Chapter 95: Chapter 95: Who are you?
Ye Chen was silently meditating.
But suddenly, a violent surge of energy rippled through the air, snapping him out of his meditation. His instincts kicked in immediately, and he withdrew his aura, cloaking himself in the shadows of the dense forest.
Someone powerful was approaching.
In the distance, a figure descended through the mist, crackling with demonic energy. Long Tianyun landed in the clearing like a storm, his presence overwhelming, his face twisted with fury.
"Ye Chen!" Long Tianyun's voice boomed across the forest, shaking the ground beneath him. "Come out, you coward! I know you're here!"
Ye Chen's eyes narrowed as he hid behind a large tree, carefully suppressing his presence. His heart pounded in his chest, his mind racing. Who is this? How did they find me? He had been careful, avoiding detection while cultivating in the depths of Blackmist Forest. The fact that someone had found him so quickly sent alarm bells ringing in his head.
He peered around the edge of the tree, observing the stranger. The man was young, about his age, but his aura was filled with malice and dark energy. Ye Chen could immediately tell that the newcomer's cultivation was in the Nascent Soul realm, like his own, though likely a few stages higher. This wasn't someone to be taken lightly.
Who is this guy? Ye Chen wondered, keeping his distance for now. What could he want? And how did he even find me?
"Are you too afraid to show yourself, Ye Chen?" Long Tianyun continued, his voice laced with venom. "I guess the rumors were true—you're nothing but a coward and a traitor!"
Ye Chen's eyes narrowed further, but he kept his composure. He didn't recognize this person, but from the malice in his tone, it was clear the stranger hadn't come with good intentions. He had to stay hidden and gather more information before acting.
"You think hiding in this forsaken forest will save you?" Long Tianyun spat, pacing around the clearing. When there was no response, his eyes gleamed with dark amusement. "I heard that your family was annihilated. Good riddance. A pathetic, low-born family like yours didn't deserve to live anyway!"
At that, Ye Chen's fists clenched. His body trembled with anger. Mocking his family? The one family he barely knew, but whose memory he held dear? His parents had been slaughtered when he was an infant. They had died protecting him, fleeing from the enemies of the Ye family.
For this man to mock them—to mock his parents' sacrifice—was unforgivable.
But Ye Chen stayed calm, hiding his rage behind cold eyes. He wasn't going to charge out recklessly. He analyzed the situation. The man was alone, and although his aura was strong, he didn't sense anyone else nearby. Maybe this stranger thought he could deal with him by himself. Foolish.
Still, something wasn't right. How did this man even know his name? And how did he find his exact location in this vast forest? Ye Chen's mind raced through possibilities. Could there be someone else manipulating this situation?
"Your silence speaks volumes, Ye Chen," Long Tianyun sneered, his voice thick with mockery. "You probably thought you could hide here like a rat, but you're wrong. And as for your family... they deserved what they got."
That was the last straw.
Ye Chen couldn't stay hidden any longer. His blood boiled, and the surge of anger pushed him past his limit. With a burst of energy, he stepped out from behind the tree, his eyes cold and burning with fury.
"You've got some nerve mocking my family, stranger," Ye Chen said, his voice low and dangerous. His azure flames flared around him as he stared down the man who had insulted him. "Who are you? And what's your business with me?"
The man continued, his voice dripping with contempt. "So, you finally show yourself, Ye Chen," the man spat. "What happened to your arrogance, Ye Chen? Where's that bravado you had at the ceremony?"
Ceremony? Ye Chen's frown deepened. What ceremony was he talking about? He hadn't attended any ceremony recently, not since the rumors about him being a demonic cultivator had forced him to flee.
But the man wasn't finished. "You stood before us all, promoted to Envoy of the Abyss for spreading the name of the Heavenly Demonic Sect. You caused chaos in the orthodox sects, and now you hide like a rat?"
Ye Chen's confusion intensified. Envoy of the Abyss? That wasn't him. He had never even been near the Heavenly Demonic Sect, let alone participated in any ceremony. What was this man talking about?
