Ye Xishui had originally intended to recruit Qian Ran into the Holy Spirit Cult but ultimately decided against it. If Qian Ran had even the faintest hope of becoming a god within the Spirit Sect, why would he ever consider switching allegiances? No matter how many powerful individuals the Holy Spirit Cult had, it couldn't provide much assistance on the path to godhood. Rather than humiliating herself, she chose to let it go.
After learning a bit more about the Spirit Sect's situation, Ye Xishui departed.
Long Xiaoyao, however, stayed behind.
"Senior Ye Xishui seems upset," Qian Ran noted, watching her leave silently.
"She'll be fine. She's probably just in a bad mood. You know, at our level, we've already reached the peak of cultivation. No Ultimate Douluo would ever give up even the slightest chance of becoming a god. What you just said... it was disheartening. I'm curious, though. Was it true, or were you making it up?" Long Xiaoyao leaned closer, suspecting that Qian Ran might know more about the inner workings of the Divine Realm than he let on.
"I wasn't lying. Everything I said is the truth. If you want to ascend, you'll have to start your own enterprise—pull those who've already become gods down from their thrones."
"So, your plan is to start an 'enterprise'?" Long Xiaoyao chuckled. Somehow, what should have been a grave topic sounded almost casual when Qian Ran spoke of it. An "enterprise" to overthrow gods? That was just courting death, wasn't it?
"What else? Interested in joining?" Qian Ran grinned.
"Spare me. These old bones can't handle the trouble." Long Xiaoyao shook his head in disbelief. Qian Ran was serious? He wasn't sure what Qian Ran had in mind, but it didn't sound remotely reliable.
Most of the time, Qian Ran seemed quite normal. Why was it that occasionally, he seemed so frivolous?
"That's a pity."
Qian Ran didn't press further. Long Xiaoyao and Ye Xishui weren't to be trifled with, and there was no way he'd reveal the existence of Gu Yuena or Qian Renxue to them.
If they were willing to follow him, Qian Ran might consider giving them a shot.
If not, there was no need to bother.
They were just Ultimate Douluo, after all—no longer a serious concern for him.
Long Xiaoyao furrowed his brow. He'd initially thought Qian Ran was joking, but now it felt like the joke was on him. Could it be that Qian Ran was hiding an even greater secret?
"All right, enough of that. You're quite the lucky one for someone so young, always surrounded by beautiful women," Long Xiaoyao said, patting Qian Ran on the shoulder. It wasn't the romantic conquests he envied—it was Qian Ran's natural ability to win women's hearts.
To Long Xiaoyao, women weren't much of a concern. What he yearned for was genuine affection. And yet, while Qian Ran seemed to earn it effortlessly, he had spent his entire life chasing something he could never truly grasp.
Even now, with Ye Xishui by his side, she could never lower herself like a young girl in love. Of course, he was already content with what he had, but who wouldn't wish for just a little more happiness?
"Is there something you're looking for, Senior?"
"Well… I do have an idea for how to cheer Senior Ye Xishui up."
Qian Ran's eyes gleamed as an idea took shape.
Ye Xishui was indeed a beauty. Even though her peak years had passed, she still possessed a certain allure. But from Qian Ran's perspective, her appearance fell short of his current standards.
Her beauty was maintained through sheer force of cultivation, which made it feel somewhat unnatural.
If Ye Xishui were to engage in a major battle and suffer serious injuries, her aging would accelerate drastically.
"What's your plan?" Long Xiaoyao asked, genuinely intrigued. While he was skeptical of Qian Ran's boasts about other matters, he acknowledged that Qian Ran had a remarkable track record with women. The young man had managed to win over the most exceptional women of Shrek Academy—some even more dazzling than Ye Xishui in her youth. And despite his escapades, Qian Ran's partners never held it against him.
In this realm, Long Xiaoyao admitted Qian Ran was the expert.
You bloom, and the butterflies will come.
Long Xiaoyao, compared to Ye Xishui, was lacking. In many ways, she was superior to him, making it impossible for him to dominate her. He could only play the role of an ever-faithful admirer.
In contrast, Qian Ran outshone his partners by a wide margin. They admired him, to the point that even in love, they deferred to him. Though Qian Ran might take the lead in the early stages of romance, once the relationship deepened, he became the one being pampered.
The difference in dynamic was stark: one was the devoted admirer, and the other the admired. Qian Ran could hardly relate to Long Xiaoyao's struggles.
"If there were a pill that could restore someone to their peak beauty, Senior Long Xiaoyao, what would you think of that?"
"Something like that actually exists?" Long Xiaoyao exclaimed, his excitement uncontained.
Restore her to her peak beauty? Long Xiaoyao's mind filled with memories of Ye Xishui in her prime, when her beauty captivated both him and Mu En. Back then, she was an unparalleled vision.
Though he still loved her deeply, he couldn't deny that he'd prefer the Ye Xishui of old—the one untainted by the title of Queen of the Evil Soul Masters.
"This spatial ring contains treasures and soul bones I've collected over the years. If you're willing, take it." Long Xiaoyao noticed Qian Ran's gaze lingering on the ring and immediately understood what he wanted.
It represented years of accumulated wealth.
Yet, the thought of Ye Xishui in her prime made Long Xiaoyao hesitate only briefly. Gritting his teeth, he removed the ring and tossed it to Qian Ran.
"Senior Long Xiaoyao, you're truly generous. In that case, I'll add an extra gift: a Youth Preservation Pill. If Senior Ye Xishui takes the Snow Beauty Pill and follows it with the Youth Preservation Pill, she'll remain in her peak form forever," Qian Ran said with a grin. He hadn't expected Long Xiaoyao to be so forthcoming with his treasures. A man driven by love indeed!
Qian Ran admired such devotion. Though he himself couldn't fathom spending a lifetime with just one woman—wouldn't that grow tiresome?—he respected those who could.
Smiling, Qian Ran retrieved two pills from his spatial storage, placed them in separate bottles, and handed them to Long Xiaoyao.
"You have more of these?" Long Xiaoyao's face twitched. From his experience, such pills were priceless treasures. If he'd known Qian Ran had so many, he would have asked for more. After all, he wouldn't mind reliving his youth.
"Senior, if you can get me a few ninth-level soul tools, I'll send you two more," Qian Ran replied awkwardly. The system's rewards had all been packed into a single container, and Long Xiaoyao had seen how many there were when Qian Ran retrieved them. To avoid any further awkwardness, Qian Ran made the offer.
Despite his envy, Long Xiaoyao refrained from outright taking the pills. He still had his pride.
With Ye Xishui being a ninth-level soul engineer, obtaining a few ninth-level soul tools for Qian Ran wouldn't be difficult.
"I'll be back. Save two of those pills for me." With that, Long Xiaoyao left in a hurry, clutching the pills and brimming with anticipation.
(Chapter End)