Ma Xiaotao as a Maid, Cai Mei'er's Sacrifice

Tang An spoke slowly: "It can be done. I can even allow her Martial Soul Evolution into the Ultimate Fire attribute, completely purging the Evil Fire impurities and helping her undergo a total transformation."

Tang An paused, his tone filled with disdain: "However, I am very reluctant to do so. What should we do?"

Cai Mei'er was incredibly sharp; she immediately caught the subtext in Tang An's words. The Vice Pavilion Master had not shut the door completely, which meant this matter was open for negotiation.

But the "sincerity" he demanded was clearly not something that could be dismissed with a mere display of proper attitude.

Cai Mei'er's mind raced. Ma Xiaotao's beauty and talent were undeniable, and as a young man in his prime, perhaps this was an angle she could exploit.

"Vice Pavilion Master,"

Cai Mei'er leaned forward, her form-fitting blue, white, and gold uniform outlining her slender waistline as she tentatively spoke.

"How about this: once Xiaotao is healed, how about she becomes your girlfriend? Xiaotao's appearance and talent are among the best in the academy; it would not be an insult to your status."

Tang An raised an eyebrow, looking Ma Xiaotao up and down.

Ma Xiaotao felt completely uncomfortable under his gaze, her face flushing bright red. The spot where she had just been struck was still burning, and now, being peddled like a commodity to his face, she felt so ashamed and angry she wished she could crawl into a hole.

Yet, when she thought of the words "Ultimate Fire," her heart couldn't help but leap—that was a realm she dreamed of but dared not hope for.

Tang An withdrew his gaze and said indifferently:

"Her figure is decent enough, but this temper is truly unacceptable. Let her be a maid for a year first—serving tea, pouring water, and at my beck and call. If she performs well after a year, we can discuss what comes next."

Upon hearing this, Cai Mei'er nodded immediately: "No problem, one year as a maid, it's settled!"

Ma Xiaotao's eyes widened—a maid?

She, a dignified Shrek Inner Court disciple, to be someone's maid? But catching the desperate signals Cai Mei'er was sending, and recalling the agony of being tortured by the Evil Fire all these years, she swallowed the words that had reached her lips.

Ma Xiaotao took a deep breath, her voice low: "I... I agree."

Cai Mei'er felt half-relieved, but immediately thought of a more practical problem.

She looked at Tang An and asked tentatively: "Vice Pavilion Master, during the year Xiaotao serves as a maid, how should her Evil Fire issue be handled? We can't just keep dragging it out, can we? If it flares up and she can't handle it, it will hinder her from serving you."

Tang An glanced at Ma Xiaotao and replied casually: "Simple. Just like before, three slaps a day, and the Evil Fire will naturally settle down. If you don't believe me, ask her."

Ma Xiaotao's face turned bright red. Those three slaps had indeed calmed the Evil Fire significantly, but to make her admit it herself...

Ma Xiaotao bit her lip, her expression extremely awkward, but in the end, she gave a stiff nod, her voice as thin as a mosquito's: "...Yes."

Cai Mei'er watched this, secretly shocked.

The Evil Fire had tortured Ma Xiaotao for so many years, and even a Limit Douluo was helpless against it, yet Tang An could suppress it with just three slaps. This method was even more unfathomable than what he had displayed at the Martial Arts Arena yesterday.

But at the same time, Cai Mei'er understood that suppression was only a temporary fix. To have Ma Xiaotao completely evolve into the Ultimate Fire, she would need to raise the stakes.

The Vice Pavilion Master's comment about being "very reluctant" wasn't just idle talk; he had shown little interest when looking at Ma Xiaotao earlier, proving that youth and beauty alone were not enough to make him relent.

Cai Mei'er's mind raced, her expression remaining calm as she gave Ma Xiaotao a gentle smile: "Xiaotao, since today's Evil Fire has been suppressed, go back and cultivate first. Think carefully about how to be a good maid. Since the Vice Pavilion Master has agreed, he naturally won't treat you unfairly."

Ma Xiaotao felt as if she had been granted amnesty. She gave Tang An a hurried bow, clutched her still-burning backside, and rushed out of the room.

