Xiao Jietian appeared directly inside the study. He sat down on a chair and casually released a wisp of his aura.
"Who's there?"
Hu Jia immediately sensed the presence of an extra person in the room and shouted in a low voice.
With a wave of his hand, Xiao Jietian isolated the sound, preventing it from leaking outside. Otherwise, countless people would have rushed in.
When Hu Jia looked up and saw that familiar handsome, refined face, she was momentarily stunned. Then she quickly recovered, her beautiful large eyes rolling as she said with a hint of sarcasm, "Oh? How does someone as busy as you have time to come here?"
Deep down, Hu Jia was genuinely happy to see Xiao Jietian. After all, he had always been the person she chased after and the one who had helped her establish herself in the Inner Academy.
In the Outer Academy, she had been known as the Little Enchantress, but without Xiao Jietian's support, it would have been nearly impossible for her to reach her current position in the Inner Academy.
However, the moment she remembered how Xiao Jietian always treated her like free labor, her smile faded.
"Tiger Girl, in the academy, you should address me by my proper title. Understand?" Xiao Jietian looked at the sarcastic Hu Jia and retorted without mercy.
"Elder Xiao, Elder Xiao, Elder Xiao!" Hu Jia glared at his 'call me that or else' expression and reluctantly repeated the words several times. "Satisfied now? And stop calling me Tiger Girl. My name is Hu Jia."
"Alright, Tiger Girl."
"I know, Tiger Girl."
"I can't take it anymore! I'm going to bite you to death!"
Unable to hold back, Hu Jia unleashed her movement technique and pounced straight at Xiao Jietian, baring her small tiger-like teeth as she aimed to bite him.
But in front of Xiao Jietian, her speed was no different from a snail's. He easily froze her in mid-air and pinched her chin.
"Don't get your saliva on me. Also, why is your temper so fiery? That's not good."
"Mmm… mmm… mmm~!"
Hu Jia wanted to retort, but with her chin held and her body restrained, she could only make muffled, indignant noises.
Xiao Jietian casually took out a pill and flicked it into her mouth. The pill melted instantly. Only then did he release her from the confinement.
"What did you just feed me?!" Hu Jia rubbed her sore cheeks and mouth, glaring at him.
"Aphrodisiac," Xiao Jietian replied, trying to scare her.
"Then why aren't I blushing and burning with desire right now?"
Hu Jia raised an eyebrow. She wasn't so easily fooled, but a tiny trace of panic still flashed in her heart.
Seeing her pretend to be calm, Xiao Jietian secretly chuckled. He leaned back in the chair and said playfully, "It's not time yet. Just wait a little longer."
"Then your medicine is really useless if it even needs time to take effect." Hu Jia rolled her eyes, but right after she spoke, she felt her body growing strangely warm, as if something was burning inside her.
"No… are you serious?" Hu Jia's expression instantly turned flustered.
"Of course…" Xiao Jietian deliberately dragged out his words, watching her panic grow. Then he smiled and finished, "Of course not. This is a Marrow Cleansing Pill. It can greatly improve your cultivation aptitude."
The pill Xiao Jietian had given her was a freshly refined seventh-grade Marrow Cleansing Pill.
Yun Yun and the others had all taken it before, but because of their special physiques, the effect had been minimal. For ordinary cultivators like Hu Jia, however, its benefits were immense.
Hu Jia and the other two had worked tirelessly to manage Pan Gate for him. This pill was his way of rewarding them.
"Ah!! I'm going to fight you to the death! Watch me bite you!" Realizing she had been tricked, Hu Jia shrieked in anger and lunged at him again.
Xiao Jietian dodged with a casual flash. With a wave of his hand, Hu Jia's body was forcibly returned to her seat.
"Give these two pills to Wu Hao and Xiao Yu."
After speaking, Xiao Jietian turned and left, his voice lingering in the air:
"Also, little tiger teeth aren't just for biting people, you know~"
Hearing his parting words, Hu Jia was momentarily confused. But she wasn't naive. After thinking for a second, she understood the implication and immediately flushed with fury.
