Apology, Invitation
Chen Yuan seemed completely oblivious, calmly sipping his tea, a faint, almost imperceptible smile playing on the corner of his lips.
The atmosphere in the pavilion grew quiet for a moment, tinged with an ambiguous awkwardness.
Su Yuejin was racking her brain for a topic to break the unsettling silence when suddenly, she felt a warm, large hand gently cover her slightly curled small hand resting on her lap beneath the table.
Her entire body stiffened abruptly, as if a subtle current had coursed through her, leaving her utterly numb.
She instinctively tried to pull her hand back, but it was held firmly by the large hand, making it impossible to withdraw.
She could clearly feel the warmth and strength of his palm. She finally gave up resisting, letting him hold it, but her head dropped even lower, and even her fair neck was tinged with crimson.
Young Master Yuan... Young Master Yuan is actually holding my hand?!
She wanted to look up at Chen Yuan's profile, but after several attempts, she couldn't succeed.
I'm so useless!
She was annoyed, wishing she could see if Young Master Yuan's face was as red as hers!
The thought of Chen Yuan blushing made Su Yuejin's face grow even redder.
Later... later, Young Master Yuan, won't... won't he kiss me?!
She remembered that it was always like this in storybooks.
As soon as this thought emerged, Su Yuejin startled herself.
However, this warm and enchanting scene was caught entirely by Lin Yang, who had rushed over!
He stood not far away, watching Chen Yuan and Su Yuejin sitting side by side, watching Su Yuejin's shy and delicate appearance, ripe for the picking.
A monstrous surge of jealousy mixed with humiliation and killing intent instantly overwhelmed his reason, making his eyes bloodshot, almost spewing fire!
He gritted his teeth, pulled out a dagger Magical Artifact, and plunged it into his thigh. The intense pain finally made him calm down.
He then used a secret technique to stop the wound.
"Cough cough!" Lin Yang coughed heavily twice, forced a smile that was uglier than crying, and quickly walked into the pavilion, interrupting the scene that was tearing at his heart.
Chen Yuan and Su Yuejin looked up simultaneously.
Su Yuejin, as if caught, abruptly pulled her hand back, her cheeks flushing red, then pink.
She hastily stood up, her eyes darting away.
Chen Yuan, however, remained expressionless, merely looking indifferently at the uninvited Lin Yang, his gaze calm and unwavering.
"Senior Brother Lin?" Su Yuejin spoke with a hint of annoyance and displeasure in her tone.
Lin Yang ignored Su Yuejin's displeasure, bowed deeply to Chen Yuan, and said sincerely, "Fellow Daoist Yuan! Yesterday, I, Lin, behaved improperly after drinking, offending Fellow Daoist and Miss Nianchu. I, Lin, deeply regret it!
I have specially come to apologize to Fellow Daoist and humbly ask Fellow Daoist, in your magnanimity, to forgive my previous rudeness!"
He straightened up and, without waiting for Chen Yuan's reply, eagerly stated his true purpose:
"To show my apology, I, Lin, am willing to offer Fellow Daoist an Opportunity." After speaking, he looked at Chen Yuan.
"Opportunity?" Chen Yuan frowned, tapping the table with his hand, signaling him to continue.
"Within my sect's Secret Realm, 'Fentian Valley,' there is an 'earth core fire lotus' that ripens once every three thousand years, and it is about to mature.
This item is a Saint Grade treasure for refining Divine Sense and purifying pill fire, which will greatly benefit Fellow Daoist in breaking through to the Sixth-Rank Alchemist realm!
I, Lin, am willing to go with Fellow Daoist and assist Fellow Daoist in collecting this treasure as compensation! May I ask, Fellow Daoist Yuan, if you would honor me with your presence three days from now?"
Lin Yang's sincere apology and the offered Opportunity did not move Chen Yuan in the slightest.
His mind raced. Yesterday, he seemed to want to devour him alive, yet today he was so humble, even willing to offer a supreme treasure like the 'earth core fire lotus'?
Something abnormal must be demonic!
He remained calm on the surface, merely frowning slightly.
Su Yuejin, who was beside him, heard "earth core fire lotus" and "Fentian Valley," and her pretty face subtly changed.
She disregarded her earlier shyness and quickly spoke, both explaining to Chen Yuan and expressing her doubts about Lin Yang's actions:
"Young Master Yuan, Fentian Valley is a Forbidden Ground of our sect. It is filled with violent earth vein fire baleful qi, and the deeper one goes, the more dangerous it becomes.
