Chapter 205: I’ll Give You a Chance, Defeat Me
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“What should I do, Senior Brother Unworried?”
Whether Unworried was being truthful or not, Ye Cong Xin could only choose to trust him. Until she found the others, only he could protect her. Her wide, watery eyes gazed at him, as if she might burst into tears at any moment.
Unworried’s tone remained calm. “Simply follow me closely.”
“Senior Brother Unworried, you are truly a good person.”
“A monk only does what he must.” His actions were honest, aligning with both his heart and his devotion to Buddha.
Ye Cong Xin smiled and agreed, though the smile never reached her eyes. People who were overly virtuous often stirred a destructive desire in others. She wondered if this devout monk would eventually fall, like other mortals, under her allure.
She looked forward to finding out.
…
“Junior Brother Ji,” Fang Cheng Lang called as he leapt out of a cave hidden behind a waterfall. His gaze landed on Ji Han Zhou, who stood by the water’s edge. A faint smile crossed his face.
But Ji Han Zhou’s expression turned cold the moment he saw him. Without a word, he turned and began to walk away, showing no interest in conversation.
“Why are you in such a hurry to leave, Junior Brother Ji?”
Ji Han Zhou had once saved Fang Cheng Lang by feeding him an antidote in the Marsh Forest. Later, they competed on the same stage, and Fang Cheng Lang had admired Ji Han Zhou’s swordsmanship, viewing him as a kindred spirit. He had long sought a chance for a private exchange, but fate never provided one.
Finally, they met alone, but Ji Han Zhou’s attitude was unexpectedly cold, so different from the passionate young man who had saved him.
Fang Cheng Lang was utterly perplexed.
Ji Han Zhou turned his head, his gaze icy. “I’ve learned about the entanglement between you and Senior Sister Yu. Knowing now how you conspired against her, I regret saving you back then.”
Ji Han Zhou was not one to forge warm relationships easily, and he knew little about the intricacies within the Five Elements Dao Sect. Only after participating in the grand cultivation competition did he discover that Senior Sister Yu Zhao, whom he admired greatly, had endured numerous grievances. Among those grievances was Fang Cheng Lang, the supposedly upright gentleman standing before him.
No wonder Senior Sister Yu had been so curt with them in the Marsh Forest. Back then, his foolishness blinded him to the truth, leading him to help Fang Cheng Lang unreservedly.
The more Ji Han Zhou thought about it, the angrier he became. His gaze at Fang Cheng Lang turned sharp as a blade.
Fang Cheng Lang’s surprise slowly gave way to bitterness. He realized that any hope of forming a close friendship with Ji Han Zhou was gone.
“Hmph!” Ji Han Zhou snorted coldly, seeing that Fang Cheng Lang had no rebuttal. He turned and strode away, vanishing from sight in no time.
Fang Cheng Lang stood in place, his expression unreadable, a mix of emotions clouding his face.
…
Yu Zhao emerged from the desert, spotting an unusual mountain in the distance. The peak was dark brown, its rocks bare and radiating a searing heat.
She leapt forward, scaling upward with practiced agility. As she climbed, the temperature rose steadily, her protective barrier unable to fully shield her from the sweltering heat. Wiping away beads of sweat from her brow, her eyes sparkled with excitement.
In her experience, the stranger the terrain, the more likely it was to hide treasures. Perhaps, behind this peculiar mountain, a rare spiritual herb awaited.
Driven by the possibility, Yu Zhao quickened her pace.
Before long, she reached the summit. Suddenly, a chilling gust of wind struck her, making her shiver. Slowly, she extended her hand, and a snowflake landed on her palm. The icy touch confirmed that what lay ahead was no illusion.
Who could have imagined that behind a mountain resembling a volcano would lie a snow-covered world?
Standing at the boundary, Yu Zhao found herself at the intersection of fire and ice. The stark contrast resembled a line drawn between two opposing worlds, perfectly bisecting them.