Before leaving, she glanced back and saw Cai Mei'er walking toward Tang An's seat, her back carrying a sense of determination that Ma Xiaotao couldn't quite put into words.

Ma Xiaotao's footsteps faded at the end of the corridor, and the office fell silent for a moment.

Cai Mei'er turned around, her amethyst-like eyes fixed on Tang An, a faint, elusive smile playing on her lips.

She didn't rush to speak, but instead walked toward Tang An at a leisurely pace, her high boots clicking crisply against the floor, each step carrying a certain seductive rhythm.

Tang An leaned back in his chair, watching Cai Mei'er approach, his brows slightly raised.

"Does Secretary Cai have anything else?"

Cai Mei'er stopped in front of Tang An's desk, resting her hands on the edge and leaning forward slightly, the neckline of her blue and gold uniform revealing a patch of fair skin with the movement.

"Vice Pavilion Master, about what just happened... Xiaotao is ignorant. As the Dean, I must express some sincerity on her behalf."

Tang An looked into Cai Mei'er's eyes; there was no evasion in those purple orbs, only a sharp, probing intelligence.

Tang An leaned back further, his tone flat: "Let's hear it."

Cai Mei'er walked around the desk to Tang An's side, naturally sitting on the armrest of his office chair. Her body was turned toward him, the form-fitting skirt tightening with the posture, outlining her mature and full curves.

"When the Vice Pavilion Master was striking Xiaotao earlier," Cai Mei'er tilted her head, her voice soft, as if mentioning it in passing, "your movements were noticeably slower on the third strike."

Tang An's gaze tightened slightly.

Cai Mei'er noticed this subtle reaction, the curve of her lips deepening as she leaned in a little closer.

"The Vice Pavilion Master is young and full of vitality; it is only human nature. There is no need to feel embarrassed."

Tang An remained calm on the surface, but cursed internally.

While the Life-Death Cycle gave him strength far beyond his peers, it also pushed his bodily functions into a state of extreme activity, making his senses and reactions several times sharper than an ordinary person's.

He had discovered long ago that even the slightest stimulation would trigger a reaction, but he had never found a way to resolve it.

When he struck Ma Xiaotao earlier, the sensation against his palm had indeed caused him to lose focus for a split second. He hadn't expected such a tiny hesitation to be caught by Cai Mei'er.

"Dean Cai is quite observant," Tang An said coolly.

Cai Mei'er chuckled, stood up from the armrest, walked in front of him, and slowly crouched down.

Her movements were calm and elegant, like a carefully designed ritual. Her purple eyes looked up at Tang An from below, her gaze filled with the composure unique to a mature woman.

"The Vice Pavilion Master has done Xiao Tao such a great favor by suppressing her Evil Fire and promising her an evolution; this debt of gratitude is far too heavy."

Her fingers rested lightly upon Tang An's knee, moving ever so slightly with a touch as faint as a whisper. "Someone must express our thanks, don't you agree?"

Tang An looked down at her, his Adam's apple bobbing once.

"Are you certain?"

"I am the Dean of the Martial Soul Department; my word is law." Cai Mei'er tilted her head back, her purple eyes brimming with a smile. Her voice was soft, like a feather brushing against his ear.

"Rest assured, Vice Pavilion Master, no third person will ever know of this."

Cai Mei'er leaned in closer, her long hair sliding off her shoulder to brush against his knee. As her red lips parted, her warm breath washed over him, her voice dropping to a near-inaudible murmur.

"Just consider this Dean paying a little interest on Xiao Tao's behalf."

The curtains were not fully drawn, and the afternoon sun slanted through the gap, casting a bright strip of light across the floor.

Cai Mei'er's figure was swallowed by the shadow of the desk, leaving only the crown of her head and the gentle rise and fall of her shoulders visible.

The office fell silent, save for a certain sound deliberately kept low, and the faint, distant shouts of students training at the Martial Arts Arena outside.

Tang An leaned back into his chair, his fingers gripping the armrests tightly before slowly loosening.