Great Villain: Starting by Humiliating the Son of the Heavenly Fate

Chapter 264: The Next Destination

Taking all of this into account, Jiang Chen contemplated silently:

By using my influence, I can definitely prevent any conflict among Blackwood Island’s cultivators.

Gu Ran will likely leave Blackwood Island to search for opportunities elsewhere.

Given his current cultivation level, he’ll probably steer clear of the Ageless Spirit Heavenly Sect and instead head toward the more remote regions.

The fact that Feng Liu is still a supporting character is probably tied to future events in the plot.

Exploring these outer areas should be my next step.

After carefully weighing his options, he reached a decision. Jiang Chen then began a detailed investigation of the islands surrounding Blackwood Island.@@@@

Through this meticulous search, he discovered a host of newly emerging supporting characters.

Among them were members of the You Clan.

The You Clan, known for their close ties to the Feng Clan, is naturally part of the supporting characters’ group.

In the original storyline, they were supposed to become Gu Ran’s enemies after Feng Hongbo was killed by Gu Ran. The blame for You Dan’s death would have also fallen on him.

But now, with the plot disrupted on Blackwood Island, Feng Liu is still alive. Because of him, the You Clan will inevitably turn into Gu Ran’s enemies, setting the stage for the next part of the story.

Similarly, the Cai and Gan Clans also have supporting characters within their ranks. These three clans should all play roles in the same subplot.

However, it’s unlikely that the Cai and Gan Clans will directly become enemies with Gu Ran. So what role will they play in the storyline?

As Jiang Chen reflected, he maintained his focus and didn’t halt the search with his divine sense.

Suddenly, a powerful presence entered the range of his divine sense—it was Wu Qian.

Wu Qian’s cultivation base was at the Late-stage Dao Palace realm.

However, unlike Gu Ran, he didn’t have a protagonist’s halo, nor did he possess anything extraordinary like the Endless Dark Blood Moon Bloodline.

He was just an ordinary cultivator.

With the Void Tribulation Soulring enhancing him, Jiang Chen’s soul had already reached the Transcendence realm. On top of that, he had mastered numerous cultivation techniques related to soul power.

Because of this, even with Wu Qian’s caution, he remained completely unaware that he was being watched.

Wu Qian... Previously, his Fate Value was over six thousand, but now it has unexpectedly surged to seven thousand. Could it be that the upcoming plot involving Gu Ran is connected to him?

Jiang Chen pondered carefully, his thoughts gradually forming a hypothesis.

If Wu Qian, a Dao Palace realm cultivator, didn’t have a compelling reason, why would he isolate himself in such a remote part of the sea?

There had to be a secret.

And that secret, according to the original storyline, might be an important blessing that Heavenly Fate had intended for Gu Ran.

Gu Ran stood quietly, deep in thought:

Ageless Spirit Heavenly Island... With my current strength, I wouldn’t stand a chance there. I need to reach the Dao Palace realm first. Otherwise, if a Dao Palace powerhouse from the Ageless Spirit Heavenly Sect notices me, I’d be wiped out with a flick of their finger.

Besides, I’m not sure if the demonic beast tide has completely subsided yet. I should explore the surrounding islands first...

After a brief pause to finalize his plan, Gu Ran discreetly stepped onto the teleportation array.

In a flash of light, he vanished.

Simultaneously, one of Jiang Chen’s death warriors, tasked with tracking Gu Ran, also activated the teleportation array and followed after him.

"Start the teleportation immediately!" Feng Liu demanded, handing over a significant number of spirit stones to the cultivator managing the array. His voice carried a sense of urgency.

The cultivator gave him a knowing look but showed no particular concern. Focused solely on his job, he took the payment and activated the teleportation array without delay, sending Feng Liu to the same destination as Gu Ran.

...

Three Mountains Island—a place far larger than Blackwood Island.

It was defined by three towering peaks, surrounded by countless smaller mountains, giving the impression of a miniature continent floating in the sea.

The island was ruled by three major clans: the You Clan, the Cai Clan, and the Gan Clan.

These were the same clans Jiang Chen had identified earlier, all tied to the supporting characters.

According to the original plot, they were likely fated to meet their end at Gu Ran’s hands.

Jiang Chen had considered using the power of the Ageless Spirit Heavenly Sect to either eliminate or relocate the three clans. This would rob Gu Ran of the chance to show off and humiliate his potential enemies.

However, such actions would inevitably alter the plot. More importantly, the storyline involving the You Clan might implicate Wu Qian.

The reason Wu Qian, a Late-stage Dao Palace realm cultivator, chose to stay in such an isolated location was likely tied to the existence of some extraordinary treasure.

If a treasure could keep a cultivator of his level anchored in a desolate place for years with no intention of leaving, it might very well be of the Transcendence rank.

For Jiang Chen, the priority wasn’t just denying Gu Ran his opportunities—it was to claim those opportunities for himself.

A treasure of the Transcendence rank would be incredibly valuable to Jiang Chen, especially since he currently lacked the means to obtain such treasures through the System Mall.

One step at a time,

Jiang Chen thought to himself.

First, I need to see whether Gu Ran and the You Clan will clash directly or employ subtler tactics.

On Blackwood Island, the conflicts were more secretive, but here, open confrontation seemed far more likely. A protagonist’s journey wasn’t meant to be monotonous, after all—it thrived on challenges and variety.

With this in mind, Jiang Chen quietly signaled his death warriors on Three Mountains Island to stay on standby, ready for action at a moment’s notice.

In fact, Jiang Chen had already deployed the rest of his death warriors to infiltrate the three clans on Three Mountains Island.