Chapter 33: Confrontation

Suddenly falling into Lin Hai's hands, Wang Yue's face turned ashen; he knew he was finished. However, Wang Yue was not just a brute; he was also a man of principle. Despite the imminent threat to his life, he remained unafraid and roared at Lin Hai, "Brat, if you have the guts, cut off my head with one strike! If it were me, I wouldn't hesitate like you, you useless piece of trash!"

Wang Yue cursed, hoping for a quick death. Having followed Shen Chen for so long, his mind had greatly improved, and he had already guessed that Lin Hai had some ulterior motive for not killing him immediately. No matter what, he refused to become a bargaining chip in Lin Hai's hands, one that could harm his brother Shen Chen!

"Hehe! You have some backbone, but it's a pity you have eyes but no vision, and followed the wrong person. If you had helped me from the beginning, you wouldn't be in this situation today!" Lin Hai laughed coldly, applying a bit more force with his sword, cutting a shallow but painful wound on Wang Yue's neck. Though not fatal, it caused Wang Yue to bleed and feel intense pain.

Lin Hai also wanted to finish this kid off quickly, but he was a smart man. He knew that keeping him alive for now would be greatly beneficial, so he restrained his anger and did not immediately strike the fatal blow.

"Ha ha ha! Shen Chen, I didn't think you'd come to this! Come out! I'll give you ten breaths. If you don't come out, I'll kill this kid!" Lin Hai's voice was full of triumph, as if he held the winning card.

In his view, capturing Wang Yue was like putting a chain on the fierce tiger Shen Chen, making him submit. It was only a matter of time.

"If you want to kill him, go ahead. You don't need to wait for ten breaths!" Unfortunately, Lin Hai had underestimated Shen Chen's resolve. As soon as he finished speaking, he received a cold, indifferent response.

Cold! Ruthless! Calm! These three words best described Shen Chen's reply.

"Shen Chen, what did you say? Say it again?!" Lin Hai was both shocked and angry. He and the six or seven inner disciples behind him never expected Shen Chen to be so resolute in the face of his threat, as if the person in danger was just a stranger.

"Haha, do I really need to repeat myself? Do you think I'm a three-year-old, Lin Hai? If I show up now, will you really let me and Wang Yue go? Don't worry, I'm not that naive. If you kill Wang Yue, I'll avenge him!"

Shen Chen's voice remained cold and indifferent. His experience from two lifetimes told him that being at someone's mercy was extremely foolish. Only a strong mind could gain the upper hand!

His resolute stance caught Lin Hai off guard, but the latter was not about to give up so easily. He sneered, "What a heartless and ungrateful wolf you are!"

"Kid, you realize you followed the wrong person now, don't you? Your so-called brother doesn't care about your life at all, ha ha ha!" Lin Hai continued, clearly mocking Wang Yue.

"Ha, do you really think your tricks can drive a wedge between me and Brother Shen Chen? What he's doing is a wise move. Kill me if you want, I'm not afraid of you!"

Wang Yue's resolve was unshaken. He did not fall for Lin Hai's provocation and instead pressed himself harder against Lin Hai's sword, his eyes filled with determination.

"Hmph! Want to die, huh? Not that easy!" Lin Hai's eyes turned fierce as he saw Wang Yue trying to kill himself. He used his other hand to grip Wang Yue's collarbone with full force, preventing him from achieving his goal.

At the same time, a deep envy flashed in Lin Hai's eyes. After so many years in the Flowing Cloud Sect, he had many followers, but none as loyal as Wang Yue. Even though he was a top candidate for the position of sect elder, no one was as devoted to him. What did that kid, who had nothing, have that made someone willing to die for him?

The more Lin Hai thought about it, the angrier he became. Ever since Shen Chen entered the Flowing Cloud Sect, nothing had gone smoothly for him. He felt as if he was constantly hitting walls.

His anger towards Shen Chen was so intense that it almost set him on fire!

"Haha, Lin Hai, you want to fight to the death, right? Fine, in the spirit of being fellow disciples, I'll give you this chance. Keep walking forward, and there's a spacious cave about a hundred meters ahead. I'll be waiting there! But I must warn you, none of your people are allowed to follow. If I hear any extra noise, I'll immediately escape. You know, in these maze-like tunnels, it's easy for me to leave!"

Soon, Shen Chen's deep voice echoed through the cave tunnels. No one knew that since Wang Yue was captured, Shen Chen had been in a state of extreme tension, his forehead drenched in cold sweat, his body trembling. He had repeatedly wanted to rush out and save Wang Yue.

If Wang Yue died because of him today, Shen Chen would blame himself for the rest of his life. He was ruthless and decisive with enemies, willing to use any means necessary, but he would do everything in his power to protect those close to him. This was his principle, both in his past and present life.

However, his rationality kept reminding him that rushing out recklessly was not a good strategy. To save Wang Yue, he needed to be patient.

The time was right, and now it was his turn to act!

"Lin Hai, don't believe that kid's lies, be careful!" As soon as Shen Chen finished speaking, the inner disciples around Lin Hai quickly advised him.

"Yes, that kid is cunning and won't have any good intentions!"

