Chapter 354: Meeting Yang Simin Again

"Boom—boom—"

The mountains trembled, and one after another, deafening roars erupted from the Lotus Cave behind the Taiyi Sect.

The violent sound waves snapped the lotus leaves at the cave entrance, and the air currents surged out even more ferociously.

Inside the cave.

Two figures moved at high speed within the narrow space, engaging in a fierce clash; the entire cave shook violently, and stalactites fell like rain.

Great Elder Lv Hong stood pressed against the wall, watching the two figures locked in intense combat, completely bewildered and unsure of what to do.

He had only just finished introducing Chen Che to the Saintess and hadn't even managed to say a second sentence. He never expected that the moment the two locked eyes, they would let out identical cries of surprise, and then, without the slightest hesitation, they acted almost on instinct.

The two moved simultaneously, their figures rapidly interweaving in the cave as they launched a fierce duel.

Moreover, their moves contained deep True Qi, and every strike carried intense emotion, aiming to put the other to death!

"Yuanxiang, stop at once! You must not be disrespectful to the Sect Master!"

After thinking it over repeatedly, Great Elder Lv Hong still couldn't make sense of it, but Chen Che's status as Sect Master was genuine; even with the Saintess's noble status, she was still beneath the Sect Master. Attacking the Sect Master, and with lethal intent at that, was an act of rebellion!

Unfortunately, the Saintess did not listen to the Great Elder's dissuasion at all; instead, her True Qi grew more intense, and her moves became increasingly powerful.

Lv Hong wanted to step in to intervene, but the space here was too cramped, and the two were locked in such a fierce struggle that if he intervened rashly, getting accidentally injured would be a minor matter, but if one of them were injured, that would be a major one.

One was the Saintess who carried the Heavenly Book, and the other was the newly appointed Sect Master; neither could afford to be hurt!

However, fortunately, with Chen Che's strength, he would not be injured by the Saintess, and Lv Hong also noticed that although Chen Che's moves were ruthless, he held back at the final moment every time; even when he struck the Saintess, the damage caused was negligible.

However, the Saintess Yuanxiang clearly did not appreciate it; every time she was struck, she would retaliate with even more ruthless moves.

"You actually have the nerve to appear before me?! Go to hell!"

The palm wind of the Saintess Yuanxiang bloomed like a lotus, each palm strike carrying sharp killing intent as she attacked Chen Che without leaving any room for retreat.

"That's what I should be saying!"

Chen Che used his True Qi to manifest a long sword in his palm; his swordsmanship was like flowing clouds and moving water, and as the sword light flickered, each lotus palm strike vanished into thin air.

The stalactites and stalagmites in the cave were continuously shattered during their battle, and the flying stone fragments made crisp sounds.

The water in the Lotus Pond was also agitated by the True Qi they released, stirring up layers of ripples. Everything inside the cave was witnessing this intense scene of old acquaintances meeting.

As the battle progressed, the emotions of the two became increasingly agitated.

Their moves grew faster and faster, and every exchange was filled with determination, yet Chen Che always held back, not using any Artisan Technique to fight.

The Saintess seemed to sense Chen Che's restraint and became even more annoyed and furious: "Use your full strength! Don't think that just because you do this, I will soften my heart and not kill you!"

"Clang!"

After another contact, Chen Che drifted backward and stuck to the cave wall; his emotions had also calmed down significantly, and looking at the hysterical Saintess before him, he said: "Yang Simin, you cannot kill me; let's talk."

"I have nothing to talk about with you!"

Yang Simin danced her arms, her hands forming orchid fingers as she turned, and a True Qi water lily rotated and bloomed, releasing a pillar of energy with heaven-shaking power that shot toward Chen Che.

Chen Che let out a cold snort and flew down from the cave wall to meet the energy pillar, thrusting his palm-sword out fiercely; the tip of the sword sliced through the energy pillar, and four or five rays splashed onto the cave wall—if not for Great Elder Lv Hong's timely intervention, the picturesque Lotus Cave would have long since collapsed into ruins.

Chen Che pressed forward relentlessly; after slicing through the energy pillar, his long sword rotated and swept upward, splitting the True Qi water lily in two, which then dissipated like smoke.

"Snap!"

The long sword brushed past Yang Simin's temple, and with a flick of the blade, it slapped her on the face.

Yang Simin, who somehow became the Saintess Yuanxiang, was knocked sideways and fell into the Lotus Pond with a splash.