His grip on his sword tightened, his mind racing. Could this man have mistaken him for someone else? But how? It didn't make any sense.
The man turned sharply toward him, and Ye Chen could feel the dark energy swirling around him grow stronger. The stranger's face twisted into a sneer as he laid eyes on Ye Chen.
"Are you that confident in your own arrogance that you've forgotten the very person who once congratulated you? No, it's worse—it's as if you don't even know the consequence of your actions." He took a step forward, his dark aura flaring. "I'll break that spirit of yours, and then, I'll kill you for what you did."
Ye Chen's confusion deepened. He didn't know this man, and yet, the hatred was so personal.
"Who are you?" Ye Chen repeated, this time more urgently.
The man let out a cold, humorless laugh. His eyes gleamed with fury. "So you've truly forgotten?" he spat. "How fitting. You, Ye Chen, don't even remember me. You, stood before the entire Heavenly Demonic Sect, enjoying the glory when you were promoted to Envoy of the Abyss for spreading chaos among the orthodox sects.
And now, you have the nerve to look at me as if I'm a stranger? "
Ye Chen's heart pounded. His mind raced, trying to make sense of it all. "I've never attended any ceremony of the Heavenly Demonic Sect," he said, his voice firm but growing frustrated. "Whatever you think happened, it wasn't me."
The man's sneer only deepened. His aura darkened further, crackling with sinister energy. "You truly are shameless, Ye Chen. After everything, you have the audacity to act innocent?" His eyes burned with anger, and he pointed his blade toward Ye Chen. "You don't even remember the day you stood there, pretending to be a loyal disciple of the sect?
Pretending to serve us, when all along, you were just using us to further your own twisted goals?"
Ye Chen clenched his jaw. He hadn't done any of those things—he had no idea what this man was talking about. "I'm telling you, I wasn't there," he said, his voice sharper now. "You've got the wrong person."
But the man's expression twisted with fury, his voice rising in anger. "Liar!" he roared, his eyes blazing with hatred. "You deceived everyone, including me, Long Tianyun, the first descendant of the Heavenly Demonic Sect! You played the part of a loyal servant, only to betray my sister and dishonor my family!"
Ye Chen's eyes widened at the name. Long Tianyun... the young master of the Heavenly Demonic Sect. He had heard of him, but he had never met him. And certainly not under the circumstances Long Tianyun described. "This is all a mistake!" Ye Chen said, his frustration boiling over.
"I've never done the things you're accusing me of!"
Long Tianyun's face contorted with rage. His demonic energy surged, wrapping around him like a storm. "Mistake? The only mistake here was trusting you!" He took another step forward, his blade glowing with dark energy. "
"You saved my sister," Long Tianyun continued, his voice trembling with fury. "You pretended to be her savior, only to betray her trust and try to defile her later. I knew you were a snake. You came to Iron Lotus City with the sole purpose of trapping her."
Ye Chen's heart raced. Sister? Take advantage of her? None of this made any sense. His mind was reeling, trying to piece together the confusion, but all he could feel was the rising tide of hostility from Long Tianyun.
"I don't even know who your sister is!" Ye Chen shouted, his frustration boiling over. "I saved no one! I haven't done anything wrong!"
But Long Tianyun wasn't listening. His voice was filled with venom as he stepped forward, his blade glowing with dark energy. "You are a Filth! You son of a bitch! You tried to touch my sister. She belongs to me.
And you try to take something that belongs to me? I should have intercepted you then only."
Ye Chen's heart raced. Iron Lotus City? He had never been there. But how could he explain that to Long Tianyun, who was blinded by rage? And why is he cursing me? I am innocent.
And why is this happening to me again? Is my luck blackened?
"I've never been to Iron Lotus City!" Ye Chen shouted, his voice sharp. "I don't even know who your sister is! This is all a misunderstanding!"
Long Tianyun's eyes burned with fury, his demonic energy swirling like a raging storm. "Lies!" he spat, his blade crackling with dark power. "You dishonored my sister, and you think you can escape with lies? I'll carve out your heart for what you've done!"