One Wanted It, the Other Was Willing

(Beautiful image of Ma Xiaotao)

A moment later, outside Shrek City.

In a secluded little grove.

Lin Ye found the place by following his hazy memories.

The last time he had come here, Ma Xiaotao had knocked him out of the sky. He hadn't gotten a good look at the way at all; he only remembered roughly which direction it was in.

Fortunately, he had a good sense of direction. After circling around twice, he finally found the familiar thicket.

Ma Xiaotao was already there.

She leaned against a thick tree trunk, her red dress fluttering gently in the evening breeze,

her long hair spilling over her shoulders, a few strands blowing across the cheek beneath her veil.

As soon as she saw Lin Ye approaching, Ma Xiaotao lowered her head, her face flushing red again.

The blush showed through from beneath her veil, tinting even her earlobes a faint pink.

She held her hands behind her back, fingers twisting together. The tip of her shoe tapped absently against the ground. Standing there, she looked like a little tree bent beneath the wind.

"Xiaotao, I'm here." Lin Ye walked up to her and stopped.

Ma Xiaotao's gaze darted away. She didn't dare look at him, her eyes shifting from the bushes on her left to the rocks on her right, never once turning in Lin Ye's direction.

Lin Ye wasn't in a hurry. He glanced around and remarked casually,

"Last time we were here, you almost got me killed. If I hadn't been lucky, the grass would be growing over my grave by now."

Ma Xiaotao's mouth twitched. At last, she couldn't help speaking up.

"Th-that... can you tell me what your Martial Soul is?"

She raised her head, her pale pink eyes fixed directly on Lin Ye, curiosity and a hint of scrutiny in her gaze.

She genuinely wanted to know.

Just what kind of extraordinary Martial Soul did Lin Ye have? Not only could it relieve her Evil Fire, it could even guide that berserk Evil Fire to evolve?

It was already beyond the scope of her understanding of Martial Souls.

"My Martial Soul..." Lin Ye deliberately drew out the words, a mischievous smile curling his lips. "Why don't you feel it for yourself, Xiaotao?"

Ma Xiaotao froze for a moment, then understood what he meant. The blush on her face deepened at once, and she raised a hand to hit him.

"You... you lecher!"

Lin Ye shifted aside, dodging her light punch, and said with a cheeky grin,

"Last time, you were on top of me, holding me down. How does that make me the lecher? I haven't even accused you of taking advantage of me."

His words made Ma Xiaotao blush even harder, the pink spreading down her neck. She wanted nothing more than to find a crack in the ground to crawl into.

"Stop talking!" She stamped her foot, her voice tinged with exasperation and embarrassment.

Lin Ye took the hint and shut his mouth, raising both hands in surrender.

The air fell quiet for a while.

The evening breeze swept through the treetops with a rustling sound.

Every so often, a few insects chirped in the distance, making the little grove seem all the quieter and more secluded.

Ma Xiaotao lowered her head, drawing circles in the dirt with her toe, as if she were making some momentous decision.

After a long while, she finally spoke, her voice as soft as a wisp of windblown fluff.

"My Evil Fire... seems to evolve when you're around... could we try again...?"

Lin Ye leaned against another tree, arms crossed, watching Ma Xiaotao's shy, embarrassed expression. He couldn't resist teasing her.

"Then I can't just let you take advantage of me for nothing."

The tense, bashful atmosphere shattered in an instant.

Ma Xiaotao jerked her head up, eyes wide and cheeks flushed with anger, then punched Lin Ye on the head.

"You brat! Don't act like you're getting a raw deal when you're the one benefiting!"

Her punch wasn't too hard or too soft. It felt like getting smacked on the head with a big apple.

"Wouldn't you be benefiting, too, if you were with me?"

Ma Xiaotao put her hands on her hips and thrust out her chest, looking entirely justified.

Lin Ye's gaze drifted, quite against his will, to the generous expanse of pale flesh before him. For a moment, he even forgot to answer.

Following his gaze, Ma Xiaotao looked down. Her blush deepened, and she quickly covered her neckline with one hand and lowered her head.

"Xiaotao," Lin Ye said, looking at her seriously, "you're damn amazing, and you're beautiful."

Ma Xiaotao's heart skipped a beat.

She raised her head and met Lin Ye's clear eyes...

They both wanted it.

One wanted it, and the other was willing.

In Ma Xiaotao's mind, the system's crisp notifications rang out one after another.

[Ding! S-rank mission complete!]

[Reward: Soul Power increased by two levels!]

Another notification followed immediately.

[Completed one More Children More Blessings!]

[All Soul Bone ages increased by one hundred thousand years!]

Ma Xiaotao couldn't spare any attention for them.

She had already fainted completely.

Meanwhile, Lin Ye closed his eyes and felt the changes in the Medium-Flavor Essence Fire within his body.

The flame had grown more than twice as powerful as before, blazing in his dantian. Its heat spread through his limbs and bones, and every breath sent that searing current surging through his meridians.

His fire might already be more powerful than Ma Xiaotao's Evil Fire.

It was a pity that the Upper-Flavor Divine Fire hadn't been unlocked yet.

Only when all three flavors came together would it become true Samadhi True Fire.

As he pondered this, the system's feedback appeared right on cue.

[Ma Xiaotao completed an S-rank mission. Points earned: 178]

[Current system points: 228]

[Critical hit reward! 60,000-year Burning Heaven Red Lotus Left Arm Bone!]

Lin Ye's eyes lit up, and he perked right up.

Looking down at the pretty face flushed red in his arms, he couldn't help leaning in and planting a kiss on her cheek with a loud smack.

"Xiaotao, I love you to death!"

A Soul Bone in the bag!

Sixty thousand years! Burning Heaven Red Lotus!

Just from the name, he could tell it was fire-attribute, and its Soul Skill was sure to be an offensive one!

Lin Ye wasted no time. He sat cross-legged on the ground and began absorbing the Soul Bone.

The things Brother System gave him were always good. Like the torso bone he'd absorbed before, this left arm bone was also a perfect match for his Lotus Martial Soul, as if it had been tailor-made for him.

The absorption went incredibly smoothly. The energy within the Soul Bone flowed into his left arm like a trickling stream, without the slightest resistance—nothing like the tearing pain ordinary Soul Masters experienced when fusing with a Soul Bone.

In less than half an hour, the absorption was complete.

Lin Ye opened his eyes and slowly raised his left arm, feeling the surging, roiling fire energy within it.

Information about the left arm bone poured into his mind like a tide:

60,000-year Burning Heaven Red Lotus Left Arm Bone!

Soul Skill: Red Lotus Burning Heaven Strike

When released, Soul Power surged through the left arm, turning the entire limb into a blazing crimson lotus arm. Lotus petal patterns shimmered across the skin, lifelike and vivid.

Instant activation, with no recovery lag.

A flaming punch shot out, condensing into a massive phantom of a red lotus. Its force carried a scorching wave of heat hot enough to melt gold and iron,

stacking the impact with the searing damage of the flames. Even a sturdy defense would gradually melt beneath that overbearing fire.

An incredibly powerful offensive Soul Skill!

Lin Ye was overjoyed.

And with the Soul Bone's help, his Soul Power Level leaped straight from level eighteen to level twenty!

He could go get his Second Soul Ring now!

Lin Ye continued meditating, consolidating the Soul Power he'd gained so quickly.

It was already well into the night.

The moon had climbed to the center of the sky. Cool moonlight filtered through the treetops and fell to the ground, casting dappled shadows.

Ma Xiaotao stirred and slowly woke...