Chapter 32: Dark Psychology

The scene shifted back to the stone chamber within the ruins.
Chaos reigned.
Cracks riddled the stone walls, the floor was smeared with blood, and the air reeked of iron.
Most of the people who had entered were now lying on the ground, lifeless and silent.

The only ones still standing were: Luo Chen, Luo Yuanshan, Luo Yan, Su Zimo, Su Xinyuan, Luo Jiutian, and two of the Su clan disciples.
Everyone bore injuries to varying degrees.
Some had exhausted their spiritual power.
Some had disordered breathing.
Clothing was torn, faces were pale, and fatigue hung heavy in their eyes.

Only in the corner stood Luo Jiutian—breath steady, robes immaculate, no trace of battle on him whatsoever.
Earlier, everyone had planned to join forces against him.
But the sudden appearance of that beast-headed phantom had thrown everything into chaos.
Its first strike had sent Luo Chen flying.
Next, it rushed two Luo clan disciples who tried to attack it, killing them before they could even react.

In that instant, the entire battle spiraled out of control.
Everyone was forced into defense, struggling just to stay alive, with no chance to spare a hand against Luo Jiutian.
The outcome was obvious.
While others were battered and bloodied, only Luo Jiutian remained unharmed.
More than that—taking advantage of the chaos, he had quietly pocketed the sealed Disaster Severing Stone.

And afterward?
He didn’t provoke the beast-headed phantom.
Instead, he calmly walked to an unremarkable corner of the chamber, produced a wooden chair from who-knew-where, sat down, and began watching the spectacle like an audience member.

Su Zimo and Su Xinyuan were battered under the phantom’s charge, retreating step by step, gasping for breath, their bodies crisscrossed with wounds.
Luo Yuanshan and Luo Yan were nearly spent of spiritual energy, surviving only on raw instinct.
By comparison, Luo Chen’s condition still looked relatively intact.
His clothes were shredded and blood streaked his face, but his movements were sharp.
He continued dodging, circling, and clashing with the beast phantom.

Then he noticed something.
The phantom’s attacks had a pattern.
Once it locked onto a target, it would pursue them relentlessly, not stopping until they were utterly lifeless.
But—if anyone else interfered, its focus would immediately shift to the new attacker.

Unfortunately for him, the one being hunted now was Luo Chen.
He darted frantically around the chamber, teeth clenched, face darkening as he realized the phantom refused to let him go.

“Luo Yuanshan! Luo Yan!” His shout cracked. “What are you standing there for? Get over here and help!”

At his words, Luo Yuanshan simply closed his eyes, swayed sideways, and slumped against the wall as though unconscious.
Luo Yan followed suit without a word, lying down stiffly and slowing his breathing, feigning grievous injury.

Luo Chen’s eyes bulged.
“You—what kind of half-assed acting is this?!”

Neither responded.
Both continued pretending to be dead.

“Fine. Good. Very good.” Luo Chen’s chest heaved with fury.
But even while cursing, he had no choice but to keep dodging.

The phantom only grew faster.
He knew he couldn’t hold out much longer.
Grinding his teeth, Luo Chen whipped his head toward Su Zimo and roared, “Brother Su! We’re comrades-in-arms! You won’t just stand by, will you?”

Su Zimo sighed, shaking his folding fan with helpless grace.
“Luo young master, it’s not that I don’t want to help… but your condition is far better than mine. If I interfere, I’d only slow you down.”

“You motherf—!”

Bang!
Before he could finish, the beast phantom slammed into him again, sending him crashing into the stone wall before bouncing across the ground, rolling until he came to a stop.

Blood dripped from his mouth as he staggered up, vision falling on Su Xinyuan.
She met his eyes—then instantly took a half-step back, shaking her head quickly.
Before he could even open his mouth, she chirped:
“Luo young master, I believe in you! You can do it! Keep going!”

Luo Chen’s face flushed blue, then white, then back again.
The fury was so intense even his bleeding seemed to halt.
He wanted to speak—but the phantom’s roar tore through the air behind him, forcing him into another desperate roll.

Again and again he was beaten down.
Finally, he realized—these bastards had already figured out the phantom’s rules.
Every one of them was playing slick, refusing to move, using him as the scapegoat!

Blue veins pulsed across his forehead.
His fury boiled over.

And then, in the corner—
Luo Jiutian sat cross-legged on his chair, legs crossed, watching him like a circus act, nodding now and then in amusement.

Their gazes locked.
Luo Jiutian’s lips curved, his voice mild:
“Young master, why aren’t you smiling anymore? Don’t like it?”

【Ding! Host successfully broke the mental defense of the Child of Destiny ‘Luo Chen’. Fortune value converting automatically…】
【Current countdown to Blue Star’s return: 291 years, 6 months.】
【6 months deducted. Remaining time: 291 years.】

“Die!”
Luo Chen roared, reason nearly consumed.
It had to be Luo Jiutian.
Everything was his fault!

Since the day they met, had anything gone smoothly?
Either he was being toyed with, or he was on the way to being toyed with.
As if Luo Jiutian was born to restrain him.

“Luo Jiutian! Today, it’s either you or me!”

Bellowing, Luo Chen stomped down, spear sweeping.
A gleam of white light erupted from the spearhead, his whole body like an arrow loosed, charging straight at Luo Jiutian.

But—
Luo Jiutian wasn’t about to stand there and take it.
He rose, sidestepped, and in the same breath drove a straight punch into Luo Chen’s stomach.

Bang!
The impact launched Luo Chen like a cannonball.
His body drew a perfect arc through the air, flying straight out of the chamber without slowing.

“Luo Jiutian! Just you wait—!”

His scream cut short as he slammed into two stone pillars outside, shattering them, before tumbling headfirst into a heap of rubble.
Dust billowed skyward.

Groaning, he crawled up halfway—only to see the beast phantom charging toward him again.
“You’ve got to be kidding me—it’s still chasing?!”

Face twisting in horror, he turned and ran.
His frantic shouts and screams echoed down the passageway, fading only after a long while… until silence returned.

Now only five remained in the chamber.
Or rather, five still alive: Luo Yuanshan, Luo Yan, Su Zimo, Su Xinyuan, and Luo Jiutian.

For a moment, silence weighed.
Then Luo Jiutian stepped into the center of the chamber.
He raised his hand.

Blood-red light coalesced in his palm, condensing into the shape of a long scarlet sword.
Blood mist curled around the blade.
No dazzling effects, no flashy brilliance—yet at the sight of it, every spine present ran cold.

He said nothing.
His gaze swept the chamber, calm, commanding.
At that moment—he was no longer a participant.
He was the master of this place.

The others stiffened.
Luo Yuanshan and Luo Yan immediately scrambled upright, abandoning their “corpse” act in an instant.
Not even bothering to dust themselves off, they straightened their backs, staring at him with grim faces, sweat dripping down their temples.

Su Zimo and Su Xinyuan exchanged wary glances.
Each of them understood one thing—
Luo Jiutian was about to settle accounts.