Chapter 58: Temptation

Xie Mengmeng gazed into Lin Chen’s resolute eyes, and the alluring charm originally in her gaze slowly dissipated like thin mist meeting the morning sun.

Parting her ruby lips slightly, she nodded and said softly, "Very well, I shall wait for you. I will wait forever."

"Fine! Running into such a massive trouble like you must be the greatest blessing of my life," Xie Mengmeng muttered softly as she finished tidying up her things and lazily lay down by the edge of the bed.

Lin Chen offered a few perfunctory words of response before stepping directly into the Golden House to immerse himself once more in cultivation.

Although he had already reached the sixth realm, such strength was far from sufficient when faced with the cascading dangers before him.

At the mere thought of this, Lin Chen felt as though his chest was being crushed by a massive boulder, leaving him suffocatingly oppressed to the extreme.

After a long while, he slowly closed his eyes and began to absorb the endless streams of surging merit.

Absorbing the merit coins gathered through various means while simultaneously drawing upon the merit autonomously generated by the Golden House, his cultivation speed could only be described as advancing by leaps and bounds with astonishing progress.

Had these merits been accumulated within him earlier, he might have long since become a standout figure among the younger generation of the Jing Kingdom.

It was a pity that the prime fifteen years of the past had already been squandered, making it exceptionally difficult now to catch up with the footsteps of others.

Aside from this, Lin Chen had been making inquiries everywhere during these past few days, searching for the Monk Wuxiang—who had extended a helping hand on multiple occasions—hoping to properly express his gratitude.

Regrettably, however, no news whatsoever of the monk could be found.

Meanwhile, Xie Mengmeng had not been idle either; relying on her own resourceful capabilities, she had uncovered quite a bit of crucial intelligence concerning the Prince's Estate.

Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, April arrived. The climate in Nanyang City gradually turned milder, becoming pleasantly warm.

One day, as Lin Chen went out, he happened to run into his long-unseen old friend, Fatty.

Fatty had already settled down, established a family, and built a career in Nanyang City, living an enviable and stable life.

Accompanied by a gentle and stunning wife, he also managed a booming pharmacy that brought in a thousand gold pieces a day.

Such a fulfilling life could not help but stir a trace of envy in Lin Chen’s heart.

Yet, some paths, once stepped upon, offered no turning back.

"Daoist Priest Lin, it is truly wonderful that your donkey was found!" As soon as Fatty caught sight of Lin Chen, he warmly pulled him into the backyard, hurriedly brewed a pot of fragrant tea, and spoke with eager excitement.

"Indeed, the life you lead is truly enviable," Lin Chen said, looking at Fatty with genuine admiration.

"Alas! It is merely a meager existence to keep afloat. Oh, right, you have become quite infamous lately; everywhere people are spreading rumors that you are a traitor to the human race," Fatty said, his expression turning somewhat distressed.

"Yes, my troubles are enormous now. Unlike you, who can live in such a secure and carefree manner," Lin Chen replied with a helpless shake of his head, letting out a long sigh.

"I heard you intend to kill the Prince; is this true?" Fatty picked up his teacup, took a gentle sip, and continued.

"That is no longer any secret. I simply cannot fathom what purpose the Prince hopes to achieve by broadcasting it so extensively," Lin Chen said, nodding slightly with a solemn expression.

"If you wish to sneak into the Prince's Estate, I can help pull some strings for you," Fatty offered with utmost sincerity.

"No need, doing that would carry little significance," Lin Chen waved his hand, politely declining Fatty's kind offer.

In truth, with Fatty's assistance, matters might become much easier, but Lin Chen was unwilling to drag an ordinary mortal into this dangerous abyss.

Should the plan fail, an ordinary person possessing not even the strength to truss a chicken, such as Fatty, would undoubtedly forfeit his life.

After a cordial conversation with Fatty, Lin Chen quietly returned to his small courtyard and once again devoted himself entirely to cultivation.

"Congratulations to the host for obtaining 430 merits, Breeze Swordsmanship Level 11, Purifying Heart Mantra Level 1, remaining lifespan 9 years, cultivation realm: Sixth Realm."

"Upgrade Breeze Swordsmanship," Lin Chen murmured under his breath.

"Congratulations to the host, Breeze Swordsmanship upgraded successfully, Breeze Swordsmanship Level 15, Purifying Heart Mantra Level 1, remaining merits 30, remaining lifespan 9 years, cultivation realm: Eighth Realm."

Lin Chen became fully absorbed in the upgrade of his techniques. ………………

Meanwhile, Xie Mengmeng quietly walked into the Golden House, a peculiar gleam flickering in her eyes.

Treading lightly behind Lin Chen, she deliberately put on a coquettish tone and said, "Lin Chen, all you ever do day in and day out is cultivate, without ever sparing a moment to accompany me."

As she spoke, she extended a boneless, tender hand to rest lightly upon Lin Chen’s shoulder, leaning her body slightly forward so that her orchid-like breath brushed against his earlobe.

Lin Chen stiffened all over, his cultivation rhythm instantly thrown into disarray.

Turning his head slightly, his gaze fell upon Xie Mengmeng’s vibrant and enchanting face, and a trace of panic unexpectedly surged within his heart.

"Mengmeng, stop messing around, I am cultivating," Lin Chen said, feigning composure.

Xie Mengmeng refused to let the matter rest. She circled around to stand before Lin Chen, slowly crouched down, and rested both hands upon his knees.

Looking up into his eyes, her gaze was filled with allure. "Cultivation is nowhere near as important as me! Look how specially I dressed up today, just so you would spare me a few more glances."

As she spoke, she deliberately puffed out her undulating chest, moving with a graceful and seductive posture.

Lin Chen felt his heartbeat suddenly accelerate, leaving his gaze with nowhere to anchor itself.

He knew well that he had to remain clear-headed at this moment, yet the unique charm radiating from Xie Mengmeng caused his defenses of reason to gradually loosen.

"Mengmeng, we still have serious business to attend to; we cannot let ourselves be distracted," Lin Chen turned his head away with great difficulty.

Yet Xie Mengmeng was relentlessly persistent. She stood up, straddled Lin Chen’s lap, wrapped her arms around his neck, and let her fingers gently caress the back of his neck intentionally or otherwise.

"Lin Chen, I like you. Do you really not like me even a little bit?" Her voice was soft and sweet, carrying a hint of grievance.

Lin Chen’s breathing grew rapid, reason and emotion fiercely clashing within his heart.

His hands involuntarily grasped Xie Mengmeng’s arms, intending to push her away, yet he could not bear to exert any real force.

"Mengmeng, I... I do not dislike you. It is simply that the situation is perilous right now, and we could face life-or-death danger at any moment; I cannot let romantic entanglements ruin matters of great importance," Lin Chen explained with arduous effort.

A flash of cunning crossed Xie Mengmeng’s eyes. Toggling her head slightly, she parted her crimson lips and murmured, "Then seize the moment right now and truly experience my feelings. Who knows, tomorrow we might..."

Before she could finish her sentence, her lips drew close to Lin Chen’s mouth, transmitting a sensation akin to an electric current between them.

In a fraction of a second, Lin Chen’s mind was wiped completely blank.

At the very brink of the critical moment, he clenched his teeth hard and abruptly shoved Xie Mengmeng off his lap.

"Mengmeng, I am sorry!" Lin Chen’s voice was low, suppressing a tumult of complex emotions. "At present, I truly cannot do this. Once I have exacted my bloody revenge and given Yunyao an accounting, we can discuss these matters thereafter, alright?"