Inside the underground cave, the atmosphere became immensely tense in an instant.
"You’re actually not dead..."
Ji Yueze was the first to break the silence, looking at Chen Ye and sighing,
"It turns out your luck and life are indeed strong."
Chen Ye’s brow twitched.
From Ji Yueze’s words, he immediately guessed that this person had probably instructed those two late-stage Qi Cultivation cultivators to assassinate him, and subsequently entered this cave, isolated from the outside world.
Therefore, he didn’t know that not only had Chen Ye escaped the assassination, but he had also risen to fame within the Lingyin Sect.
Currently, Qing Jun’s whereabouts were unknown, and he might have fallen into Ji Yueze’s hands.
Chen Ye did not wish to stir up trouble.
He suppressed the killing intent in his heart, pretended not to know, and frowned, saying, "Taoist Friend Ji, what do you mean by this? We only had a slight verbal dispute at the Spirit Treasure Pavilion, how did it come to this? Besides, since I joined the Lingyin Sect, we have not interfered with each other..."
As he spoke, Chen Ye glanced around.
Apart from the altar, black pool, and white lotus, there was nothing else in this cave.
Ji Yueze’s form was withered, his clothes tattered, and it was unknown how long he had stayed here.
Evidently, he was here for the Purifying Heart Lotus, but... since the lotus seeds were already mature, why hadn’t he consumed it?
Ji Yueze suddenly spread his hands, his expression honest:
"Taoist Friend Chen, you don’t know. Indeed, I don’t wish to fight with you. Surely you see, this place is a Demon Path lair. Back then, it was those emotion crossing sect impelled me to strike against you. Now, we’re both trapped here, why not join forces, first take this Purifying Heart Lotus, and then consider our escape? What do you say?"
He spoke earnestly, as if he truly had some unspeakable difficulty.
But Chen Ye’s heart was cold.
Ji Yueze was known for his honeyed words and cruel reputation, how could he easily trust him?
Sure enough, while Ji Yueze was speaking, a flying needle already held in his sleeve had silently transformed into a poisonous black light, quietly shooting towards Chen Ye’s heart!
"Ding!"
Chen Ye was already on guard; with a thought, his Iron Sword instantly unsheathed, the Cyan Wave Sword Control Technique activated at will, a sword light like a ripple of water falling behind, knocking down the incoming poisoned needle in an instant.
Ji Yueze, seeing his sneak attack fail, flashed a hint of astonishment in his eyes: "This is... the Cyan Wave Sword Control Technique? What a pity, I never thought you would have some sword talent!"
What a pity?
It was this person who ought to perish on the spot!
He was at the Qi Cultivation Ninth Layer, how could Chen Ye be his match?
Behind Ji Yueze, a flying sword glittering with spiritual light had already unsheathed!
Its sword light was unpredictable, wielding the Myriad Phenomena Sword Technique once employed by Bai Susu!
The sword qi interwove, thoroughly suppressing Chen Ye!
"Goodbye!"
Ji Yueze sighed leisurely, he pinched a spell, an invisible ripple instantly spreading.
"Emotion Crossing Sect, Heart Evil Technique!"
In an instant, Chen Ye felt his divine soul fiercely shaken, countless negative emotions—greed, anger, lust, fear, surged into his mind like a tide, causing his vision to blur, nearly losing clarity of mind and combat ability.
Fortunately, he possessed the Seven Luminaries Soul Nurturing Technique, his divine soul was far more resilient than ordinary people!
In his sea of consciousness, seven stars shone brightly, holding on to the last thread of clarity.
Despite this, he still felt disordered and bewildered, his actions inevitably delayed by half a beat.
Seeing the Heart Evil Technique take effect, Ji Yueze’s eyes filled with killing intent!
A lion hunts a rabbit with all its might!
Even though in his impression, Chen Ye was only a Qi Cultivation Middle-Stage cultivator, at this moment, he unleashed his lethal move, giving due respect!
His spell changed, that flying sword gleaming with spiritual light emitted a clear sword cry, the Myriad Phenomena Sword Technique pushed to the extreme, the sword light like a rainbow, wrapped in a deadly intent, barreling straight toward Chen Ye’s heart meridian!
This strike he was fully confident in, capable of thoroughly slaying the rogue cultivator before him, who had continually surprised him!
Chen Ye’s divine soul was turbulent, illusions blossoming before his eyes, unable to effectively dodge.
Watching the fierce sword light about to pierce his chest, the crisis of death made cold sweat instantly break out all over him!
"Not good!"
In the emergency moment, Chen Ye had a thought, an ancient Eight Trigrams Mirror flew out, instantly enlarging, blocking in front of him!
On the mirror’s surface, the Eight Trigrams inscriptions swirled, a golden mysterious light barrier abruptly brightening!
"Clang—!"
A loud clash of metal reverberated in the cave!
Ji Yueze’s sure-hit sword struck fiercely on the barrier of mysterious light from the Eight Trigrams Mirror!
"Crack!"
The mysterious light barrier only held for one breath before shattering with a sound!
The remaining force of the flying sword did not diminish, striking heavily upon the surface of the Eight Trigrams Mirror!
On the mirror’s surface, several clear cracks appeared!
Even so, the terrifying residual wave of sword qi still penetrated the magical treasure’s multiple layers of defense, pounding fiercely on Chen Ye’s chest!
"Puff!"
Chen Ye felt as if hit by a heavy hammer, a mouthful of fresh blood spewed out wildly, feeling his internal organs all misplaced.
Not in vain was he an early-renown figure!
Had their cooperative target been Ji Yueze instead of Li Guangzong when he teamed up with Hee Qi and Li Qiuyun back then, perhaps even together, they wouldn’t have been Ji Yueze’s opponents!
Ji Yueze’s expression remained unchanged, pressing the attack.
The flying sword split into a myriad of sword lights, like a sky full of meteors, furiously surging to shred Chen Ye into blood and flesh.
Seeing those sword lights come like a meteor shower, about to engulf him completely, Chen Ye’s eyes were clear; even if injured, he remained unafraid.
Ji Yueze’s strength was within his expectations, so he had made early preparations.
Behind Ji Yueze, a tall black shadow quietly emerged.
It was the puppet—Qingzhi, hidden by Chen Ye in the shadows of the cave from the beginning!