Volume One, Chapter 9: The Greedy Little Flame

"Me? Comfort them?"

Qin Zheng paused for a moment, then began to cough violently. His body swayed, and he suddenly collapsed straight onto Xie Qingluan.

Are you joking? I, Qin Conan, am here to solve crimes, not to provide emotional support!

Besides, those hundred-plus victimized women were abducted by the twisted pervert "Mahua"; it’s a total mess. I, Qin Conan, have no money, no power, and I’m not about to risk my life—what am I supposed to comfort them with?

Qin Zheng’s thoughts raced, and he immediately mimicked Cui Guangyuan, who had been beaten into a vegetable, and began to shudder on the spot.

Xie Qingluan was startled and instinctively tried to dodge backward, but her small waist was tightly wrapped in Qin Zheng’s large arms. Instead, she stumbled along with his heavy body, falling onto her backside.

The scene was deeply awkward. The girl was leaning back on her hands, while a shivering youth lay sprawled across her delicate frame, his head hanging over her chest, trembling violently in an extremely lewd posture.

Xie Qingluan felt a sharp pain in her backside, and her body tensed up. Sensing the large hands around her waist and the trembling head against her chest, a mix of old grudges and new anger surged within her. She immediately raised her delicate fist!

But then she remembered the scene of him leaping forward without regard for his own safety when she was on the verge of death. Her clenched fist just couldn't bring itself to strike.

She twisted her body in disgust, stole a glance at Yang Fengqing nearby, and then leaned down toward Qin Zheng, her face burning red. "How are your injuries? Let go of me first, I have medicine in my pocket..."

She tried to pry Qin Zheng’s arms away, only to find that the large hands holding her waist were surprisingly strong. Unable to break free, she couldn't help but whisper, "You crude brute..."

Yang Fengqing grew suspicious. "He’s injured?"

After listening to Xie Qingluan’s explanation, Yang Fengqing became even more doubtful. He glanced at Cui Guangyuan, who had been beaten into a dead dog, and said in shock, "He took several hits from that monster and didn't die?"

It wasn't until he used his spiritual sense to scan Qin Zheng’s injuries that Yang Fengqing’s confusion turned into total chaos.

His face turned deathly pale in an instant, and his body began to shudder just like Qin Zheng’s, as if he had been stung by a swarm of bees. He remained stiff for a long while before finally, looking withered and gasping for air, he said, "His spiritual sense has been wounded!"

Then, he explained with a strange expression, "As soon as my spiritual sense entered his sea of consciousness, it was devoured by a mysterious power..."

Xie Qingluan was at a loss, her heart a mess. "What should we do?"

Having suffered damage to his own spiritual sense, Yang Fengqing was already leaning weakly against his embroidered saber.

Hearing this, he shook his head helplessly. "I don't know. It’s as if the monster’s residual supernatural powers are in his sea of consciousness, blocking me... But why was his body unharmed when the monster struck him, while his spiritual sense was damaged instead?"

Xie Qingluan’s face was flushed with embarrassment. She didn't understand either and sighed helplessly. "I was severely wounded by the monster earlier and my internal energy was chaotic; I didn't see the details clearly. By the time I wanted to save him, the monster had already been killed by my artifact..."

Yang Fengqing frowned in thought. Looking at Qin Zheng again, his previous doubts no longer seemed important, replaced by a sense of admiration. "As expected of a pure martial artist—even while comatose from heavy injuries, his spiritual sense continues to fight, his fighting spirit never extinguishing!"

He then explained firmly to Xie Qingluan, "Lady Xie, do not be flustered. His spiritual sense is currently locked in battle, and he likely mistakes you for that monster. This is the martial intent bestowed by the Lord of War: as long as a single breath remains, the fighting spirit shall not die!"

*He mistakes me for the monster—and he’s still thinking about saving me?*

Xie Qingluan’s body stiffened, and she felt incredibly awkward and ashamed. Hearing this, she couldn't help but recall Qin Zheng saying that his wounds were mere trifles, not worth mentioning...

She activated her Qi-observing technique, but quickly withdrew it, a surge of shame filling her heart. *How could I doubt him at a time like this...*

She tried to push Qin Zheng’s head away so she could reach the medicine in her pocket, but his head seemed driven by an obsession, pushing harder against her chest, while the large hands holding her waist trembled and rubbed up and down.

*You hateful man, if you dare to be insolent again I will...*

Xie Qingluan’s body shivered, her inner energy boiling and receding time and again. She was terrified that if she wasn't careful, she would accidentally kill this hateful man who was wounded and unconscious because he had risked his life to save her, yet was still trembling against her now.

The girl had never encountered such a situation and was completely at a loss. Her heart, once that of a proud daughter of heaven, had long since lost its composure.

In her life, she had always been detached from worldly affairs, and had only ever been this flustered twice. Once was when this hateful man held her over his lap and spanked her; the second time was right now.

