147: Chapter 147 Unexpected Furnace Explosion: Tower Master, I'm sorry!

"Crack—!"

The crisp cracking sound was infinitely amplified in the dead silent Medicine Spirit Abyss, sounding like a death knell in Liu Hanyan's ears.

She watched helplessly as the qingming cauldron, which had accompanied the Dan Tower for thousands of years, developed cracks that spread like a spiderweb across its surface.

The Nine Revolutions Dan Qi, originally compressed to its limit within the cauldron, now became incredibly violent, having lost its confinement. The golden light it emitted pierced through like sharp swords, threatening to tear apart this entire world.

The energy was out of control.

Even the Nirvana Golden Flame, without a container, could no longer suppress the qualitative change of the violent medicinal power.

"It's over..."

Liu Hanyan's face instantly turned pale, and her pupils constricted violently.

As a grandmaster alchemist, she knew better than anyone what a furnace explosion of this magnitude meant.

This was the essence of Ten Thousand Year Dragon Blood Vine, Nine-Leaf Ice Heart Grass, and dozens of other heaven-and-earth divine materials, combined with the energy from nine compressions of Nirvana Golden Flame. Once it erupted, its power would be comparable to the full self-detonation of a peak Saint Realm expert!

In this enclosed Medicine Spirit Abyss, the two of them, at the center of the explosion, would either die or be severely injured.

"Xu Chen! Retreat quickly! Activate the Abyss Protection Array!"

In that critical moment, Liu Hanyan instinctively shrieked. Without a second thought, the Wood Spiritual Energy in her body surged wildly. Instead of retreating, she advanced, intending to block the impending explosion with her own body, buying Xu Chen a sliver of a chance to escape.

This was her responsibility as Tower Master, and also her instinctive choice as a woman.

She caused the disaster, and she insisted on refining the pill. She absolutely could not let the Young Master of the Imperial Clan die with her.

The destructive energy torrent was faster than her movements.

Boom—!!!

Accompanied by a deafening roar, the qingming cauldron completely shattered.

Bronze fragments filled the sky, carrying destructive nine-colored fire waves, spreading wildly in a ring from the alchemy furnace. Liu Hanyan's freshly taken step was instantly forced to a halt by the blast, and the overwhelming aura of death made her close her eyes in despair.

There was no escaping.

But the excruciating pain of being pulverized did not arrive as expected.

In that instant, a tall figure, as if teleporting, abruptly appeared in front of her.

"Tower Master, forgive my offense!"

The man's voice was deep and powerful, carrying an undeniable dominance, clearly piercing her eardrums amidst the roar of the explosion.

The next second.

Liu Hanyan only felt her waist tighten, and she was fiercely pulled into a powerful embrace by a strong hand.

The world spun.

Xu Chen gave her no time to react, directly pressing her against his chest with one hand, and with the other hand, he swung it forcefully, protecting her tightly beneath him in an extremely overbearing posture.

He turned his back to the terrifying explosion's center, using his broad back to build a wall of flesh and blood for her.

"Bang bang bang—!"

Countless bronze fragments, carrying terrifying high temperatures, slammed onto Xu Chen's back like cannonballs fired from a barrel.

The violent torrent of medicinal energy, like a raging fire dragon, opened its massive maw and fiercely tore at his body.

"Ugh!"

Xu Chen grunted, his arms wrapped around Liu Hanyan tightening abruptly, and veins bulged on his forehead.

It was truly excruciating!

Even with his Hongmeng Creation Body and a physique comparable to an Archaic Fierce Beast, taking this close-range "nuclear explosion" head-on still made him feel like someone had smashed his spine with a red-hot giant hammer.

But he did not retreat a single step.

Not only did he not retreat, but the Hongmeng Purple Qi within him circulated wildly, condensing a purple-golden dragon scale phantom on his back, firmly resisting the fiery poison that sought to engulf them both.

"Don't move."

Liu Hanyan in his arms seemed to want to struggle and look up. Xu Chen let out a low growl, and the large hand on the back of her head applied a slight pressure, pressing her face back against his chest.

"This fire is a bit fierce. If you don't want to be disfigured, just stay put."

Liu Hanyan completely froze.

Her face was pressed tightly against Xu Chen's chest, her nostrils filled with the scent of his body, a mix of faint blood and strong masculinity. In her ears was the violent drumming of his heart, each beat like a hammer striking her heart.

In this moment, where there was only destruction, this embrace became the safest haven in the world.

She had lived for hundreds of years, always the lofty Tower Master, a goddess admired by countless people. When danger arose, she was always the one protecting others, or others hid behind her.

Never had a man, at the brink of life and death, turned his back to death itself, just to protect her completely.

Tears, uncontrollably, instantly streamed from her eyes, soaking the front of Xu Chen's clothes.

Who knew how long passed.

The raging energy storm finally gradually subsided after hitting the Medicine Spirit Abyss's defensive formation.

