The arena was silent.
The duel had ended.
Ye Feng knelt on one knee, coughing blood, his wooden sword trembling in his grip.
Across from him, Lin Tian stood tall, robes torn and body bloodied, yet his eyes shone with a calm sharpness that none had ever seen before.
The disciples in the stands were frozen.
"This… isn't possible."
"The young master… actually fought back."
"No, he didn't just fight back—he humiliated Ye Feng!"
The air was thick with disbelief. Lin Tian, the arrogant waste everyone had mocked, had just survived an event that should have crippled him. Worse, he had flipped the humiliation back onto Heaven's chosen.
In the elders' seats above the arena, expressions darkened. Some frowned in confusion, others exchanged knowing looks. The Lin Clan Patriarch's eyes gleamed with sharp interest.
"Interesting…" he muttered under his breath.
"This brat isn't the same as before."
Ye Feng staggered to his feet, rage boiling in his veins. "Lin Tian… you dare disgrace me—!"
"Enough!"
A booming voice cut across the arena, silencing the crowd. An elder descended, his long beard swaying with his movements.
His gaze swept over the two youths like a blade.
"This duel is over. Victory cannot be declared, but…" His eyes narrowed on Lin Tian. "…the outcome speaks for itself."
Whispers broke out.
"Not declared?"
"But Young Master Lin clearly—"
"Shh! Don't you see? They're trying to protect Ye Feng's pride."
Lin Tian smirked faintly. He understood perfectly. The world bent itself to the so-called protagonist. Even when defeated, fate would cushion Ye Feng.
But this time, he had carved his own mark into the script.
As the elder dismissed the duel, disciples dispersed, still buzzing with whispers. Lin Tian stepped off the platform, bloodied but unbowed.
Just as he reached the stairs, a soft, delicate voice called out.
"Lin Tian…"
He turned, meeting the gaze of a beautiful young woman with cold, disdainful eyes. Dressed in elegant silks, she looked every bit the noble lady.
His fiancée.
Memories surged—this was the woman who, in the original story, would soon break off their engagement and turn to Ye Feng, declaring him unworthy.
Her lips parted, voice sharp. "You have shamed the Lin Clan enough. Do not think one lucky strike changes who you are. You are still a disgrace."
Gasps rang out.
Lin Tian's smirk returned. Ah… so it begins.
But instead of the desperate pleading the original villain once gave, his voice was calm, steady.
"Disgrace?" His eyes gleamed with cold amusement. "You're right. The Lin Tian of the past was a disgrace. But remember this…"
He leaned close, his words like ice against her ear.
"I am not him anymore."
Her face paled, and for the first time, her arrogance faltered.
Lin Tian walked past her without a backward glance, leaving only silence in his wake.
Ding!
[ Hidden Event Triggered: Defying Fate – Fiancée's Betrayal Route ]
[ Reward: +10 Destiny Points | Special Flag Set ]
The system's voice echoed in his mind, and Lin Tian's smirk deepened.
So this was how fate tried to bind him? Then he would break it, piece by piece.
And in the shadows of the arena, unseen eyes watched him with growing curiosity.
---
The Lin Clan compound was quiet at night.
A crescent moon hung over the rooftops, casting pale light across tiled courtyards and shadowed gardens. Within a secluded chamber, Lin Tian sat cross-legged, his body still aching from the duel.
Blood had dried across his robes. His knuckles were swollen, his ribs throbbed with every breath. But despite the pain, his lips curled upward.
So this is how it feels to defy fate.
Ding!
[ Rewards from Mission: Survive Humiliation Event ]
– Basic Cultivation Manual: "Iron Blood Tempering Art" (Unlocked)
– 30 Destiny Points
– Beginner's Destiny Pack fully claimed
[ Current Destiny Points: 60 ]
Lines of text flashed in his vision, and knowledge poured into his mind.
The Iron Blood Tempering Art. A brutal body-forging technique, designed to temper flesh and bone through pain and endurance. Every strike endured, every injury survived would harden the body further.
A dangerous, painful path. But one perfectly suited to him.
"Fitting…" Lin Tian murmured, closing his eyes. "If destiny wants me to suffer, then I'll use that suffering to grow stronger."
He pressed his palm against a small jade bottle. With a flick of his wrist, he poured out a crimson pill.
[ Blood Tempering Pill – Low Grade ]
Swallowing it, fire surged through his veins. His muscles spasmed violently, and a raw scream tore from his throat.
Arghhh!
