"Oh? I secluded myself for but a fleeting moment, yet already another peerless beauty graces this place?"
A soft, silken voice drifted near, laced with playful wickedness. "Such a supple waist~ Truly worthy of admiration."
Han Xue's entire body stiffened in an instant. Astonishment bloomed across her delicate features; fine cold sweat even appeared upon her brow.
Without a moment's thought, she unleashed every ounce of her speed, darting like a startled swallow straight toward Xiao Jietian. In the next breath she had thrown herself upon him, clinging tightly like a vine twining about an ancient pine.
As she fled, the crimson-clad figure behind her reached out with slender fingers and gave her perky rear a light, teasing pat. A charming giggle followed, tinged with the faintest trace of demonic allure:
"Not bad at all. Firm yet yielding—strong enough that she won't snap her own waist in twain. Xiao Jietian adores fine waists above all else. He calls them 'life-seizing waists'~ Hehehehe!"
She could not help but laugh delightedly once more.
Xiao Jietian's large hand supported Han Xue beneath her pert bottom. Let no one misconstrue—he merely sought to hold her securely, lest she slip and fall.
"Enough now. She is one of our own." He withdrew his other hand and gently patted her back in reassurance. "She is simply mischievous by nature—pay her no mind."
So saying, he cast a warning glance toward the instigator.
Queen Medusa merely smiled sweetly and winked at him, as though to say: *I merely lent thee an assist, did I not?*
From the very first whiff of maidenly fragrance upon Han Xue, Medusa had already guessed that Xiao Jietian had yet to claim her fully. Knowing his temperament well—if he had already tasted her, he would surely have devoured her to the last drop long ago.
Only now did Han Xue regain her senses at his soothing words. She cautiously turned her head to look upon the woman who had so startled her.
Yet the instant she did—
An exquisitely beautiful, enchantingly wicked face appeared mere inches away, so close their breaths nearly mingled.
"Ahhh!!"
Han Xue shrieked, yanking her head back and burying her face deep into the crook of Xiao Jietian's neck. Yet at the corners of her lips, a tiny, secret upward curve betrayed her.
From the moment she heard that voice and glimpsed that peerless countenance, she had already recognized her. Han Yue had once described this woman in exhaustive detail, even showing her illustrated scrolls to introduce every important figure within the Eternal Heaven Palace.
"You little minx," Xiao Jietian said helplessly. Then he raised his palm.
Pa!
Pa!
Two crisp, resounding slaps rang through the air.
Queen Medusa immediately covered her rear, glaring at him with an unconvinced pout.
Han Xue, too, clutched her own backside, staring at Xiao Jietian in wide-eyed disbelief and deep grievance. Her voice quavered with wounded innocence:
"I am clearly the victim here—why then didst thou strike me as well?"
"You little drama queen! Thinkest thou I know thee not?" Xiao Jietian flicked her forehead lightly with one finger.
One must not be deceived by her present timid act. This woman had once been a formidable matriarch, commanding the entire Han merchant caravan with iron resolve. How could a mere playful scare truly frighten her?
She was cunning to the bone—ever ready to seize any advantage that presented itself.
"Hehehe…" Exposed, Han Xue could only give a sheepish laugh. She promptly fell silent, feigning deafness, and showed not the slightest intention of descending. Instead she continued to cling to him like a koala upon a tree.
"Wilt thou not introduce me properly?" Medusa asked, slinking closer with sinuous grace, her snake-like waist swaying enticingly. She extended the tip of her tongue and lightly traced his earlobe, voice dripping with bewitching sweetness.
"She is Yue'er's younger sister—Han Xue."
Xiao Jietian's breathing hitched for the briefest moment before smoothing once more. Among all his women, none excelled at stirring desire quite like Medusa and Ya Fei.
Han Xue lifted her head and offered the warmest, sweetest greeting:
"Sister Fei Yan, greetings. Thou mayst call me Xue'er, or Little Xue if it pleases thee. My elder sister has spoken of thee often—I never imagined thou wouldst be twice as beautiful as she described~"
"Not bad, not bad at all. Thou art sensible and sweet-tongued. I like thee greatly." Medusa shot Xiao Jietian a triumphant glance, deliberately quoting lines from the martial tales he had once recounted to them. "From henceforth, thou art under my personal protection."
