Chapter -29 How dare you hold saintess hand?

Chapter -29.

Ye Chen was on the verge of failing to absorb the soul ring this time due to a lack of solid soul power. As he sank into the illusion, the painful memory of his mother's death replayed in his mind over and over again. 

The heart-wrenching agony amplified endlessly within him; even when Ye Chen briefly contemplated giving up, he would be dragged back into an inescapable darkness. 

What kept him going and helped him break free from the illusion was his mother's parting words: "Life is about forging ahead while carrying your burdens; as long as you don't dwell on the past, no obstacle can defeat you!" 

Recalling her words transformed Ye Chen's mindset, allowing him to shatter the repeating illusion with his unyielding spirit.

At that moment, Yan's attack came, which propelled Ye Chen out of the illusion, enabling him to fully absorb the soul ring of the Azure Sky Dragon Fox. 

Looking up at the serene night sky filled with bright stars, Ye Chen spotted the solitary figure illuminated in the Pope's hall and whispered, "Wait for me!" 

Time flew by, and soon enough, the three days set by Bibidong had arrived. 

Before dawn, the grass in front of the West Building swarmed with hundreds of eager challengers wanting to take on Ye Chen. 

While some were just over level 40, others were renowned geniuses from the Spirit Hall Academy, boasting levels of 50 and above—quite a significant number of them. 

West Building, Room 3 on the 10th floor.

"You go on ahead; I'll convince the master for you." 

"Where would I go? Leave you on your own at the academy?" Ye Chen said seriously to Hu Leina, who had sneaked into the boys' dormitory. "You're my woman; no matter what, I won't leave you behind." 

Instead of being pleased, Hu Leina was frustrated. "Do you have any idea what's waiting for you? What about all those people downstairs? Do you really believe you can beat them all? They aren't just any ordinary students; do you get what I'm saying?" 

Her worried words made Hu Leina flustered. 

With a light chuckle, Ye Chen took her hand and walked outside. "I understand everything you've said, but what I need to do is fight for my senior sister." The two walked out of the dorm hand in hand, and at that moment, their actions caused quite a stir, with countless onlookers gossiping about them. 

"What a shameless person, how dare he hold the Saintess's hand right after getting engaged? Doesn't he fear that the Pope will take action?" 

"Yeah, it's really disgusting." 

"That said, can you honestly say you don't envy him? She's the Saintess—gorgeous and the Pope's special disciple." 

"Hey, look, that guy even wrapped his arm around the Saintess's waist, what's going on!" 

Ye Chen's next move reignited the crowd's discussions, with expressions of jealousy and hatred evident on their faces. 

Grinning at the riled-up crowd below, Ye Chen held Hu Liena close and jumped onto the giant stone statue in front of the West Building, calling out, "Are you all here to challenge me?" 

Instantly, the crowd erupted in shouts. 

"Of course! If we're not here to steal your bride, what else could we be doing?" 

"Get down here and face us; the Saintess is mine!" 

Ye Chen looked down at the crowd, a mischievous smile stretching across his face. Planting a kiss on Hu Liena's cheek, who was still processing what had just happened, he declared, "This is my woman; do any of you dare to covet her?" 

"How arrogant can he be!" 

"Shut up; the Saintess belongs to me! Let's take down Ye Chen and claim the Saintess!" 

"Kill Ye Chen! Take the Saintess!" 

"Kill Ye Chen! Take the Saintess!" 

Every action stirred up a storm; the intimate gestures of Ye Chen and Hu Liena ignited the dissatisfaction of everyone below the statue, leading to cries for action. However, since the wedding snatching battle was based on personal duels, they found themselves powerless unless Ye Chen chose to issue a challenge. 

Flipping them the bird, Ye Chen tightened his embrace around Hu Liena and whispered, "Sister, would you be willing to help me?" 

"What do you mean?" 

Hu Liena felt a bit taken aback by Ye Chen's words, but as he leaned in closer, she soon grasped his intention. 

With the wedding snatching battle unavoidable, she realized that if Ye Chen lost, she'd have to marry someone else. So, it felt better to indulge a little now. 

Staring into the eyes of the man she loved, Hu Liena closed her beautiful eyes and met Ye Chen's lips with her own. 

In front of the entire crowd, the two began to exchange a passionate kiss atop the giant stone statue, holding each other tight with little regard for anyone watching. 

This display infuriated the challengers, as they felt the holy Saintess was being sullied, and they could also be in her position. 

In an instant, chaos erupted beneath the statue. 

"Ah, the Saintess is mine! You despicable brat, stop and come down to die!" 

"Ye Chen, you coward! Come down and fight! You're not worthy of being the Saintess's husband!" 

"Let's duel! I'll give you one soul ring and still beat you!" 

"I'll offer you two soul rings; just come down for a duel!" 

Yet as the crowd taunted him, Ye Chen continued to enjoy the taste of Hu Liena's soft lips, all while casually flicking his middle finger down at them. 

The crowd's anger and envy surged even more, with many faces flushed with rage. If it weren't for the rules governing the wedding snatching battle, it seemed they would have stormed the statue to get to him all at once. 

But Ye Chen remained unfazed, lost in the kiss with Hu Liena, serenely listening to their furious outbursts. 

He reveled in the fact that others were frustrated with him but could do nothing about it. 

In this wedding snatching battle, he was destined to be the star! 

Among the throngs beneath the statue, a few men remained composed, sitting quietly on the grass with their eyes closed, preparing themselves for action. 

Ye Chen carefully noted the few who were seated, and after using his soul power to gauge their levels, he was surprised to find that the lowest among them was above level 55. One woman among them had even reached level 60, akin to a college graduate, yet she hadn't yet absorbed a soul ring to advance, so she met the basic requirements for the wedding snatching battle. 

But it puzzled him—why would a woman join a wedding snatching battle? Was it for influence within the Spirit Hall? Or did she have special feelings for Hu Liena?

Tl/N: If you want to read more [upto Ten chapters] while supporting me, you can join me on patreon.com/EmptyThoughts ;Thanks.

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Note : Guys, some power stones will be really helpful.