"But what is with this sword qi? Although Yun Yun's weapon is a sword, this aura is far too intense, is it not?"
The four stood together. Xiao Yi Xian voiced her confusion.
"Little Brother Xiao Tian must have done something. He must have given her something."
Ya Fei recalled her own special physique, which she had also obtained through Xiao Tian's mysterious methods, and hazarded a guess.
Once reminded, the others remembered Ya Fei recounting the method that had granted her a special physique.
"Then it appears to be related to the sword."
The pillar of sword qi gradually dimmed and ultimately vanished. The four made their way toward the palace.
Upon entering, they discovered the interior already in ruins. Every piece of furniture had been shredded by the sword qi. The sight was appalling.
Yun Yun hovered high in the air. Her aura surged continuously and only halted after reaching the Eight-Star Dou Emperor stage.
Yun Yun opened her eyes. A gleam of sword light flashed within them, incomparably sharp.
She straightened her posture and slowly descended to the ground.
"Elder Sister Yun Yun, though your figure is splendid—and it even appears to have grown more so—there is no need to flaunt it constantly like this."
Ya Fei remarked with a grin, studying Yun Yun's present state.
Yun Yun followed her gaze downward. Being the most reserved among them, her face instantly flushed beet red. She fumbled hurriedly to produce a set of undergarments and a long dress, putting them on.
"Younger Sister Yun Yun, what exactly is this?"
Xiao Yi Xian approached Yun Yun's side, intently examining the changes in her body. She asked with bewilderment.
*Current seniority among the girls: Medusa > Xiao Yi Xian > Yun Yun > Ya Fei > Qing Lin*
Yun Yun recounted the entire sequence of events.
"Then, Elder Sister Yun Yun, your offensive power and advancement speed will be utterly different from before. A sword is the sharpest of all weapons, and now it is coupled with your unpredictable wind attribute."
The four wore expressions of *just as expected* as they congratulated Yun Yun. Qing Lin spoke with a giggle.
"You all flatter me far too much."
Yun Yun's face shone with joy as she listened to their heartfelt blessings.
"However, Elder Sister Yun Yun, you may be in serious trouble once Xiao Tian returns."
Ya Fei leaned closer to Yun Yun with a mischievous smile, teasing her.
"Me? What is wrong?"
Yun Yun pointed at herself, completely bewildered. Question marks seemed to hover above her head.
"Why do you not turn around and examine your surroundings?"
Medusa's lips curled faintly. She spoke with cool arrogance.
Yun Yun spun around and surveyed the ruined chamber, riddled with sword marks in every direction. Her mind buzzed. Cold sweat instantly beaded upon her forehead.
"I am screwed."
---
At the same time, Xiao Tian, out in the outside world, had no inkling that his own lair had been obliterated after such a brief absence.
Miteer Tengshan had already assembled all the family members and essential personnel willing to follow.
After instructing everyone not to resist, Xiao Tian swept his hand outward. A wave of energy enveloped the entire assembly.
In the span of a single blink, Xiao Tian transported them to a city within the Eternal Dream Realm.
"Elder Hai, Elder Tengshan, this shall be your temporary residence. Please settle them first. Once we reach the Black-Corner Region, I will arrange everything properly for you."
Xiao Tian addressed the two directly and delegated the matter. Such affairs were best entrusted to them. Handling them personally would only give him a headache.
As for the possibility of anyone attempting to reach the five peaks, no cause for concern existed. The outer perimeter of the peaks was sealed off by a barrier of light. Entry was impossible without a specially issued token.
Yun Yun sensed Xiao Tian's aura manifest within the Eternal Dream Realm. Her face instantly filled with panic.
"If Xiao Tian returns, simply inform him that I am in secluded cultivation."
Leaving those words behind, she transformed into a streak of light and dove into her private bedchamber.
The others likewise vanished from the scene of the crime without delay.
After Xiao Tian explained several key precautions to Elder Hai, he flashed directly into his own bedchamber.
He was instantly dumbstruck. Everything had been perfectly intact when he departed.
He stared blankly at the gaping hole torn through the palace ceiling, then at the shattered chamber and the scattered fragments of broken furniture.
Faced with such a state, even a common thief would shed tears.
"Yun'er."
Taking in the sword marks covering every inch of the chamber, Xiao Tian immediately recognized whose handiwork this was. He gritted his teeth, spat out her name, and vanished.
