76: The furnace? It starts with you.

Inside the Great Yin Emperor Palace, the world was utterly silent.

Jiang Chen stood with his hands behind his back, and time seemed to lose its meaning here.

A quarter of an hour.

An hour.

Jiang Chen's posture remained unchanged, but Yu Meier was on the verge of going mad.

She stood behind Jiang Chen, initially maintaining the demeanor of a Joyful Union Sect Saintess, curiously observing the Empress's Dao field.

But here, besides moonlight, there were only spiritual plants; not even a single living creature that could breathe.

The most crucial thing was that the man just stood there, not saying a word, not making a single movement.

This was more unbearable than fighting with Ye Xihe, that ice-faced woman.

Yu Meier felt as if her bones were about to grow mold.

She finally couldn't hold back, taking light lotus steps, swaying her slender waist, and silently approaching Jiang Chen.

One step, two steps... When she stepped within ten zhang of Jiang Chen, his calm, unperturbed voice slowly sounded.

"What do you intend to do?"

Yu Meier's steps paused, and a pitifully charming smile immediately appeared on her face, her voice so soft and seductive it could drip water.

"Block of Wood, please have pity on this servant."

"It's so quiet here, and this servant is afraid being alone."

Jiang Chen did not turn his head.

"Afraid?"

He chuckled lightly, "The Saintess of the Joyful Union Sect, who fears nothing, is afraid now?"

The smile on Yu Meier's face stiffened slightly, then became even more alluring.

She simply stopped pretending, walked a few steps to Jiang Chen's side, and a faint, ethereal fragrance drifted into Jiang Chen's nostrils with her movements.

"Oh, so you, this Block of Wood, already know me so well? It truly makes me feel flattered."

She leaned close to Jiang Chen's side, tilting her head, her charming peach blossom eyes blinked, curiously examining Jiang Chen's profile.

"Block of Wood, aren't you worried?"

"About what?"

Jiang Chen turned his head and glanced at her.

"Sister Nangong."

Yu Meier extended her slender, jade-like finger and touched her red lips.

"That's the Empress's Dao Heart interrogation; it sounds very dangerous."

"What if... I mean, what if she fails and her Divine Soul gets lost? She would become a living dead person."

"You've gone to so much trouble; wouldn't it be a great pity if it all ended up being for nothing?"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Chen merely smiled.

He turned around, facing Yu Meier directly.

The distance between them was but a mere inch.

"You really hope she fails?"

Jiang Chen's voice was very soft, and Yu Meier's heart skipped a beat.

"What are you saying, Your Highness Saint?"

She pouted playfully, twisting her body,

"Sister Nangong is so exceptionally talented, possessing the Profound Yin Sacred Body, and now she has received the Taiyin Empress's Legacy; it shouldn't be difficult for her."

"Look at you, for the sake of Sister Nangong, you've offended the Tianyuan Divine Dynasty, the Myriad Demon Cave, and even the Netherworld Demonic Cult."

"But..."

Yu Meier's tone shifted, "This servant is quite curious, is the Saint's protection of Sister Nangong for love or for benefit?"

"After all, the Profound Yin Sacred Body is one of the world's top Cauldron for dual cultivation. If the Saint obtains Sister Nangong's Primordial Yin, his cultivation would surely advance by leaps and bounds, wouldn't it?"

As she spoke, she intentionally or unintentionally puffed out her proud chest, its full curves faintly visible beneath her sheer gauze dress.

Jiang Chen's gaze slowly descended from her alluring face.

Finally, it landed on that breathtaking curve.

Yu Meier's pretty face flushed under his gaze, but her heart swelled with triumph.

Men, indeed, were all the same.

No matter how strong your power or how cunning your mind, you couldn't resist a beautiful woman.

"And then?"

Jiang Chen suddenly spoke, asking indifferently in return.

"Then, in your opinion, why am I doing this?"

Yu Meier shook her head, her eyes sparkling. She boldly took another half step forward, her breath like orchids.

"In this servant's opinion, Sister Nangong has her own fortune, and the Saint also has his own fortune."

"This long wait, how boring it is."

"How about... this servant accompanies you to alleviate your boredom?"

She extended her fair, jade-like hand, her fingertip tinged with pink, and lightly, tentatively, touched Jiang Chen's chest.

"Your Highness Saint..."

Her voice was extremely low, carrying an unprecedented allure.

She was certain that in this environment, with his beloved absent, no man could refuse such a temptress actively throwing herself into his arms.

However.

The moment her fingertip was about to touch his clothes, Jiang Chen raised his hand and precisely grasped her wrist.

His hand was warm and strong, making her unable to move.

Yu Meier's heart leaped in surprise. She looked up, meeting Jiang Chen's eyes that seemed to smile yet not smile.

"I think I understand."

Jiang Chen smiled, "You've said so much, are you trying to tell me that you are more suitable to be my Cauldron than she is?"

"You!"

Yu Meier was choked by Jiang Chen's words.

"What's wrong?"

"Did I hit the mark?"

The smile at the corner of Jiang Chen's mouth deepened, "If so, then fine."

He held her wrist, exerting a slight force, pulling Yu Meier entirely towards him.

"Ah!"

Yu Meier gasped in surprise, completely unprepared for Jiang Chen's directness.

She stumbled, and her soft, delicate body solidly crashed into Jiang Chen's embrace.

A rich, masculine scent, mixed with a faint aroma of ambergris, instantly enveloped her.

Yu Meier's mind went blank.

Her entire body stiffened.

This was completely different from the script she had envisioned!

Shouldn't she be leading the rhythm, playing this man in the palm of her hand?

How was it that now, she was the one being passive?

"You..."

Just as she was about to say something, she saw Jiang Chen slowly lower his head.

That flawlessly handsome face continuously magnified in her pupils.

"You... what do you want to do?"

Yu Meier's voice, for the first time, truly carried panic.

"Didn't you say you wanted to accompany me to alleviate boredom?"

Jiang Chen's voice, accompanied by his warm breath, sounded in her ear.

"After what you said, I do feel a bit bored now."

"So..."

"Let's start now."

The moment his words fell, Yu Meier only felt the world spin, and she was already lifted by Jiang Chen, who held her by the waist, walking towards a giant stone as smooth as a mirror not far away.

"Jiang Chen! Let go of me!"

Yu Meier finally reacted and began to struggle.

But her meager strength was like a mantis trying to stop a chariot in front of Jiang Chen.

Jiang Chen gently placed her on the giant stone, propping one hand beside her, completely enveloping her in his shadow.

He looked down at her from above, watching her peach blossom eyes, which always carried a hint of charm, now filled with annoyance and panic.

That expression was far more captivating than the allure she deliberately put on.

The smile at the corner of Jiang Chen's mouth deepened.

"What's wrong?"

"Weren't you very bold just now?"

"Now, you know fear?"