What secrets did this bizarre mountain hold?
Yu Zhao’s eyes gleamed with intrigue. Her curiosity about the mountain deepened.
Just as she was about to descend to the base for a thorough investigation of its secrets, a small black dot appeared in the pristine white landscape. Squinting, Yu Zhao noticed it clearly and a malicious smirk slowly curled her lips.
“Well, what do we have here? Fancy running into you.”
Quan Ye darted freely across the snowy mountain. Each step caused the icy ground beneath him to crack, emitting crisp, snapping sounds. His face was alight with exhilaration, as if his very blood were boiling, rushing wildly through his body.
The Cliff of Reflection was no place for a human being, yet he’d been imprisoned there for five full years! No one could comprehend how he had endured those five years of torment. And it was all because of Yu Zhao! She had been the reason he suffered so unjustly.
She’d better pray they didn’t meet… otherwise…
Lost in his vengeful fantasies, Quan Ye was suddenly struck by a powerful gust of wind. He raised his arm to defend himself but was forcibly pressed into the snow by an overwhelming force from above. The chilling snow seeped into his skin, sending a jolt through his body. Furious, he raised his head and roared, “Who dares attack me from behind?”
Beyond the Floating Island, seven sect masters simultaneously widened their eyes.
Yu Zhao had struck someone! And not just anyone—her former senior brother!
Master Qing Yan let out a cold snort, his expression frosty. Yu Zhao’s true nature could no longer be hidden.
Crunch. Crunch.
Yu Zhao treaded over the thick snow, each step deliberate and steady, until she halted a mere ten feet from Quan Ye.
“You! Impostor! How dare you ambush me! Despicable! Shameless! Lowly scum!” Quan Ye’s face turned a deep shade of purple as he spewed curses at her, his words growing fouler with each passing moment.
Yu Zhao, unfazed, remained indifferent. Meanwhile, the seven sect masters watching through the water mirror frowned in unison. They cast sidelong glances at Master Qing Yan, their expressions subtly accusatory.
Setting aside the feud between Yu Zhao and Quan Ye, the latter’s unrestrained hatred toward Yu Zhao only served to paint him in an even worse light. At this point, none of them could blame Yu Zhao for lashing out. If they were in her shoes, they’d have beaten him far more brutally.
Quan Ye attempted to fight back, but the immense force pinning him down was immovable. Overcome with rage, his curses grew increasingly vile.
“Click, click,” Yu Zhao tutted, her gaze scanning Quan Ye’s pitiful display of impotent fury.
Once upon a time, Quan Ye had brought her nothing but fear and suffering. His so-called sparring sessions had been nightmarish ordeals she could never escape. But now, the tables had turned. She could finally repay every ounce of pain he’d inflicted—twofold.
Relaxing her spiritual energy, Yu Zhao lifted the force restraining Quan Ye and curled her finger in a mocking gesture. “Come on. I’ll give you a chance—beat me.”
Quan Ye flexed his limbs, discovering that he was no longer held down. He slammed his fist into the snow, leaping into the air with the grace and ferocity of a hunting leopard.
“You’re dead!”
His fist grew larger in Yu Zhao’s vision as it approached.
Yu Zhao smirked disdainfully and raised her own fist to meet his head-on.
Quan Ye’s physical strength was far beyond that of ordinary people, and his body had been tempered by five years of lightning at the Cliff of Reflection. It wasn’t an exaggeration to say his fists were tougher than most magical weapons. Seeing Yu Zhao choose a direct confrontation instead of dodging, Quan Ye’s face twisted into a triumphant sneer.
“You’ve sealed your fate!”
Crack!
Amidst the collision, the subtle sound of bones fracturing slipped out, nearly drowned by the clash but still distinctly heard by both parties.
Quan Ye’s face froze in disbelief before he crumpled to the ground, clutching his hand and screaming in agony.
“No… impossible! How can your fist be harder than mine?”