Can I Help You Once, Twice, Three Times—But Can I Help You for a Lifetime?

A moment later, the blackness in Ma Xiaotao's eyes receded like the tide, returning to its original crimson.

The violent, scorching aura around her gradually calmed as well.

Though she was still somewhat weak, she had clearly regained her clarity.

Only after confirming that the evil fire within her had been completely suppressed did Li Changqing will the Heavenly Profound and Earthly Yellow Exquisite Pagoda back.

The golden pagoda dissolved into specks of light and vanished into the air.

Standing to one side, Huo Yuhao watched the red-clad woman slowly sit up from the ground. Unable to help himself, he swallowed and asked quietly, "Senior... who is she? How is she so fierce?"

Li Changqing shook his head, his tone calm. "I don't know her. But one thing is certain: she's a student of the inner court."

At the words "inner court," Huo Yuhao's eyes immediately brightened.

Bei Bei had told him that only by entering the inner court could one be considered a true Shrek Academy student.

The outer court was merely a platform for selection, responsible for choosing, from countless applicants, the geniuses qualified to enter the inner court.

The inner court was the true core of Shrek Academy.

It gathered the academy's finest resources, most outstanding teachers, and most monstrous geniuses.

If he could enter the inner court too...

Then surely it would not be long before he possessed the strength to stand against the White Tiger Duke, right?

Huo Yuhao clenched his fists and silently made up his mind.

At that moment, Li Changqing had already walked up to Ma Xiaotao and extended his right hand toward her.

Ma Xiaotao raised her head and glanced at him.

The youth before her looked no older than fourteen or fifteen. His features were refined, and his expression was calm.

Yet his black eyes carried a steadiness and composure that did not match his age.

After hesitating for a moment, she still reached out and placed her delicate, jade-white hand into Li Changqing's palm.

Li Changqing took her hand and pulled her up from the ground.

Ma Xiaotao steadied herself, then patted the grass and dust from her skirt.

Then she raised her head and gave Li Changqing a complicated look, just about to say something.

But Li Changqing spoke before her, his tone calm but carrying a serious warning. "Senior, the evil fire in your body is rather severe. If someone else had been here today, they might have lost their life."

Hearing this, shame and guilt appeared on Ma Xiaotao's face. She lowered her head, her voice tinged with regret. "I thought I could control it... I never expected it to affect my mind anyway. I'm sorry. It was my fault. I nearly put you in danger."

Li Changqing waved his hand. His tone was flat, yet serious. "This isn't something that can be solved just because you think it can. What matters most to you right now is not rushing to cultivate and improve your strength, but finding a way to resolve the evil fire. Otherwise, the stronger you become, the fiercer the backlash from the evil fire will be, until you are completely controlled by it and become a machine that knows only slaughter."

At those words, Huo Yuhao's pupils shrank slightly, and he blurted out instinctively, "Wouldn't that make her just like an evil soul master?"

The moment those words were spoken, Ma Xiaotao's delicate body trembled violently.

With her head lowered, her hands unconsciously gripped her skirt so tightly that her knuckles turned white, yet she could not utter a single word in rebuttal.

Because she knew Huo Yuhao was right.

If this continued, sooner or later, she would become a monster ruled by evil fire.

No different from the evil soul masters she despised most.

Seeing Ma Xiaotao's despondent appearance, Li Changqing did not say anything further.

Though he had not had much contact with Ma Xiaotao, he had heard a little about her.

She had a fiery personality and a short temper, but there was indeed nothing wrong with her character.

Compared to her ancestor, Ma Hongjun, Ma Xiaotao was perfect beyond measure.

Ma Xiaotao remained silent for quite some time before slowly raising her head.

At that moment, her crimson eyes held a trace of hope and pleading as she looked at Li Changqing and asked softly, "Then... can you help me?"

Li Changqing raised an eyebrow slightly and replied calmly, "I can only help you suppress it. I cannot cure it completely. The evil fire itself is part of your martial soul's power. Once it is completely removed, the quality and combat power of your martial soul will greatly decline. Besides, even if I can help you suppress it once, twice, three times, what then? Can I suppress it for you for the rest of your life?"

He paused, staring directly into Ma Xiaotao's eyes. There was a cold realism in his voice. "What if one day I'm no longer around, and your evil fire erupts again? What will you do then?"

Ma Xiaotao opened her mouth, wanting to say something, only to find that every word Li Changqing had said made sense. She had no way to refute him.

She lowered her head and fell silent once more.

Her tightly clenched fists trembled faintly, revealing the struggle and unwillingness in her heart.

Just then, three figures hurried over from the distance.

They were none other than Jiang Nannan, Ye Guyi, and Wang Dong.

Ye Guyi took the lead, rushing up to Li Changqing and inspecting him from head to toe. Only after confirming that he had not lost any limbs did she let out a breath of relief, though her voice still held some blame and urgency. "Why did you run out here? You worried me to death!"

Jiang Nannan followed close behind, nodding repeatedly with lingering fear on her face. "Exactly! You scared us to death!"

Wang Dong stood behind the two of them. Though she said nothing, her beautiful blue eyes also held a trace of concern and curiosity.

Seeing the three of them looking as though they had come to demand an explanation, Li Changqing asked helplessly, "Why are you here?"

Jiang Nannan explained, "We wanted to see how well you had recovered, but after knocking on your door for ages, there was no response. We thought you had fainted again, so we pushed the door open and went inside. But you weren't there—only Wang Dong was cultivating. So we woke Wang Dong and asked her. Wang Dong said she didn't know where you had gone either, so we came out to look for you."

After hearing this, Li Changqing nodded lightly to show that he understood, then said, "So that's what happened. It's fine, I'm mostly recovered already. You can go back the way you came."

The moment he said that, all three of their faces fell.

Ye Guyi put her hands on her hips, wearing an expression that said, Don't even think about sending us away. "What do you mean, go back the way we came? No! We have to follow you!"

Jiang Nannan also revealed a rare look of determination and nodded vigorously in agreement.

Though Wang Dong hesitated somewhat, seeing how resolute her two senior sisters were, she nodded as well.

After all, the aura around Li Changqing made her feel very comfortable—the kind that could improve her cultivation.

Seeing the three of them united against a common enemy, Li Changqing could not help but feel a headache coming on.

He rubbed his temples, just about to say something more, when a soft chuckle suddenly came from beside him.

Everyone turned to look, only to see Ma Xiaotao standing to one side with a hand over her mouth, amusement and teasing glinting in her crimson eyes.

Watching Li Changqing surrounded by two women and one man with a helpless expression, she clearly found the scene rather entertaining.