The two lolis were instantly startled and threw punches backward without thinking—only to realize it was Xiao Jietian at the last second and hurriedly pull their fists back.
"Trying to murder your own master?" Xiao Jietian gave each of them a firm rap on the head with his knuckles.
Both girls immediately clutched their heads and winced in pain.
"Who told you to sneak up behind us and scare us like that?!" Zi Yan planted both hands on her hips, glaring defiantly.
"I've been standing here for quite a while. You two were just too absorbed in your little conspiracy to notice."
"Then… then did you hear anything we said?" Zi Yan panicked instantly. If Xiao Jietian had overheard their whispered plan to steal whatever mysterious "good stuff" he had given Sister Fei Yan to drink, how could she ever carry out the heist in the future?
Back then she had only caught a blocked glimpse—couldn't see exactly what Medusa was drinking, only the faint residue left on her lips and the way she swallowed.
"Why would I waste time eavesdropping on you two? I'm not *that* bored," Xiao Jietian said, reaching out to pinch Zi Yan's soft, baby-fat cheeks.
Whether he was telling the truth or not… only Xiao Jietian himself knew.
Hearing this, both Zi Yan and Xiao Huiying let out visible sighs of relief. Crisis narrowly averted—they had almost failed before even starting.
"Xiao Jietian, do you think this scorpion is edible?" Zi Yan tugged on his sleeve and asked with hopeful eyes.
"You *can* eat it. After you do, you'll turn into a little green person—the kind covered in pincers. Still want to try?"
Xiao Jietian gave her a sidelong glance. Truly a glutton through and through.
Zi Yan's face turned ashen in an instant. She frantically waved her hands, then delivered a vicious kick to the giant scorpion corpse, sending it flying.
Xiao Jietian made a casual grasping motion in the air.
The airborne scorpion exploded with a muffled *pop*. A stream of light shot out and landed neatly in his palm—a Level Six poison-attribute Magic Core.
"You wasteful little thing. This is a poison-attribute Level Six Magic Core—perfect for your Sister Xian'er. Don't waste good materials."
After putting the core away, he turned to Zi Yan with a mischievous smile.
"Little Zi Yan, does your foot hurt from kicking so hard? Want me to rub it for you?"
Zi Yan had been momentarily touched by the first half of his words—until the second half registered. Without hesitation she kicked him square in the shin.
*You almost had me!*
Xiao Huiying watched the two bickering and couldn't help covering her mouth to hide a smile.
Noticing her reaction, Xiao Jietian deliberately pointed at the faint water stains still visible on his robe. Xiao Huiying's face instantly flushed apple-red. A burst of Dou Qi swept out, and the stains vanished without a trace.
Truly a perfect inheritance of the Xiao family's "destroy-the-evidence" technique.
"Sister Hui Ying, let's go dig for medicinal herbs! I can sense a lot of good stuff nearby."
Zi Yan, being unusually sensible, knew Xiao Jietian would have official matters to discuss with the others soon. She grabbed Xiao Huiying's hand and pulled her away. Besides, she really *did* sense quite a few valuable herbs in the vicinity.
Watching the two little figures scamper off, Xiao Jietian felt genuinely relieved. With Xiao Huiying there, no danger would come near them.
He turned his gaze back to the battlefield.
The Jia Ma Empire's forces were busy cleaning up the aftermath. Most of the Three Great Empires' soldiers had either fled in panic or died on the spot.
Xiao Jietian flashed onto the city wall.
The remaining top powerhouses of the Jia Ma Empire were gathered there. "Remaining" didn't mean they were the only survivors—rather, Yun Yun, Hai Bodong, and Miteer Tengshan were now part of Boundless Heaven Hall and thus absent from the Jia Ma Empire's roster.
Seeing Xiao Jietian approach, they all offered friendly, respectful smiles—marveling inwardly at the terrifying strength he had displayed.
Xiao Jietian returned the nods and smiles politely.
Not far away, he saw Xiao Yan surrounded by two women who kept fussing over him, asking if he was hurt. Nalan Yanran in particular seemed especially possessive, sticking close to his side.
Xiao Jietian and the others watched the scene with considerable amusement. Jia Xingtian, for his part, had zero objections—he practically wished Yao Ye and Xiao Yan would get together. At such a young age, Xiao Yan was already a Dou Huang—a top-tier catch by any measure.
After staying a few more days to help clean up and stabilize the situation, the army returned triumphantly to Jia Ma Holy City.
Upon their return, Xiao Jietian released Han Yue, Qing Lin, and the others from his spatial ring.
