Chapter 12: Chapter 11: Tang Ya's Turmoil, A Debt of Gratitude
"Ah."
"Slow down."
"It hurts a little."
Tang Ya let out a soft groan.
The energy filled with dark power felt icy and bone-chilling, making Tang Ya's face show a faint expression of pain as her small, delicate feet curled in response.
However, the pain wasn't too intense, and Tang Ya quickly adjusted her mindset.
"I'll be gentle. Just bear with the pain; once you get used to it, it might even start to feel good," Qian Ran's hands slowly moved down her back, transferring the dark energy gradually into her body. As she got accustomed to it, her body would begin to crave this dark power, making it feel quite pleasant.
Qian Ran didn't infuse too much energy at once, as an excessive amount could harm Tang Ya and bring many side effects. Pouring in too much would overwhelm her, possibly even endangering her.
With someone as beautiful as Tang Ya, he wasn't foolish.
Being able to enjoy the company of such a lovely girl, even without doing anything, was a delight.
And to have this level of closeness was a blessing as well. This was a chance to grow closer to Tang Ya.
Helping her grow stronger, only for her to end up with someone else, would be such a loss! Why should everything good go to Bei Bei?
Tang Ya was close with Bei Bei, but they hadn't formally defined their relationship. They weren't officially a couple yet. So, Qian Ran taking a chance now was entirely reasonable.
She was such a beautiful girl; he wasn't willing to let her go to someone else.
He wasn't foolish enough to let someone else have her. His goal was to have a large harem, and he welcomed the idea of the girls vying for his attention.
Finally, Qian Ran completed his task for the day.
Tang Ya's fragrance lingered on his hands, soft and sweet.
Qian Ran felt like he was some kind of masseuse in his past life, though the focus here was a bit different.
Tang Ya quickly dressed, biting her lip and looking at Qian Ran with a different gaze.
Even though they hadn't known each other long, their bond had advanced remarkably, growing exceptionally close. After what just happened, Tang Ya regarded Qian Ran as one of the most precious people in her life. What was her most precious thing to give to the most precious person?
"I feel…"
Tang Ya closed her eyes and sensed her body. She could distinctly feel that her physical strength seemed to have increased, and her soul power had become fiercer and more potent.
Tang Ya released her martial soul.
The once-blue Blue Silver Grass had turned dark blue. Tang Ya could sense the destructive power and deadly potential within her martial soul!
In such a short time, she had already experienced such a transformation!
Even though Qian Ran had explained the frightening power of the Dark Blue Silver Grass, Tang Ya couldn't hold back tears of joy now that she truly possessed this strength.
Tears glistened in her eyes.
These were tears of joy, of surprise.
At last, she could stop being a burden to others. She could even become strong enough to avenge her parents by herself.
Finally, she could achieve it.
"Thank you, Qian Ran."
Tang Ya's eyes were filled with gratitude as she looked at Qian Ran.
She felt so fortunate to have met him. Without him, she might have drifted through life aimlessly, unable even to avenge her family.
Qian Ran had given her this opportunity.
Even though she was just a stranger to him, he had helped her so much without expecting anything in return.
Tang Ya felt a pang of shame, recalling her doubts when Qian Ran mentioned her martial soul's potential to turn into a dark martial soul. She had suspected he might be an Evil Soul Master trying to lure her down a dark path. How could she have been so wrong about someone as kind as Qian Ran? She realized she had judged him unfairly.
"What's this? Your martial soul hasn't fully transformed into its dark state yet. Once you've completely awakened, you should be able to rival those in the inner courtyard," Qian Ran said, looking at Tang Ya. He had seen everything just now but still felt it wasn't enough.
If he had some special oils, it would be even better—a bit of essence oil to assist in her strengthening. If the two of them used it together, well... what a thrilling thought!
But he caught himself. Why was he thinking like this again? This system was really leading him astray.
"Why are you helping me?" Tang Ya bit her lip. She didn't know how to repay Qian Ran for turning her from a weakling into a genius; she owed him a great debt.
But she had nothing of worth. At Shrek Academy, she was just an ordinary student.
She had no idea what she could offer Qian Ran in return, other than herself.
But now, it wasn't possible for her to repay Qian Ran in that way; they weren't lovers yet.
Tang Ya blushed, remembering how Qian Ran had been staring at her while helping her. Perhaps she did have a little charm.
Meanwhile, she thought of Bei Bei. She had been considering accepting Bei Bei's advances, even though she didn't feel any romantic attraction toward him. Bei Bei had been the only one who cared about her.
But now, she seemed to understand her own feelings.
In Qian Ran's presence, her heart raced. The books said that a girl's heart beats faster when she meets the one she likes.
Moreover, Qian Ran had entered her life and changed everything for her.
Could Qian Ran be her true love?
Tang Ya looked at Qian Ran's handsome face and his steady figure, which seemed to provide endless reassurance.
"Why? No particular reason. Maybe it's because you're too beautiful, and I don't want you to spend your life aimlessly. Haven't you been working hard to improve yourself? Otherwise, with a martial soul like the Blue Silver Grass, reaching the Soul Elder level would've been very difficult." Tang Ya's martial soul was a pure Blue Silver Grass, unlike Tang San's, which was the descendant of the Blue Silver Emperor. With a martial soul like hers, reaching the Soul Elder level by the age of fifteen was already an impressive feat.
Reaching this stage must have required constant practice and discipline.
Though she acted carefree around friends, always cheerful, she spent all her private time training.
She just didn't want her friends to worry about her struggles, so she pretended to be happy every day.
The hatred in her heart and the slow progress of her cultivation had always put a heavy burden on Tang Ya.
Hearing Qian Ran's words, Tang Ya's heart trembled, her eyes reddening.
After all these years, Qian Ran was the only one who truly understood her.
Bei Bei loved the carefree side of her, not the part of her consumed by hatred. Perhaps the others were the same. Only Qian Ran was willing to accept her past, her other side.
Qian Ran had even given her a way to achieve revenge on her own.
For the first time, she understood why she always felt so happy around Qian Ran.
Because Qian Ran was someone who truly understood her.
"Alright, we should leave now. When you get back, take time to feel your new strength. I'll come see you again tomorrow. In about half a month, you should be fully awakened," Qian Ran said as he turned to leave.
He could tell that Tang Ya's heart was in turmoil. His efforts had paid off.
Bei Bei would stand no chance against him.
Seeing the fragile side of Tang Ya, Qian Ran also felt a pang of sympathy. Tang Ya was a genuinely good person. She had lost her parents at a young age, her family destroyed by rival sects, and she had always worked hard to become stronger. While Qian Ran didn't think highly of Tang San, he found Tang Ya to be a truly good-hearted girl.
Tang Ya wanted revenge, and he would help her seek revenge. If she wanted to destroy the Ironblood Sect, he would stand by her and help her do it.
He would stay by Tang Ya's side, fulfilling her wishes, and they would live happily ever after.
Whenever Tang Ya was in danger, he would be there to protect her. They would continue training together, day and night. When they were tired, he could rest his head on Tang Ya's beautiful legs, and naturally, they'd take care of other things.
(End of Chapter)