The entire cavern was a mess.

Precious spirit herbs were burnt to ashes, the cold jade bed was shattered everywhere, and the air was filled with a pungent burnt smell.

"Cough cough..."

Xu Chen released his taut arms, swayed, and then fell backward weakly, as if all his strength had been drained.

"Xu Chen!"

Liu Hanyan exclaimed, quickly wrapped her arms around him, and the two fell to the dusty ground.

This time, she was on top, and he was underneath.

Liu Hanyan ignored the intimate posture, frantically propped up her upper body, and looked down at the man beneath her.

Xu Chen's face was as pale as paper, and a shocking trace of blood hung from the corner of his mouth.

What frightened her most was that when her hand touched Xu Chen's back, she felt hot, charred, and bloody flesh.

Although most of the violent fire poison and medicinal power had been blocked, some still seeped into his body, now wildly coursing through his meridians, emitting a "sizzling" corrosive sound.

"You... why are you so foolish?!"

Liu Hanyan's voice trembled, and tears fell like broken pearls, dripping onto Xu Chen's face.

"You are the Young Master of the Imperial Clan... your life is a million times more precious than mine... why did you block it for me? Why?!"

She cried, and fumbled to pull out various rare healing elixirs from her storage ring, not caring if their properties clashed, and tried to shove them all into Xu Chen's mouth.

"Cough... stop stuffing them..."

Xu Chen struggled to turn his head, avoiding the pile of pills, and weakly opened his eyes, looking at the beautiful face before him, streaked with tears.

Although he was injured, he was laughing wildly in his heart.

It was worth it!

Seeing Liu Hanyan's current distressed look, as if she wished to take his place, he knew that this woman's emotional defenses had completely shattered.

This was the ultimate version of the suspension bridge effect—interdependence in life and death.

"Tower Master Liu... you really underestimate me."

Xu Chen managed a smile, raised his hand, and tried to wipe away the tears from her eyes with some effort, but winced in pain as it tugged at the wound on his back.

"I'm a man... how can I let a woman stand in front?"

"Besides... if you were disfigured, who would be my chief alchemist in the future? Wouldn't I suffer a huge loss?"

At a time like this, he was still cracking jokes!

Liu Hanyan was both annoyed and amused by his words, but her heart was filled with unbearable bitterness and overwhelming gratitude.

"Shut up! What time is it, and you're still thinking about alchemy!"

She carefully examined the injuries on Xu Chen's back, her face growing increasingly grim.

"The backlash of Nirvana Golden Flame, coupled with the potent fire poison of the Dragon Blood Vine... these two forces intertwine in your body, forming a 'bone-deep ulcer'.

"Ordinary healing pills are useless, and might even fuel the fire."

Liu Hanyan took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down. She was a Grandmaster of Alchemy; she had to find a way to save him.

"Xu Chen, how do you feel now?"

"Hot..."

Xu Chen wasn't lying. At this moment, he felt like a volcano was erupting inside him, and the burning pain in his meridians was making his mind blurry.

"Not just hot... a little swollen too..."

That was the medicinal power running rampant.

"Hold on, don't fall asleep!"

Liu Hanyan gritted her teeth, her gaze sweeping across the messy cavern, finally settling on the depths of the Medicine Spirit Abyss.

There, was a "Ten Thousand Medicine Spirit Liquid Pool" which she normally used for bathing and cultivation. Because it was protected by an array, the explosion earlier did not affect it.

The pool water gathered the essence of Dan Tower's spiritual herbs for tens of thousands of years; it was cold, could detoxify all poisons, and could neutralize fire energy.

"Only a medicinal bath, combined with my unique guiding technique, can force the fire poison out of your body."

However...

To guide the fire poison, skin-to-skin contact was necessary, and even... no clothing could obstruct, otherwise, the spiritual energy transmission would be diminished, making it impossible to precisely extract the poison.

Liu Hanyan looked down at Xu Chen in her arms, whose aura was growing weaker, then looked at the emerald green pool water. A fierce struggle flashed across her face.

Her purity...

But if she didn't do this, Xu Chen's cultivation might be crippled, and he might even be in mortal danger.

"So be it!"

Looking at Xu Chen's back, which was bloody and mangled from protecting her, the struggle in Liu Hanyan's eyes instantly turned into determination.

"This life was given by you; compared to your safety, what is mere reputation?"

She took a deep breath, her eyes becoming incredibly resolute.

She laboriously helped Xu Chen up, letting most of his weight rest on her, and step by step, she struggled towards the Spirit Liquid Pool.

"Xu Chen, don't be afraid."

"Sister will save you now."

"But..."

Liu Hanyan looked at Xu Chen's robes, stained crimson with blood, her cheeks instantly turning red like ripe apples, her voice as faint as a mosquito's:

"For the sake of healing... I can only... offend you."