The morning sun had just crested the palace eaves when Xiao Jietian gazed upon Medusa. She lay sprawled upon the jade platform, eyes vacant and distant, her lithe form still quivering from the relentless storm of Dou Techniques he had unleashed during their dawn spar. Bruises bloomed like plum blossoms across her alabaster skin, yet even in exhaustion she radiated an untamed allure.
A strange tide rose within him—invincibility laced with solitude. The Half-Saint frame paired with the Nine-Colored Heaven Swallowing Python bloodline was formidable indeed, yet his own Five Elemental Thunder God Body and Indestructible Diamond Physique stood supreme, unyielding as ancient mountains.
He plucked a spirit fruit from a nearby tray, its essence flooding his depleted Dou Qi meridians like spring rain reviving parched earth. With a casual flick of his sleeve, he strode toward the bathhouse, craving the soothing immersion of hot springs and fragrant vapors.
Scarcely had he departed when Little Fairy Doctor and the others stepped in from the palace courtyard. They had watched the entire night-long duel from the shadows. Of course, the two mischievous little ones—Hu Jia and Han Xue—had been barred from the spectacle; Little Fairy Doctor and the rest had unceremoniously bundled them back to Hu Jia's quarters.
Gazing upon Medusa's battered yet strangely serene form, pity stirred in their hearts. Last night's cries had echoed far across the Eternal Heaven Palace—heart-rending, almost mournful.
Yet the moment they drew near, Medusa abruptly sat up. A sly, fox-like smile curved her crimson lips.
Little Fairy Doctor blinked in astonishment. Ya Fei, ever sharp-witted, voiced the question on everyone's mind: "Fei Yan, how are you… perfectly fine?"
Medusa's narrow eyes glittered with mischief. "Perfectly fine? Of course I am. Have you forgotten Xiao Jietian's other identity? But you sisters… later, you won't be."
Yun Yun and the rest instantly understood. The man was none other than an eighth-grade high-tier alchemist. Some secret restorative pill or wondrous technique had clearly shielded Medusa from true harm.
"No—run!" Ya Fei cried, realization dawning like lightning. The two of them had conspired, baiting a trap to lure the rest into the net.
A low chuckle drifted from the entrance. "Oh? Everyone's gathered. Looking for me? Then allow your husband to entertain you properly."
Bang!
The grand palace gates slammed shut with an earth-shaking resonance, sealing all escape.
...…
In the end, the six peerless warriors of Eternal Heaven Palace united against one man—and suffered utter, crushing defeat.
Ten days passed in the blink of an eye.
Within Medusa's chambers, the six women sat in weary council. Medusa in particular looked drained, her usual regal bearing softened by fatigue.
Little Fairy Doctor swept her gaze across her sisters. "We cannot continue like this. It hinders our path of conquest far too greatly."
"Truly outrageous—utterly inhumane," another muttered. "I'm on the verge of collapse."
Medusa's voice came weakest of all. "I… have borne the brunt."
After prolonged discussion, the six reached a solemn accord.
The following dawn.
A voice thick with exasperation shattered the quiet:
"Are you a dog that never knows satisfaction? I can't endure you any longer—get out! Go pester someone else!"
Six surges of profound power erupted in unison.
Han Xue, Hu Jia, Xiao Jietian's two young daughters, and even the toddling infant froze, stunned by the sudden thunder.
Another voice followed, cold and final: "And you two—out as well!"
The remaining toddler—who could scarcely walk—trembled alongside Han Xue and Hu Jia.
High above a certain mountain range in the Southern Domain of the Central Plains, space itself rippled violently. Six slender, jade-white feet lashed out in perfect harmony, propelling a single figure through the tear in reality.
As he tumbled outward, the man casually brushed those six exquisite feet with his fingertips—then plummeted toward the peaks below.
This figure was none other than Xiao Jietian, the very tormentor who had driven Medusa and her sisters to the edge of dread.
He had long overheard their whispered conspiracy. Rather than resist, he had allowed the net to close, content to be "captured."
With the boundless authority he had bestowed upon them, none in the Eternal Heaven World could truly expel him—unless he permitted it.
Xiao Jietian drifted downward like a falling leaf, alighting gently upon a grassy knoll. From the spatial rift above, two tiny figures soon followed, hurtling toward him.
Two more small forms tumbled out right after.
"Daddy! Catch us quickly, or you'll lose your two super adorable daughters!"
One petite silhouette—features faintly echoing Yun Yun's graceful beauty—belonged to Xiao Ling. She called out cheerfully even as she fell.
Xiao Jietian swept them into his arms one by one, cradling them close. "Already Dou Emperors, yet you've forgotten how to manifest Dou Qi wings?"
Xiao Ling stuck out her tongue. "Hehe, I just got startled for a moment."
Beside her, another little girl—features more akin to Ya Fei's refined allure, yet calmer and more composed—giggled softly. This was Xiao Meng, daughter of Ya Fei and Xiao Jietian.
"By the way, Daddy," Xiao Meng asked, blinking large eyes, "how did you anger Mommy and the others? My sister and I were behaving perfectly, yet suddenly we were thrown out too."
"Perhaps you two were simply too naughty and spoiled their mood," Xiao Jietian replied airily.
"Because of us?" The sisters exchanged glances. Xiao Ling eyed him suspiciously. "We were extremely well-behaved today! We didn't wander off, didn't even tease passing ants. It couldn't possibly be our fault."
Xiao Meng nodded vigorously, tugging at his cheek with tiny fingers. "Exactly! This morning Mommy even praised us for being so obedient lately." She paused, tilting her head. "Besides, Daddy—you were kicked out first. We clearly heard Fei Yan Mommy's voice."
Xiao Jietian gave a light cough, swiftly changing the subject. "Ahem… perhaps your mothers have been overly weary of late. Now that you're finally outside, why not explore?"
"Oh—right!" Instantly distracted, the two hopped down and began gazing around with wide, sparkling eyes full of innocent wonder.
"Don't wander too far, understand?" Xiao Jietian called after them. He felt no true worry; soul imprints bound them to him, and their storage rings brimmed with protective treasures—many bestowed by Xun'er during her recent return, treasures that had endeared her to them even more than their own mothers.
"Got it! Daddy is so naggy," Xiao Ling muttered, already dragging Xiao Meng off to chase butterflies and climb small boulders.
"!!!"
Xiao Jietian felt as though the heavens themselves had collapsed upon him. His own daughters… disdaining him?
He straightened his disheveled robes—still bearing the clear imprint of a certain jade foot—and clasped hands behind his back, adopting his most dignified, sovereign-like posture.
A trifling hardship, truly. Yet this hardship cut deeper than any blade: wife and daughters united in rejection. How could he endure?
From afar, the two little ones whispered as they wandered:
"Meng Meng, look how pretentious Daddy is trying to act right now. If I hadn't seen the mommies kick him out, I might have believed his grand aura."
"Indeed. Look—there's even a footprint on his robe. I wonder which Mommy left that mark. So pitiful, Daddy."
Giggling, they continued their sightseeing, chattering about the day's chaos and every amusing memory that came to mind.
In the vast mountains, father and daughters drifted apart—yet the bonds of blood and mischief remained unbreakable, even amid gentle betrayal.