Chapter 32: Dark Psychology
The scene returns to the stone chamber in the ruin.
Chaos reigned. The walls were cracked, the floor stained with blood, and the air thick with the stench of carnage.
Most of those who’d entered were now down, lifeless.
Only Luo Chen, Luo Yuanshan, Luo Yan, Su Zimo, Su Xinyan, Luo Jiutian, and two Su disciples remained standing.
The survivors were battered—some drained of spiritual energy, others with erratic breathing, clothes torn, expressions weary.
Yet in the corner, Luo Jiutian stood calm, his aura steady, robes pristine, untouched by the battle.
Moments ago, they’d planned to team up against him, but the sudden beastly shadow disrupted everything.
It struck first, sending Luo Chen flying, then charged two Luo disciples who attacked it, killing them instantly before they could react.
The scene spiraled out of control.
Forced to defend themselves, they had no chance to focus on Luo Jiutian.
The result was clear.
While the others struggled, Luo Jiutian emerged unscathed.
Moreover, amidst the chaos, he’d quietly taken the sealed Disaster-Breaking Stone.
After, he didn’t provoke the beastly shadow. Instead, he moved to an unassuming corner, pulled out a wooden chair from nowhere, sat calmly, and watched the fight.
Su Zimo and Su Xinyan, battered by the beastly shadow, retreated, panting, covered in wounds.
Luo Yuanshan and Luo Yan, their spiritual energy spent, barely survived on instinct.
Luo Chen, though disheveled and bloodied, fared better, still agile, sparring with the shadow.
Then he noticed something after the shadow killed two Su disciples.
Its attacks followed a pattern.
Once it targeted someone, it pursued relentlessly until they were dead.
But if someone interfered, it switched to the new attacker.
Unfortunately, it was now fixated on Luo Chen.
He dodged desperately, glancing at the shadow still chasing him, his face darkening.
“Luo Yuanshan, Luo Yan!” His voice cracked. “What are you doing? Help me!”
Luo Yuanshan’s eyes closed, body slumping against the wall as if fainting.
Luo Yan, wordless, collapsed too, stiffly, breathing deliberately slow, feigning unconsciousness.
Luo Chen’s eyes widened: “Seriously? That’s your pathetic acting?!”
They stayed silent, “sleeping” on the ground.
“Fine, great,” Luo Chen’s chest heaved with rage, forced to dodge while cursing.
The shadow’s speed increased, and he felt he couldn’t last much longer.
Gritting his teeth, he turned to Su Zimo: “Brother Su, we’re allies! You’re not just watching, are you?”
Su Zimo fanned himself helplessly: “Young Master Luo, it’s not that I don’t want to help, but you’re in the best shape. I’d only hold you back.”
“You—”
Boom!
Before Luo Chen could finish, the shadow slammed him into a wall, sending him crashing to the ground, rolling several times.
He struggled up, blood dripping from his mouth, his gaze landing on Su Xinyan.
She met his eyes, stepping back, shaking her head before he could speak: “Young Master Luo, I believe in you. Keep going!”
Luo Chen’s face cycled through shades of green and white, anger stopping his bleeding.
As he tried to speak, a gust of wind forced him to roll away again.
After repeated setbacks, he realized they’d all figured out the shadow’s pattern. Each one was too sly to act, leaving him as the scapegoat.
His forehead veins bulged, rage boiling over.
In his fury, he glanced at the corner.
There sat Luo Jiutian, legs crossed, watching him, occasionally nodding as if enjoying a circus act.
Their eyes met, and Luo Jiutian said with a half-smirk: “Young Master, why so glum? Don’t like it?”
[Ding! Host has successfully destabilized the Chosen One ‘Luo Chen,’ converting destiny points…]
[Current Blue Star return countdown: 291 years, 6 months.]
[6 months deducted, remaining: 291 years.]
“You bastard!”
Luo Chen roared, reason nearly gone.
It had to be Luo Jiutian—everything was his doing!
Since meeting him, nothing had gone right.
Either his mind was toyed with, or he was on the path to being toyed with. It was like Luo Jiutian was his fated nemesis.
“Luo Jiutian, today, either you die, or I do!”
With a furious cry, he stomped the ground, sweeping his spear, spiritual energy forming a white gleam at its tip. He shot toward Luo Jiutian like an arrow.
But—
Luo Jiutian wasn’t foolish enough to stand still.
He rose, dodging the attack while landing a backhand punch to Luo Chen’s abdomen.
Boom!
The impact sent Luo Chen flying, tracing a straight arc through the air, out of the chamber.
“Luo Jiutian, you wait—”
He crashed into a stone pillar outside, snapping two, then plunged into rubble, dust rising.
Rolling several times, he barely propped himself up, only to see the beastly shadow charging.
“No way, still chasing?!”
Luo Chen’s face twisted, and he bolted.
His frantic running and screams echoed through the passage, fading into the distance.
The chamber was left with five living souls.
Luo Yuanshan, Luo Yan, Su Zimo, Su Xinyan, and Luo Jiutian.
After a brief silence, Luo Jiutian strolled to the chamber’s center.
He raised a hand, bloodlight swirling in his palm, a crimson longsword slowly materializing from the void.
The blade, shrouded in blood mist, lacked flashy effects, yet it sent chills down everyone’s spines.
He said nothing, surveying the room as if he were its true master.
The other four tensed.
Luo Yuanshan and Luo Yan shot up from the ground, dropping their feigned unconsciousness instantly.
Ignoring the dust, they stared at Luo Jiutian, backs straight, sweat dripping.
Su Zimo and Su Xinyan exchanged a glance, on guard.
They all understood—
Luo Jiutian was about to settle scores.