It felt as if molten iron had been poured into his bones. His skin split in places, blood seeping from tiny cracks, but he forced himself to remain seated.
Ding!
[ Iron Blood Tempering Art – Initiating First Stage ]
Images flashed before his mind: bones reforged, skin hardened, blood turned into iron essence.
Sweat drenched his body. His vision blurred.
But through the agony,his grin only widened.
"More… give me more!" he growled, gritting his teeth until blood seeped from his gums.
Hours passed. His body trembled, but at last, the pain subsided. A faint golden sheen glimmered across his skin before fading.
Ding!
[ Iron Blood Tempering Art – First Stage Complete ]
[ Physical Defense increased | Minor Regeneration unlocked ]
Lin Tian exhaled slowly. The ache in his ribs had lessened. His wounds were knitting faster than before. Even his senses felt sharper, his body firmer.
He clenched his fists. So this is true cultivation…
But as he steadied his breathing, the system chimed again.
Ding!
[ Warning: Plotline Divergence Detected ]
[ Fate has accelerated – Heaven's Chosen will encounter his first great opportunity tomorrow. ]
[ Suggested Action: Intercept or Plunder. Reward multiplier: x3. ]
Lin Tian's eyes snapped open, gleaming with cold determination.
"Tomorrow, huh?" he whispered. "Then I'll be there first."
The villain's game had only just begun.
---
The next morning, the forest outside the Lin Clan buzzed with life. Mist coiled between towering pines, the cries of spirit beasts echoed in the distance, and the faint scent of herbs lingered on the wind.
Lin Tian moved silently through the undergrowth, his robes freshly changed, his wounds hidden beneath the calm glow of his new physique. His eyes were sharp, scanning the terrain like a hunter stalking prey.
Ding!
[ Fate Warning: Ye Feng is destined to discover the "Scarlet Flame Spirit Herb" within this forest. This treasure will heal his ribs and accelerate his cultivation by three stages. ]
[ Suggested Action: Plunder. ]
Lin Tian smirked. So this is where Ye Feng was supposed to recover and gain his first leap forward… Not this time.
He quickened his pace, recalling the details from the novel. In the story, Ye Feng would stumble upon a dying spirit beast guarding a small cliffside cave. Inside: the Scarlet Flame Spirit Herb. By fate's hand, the beast would fall, and the treasure would belong to him.
But today, fate had company.
Lin Tian reached the clearing just as the ground trembled. A massive wolf-like beast with crimson fur staggered out, its flank bleeding heavily. It snarled, eyes dimming, guarding a crack in the cliff wall behind it. From within, a faint crimson glow pulsed—the Scarlet Flame Spirit Herb.
Lin Tian's pulse quickened.
The herb's aura was fiery and majestic, its petals shimmering like molten embers. Even from a distance, he could feel the surge of energy it contained.
"Perfect…" he whispered.
The beast growled weakly, dragging itself forward, but Lin Tian didn't retreat. Instead, he clenched his fists and rushed straight in.
Boom!
The wolf lunged, claws flashing. Lin Tian's hardened skin split as blood spilled, but his tempered body endured. He slammed his fist into its jaw, the Iron Blood Tempering Art roaring to life.
Thud!
The beast crashed into the ground, blood spraying. Lin Tian coughed violently, his ribs aching, but he refused to stop. Each strike was savage, brutal, fueled by both desperation and glee.
Finally, the beast let out a pitiful howl before collapsing.
Ding!
[ Host has slain a Spirit Beast above his level. ]
[ Reward: +20 Destiny Points ]
Lin Tian staggered back, panting, his knuckles raw and bleeding. He spat blood, then grinned fiercely.
He turned toward the cave. The crimson glow was brighter now, illuminating the entrance.
There it was. The Scarlet Flame Spirit Herb.
He stepped forward and plucked it from the earth. Instantly, fiery energy surged through his hand, racing up his arm and filling his meridians with blazing power.
Ding!
[ You have plundered the Scarlet Flame Spirit Herb from Heaven's Chosen. ]
[ Rewards tripled due to Fate Interference. ]
[ Gained: Scarlet Flame Spirit Herb (Consumable) | +90 Destiny Points | Minor Fire Resistance ]
Lin Tian's laughter echoed in the cave.
"Sorry, Ye Feng. This was meant to be your chance, but it looks like destiny has changed sides."
But as his laughter faded, a new voice echoed in the distance.
"Lin Tian… what are you doing here?"
His grin froze. He turned slowly.
Standing at the treeline, wooden sword in hand, was Ye Feng.
And his eyes were filled with killing intent.