Chapter 212: Chapter 165: If You Lose, You Are Not Allowed to Form a Pact With Her
"Yes, I came to take a look."
Yan Chen replied softly.
She had been inside for half an hour and still hadn’t emerged. Of course he had to come check on the situation; otherwise, how could he rest easy?
He never expected to walk in on a scene like this.
’This Beastman actually wants to form a contract with my little pet.’
’Good thing I got here in time. Otherwise, by the time my little pet left this Flying Ship, she would have yet another annoying Contractor.’
Jiang Yunnuan was speechless.
’Dude, this is the turf of an Ultimate Venerable Peak! You think you can just waltz in here without permission?’
Sure enough, just as the thought crossed her mind, a dangerous voice rang out.
"Who are you? Do you think this is a place you can just enter as you please?"
The man narrowed his crimson eyes, flames dancing within them. He radiated an incredibly oppressive aura, and it felt as if the surrounding temperature had instantly spiked.
Yan Chen raised an eyebrow, his voice showing no fear.
"If I’m not supposed to be here, then why am I standing here?"
’Anywhere his power could reach was a place he could go.’
’The strong are revered, and power is paramount. In this world, there was nothing he couldn’t do, only things he didn’t want to do.’
His words were utterly provocative. Jiang Yunnuan’s heart leaped into her throat. She quickly slapped a hand over his mouth and turned to Feng Qianyan to apologize.
"Er, my apologies, Admiral Feng. He’s my Contractor. He barged in to check on me when I didn’t come out. I apologize to you on his behalf, and I’ll take him away immediately. I’m truly sorry. Please, Admiral Feng, forgive the intrusion."
After speaking, she began to pull Yan Chen away, but the man’s voice stopped them.
"Wait."
"Yes? Is there something else you need, Admiral Feng?"
Jiang Yunnuan stopped, her gaze turning inquisitive. He, however, was staring at Yan Chen, his expression inscrutable.
"You’re lying!"
"What?"
The abrupt sentence left her utterly baffled, her gaze growing even more inquisitive.
He narrowed his eyes and spoke slowly, his voice absolutely certain.
"He is not your Contractor."
Before arriving, he had reviewed Jiang Yunnuan’s file. He knew she had four Contractors, but had recently undergone Contract Termination with two of them.
Now, she had two Contractors remaining.
Those two Contractors were a Feathered Beastman and a Fox Beastman, and both had Cultivation at the Returning Origin Stage.
But this man before him had Ultimate Venerable Peak Cultivation and not a hint of a Beastman’s aura. He was definitely not her Contractor.
Jiang Yunnuan was speechless.
’For him to speak with such certainty, he must have investigated her. In the face of someone of his rank, her information in the Empire was completely transparent.’
’Sigh. What a careless mistake.’
But it didn’t matter. She could easily smooth it over.
"Er, he is my Contractor. We just haven’t had the chance to form the contract yet. We’re going to do it very soon."
Yan Chen was speechless.
’So certain, are we?’
’Did I agree to that?’
"Oh, is that so? Then, how about a match? If you lose, you won’t be allowed to form a contract with her."
’They haven’t formed the contract yet. That means there’s still a chance to put a stop to it.’ Feng Qianyan’s gaze shifted. He looked at Yan Chen, his agitated features twisting into an arrogant and wild expression, his crimson eyes brimming with provocation.
Before Yan Chen even had a chance to react, Jiang Yunnuan flew into a panic.
She looked at Yan Chen and said frantically, "No, you can’t agree."
’That guy has Ultimate Venerable Peak Cultivation, an Undying Body, and Rebirth Power! Even if he’s killed, he can be reborn from the flames!’
’With that kind of heaven-defying power, how could Yan Chen possibly compete with him?’
’And I’m still waiting to form a contract with Yan Chen!’
"You won’t agree?"
Feng Qianyan laughed, his voice arrogant. "Then I’ll have to pursue the charge of trespassing. Do you know what the crime and consequences are for trespassing on my territory?"
She didn’t know what the consequences would be, but as for the crime... if he played his Admiral card, the charge would be a serious one.
If he then framed Yan Chen for stealing classified information and branded him an enemy spy, the list of charges would be endless.
Furious, Jiang Yunnuan was racking her brain for a way to handle the situation when suddenly, the hand covering Yan Chen’s mouth was pulled away.
He looked at Feng Qianyan and said, "Fine. I’ll compete with you. But if you lose, you are never to appear before her again."
Jiang Yunnuan was speechless.
’It’s a good proposal, but is he sure he can win against that Phoenix?’
Just then, the man’s voice, full of confidence and boundless arrogance, rang in her ears.
"Fine. I accept your terms. Let’s do this."
With a flick of his wrist, the scene before them changed in a flash. The three of them appeared within a vast, boundless world of nothingness. All around them was a hazy gray expanse, with no structures in sight.
"This is the Void Realm. Woman, you will be the witness to this duel."
As his words fell, Feng Qianyan’s figure flickered and he leaped into the sky.
A clear Phoenix Cry rang out as enormous red-feathered wings slowly unfurled from his back. Blazing crimson flames ignited all around him, burning the very space until it began to warp.
Jiang Yunnuan clutched Yan Chen’s hand, her face etched with worry as she leaned in to whisper in his ear.
"Yan Chen, he has Ultimate Venerable Peak Cultivation. In addition to his Undying Body, he also wields two super Divine Powers: the Nine Heavens Divine Fire and the World Purification Divine Punishment. He’s incredibly hard to deal with..."
"Let’s just run. Please don’t fight him, okay? I’m worried about you."
Seeing her sincere, heartfelt concern, Yan Chen’s mood instantly brightened. A faint smile touched his features, which were typically as cool and sharp as ice, and he reached out to gently pinch her nose.
"Underestimating me?"
"I’m not! I’m just worried about you. I don’t want anything to happen to you. Yan Chen, I like you, and you haven’t even formed a contract with me yet..."
Jiang Yunnuan hugged his waist and refused to let go.
’A duel of this level is incredibly dangerous. If one little thing goes wrong, what’ll happen to my mission?’
’No, no, no... forget the mission. She simply didn’t want anything to happen to Yan Chen.’
Yan Chen cupped her face and kissed her on the forehead.
"Don’t worry, I’ll be fine. He’s tough, it’s true, but I’m no pushover myself. You should have a little more faith in me."
This was a battle for his pride; he absolutely could not back down.
Besides, having reached his current level of Cultivation, he rarely encountered a worthy opponent. Now that he had finally met his match, he was eager for a good fight.
’Only in actual combat can one quickly recognize their own shortcomings.’
"Fine. But you have to promise me that you’ll be okay. You absolutely cannot let anything happen to you. Winning or losing, pride or face... none of it is as important as you. At worst, we just won’t form a contract. I’ll just keep being your pet."
"Okay, I promise. I’ll be perfectly fine."
’We have to form this contract. I can’t go back on my promise to her.’ Yan Chen lowered his head, gave her a quick kiss on the lips, and gently pried her hands from his waist.
He watched her take a few steps back, then his figure flickered. He strode into the empty air, rising up to appear opposite Feng Qianyan in the blink of an eye.
Jiang Yunnuan craned her neck, her eyes fixed on them without blinking.
