"I do not believe you truly wish to live here," Han Yue said softly as she settled beside her younger sister on the edge of the wide bed, reaching out to tap Han Xue lightly on the forehead. "What you truly desire is a palace of your own, is it not?"
"Hehe, as expected—nothing escapes Big Sister's eyes." Han Xue giggled, rolling sideways to nestle against Han Yue's shoulder like a contented kitten.
"This matter rests entirely with you," Han Yue replied gently. "Big Sister cannot assist you too greatly in this regard. For the time being, you may remain here with me. However… there will be nights when I do not return to rest in this chamber."
Han Xue blinked in confusion, tilting her head. "Hm? Elder Sister, what do you mean by that?"
"Exactly what the words imply." Han Yue's lips curved in a faint, knowing smile. "Sometimes I go into secluded cultivation and do not return until dawn. Other times…" She let the sentence trail away, leaving the rest unspoken.
Han Xue frowned in thought for a moment before her eyes suddenly widened in realization. "Ohhh~ I understand now. I understand perfectly, don't I?"
She leaned close, pressing her lips to Han Yue's ear and whispering a few teasing sentences.
Han Yue's snow-white cheeks instantly flushed a delicate peach. She swatted Han Xue's rounded backside in playful reprimand. "So young, and already learning such improper things. Where did you pick up all these bad habits?"
"Hehe, I am no longer a child, all right? I am already grown. I am not completely ignorant of the world." Han Xue rubbed her cheek against Han Yue's shoulder, voice full of smug satisfaction.
"Yes, yes, yes—you know everything now, do you not?" Han Yue pinched her sister's soft cheek, feigning sternness even as laughter danced in her eyes.
The two sisters immediately dissolved into playful tussling, rolling across the wide mattress in a tangle of silk and laughter.
...
The following morning.
In the broad martial training ground behind the Eternal Heaven Palace, Han Yue and Xiao Jietian were engaged in a serious exchange of Dou Techniques.
Han Yue continuously channeled her ice-attributed profound energy, weaving dense veils of chilling mist to blunt the edge of Xiao Jietian's halberd strikes. Her teeth were clenched, every ounce of focus poured into defense as she resisted the relentless pressure.
Xiao Jietian's halberd moved like flowing mercury—swift, precise, and utterly without mercy.
Each strike carried the weight of mountains; each sweep stirred howling gales of flame-tinged Dou Qi.
Han Yue's breathing grew labored. Her cheeks flushed crimson from exertion; sweat beaded along her brow and trickled down her slender neck. Her ice-mist barriers steadily thinned under the onslaught.
Seeing her nearing the limit, Xiao Jietian deliberately increased the tempo of his assault.
Under the storm of halberd-shadows and blazing Dou Techniques, Han Yue's defenses finally began to buckle. Her slender frame trembled uncontrollably; her legs felt as though they were made of cotton.
Yet even so, she refused to yield.
Xiao Jietian seized the opening he had been waiting for. The tip of his halberd flickered like a striking serpent, piercing straight toward her weakest point.
Han Yue's entire body stiffened as the strike landed true.
Without giving her a single breath to recover, Xiao Jietian pressed forward mercilessly.
"One Halberd — Cold Light Pierces Thirteen Provinces!"
A terrifying surge of Dou Qi erupted from the halberd's edge, transforming into a blazing comet that roared toward Han Yue.
Alarm flashed through her eyes. In desperation she cried out, summoning her strongest countermeasure.
"Ice · Water Dragon Devour!"
A powerful vortex of suction force exploded outward from her body, attempting to seize and immobilize Xiao Jietian's halberd mid-thrust.
Xiao Jietian merely snorted softly. He poured more profound energy into his weapon; the suction shattered like thin ice beneath a hammer. The halberd continued inexorably forward.
"I will not yield so easily! Come—strike me with everything you have!!"
Han Yue refused to retreat. She shouted fiercely, meeting his assault head-on with desperate courage.
"Is that so?" Xiao Jietian's eyes gleamed with approval. "Then I shall no longer hold back!"
The two figures danced across the training ground in a dazzling blur of ice and flame.