And that 'earth core fire lotus' grows at the 'Molten Heart Lake' at the bottom of the valley, where earth fire rages and fire baleful qi solidifies like gale-force winds. Even with a protective Magic Treasure, a Soul Transformation Cultivator would find it difficult to stay for long, and a slight carelessness could lead to demise!"
As she spoke, her gaze turned to Lin Yang, filled with scrutiny:
"Moreover, Senior Brother Lin, if I remember correctly, Father seemed to have promised to allocate this soon-to-mature earth core fire lotus to you to help you break through to the Sixth-Rank Alchemist realm. Would you really be willing to give it away?"
She didn't finish her sentence, but her meaning was clear: Are you willing? Is there a trick involved?
Lin Yang cursed Su Yuejin for being nosy in his heart, but on his face, he put on a repentant and painfully generous expression, quickly explaining:
"Junior Sister Yuejin is absolutely right! This item is indeed precious, and Revered Master also promised it to me.
But precisely because of its preciousness, it can show my sincerity in apologizing!
Yesterday's mistake was entirely due to my jealousy. Now that I have truly woken up, if I can resolve the animosity with Fellow Daoist Yuan and help Fellow Daoist advance in the Dao of alchemy with this item, I believe it's worth it!
I have already reported this matter to Revered Master, and Revered Master also believes this is a benevolent act to resolve grievances and make good friends, and has already agreed.".
He once again brought up Su Mubai, trying to increase the credibility of the matter.
Chen Yuan listened to their conversation, his sneer growing colder in his heart.
Su Mubai agreed?
Perhaps, that Sect Master probably genuinely hoped that his Disciples could turn hostility into friendship with him, this "visitor from Shenzhou."
But Lin Yang? He absolutely did not believe this person would be so magnanimous.
A weasel paying respects to a chicken has no good intentions.
Chen Yuan knew clearly in his heart that this Fentian Valley was probably a trap set for him to jump into.
However, he then thought: the earth core fire lotus can refine Divine Sense and purify pill fire, which is indeed a good thing.
If I can obtain it, with the System's return, I am highly likely to obtain a Heaven-Defying spiritual medicine sufficient to allow me to Breakthrough to seventh-rank Divine Sense!
At that time, my Divine Sense strength would be comparable to a Body Integration Grand-power specializing in Divine Sense, and my strength could advance further.
While he must guard against Lin Yang's conspiracy, the temptation of this earth core fire lotus was also difficult for him to easily abandon.
Fine, I'll go and see what tricks you're playing.
In the face of absolute strength, any schemes and tricks are futile.
Chen Yuan had full confidence in his strength. He possessed various Emperor-Ranked Dharma Techniques and secret arts, his Primordial Spirit had reached the Yin Spirit level, and the spiritual power within his body was like that of Void Returning Perfection Stage. He had also initially grasped the embryonic form of the Law of Fire Sword Dao, making his strength comparable to the Early Integration Stage.
Coupled with his Dharma Aspect Divine Ability, he could easily contend with the Middle Stage, and even hold his own against the Late Stage.
Even if Fentian Valley was a Dragon's Den and a Tiger's Lair, he was confident he could brave it!
Thinking of this, Chen Yuan showed a smile on his face and nodded to Lin Yang:
"Since Fellow Daoist Lin has such sincerity, and has even received the approval of Sect Master Su, if I, Yuan, were to decline again, it would seem petty.
Alright, three days from now, I will trouble Fellow Daoist Lin to lead the way to Fentian Valley."
Seeing Chen Yuan finally agree, Lin Yang was overjoyed. He quickly lowered his head to conceal his emotions, repeatedly saying, "Fellow Daoist, you are too kind! At that time, I, Lin, will definitely do my best to help Fellow Daoist obtain the fire lotus!"
Seeing Chen Yuan finally agree, Lin Yang was overjoyed. He quickly lowered his head to conceal his emotions, repeatedly saying, "Fellow Daoist, you are too kind! At that time, I, Lin, will definitely do my best to help Fellow Daoist obtain the fire lotus!"
With his objective achieved, Lin Yang dared not stay longer, fearing he might lose control of his emotions and expose his true intentions. After a few more polite exchanges, he hastily bid farewell and departed.