The two of them immediately looked in the direction of the sound.
They were stunned to see a familiar figure. Their expressions froze.
How did he get to the entrance of Qingxuan Cave? Liu Yunxuan immediately glared at Song Junjie.
'Didn't you say your trap was foolproof?'
'Didn't you say that the protective spiritual power of a Foundation Establishment cultivator could be easily shattered?'
Song Junjie was equally dumbfounded. What the hell is going on?!
Shen Mo looked at their bewildered faces and smiled, "What's the matter, gentlemen? Aren't you happy to see me?"
Without waiting for a response, he continued, "Actually, I understand. Seeing me must indeed be disappointing for you."
"You..." Song Junjie hesitated.
Setting traps wasn't exactly a noble act, and he was too embarrassed to speak directly.
Shen Mo smiled, "Want to know how I avoided your trap?"
Song Junjie instinctively nodded.
Shen Mo chuckled, "Your trap was so easy to spot that anyone could avoid it."
Song Junjie was flustered. 'Am I really that bad?'
Can't even set up a proper trap?
Seeing Song Junjie's reflexive acknowledgment, Liu Yunxuan shook his head in frustration.
This idiot. He just sold himself out with one sentence.
Shen Mo's voice grew colder, "Song Junjie, setting traps to harm a sect master's disciple—what do you think your punishment should be?"
Song Junjie's heart trembled. He knew he was in the wrong.
Moreover, Shen Mo's strength far surpassed his.
With Liu Yunxuan already having suffered a defeat, he dared not confront Shen Mo either.
Faced with Shen Mo's questioning, he stood there, frozen, unable to utter a word.
Shen Mo sneered. This person had clearly lost all will to fight.
"Don't get too cocky. Don't think that just because you're the sect master's disciple, no one will dare touch you," Liu Yunxuan said ominously.
Shen Mo walked up to him and, without waiting for him to spew more threats, slapped him hard.
Smack!
Liu Yunxuan's handsome left cheek instantly swelled up, a bright red handprint appearing.
Liu Yunxuan was shocked. The burning sensation on his cheek told him he had indeed been slapped.
"You...!" He was instantly furious. Even his father had never hit him like this!
Shen Mo smiled and slapped him again on the right cheek.
Smack! Another crisp sound echoed.
Another bright red handprint appeared. Liu Yunxuan was furious, trying to stand up and fight back.
Shen Mo lifted his leg and kicked him over, then stomped hard on his chest, right on his previous wound.
Liu Yunxuan screamed in pain. The wound from the Red Lotus Flame had yet to heal.
Now, Shen Mo's stomp made it tear open even more.
"How dare you do this to me? My father won't..." Liu Yunxuan roared.
Smack!
Another slap.
"My father..."
Smack!
This time on the right cheek.
"I..."
Smack!
This time he slapped both cheeks.
Liu Yunxuan, filled with anger but not daring to speak, covered his right cheek, glaring at Shen Mo.
Shen Mo smiled and slapped him again.
Liu Yunxuan was enraged, "I didn't even say anything...!"
"Do I need a reason to slap you?" Shen Mo's smile grew brighter.
But to Liu Yunxuan, this smile was sinister and terrifying, like that of a demon.
He looked to Song Junjie behind Shen Mo for help.
But saw that Song Junjie had shrunk into a corner like a frightened chick, not daring to look at them.
As if everything had nothing to do with him. As if the crisp sounds of slaps were just background music.
Liu Yunxuan was in despair. This idiot was not only stupid but also cowardly.
At that moment, the blue flames at the entrance of the Qingxuan Cave began to quiver.
The temperature of the flames gradually decreased, and the color began to fade.
Liu Yunxuan and Song Junjie became excited. They could finally leave!
I don't want to stay in the Qingxuan Cave any longer.
"Let me out now!"
On the other side, just outside the cave entrance.
Murong Yue, Liu Yuanfeng, and Song Chaofeng stood there, channeling their spiritual power into the flame barrier of the Qingxuan Cave.
Further outside, there were nine inner sect elders, dozens of outer sect elders, many stewards, and both inner and outer sect disciples.
Zhao Ting and Luo Shengnan, two direct disciples, had hurried back to the mountain gate after dealing with their family affairs.
They regretted missing the opening of the Qingxuan Cave.
Now, with the cave about to reopen, they naturally came to see what changes had occurred in those three.
Luo Shengnan eyed Zhao Ting, who wore her loose disciple robe like a tight outfit, and licked her lips, "Zhao Ting, I heard that the Qingxuan Cave opened early this time because a great treasure might have appeared."
"Who do you think is most likely to obtain the treasure, Shen Mo, Liu Yunxuan, or Song Junjie?"
Zhao Ting's gaze was calm, "First of all, Song Junjie is out of the question. He's just an arrogant idiot relying on his father, the Grand Elder."
"Although Shen Mo has great potential, his strength is slightly inferior to Liu Yunxuan's."
"If Shen Mo gets the treasure first, it might be taken by Liu Yunxuan."
"If Liu Yunxuan gets the treasure, Shen Mo won't be able to take it from him."
"So, I still favor Liu Yunxuan."
Luo Shengnan chuckled, "I don't think so. I find Shen Mo quite interesting. Who knows, maybe he'll surprise us."
Then she looked at Zhao Ting's younger sister, Zhao Rou, "What do you think, little sister?"
Zhao Rou said firmly, "I believe in Shen Mo!"
Among the inner sect disciples, another pair attracted attention.
The man was handsome, the woman beautiful.
They were Xiao Fan and Liu Fei.
Liu Fei clung to Xiao Fan's arm, her head resting on his shoulder, whispering, "Brother Xiao Fan, my father said that the eternal flame will definitely be obtained by my brother, and Shen Mo will most likely be left in the Qingxuan Cave."
Xiao Fan sneered, "He deserves it."
"He's completely blind to the current situation in the Qingxuan Sect."
"Murong Yue is not a reliable backer; the Vice Sect Master and the Grand Elder are."
"He dared to offend both the Vice Sect Master and the Grand Elder. It's a miracle he hasn't been secretly killed."
Liu Fei caressed his chest intimately, "Brother Xiao Fan will be much happier without him around."
Xiao Fan smiled, "Of course, my mood is already great!"
He grabbed Liu Fei's fair wrist, whispering in her ear, "How about we go to the back mountain pond tonight and try some water play?"
Liu Fei blushed, whispering like a mosquito, "Okay."
At that moment, the blue flames at the entrance of the Qingxuan Cave rapidly dimmed.
Everyone perked up, looking towards the entrance.
Murong Yue glanced at Liu Yuanfeng and Song Chaofeng, seeing their confident expressions, she couldn't help but feel anxious.
However, after being the sect leader for decades, she had grown a lot and was no longer the young girl in her forties.
No matter how anxious she felt, she wouldn't show it.
"Shen Mo... please be safe," Murong Yue prayed in her heart.
Then, footsteps were heard from the entrance.
Song Junjie rushed out as if escaping.
Seeing his father standing there, he ran straight to his side, as if a terrifying beast were chasing him.
Song Chaofeng was initially pleased, but seeing his son's expression, he frowned.
However, this was a public setting, so he didn't ask much, merely holding Song Junjie's hand to reassure him.
More footsteps followed.
This time it was Liu Yunxuan.
Liu Yunxuan's handsome face was severely swollen, looking like dough.
He was wrapped in bandages, which were dripping blood onto the ground.
Seeing Liu Yunxuan in such a miserable state, everyone present was shocked.
What exactly happened in the Qingxuan Cave?