He and Yun Yun took Xiao Ling and Xiao Meng to visit Cloud Mist Sect, while Ya Fei led Xiao Huiying, Han Yue, and the rest on a grand shopping spree.
Xiao Jietian's small family group stayed at Cloud Mist Sect for half a day before departing.
In front of one of the grand halls, a solitary figure watched Yun Yun cradling her child with an expression of pure happiness. He let out a long, quiet sigh and finally released the last threads of obsession that had lingered in his heart for so many years.
This person was none other than Pill King Gu He.
…
Xiao Jietian's group soon reunited with Ya Fei's shopping party.
Thanks to the overwhelmingly powerful auras surrounding them, no reckless young masters dared cause trouble.
Of course, that wasn't the only reason. Hidden in the shadows were Cloud Mist Sect's intelligence operatives and the imperial family's secret guards—any would-be troublemaker was quietly "handled" long before they could even approach.
After returning to Boundless Heaven Hall, the women gathered on Xiao Jietian's massive bed, happily dividing up their new purchases.
There were plenty of items and outfits bought specially for Yun Yun, Xiao Meng, and Xiao Ling—and, naturally, quite a few things chosen with Xiao Jietian in mind.
At the moment, Xiao Jietian had transformed into an emotionless human mirror.
The women kept changing into new clothes and accessories, twirling in front of him and asking for his honest opinion.
Xiao Jietian was currently experiencing a perfect mixture of agony and bliss.
The agony came from having to constantly come up with new ways to praise their appearances.
The bliss came from watching women who were already flawless without any adornment become even more radiant and enchanting with each new outfit and piece of jewelry.
This was a life even an emperor would envy.
Could any emperor enjoy such top-tier treatment?
Finally, running out of fresh compliments, Xiao Jietian fled to the bathroom, slipped into the large bathtub, and let the hot water soak away his exhaustion.
Just as he closed his eyes to relax, the door opened softly.
Xiao Huiying walked in.
She wore a translucent gauze dress that left little to the imagination. Her silver hair was tied into two low ponytails, and her small dragon horns peeked out shyly.
"Master… Sister Yun and the others asked me to come scrub your back… and to practice in advance."
Her voice was soft and timid.
Xiao Jietian didn't turn around—afraid of making her even more nervous. He simply flipped over and lay face-down on the edge of the tub, exposing his back.
Xiao Huiying slowly stepped into the water. Even though scrubbing tools were placed nearby, she still used her small hands to gently work on his back.
…
After the scrubbing session ended, the two left the bathtub.
Xiao Huiying stood quietly in front of him, then spoke in a small voice.
"Master… I feel that your Dou Qi is a little out of control. Are you about to be unable to suppress the backlash anymore?"
Xiao Jietian took her small hand and guided it to the proper place.
"Then… Hui Ying, will you help me calm this backlash?"
"Mhm. Hui Ying is willing to do anything for Master."
Xiao Hui Ying answered firmly.
"Then… what should I do to help Master?"
"Control your hand strength at first, then help me regulate the flow. Later you can speed up as you feel is right. When necessary, you can use the tools you carry with you to assist. Afterward, just help me clear the remaining blockages in my meridians."
Afraid she still didn't fully understand, Xiao Jietian leaned close to her ear and patiently explained the function of each "tool" in greater detail.
"I… I understand. I'll start trying now."
Xiao Huiying followed his instructions exactly. Under his gentle guidance, she gradually found the right rhythm and began using her own "tools" to assist.
Because this was her first time helping suppress a Dou Technique backlash, she was extremely nervous and careful. Fortunately, Xiao Jietian kept encouraging her, praising her progress and giving her confidence.
More than forty minutes later, Xiao Jietian's expression suddenly changed.
"Hui Ying!!"
His body trembled violently.
A terrifying backlash force instantly erupted.
He quickly grabbed her small dragon horns, pulled her tightly against his chest, and shielded her from the violent wave of energy.
"Cough… cough~"
Xiao Huiying was still shaking from the impact, coughing softly, but at least she remained unharmed on the surface.
She slowly lifted her head and swallowed the "food" that had overflowed due to the violent shaking.
This was food Master had made especially for her—she couldn't waste it.
"Master… your backlash should be fine now, right?"
Xiao Huiying asked between soft, intermittent breaths while carefully cleaning the source of the backlash force.
"It's fine now. This time I really owe it to you, Hui Ying. You're amazing—you're a genius! From now on, learn more from your Sister Fei and the others."
Xiao Jietian stroked her silver hair and praised her warmly.
"Mhm! Then I'll definitely study hard… so I can always help Master suppress the backlash."
"Alright. Then from now on… I'll be relying on you."