Meanwhile, Qin Zheng, cradling the warm and fragrant jade, was looking inward at his sea of consciousness, watching with delight as that small, orange flame burned, floating and sinking.

*Little flame, you finally reacted, damn it!*

Just a moment ago, he had sensed a spiritual scan sweeping over him and immediately dived into his consciousness, just in time to see Yang Fengqing’s spiritual sense trying to probe inside.

Immediately, the little flame had latched onto Yang Fengqing’s spiritual sense, devouring it like a whale, even counter-attacking as if trying to drag all of Yang Fengqing’s consciousness into his sea of consciousness.

***

A martial artist's cultivation starts with refining essence, then Qi, and then the spirit—that is, the ninth rank refines essence, the eighth rank refines Qi, and the seventh rank refines the spirit.

Qin Zheng didn't know the ranks beyond that, but he was certain that if all of Yang Fengqing’s spiritual sense were destroyed, he would undoubtedly become a true vegetable.

At the critical moment, Qin Zheng could do nothing. Instead, Yang Fengqing showed the resolve of a warrior, cutting off his own spiritual sense to break free from the flame’s entanglement and escape Qin Zheng’s sea of consciousness.

The little flame, seemingly unsatisfied, finally conveyed a weak will to Qin Zheng—*Hunger!*

Qin Zheng quickly connected the dots. The little flame had appeared on its own to cremate "Mahua," then devoured Xie Qingluan’s purple-gold furnace and the Frost-Cold Flame, and now it had consumed Yang Fengqing’s spiritual sense...

*Could it be that it is interested in monster flesh, heavenly treasures, or other people's spiritual senses?*

Thinking of this, Qin Zheng immediately shouted into his sea of consciousness:

"Old Master of Medicine, come out, I'll reshape your body!"

"System, you need energy to start, right? Just give a chime and I'll give it to you!"

"God of Wealth, you want treasures, right? I have them!"

...

Unfortunately, the orange flame returned to its cold, detached state and offered no response, leaving Qin Zheng feeling powerless.

*This is clearly my cheat, and yet I can't use it. Is there any justice? You little flame, you just say you're hungry and expect me to work like a horse for you? Can you have some professional ethics as a cheat?*

Qin Zheng felt a toothache—*Does this mean I have to keep feeding it things it likes, waiting for an "Old Master of Medicine" to pop out and say, "Hey kid, I'm fully charged, initiating badass mode"?*

*Still, with it guarding my consciousness, I don't have to worry about anyone peeking into my secrets or possessing my body... It's just that having a cheat I can't use is like using an AK-47 as a walking stick!*

*Should I let Yang Fengqing back in to check again?*

*No, no. A little risk is fine, but this could be fatal—even if Yang Fengqing is a shameless Jinyiwei hound, I, Qin Conan, am kind-hearted. How could I坑 (scam) him for no reason...*

*Junior Sister Xie Qingluan is a little rich girl, covered in treasures, with a soft waist and milk-scented chest... ptooey!*

*I'll find a chance to try it with her. Ideally, I'll swallow that wearable artifact of hers along with this green dress—hmm, I'll have to take them off her first so the little flame doesn't burn her.*

*I’m doing this for her own good. I really am kind-hearted...*

*Right, there are also the eleven Mahua corpses; I can feed those to the little flame first!*

Just as Qin Zheng thought this, he heard Xie Qingluan’s voice, full of gathered courage: "I will enter his sea of consciousness to see!"

Xie Qingluan was indeed gritting her teeth. Qin Zheng’s sea of consciousness was clearly strange; even Yang Fengqing, a fourth-rank martial artist, had suffered heavy damage.

Crucially, entering someone else's mind meant inevitably seeing some unsightly memories, especially from this lecherous man who could entertain all the top courtesans at once.

As a cold, noble daughter of heaven, she obviously wasn't like the crude martial artist Yang Fengqing, who had no such reservations.

But Qin Zheng was still shivering against her, and it was all because he had saved her. She had no choice, and there was nothing more embarrassing than this!

At that moment, she felt the head of the man in her arms stir, pressing against her chest and deforming it, but there was finally a sign of him waking up.

She felt a surge of energy, pushed Qin Zheng’s head, and patted his face. Her tone, filled with unbearable shyness, was mixed with excitement: "How are you feeling?"

Qin Zheng opened his eyes blankly and murmured, "There’s another monster, but I’ve already stopped it! Don't be afraid. We martial artists, as long as a single breath remains, our fighting spirit will not die, and I will never let it hurt you..."

Yang Fengqing’s expression brightened, and he clapped his hands. "Excellent! He is truly the purest of martial artists, possessing the most unyielding martial intent bestowed by the Lord of War!"

He felt a sense of reflected glory, as if his own spiritual injury had healed slightly.

Xie Qingluan didn't understand the pride of martial artists, but she let out a long sigh of relief. "As long as you’re awake, that’s good. As long as you have a shred of consciousness left, I can save you!"

