'Confrontation'

As the intense battle between Xiao Chen and Ye Fan raged on, both fought with distinct intentions while each striving to gain the upper hand in the battle.

Meanwhile, within the confines of the jade pendant, Ji Rongmei watched the confrontation unfold, her gaze fixated on Xiao Chen.

Today, Xiao Chen's attire consisted of a golden robe with red stripes, and bathed in the ethereal glow emanating from the ancient tomb, his already peerless visage seemed to transcend even further.

Ji Rongmei's eyes remained glued to Xiao Chen, captivated by his every move.

Suddenly, she noticed Xiao Chen leap into the air, and his gaze seemed to lock onto her.

With a seductive smile playing on his lips, he winked in her direction, as if he were aware of her unwavering attention.

Taken aback by Xiao Chen's unexpected action, Ji Rongmei's mind momentarily went blank.

Suddenly, she jolted up from her futon, her eyes widening in surprise and confusion.

"What?" she exclaimed, her voice filled with bewilderment as she tried to process the implications of Xiao Chen's wink and seductive smile directed toward her.

As Ji Rongmei's shout pierced the air, Ye Fan momentarily froze in his place, caught off guard by the sudden interruption.

Seizing the opportunity, Xiao Chen swiftly took advantage of Ye Fan's daze and delivered a sneaky attack, sending him flying with a powerful slap.

Stunned by Xiao Chen's underhanded move, Ye Fan attempted to block the attack, but it was already too late.

He was propelled backward, crashing against the wall with a resounding impact.

As he slid to the ground, his body left an imprint on the stone surface, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.

Struggling to rise to his feet, Ye Fan's concern shifted to Ji Rongmei.

"Senior, what happened to you?" he asked inwardly, his voice laced with worry.

Ji Rongmei was not a young girl, she quickly regained her composure upon hearing Ye Fan's voice.

Realizing that she hadn't used a sound barrier, she took a moment to collect her thoughts before responding.

"Junior Ye, the treasure inside the ancient tomb is the Heavenly and Earthly Flame," she revealed calmly.

Upon hearing this revelation, Ye Fan was stunned, unable to contain his excitement.

He naturally absorbed information about the cultivation world from Ji Rongmei, but his joy was short-lived.

He was unable to shout out as his face was almost disfigured because of Xiao Chen's slap, he felt a surge of hatred coursing through him, fueled not only by the pain of Xiao Chen's vicious slap but also by the humiliation of being struck in front of Ji Rongmei.

Trembling with fury, Ye Fan's disfigured face contorted with rage as he glared at Xiao Chen with intense loathing.

As Ye Fan redirected his attention towards Xiao Chen, Ji Rongmei breathed a sigh of relief, her outward demeanor returning to calmness.

However, inwardly, she felt a whirlwind of emotions.

Reflecting on her intense scrutiny of Xiao Chen, Ji Rongmei experienced a mixture of embarrassment and shame.

She resented Xiao Chen for daring to make such a bold move against her, considering he was merely a junior.

Despite her outward appearance of calmness, she couldn't shake the feeling of being flustered deep within.

Although she is known as the majestic general of the immortal ye family and a powerful senior by people of the upper realm, her real age was only a hundred years.

A cultivator under a hundred years old was considered young by the standards of the upper realm.

It was Her unparalleled talent and unprecedented breakthrough speed had propelled her far beyond her peers, spanning several generations of seniority.

In the original plotline, Ji Rongmei was consumed by thoughts of revenge, disregarding worldly desires and distractions.

Many believed her to be a madwoman and also she concealed her identity by donning a giant suit of armor.

However, few knew of her pure-hearted nature, fiery temper, and naivety in matters of heart.

This was why Ye Fan had been able to manipulate her into helping him whenever he caused trouble.

Despite her tough exterior, Ji Rongmei was, in reality, a pitiable figure, lacking experience in matters of the heart.

As she continued to observe the battle, Ji Rongmei's anger flared, and she snorted disdainfully.

"Hmph, just you wait. Once I've recovered my strength, I'll teach you a lesson," she declared, though the faint blush creeping up her cheeks betrayed her true feelings.

Meanwhile, outside the jade pendant, Ye Fan's heart seethed with hatred as he glared at Xiao Chen.

Yet, he managed to quell his anger, resorting to a historic technique of clenching his hand tightly until his nails dug into his flesh.

As Ye Fan realized that his current approach wouldn't suffice in the battle against Xiao Chen. he decided to activate his Great Yang Divine Body.

While he couldn't utilize its full power at the moment, he knew it would still provide a significant boost.

With determination in his eyes, he spat out his blood essence and channeled his spiritual power to activate his physique, speaking with intimidating confidence as if victory were already assured.

"Hahaha, you've forced my hand, and you can't blame me for being ruthless," Ye Fan declared, his tone dripping with malice.

Observing Ye Fan's transformation, Xiao Chen's expression turned serious, and he drew his sword with purpose.

"Junior brother Ye, now that you've chosen to unleash your power, you must be prepared to face the consequences," Xiao Chen warned, his voice laced with a hint of severity.

"I won't go easy on you as I did before and If you can withstand this strike, I'll spare your life."

Hearing Xiao Chen's challenge, Ye Fan's expression twisted with frustration and hatred.

He sensed an overwhelming amount of sword energy gathering around Xiao Chen's blade, further fueling his animosity toward his opponent.

despite his resentment, Ye Fan knew deep down that he had succeeded in getting his attention.

After this, With the help of Ji Rongmei and the Heavenly and Earthly Flame within the ancient cave, he undergoes tremendous growth which could make his journey in avenging his father quickly

As the final battle commenced, Xiao Chen unleashed his devastating "Infernal Sword Technique," known for its destructive abilities and hard power

Meanwhile, Ye Fan tapped into the latent strength of his "Great Yang Divine Body," seeking to overpower his opponent.

However, despite his efforts, Ye Fan's expression soured as he realized that the strength gained from his earlier use of "Astral Fusion Mastery" was beginning to wane, leaving him unable to sustain his enhanced physique for much longer.

To make matters worse, Xiao Chen appeared unfazed, not even breaking a sweat throughout the entire battle.

Sensing that his time was running out, Ye Fan gathered his energy for one final, desperate attack.

With a resounding shout, he unleashed his ultimate technique, "Everlasting Wall of Flame."

As the magnificent wall of flame surged forward, causing the ground to tremble and obstruct Xiao Chen's vision, a chuckle escaped Xiao Chen's lips.

His plan was nearing its completion, and as the system prompt flashed in his mind, Xiao Chen knew that victory was within his grasp.