Halberd-shadows clashed against frost-lances; blazing waves collided with freezing tempests. The entire field was torn apart—craters pockmarked the earth, jade tiles cracked, and howling winds tore at the surrounding pavilions.
After dozens of exchanges, both sides had pushed themselves to the limit.
Finally, Xiao Jietian gathered his strength. The halberd's tip blazed with concentrated fire-attribute Dou Qi before lancing forward in a decisive thrust.
"So hot—!"
Han Yue immediately sensed the terrifying heat contained within the strike. Instinctively she summoned every last trace of her ice-cold profound energy to meet it.
The two opposing forces collided in midair—scorching flames against eternal frost.
Yet Xiao Jietian's cultivation was simply too deep. The blazing Dou Qi broke through her defenses and struck her squarely.
Unable to resist any longer, Han Yue's body went limp. She floated backward like a fallen snowflake.
Xiao Jietian flashed forward in an instant, catching her falling form securely in his arms.
This sparring session ultimately ended in Han Yue's complete defeat.
Even after such a fierce exchange, Xiao Jietian—bolstered by multiple heaven-defying physiques—only breathed slightly heavier than usual.
The disparity in their strength was painfully clear.
"Truly…you show no mercy to a woman at all. You did not even go easy on me the slightest bit," Han Yue grumbled, gently patting his arm as she pouted up at him.
"I already held back considerably. I did not even employ half my techniques," Xiao Jietian replied, stroking her sweat-dampened hair with a faint smile. "There is no other way. If I do not display true strength, how will you improve? Tell me honestly—did you gain any insights today? Did you comprehend any new applications?"
With his current cultivation, even if every lady in the rear palace joined forces against him in a sparring match, he could handle them all without breaking a sweat.
"Hmph. Next time we cross blades, I will definitely defeat you." Han Yue huffed indignantly, leaning forward to bite his shoulder in playful retaliation.
"Yes, yes, yes. I shall await your triumphant revenge with eager anticipation, hahahaha!" Xiao Jietian laughed heartily, completely unruffled.
Just then, the transmission stone at his waist vibrated softly.
He retrieved it and saw that the message came from Xun'er.
It had been quite some time since he last received word from her.
She had been in deep seclusion, refining and stabilizing the awakened power of her ancient bloodline. Only today had she finally emerged.
Xiao Jietian read the message carefully. His expression grew strange—equal parts relief, excitement, and a trace of bewildered amusement.
Han Yue noticed the change. "What is it?"
"You will understand when you see." He passed the transmission stone to her without hesitation.
Han Yue accepted it and began to read.
The moment she reached the contents, her eyes widened. A massive wave of sweetness and second-hand embarrassment flooded her heart.
Seeing her strange expression, Xiao Jietian reminded her dryly, "I did not ask you to read the earlier parts. Look at the latter section."
"No—I want to see everything," Han Yue muttered, cheeks flushing as she continued scrolling.
She glanced between herself, Xiao Jietian, and the words on the jade slip. For some inexplicable reason, a thrilling sensation rose in her chest.
When she finally finished and saw Xiao Jietian watching her with a helpless expression, she could not help bursting into delighted laughter.
"I never expected Xun'er to be so fiercely protective," she said, handing the stone back and nestling into his embrace. "Xun'er truly is perfect in every way. You are truly blessed."
"That is merely because my charm is too great," Xiao Jietian replied with a smug grin, wrapping both arms around her.
Inwardly, he felt an immense satisfaction.
A husband-protecting treasure indeed!
"Speaking of which… when will Xun'er finally be able to return? It has been so long since I last saw her. After all this time, she must have grown even more beautiful."
Han Yue recalled the last time she had seen Xun'er—the girl had still carried a trace of youthful greenness, innocent and pure.
"Soon," Xiao Jietian answered, lips curving faintly at the thought of her. "It is not yet the proper moment, but now that she has emerged from seclusion, her return should not be far off."
"However, she is still prioritizing the full awakening of her bloodline power. Once that is complete… our sisters will finally be reunited in truth."
Although Han Yue, Ya Fei, and the others had not spent much time with Xun'er, every one of them held her in the highest respect as their Eldest Sister.
Even Queen Medusa was no exception.
Xun'er possessed an innate charisma that commanded loyalty and affection from all who knew her.