"Get out! Get out of here right now!"
"Hmph! I'll let you off this time because of the pill, but if I catch you again, I really will bite you to death!"
Hu Jia knew that Xiao Jietian had deliberately teased her so she wouldn't feel too embarrassed accepting such a valuable gift. Still, she couldn't help grinding her teeth in resentment.
Feeling sticky and smelling unpleasant, Hu Jia turned and ran towards her room.
The next day, when the sun hung high in the sky, Xiao Jietian slowly woke up inside Qing Lin's palace.
Lying beside him were two breathtaking women—one with soft green hair, the other with flowing silver strands—both still deep in exhausted, satisfied slumber.
Recalling the exotic and passionate flavors of the previous night, the corners of Xiao Jietian's mouth curled into a contented smile.
"You two lazy little pigs, time to wake up."
Xiao Jietian gave each of their soft bottoms a gentle pat.
The two women stirred groggily, their long lashes fluttering open.
"Qing'er, today I'm taking you somewhere special to get something you need. Yue'er, would you like to come along?"
Xiao Jietian looked at the adorable Qing Lin and pulled her into his embrace as he spoke.
"No, Young Master… you've already given me more than enough," Qing Lin hurriedly shook her head, her body instinctively shrinking back a little.
Han Yue, lying on his other side, also showed clear refusal. She crossed her arms and said directly, "You can go find the others. We don't want any more."
Seeing their guarded expressions, Xiao Jietian rubbed his forehead helplessly.
"What exactly are you two imagining? Do I look like that kind of person?"
"No."
"Because you *are* that kind of person."
Han Yue and Qing Lin answered in perfect unison, their voices crisp and synchronized.
"Slap! Slap!"
Xiao Jietian immediately delivered two crisp smacks to their bottoms.
"I plan to take Qing Lin to obtain something she desperately needs—something that will be extremely useful to her in the future."
"Really?"
Han Yue looked at him suspiciously, her face full of disbelief.
"What is it, Young Master~?" Qing Lin leaned closer, her voice carrying a hint of seductive curiosity as she gazed up at him.
"It's similar to the snake soul I gave you before, but far, far better."
Xiao Jietian gently caressed Qing Lin's delicate face, his tone serious.
"Then… when we go get this soul, will Young Master be in danger? If so, Qing Lin doesn't want it."
Qing Lin's words warmed Xiao Jietian's heart. He couldn't help pulling her tightly into his arms.
He had originally planned for her to retrieve the soul herself, but there shouldn't be much danger involved.
"I won't be in any danger. However, you will need to subdue it yourself. Are you willing to try?"
"Qing Lin can do it." Qing Lin nodded firmly, not wanting to disappoint her Young Master. "Qing Lin will help Young Master get up and wash."
With that, she slipped out of his embrace. Han Yue also rose from the bed.
Under the attentive service of the two women, it took Xiao Jietian more than ten minutes to get dressed—during which he received quite a few pointed glares.
After washing up and changing, the three of them walked out of the palace gates together.
Xiao Jietian briefly informed Yun Yun, Little Fairy Doctor, and the others about their plans.
None of them expressed any desire to follow. They simply smiled and told the three to enjoy their own little world.
After leaving Eternal Heaven World, the trio was in no hurry. They strolled leisurely through the cities along the route.
The two women shopped to their hearts' content—buying things for themselves and gifts for their sisters.
Xiao Jietian also visited various apothecaries, acquiring many rare medicinal herbs and picking up several overlooked treasures.
Along the way, laughter and playful chatter never ceased. Their smiles never faded.
Han Yue, in particular, had completely shed her usual aloof and detached demeanor. She now looked like an ordinary young girl, holding hands with Qing Lin and excitedly pointing at everything around them.
Xiao Jietian followed a few steps behind, watching them with gentle eyes.
Both Qing Lin and Han Yue had carried heavy burdens in the past.
Qing Lin had suffered from deep self-esteem issues due to lifelong discrimination because of her eyes.
