Top Grade Immortal Emperor in the Flower City

Ye Ling was carrying on his back a woman with bewitching foreign charm, and to make matters worse, he had been damn poisoned, with his upper garment having been torn to shreds by the very culprit who poisoned him.

The contact between their delicate skin was too much for Ye Ling, a man brimming with vigor, to bear.

"Control, control, and control again! I am a gentleman, a dignified gentleman!"

Ye Ling told himself in secret, yet damn it, Saintess, where is your hand touching now?

"Be gentle, if you keep teasing me, I'm going to turn on you!"

Ye Ling gritted his teeth, finding it damn rare to act the gentleman, and here she was, forcing him to reveal his true fangs. She was really pushing him too far.

The Saintess had already lost consciousness, and Ye Ling's face turned green with anger. Such a vixen, you're close to enraging me to the fullest.

"Evil creature! I shall tame you!"

Ye Ling roared and set the Saintess down from his back, pouncing on her like a wolf.

"Hehe, come at me, come on!"

The Saintess retreated slightly, her fingers gently enticing Ye Ling, inflaming the wildfire within him like it had been doused with gasoline, burning wildly.

"To hell with being a gentleman, when have I ever been one? It's my nature to seize the opportunity!"

Ye Ling lunged forward without a second thought for anything else.

"Hehe, little lamb, I'm coming for you!"

...........................

After his efforts, Ye Ling adjusted his somewhat disheveled clothes and looked at the seductive woman beside him with a snicker, "Hehe, Saintess, a Mexican Dollar, your flavor is indeed extraordinary."

"If you dare to speak of this, I won't hesitate to drag you down with me even in death!" The Saintess snarled, her previous coolness restored, with none of the seductive madness seen earlier.

However, Ye Ling just laughed, took off his upper garment, and handed it to the Saintess, "Alright, put on the shirt first. I don't wish to let others take advantage of my woman."

"Besides, this has nothing to do with me, I was forced by you to, well, you know." Ye Ling chuckled.

The Saintess's face darkened, "Let's not talk about this matter ever again. No third person must know of this."

Ye Ling let out a deep sigh and didn't speak. He stood up and looked at the sky, his expression peculiar, perhaps reflecting the heavy burdens a person carries.

Living is truly exhausting; one cannot do as one pleases and is bound to struggle in the endless trials of Hongchen.

"I'm sorry, Ye Ling. I'm so sorry, I had no choice," the Saintess said.

She walked up behind Ye Ling and, for the first time, took the initiative to embrace his lean but rugged body, resting her cheek gently against his searing skin.

"I am the Saintess, I represent The Holy See. The dignity and glory of The Holy See must not be tainted, I'm sorry."

"You are a fearsome adversary, a ruthless enemy, yet a good man."

"Beneath your hypocritical facade, your heart is truly kind."

"In a life-or-death situation, you didn't leave me, even though we were but strangers."

"When I was poisoned, you still carried me in search of hope, you are a man with responsibility and commitment."

"I've given myself to you, and I have no regrets. If I were just an ordinary woman, perhaps I would follow you for a lifetime."

"But Ye Ling, I'm sorry!"

Tears welled up in the Saintess' eyes and fell onto Ye Ling's body. For the first time, she realized she had developed a fondness for a man. She found that not only did she not dislike Ye Ling, but he also had a very masculine allure.

"Saintess!" Ye Ling turned around and held the Saintess by her shoulders. He was about to speak when the Saintess' hand blocked him.

The Saintess let out a deep sigh, "When it's just the two of us, you can call me Alice."

Alice, the true name of the Saintess, was a name that commanded fearful respect in the world—a name that every organization in the world would treat with utmost seriousness and never underestimate.

"Alice, I think you should live more freely. The glory of The Holy See isn't supported by just one woman. That old-immortal Pope is the one who really matters."

"You are a woman, a normal woman, and most importantly, you are my woman."

"I'll take you away, and no one will dare to stop us. If the Pope tries to intervene, I'll tear down the entire Holy See! I don't mind becoming an enemy of the world for you!"

Ye Ling's genuine feelings poured out as he held Alice and spoke softly.

Alice smiled, waving her hand dismissively, "Don't talk like that again. I will never betray the Holy See in this lifetime. Let's think of a way to get out of here instead."

Ye Ling didn't speak further, just took Alice's hand and walked aimlessly ahead. They had to find a way out of the eerie black forest, or else they were uncertain what would happen to them.

As they walked, they found themselves increasingly unable to sense direction because the trees around them all looked identical as if they had entered an independent space where everything was an illusion.

Suddenly, Ye Ling, with his sharp eyes, spotted a pool of black water about a hundred meters away from them. The black pool was not large, just big enough to accommodate one person.

"One person must enter the black pool and endure the trial to successfully exit the Ghostly Forest."

That distant voice echoed once more in their minds. Ye Ling's brow furrowed slightly; he sensed that there was something far from simple about this black pool, at the very least it was ominous.

"You wait here, I'll go in."

Ye Ling patted Alice next to him, took a step forward, and jumped directly into the black pool. The black water immediately flooded over his head, completely submerging him.

Alice clasped her hands together at her chest and muttered softly, "Bless Ye Ling, he must come out safely!"

This was the first time that Alice prayed for a man, an absolute first for her.

As for Ye Ling, who had jumped into the black pool, his body suddenly shook, and he spat out a mouthful of blood. He felt an enormous pressure from all directions, crushing him crazily as if to burst him apart.

"Ah!"

Even Ye Ling couldn't help but cry out from the pain. It was excruciating—his bones were almost completely broken at this moment. The black water from all sides pressed against him like mountains, squeezing him furiously.

Bones, internal organs, flesh, all were being violently compressed by this force.

"What is this for!"

Ye Ling roared in anger. This black water was crazily burrowing into his body, more and more, faster and faster.

Boom!

Ye Ling spat out another mouthful of blood, his face turning instantly pale as paper.

The colossal force hammered his body relentlessly, like forging fine iron.