Chapter 205 - 158: Do You Know What Kind of Price It Takes to Ask an Ultimate Venerable to Do Something?

’It can’t be what I think it is, can it?’

Ugh...

’His meaning is already so obvious. It has to be what I’m thinking. No, absolutely not. I’ve never done anything like that before.’

Jiang Yunnuan frantically lifted her head. Her soft, pliant body nestled into his embrace as she wrapped her arms around his neck, her lips gently brushing against his collarbone.

"Master, do you... like me?"

"Yes. Otherwise, why would I be keeping you? With the resources and treasures I’ve given you, how many pets do you think I could support?"

He admitted it freely, without a shred of hesitation.

Jiang Yunnuan was speechless.

’I don’t know how many pets he could support, but raising an army probably wouldn’t be an issue.’

"If I didn’t like you, would I have helped you save someone? Do you have any idea what it costs to ask an Ultimate Venerable to do something?"

Jiang Yunnuan was speechless.

’I don’t know what kind of price, but I certainly couldn’t afford it.’

’Alright, fine. I guess I’m the one who came out ahead.’

"Well, in that case, thank you for liking me, Master. I like you too~"

Jiang Yunnuan seized the opportunity to curry favor. She took his hand and shamelessly placed it on her breast, closing her eyes and gently kissing his neck.

"You like me?"

Yan Chen’s eyes narrowed. He reached out, tilted her chin up, and pressed a finger to the corner of her eye.

"If you like me so much, then why, after I was gone for a mere twenty days, do you reek of two other Beastmen?"

"And that mark. Didn’t we agree I would help you remove it when I returned? Why were you in such a hurry to run to those wastes of space?"

Seeing his fury, Jiang Yunnuan subconsciously recalled Fu Yuan’s wretched state, and her heart began to pound with fear all over again.

Desperate to save her own skin, she hurriedly tried to explain.

"I didn’t mean to not wait for you! I honestly had no idea that removing the mark involved... doing *that*..."

’As for those "wastes of space" you mentioned, they’re my legitimate Contractors.’

Of course, she didn’t dare say that out loud, only think it.

"I can overlook that matter. But in a mere twenty days, you’ve been thoroughly intimate with those two wastes. Did you think of me at all then?"

"I did think of you! I really did! I knew your tribulation this time was incredibly dangerous, and I was worried sick about you every single moment~"

This wasn’t just pandering; it was the truth.

Jiang Yunnuan truly was worried about him.

She was not an ungrateful person. She remembered all the kindness he had shown her.

Now he had returned from his tribulation. And while he had done something despicable to Fu Yuan, that couldn’t erase the kindness he had shown her.

"Every day, I was wondering if your tribulation was going well, if you could endure it... Yan Chen, I’m so happy that you came back safely. I really am~"

’If only he hadn’t treated Fu Yuan that way. Then I’d be even happier.’

"You’re just saying all this to escape your punishment, aren’t you?"

He spoke lightly. At his words, Jiang Yunnuan’s heart gave a violent lurch.

’He was right. I didn’t want to do *that* with him.’

’But resistance was impossible. The difference in their power was too vast. Even Fu Yuan, a Half-step Ultimate Venerable, had been completely powerless against him.’

’If I resisted, I’d only be met with more ruthless punishment and humiliation.’

’Therefore, to escape this ordeal, I absolutely couldn’t confront him head-on. Playing the sympathy card was undoubtedly a good strategy.’

"Of course not. I just wanted you to know that I really do care about you. You must have been injured during the tribulation, right? Let me see if you’ve fully recovered."

Even though he’d seen right through her, she couldn’t admit it. After shaking her head and denying it vehemently, she reached out to pull open his robes.

And there, across his broad chest, was a crisscrossing network of burn marks. Some of the wounds were even festering, oozing pus.

Jiang Yunnuan’s pupils constricted. Her breath caught in her throat as her trembling hands pulled off the rest of his upper garment.

His chest and back were covered in those same burns, which disappeared below the waistband of his trousers.

"How could this be? Your Life Force... isn’t it supposed to regenerate flesh and blood? You’re so badly injured, why haven’t you healed yourself?"

"What’s the matter? Does your heart ache for me? Or do you just find it ugly?"

He glanced down, looking at the festering wounds on his body with utter indifference. His words were exceptionally infuriating.

Jiang Yunnuan frowned, glaring at him indignantly.

"How can you say something like that at a time like this? Of course my heart aches for you! Yan Chen, I really do care about you, I’m not just saying that~"

"There’s no benefit to leaving these wounds, even if you aren’t afraid of the pain, right? Why on earth won’t you heal yourself?"

’A benefit?’

’I suppose there is one!’

’Without these wounds, how else could he see her looking so concerned for him?’

"It’s not that I don’t want to heal. These are wounds from the Destructive Divine Thunder. Until the residual power of the thunder is completely purged, these scars won’t heal. Even Life Force is useless against it."

’Destructive Divine Thunder?’

’That doesn’t sound like something easy to deal with. No wonder even a power as broken as Life Force was helpless.’

But Jiang Yunnuan refused to accept that. She grabbed his hand and patted the bed.

"Sit down. Let me think of something."

Yan Chen’s gaze flickered, landing on her naked body. He suddenly walked over to the wardrobe and pulled out a loose-fitting dress.

"Put this on."

Jiang Yunnuan was speechless.

She looked down, only then realizing she was completely naked. She couldn’t help but feel a surge of embarrassment.

’Damn it, I’ve been naked this whole time...’

’Oh, whatever. So what if I’m not wearing clothes? It’s not a big deal. It’s not like anyone else is here. Besides, I’ll get an eyeful of him later, so it’s not like I’m losing out.’

"Oh, okay..."

Steeling herself, she put on an air of nonchalance as she took the dress and slipped it on with feigned composure.

Then, she got off the bed, took Yan Chen’s hand, and led him toward the bathroom.

"Come with me."

Yan Chen could see her discomfort but didn’t call her out on it. He obediently followed her, his voice low and cool.

"You’ve found a way?"

"No, but it can’t hurt to try."

Jiang Yunnuan shook her head. She strode to the bathtub, took out some Innate Spirit Water, and poured it in.

"Take off your clothes and get in. Soak for a while and see what happens. If it doesn’t work, I’ll think of something else."

’I’ve saved up a lot of Points these past few days. If the Innate Spirit Water doesn’t work on his wounds, I’ll ask the system for information.’

"Seeing as you’re so concerned about me, I’ll let you off the hook for today. But this isn’t over."

He said this flatly as he began to undress right in front of her.

’Jiang Yunnuan scoffed internally, paying his words no mind. As long as I can get through today, that’s all that matters. Future problems are for future me.’

Suddenly, a vigorous, colossal thing appeared before her eyes, greeting her with aggressive vitality.

Jiang Yunnuan’s eyes flew wide. The moment she realized what it was, she whirled around and squeezed her eyes shut.

’Damn it! I told myself I’d get my eyeful back. Why is it that when he’s stark naked and displaying himself so openly, I don’t have the guts to look?’