Yang Simin quickly stood up and poked her head out of the water; just as she was about to climb out, Chen Che's long sword thrust over again, pressing against her snow-white swan-like neck.

"Can we talk properly now?"

Chen Che looked down at Yang Simin from above, while Yang Simin tilted her head slightly, glaring fiercely at Chen Che.

Water droplets slid down her cheeks, adding a touch of sorrow, and her thick, beautiful hair was soaking wet, with a few strands sticking to her snow-white cheeks, highlighting a sense of broken beauty.

Chen Che watched her silently, the True Qi Long Sword in his hand dissipating, as if with emotion or perhaps a sigh: "You've grown up."

A flicker of emotion crossed Yang Simin's fierce gaze, and she sneered: "In what capacity are you speaking to me now? The great Sect Master of the Taiyi Sect, or the enemy who killed my mother? Or perhaps that... brother of mine who shares neither father nor mother."

Chen Che did not answer, but instead asked: "Why are you here? And how did you become the Saintess?"

Yang Simin did not speak, only glaring at Chen Che.

"If you don't want to say it, then forget it."

Chen Che turned to look at Great Elder Lv Hong, "What must I do to see the Heavenly Book?"

Lv Hong stepped forward quickly and said: "The Saintess only needs to perform an Artisan Technique to release the text of the Heavenly Book from within her body."

Chen Che looked at Yang Simin.

Yang Simin sneered: "Impossible."

"Yuanxiang!"

Great Elder Lv Hong frowned and reprimanded: "Attacking the Sect Master is already a grave taboo; that the Sect Master has not held it against you is already an act of mercy, yet you dare to be disrespectful to the Sect Master!"

Yang Simin looked at Chen Che and raised an eyebrow provocatively: "Is the Sect Master going to punish me?"

Chen Che gritted his teeth, crouched down, and met Yang Simin's gaze: "You had best not provoke me, do you understand?"

Yang Simin let out a disdainful snort, leaned her face forward, and said: "I don't care how you became the Sect Master of the Taiyi Sect; as long as the Heavenly Book is still with me, I can let anyone see it, but I will never let you have your way, even if you are the Sect Master."

Their gazes locked, flashing with intense sparks.

Great Elder Lv Hong stood to the side, not daring to interject. Even a fool could see that these two knew each other.

Although he was not yet clear on their specific relationship, it was certainly not as simple as enemies or friends, so he very tactfully stayed to the side, acting as a background prop.

"Knowing I am the Sect Master, you still dare to speak to me like this?"

"What? Is the Sect Master going to kill me? Just like you killed my mother!"

"She deserved to die."

"You deserve to die too!"

Chen Che lost his patience and grabbed Yang Simin by the shoulder; Yang Simin winced in pain, baring her teeth, yet she still stubbornly stared back at Chen Che.

"Yang Simin, I owe you nothing, and you owe me nothing. If you think you can use the Heavenly Book to blackmail me, then you have miscalculated!"

Chen Che released Yang Simin and looked at Great Elder Lv Hong, asking, "Great Elder, is there any other way for me to see the Heavenly Book?"

Great Elder Lv Hong glanced at the Saintess, who was still soaking in the lotus pond, and shook his head: "There is not."

Chen Che looked at Yang Simin, a cold light flashing in his eyes: "Since the Heavenly Book Character is sealed within her body, if she were to die, would the Heavenly Book leave her body and be sealed elsewhere?"

The Great Elder's body trembled, and he looked at Yang Simin with concern, saying, "Sect Master, that is not necessary. There is a method that can allow the Heavenly Book within the Saintess to be transferred into your body, Sect Master."

"What is it?"

Great Elder Lv Hong glanced at the Saintess from the corner of his eye, his expression troubled, but thinking that at least it could save the Saintess's life, he replied: "Dual... dual cultivation."

Chen Che raised an eyebrow, looked at Yang Simin, and gave a wicked smile: "That sounds just fine."

Yang Simin's expression remained normal, but inside she was already panicking. She glared at Chen Che and threatened him with a fierce look but a weak heart: "You wouldn't dare!"

"I am the Sect Master now; the entire Taiyi Sect is under my command. Do you want to guess whether I dare or not?"

Chen Che looked down at Yang Simin from above with a playful smile, his gaze full of the arrogance and disdain of someone in a position of power.

Yang Simin bit her red lips, her phoenix eyes brimming with tears, looking aggrieved, yet she remained stubborn, refusing to yield or give in.

………