Thinking of Qin Zheng’s delirious murmurs, still telling her not to be afraid, her heart softened involuntarily.

However, she quickly regained her composure. Taking advantage of the moment Qin Zheng spoke and lifted his head, she reached into her bosom and took out a small sachet embroidered with clouds.

***

As the sachet opened, a fragrant medicinal scent wafted out, rich and aromatic. Just one whiff made one feel relaxed and refreshed.

Her senses and spiritual awareness felt a cool sensation, containing vibrant vitality.

Then, a bean-sized pill slid into her pale, white hand. It was crystal clear, with an inch of shimmering light radiating from it, each ray distinct and brilliant.

Yang Fengqing stared at the pill, his eyes fixed and burning with heat. He swallowed hard and said excitedly, "Is this... the Spirit-Nourishing Pill? The divine pill refined by the Overseer using Nine-Nether Red Lotuses, specifically for healing spiritual injuries?"

Xie Qingluan glanced at Yang Fengqing, her eyes calm. "My teacher only refined six of these in sixty years, and I only got one to save my life! As for Lord Yang’s injuries, please find another way. I am afraid I cannot help you."

Then, she looked at Qin Zheng, her gaze softening. "Open your mouth!"

Qin Zheng heard how precious the Spirit-Nourishing Pill was—it was something Xie Qingluan had kept to save her own life—and felt a wave of shame.

*I took your immortal peach, and you repay me with precious jade... This is basically forcing me to marry you and take responsibility...*

Qin Zheng slowly shook his head, rubbed his temples, and pondered for a moment before looking stunned. "I was injured and unconscious? Strange, I’m suddenly fine! Where are the bodies of those eleven monsters? Monkey brains are good for the brain; they should help stabilize my injuries!"

Yang Fengqing was stunned, then let out a heavy sigh. "As expected of the martial intent bestowed by the Lord of War; I am not his match! His consciousness is clearly in disarray, yet he still wants to eat the monster’s flesh raw, fighting to the death!"

*Eat monster flesh raw?*

Xie Qingluan frowned slightly, somewhat repulsed by the crude intentions of this crude martial artist. She balled her pale fist and tapped Qin Zheng’s chin, taking the chance while he was open-mouthed to slide the Spirit-Nourishing Pill inside.

Qin Zheng coughed violently. *Such a precious medicine, I, Qin Conan, am unworthy...*

However, those slender fingers reached directly into his mouth and gave a firm push, sending the entire pill down his throat.

"I was afraid of hurting you, so I didn't dare use my internal energy..."

A crimson blush rose on Xie Qingluan’s face, but she sighed sadly. "Alas, your consciousness is in such a mess that you can't even understand what I’m saying!"

She frowned as she looked at the saliva on her fingers, wiped it off on Qin Zheng’s face in disgust, and then pushed the dazed Qin Zheng to the side.

Xie Qingluan stood up quickly, composed herself, and said to Yang Fengqing, "The case is settled. I must return to the Astrological Bureau to report to my teacher immediately. He is out of danger; I leave him to you..."

After saying this, she didn't wait for Yang Fengqing’s reply and walked away, stumbling slightly.

Qin Zheng looked at Xie Qingluan’s retreating back, speechless—

*Junior Sister, I really just wanted to avoid the mess behind this case; I didn't mean to scam you out of your pill. If the truth comes out later, you must listen to my explanation...*

Suddenly, he felt the effect of the medicine take hold. Infinite vitality surged within his sea of consciousness, all of it rushing toward that little flame.

The little flame burned brighter and brighter, conveying joy and excitement to him while feeding purer energy back into his limbs and bones.

His body convulsed in a strange transformation, feeling incredibly comfortable, but his consciousness gradually dimmed amidst the surging heat waves of his sea of consciousness.

He finally realized: *If I can reach the Spirit-Refining Realm, I can manipulate my spiritual sense and communicate with this little flame, making it work for me!*

Thinking of this, his dimming consciousness suddenly became excited—*If I can use the little flame, won't I be able to take down Yang Fengqing in one punch!*

*No, I can't get ahead of myself. Neither Yang Fengqing nor Cui Guangyuan will just stand there and let me hit them. Cui Guangyuan, with his 'Law's Net is Vast,' could slice me to pieces before I even got close...*

*But the priority is those eleven 'Mahua' corpses. I must feed them to the little flame!*

Dazed, Qin Zheng grabbed Yang Fengqing’s sleeve and said solemnly, "My Lord, what about those eleven monster corpses? I have a great use for them!"

Yang Fengqing looked at Qin Zheng with pity, his own demeanor withered. He comforted him, "Don't worry, I will avenge you and tear them into pieces! Your consciousness is wounded, so you shouldn't overthink. Get some sleep!"

Then, the fourth-rank martial artist didn't wait for Qin Zheng to respond and tapped him sharply on the forehead.

Qin Zheng’s head sank instantly. His last thought before blacking out was—*Damn you, you crude martial artist!*