"Ah? Oh!"
Only then did Ma Xiaotao remember that the Ice Empress was still there,
and she hurriedly let go of Lu Ran and bowed to the Ice Empress, speaking sincerely. "Thank you, Senior!"
"Thank you, Senior, for purifying my Evil Fire and helping me reach Ultimate Fire. I'll repay you someday!"
"From now on, whatever you need, I'll do it!"
She had to repay this kindness!
The Ice Empress shook her head calmly. "There's no need. Lu Ran has already paid you back for it... and at great cost."
Compared to the Ten Thousand Year Profound Ice Marrow Lu Ran had given her, this small favor was nothing. Suppressing the Ultimate Fire in the Blazing Glue had been effortless for her.
Ma Xiaotao froze and looked at Lu Ran. After a few moments of bewilderment, her beautiful eyes filled with nothing but gratitude.
Just as she'd thought, there had to be a price for getting a powerful figure from a hidden sect to help, and it must have been enormous.
Lu Ran simply hadn't wanted her to feel indebted to him, so he'd kept it from her all along!
Thinking of how Lu Ran had been quietly making sacrifices for her this whole time,
finding a hidden sect must have been difficult, and it must have taken him a long time. He must have suffered a great deal. And to persuade Senior Bing'er to help, he must have paid a tremendous price...
Ma Xiaotao could imagine how Lu Ran had pleaded with Bing'er. With his pride, it couldn't have been easy!
Her nose stung,
and her beautiful eyes immediately glistened with tears.
She threw her arms around Lu Ran and buried her lovely face against his chest, her voice choked with emotion.
"...Sniff... Lu Ran, thank you..."
Only now