Han Yue had forced herself to abandon all girlish sentiments under the weight of her clan's expectations, maintaining a cold and distant front.
Now, thanks to Xiao Jietian, both had completely changed their fates. They no longer had anything to worry about and could finally return to their true, lively selves.
The three traveled at a relaxed pace, stopping frequently to enjoy the scenery. It took them a full three days to finally arrive within the territory of the Heavenly Serpent Mansion in the Heavenly Serpent Nation.
The journey from the Black-Corner Region to the Heavenly Serpent Nation required crossing the Black Domain Great Plains, but with Xiao Jietian's strength, that posed no issue at all.
…
Using the intelligence gathered by Boundless Heaven Hall, they soon reached the vicinity of the Heavenly Serpent Mansion's stronghold.
The entire sect was built against a towering mountain. At the foot of that mountain lay a massive city.
Xiao Jietian and the two women did not head straight for the stronghold. Instead, they first took a leisurely stroll through the foreign city to satisfy the girls' curiosity.
"This place isn't nearly as nice as our Eternal Heaven City," Qing Lin remarked, looking at the snake-themed architecture and the countless snake totems carved into the walls. The overall atmosphere felt somewhat eerie.
"It does match the name, though," Han Yue nodded in agreement.
After browsing the goods sold in the city for a while, the two women quickly lost interest.
After all, most girls only liked cute and beautiful things. Very few had any fondness for snakes.
Of course… there was one particular "snake" they all loved—Xiao Jietian's big python.
Xiao Jietian quietly sensed a five-star Dou Zong aura coming from inside the Heavenly Serpent Mansion's main stronghold. That was most likely the Mansion Master himself.
"Do you two still want to look around?" he asked, noticing their waning enthusiasm.
"No need. The things here aren't pretty, and we've seen enough. It's time to get down to business," the two women replied in unison.
Truly comrades who had faced many challenges together—their understanding was flawless.
"Then let's prepare to act."
Xiao Jietian gently patted both their heads. They nodded obediently.
"You lowly commoners, do you know who our young master is?"
"It's your honor that our young master has even taken a fancy to your daughter!"
Several arrogant voices suddenly reached their ears.
A short distance away, several men wearing guard uniforms embroidered with snake totems had surrounded a middle-aged man and a young woman.
Onlookers in the vicinity watched from afar, their expressions full of pity for the father and daughter, yet no one dared to speak up.
At the front of the group of guards stood a handsome but pale young man—clearly someone whose body had been hollowed out by years of wine and women.
Xiao Jietian sensed the same bloodline aura on this youth as the five-star Dou Zong inside the stronghold. A plan instantly formed in his mind.
He had originally intended to directly seize the Ancient Heavenly Serpent's soul, but now it seemed there was no need for such crude methods. It might even be obtained with ease.
After all, this world wasn't just about fighting and killing—it was also about "social graces."
The two women noticed the sly smile on Xiao Jietian's face and immediately felt a moment of silent mourning for the pale young man.
Whenever he wore that particular expression, it meant he had come up with some mischievous scheme.
"Beauty, I advise you to come with me obediently. Don't make any pointless resistance, alright?"
The young man spoke with a wicked grin. After finishing, he waved his hand at his guards.
The guards rubbed their hands together eagerly, leering as they advanced toward the terrified father and daughter.
"Bang!!"
Before they could take more than a few steps, a powerful force slammed into them, sending every guard flying in perfect arcs through the air. They crashed lifelessly to the ground.
At the same time, the pale young man was suddenly lifted into the air by a hand gripping his throat.
"Who are you?! Do you know my identity?! I advise you not to meddle, or you'll lose your own life!"
Even in this situation, the young man still tried to threaten, clearly accustomed to acting tyrannically.
"You don't need to know who I am. Just answer whatever I ask. Understand?"
Xiao Jietian's voice was ice-cold, like an echo from the depths of hell. His grip tightened slightly.
Feeling the terrifying sensation of death and suffocation closing in, the young man frantically nodded.