"Xiaoyao, what did you just talk about with Qian Ran? You look unusually happy. Did you discover something new?"
Ye Xishui, who had been waiting outside for Long Xiaoyao, couldn't help but ask when she noticed the rare excitement on his face. For someone at their level, accustomed to life's ups and downs, it was rare for anything to pique their interest.
"Qian Ran is definitely hiding a lot of secrets," Long Xiaoyao began after a brief hesitation. "The way he dared to talk to us as equals shows he has confidence in his abilities. I suspect some of his secrets are related to the gods."
Ye Xishui listened quietly, her thoughts aligning with his observations.
"But that's not why I'm so excited," Long Xiaoyao said, his voice carrying an eager note. "I got two pills from Qian Ran that can restore your appearance to what it was in the past."
Ye Xishui's beauty in her youth was unparalleled.
Men like Long Xiaoyao, Mu En, and Zhongli Wu—the former leader of the Holy Spirit Cult—had all fallen for her. Attracting the admiration of such top-tier individuals spoke volumes about her charm.
Even now, though her looks had faded from their peak, Long Xiaoyao remained by her side, a testament to how deeply her allure had impacted him.
"You... Thank you," Ye Xishui said, noticing for the first time that Long Xiaoyao's spatial ring was missing. It was clear he had traded his possessions for these pills.
"Just some material things," Long Xiaoyao said with a dismissive wave, his gaze lingering fondly on her face. "You can't take them with you in death, anyway. Better to leave them for the younger generation."
"These pills... they really work?" Ye Xishui clutched them tightly, unable to suppress a ripple of excitement in her heart. What woman didn't love beauty? Back in her youth, she had been adored by many, but as her appearance slowly faded, even though Long Xiaoyao stayed by her side, it still stung.
She didn't want to grow old, to become a withered shadow of her former self.
She had already spent countless resources on maintaining her looks. Yet now, Qian Ran, a mere youngster, had brought out something so miraculous.
"Why not try? If he dared deceive me, he'll pay dearly for it," Long Xiaoyao said, a dangerous glint flashing in his eyes.
"Very well. I'll try it now. I've stationed people all around this academy, and without my permission, he won't be leaving Mingdu so easily," Ye Xishui replied with a nod.
It wasn't just her—forces from the Mingde Hall and Xu Tianran himself had their eyes on Qian Ran.
Qian Ran might live freely in Mingdu for now, but leaving? That was another matter entirely.
They were confident that even if Qian Ran were a Super Douluo, escaping Mingdu unscathed would be impossible.
"I'll stand guard for you."
Without further delay, the two returned to the Holy Spirit Cult.
Ye Xishui originally wanted to analyze the pill's composition but worried doing so might destroy its efficacy. After confirming it was non-toxic, she began refining it.
One Night Later
Ye Xishui remained immersed in a large bathtub, and as the pill's effects took hold, she opened her eyes abruptly.
A mysterious, rejuvenating energy coursed through her body, making her feel decades younger. She estimated the pill had extended her lifespan by at least fifty years.
And her appearance...
Looking into a mirror, Ye Xishui found herself momentarily dazed.
Was this really her?
Yes, it had to be. This was what she looked like in her youth.
After so many years, even she had nearly forgotten her once flawless appearance.
Her porcelain skin seemed as delicate as snow, her amethyst eyes sparkled like crystalline glass, and her long, hip-length blue-purple hair cascaded down her back in soft waves.
Staring at her reflection, Ye Xishui was filled with disbelief. How was this even possible? How could this be achieved?
She had expected the pill to make her look somewhat younger, but to restore her to her prime? That seemed utterly impossible.
In her youth, she hadn't been an Evil Soul Master. After her transformation, both her appearance and aura had undergone a significant change. While she remained strikingly beautiful as an Evil Soul Master, her heart had long since died.
Ye Xishui, Mu En, and Long Xiaoyao had first met during the Advanced Continental Soul Master Academy Tournament. Both men fell in love with her, and when she struggled to choose between them, she left it to a duel to decide who would win her heart.
However, neither Mu En nor Long Xiaoyao showed up for the duel, unwilling to risk mutual destruction. After waiting for three days and nights, an enraged Ye Xishui left without a word.
Her misfortune began in the Star Dou Forest, where she was assaulted by Zhongli Wu, who used his dark powers to forcibly mutate her martial soul, binding her to the Holy Spirit Cult.
When Ye Xishui sought vengeance on Mu En, he imprisoned her in Shrek Academy, deeming her too dangerous as an Evil Soul Master. Zhongli Wu sacrificed his life to rescue her, transferring his immense dark power to her and allowing her to reach Ultimate Douluo status.
Long Xiaoyao, wracked with guilt, devoted himself to guarding Ye Xishui in the Holy Spirit Cult, determined to protect her from further harm.
Ye Xishui's peak beauty had been before she became an Evil Soul Master. Once she did, her appearance entered a slow but steady decline.
The memories Long Xiaoyao and Mu En cherished of her were frozen in that time before her transformation.
Now, seeing her reflection in the mirror, Ye Xishui felt a wave of profound emotion. This face was a window to the past.
If she hadn't encountered Zhongli Wu, how different might her life have been?
But what was done could never be undone.
"How did Qian Ran even manage this? A pill like this shouldn't exist in this world. It defies all logic," Ye Xishui muttered to herself, still unable to comprehend the transformation.
How could this pill not only restore her youth but perfectly replicate her most beautiful moment, down to every last detail?
The truth lay in the pill's origins. Products from Qian Ran's system operated by universal laws imbued with the power of "absolute effect." If the description claimed it would restore the user to their peak beauty, it would do so flawlessly, without deviation.
Ye Xishui's attempts to analyze its mechanism were destined to fail. By her understanding, any restorative pill could only revitalize her body. It couldn't erase the aura of the Evil Soul Master she had become.
Yet now, unless she consciously unleashed her dark energy, she exuded the warmth and radiance of a pure and gentle maiden.
(Chapter End)