Beside Sea God Lake, inside a secret chamber.
Huo Yuhao, whom Ma Xiaotao had dragged here, finally couldn't help asking:
"Senior, how exactly do you want me to help you cultivate?"
Ma Xiaotao stopped and turned to look at him. The smile on her face slowly faded, replaced by a trace of bitterness and helplessness:
"I need you to help suppress the evil fire inside me.
"My Martial Soul is the Evil Fire Phoenix. When I cultivate, it produces an evil fire backlash. I've been tormented by it for years."
She paused and looked into Huo Yuhao's eyes, her voice carrying a hint of pleading:
"My teacher said your Life Crystal contains the purest Source of Life. It can nourish my Martial Soul and help me eradicate the evil fire once and for all.
"Junior Yuhao, please, you have to help me!"
Looking at the earnest expression in Ma Xiaotao's eyes, Huo Yuhao nodded solemnly:
"Don't worry, Senior. I'll definitely help you. If it can get rid of your evil fire, I'm willing to do anything."
At his words, Ma Xiaotao's eyes instantly reddened. Overcome with emotion, she hugged him again:
"Thank you, Junior Yuhao! Thank you so much! You're truly my great benefactor!"
With Ma Xiaotao holding him, Huo Yuhao's face flushed scarlet. All he could do was stand there stiffly.
Ma Xiaotao let go of Huo Yuhao and impatiently grabbed his arm, her eyes shining:
"That's wonderful, Yuhao! Did you bring your Life Crystal with you? Can you help me try it now? I can't wait any longer!"
The way she jostled him made Huo Yuhao a little embarrassed. His cheeks flushed faintly as he scratched his head, his voice awkward:
"Well... Senior, I didn't bring my Life Crystal on purpose. It... it's all in my sweat."
"Huh?"
The smile on Ma Xiaotao's face froze. She stood rooted to the spot, disbelief written in her fiery red eyes.
Yan Shaozhe had only told her that Huo Yuhao had a pure Life Crystal capable of eradicating her evil fire. He hadn't said a word about where this crystal came from!
She'd imagined all kinds of rare heavenly treasures, never once thinking the answer would be this.
She opened her mouth, but for a long moment, no words came out.
"Then... what do we do?" Ma Xiaotao came back to her senses. Seeing Huo Yuhao's awkward expression, she felt a little embarrassed too.
She couldn't exactly ask him to run dozens of laps on the spot until he broke a sweat, could she?
She looked around, then her gaze suddenly fell on the steaming stone pit in the corner of the secret chamber. Her eyes lit up. Pointing at it, she said with a smile:
"I've got it! Yuhao, look over there. That's a medicinal bath the academy prepared especially for me. It's brewed from a dozen kinds of Ten-Thousand-Year Spirit Herbs and was meant to help suppress my evil fire and open up my meridians.
"If you soak in it, the medicinal effects will speed up your metabolism, and you'll start sweating in no time!
"And the bath will be good for your body too. It can help you purge impurities from deeper within."
Huo Yuhao followed her gesture and saw a waist-high medicinal pool of blue-green stone. It was filled with greenish-blue liquid, from which wisps of steam rose.
A rich, mellow medicinal fragrance washed over him. Just one breath made all the meridians in his body feel more at ease.
"What a potent medicinal effect!"
Huo Yuhao couldn't help exclaiming.
In the Sea of Consciousness, Zhao Ze immediately sat up straight, his eyes lighting up as he hurriedly said:
"Get in! You have to soak! This medicinal bath was made with Ten-Thousand-Year spirit herbs. It'll help you purge the excess Source of Life from your body faster.
"It'll strengthen your foundation and speed up the removal of impurities. Two birds with one stone!"
Electrolux stroked his beard and nodded in agreement:
"Indeed. The medicinal mixture is exceptionally well balanced, and its body-tempering effects are excellent for low-rank Soul Masters.
"Take this opportunity to soak in it. It will also greatly benefit the growth of your Soul Power."
"Okay!"
At that, Huo Yuhao nodded at once and turned to Ma Xiaotao.
"I'll give it a try."
With that, he undid his uniform buttons, took off his jacket and undershirt, and revealed a boy's firm, well-proportioned physique.
After Zhao Ze had reshaped his body with a million years' worth of Source of Life, followed by days of cultivation and physical training, he was no longer the frail boy he'd once been.
His shoulders and back were smoothly defined, with clear abdominal lines. His muscles were solid without being exaggerated, radiating strength.
Ma Xiaotao had been adjusting the temperature controls beside the medicinal pool. She happened to look up, and instantly froze.
She hadn't expected Huo Yuhao to be so well-built. The blue-green medicinal liquid reflected off his skin, lending it a healthy, pearly glow.
"What a solid physique..."
Ma Xiaotao murmured without thinking. Her cheeks instantly took on a faint blush, and she hurriedly turned away, not daring to look again. Yet, for some reason, her heart began to flutter.
Huo Yuhao didn't notice anything unusual. He took off his shoes and carefully stepped into the medicinal pool.
The warm liquid instantly enveloped him. Its potent medicinal properties seeped through his pores and flowed slowly along his meridians, leaving him warm and indescribably comfortable.
He sighed with pleasure and sank down until only his head remained above the surface.
A moment later, tiny beads of sweat emerged on his forehead, gleaming with the faintest pearly light. This was sweat containing the Life Crystal.
The warm liquid seeped through his pores and into every part of his body. Huo Yuhao felt his meridians being gently nourished.
He narrowed his eyes in bliss and said, "Senior Xiaotao, this medicinal liquid is amazing. I can feel the Soul Power in my body circulating much faster..."
Before he could finish, he suddenly heard footsteps drawing closer.
He turned his head and saw Ma Xiaotao crouched beside the medicinal pool. He hadn't noticed when she'd come over.
Her stunning face was very close to his. Fiery red hair fell over her shoulders, her cheeks were alluringly flushed, and her bright eyes were fixed on him as the tip of her nose twitched slightly.
"Yuhao, you smell so good..."
Ma Xiaotao swallowed. Her voice carried an unconscious huskiness and fascination.
Ever since Huo Yuhao began to sweat, a clear, gentle, and immensely vital fragrance had lingered beneath her nose.
The scent seemed to have a magic of its own. It made her feel completely at ease, and she could no longer restrain herself. Before she knew it, she'd leaned closer.
Huo Yuhao stared at her face, so close to his, and froze for a moment. His cheeks flushed faintly:
"Senior, that's the scent of the Life Crystal in my body."
"If it smells this good, it must work even better!"
Ma Xiaotao's eyes instantly shone. Her voice brimmed with impatience.
She'd been tormented by the evil fire for over a decade. Now that she'd finally seen a chance to eradicate it, how could she possibly care about restraint?
Seeing her reaction, Huo Yuhao hurriedly said:
"Senior, wait a moment. You could wipe it off with your hand first..."
He hadn't even finished speaking when Ma Xiaotao had already started, licking the Life Crystal.
Huo Yuhao went rigid. His mind went completely blank, and his face flushed so red it seemed blood might drip from it. Even the tips of his ears burned hot.
He'd never imagined she'd be so direct.
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