Xiao Jietian silently offered a prayer for Han Xue's soul.
Whenever Medusa declared she would "protect" someone, that person inevitably became the prime target of her endless instigations—the undisputed number one troublemaker within the Eternal Heaven Palace.
"Thank you, Sister Fei Yan~ Elder Sister is truly peerless in beauty and kind of heart—verily my lifelong role model…" Han Xue beamed radiantly, her small mouth pouring forth an endless stream of honeyed praise.
Inwardly she mused: *Just as Elder Sister warned—Fei Yan-jie is the most tsundere of all. Praise her lavishly and without restraint… provided she has already accepted thee. Otherwise, no amount of flattery will save thee from being plucked like a chicken.*
Medusa's chin lifted ever so slightly; the corners of her lips could no longer be restrained.
Xiao Jietian watched one woman lavish praise with all her might while the other basked in it without shame. Dark lines crept across his brow.
"Ahem…" He hastily intervened before they could continue for an entire day. "Great Enchantress, it appears thy latest seclusion bore splendid fruit. Nine-star Dou Zun—truly commendable."
"Great Enchantress" was Medusa's exclusive title bestowed by Xiao Jietian himself. Ya Fei, by contrast, bore the moniker "Little Enchantress." At first Ya Fei had protested the diminutive, yet after Xiao Jietian's solemn and "impartial" evaluation, she had eventually accepted it with a pout.
There was simply no helping it—when hard power fell short, soft power could not compensate either.
Back then, he had expended great effort consoling the aggrieved Ya Fei, who had seized the chance to act spoiled without restraint.
Upon hearing "Nine-star Dou Zun," Han Xue's beautiful eyes widened in shock. A hundred of her combined strength would not suffice to withstand even a single palm from such a being.
"Sister Fei Yan is truly extraordinary! From this day forth, Xue'er shall follow closely at thy side!" The little flatterer activated her ultimate technique without hesitation.
"Ahem… 'tis merely so-so. Only Nine-star Dou Zun—nothing worthy of note." Medusa gave a light cough, striving to maintain an air of nonchalance, yet the upward curve of her lips utterly betrayed her.
Still, deep within her gaze flickered a trace of gratitude that no one else perceived.
Were it not for Xiao Jietian's aid all those years ago—were she to have relied solely upon the Heavenly Flame for her evolution—she would long since have been reduced to ashes. To say nothing of awakening her present Seven-Colored Heaven-Devouring Python bloodline.
Though his original motives had been far from pure… she remained the greatest beneficiary.
"Were I blessed with even half of Sister Fei Yan's talent, I would awaken from slumber laughing in delight. Not only peerlessly beautiful, but talent so heaven-defying… thou art truly the aspiration of every woman in the world…"
Han Xue's voice suddenly faltered.
Her entire body stiffened. A flush swiftly climbed from her neck to her cheeks. Without time to think, she shyly buried her face once more into Xiao Jietian's neck, all further praise dying upon her lips.
The culprit, naturally, was Xiao Jietian himself.
Medusa lowered her gaze and cast a playful glance toward the large hand gently kneading Han Xue's pert rear. An enchanting smile curved her lips.
"I am merely soothing the pain from her earlier spanking," Xiao Jietian declared with the utmost solemnity, face perfectly straight as he spoke utter nonsense.
Han Xue's face instantly burned scarlet—even her ears turned the color of fresh blood.
She was so mortified she wished she could burrow straight into his body and vanish. If Han Yue were to witness this scene, she would surely tease her mercilessly. Usually, when the two sisters lay together at night gossiping, Han Xue loved to declare: *"Sister, thou art no better. I am far less shy than thee."*
"Hmph. I never believe a word from that deceitful mouth of thine—most skilled at beguiling maidens." Medusa stared fixedly at him, attempting to probe his cultivation realm, yet sensing naught. She added with feigned disdain, "No matter. Even now, I could subdue thee with but a single strike."
Xiao Jietian silently thought: *Hast thou not already experienced its… other uses?*
While his attention wandered for that brief instant—
Medusa abruptly extended her hand and seized toward him without warning.