Mentality of an Author

Mo Qingkuang's actions filled Chu Yanran with fear. 

If he were to throw her in front of everyone like this, she would rather die. 

Tears streamed down Chu Yanran's face, and her earlier madness was gone: "Mo Qingkuang! You are a bastard! A devil!" 

Mo Qingkuang remained unmoved: "I'll give you ten seconds. Two choices. First, tell me where Lin Yang is. Second, I'll throw you into the crowd." 

Chu Yanran shook her head fiercely: "I don't know! Even if I knew, I wouldn't tell you!" 

"Ten." Mo Qingkuang began to count, ignoring her crying. 

"Nine." 

... 

"Three." 

"Two." 

"I really don't know!" 

"One. Your time's up!" 

Mo Qingkuang raised his hand, ready to throw her. 

"No! I really don't know! He went to the Blue Flame Empire, and I haven't contacted him since!" Chu Yanran screamed. 

Mo Qingkuang paused, suspiciously eyeing Chu Yanran for a while, not quite believing her. 

"Enough, how long are you going to keep this up?" Mo Fan's cold voice echoed in Mo Qingkuang's mind. 

Kidnapping Chu Yanran was his own decision; Mo Fan had tried to stop him but was too late. Fortunately, Fu Qing intervened and stopped Qin Wufeng, or Mo Qingkuang would have caused even more trouble. 

Since Mo Qingkuang had taken Chu Yanran, Mo Fan had been advising him, but this time Mo Qingkuang didn't follow his instructions. 

From interrogation to threats, Mo Qingkuang had done it all without needing Mo Fan's guidance. 

"Ancestor, I just want to know where Lin Yang is! I want to kill him!" Mo Qingkuang shouted in his heart. 

Mo Fan understood Mo Qingkuang's feelings but also recognized his foolishness. 

He was still that same useless kid. 

Sighing, Mo Fan said, "When you go somewhere, do you tell Han Yan?" 

"I—" Mo Qingkuang was suddenly at a loss for words. 

Yes, whenever he went somewhere or did something, he never consulted Han Yan. 

The relationship between Lin Yang and Chu Yanran was almost the same as his relationship with Han Yan'er. 

Mo Qingkuang suddenly realized, his face turning ashen. 

"Let's go, someone's coming," Mo Fan said coldly. 

Mo Qingkuang looked at Chu Yanran with a complex expression before reluctantly letting her go. 

Chu Yanran hurriedly picked up the pieces of her clothes from the ground to cover herself, trembling all over, deeply afraid that Mo Qingkuang would throw her out again. 

Taking a deep breath, Mo Qingkuang took out a set of clothes from his storage ring and threw them at Chu Yanran: "I won't kill you, and I hope you don't die." 

"I will personally kill Lin Yang in front of you! Then you can die for him if you want." 

His voice faded as Mo Qingkuang's figure disappeared. 

Chu Yanran wrapped the clothes tightly around her, covering her delicate body, her eyes filled with intense hatred: "In your dreams!" 

In the distance, a young man sweeping the ground appeared around the corner, holding a broom. 

Chu Yanran quickly arranged her clothes and stumbled away in another direction. 

*** 

Mo Qingkuang didn't return to the main group immediately but found a rooftop to sit on. 

Holding two tiles in his hands, he rubbed them absentmindedly, feeling a bit uneasy. 

"Ancestor, I'm sorry." 

He said slowly, realizing he had acted impulsively again. 

In the past, Mo Fan's guidance had always been correct, and he had followed it resolutely. 

Following Mo Fan's commands, he had repeatedly gained the upper hand over Lin Yang, gradually becoming the foremost genius of the Tianxuan Empire. 

Ever since he achieved the Wind Spirit Body and became a First-rank Grandmaster, he had been living in everyone's praise. 

After nearly defeating Chen Kong, his reputation soared, and in their eyes, his potential was immensely important to the future of the Tianxuan Empire. 

Sometimes, he almost forgets who had brought him all this. 

It felt as if everything he had was rightfully his, as if all of this fortune was something he deserved. It was meant to be like this. 

However, an unexpected ranking list brought Mo Qingkuang's rising spirits crashing down. 

Lin Yang also achieved a spiritual body, advanced to a First-Rank Grandmaster, became a Third-Grade Alchemist, and defeated the Second-Rank Grandmaster Lu Feng. 

Lin Yang outshone Mo Qingkuang, seizing the top spot on the Young Qilin Ranking! 

Lin Yang, Lin Yang, Lin Yang, Lin Yang! 

The haunting Lin Yang always emerged stronger whenever Mo Qingkuang thought he had left him behind. 

Lin Yang was Mo Qingkuang's lifelong obsession, and his resurrection was purely for revenge! 

From the day he returned from the dead, he knew that only one of them could survive between him and Lin Yang! 

Thus, the incident of abducting Chu Yanran to force Lin Yang's whereabouts happened. 

Lin Yang's growth rate was terrifying. 

When Mo Qingkuang received the Fallen Leaf King's legacy, achieved the Wind Spirit Body, and advanced to a Seventh-Rank Grandmaster, Lin Yang merely had Heaven-grade roots, and was at Fourth-Rank Martial Master level. 

In just one year, not only had Lin Yang not been left behind, but he had also caught up and surpassed Mo Qingkuang. 

Moreover, he was a Third-Grade Alchemist and had profound formations skills that hadn't been revealed for a long time. 

Calculating it, Lin Yang's growth in one year far exceeded his own. 

Although Mo Qingkuang was unwilling to admit it, he had to acknowledge deep down that he was afraid. 

So, when Chu Yanran repeatedly emphasized this point, Mo Qingkuang's slightly mature and steady mindset instantly crumbled, returning to rage. 

However, he sincerely apologized to Mo Fan. 

Through the highs and lows, he realized that everything he had was given by the ancestor. 

Mo Fan was silent for a while: "Think carefully before you act in the future." 

"Ancestor, you're not angry, right?" Mo Qingkuang tentatively asked. 

"Do you want me to be?" Mo Fan spat out. 

Only then did Mo Qingkuang feel relieved. 

"Ancestor, I will follow your commands from now on!" Mo Qingkuang repeatedly promised. 

"Alright, go back. Fu Qing might be looking for you. As for Lin Yang, we will know more once we reach the Blue Flame Empire." Mo Fan sighed. 

Today's Mo Qingkuang made him very dissatisfied. 

Not only did he not follow his orders, but he also ignored his advice. 

Where Lin Yang was, even Chu Yanran didn't know, and neither did Mo Fan. 

However, once the continental youth alchemist competition was held, Lin Yang would show up on his own; what was there to search for? 

Mo Qingkuang was just overly concerned and too scared. 

But it was understandable; he had never truly won against Lin Yang directly, so it was normal for him to be afraid. 

However, based on today's events, Mo Fan suddenly realized something. 

Although Mo Qingkuang had always followed his instructions, step by step reaching his current position, giving Mo Fan a sense of accomplishment, he had overlooked that Mo Qingkuang wasn't a puppet; he was a person. 

A living person, with his own thoughts and character. 

He wasn't his marionette. 

At this moment, Mo Fan also realized that his mentality was still that of an author. 

Mo Qingkuang obeying his commands seemed natural. 

But now, he finally understood that Mo Qingkuang, Lin Yang, Fu Qing, and everyone else were no longer characters he wrote about but living individuals. 

Even he himself was one.