Night. The rear palace of the Eternal Dream Palace.
"If you won't let me see how you punish Xiao Tian, then I'll just secretly watch!" A white figure darted through the air, wings flapping, and landed silently before a palace. She pushed the door open with exaggerated care. Xiao Tian had sensed her the moment she drew near, and a meaningful smile touched his lips. Medusa and the others, however, were far too preoccupied to notice anything beyond themselves.
The small white figure crept on tiptoe into the bedchamber. About half an hour later, having apparently realized she'd been discovered, the figure clamped both hands over her face and fled the palace in a blind panic.
The Heavenly Thunder Dragon, perched atop Xiao Tian's palace, curled her lip at the fleeing silhouette. *She's a Magical Beast herself. Isn't this perfectly normal? Just this—and she panics? Not even close to my level.* She sniffed disdainfully and resumed feigning sleep on the rooftop. An hour later, certain everyone inside had drifted off, the Heavenly Thunder Dragon shifted to human form, slipped through the palace doors, burrowed naked under Xiao Tian's quilt, and fell fast asleep draped across his body. Xiao Tian and Medusa opened their eyes, exchanged a glance, and closed them again without concern. This was hardly the first time.
---
Time swept by. A full year vanished in the blink of an eye.
During that year, wave after wave of Jia Nan Academy graduates chose to join the Heaven Punishing Divine Palace. Fresh blood flooded the organization—Hu Jia, Ah Tai, and many others, including a number from the Alchemy Department. Wu Hao, Lin Xiuya, and several others either returned to their families or accepted temporary elder positions at the academy. Xiao Tian didn't press any of them. Everyone had their own path.
---
Early morning. Xiao Tian arrived at the lakeshore of the Eternal Dream Palace, a metal fishing rod in hand and anticipation in his heart. He found a spot and prepared to begin. The reason he'd suddenly taken up fishing wasn't some sudden whim—his beloved daughter Xiao Meng had announced she wanted fish. He had no intention of using Dou Qi to catch them. He'd been cultivating endlessly, and his usual leisure had dwindled to almost nothing. This was a fine chance to relax.
Han Yue, Qing Lin, and the other women found the idea charming and decided to try it themselves. Three of them settled not far from him. Zi Yan and Xiao Huiying, meanwhile, kept Xiao Ling and Xiao Meng company at play—both still brimming with childlike innocence and utterly devoted to the little ones. As for the fishing rods, every one of them was forged from Heavenly Dreaming Gold, gleaming gold and crimson. With resources like theirs, such extravagance was simply a matter of course.
By unspoken agreement, none of the seven used a trace of Dou Qi. They fished like ordinary mortals, savoring the tranquil moment. The fish themselves didn't matter. What mattered were the beloved ones at their side. Wasn't that the very definition of happiness?
Half an hour later, Xiao Tian had begun to doubt the fundamental laws of the universe. *Wasn't there supposed to be a beginner's protection period?* He had never fished in either of his lives. By all rights, the protection should have been overwhelming. He glanced down at the bucket beside him, then at Han Yue's, then at the others'. Every single bucket was full—except his. Theirs brimmed with fish. His brimmed with nothing but water.
"Would you like me to give you one?" Medusa glanced at him, her voice dripping with mockery. This was a rare and precious opportunity. *Rubbing salt in the wound.*
Xiao Tian propped his head on one hand in defeat, grinding his teeth at the lake. "No need. I'm just chumming the water."
"Oh? Another one? Did your chumming somehow drift all the way to my spot?" Medusa gave a deft flick of her wrist and pulled a glittering spiritual fish from the lake, dangling it deliberately before Xiao Tian's eyes. "Could it be that your chumming talents are exclusively focused on women? Surely not. Who would even do such a thing?" *So irritating. Such a stunning woman—why did she have to have such a mouth?*
The other five women covered their soft laughter behind their hands. "Perhaps you're right." "I think so too. Maybe we were all caught by his chumming."
Seeing Xiao Tian's thoroughly defeated expression, Medusa's joy was absolute. She had finally seized her revenge. He was always, always making her lose face in front of her sisters. *Xiao Tian: Wasn't that because you were the most playful and stubborn? And besides—they were envious. You always received the most attention.*
"Meng Meng! Ling Ling! Come here." Medusa waved to the two little girls.
"Cai Li Mama~" The pair, now just over two years old, were carved from living jade, as exquisite as dolls. They had perfectly inherited the looks of Xiao Tian and their mothers. Who could guess how stunning they would be when they grew up?
"Come. Cai Li Mama will cook fish for you. How do you want it prepared?" Medusa stowed her Heavenly Dreaming Gold rod and scooped them up, her voice impossibly gentle.
"Grilled!" "Braised!" They bounced with excitement, their childish voices declaring their orders.
"Cai Li Mama, we'll help!" The two girls seized the bucket together, unfurled the tiny fiery wings on their backs, and flew straight toward the kitchen. Two years old and already at the Dou Wang realm. If word of this got out, how many people would simply collapse from shock?
"Daddy, do your best!" ×2 They didn't forget to cheer for Xiao Tian before they vanished.
Yun Yun and Ya Fei watched their daughters' retreating figures and scolded them with mock severity for forgetting their own mothers the moment food appeared. The women tipped their fish back into the lake and strolled arm in arm toward the kitchen, tossing their own cheers to Xiao Tian as they passed.
Among them, Xiao Yi Xian was already nearly four months pregnant. Medusa was over seven months along. Han Yue and Qing Lin had not yet conceived—Qing Lin's physique still required further development, and Han Yue was waiting to share the experience with her. Xiao Tian had, as always, used physique cards and nourishing pills on the two growing fetuses. Because Medusa was half-human, half-Magical Beast, and her tribe possessed secret methods for fetal nourishment, Xiao Tian had also produced the Eighth-Grade Pill—Dragon Marrow Nourishing Blood Pill—a system reward from long ago—and given it to her. The pill aligned perfectly with the Snake-People Tribe's secret arts. Medusa had been so moved she had thrown herself at Xiao Tian and kissed him with wild abandon before combining the secret method with the pill to nurture the child within. Though seven months pregnant, her belly still showed no visible swell. According to the Snake-People's understanding and Medusa's bloodline, the gestation period would simply be longer.
---
Half an hour later, Xiao Ling and Xiao Meng flew back to Xiao Tian's side and landed in his arms. Xiao Meng's childish voice piped up. "Daddy, it's time to eat."
Xiao Ling added, "Daddy, Mama and the others said to tell you—if you can't catch any fish, just drain the lake. Don't spoil them. Hehe."
Dark lines crawled across Xiao Tian's forehead. He stroked Xiao Meng's hair and pinched Xiao Ling's cheek. "You two go back first. Daddy will tidy up here."
"Okay, Daddy! You have to be quick!" His daughters flapped the fiery red wings on their backs and flew off. He couldn't shake the feeling that his daughters had somehow swapped personalities. Xiao Ling was nothing like Yun Yun's gentle elegance—she was mischievous like Ya Fei. Xiao Meng was precisely the opposite.
*Clang!*
"You're such a loser! You can't even catch a single fish!" The bucket at Xiao Tian's feet went flying, punted away by a small, perfectly aimed foot. A mocking voice followed.
He turned to find Zi Yan standing beside him, hands on her hips, her face a pure portrait of disdain and amusement. Seeing Xiao Tian set down his fishing rod with a distinctly ominous expression, a sudden, terrible premonition seized her. "I'm going back to eat. That's all. Goodbye!" She spun on her heel and made to flee on her short legs.