Chapter 749: I’m Sorry, I’m Human.

Jie’s decisiveness completely disrupted Lin Fan’s plan.

“Jie, even though I’m of the Human Race, heroes recognize heroes. Let’s share an embrace, a gesture of mutual respect,” Lin Fan said.

“Ha! Embrace? We Ancient Race are born strong; it’s either life or death, no nauseating hugs like those of your Great Thousand Races,” Jie coldly replied.

“Refine!”

“Ahh!”

“Ding! Congratulations, your ‘Eternal Divine Body’ has gained 150,000 experience points.”

Without warning, immediately after speaking, Jie initiated a refining process. Lin Fan shuddered; even with his enhanced physical body, the pain was unbearable.

“Jie, I respect you and wanted to embrace you, but you rejected me. That’s spitting on my face. If you won’t give me face, then I’ll keep refining you,” Lin Fan angrily declared.

Jie glared at Lin Fan, furious. Who in this world would dare to suggest embracing an Ancient Race? He couldn’t accept it either; embracing an insignificant being like Lin Fan would be an insult to himself.

“You’re just dreaming,” Jie, the Supreme Ancient, refused again. As a Supreme Being of the Ancient Race, how could he possibly embrace a mere mortal? Even in death, it was unthinkable.

However, after enduring such torment from the refining force, Jie’s resolve began to waver.

“Hmph, young master has already compromised, but you still don’t know how fortunate you are. This is asking for death. Even if we perish together, young master will still have a Supreme Ancient to accompany me in death, while you will lose everything and become a laughingstock among Supremes.”

Lin Fan attacked Jie’s psyche. Although the Ancient Race was arrogant, they still possessed emotions, albeit mostly negative ones.

Among the Eight Supremes of the Ancient Race, while they appeared harmonious on the surface, there was actually much scheming and rivalry.

If they were truly united, Sheng wouldn’t have humiliated Jie.

And Jie wouldn’t harbor such resentment toward Sheng.

“Hmph, don’t think your words can shake this Supreme,” Jie roared angrily, but deep down, he was deeply troubled.

He felt indignant about his predicament. If he truly died here, everything he had ever possessed would vanish.

“You’re not shaking me, you’re just stating facts. Look, Sheng is humiliating you again outside.”

At this moment, outside the Celestial Furnace, a great battle was unfolding, and Sheng was making arrogant remarks.

“In my eyes, you’re all just like Jie—mere insects.”

Upon hearing these words, Jie roared furiously, his eyes blood-red, screaming, “Sheng…”

Lin Fan sighed helplessly. Were Sheng and Jie enemies from a past life? This kind of ruthless mockery was indeed ruthless.

But it worked out well for Lin Fan.

“Jie, how can you endure this? If you die here with me, you’ll lose everything. If I were you, I would swallow my pride, wait for the right moment, and then destroy Sheng completely,” Lin Fan said.

“So, will you or won’t you embrace me?” Seeing the situation was ripe, Lin Fan asked directly.

“No… absolutely not!” Jie screamed sharply.

“Refine!”

“Ahh!”

“Will you embrace me?”

“No…”

“Refine!”

Minute by minute passed. Lin Fan was on the verge of collapse. His physical body was already in tatters, and so was Jie’s. What difference did it make that he was a Supreme Ancient? He was still suffering terribly.

Lin Fan cursed the Celestial Furnace given by the system. What kind of so-called strongest system was this? The Celestial Furnace was originally his own treasure, yet it made no distinction between him and others. If he could control the refining process himself, how much better it would be.

Continuous cries of agony echoed, filled with sorrow and pain.

Lin Fan had never experienced such suffering before.

In his mind, he recalled the time in the Xuanhuang World. Although he had been completely refined back then, his physical body wasn’t strong enough at that time, so he hadn’t suffered much. This time was different. His physical body had become increasingly powerful, and to make Jie submit, the refining force had been gradually increased.

This was undoubtedly excruciating for Lin Fan.

“Will you embrace me?”

“No…”

“Ahh!”

Jie knelt on one knee, barely able to hold on. Even his hands, which had been reaching for the Celestial Divine Pill, began to tremble.

“Refine…”

“No, no…” Jie couldn’t take it anymore.

“Have you agreed?” Lin Fan looked at Jie, a slight smile forming on his lips.

Jie didn’t say much but silently nodded.

Yet his heart burned with fury, like an endless river. He had already sworn that once he got out, he would definitely suppress this human severely.

“You should’ve said so earlier. See how much unnecessary suffering we’ve endured? Although you’re a Supreme Ancient, heroes recognize heroes. An embrace won’t diminish our acquaintance,” Lin Fan said.

In an instant, the entire world seemed to calm down.

It was a miraculous scene.

A Supreme Ancient embracing a human—something unprecedented in history.

Lin Fan and Jie embraced each other. Suddenly, Lin Fan closed his eyes slightly, feeling that all his efforts had not been in vain.

“This is the feeling of an embrace?” Jie felt indignant in his heart, but at this moment, his expression subtly changed, as if he had felt something he had never experienced before.

To Jie, the feeling of an embrace seemed distant, almost non-existent.

The Ancients were born by the will of heaven, each considering heaven and earth as their parents.

At this moment, Jie couldn’t quite put his feelings into words.

Lin Fan noticed Jie’s heartbeat gradually calming down when suddenly one of Jie’s hands rested on Lin Fan’s back.

This was a big breakthrough.

“How does it feel?” Lin Fan softly asked, one hand on Jie’s neck.

Jie didn’t speak, as if sinking into silence.

Heroes recognizing heroes?

Jie admitted he was a hero, the hero of all Ancients.

“It’s…”

“Smack!”

Just as Jie was about to say something, he suddenly shut his mouth. His mind reeled, and he instantly fainted.

Lin Fan held his Nine-Five Red Brick and struck Jie unconscious with one blow.

In an instant, Lin Fan raised his head, tears streaming down his face, his lips slightly trembling.

“Jie, young master knows this embrace is beautiful, but I’m sorry, I’m of the Human Race.”

At this moment, Lin Fan truly wept.

How easy had his life been?

Without absolute strength, without storms, yet always moving forward—because all his life, he had been riding the waves.

“The first Supreme Ancient has finally been subdued.”

Although this was merely the weakest among the Supremes, for Lin Fan, it was still a step forward.

Lin Fan pushed Jie aside, and the golden Celestial Divine Pill floated once again within his inner world.

“That was close. This time was really dangerous. If he had taken the Celestial Divine Pill, I would have been truly doomed,” thinking of this scenario, Lin Fan’s hair stood on end.

“Jie, as a Supreme Ancient of the Ancients, is extremely valuable. Moreover, he is an Eternal Being who has attained the Eternal Position. Killing him would bring many benefits, but it’s somewhat regrettable.”

Lin Fan directly threw Jie into his cave-heaven.

Then he began to circulate his magical power and life force to start repairing his body.