This... Jiang Che didn't even know what to make of this panel anymore. It always looked down on him, but when it came to handing out rewards, it never skimped.
As a student of Shrek Academy—and a transmigrator—his talent as a Soul Engineer wasn't anything special. Still, with his Soul Power Level high enough, he'd made an effort to learn.
Before entering seclusion, he'd already become a Level 7 Soul Engineer and was not far from Level 8, so...
"Junior Uncle." A clear voice pulled Jiang Che back to reality.
"Xiaotao, mm..." Jiang Che was just about to answer when, barely two words into "Xiaotao," Ma Xiaotao rushed up and threw her arms around him. She even body-checked him with an unfair advantage. Honestly, when it came to football, women's soccer was where it was at.
But those were some seriously big balls—and white, too!
Jiang Che had let his guard down. He hadn't dodged, and the impact had nearly given him a nosebleed.
"Okay, Xiaotao, I can hardly breathe." Ma Xiaotao suddenly blushed a little. She could feel that Jiang Che wasn't behaving himself. If he wanted to talk, then just talk—why was he bobbing his head around?
"Whew—ha!" Once Ma Xiaotao let go, Jiang Che took a few deep breaths. Then he mused that he'd never expected to get a facial after transmigrating, and a completely natural, pollution-free one at that.
"Uncle, what did you come to see me about?" Ma Xiaotao wrapped both hands around one of Jiang Che's arms and held it in front of her.
"Can't I come see you when there's nothing in particular? Don't forget who was crying yesterday and begging me to come by today."
"Oh, Uncle, don't say that."
Ma Xiaotao gave Jiang Che a coquettish look. They lingered together outside for a while before finally going into the room.
"Xiaotao, how has your Evil Fire been lately?" Once they were inside, Jiang Che finally explained why he'd come.
"It's been all right. With your Ultimate Ice keeping it in check, it hasn't suddenly flared up while I'm cultivating. The rest of the time, I can suppress it with my Soul Power until you come." At the mention of her Evil Fire, Ma Xiaotao's delicate brows furrowed, but she honestly told him how things had been.
"Mm, that's good." What Jiang Che feared most was that his presence as a little butterfly might change the course of events.
"But..." Ma Xiaotao seemed reluctant to continue. Her bright red lips parted a few times, then quickly closed again.
"But what?" The look on Ma Xiaotao's face made Jiang Che's heart leap into his throat again. "You have to tell me if something's wrong. Whatever it is, I'll take care of it."
"Hmph, it's nothing serious." Ma Xiaotao gave a soft laugh. Seeing how worried he was because he cared about her, the corners of her lips curled up despite herself. Warmth spread from her heart like warm water, softening the corners of her eyes as well.
"I've noticed that as my Soul Power Level rises, the Evil Fire inside me grows stronger too. Before, when you helped suppress it, I didn't have to worry about it for at least half a year. But now, the time between flare-ups keeps getting shorter. I'm afraid that in the end, even Ultimate Ice might not be able to suppress it."
Hearing that it was only this, Jiang Che relaxed. "That's normal. The Evil Fire inside you is essentially part of your Martial Soul. As your strength keeps growing, your Martial Soul is bound to evolve too. Besides, you're not the only one making progress. I'm working hard at my cultivation as well."
"Xiaotao!" Jiang Che suddenly cupped Ma Xiaotao's face and made her look him in the eyes.
"Ah!" Caught off guard as he grasped her cheeks, Ma Xiaotao let out a delicate cry.
"Do you believe in me?" Jiang Che looked into Ma Xiaotao's eyes.
"I... Of course I believe in you." Ma Xiaotao didn't know what he meant, but she trusted Jiang Che without reservation.
"Believe me. In the near future, I'll definitely find a way to resolve the Evil Fire in you," Jiang Che said with complete seriousness.
***
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