From the recesses of Xiao Yan's mind, Venerable Skyfire's voice stirred. "Xiao Yan, is that man truly your biological older brother?"
"Yes. My blood brother. Born of the same mother." Xiao Yan was momentarily taken aback by the question. "Why do you ask?"
"Your brother is terrifying. And he is not simple." Venerable Skyfire's voice carried an unmistakable edge of wariness. He was certain he had been discovered. Though his cultivation was a shadow of what it once was, his judgment remained razor-sharp. Xiao Tian was a Dou Zong—but that was only the surface. Beneath it, Venerable Skyfire sensed something far more dangerous, and the man had glanced, deliberately or not, directly at the ring where he hid. It felt as though he had been marked by some great, unseen terror. That sensation was, in truth, a form of spiritual pressure Xiao Tian had secretly exerted through his cultivation technique and physique.
Xiao Yan only smiled at the ancient expert's words. He had no intention of revealing anything about his brother.
He burst from the cave mouth, landed on solid ground, and drew a long, deep breath of the outside air. "I have never known air could taste this sweet."
Xiao Tian emerged behind him, silent. Su Qian and Xiao Tian stood side by side, watching Xiao Yan's theatrics the way one might watch a monkey at play.
"Ahem." Xiao Yan caught their stares and coughed lightly to mask his embarrassment. He cupped his hands toward Su Qian. "Great Elder!"
Su Qian stepped forward and clapped a hand on his shoulder. "Good. You're safe. That's what matters."
"Thank you for your concern, Great Elder." Xiao Yan scratched his head. "Fortunately, I didn't fail. Everything below has been dealt with." He moved to produce the Fire Gathering Pot.
Xiao Tian cut in smoothly. "Great Elder, I know you are eager. But do not rush. First, reseal this place. Let no one enter."
The cave below connected to Tuoshe Ancient God's dwelling. It had to be handled with the utmost gravity. And while the Flame Lizardmen inside served as guardians, who could truly guarantee they would never find a way out? They were not like some unlucky fellow designed to be trapped forever.
*Zhukun: You're mocking me again!!*
Su Qian grasped the deeper meaning behind Xiao Tian's words instantly. This was no place for open discussion. Without hesitation, his hands flew through a series of seals. The barrier shimmered back into existence, sealing the cave mouth once more.
"You two can handle the rest. I won't interfere." Xiao Tian turned and left the sealed chamber. He had no interest in the remaining formalities and left them entirely to Xiao Yan. As he departed, he sent a brief voice transmission to his brother.
Su Qian suppressed the excitement hammering in his chest, swept his hand, and flew swiftly toward his study with Xiao Yan in tow. Once inside, the two began their discussion. Xiao Yan produced the Fire Gathering Pot. Su Qian stared through its surface at the infant Fallen Heart Flame pulsing gently within, his expression one of pure, unguarded emotion.
---
Xiao Tian made his way to Boundless Gate. The faction now grew stronger by the day, its influence radiating across the entire Jia Nan Academy. To be a member of Boundless Gate was considered an honor.
He chose not to announce himself, instead observing from the shadows. The old pavilion had been transformed into the organization's headquarters. The entire building had been significantly expanded, and the complex was now enclosed within its own walls. Members streamed in and out, every chest bearing the Boundless Gate emblem, pride evident on every face.
Through a window, he spotted Hu Jia, buried in work, diligently handling the faction's endless affairs. Xiao Yu and Wu Hao were nowhere in sight. Xiao Tian materialized directly into the study, settled into a chair, and released a faint wisp of his aura.
"Who's there?!" Hu Jia's head snapped up, her voice a sharp, low shout.
Xiao Tian waved a hand, soundproofing the room. If anyone came rushing in, it would be a nuisance.
Hu Jia's eyes found his face—that absurdly handsome, refined face—and she froze. Then recognition flooded back. She rolled her beautiful eyes with practiced exasperation. "Oh? What's this? The busiest man in the world has finally graced us with his presence?"
