193: Chapter 192 The Body Tells the Truth

The waters of the Chaotic Star Sea appeared an eerie ink-blue under the night sky, so deep they seemed to swallow light.

The smell of blood in the ruins of the Immortal Cave had been mostly dispersed by the sea breeze. Lin Chen sat cross-legged, surrounded by a faint dark-golden flowing light. Cold Moon Heart's pure Extreme Cold Origin had not only repaired his Meridians during Dual Cultivation but also acted like a heavy hammer, repeatedly forging the immortal essence in his body until it became condensed as if physical.

At this moment, he was only a thin, cicada-wing-like membrane away from the Core Formation stage. If he wished, he could trigger the Heavenly Tribulation at any time, but Lin Chen suppressed the urge. In a place of tigers and wolves like the Chaotic Star Sea, rashly attempting Core Formation without absolute certainty would only make him a target for all.

"Revered Master, the 'Envoy from Zhongzhou' mentioned in this secret letter might be the real trouble." Su Qingge stood to the side, her fingertip tracing through the Void Realm. She analyzed the residual aura in that Jade Slip into several obscure runes. "That is a trace of an extremely ancient and noble technique, far surpassing the existing Legacy of the Chaotic Star Sea or even the Second Heaven. The force behind the Blood Fiend Sect likely comes from that rumored 'God-Forsaken Land,' which is the Central Plains."

Lin Chen narrowed his eyes, looking at a blurred Bauhinia Emblem at the end of the letter. The Central Plains was the true core of this world, an ultimate battlefield with experts as numerous as trees in a forest and resources as vast as the sea.

"The flames of war have spread from the center to the edges, which means those behemoths in the Central Plains are also undergoing a reshuffling of power." Lin Chen sneered, tucking the Jade Slip into his robe. "They want to play a game of chess in the Chaotic Star Sea, so I'll just flip the board. This letter isn't just evidence; it's my ticket into the Central Plains."

Cold Moon Heart, who had been limp on Lin Chen's lap, had now changed into a tight-fitting black combat suit. Her silver hair was casually tied back, making her look heroic and imposing, except for her eyes, which still flickered with a morbid and intense fire of love as she looked at Lin Chen.

"Revered Master, that traitor Cold Smoke controls thirty percent of the Ethereal Moon Palace's Law Enforcement Team. If we don't return directly, what if the Revered Master..." Cold Moon Heart's words stopped abruptly. She shook her head, a cruel smile appearing at the corner of her mouth. "No, if the Revered Master dies, the Ethereal Moon Palace will be useless. Moon Heart only needs Revered Master to stay alive. However, that Young Miss of the Azure Sea Merchant Alliance, 'Shen Ruyan,' is a famous tsundere; she has always been arrogant, viewing men as playthings."

Cold Moon Heart extended her long, cold fingers, gently stroking the scratch marks on Lin Chen's chest, her gaze gradually becoming cold and deep.

"Revered Master, you can use her, you can use your 'mighty power' to conquer her, but if that bitch dares to show you even a hint of a condescending look, or dares to order you around..." She leaned into Lin Chen's ear, her voice so sweet it made one shiver. "I'll gouge out her eyes, cut out her tongue, and turn her into a lampstand by Revered Master's bedside, alright?"

Lin Chen laughed loudly, reaching out to pinch her delicate chin and giving her still-swollen lips a heavy kiss. "Don't worry, in front of me, no one can be superior. Once the Chaotic Star Sea is pacified, you will return to the Lin Family and bear many children for me. I am quite looking forward to your Extreme Cold Ice Bone Bloodline."

Hearing the words "bear many children," Cold Moon Heart's delicate body trembled. Her fierce expression instantly turned charming and moving, her eyes even becoming somewhat unfocused as she murmured, "Moon Heart... will definitely conceive the strongest offspring for Revered Master... As long as it belongs to Revered Master, Moon Heart wants it all..."

