Ling Luochen covered her face, desperately wishing she could flee the scene.
She could already imagine how awkward it would be when Qian Ran and Cai Meier snapped out of their passionate embrace and realized they were being watched.
Especially since the woman in Qian Ran's arms was Cai Meier!
The deputy dean of Shrek Academy! And, to make matters worse, she was married to Yan Shaozhe, the academy's dean.
Yet here was Qian Ran, bold enough to lay his hands on Cai Meier. And Cai Meier, rather than resisting, seemed to be enjoying herself, clutching at Qian Ran's shirt as though she were savoring every moment.
It was too much.
Ling Luochen had never encountered anything like this in her life.
At this moment, she couldn't help but wish it were herself in Qian Ran's arms.
Her mind conjured images of sharing such intimacy with Qian Ran, and her breathing grew heavier. It was hard to believe that the usually composed "Ice Goddess" could have such thoughts.
As a normal young woman in her prime, Ling Luochen's adolescent desires had long been suppressed by her icy demeanor. Now, faced with the sight of a man she secretly admired, her body and mind reacted instinctively.
Cai Meier's actions only fueled these feelings.
Stimulated by the scene before her, Ling Luochen's hormones surged, leaving her with an overwhelming urge to throw herself into Qian Ran's arms and never let go.
If Qian Ran were to make even the slightest advance toward her at this moment, she wouldn't resist—in fact, she might even welcome it eagerly.
"Cai Meier..."
Cai Meier's head felt light and dazed. It was as though she had entered a surreal state where everything about Qian Ran became infinitely more appealing.
Previously, she had seen Qian Ran as nothing more than an unparalleled genius. Now, she regarded him as a man—a very desirable man.
Qian Ran had completely swept her off her feet, leaving her reluctant to part from him.
She didn't know how she would face either Qian Ran or Yan Shaozhe after this. Could she leave Qian Ran? Her heart didn't seem willing to let him go.
"Dean Cai Meier, you're so beautiful," Qian Ran murmured.
"I'll treat you well from now on."
Cai Meier was both beautiful and alluring, every gesture dripping with charm.
Even with this initial victory, Qian Ran felt an immense sense of satisfaction. If he could fully claim Cai Meier, he couldn't imagine how ecstatic he'd be.
Two stunning deputy deans of Shrek Academy—Cai Meier and Xian Liner—were now within his reach. The thought of having them both was intoxicating.
Unlike Qian Ran's excitement, Cai Meier's emotions were a tangled mess. However, seeing the genuine admiration and happiness in Qian Ran's eyes warmed her heart.
Why overthink it? At least in this moment, she was happy. The future? Who could predict what would happen?
Perhaps her encounter with Qian Ran was fate. Compared to Yan Shaozhe, Qian Ran was undeniably more impressive—in both strength and charm.
As for their age difference, Cai Meier didn't see it as an issue. The existence of youth-preserving pills meant she wouldn't have to worry about aging.
"You sweet-talker. You'd better keep your word," Cai Meier huffed lightly, though her tone carried more affection than reproach.
"Of course. So, who's better—me or Yan Shaozhe?" Qian Ran teased, giving her a playful slap on her curvaceous backside.
"You, obviously," Cai Meier admitted grudgingly.
"And why's that?"
"How would I know?"
Blushing furiously, Cai Meier glared at him and refused to answer further.
Caught up in their romantic moment, neither of them noticed that Ling Luochen had already woken up. It wasn't until Ling Luochen let out a soft cough that Qian Ran and Cai Meier froze and reluctantly pulled apart.
"Ling Luochen, have you finished absorbing the Iceheart Crystal?"
Cai Meier's face briefly flushed before she regained her composure, acting as if nothing had happened.
Ling Luochen would likely become one of Qian Ran's women in the future, so Cai Meier wasn't overly worried about her exposing what she'd seen. Though the thought of her private moment being discovered made her feel deeply embarrassed, there was little she could do about it now.
Cai Meier understood that once she became involved with Qian Ran, there was no turning back.
Qian Ran wouldn't allow it.
With each step deeper into this relationship, escape became impossible. Yet Cai Meier realized she didn't want to leave.
As a man with no apparent flaws, Qian Ran was utterly captivating. Once a woman saw him as her partner, she would be drawn to him irresistibly, unable to pull away.
Cai Meier's heart was firmly entangled, and now Qian Ran's focus was on taming her, making her as devoted as she was enchanting.
"Yes... Deputy Dean, I've broken through to the sixtieth rank. I've also completed my transformation into Ultimate Ice," Ling Luochen reported, her voice steady despite her lingering embarrassment.
To demonstrate, she raised her hand and conjured an arrow entirely composed of ice, perfectly sharp and precise.
Her Martial Soul, the Ice Element, allowed her to manipulate ice freely, a skill that made her attacks devastatingly versatile.
"Good. Once this Advanced Soul Master Tournament is over, I'll take you to obtain your sixth soul ring. Your potential is already surpassing Ma Xiaotao's," Cai Meier said with a nod, brushing aside her earlier awkwardness.
As an Ultimate Soul Master, Ling Luochen had an immense future ahead of her. While the cultivation process for Ultimate Soul Masters was often slow between the thirtieth and seventieth ranks, Ling Luochen had skipped the hardest 80% of that path thanks to Qian Ran's help.
Her future was dazzlingly bright.
If Ma Xiaotao didn't achieve Ultimate Fire, her potential would fall short of Ling Luochen's. In fact, she might even struggle in direct combat against her.
"Now that I'm done, may I leave? I just remembered I have some things to take care of," Ling Luochen said quickly, eager to escape the tension in the room. Cai Meier's presence in particular made her feel immense pressure.
Unlike Qian Ran, Ling Luochen still held deep respect for her elders. To her, Cai Meier's status as deputy dean was nothing short of awe-inspiring.
"Go on," Cai Meier said, her tone neutral as she masked her complicated emotions.
Ling Luochen bowed slightly before departing, her heart still pounding as she hurried away.
(Chapter ends)