Despite her words, she was genuinely happy to see him. He had always been the goal she chased, the one who had guided her to establish herself in the Inner Academy. Back in the Outer Academy, they had called her Little Witch. On her own, she never could have achieved her current status here. But every time she remembered how Xiao Tian treated her like a beast of burden, the smile died on her lips.
"Tiger Girl, within the academy, you should address me by my title. Understand?" Xiao Tian met her sarcasm with an unrepentant jab.
"Elder Xiao. Elder Xiao. Elder Xiao!" Hu Jia took in his expression—*If you don't call me that, I'll teach you a lesson*—and forced the words out through gritted teeth. "Satisfied? And stop calling me Tiger Girl. My name is Hu Jia."
"Of course, Tiger Girl."
"I understand, Tiger Girl."
"I can't take it anymore! Watch me bite you to death!"
Hu Jia's last thread of restraint snapped. She exploded from her seat, her small tiger teeth bared, lunging straight for him.
To her, she was a blur. To Xiao Tian, she was a snail. He froze her mid-pounce and pinched her chin between his fingers. "Don't get your saliva all over me. And why is your temper so hot? It's not good for you."
"Mmph! Mmph!"
Hu Jia tried to spit out a retort, but with her body immobilized and her mouth pinned, only muffled sounds escaped.
Xiao Tian produced a pill and flicked it directly into her mouth. It melted the instant it touched her tongue. He released her.
"What did you just make me eat?!" She rubbed at her sore jaw and mouth.
"Aphrodisiac," Xiao Tian said, his voice perfectly flat.
"Then shouldn't I be blushing and burning with desire right about now?" She arched an eyebrow. She wasn't foolish enough to fall for that so easily. Still, deep down, a tiny sliver of genuine panic stirred.
Xiao Tian leaned back, watching her feigned calm with private amusement. "It hasn't taken effect yet. Give it a moment."
"Then your medicine is truly pathetic. It needs time to work?" Hu Jia rolled her eyes. But even as she spoke, she felt warmth spreading through her body, as though something deep inside had ignited.
"No. Wait. Are you serious?!" Panic flooded her expression.
"Of course…" Xiao Tian drew the words out, and Hu Jia's face twisted toward full-blown alarm. "…not. It's a Marrow Cleansing Pill. It will improve your cultivation aptitude."
The pill he had given her was a seventh-grade Marrow Cleansing Pill, one he had only recently refined. Yun Yun and the others had already consumed theirs, but for those with special physiques, the effect was marginal. For someone like Hu Jia, however, the impact would be immense. She and the other two had managed Boundless Gate tirelessly on his behalf. This was their reward.
"I am at war with you! Watch me bite you to death!" Hu Jia shrieked, realizing she had been thoroughly played. She lunged again with murder in her eyes.
Xiao Tian sidestepped with a flash and waved his hand. Hu Jia's body flew backward against her will and landed neatly in her chair. "Give these other two to Wu Hao and Xiao Yu." Two more pills appeared on the desk. Then he was gone, only his voice lingering in the air. "Also—little tiger teeth aren't only meant for biting, you know."
Hu Jia sat frozen, her mind churning through his parting words. She was no innocent. The meaning clicked, and fury detonated.
"Get out! Get out! Get out!"
"Hmph. I'll let you off this time because of the benefits. But don't let me catch you again, or I swear I'll bite you to death." She understood perfectly why Xiao Tian had chosen such a roundabout method—it allowed her to accept the pill without feeling indebted or awkward. Still, her teeth itched with the urge to sink them into his throat.
Feeling sticky and catching an unpleasant odor rising from her own skin, Hu Jia spun and fled toward her room to wash.
What Xiao Tian did not know was that, in the future, that joking remark about aphrodisiacs would come back to strike him like a boomerang. And not just once.