Waving the banner only to provoke the real deal Oh no, he's coming for me in real life

The moment his true name was called out, Chen Yi's mind momentarily blanked.

They're asking if I know the Tribulation Transcendent Chen Yi?

How could I not know myself?

Is this a direct call-out?

Someone who can uncover my real name just through online chatting—seems like I’ve kicked an iron plate here...

Keep in mind, everyone in the chat group uses aliases. Even the group admin has no access to members' private information, let alone admins from other public groups.

So how did the admin of Group 98 manage to dig up my identity?

Could they be an omnipotent being capable of perceiving all cause and effect across the myriad realms?

Or perhaps a master of fate divination at the pinnacle of their craft?

Damn it all! Is this really a "newbie" chat group?!

At first, I thought being dragged into a newbie chat group while already at the Tribulation Stage was unique enough—turns out there’s someone even more formidable here?

Looking at it this way, his "read but no reply" wasn’t arrogance—he genuinely had the power, while I was the one being presumptuous?

No, wait!

After calming down, Chen Yi felt something was off.

If the admin of Group 98 truly were such an unfathomable powerhouse, his group rank shouldn’t be this low. Nor would he remain so humble and polite when I was practically stepping on his face with my accusations.

A supreme expert has their own dignity—their majesty cannot be challenged!

He must be... bluffing?

For instance, maybe this guy also transmigrated to the Purple Star Continent. After seeing the three lines of verse I left behind, he realized I was a fellow transmigrator.

Then, taking a wild guess that I’d joined this chat group, combined with my distinctive username, he pieced together that he was talking to me—and used this to intimidate me into backing off?

Hmm, this is far more likely to be the truth!

His shift from humble and slightly submissive to suddenly assertive also supports this theory!

But better safe than sorry!

What if the admin of Group 98 really is one of those shameless, tiger-disguised-as-a-cat, trollish powerhouses?

To play it safe, Chen Yi decided to dial back his attitude and test the waters.

[TMD the Tribulation Won’t Stop Chasing Me (Admin of Group 108): What Tribulation Transcendent? Cut the nonsense. Why did you read my message and ignore it? What’s your deal?!]

"Hmph, acting all high and mighty? Think you’re invincible?" Mu Chen’s expression darkened as he began his act.

[Back to the Multitude (Admin of Group 98): What do you want? I can tell you that the Tribulation Transcendent Chen Yi’s group alias is ‘Tribulation Sovereign.’ If you don’t believe me, check the second-level page of the Multiverse Store under ‘Trusted Merchants from Group One.’ I’m on good terms with him.]

Chen Yi: "..."

Confirmed. This guy’s an idiot.

I initially thought he was some cunning schemer, but now... he can’t even do basic math!

[TMD the Tribulation Won’t Stop Chasing Me (Admin of Group 108): Oh? So you’re close with the Tribulation Transcendent? Are you sure about that?]

Seeing the other party’s tone soften, Mu Chen’s tension eased slightly.

[Back to the Multitude: Believe it or not, but I’ll apologize for the earlier rudeness of leaving you on read. Hope you can overlook it.]

Apologies vary depending on the situation.

Before name-dropping ‘Tribulation Sovereign,’ the other side was aggressive—getting forgiveness would’ve cost him dearly.

But after raising that banner, even if the other party was still displeased, they’d have to rein in their hostility.

Little did Mu Chen know how ridiculous his little charade looked when performed in front of the actual person he was impersonating.

Chen Yi was practically laughing!

[TMD the Tribulation Won’t Stop Chasing Me (Admin of Group 108): Funny, I don’t recall that. Oh, by the way—I’m Chen Yi. You must’ve also transmigrated to the Purple Star Continent, right? Should I come find you, or will you come to me?]

Mu Chen: "???"

Holy—

Wait a second!

My brain’s short-circuiting here!

You’re Chen Yi?!

The Tribulation Transcendent Chen Yi?!

You’re joking, right?!

That old monster Chen Yi transmigrated eight hundred years ago—how could he possibly be in a newly established newbie group like 108?!

You’re messing with me... right?

Mu Chen wanted to cry.

He desperately wished to delude himself, but reality refused to cooperate.

After all, the other guy even named the Purple Star Continent—lying further would just be rude.

But he really, really didn’t want to meet Chen Yi!

If it were the ‘Tribulation Sovereign’ he’d imagined—some old-timer from Group One—it’d be fine. At worst, he’d lose some trivial things, nothing major.

But Chen Yi was the admin of a newbie group, akin to a startup company!

Having been a newbie himself, Mu Chen knew exactly what such groups lacked the most!

If he went to Chen Yi, could he expect anything good?

He’d be lucky to escape without being skinned alive!

Thirty-plus years of hard work, painstakingly building Group 98 into its current state, managing over fifty elite members, having them grind tasks for him while he raked in hundreds of thousands of points daily—living the cushy boss life...

Was it all about to vanish?!

"No! I refuse to work for someone else, even if it’s Chen Yi!"

"Chatting big online is one thing, but you want me to face you in person? Dream on!"

The more he thought about it, the more his heart ached. Mu Chen immediately closed the private chat, then—driven by desperation—blacklisted Chen Yi and logged off, cutting off any chance of being tracked down.

On the other side, watching Group 98’s admin’s grayed-out avatar go idle, Chen Yi smirked.

"Tsk tsk tsk. I was feeling a bit guilty about roughing up a fellow transmigrator, but you’ve handed me the knife yourself. Why make it so easy?"

"Playing hide-and-seek with me on the Purple Star Continent? You really don’t know your limits."

"Heh... Purple Star, you there?"

Chen Yi chuckled lightly, tapping the ground to summon the realm’s Heavenly Dao.

Soon, a vast, ethereal voice echoed through the void.

"Present. What do you require?"

As the only Tribulation Stage cultivator in this realm—one who’d survived eighty-one heavenly tribulations, the anchor stabilizing the foundational laws, and the greatest hope of restoring the Purple Star Continent to its former pseudo-immortal status—Chen Yi held immense weight in the eyes of the Heavenly Dao.

Not quite "ask and you shall receive," but if he willed it, the Purple Star Heavenly Dao would bend to his whims.

"Find someone for me." Chen Yi spoke calmly, raising three fingers.

"First, their soul lacks the reincarnation imprint of this realm."

"Second, their spiritual energy consumption doesn’t match their cultivation level."

"Third, they frequently vanish from this realm before reappearing."

With clear instructions, the Purple Star Heavenly Dao immediately began its search.

"Please wait. Scanning based on your criteria..."

"Targets located: Nine entities meet the conditions—three demonic, four human, two insectoid."

"The corresponding coordinates have been marked. After locating your desired target, if it's convenient, could you also help verify whether the other eight beings are reincarnations of extraterrestrial demons?"