19 Xiao chen,the mogger!

Junior brother Ye, when have I ever tried to humiliate you?"

Xiao Chen asked with an innocent face, his eyes wide with sincerity.

"It was you who got caught when you attempted to scam the old man, even though you were an Inner disciple of a major power like the Peerless Heaven Sword Sect,"

Xiao Chen continued, his tone carrying a mix of disappointment and disbelief.

"And let's not even talk about this. You said I snatched your chance But did this treasure map belonged to you? "

Xiao Chen added, shaking his head as if he couldn't believe the audacity of the accusation.

He paused for a moment, then continued with a hint of frustration in his voice.

"Now, not only did you come to seize my chance, but you also keep calling me a hypocrite without a shred of gratitude for my help in the bazaar,"

Xiao Chen remarked, his expression turning slightly incredulous as he emphasized his point.

"If I am a hypocrite, then what can I call you for all of this?" he said, his voice laced with disdain, as he stared at Junior Brother Ye with a mixture of disappointment and reproach.

Inside the jade pendant, Ji Rongmei, too, nodded in agreement upon hearing Xiao Chen's words regarding the matter.

Ye Fan who heard Xiao Chen's words, felt a surge of anger coursing through his body, he struggled to control it.

His expression twisted into one of discomfort as if he had just consumed something utterly repulsive.

Frustration gnawed at him from within as he found himself unable to refute Xiao Chen's accusations.

Despite this, a deep-seated conviction lingered in his heart, telling him that Xiao Chen harbored nefarious intentions and had somehow deprived him of something significant

What puzzled him the most was that he and Xiao Chen had only met once, and they hadn't encountered each other on any other occasion.

Ye Fan chose not to confirm whether the woman he was with was Tang Jingxue because he didn't want to worsen Ji Rongmei's impression of him due to Xiao Chen's accusations.

He feared that confirming Tang Jingxue's identity might lead Ji Rongmei to view him even more unfavorably

However, deep down in his heart, the was another reason why he did this, it was to avoid further damage to his Dao heart.

He didn't want to confront the possibility of hearing something he didn't want to hear, especially if it pertained to Tang Jingxue which could disrupt his inner harmony.

"Hmph! We'll see who the real hypocrite is after I emerge victorious in this fight," Ye Fan retorted with a disdainful snort before activating the secret technique known as "Astral Fusion Mastery."

The secret technique Ye Fan employed, "Astral Fusion Mastery," could temporarily boost the user's strength.

However, this enhancement came at a steep cost, for each use, ten percent of the user's permanent spiritual energy storage would be depleted, and there would be a brief period of weakness afterward.

Despite the drawbacks, Ye Fan found himself willing to pay the price.

His current strength was insufficient to contend with a cultivator from the Mysterious Platform realm.

he perceived Xiao Chen, the object of his current conflict, as a formidable opponent, as attested by the words of his senior.

As for the toll this technique exacted on his spiritual energy, Ye Fan was undeterred. He possessed the Great Yang Divine Body, a rare physique even in the upper realms.

Upon witnessing Xiao Chen activating the "Peerless Heaven Sword Code," the core cultivation technique of the Peerless Heaven Sword Sect didn't use any weapons or attacking techniques.

"It's not that I look down on you," Xiao Chen said.

"but with just a casual slash, I could defeat you a hundred times over.

"Too much deceit," Ye Fan exclaimed with a contorted face and seething anger.

He leaped towards Xiao Chen with his sword drawn, fully intent on engaging him in combat. However, his true objective lay elsewhere.

Ye Fan's initial goal was to engage Xiao Chen in battle for a short while, creating a distraction.

With Xiao Chen wholly focused on their duel, Ye Fan planned to seize the opportunity to enter the ancient tomb and claim the treasure within.

He harbored a strong belief that obtaining the treasure would be a significant opportunity in his cultivation path.

As they clashed, smoke and dust billowed around them, causing the surrounding stone walls to tremble while the air crackled with sword energy.

Ye Fan staggered back ten steps after their initial collision, while Xiao Chen effortlessly parried Ye Fan's attacks with elegant movements of his palm.

Ye Fan couldn't help but feel astonished by Xiao Chen's physical strength.

Despite possessing a formidable physique himself and a foundation comparable to the top talents of the middle three thousand Dao Realm, Ye Fan found himself outmatched by Xiao Chen's ease in blocking his attacks.

This realization led Ye Fan to conclude that Xiao Chen was no ordinary opponent.

His ability to effortlessly counter Ye Fan's strikes indicated that he possessed either a formidable physique or some other significant background.

Ye Fan's belief in his superiority was deeply ingrained, leading him to dismiss the idea that Xiao Chen had any significant chance of besting him.

He couldn't fathom the notion that Xiao Chen could be as fortunate as he was, considering the rarity of opportunities in the lower realm compared to the daunting task of finding a needle in a haystack.

This innate arrogance had been nurtured within him over time, further reinforcing his belief in his superiority over others.

As he concluded his contemplation, Ye Fan made a decisive move, further activating the "Astral Fusion Mastery" technique. However, he was fully aware of the more serious consequences this time around.

The "Astral Fusion Mastery" had a cumulative effect. If used twice, it would deplete thirty percent of the user's spiritual energy permanently, exacerbating the toll on their body.

Additionally, their five senses would become unstable, adding another layer of vulnerability to the short-term weakness already experienced after activation.

As Ye Fan continued to activate "Astral Fusion Mastery," Xiao Chen couldn't help but smile inwardly.

This was just the first step of his intricate scheme, and he eagerly prepared for another round of fighting.

Naturally, Xiao Chen realized the inherent risks of coming to the Ancient Cave alone instead of bringing Ye Fan along.

However, adhering to the original plot was crucial. According to the plan, there were two prerequisites for entering the cave.

The first prerequisite was having the treasure map, essential for activating the spatial portal.

The second prerequisite was entering with two people who shared inner harmony or, at the very least, had no enmities between them.

While Xiao Chen could have brought Tang Jingxue with him, he reasoned that this opportunity wouldn't have the desired effect on her, nor would it bring any significant destiny value or other benefits for him.

Instead, he saw the perfect opportunity to make use of a certain beautiful and naive senior.

With these thoughts in mind, Xiao Chen stomped on the ground, creating a cover of smoke to obstruct Ye Fan's vision.

Meanwhile, he executed an elegant, slow-motion backflip, strategically moving out of Ye Fan's divine sense range.

Simultaneously, while engaging in combat with Ye Fan, Xiao Chen winked at the jade pendant with a seductive gesture laden with hidden intent and intrigue.