The other four overheard Xiao Tian's voice. By unspoken agreement, they soundlessly cracked open their palace doors and peered toward Yun Yun's residence.
They channeled their Dou Qi to sharpen their hearing, only to catch the distinct sound of palm striking flesh and Yun Yun's cries of pain emanating from her palace.
Initially, the noises were ordinary—the sound of hands smacking skin and pained yelps. Gradually, however, those sounds began to shift into something else entirely.
"Pah, you degenerate." The four spat in perfect unison.
Their faces flushed scarlet, the four girls withdrew their heads and slammed their doors tightly shut.
Two hours later, Xiao Tian emerged from Yun Yun's palace, his entire bearing thoroughly refreshed.
Xiao Tian arrived before his own palace. He swept his hand outward, and the entire structure instantly repaired itself, returning to its pristine original form.
The others, drawn by the commotion, materialized beside him.
"You are even capable of self-repairing this?"
Medusa asked with astonishment.
"Indeed. I can revert objects to their original state, but only inanimate ones."
Xiao Tian inspected the palace meticulously, confirming it was indistinguishable from before. He spoke with an air of nonchalance.
The four stole a glance at the palace, then directed their senses toward Yun Yun, who lay like a thoroughly ravaged flower—utterly unconscious and instinctively refining healing medicine even in her stupor. Their mouths twitched in unison.
They could only hope she would remain rational when she awoke and learned the full truth of what had transpired.
---
The following morning.
"Ah! Holy—"
A scream erupted from Xiao Tian's palace, a sound that would make anyone shudder upon hearing it.
Yun Yun stood beside Xiao Tian's bed. Xiao Tian rubbed his shoulder ruefully.
She had learned every last detail from her sisters. Recalling all the unequal treaties she had unwittingly agreed to—and even carried out—her fury ignited in an instant.
Thus, she promptly launched a blitzkrieg against Xiao Tian.
"Serves you right for deceiving me, you utter scoundrel."
Thinking back to those earlier events, Yun Yun's face burned scarlet.
"Was I deceiving you? I was merely deepening the bond between husband and wife."
Xiao Tian drew Yun Yun into his embrace, a roguish grin stretching across his face.
"Hmph. In that mouth of yours, even twisted logic can be made to sound righteous."
Yun Yun rolled her eyes at him, reaching out to tap his forehead.
"I came to call you all to eat, but I did not expect to be force-fed dog food first."
Xiao Yi Xian entered alongside Qing Lin, teasing the two with a smile.
"Young Master, allow me to assist you with your morning ablutions."
Qing Lin placed a basin of water onto the stand, then picked up Xiao Tian's outer garment, her voice soft and tender.
"Qing Lin, you will spoil him rotten if you continue like this."
Yun Yun rose to her feet and affectionately stroked Qing Lin's adorable little head.
"I truly cannot fathom where you found such fortune—discovering a girl as wonderful as Qing Lin."
"All of you are my greatest fortune."
Xiao Tian rose from the bed as well. With the help of Qing Lin and the other two, he swiftly dressed and made his way to the dining hall of the palace complex.
After the meal, Xiao Tian briefly announced that they would begin preparing to return to the Xiao family on the morrow. They would also visit several other cities along the way.
As for why they still needed to stop at those other cities, the girls all grasped the unspoken reason without a word. In unison, they turned their gazes toward Medusa, who sat eating quietly beside them.
At present, Medusa had no idea what she had negotiated with the Seven-Colored Sky Swallowing Python. Lately, Medusa's soul had been the one controlling the main body.
Under the collective weight of their stares, Medusa maintained a perfectly neutral expression outwardly. Yet within her heart, a trace of happiness bloomed, and her lips curled upward so faintly it was all but imperceptible.
The group swiftly finished their meal and departed.
---
Gama Empire. Golden Light City.
Five women materialized upon the street, their faces veiled. Their figures were elegant and alluring, their temperaments richly varied, forming a breathtaking scenic tableau that captivated every passerby. None could wrench their eyes away.
Yet not a single soul dared to approach and accost them.
One of the women radiated an aura both dangerous and deeply frigid.
Trailing behind them walked a handsome young man, only marginally less attractive than all you readers who resemble Peng Yuyan, clad in the robe of a Tier-5 Alchemist.
"Beautiful ladies, would you be willing to spend the night with this young master?"
A voice abruptly rang out behind them.