"...The Gate of Life?" Chen Ying'er blinked. After a long moment, she asked tentatively, "Boss, do you mean it can even copy the Gate of Life I cast?"
"Yes." Yue Shen nodded. "And the Substitute Spirit Furnace is relatively gentle by nature, so absorbing it won't be too dangerous for you."
"...Thank you, Boss." Chen Ying'er lowered her head in embarrassment. "I didn't even join everyone earlier in saying I wanted us to become a Title-level Demon Hunt Squad together..."
"Hmm... You don't want to?" Yue Shen had already distributed the spirit furnaces, and his thoughts had drifted to the upcoming meeting. Her words startled him, and he asked in bewilderment.
What was this development? I don't remember anything like this in the original timeline.
"No, no, no! Of course I want to keep adventuring with you, Bo... with everyone." Realizing Yue Shen had misunderstood her, Chen Ying'er hurriedly shook her head. "It's just that this isn't something I can decide on my own. My circumstances are a little special..."
"I see." Yue Shen breathed a sigh of relief.
He knew quite a bit about Chen Ying'er's situation with the Soul Temple, so a moment's thought was enough to understand her concerns.
"I'm sure everyone thought long and hard before deciding to tell you where they stood, Boss." Chen Ying'er bit her lip. "I don't want to make you promises I'm not sure I can keep."
"It's all right. We have plenty of time." Yue Shen patted her head reassuringly. "Go get yourself into the right condition and prepare to merge with the Substitute Spirit Furnace. It's relatively gentle by nature, but that's only relative. Some pain is inevitable."
"Okay."
The Temple Alliance Government Office.
Whether by luck or coincidence, just as Yue Shen was about to enter through