"…Mm, mm…"
Before Xue Di could process what was happening, Qian Ran's lips met hers. Her breathing grew rapid, her chest rising and falling with each gasp. Soft, melodic hums escaped from her throat as her mind went blank under his overwhelming presence.
Like a beast marking its newly claimed territory, Qian Ran's kiss was a declaration of absolute dominion. And Xue Di's first kiss became the triumphant signal of her complete surrender.
"Mm… Qian Ran… I feel so… strange…"
Xue Di murmured with closed eyes, her soft voice tinged with confusion and yearning. Qian Ran's fiery emotions seemed to ignite something deep within her. All rational thought melted away, leaving behind only the primal urge to lose herself in the kiss and the hope that it would never end.
At that moment, Xue Di finally understood why the Ice Emperor loved kissing Qian Ran so much. In those moments of closeness, their hearts and souls intertwined, blending into a singular, euphoric experience that left her craving more.
She was caught in a paradox—overwhelmed by joy yet yearning for relief.
"Do you want more?" Qian Ran whispered as he pulled away, holding her flushed face in his hands.
"Mhm," she nodded shyly, her voice barely audible.
"Say it out loud."
"Hubby… Xue'er wants…" Her entire face turned crimson as she stammered the words, her lips trembling.
Her body, soft and pliant, leaned heavily against Qian Ran. Though Xue Di had always carried herself with an air of purity and aloofness, the Ice Emperor had occasionally hinted at what intimacy might feel like.
At the time, she hadn't believed it. What kind of sensation could possibly overwhelm someone of her strength and status?
After all, as beings who had cultivated to such an extreme level, they should theoretically remain calm and unshaken under any circumstance.
Yet now, under Qian Ran's touch, those feelings burned within her like an unrelenting flame, consuming every shred of logic.
Even though part of her knew there were boundaries she should not cross, she couldn't bring herself to leave his side. She longed for more of his affection, more of his warmth.
"Xue'er… Xue'er wants more… just a little more," she murmured as she wrapped her arms around his neck, her voice barely audible and filled with desire.
This "appetizer" had left her yearning for the main course.
Like the Ice Emperor, Xue Di's body carried a natural coolness due to her nature as an ice-based spirit beast. Yet, when emotions reached their peak, her body radiated a surprising warmth.
Qian Ran inhaled deeply, savoring the sweet scent that seemed to naturally emanate from her. He replayed the moment of their first kiss in his mind, marveling at how intoxicating it had been.
Hearing her soft plea, his own breathing grew heavier.
"Now that we've had the appetizer, it's time to move on to the main course, my precious Xue'er," Qian Ran said with a teasing grin.
"Mm… Xue'er is yours… Hubby can do… whatever you want," she replied, her voice trembling yet filled with sincerity.
Xue Di had been prepared for this moment for a long time. The idea of offering herself to help him grow stronger had lingered in her mind ever since she learned about it. Today, she had finally mustered the courage to act on it.
Qian Ran waved his hand, summoning a luxurious bed from his storage soul tool.
Gently, he laid Xue Di on it.
Rather than rushing, Qian Ran allowed his hands to wander over her slender, stocking-clad legs. Her long, shapely legs were flawless, wrapped in smooth, glossy black silk that glimmered faintly under the light.
Her usual snowy-white attire had always exuded purity, but today, dressed in the black mini-dress and stockings he had chosen for her, she radiated an entirely different kind of allure.
It was the first time he'd seen Xue Di in anything but her usual white gowns. The contrast was stunning.
"Beep! Congratulations, host! You have acquired a 700,000-year soul ring. It has been automatically equipped to your secondary martial soul."
"Beep! Congratulations, host! You have acquired the 700,000-year Ice Snow Empress Skull. It has been successfully fused with the host."
Qian Ran's aura surged visibly, breaking past limits with astounding speed.
In mere moments, he reached the threshold between a Soul Elder and a Soul King.
Not long ago, during the Soul Master Tournament in Xingluo City, Qian Ran had only been a Soul Elder. In just over a month, he had leapt to the level of a near Soul King.
Such rapid advancement was nothing short of breathtaking.
Seeing that his cultivation was now at the limit, Qian Ran decided to absorb one of the 100,000-year soul rings he had previously been rewarded with. The system had gifted him five of these rings, and after absorbing two, he still had three left.
With the addition of his fifth soul ring, Qian Ran's cultivation rose again, stopping at level 52.
His strength had now surpassed what it had been by an overwhelming margin.
Even a Soul Douluo would no longer pose a threat to him.
The 700,000-year Ice Snow Empress Skull was particularly remarkable. The head was one of the most crucial areas for soul masters. In the original story, Xue Di had self-destructed at Mingde Hall, which meant she hadn't produced a soul bone for Huo Yuhao.
Now, Qian Ran possessed not only a 700,000-year soul bone but also a 400,000-year one.
Such treasures were rare even among Titled Douluos. Super Douluos often lacked even a single 100,000-year soul bone, let alone ones with potential for growth.
If Xue Di's cultivation eventually reached 800,000 years, both her soul ring and soul bone would grow in tandem.
"Qian Ran, your power has increased again? That's amazing!" Xue Di's eyes sparkled as she gazed at him. Moments ago, he was merely a Soul Elder, and now he was a Soul King. The leap in strength left her in awe.
"Of course, it's all thanks to my amazing Xue'er. Without you, I couldn't have grown this much," Qian Ran said, playfully running his hand over her silk-clad legs.
Her stockings, far more refined than ordinary ones, clung tightly to her flawless legs, their glossy texture glinting with an enticing sheen.
Seeing the normally cold and dignified Xue Di like this made Qian Ran's heart race. Her reserved demeanor had always been alluring, but this contrast, this vulnerability, was irresistible.
He had already decided: he would continue nurturing this contrast until Xue Di's icy façade melted completely, revealing a side of her known only to him.
After all, there was nothing Qian Ran loved more than contrast.
The greater the contrast, the deeper his affection.
"Mm…"
Xue Di's cheeks turned a fiery red as she recalled her earlier actions. As someone who was experiencing all of this for the first time, she felt both embarrassed and conflicted. How could she, the proud and noble Xue Di, have acted so submissively toward Qian Ran?
In love, power dynamics weren't determined by strength.
The moment Xue Di's heart was captured, she became no different from Dong'er, Xiao Xiao, or the others.
(End of Chapter)