After comforting this yandere Saintess, Lin Chen set off alone on a Flying Boat toward the "thousand gold," the flagship of the Azure Sea Merchant Alliance.

...

As the number one merchant ship in the Chaotic Star Sea, the "thousand gold" was comparable in scale to a floating small city. The entire hull was crafted from Ten-Thousand-Year Agarwood, with defensive formations carved all over to repel sea beasts. Guards with decent cultivation could be seen everywhere on the deck, all of whom were elite female cultivators.

Just as Lin Chen stepped onto the deck, his path was blocked by two crossed halberds.

"Stop! This is a restricted area of the Merchant Alliance. Unrelated male cultivators are not allowed near, let alone a Loose Cultivator like you, reeking of blood." Two female guards in Merchant Alliance uniforms looked at him with disdain. In the Chaotic Star Sea, the status of male cultivators was extremely low, mostly existing as laborers or gigolos.

Lin Chen's expression was indifferent; he didn't even lift an eyelid. He simply pulled out a token with the unique mark of the Blood Fiend Sect from his robe and tossed it casually onto the ground.

"I want to see Shen Ruyan. Regarding the Blood Fiend Sect's ambush on the Merchant Alliance fleet, if she isn't interested, I can just sell this information to the Ethereal Moon Palace."

"Presumptuous! Is the Young Miss's name something you can call?"

A middle-aged beautiful woman, looking like a manager, walked over slowly. She coldly sized up Lin Chen. Although Lin Chen was handsome and had an extraordinary aura, in her eyes, he was just another man trying to use an opportunity to climb the social ladder and gain attention.

"The people who want to see the Young Miss line up from the Chaotic Star Sea all the way to Chiyang Mountain. You think you can sneak in with a broken token from the Blood Fiend Sect? Men, cripple his cultivation and throw him into the sea to feed the fish!"

Hearing this, the surrounding guards drew their swords instantly, and several sharp Spiritual Pressures locked onto Lin Chen.

A wicked arc curled at the corner of Lin Chen's mouth, a coldness that saw through everything.

"It seems the Azure Sea Merchant Alliance grew this large entirely by relying on the talent of looking down on others. Since you want to play, I'll play with you."

He stomped his right foot heavily. Although he hadn't reached Core Formation, a terrifying Dragon Might far exceeding the Great Perfection of Foundation Establishment exploded forth!

...

Half an hour later, inside the most luxurious top-floor inner cabin of the "thousand gold."

The air here was filled with fragrance, and the sound of splashing water came from behind a screen. A graceful silhouette leaned against the edge of a bathtub, long fingers tracing the water's surface, creating ripples.

"You're saying a man at the Foundation Establishment Stage shattered my head guard with just one move?"

The voice was crisp and carried a natural nobility, yet it also held a hint of impatience.

"Reporting to Young Miss, that man... he said if you don't see him, the Azure Sea Merchant Alliance's harvest in the Sea God Ruins will become a blood sacrifice." The manager woman knelt outside the screen, her clothes soaked with cold sweat. She had never seen a man with such an overbearing aura.

"Heh, interesting."

Shen Ruyan put on a silk robe as thin as a cicada's wing and walked out from behind the screen barefoot. She had thick black hair like seaweed, and her features were as exquisite as a high-stakes gamble. Especially those Phoenix eyes, carrying three parts mockery and seven parts arrogance, revealed the aura of a superior who had long controlled immense wealth.

She pushed open the door and saw Lin Chen in the center of the hall, drinking Spirit Tea as if no one else were there.

"Man, you have a lot of nerve. If the information you provide isn't valuable enough, I'll make you understand that in this Chaotic Star Sea, death is sometimes a luxury." Shen Ruyan walked to the main seat and sat down, crossing her jade-like legs—enough to drive any man crazy—and provocatively hooked her toes. "Now, kneel and present your items."

Lin Chen put down his teacup and looked up at this insufferably arrogant Young Miss. He didn't kneel; instead, he stood up and walked toward Shen Ruyan step by step.

