Chapter 157

Chapter 157

“Not that important?” Hearing this, Empress Yan rolled her eyes hard. “Yang Chen, don’t insult the Fire Spirit Essence with your ignorance, okay? Once the Fire Spirit Essence is born, forget a Soul Transformation cultivator like you, even a Void Refinement expert would fight for it! Even if I only give you half, it’s enough to improve your innate talents and significantly raise your cultivation stage!”

“That’s other people’s concern, but I’m genuinely not interested. If you don’t have anything else more appealing, I’ll be taking my leave.” Yang Chen said nonchalantly.

“You! What exactly do you want?” Empress Yan asked, a bit frustrated.

“What do I want? Heh!” Yang Chen chuckled.

Now, this was the proper direction for their conversation.

His gaze swept over Empress Yan’s alluring figure. With a playful smile on his lips, he said: “What I want is quite simple, just to revisit some old grounds!”

***

“Revisiting old grounds?” Empress Yan’s expression froze, clearly confused for a moment. But soon, she understood what he meant.

Her face darkened instantly.

“You bastard! Yang Chen, if you dare spout nonsense again, do you believe I won’t let you walk out of here alive?”

A layer of red light enveloped her body, with hints of the Earth Core Red Fire flickering, displaying her anger. Back then, to obtain the Body Refining Pill, she had no choice but to agree to this bastard’s demand and let him take advantage of her. But in that cave, this bastard went even further. And now, he dared to bring up “revisiting old grounds” again.

Unforgivable! This was truly going too far!

“Empress Yan, no need to get angry!” Yang Chen replied nonchalantly: “I was just casually mentioning it. If you don’t agree, just say no.”

“Of course I won’t agree!” Empress Yan said coldly. “But, you still have to help me with this task!”

“This …” Yang Chen feigned difficulty. “Empress Yan, you’re really putting me in a tough spot! Central Continent is a million miles away, and you won’t agree to my conditions. Why should I go? My relationship with you isn’t that deep, right?”

“Bastard! Die!” Empress Yan’s beautiful eyes flared with anger, and she couldn’t hold back any longer. She struck out at Yang Chen with her palm.

The Earth Core Red Fire condensed into a handprint. Though the handprint wasn’t large, its five fingers were like a formation, intricately connected.

Yang Chen immediately realized. Empress Yan was trying to suppress him and forcibly take him to Central Continent.

“Heh!” Yang Chen chuckled, not dodging. He struck out with his palm directly. A blue flame spread out, accompanied by the sound of a dragon’s roar.

Bang!

The flames of true qi collided.

Empress Yan’s flame handprint was shattered by Yang Chen’s strike. However, both of them restrained their power.

The true qi didn’t rage uncontrollably. The small courtyard merely trembled violently but sustained no significant damage.

Seeing Yang Chen easily neutralize her attack, Empress Yan’s face showed a hint of surprise.

“Aren’t you only at the first stage of the Soul Transformation Realm? You can actually take one of my attacks head-on! It seems I’ve underestimated you!” Her beautiful eyes filled with seriousness.

She had planned to catch him off guard, using her far superior cultivation to subdue him in one move. Then she would have forcibly taken him to Central Continent to help her find the Fire Spirit Essence. But unexpectedly, despite being only at the first stage of the Soul Transformation Realm, this bastard possessed such immense strength.

Her previous strike had contained a sealing formation. Even a cultivator at the fourth stage of the Soul Transformation Realm wouldn’t have been able to walk away unscathed. Yet this bastard had effortlessly deflected it.

It seemed that the rumors circulating in the Northern Spiritual Realm were true.

Although Empress Yan had been cultivating alone during this time, she had stayed in the Northern Spiritual Realm. Occasionally, she’d heard various legends about Yang Chen, the Holy Son of Xuantian Sect.

It was said that when he was at the ninth stage of the Nascent Soul Realm, he had defeated a Soul Transformation cultivator. And when he reached the tenth stage, he even killed two Soul Transformation cultivators in succession. One of them was at the third stage of the Soul Transformation Realm.

Empress Yan had not believed these tales. She thought they were just exaggerated rumors spread by people. After all, even with her ten thousand years of cultivation experience, the idea of someone at the tenth stage of the Nascent Soul Realm killing a third-stage Soul Transformation cultivator was too far-fetched.

Slaying a Soul Transformation cultivator before reaching the Soul Transformation Realm was something only the legendary figures in ancient texts could achieve. She never believed a mere Holy Son from Xuantian Sect could do such a thing.

But now … the strength Yang Chen had just displayed was no less than that of a fourth-stage Soul Transformation cultivator. And this probably wasn’t even his full power. This bastard’s talent was indeed monstrous. Even in all of Central Continent, he would be considered a peerless prodigy, seen only once in ten thousand years!

“Heh, it seems you truly underestimated me, Empress Yan! Silently subduing me isn’t going to happen!” Yang Chen smirked.

From their brief exchange, he had gauged Empress Yan’s strength. She hadn’t reached the late Soul Transformation stage yet. However, her battle power wasn’t weaker than someone at the late stage of the Soul Transformation Realm. But even so, the idea of her suppressing him quietly was out of the question.

Whether she could defeat him at all was still up for debate.

Empress Yan stood still, her beautiful eyes fixed on Yang Chen without speaking. She seemed to be deep in thought. After a long silence, she finally spoke: “Yang Chen, do you know why I need the Fire Spirit Essence?”

“Isn’t it to enhance your strength?” Yang Chen replied casually.

“Hmph, I was once a mighty fire cultivator, standing at the peak of the world. I have many ways to enhance my strength. Why would I beg for help from a bastard like you?” Empress Yan scoffed.

“Then what is it for? And what does this have to do with me?” Yang Chen was starting to grow impatient.

What was this woman getting at? So secretive.

If it weren’t for their shared history of close encounters, he would have left long ago.

Empress Yan gritted her teeth, her eyes filled with hesitation. But finally, she seemed to make a decision.

In a low voice, she said: “The reason I need the Fire Spirit Essence is for her.”

As she spoke, she pointed to her flat abdomen.

Yang Chen raised an eyebrow, puzzled. He had noticed something during their time in the magma world. Empress Yan seemed to occasionally caress her belly. But he hadn’t thought much of it at the time.

Now, she was pointing to her stomach again and talking about “her”?

Could it be?

A bold idea flashed through Yang Chen’s mind.

“Are you pregnant?”

“That’s right.” Empress Yan nodded, her beautiful eyes locked onto Yang Chen’s: “So, you must help me! The Fire Spirit Essence can enhance her innate talent!”