Chapter 142: Revealing the Divine Fire, Ma Xiaotao Pleads

Lust can be a double-edged sword. Leaving Xian Lin'er's side, Qianran felt a surge of guilt.

Xian Lin'er treated him so well, endlessly indulging him in every way except that final step. She even bent the rules to spoil him, yet here he was, often not even thinking of her, making him feel a deep self-disgust. At the same time, he felt some guilt toward Qian Duoduo. Despite being a good man to him, Qianran was doing things behind his back that Qian Duoduo wouldn't approve of.

But how could he stand idly by, watching the honest Qian Duoduo let Xian Lin'er's best years slip by? With him here, the situation would unfold differently. Qian Duoduo would never get the chance to stir Xian Lin'er's feelings right before his death. If this continued, they would both waste their time.

"Old Qian, maybe you should find a more timid woman. Being with a strong-willed one is a waste on you," Qianran sighed. It wasn't his fault; Qian Duoduo was just too mild-mannered. Even in a marriage of convenience, he wouldn't seize the chance to make it real. They didn't live in a world where anyone could press charges against him like in his past life.

Time flew, and soon it was the day of the Treasure Appreciation Event.

With Xian Lin'er's card in hand, Qianran felt secure. His wife was the head of the Soul Engineering Department; money wasn't an issue. Xian Lin'er encouraged him to spend freely, assuring him she had enough to cover it.

The perks of having a wealthy wife.

When it came to spending Xian Lin'er's money, Qianran felt no guilt. He'd never been one to care about such things.

Who would criticize a man for using his wife's money? Besides, even if he ran out, wouldn't Qian Duoduo help? On second thought, no, that would be taking advantage of an honest man. Xian Lin'er's money was fair game; Qian Duoduo's was off-limits.

What treasures could the event even offer? Xian Lin'er's money was more than enough.

Qianran enjoyed the experience, reveling in the pampered feeling that came with being financially supported by Xian Lin'er.

He suspected she was trying to groom him as her "kept man." Annoying, but he had no evidence, and he secretly enjoyed it. His wife was truly amazing.

"Headmaster Xian Lin'er treats you so well," Ma Xiaotao commented, a little envious as she eyed the card he pulled out. It had at least a few million gold soul coins.

Yan Shaozhe had never been this generous with her as his disciple.

"My teacher says a disciple should be pampered," Qianran boasted. Spending Xian Lin'er's money and enjoying her support — who could understand such bliss? It was beyond words. Plus, Xian Lin'er encouraged him to spend. If he refused, she'd get upset.

Frustrating, wasn't it?

"Go ahead and show off," Ma Xiaotao grumbled, annoyed. Yan Shaozhe held more sway in Shrek Academy than Xian Lin'er, but he never spoiled her the way Xian Lin'er spoiled Qianran. Yan Shaozhe left her to fend for herself, even if the resources were top-notch. It was nothing compared to Qianran's treatment.

Even the elders didn't treat their own sons this well.

Of course, Ma Xiaotao was unaware of Qianran and Xian Lin'er's secret relationship. She saw Xian Lin'er's actions as simply a reflection of how highly she valued Qianran's talent.

And truthfully, his talent was worth her attention.

Yesterday, Yan Shaozhe had even told her to spend more time with Tang Ya and Qianran, hinting at the importance of cultivating good relationships with them. It seemed even he wanted to win Qianran's favor.

While Qianran was indeed outstanding, did he truly merit this level of influence?

"By the way, I have a new idea for treating your condition," Qianran said, recalling the Phoenix Divine Fire he'd recently obtained. This rare flame was immensely powerful, reaching the level of Ultimate Fire.

Of course, he wasn't about to let Ma Xiaotao absorb the Phoenix Divine Fire, but keeping it nearby could aid her training and help the flame grow.

"Condition?" Ma Xiaotao's expression darkened, and she kicked him lightly.

Couldn't he choose his words a bit more tactfully?

"Are you serious?" Ma Xiaotao's eyes sparkled with interest, glancing at him.

Though Qianran's words could be irritating, he always delivered results.

"How about an Ultimate Fire treasure? Interested?" Qianran smirked, knowing he had her attention.

"Ultimate Fire? What do you mean?"

"I have a spirit flame called Phoenix Divine Fire, taken from a mythical phoenix." Qianran smiled, summoning the flame. It had recently burned through his storage soul tool, so he'd since kept it in his system space.

In his hand, the golden-red flame took the shape of a phoenix, radiating a mix of cuteness and overwhelming power.

It was like a small exotic fire, yet astonishingly strong.

Ma Xiaotao's eyes widened, stunned as she gazed at the flame.

She could feel her martial soul trembling. Qianran… He actually had such a priceless treasure.

"Is this… for me?" Ma Xiaotao asked, her voice quivering.

"In your dreams. You can keep it nearby for training, but it's a sentient flame, practically a living creature. Don't even think about refining it," Qianran scoffed. Did he look like someone who'd hand out such treasures easily? Maybe if she were his wife. He was always the one taking from others, never the other way around.

"Alright. I'll take good care of it," Ma Xiaotao said, elated. With the Phoenix Divine Fire by her side, her cultivation speed would increase significantly. She might even reach the Soul Sage level within a year!

The flame was perfectly compatible with her martial soul. As Qianran mentioned, it came from a phoenix, so if she used it wisely, her martial soul could potentially evolve. The allure of the Phoenix Divine Fire was hard to resist. Even a powerful Titled Douluo would be interested in such a treasure.

Seeing the excitement in her eyes, Ma Xiaotao leaned in close to Qianran, her full figure pressing against him as she looked up with a breathy plea.

Qianran, in turn, withdrew the flame with a sly grin.

There's a saying from his previous life: Money is for showing to women, not spending on them.

In this world, rare treasures were for impressing women, not for giving away. Unless, of course, they were his partner.

Ma Xiaotao, trying to look as sweet as possible, pouted and leaned into Qianran, pleading.

"Qianran, please let me keep it. I promise I'll take good care of it," she begged, tilting her head against his shoulder.

"I might consider it, but…" Qianran looked her up and down, mischievous thoughts flickering in his mind.