CHAPTER 42: CHAPTER 40: SIBLING STRIFE

Gong Simeng nodded gently and turned to leave.

However, she seemed unable to let go of Shi Feiyang, and her movements were very slow.

She suddenly stopped, looked back at Shi Feiyang, her eyes revealing a mix of emotions. She parted her lips slightly and said slowly, "Shi Feiyang, as we part today, who knows when we will meet again. Take care, and do not recklessly take risks."

After speaking, she gazed deeply at Shi Feiyang, then finally turned around and walked away with resolute steps.

Her message was clear: she wanted Shi Feiyang not to be led astray by beauty.

But Shi Feiyang suddenly shouted, "Miss Gong, please wait!"

Gong Simeng stopped, turning back to look at him.

Shi Feiyang hesitated for a moment, then stammered, "Miss Gong, you, you? Aren’t you afraid of the Divine Water Palace’s pursuit? Come with me. Once I recover, I can ensure your safety and guarantee you a lifetime without worry. Our Heroic Sakura Association already has over ten thousand disciples. In the future, we will establish a well-connected information network, and countless heroes will join us. Our future strength will surely not lose to the Divine Water Palace; in fact, it will surpass it."

Gong Simeng smiled slightly, a hint of reluctance in her eyes. She said, moved, "Shi Feiyang, thank you for your kind heart. I saved you because I believe that justice will eventually triumph over evil. As for the Divine Water Palace’s hunt, I have my own ways to handle it. You don’t need to worry about me."

What a good girl!

Even when she herself was in grave danger, she still thought about Shi Feiyang.

Then, Gong Simeng continued speaking to Shi Feiyang, "Besides, I did not save you on a whim. I had heard of your chivalrous deeds in the Jianghu, knowing that you are a righteous and kind person. Now that you face this difficulty, how could I stand by and do nothing?"

Upon hearing this, Shi Feiyang felt a warmth rising in his heart. He looked at Gong Simeng with gratitude and said, "Miss Gong, your great righteousness is etched in my heart. If there’s a chance in the future, I will repay you a hundredfold."

Gong Simeng waved her hand and said, "Shi Feiyang, there’s no need to be so formal. As people of the Jianghu, it is only natural to draw swords and help when encountering injustice. You just focus on recovering, and I will take care of the rest."

Having said that, Gong Simeng once again turned and gracefully left.

Shi Feiyang watched her departing figure, his heart filled with gratitude and admiration. He knew well that he owed his life to this kind and brave Miss Gong. Unexpectedly, even as he spoke, Liu Tingting, Gong Ci’en, Gong Yao’en, and others had already arrived to pursue them, surrounding Gong Simeng and Shi Feiyang.

Liu Tingting raised her hand and angrily cursed Gong Simeng, calling her a traitor, shamelessly associating with Shi Feiyang and revealed to be an internal spy of the Divine Water Palace—despicable! Detestable!

Gong Simeng’s face turned ashen, losing all color.

However, at this point, words were futile, so she drew her sword.

Both sides quickly engaged in fierce combat.

Under immense pressure, Gong Ci’en even resorted to using a heavy hand against his own daughter, Gong Simeng.

He unleashed a powerful set of the "One-String Whip Divine Technique," with his body creaking and rattling, his punches roaring like thunder, aiming straight for Gong Simeng’s vitals.

Seeing this, Gong Simeng dodged like a ghostly shadow, evading his attack. At the same time, she countered with a backhanded sword strike, her blade light slicing through the air like a ribbon, directly piercing towards his throat.

Gong Ci’en was secretly shocked, not expecting Gong Simeng to react so quickly and that her swordsmanship was so superb.

Although Gong Simeng was his daughter, she had spent a long time serving the Divine Water Palace Master, Liu Yanran, and rarely stayed by her father Gong Ci’en’s side. As she grew up, Gong Ci’en knew little about Gong Simeng.

At this moment, Gong Ci’en quickly sidestepped, narrowly dodging Gong Simeng’s sword by a hair’s breadth.

Simultaneously, Gong Ci’en launched another attack on Gong Simeng, his fists swirling like a violent storm, smashing towards Gong Simeng.

The two exchanged dozens of moves in an instant, the shadows of fists and swords intertwining.

However, facing her father’s attacks filled Gong Simeng with sorrow and despair. Despite her effort to block a few strikes, she was ultimately no match for her father’s years of martial arts prowess.

The main reason was her heartbreak; her father had personally resorted to such cruel measures against her, causing such family strife—truly heartbreaking.

Amidst the shadows of fists and swords, Gong Simeng looked tearfully at the man who was once her most respected father, with mixed emotions in her heart.

Her father’s face showed no trace of compassion, only coldness and determination, which made Gong Simeng feel even more heartbroken.

Gong Simeng couldn’t understand why their father-daughter relationship had come to this. Could power and status really be more important than family ties?

Holding the sword in one hand and clutching her throbbing chest with the other, tears fell like broken beads, each drop bearing witness to her heartbreak. As a result, Gong Simeng’s movements became gradually slower, and every block seemed laborious.

Gong Ci’en’s eyes were filled with anger and disappointment, showing no mercy with every move.

Gong Simeng’s heart was filled with confusion and pain. She could not understand why her father was dealing such heavy-handed blows to her. Had all those years of father-daughter relationship become nothing at this moment?

Tears welled up in her eyes, but she held them back, refusing to let them fall.

Because she knew that once the tears broke free, her will would collapse as well.

Gong Simeng took a deep breath, trying to adjust her breathing and rhythm, but her father’s attacks were becoming even fiercer. Her steps began to falter, her body teetering, but she still did not give up, using every ounce of strength she had left to fend off her father’s every blow.

"Why? Father, why are you treating me this way?" Gong Simeng cried out in her heart, but her voice was drowned out by her father’s roars and the sound of the wind from his fists. She couldn’t understand why the father who used to cherish her and teach her had become like this.

Sweat trickled down Gong Simeng’s cheeks, mingling with her tears and blurring her vision.

However, Gong Simeng still opened her eyes wide, trying to discern her father’s features, attempting to find a glimmer of familiar warmth in them.

But all she saw was her father’s cold and resolute eyes and his ceaselessly swinging fists.

Gong Simeng felt a sense of despair, unsure of how much longer she could hold on.

But she knew she couldn’t just give up; she couldn’t disappoint her father, nor could she let her years of effort go to waste.

So she gritted her teeth, gathered her spirit once more, ready to face the next wave of her father’s attacks.

Meanwhile, Gong Yao’en unleashed the One-String Whip Divine Technique, fiercely attacking Shi Feiyang.

Shi Feiyang drew his sword, his left palm and right blade engaging in combat with Gong Yao’en.

However, after being poisoned, Shi Feiyang’s power was insufficient to contend with Gong Yao’en’s lightning-fast style.

After a few rounds, Shi Feiyang began to feel exhausted.

Inwardly, he knew this was bad, realizing that if things continued like this, he would surely lose.

Suddenly, Shi Feiyang’s eyes sharpened, and he abruptly retreated a few steps, drawing a strange arc in the air with his left palm, aiming directly at Gong Yao’en’s vital point. Seeing this, Gong Yao’en sneered and easily dodged the attack with a sidestep.

However, he did not expect this to be nothing more than a feint by Shi Feiyang. In the instant they passed each other, the blade in Shi Feiyang’s hand flashed like a meteor streaking through the night sky, stabbing straight towards Gong Yao’en’s back.

Horrified, Gong Yao’en hastily turned to parry with his sword. However, because of his prior aggressive attacks, his turn was a tad too slow. With a "hiss," the blade left a deep wound on his shoulder.