You remained chaste on your wedding night, do you really think this holy son is a simp?

On the high platform.

Gu Changyuan looked at Lin Chen, who was still shouting below, and a mocking smile appeared on his lips.

He didn't rush to defend himself or refute the argument.

He simply raised his hand casually.

Immediately afterwards, Gu Changyuan slowly pressed his palm down.

There was no earth-shattering sound, nor any dazzling light effects.

But Lin Chen's expression changed instantly on the stage.

Just moments ago, he was pointing his finger at Gu Changyuan and cursing him, when suddenly he felt an indescribable, terrifying pressure coming from above his head, slamming heavily onto his shoulder.

Lin Chen wanted to resist, wanted to roar.

However, the little spiritual power within him was completely unable to be mobilized in the face of this terrifying pressure.

Even the beautiful woman inside the ring remained completely still, feigning death with utter utmost sincerity.

Lin Chen gritted his teeth, desperately trying to straighten his back and maintain that last bit of dignity.

But this was completely futile.

This power was too strong, too domineering; it was simply beyond the ability of a mere Qi Refining cultivator like him to contend with.

It only lasted for less than a moment.

"thump!"

Lin Chen's legs went weak, and he knelt heavily on the arena.

Lin Chen braced himself on the ground with both hands, panting heavily.

He raised his head, his eyes filled with resentment and humiliation.

Gu Changyuan then slowly stood up from his chair.

He walked step by step to the edge of the platform, looking down at the figure kneeling on the ground.

Gu Changyuan smiled as he slowly began to speak.

"You're saying I cheated? Even if I did cheat, so what?"

The room fell into a deathly silence upon hearing this.

No one expected that the Holy Son would admit it so readily and decisively.

There wasn't even the slightest attempt to cover it up.

Gu Changyuan looked at Lin Chen's face, which was contorted with anger, and then said.

"Didn't you see me bestow the third-tier magic sword upon Wang Meng with my own eyes? I gave it to him right there, without hiding it from anyone."

"This isn't cheating, this is blatant cheating. I've made it so obvious, and you're only now coming to ask me?"

Gu Changyuan shook his head, his tone full of contempt for intelligence.

"Do you expect me to send you a special notification telling you I'm going to get you? You've already seen me cheat, why bother asking?"

"What? You think you can hold me accountable? You dare to challenge me?"

Gu Changyuan spoke those last three words very softly, but they were extremely insulting.

Lin Chen knelt on the ground, trembling all over.

He wanted to refute, to curse Gu Changyuan for being shameless.

But when he opened his mouth, he found that he couldn't say a word.

The feeling of powerlessness from being suppressed by absolute power left him unable to do anything but gasp for breath.

Gu Changyuan looked at him and laughed disdainfully.

"Looks like you're still not convinced."

After he finished speaking, he raised his hand again.

"Snapped!"

A crisp, loud slap echoed throughout the room.

Even though the two were dozens of meters apart.

But Gu Changyuan's slap landed hard on Lin Chen's face.

This is a real, hard hit.

Lin Chen had already exhausted all his strength in fighting against the giant spiritual energy hand above his head.

He was completely unprepared for the slap, let alone able to retaliate.

"Bang!"

Lin Chen was sent flying backward by the blow.

He spun several times in the air before crashing heavily off the ring.

That slap was too hard.

Lin Chen rolled on the ground several times, trying to get up, but failed several times.

My arms and legs were trembling, and I couldn't muster any strength at all.

He lay there on the ground in such a sorry state, covered in dirt and blood, with not a trace of the aura of a chosen one he had just displayed.

The disciples around them fell silent at the sight.

Although they usually looked down on Lin Chen and enjoyed making a fool of himself.

But seeing the Holy Son's thunderous methods now, I can't help but feel a chill down my spine.

It's too cruel.

They really do fight without hesitation, showing no mercy whatsoever.

Moreover, those words were utterly infuriating.

So what if I cheated? What can you do to me?

This blatant arrogance and domineering attitude instilled a deep sense of awe in everyone present.

It took Lin Chen a long time to recover before he finally mustered up some strength.

He braced himself on his elbows and managed to lift his upper body.

Her eyes were full of resentment and venom, as if she wanted to rush up and bite Gu Changyuan.

"Gu...Gu Changyuan..."

Looking at his pathetic state, Gu Changyuan's smile grew even colder.

"What? Still haven't been woken up? I told you long ago, in the cultivation world, strength is paramount."

"If you're so capable, you can cheat too, you can try to cut me with a third-tier magic sword."

"Unfortunately, you don't."

Gu Changyuan paused, as if he had remembered something interesting, and his tone became even more playful.

"To be honest, I never intended for you to participate in this sect competition."

"After all, you know that our sect's competition is for people with potential, not a stage for good-for-nothings to perform on."

"How did you beg me back then?"

Gu Changyuan stroked his chin, pretending to think, then suddenly realized something.

"Oh, right."

"You shamelessly knelt down and kowtowed to me in front of so many people."

"You were banging your head so hard, I was afraid you'd hurt your blockhead."

"What did you say again? 'Please, Holy Son, give me a chance'?"

"Since you asked for this opportunity yourself, why are you blaming me now?"

Gu Changyuan shrugged, looking completely innocent.

"If you feel it's unfair, if you feel I'm bullying you, you don't have to participate."

"Your legs are your own; no one forced you onto that stage to get beaten up. Now you've taken the beating and lost face, and you're coming to me complaining about being wronged?"

"Lin Chen, Lin Chen, you think too highly of yourself!"

These words were like tearing away the last shred of fig leaf from Lin Chen.

Not only did they tear it off, but they also threw it on the ground and stomped on it twice.

The way the surrounding disciples looked at Lin Chen changed after hearing these words.

If it was mockery just now, it's contempt now.

Yes.

The Holy Son never wanted to play with you in the first place.

You insisted on shamelessly pestering others to participate, even begging and kowtowing.

Now that you're less skilled than others and get beaten up, you complain that they're being unfair?

Isn't this a classic case of someone who can't take a joke?

"Isn't this shameless? When he kowtowed in the main hall, I thought he had some backbone. Turns out he's just a scoundrel."

"You have to endure the torture you asked for, even if it's with tears in your eyes."

"Exactly, the Holy Son is right. If you think it's unfair, then don't participate. Just get out of here, won't that solve the problem?"

These whispers stung Lin Chen's ears even more than the slap he had just received.

Lin Chen felt like his lungs were about to explode with anger.

humiliation.

This is an utter humiliation.

Gu Changyuan not only physically attacked him, but also mentally destroyed him.

He belittled all of Lin Chen's efforts and dignity to nothing.

Lin Chen lay on the ground, panting heavily.

That anger caused a strange surge of power to well up in his already withered body.

That was the power of anger.

It is the power of unwillingness.

"I refuse to accept this!"

Lin Chen roared inwardly.

"How could I just give up like this? How could I let that bastard Gu Changyuan laugh at me?"

"I am Lin Chen, I am the chosen one, I am the man destined to stand at the pinnacle!"

"I will repay today's humiliation a hundredfold, a thousandfold!"

Thinking of this, Lin Chen gritted his teeth.

He gripped the ground tightly with both hands, his veins bulging.

"ah--!"

He let out a low growl.

That was using all of one's strength to fight against the limits of one's body.

He trembled as he slowly propped himself up.

Although it was wobbly and looked like it could collapse at any moment.

But he stood up.