Chapter 416: Snow Emperor Blushes, Zi Ji Is Shameless

Qian Ran didn't continue discussing the topic with Snow Emperor and Ice Emperor. Instead, he focused on refining the Dark Crystal, absorbing the dark elemental energy within it while Snow Emperor and Ice Emperor stood guard for him.

An entire day passed as Qian Ran immersed himself in cultivation.

"The Angel Martial Soul is getting stronger."

After a full day of refinement, Qian Ran had completely absorbed the power of the Dark Crystal. While his second Martial Soul had already surpassed the Angel Martial Soul upon becoming the Golden Dragon, the infusion of the Dark Crystal's energy now brought the Angel Martial Soul to an entirely new level.

"Once Qian Renxue awakens, I'll leave the Mad God Battle Armor with her. With her current level of cultivation, she can make far better use of it than I can. It's pointless for me to hold onto it before reaching godhood."

Qian Ran pulled out the Mad God Battle Armor from his storage soul tool to inspect it briefly before mumbling to himself.

With his current strength, he couldn't unleash the true potential of this supreme artifact.

"Master Qian Ran," a soft voice interrupted his thoughts. Zi Ji had approached him quietly.

"Did your strength improve?" Qian Ran immediately noticed a change in Zi Ji's aura. Although his cultivation level was still far below hers, his spiritual power was comparable, allowing him to perceive her transformation clearly.

"Thanks to your gift, I can now easily overpower Scarlet King." Zi Ji's excitement was evident. Among the Ten Great Beasts, Zi Ji had originally ranked ninth, but her newfound power now solidified her place higher on the list.

Previously, Zi Ji and Scarlet King were close in cultivation, with Scarlet King holding a slight edge. Now that Zi Ji had mastered an ultimate attribute, that difference was rendered meaningless.

"Don't call me Master Qian Ran anymore. Just call me Qian Ran. The Dark Crystal was rightfully yours."

Zi Ji's presence today was entirely different from the cautious and reserved demeanor she'd shown in Gu Yuena's Silver Dragon Palace.

Yesterday, her fear of Gu Yuena had forced her to suppress her aura entirely. Today, Qian Ran could fully appreciate Zi Ji's mature and captivating demeanor—an enchanting combination of elegance and sensuality.

"Qian Ran, I…" Zi Ji lowered her head, her voice tinged with embarrassment. The night before, she had been too overwhelmed by Gu Yuena's presence to fully enjoy herself.

Ever since they parted, Zi Ji's mind had been consumed by thoughts of Qian Ran. She had intended to restrain herself, but as morning came, she couldn't resist the urge to seek him out.

"You little minx." Qian Ran's lips curled into a smirk as he playfully squeezed Zi Ji's full, firm hips. Her well-toned figure had just the right balance of softness and elasticity.

Zi Ji blushed deeply, her embarrassment evident. For someone usually so composed and regal, such vulnerability was a rare sight.

"Here, put this on." Qian Ran pulled a professional outfit—a light gray suit dress—from his storage. He was still annoyed about yesterday's encounter with Gu Yuena, and with Zi Ji presenting herself now, he had no intention of holding back.

If not for his current strength being far below Gu Yuena's, Qian Ran might have wanted to… Well, Gu Yuena's unparalleled beauty and divine aura were truly one of a kind. Her godlike demeanor exuded a sense of unattainable supremacy.

However, he hadn't dared to dwell too long on her yesterday. While Qian Ran was bold, he wasn't suicidal.

Moments later, Zi Ji emerged dressed in a fitted light gray suit dress over a white blouse. Her legs, encased in sheer, flesh-colored stockings, radiated a smooth and inviting allure. Black high heels adorned her feet, revealing the delicate curve of her stockings-covered instep.

Though her attire was simple, it complemented Zi Ji's mature and stunning appearance perfectly, transforming her into a vision of a confident and elegant career woman.

Her naturally sultry beauty would likely keep young, innocent students awake at night if she were a teacher.

Of course, Zi Ji only displayed this seductive aura around Qian Ran. To others, her intimidating and sinister energy kept everyone at bay.

Though she didn't quite understand why Qian Ran was so intrigued by such attire, Zi Ji obediently changed into the outfit, viewing it as a mysterious preference of his.

The nuances of human fashion, particularly uniforms, were something soul beasts found perplexing. Men's fascination with these "fancy" outfits was equally bewildering.

Ice Emperor had only begun to grasp these subtleties after spending considerable time among humans. Snow Emperor, on the other hand, remained pure and aloof, seeing all clothing as merely functional coverings.

"Come here, sit down."

Zi Ji blushed as she walked over and sat obediently beside Qian Ran.

"You're so well-behaved," Qian Ran teased, pulling her legs onto his lap. He began to run his hands over her stocking-clad feet, marveling at the silky texture.

Yesterday, he had already been intrigued by Zi Ji's alluring feet.

His fingers glided along the arch of her sole, tracing the contours of her instep. Her small, delicate feet twitched slightly in response to his touch, sending soft ripples through her body.

Zi Ji hadn't anticipated Qian Ran's interest in her feet. A wave of embarrassment surged within her, her face flushing all the way to her ears.

"Master Qian Ran, I…"

"What are you thinking?" Qian Ran chuckled, finally releasing her legs before pulling her into his embrace.

"Ice, stop peeking. This is improper," Snow Emperor whispered outside the room, her face crimson as she tried to pull Ice Emperor away from the door.

"Shh. Snow, you don't understand. If we don't keep an eye on things, someone might snatch Qian Ran away without us knowing. Zi Ji doesn't seem like a particularly virtuous woman. What if she seduces him completely?" Ice Emperor argued confidently.

Her "reasoning" made Snow Emperor pause.

"Really?"

"Of course! You wouldn't want a potential rival you don't understand, would you?" Ice Emperor transmitted her thoughts carefully to Snow Emperor.

"Fine," Snow Emperor relented, her heart racing as she reluctantly joined Ice Emperor in spying. Strangely, she found a subtle sense of exhilaration in doing so.

Snow Emperor reflected on Ice Emperor's remarks about her being clueless around Qian Ran. Observing Zi Ji's boldness, Snow Emperor couldn't help but wonder if there was something to learn from her.

Both Ice Emperor and Snow Emperor watched intently from outside, unable to look away. Even as women, they couldn't deny that Zi Ji's allure was extraordinary.

After all, soul beasts that reached 100,000 years could refine their human forms to near perfection, making them impossibly attractive. The only exceptions were those with fundamentally unappealing aesthetics, like Bear Lord, who couldn't manage a handsome appearance even in human form.

"So shameless," Snow Emperor murmured internally, but her eyes remained fixed on Qian Ran and Zi Ji. Memories of her own first encounter with Qian Ran flooded back. Seeing Zi Ji's seductive initiative, Snow Emperor felt a pang of inadequacy. Her reserved nature had always made her a passive participant.

Meanwhile, Rui Beast approached the simple housing Qian Ran had constructed.

After Qian Ran's departure the day before, Gu Yuena had shared details about Rui Beast's current condition and revealed some information about Qian Ran. This newfound knowledge had sparked Rui Beast's curiosity about him.

(Chapter Ends)