The pressure belonging to the Ancestral Dragon Bloodline caused Shen Ruyan's originally arrogant expression to stiffen slightly.

"Kneel? Young Miss Shen, you might have misunderstood something." Lin Chen walked up to her and leaned over, his hands gripping her armrests, casting his shadow over the Merchant Alliance heiress. "In this Chaotic Star Sea, no one is qualified to make me kneel. On the contrary, without my help, this time next year will be the anniversary of the Azure Sea Merchant Alliance's demise."

"You..." Just as Shen Ruyan was about to explode, Lin Chen pressed the secret letter Jade Slip against her forehead.

As the Divine Sense flowed, Shen Ruyan's mocking expression instantly turned pale, finally turning into deep fear and rage.

"Cold Smoke's betrayal... the Blood Fiend Sect joining forces with the Central Plains... they actually want to devour my 'thousand gold'?"

She suddenly looked up at Lin Chen, her previous arrogance completely gone. As a clever businesswoman, she knew the weight of this letter all too well. If this were true, the Merchant Alliance already had one foot in the grave.

"What do you want?" Shen Ruyan's breathing became rapid, and the breathtaking curve of her chest rose and fell violently.

"I want the 'Sea Soul Pearl' from the Sea God Ruins, and... the highest command of this ship."

"You're crazy! Give command to a man?" Shen Ruyan gritted her teeth, but facing Lin Chen's abyss-like gaze, she actually felt an unprecedented palpitation. It wasn't fear, but a trembling sense of submission from being locked onto by a powerful predator.

"Young Miss Shen, a merchant's duty is to minimize losses. Right now, you have no choice."

Lin Chen suddenly exerted force, picking up the insufferably arrogant Young Miss by her waist. Ignoring her cries and struggles, he strode toward the bath bed that still carried the scent of water vapor.

"Before discussing cooperation, we need to establish a little... indestructible trust."

"Bastard! If you dare touch me, the Merchant Alliance will tear you into a thousand pieces... Mmm!"

All of Shen Ruyan's insults vanished into an extremely overbearing kiss.

On the top floor of this priceless treasure ship, in front of the most noble woman in the Chaotic Star Sea, Lin Chen once again began his path of conquest.

Shen Ruyan never imagined that there could be such a violent and aggressive man in this world.

Lin Chen's large hands tore apart the silk robe that symbolized her noble status. In that instant, a perfect, delicate body—accustomed to luxury and appearing crystal clear and elastic from frequently consuming top-grade Spirit Medicine—was completely exposed to the moonlight.

Unlike Cold Moon Heart's coldness, Shen Ruyan's body emitted a decadent scent of premium spices mixed with a virgin's fragrance. Her waist was extremely supple, but it was now twisting violently due to extreme shame and indignation. Her originally arrogant Phoenix eyes quickly became misty and unfocused.

"Ah—! You... lowly... man..."

Her curses gradually turned into unconscious soft cries.

In that ultimate rhythm, Lin Chen felt this Merchant Alliance Young Miss go from violent resistance to powerless limpness.

The sense of achievement from dragging a high-and-mighty queen off her throne and trampling her onto that luxurious carpet caused the Core Formation Bottleneck in Lin Chen's body to tremble violently once again.

"Young Miss Shen, your body seems much more honest than your mouth."

The Azure Sea Merchant Alliance had entered the game. And this Chaotic Star Sea would eventually become the private fishpond of his Lin Family.

[Congratulations to the host! Successfully controlled the core figure of the Azure Sea Merchant Alliance: Shen Ruyan!] [Shen Ruyan's Favorability: -20 (A mix of strong submission and hatred, easily transformed into morbid obsession)!] [Obtained rewards: Secret chart of the Azure Sea Merchant Alliance, key to the second floor of the Sea God Ruins!] [Next plan: Unite the Merchant Alliance and Cold Moon Heart to deliver a gift of despair to the Blood Fiend Sect and those traitors on the day the ruins open!]