Chapter Seventy-Five: Past Love and Hate

  Xia Chen squeezed to the front of the crowd, and only then did he see that the valley was actually a huge cave, in the shape of a square, with both height and width around ten zhang, built very neatly.

  The entrance was shimmering with a thin, transparent light screen. The light screen occasionally flashed blue ripples on its surface. Through the light screen, only a pitch-black interior could be seen.

  Prohibition! Xia Chen was shocked, recalling the conversation he overheard between Ma Ge and his two companions at the wine tower when they first arrived in Yunyang. It seemed that this ancient hidden land was indeed a cave dwelling of some divine cultivator.

  He watched silently, seeing one after another monk come forward and attack the light curtain seal, wanting to break in.

  However, all of these people failed without exception. The banishing light screen not only showed no signs of damage but also had a powerful rebound force, bouncing back everyone's attacks. Many people used their full strength and almost hurt themselves, ending up in a rather embarrassing situation.

  A sturdy big man couldn't bear it, he used an iron hammer to heavily smash the light screen, as a result the hammer bounced back and hit his head, immediately fainting, causing everyone to burst into laughter.

  There are also many people who want to take a shortcut, digging through the rock walls on both sides of the cave entrance. However, the rock walls on both sides are also filled with invisible restrictions. Once attacked, they immediately reveal their shape and reflect all attacks.

  Some profound and introspective monks simply looked on, secretly sneering at the restrictions set up by the divine transcendence cultivators. If these were easily broken through by a mortal cultivator, that would be too ridiculous.

  Seeing the attack was futile, gradually, no one dared to come forward again.

  "This seal is so powerful that it can't be broken. Are we going to just stand here and watch the treasure without being able to get in? Sigh!"

  "We don't have the treasure key, we can only wait for someone with the key to come and unlock the ancient vault, so that we can follow them and fish in troubled waters."

  "If the person with the treasure key doesn't show up, are we going to wait forever?"

  "This ancient seal has a time limit, that is, if you have the treasure key, if it's not opened within a certain period of time, it will lose its effectiveness. I've been waiting for them to make their move, but they haven't shown up yet."

  "In any case, I must enter the ancient storehouse. If not, wouldn't it be a waste of a trip? If some blind fool with the treasure key dares to stop us from entering, just kill them and take it by force!"

  "Alright, whoever dares to close their eyes, we'll kill him together!"

  Monks discussed, in front of the temptation of ancient Tsang, everyone was greedy and murderous.

  Xia Chen's heart skipped a beat. She hadn't expected that the opening of Gu Cang would have a time limit, this was the first time she had heard of such a thing. Fortunately, it didn't seem too late now.

  Suddenly, a group of six men in green robes emerged from the crowd and walked up to the entrance of the cave.

  "They're from the Haoran Sect!" The crowd exclaimed in surprise.

  Xia Chen raised her eyes and saw that apart from Yan Bing and Qi Shi Xiong, there were two more men in the Haoran faction.

  A man in his thirties, extraordinary in appearance, with flashing eyes, gave people a strong sense of oppression at a glance, and was quite similar to Yang Haiming, obviously a postnatal sixth-order master.

  Another man, about forty years old, with a face as cold as ice and an aura of majesty, although he didn't give off any oppressive feeling, gave people the sense that he was profound and unfathomable, like a deep ocean. His cultivation seemed to be even higher than that of the extraordinary man.

  "Li Shidi, use the treasure key to unlock the seal, let's go in." The man with a face as cold as ice said. His voice was hoarse, but it contained a sharp killing intent, and those who listened felt a chill coming on.

  "Yes, Brother Ling." The extraordinary man took out a several-inch-long, glittering golden key from his bosom and lightly pointed it at the seal.

  Immediately, the seal reacted, and a large amount of ripples gathered, vaguely forming a lock-like shape, as if waiting for the treasure key to be inserted.

  "Haoran faction indeed has a treasure key, we follow them in, if they don't let us in, kill them!"

  It was unclear who shouted, but the crowd immediately got up and swarmed towards the few people, although the Haoran faction had a strong presence, but there were many people with strong momentum, plus greed, they were also in a state of frenzy.

  Yan Bing and several other disciples changed their expressions.

  "Keep going, Li Shidi! I'll take care of anyone who dares to follow us!" Ling Shixiong smiled coldly and swiftly flashed into the crowd that was closing in.

  Ahhhhh!

  A burst of mournful cries erupted from the crowd, and Ling Shixiong's hands were extremely ruthless. Although it was just ordinary punching and kicking, those who were hit were all fatal, and they died instantly without anyone being able to withstand him in the slightest.

  After a brief moment of silence, more than a dozen corpses lay on the ground, all killed with a single blow, their deaths extremely tragic.

  Everyone shouted in unison and immediately retreated like a tide, staring at Ling Shixiong with fear. When greed encounters the threat of death, most people will come to their senses in time.

  Ling's mouth corners slightly curved, revealing a ruthless smile, his eyes filled with murderous intent stared unflinchingly at the crowd, as if saying that if anyone didn't want to die, they should follow him.

  Everyone was trembling with fear, not daring to move. Although everyone wanted to rush forward together, it was clear that Ling Shixiong alone could not stop them. However, the vast majority of people had come separately, each with their own thoughts and intentions, so they were destined to be just a mob.

  "Ling Luo Tian, you're so powerful! I don't know if the Luoyu Sect can keep up with you. Can you withstand it?" A soft and gentle woman's voice suddenly rang out.

  Seven women walked out of the crowd.

