. He had been completely fooled and almost lost his master.

Yan Ji looked at him, gently shook her head, and said helplessly, "Chen'er, you're too impulsive."

"Xie Zheng deliberately provoked you, and you insisted on falling for it. Doesn't that just prove his stupidity right?"

Ye Chen froze, lowered his head in shame, and said in a muffled voice, "Master, I was wrong. I will never be impulsive again."

"I will definitely change for the better, so as not to disappoint you or let Xie Zheng laugh at me again."

Yan Ji nodded, her eyes filled with expectation: "I hope you keep your word."

"Xie Zheng is cunning, ruthless, and loves to play the rogue. You are no match for him. In the future, try to avoid him and focus on your cultivation."

Ye Chen nodded emphatically, secretly vowing in his heart: Xie Zheng, I will remember this humiliation!

I will definitely cultivate diligently in the future, defeat you, and never let you laugh at me again, never let you bully me and my master again!

The dungeon remained dark, damp, and filled with the smell of mildew.

Ye Chen's eyes showed more determination, but within that determination, there was still a lingering trace of stupidity.

Just as Xie Zheng said, he ultimately proved that he was foolish.