"Wang Yue is already in our hands, he'll come out eventually!"

"Why not break one of his arms first, see if that makes him sit still..."

The other inner disciples also spoke up, unwilling for Lin Hai to accept the challenge, fearing a trap.

But those words only made Lin Hai feel belittled. His face turned grim as he looked at the six or seven inner disciples and said, "Do you think I can't beat that kid?"

"We don't mean that, but..." One of the inner disciples hesitated, unsure how to continue. As a martial artist, no one cared about their dignity. If someone challenged them and they didn't accept, it would damage their confidence. The inner disciple understood that it was best to let Lin Hai make the decision.

At that moment, Shen Chen spoke again from the adjacent cave, sneering, "If you're afraid, forget it. You can kill Wang Yue, but then... I'll use these tunnels to ambush and kill all of you!"

Though his tone was strong, who knew that in the darkness, Shen Chen's heart was pounding. He was afraid Lin Hai would really kill Wang Yue.

His actions were like dancing on the edge of a knife. Either his plan would succeed, or he would become a sinner...

"Very well! You want a fight to the death, is that it? I'm not afraid of you!" Fortunately, Shen Chen's judgment was correct. After the threat and provocation, Lin Hai finally couldn't hold back.

He then made arrangements for the six or seven disciples around him, saying, "Stay here and don't follow. Watch Wang Yue. If he tries anything or tries to escape, kill him. I want that kid Shen Chen to know the consequences of crossing me!"

With that, Lin Hai walked forward with his sword, his face confident. The disciples behind him exchanged glances and nodded heavily.

"Don't worry, Lin Hai has the cultivation of the Sixth Level of the Blood Fusion Realm, while that kid is only at the Third Level. They're not on the same level. I believe Lin Hai can finish him off!"

"Right, Shen Chen probably thinks a life-or-death battle is like a regular sparring match. Once the fight starts, he'll realize the gap between him and Lin Hai!"

"Actually, I think this might be a good thing. Instead of searching the maze for people, it's better for Lin Hai to settle the trouble directly. With his skills and experience, taking down that kid should be no problem..."

After Lin Hai left, the six or seven inner disciples felt a sense of relief. Shen Chen's repeated assassinations had been a psychological burden, and now that the confrontation was out in the open, they felt much more at ease.

A fair and open battle, no one thought Shen Chen had a chance!

...

A few breaths later, Lin Hai walked out of the tunnel, his clothes fluttering, and entered a natural stone chamber.

As Shen Chen had said, it was indeed spacious. Most importantly, unlike the other parts of the maze, this chamber was not pitch black. There were many cracks and holes in the ceiling, allowing light to filter in and illuminate the surroundings.

This condition made Lin Hai secretly glad. Though his eyesight was good, he, like most martial artists, was not used to fighting in the dark. Shen Chen choosing this place for the duel was to his advantage.

"Kid, you really have some guts!" Upon entering the chamber, Lin Hai saw Shen Chen, who was leaning against the rock wall, conserving his energy.

"Don't worry, as long as your people don't come and Wang Yue is safe, I won't run." On the other side, Shen Chen's eyes snapped open, his gaze filled with unhidden killing intent.

"Then you can die!" Lin Hai hated being stared at with that look. His face turned cold, and he lunged at Shen Chen with his sword.

"Thunderbolt Strike!"

From the start, Lin Hai used the powerful killing move from the Thirteen Thunder Swords. This time, he did not underestimate his opponent. After their last battle, Shen Chen's performance had forced Lin Hai to take him seriously.

"Clang!"

Seeing that Lin Hai's sword technique was clearly more refined than half a month ago, Shen Chen did not choose to clash head-on. He used the Shadow Fox Steps to dodge quickly to the side, blocking with his iron sword in front of his chest.

"This guy's cultivation has improved a lot..." Although Shen Chen successfully avoided Lin Hai's killing move, his sword arm tingled with numbness. He retreated to one side, his eyes flickering with surprise.

Half a month ago, Lin Hai was at the mid-Sixth Level of the Blood Fusion Realm, but now he had the power of the peak Sixth Level, with abundant blood energy, and was probably just a step away from breaking through to the Seventh Level.

"Do you realize the insurmountable gap between you and me? But... even if you're afraid now, it's too late. Thunder Annihilation!"

Lin Hai's confidence grew as he fought. He attacked again, his sword instantly transforming into a flurry of lightning, enveloping Shen Chen.

"Crack! Crack! Crack..."

In the stone chamber, rocks were chipped off the walls, sparks flew, and the sound of shattering echoed. The ground where Shen Chen stood was a chaotic mess of flying rocks and swirling wind.

Thunder Annihilation was the strongest killing move of the Thirteen Thunder Swords. As Lin Hai's signature technique, it was well-known in the Flowing Cloud Sect. In the limited space of the stone chamber, its power was unleashed to the fullest, threatening to shatter everything inside.

"Ghost Slash!"

Seeing this, Shen Chen knew he couldn't hold back. He immediately swung his iron sword in a whirlwind, using the first move of the Nine Ghost Slashes, which he had practiced more proficiently than half a month ago, to meet the attack.