  The woman in the lead, over thirty years old, had a slightly arched eyebrow and a beautiful appearance, but she gave people an extremely cold feeling, as if looking at her for a moment would make one shiver involuntarily.

  Chen Lan and others followed her with great respect.

  It turned out that he was a disciple of Luo Yu Pai. No wonder he dared to challenge the Haoran faction at the trading conference that day. Xia Chen suddenly realized.

  "Zhan Tingting, today the ancient treasure is opened, many people are eyeing it covetously. Why don't we cooperate first and then show our skills inside?" Ling Luotian said calmly, not unexpectedly.

  "Alright, I was thinking the same thing." Zhan Tingting said with a cold smile, her slender hand grasping the hilt of a dark green long sword at her waist. "Lin Shimei, bring out the treasure key, let's go in."

  "Yes, Master Zhan!" The last girl standing, Luo Yu Pai, replied softly. She raised her head, her face was exquisite, with elegant eyebrows and eyes like a painting, carrying a hint of serenity, but in her eyes, there was a deep and profound meaning.

  Xia Chen's eyes suddenly contracted violently, his heart racing with shock, he couldn't believe it, this girl was none other than his ex-girlfriend Lin Mengru!

  Since that day he went up to Zhengxuan Mountain, Lin Mengru disappeared without a trace, and Xia Chen didn't go after her whereabouts either. The two had already broken off their relationship, so they were like strangers passing by.

  Who would have thought that at this moment, I would meet Lin Mengru again, and she has actually become a disciple of the Luo Yu Sect! This is truly unexpected.

  However, Xia Chen immediately calmed down again. Everyone has their own fate. If Yan Bing can become a disciple of the Haoran Sect, then it's also possible for Lin Mengru to become a disciple of the Luoyu Sect.

  He had long since lost all feelings for Lin Mengru, and now that he saw her, although he was extremely shocked, there were no emotional fluctuations.

  "Lin Mengru! Is that you!? How did you become a disciple of the Luo Yu Sect?" Suddenly, Yan Bing let out a loud shout and took a few steps forward. His face was filled with shock and excitement, his shoulders trembling violently, clearly shaken to the core by Lin Mengru's appearance.

  Ling Luo and others looked at him unexpectedly, Yan Bing had been very stable in the Haoran faction, rarely showing such emotions, and couldn't help but be quite surprised.

  Lin Mengru's expression also changed, but she still maintained her calm: "Yan Bing, it's you, long time no see. I didn't expect that you too would have the opportunity to become a disciple of the Haoran Sect. Congratulations."

  Her tone was faintly melancholic, with an inexplicable sense of desolation, as if all her thoughts had turned to dust, yet somehow different.

  Zhan Tingting was also stunned: "Lin Shimei, do you know him?"

  "I know him." Lin Mengru nodded and said, "He is Yan Bing, an old acquaintance of mine."

  "Old friend?" Yan Bing's face suddenly turned sinister, and he took a step forward. "Am I just an old friend in your eyes? Back then when I left the mountain, why didn't you follow me together? Later on, I looked for you everywhere but couldn't find you. Did you see that I had fallen out of favor and intentionally hide from me? Lin Mengru, did you ever think that Yan Bing would end up like this today?"

  Lin Mengru said lightly, "Those are all things of the past. I am no longer the me of the past, and you are no longer the you of the past. Let's not mention it again. I've already forgotten about it. You being able to join the Haoran Sect is your good fortune, and all I can say is congratulations."

  Her eyes were like ice, as if they were about to spit out fire. She spoke word by word: "Lin Mengru, you've forgotten the past, but I haven't! There's something I've wanted to ask you for a long time - have you ever truly loved me in your heart? You must answer me!"

  "I'm now devoid of emotions, I don't love anyone, my heart is solely focused on cultivation. Don't bring up past matters again, we're about to enter the Ancient Cavern immediately, let's not waste time because of our old affairs!" Lin Mengru said coldly.

  "No way, you must say!" Yan Bing's face turned even more ferocious, almost roaring, "Is your heart still loving that scoundrel Xia Chen?"

  "Shut up, you're the idiot!" Lin Mengru was suddenly stimulated, and Xiao Suo's eyes were burning with flames. "I'm telling you! I don't love you, I've never loved you, the one I love is Xia Chen!"

  Yan Bing's face stiffened, her eyes turned bloodshot, and she stared blankly for a moment before suddenly bursting into maniacal laughter: "You love Xia Chen? Impossible! You abandoned him to follow me and brought him endless humiliation. What kind of woman are you, treating the one you love like this? Haha!"

  Lin Mengru's face suddenly turned pale, her lips lost their color, and she said after a while: "The things in the past were my fault. No matter what, I couldn't go back to the past. I didn't have the face to ask for his forgiveness either. Hehe, of course, he was already indifferent to me, and there's no need to talk about forgiveness. We're just strangers now. Don't say anything more, I just want to forget."

  Her voice suddenly had a kind of desolate and lonely feeling, as if there was nowhere to talk.

  "Lin Mengru, you want to forget the past, but I will never forget the humiliation he gave me! You will see with your own eyes how I will destroy Xia Chen, make him crawl at my feet, lick my toes, and watch the man you love grovel at my feet. Won't that feel great?" Yan Bing said through gritted teeth.

  "You're dreaming!" Lin Mengru said sternly. "Yan Bing, if you dare to hurt even a hair on Xia Chen's head, I'll never let you off the hook!"

  She suddenly turned her head and said to Zhan Tingting: "Sister Zhan, I don't want to talk to this person anymore. Let's go in."

  "Alright!" Xuan Tingting said coldly. "Lin Shi Mei, if anyone dares to bully you, I'll back you up! Let's go in."