Who Exactly Are You?

The more Steward Lin recalled, the more familiar that face seemed, and the deeper his suspicions grew.

Back when he was eating, he had already noticed that the man's cultivation was likely at the Qi Refining Third Layer.

It wasn't that he had intended to stare, but Zhao Ling'er, who was with Chen Ze, possessed such striking beauty that he couldn't help but glance at her a few times.

After reflecting on the moment he had tripped, he was now certain that it was that man's doing.

Yet, he could not fathom how someone at the Qi Refining Third Layer would dare to provoke a man at the Qi Refining Sixth Layer.

Is he trying to lure me out?

Steward Lin was filled with uncertainty. He was now nothing more than a man cast out of the Qingyun Sect, stripped of his backing, and a sliver of lingering fear began to take root in his heart.

"You all go ahead and drink; I have some urgent business to attend to."

Without waiting for the strange looks from his companions, Steward Lin rose from the table and headed for the exit.

The others at the table exchanged confused glances.

"What's this about?"

Steward Lin had already hurried out of the tavern; he felt a persistent sense of unease here.

Having spent so many years in the Qingyun Sect, he had offended more than a few people.

Now that he had been expelled and had come to Wannan City, his greatest fear was running into old acquaintances.

Although the people he had offended in the past were merely Service Disciples, who could say if any of them had stumbled upon a stroke of fortune and soared to the heavens?

I should leave this place quickly. Steward Lin felt restless and anxious.

After leaving the tavern, Steward Lin ducked into a small alley and navigated through several turns.

His pace quickened; he felt as though a pair of eyes had been tracking him from behind.

Just then, a figure appeared before him. "Long time no see, Steward Lin."

The figure standing before Steward Lin was none other than Chen Ze.

"Who are you?" Steward Lin began to size Chen Ze up; he was indeed only at the Qi Refining Third Layer.

But he dared not be careless; for a Qi Refining Third Layer cultivator to block his path for no reason was highly abnormal.

Steward Lin glanced behind him, ready to bolt at the slightest sign of trouble.

Yet, as he turned, he saw another person standing behind him—it was Zhao Ling'er.

"?" Seeing Zhao Ling'er, who had been dining with Chen Ze, he didn't find it particularly strange, but he could not discern her cultivation level at all.

Zhao Ling'er had completely restrained her aura, appearing just like an ordinary mortal, revealing no trace of cultivation.

Steward Lin was struck with dread; not being able to see her cultivation did not mean she lacked it.

At this moment, Chen Ze said with a mocking smirk, "Steward Lin, you truly are a noble who forgets things easily.

However, it is normal that you don't remember me; after all, two years have passed.

Even if you don't remember me, there has always been a fixation in my mind.

Now that I see you living so comfortably, that fixation has only grown deeper.

If I don't resolve it, I won't be able to find peace."

Steward Lin was losing his mind; he truly could not recall. "Who exactly are you?"

"Heh, Steward Lin, how does it feel to be kicked out of the Qingyun Sect?"

"Could it be you?" A jolt like electricity surged through Steward Lin's mind. Even now, he still didn't understand how he had been expelled when he had been doing his job so well.

"Haha, it is me. Back then, you framed me and got me kicked out of the Qingyun Sect; now, I'm going to let you taste the same bitterness.

Originally, I would have let this matter slide, but seeing you living so comfortably today made me feel quite uncomfortable."

"Who are you? Why are you doing this?"

"Think back—to the person who worked so hard just to tend the Spirit Field.

I grew so much Spirit Rice, thinking I would be rewarded, but in the end, you pocketed it for yourself, leading to my expulsion from the mountain.

I was the same back then, unable to understand how I had been cast out when I had worked so diligently."

A figure seemed to surface in Steward Lin's mind, slowly merging with the person standing before him.

"Chen Ze?" Steward Lin gasped in terror.

Chen Ze let out a loud laugh. "Haha, you finally remembered."

"No, you can't be Chen Ze. He was just a piece of trash; he would never dare to act like this." Steward Lin still found it impossible to believe.

"Forget it. Since you've remembered who I am, I won't waste any more breath on you."

"What do you want?" As he spoke, Steward Lin unleashed his Spiritual Energy, ready to strike.

"Haha! Do you think I am still the same person I was back then?" Chen Ze finished his sentence and likewise released his spiritual power, no longer hiding his cultivation as the power of the Foundation Establishment Realm surged forth.

Steward Lin felt Chen Ze's aura and was completely stunned. "Foundation Establishment Realm? How is that possible?"

"What is impossible about it?" Chen Ze said indifferently.

Following this, a streak of spiritual energy shot out from Chen Ze's fingertip, striking Steward Lin's Dantian directly.

"Bang!" A muffled thud echoed from Steward Lin's Dantian.

Steward Lin collapsed to the ground, his Dantian destroyed, his Qi Refining Sixth Layer cultivation instantly reduced to nothingness.

Steward Lin felt the agony radiating from his Dantian, his face twisted in disbelief.

Was he really crippled of all his cultivation just like that? This cultivation had been his only leverage after being driven out of the Qingyun Sect.

He had previously thought that with his Qi Refining Sixth Layer cultivation, he could live quite well even outside the Qingyun Sect.

Now that his cultivation was ruined—and by someone he had once looked down upon—he descended into madness, screaming and shouting, "Kill me! Kill me!"

Chen Ze frowned. "Noisy."

Another streak of spiritual energy shot out.

Steward Lin only felt a chill at the root of his tongue; as his mouth fell open, something dropped to the ground, and he could only whimper, unable to speak a word.

Steward Lin completely broke down, hurriedly kneeling on the ground to pick up his tongue and stuff it back into his mouth.

"Let's go, this is boring now." Chen Ze beckoned to Zhao Ling'er, who had been watching from behind the whole time.

Zhao Ling'er quickly ran to Chen Ze's side, looking at him with confusion.

She felt that Chen Ze had never been this bloodthirsty before; in the past, he would at most kill someone and be done with it, never having tortured anyone like this.

"Let's head back. I'll tell you about this slowly later."

Chen Ze turned and left with Zhao Ling'er, leaving Steward Lin alone on the ground, still trying to reattach his tongue.

There was no expression on Chen Ze's face, but deep within his soul, something seemed to have loosened.

It was as if a voice was shouting, feeling a sense of liberation.

Zhao Ling'er followed by Chen Ze's side, glancing at him from time to time.

She felt as though she had never seen Chen Ze like this before.

In her impression, Chen Ze never seemed to care about anything, always remaining as calm and detached as a light breeze.

He lived every day so leisurely, as if nothing could ever affect him.

She knew now was not the time to ask; she was a doppelganger, and she only needed to obey orders.

Moreover, she believed that Chen Ze had his reasons for everything he did, and she did not need to ask too much.