Late at night, Xiao Jietian—still awake—felt a familiar presence carefully approach his bedside.
"Y-Young Master… are you asleep?"
Under the soft glow of the moonstone, a petite girl with green hair braided into twin pigtails crouched beside the bed. Her emerald eyes flickered nervously as she stole a few glances at him.
After a faint rustling sound, the green-haired figure lifted a corner of the quilt and slipped inside like a nimble fish.
The moment she entered, a firm arm wrapped around her waist.
Her body stiffened instantly.
"Y-Young Master… you're still awake?"
"I was just about to fall asleep," Xiao Jietian replied with a smile, opening his eyes, "when a little loach decided to burrow in."
"Y-Young Master…" Qing Lin blushed fiercely, her voice barely louder than a whisper."Qing Lin is already eighteen… I can already—"
He looked at her quietly.
"Have you thought it through?""No regrets?"
Qing Lin lifted her head and met his gaze. Her eyes shone with unwavering resolve.
"No regrets," she said softly."Even unto death."
The following day, Xiao Jietian did not cultivate. Instead, he accompanied the girls, guiding them in refining their Dou Techniques.
He taught Void Piercer Art to Ya Fei and Yun Yun.
Even Medusa appeared—expression cold, yet eyes burning with interest.
After a moment's thought, Xiao Jietian taught her as well.
After all… she wasn't escaping him anyway.
That night, while the sisters were engaged in a private heart-to-heart—
A night raid occurred.
Four kills.
By noon the next day, the sun blazed high in the sky.
Xiao Jietian stood with the girls in the palace courtyard, the Seven-Colored Sky-Swallowing Python coiled around his arm.
He didn't know what dangers awaited inside the secret realm. Caution was necessary.
He glanced once more at the girls' rooms and took a deep breath.
Without hesitation, he pulled out the Secret Realm Card.
Crack.
The card shattered in his palm, transforming into a swirling black vortex that slowly unfolded before him.
A mysterious aura seeped out.
Xiao Jietian stepped forward decisively.
The moment he entered, a terrifying suction force engulfed him. His vision blurred, space twisting violently around him.
Behind him, the vortex slowly shrank——and vanished.
The girls stood silently at the palace entrance. Even Medusa was among them, gazing at the place where the portal had disappeared.
None spoke.
It was as if they were silently praying.
An unknown amount of time later—
Xiao Jietian felt his feet touch solid ground.
Rich world energy surged around him, vibrant and dense.
He opened his eyes—
—and was instantly greeted by a massive white claw slashing toward his face.
"Be careful!"
A slightly weak female voice rang out behind him.
"Ouch—what kind of welcome is this?" Xiao Jietian muttered."So dishonorable."
"Thunder Light Shield."
Four-colored lightning surged forward, forming a massive shield before him.
BOOM!
The claw struck the shield, producing an earth-shaking explosion.
The power behind it was comparable to a full-strength strike from a Nine-Star Dou Wang—yet the Thunder Light Shield held firm.
Taking advantage of the moment, Xiao Jietian finally saw his attacker clearly.
A Tier-5 Magical Beast — White Flame Tiger.
It was a top-tier existence among Tier-5 beasts, capable of threatening even ordinary Tier-6 Magical Beasts after maturity.
Its body was enormous, its fur snow-white and shimmering faintly. Flame-like patterns burned across its back, radiating heat. Its fangs were razor-sharp, and each sweep of its tail carried terrifying power.
Nearby stood the woman who had warned him.
She was heavily injured, claw marks tearing through her black dress. She appeared around sixteen years old—slender, graceful, and coldly beautiful.
Most shocking of all—
She was a Dou Huang.
Yet she had been beaten to this state by a Tier-5 beast.
Before Xiao Jietian could think further, the White Flame Tiger roared and pounced again.
"Get out of the way!" the woman shouted desperately, leaning against a tree.
Xiao Jietian's figure flickered and vanished, reappearing to the side as the tiger crashed down.
The beast twisted its head and spat out a blazing fireball.
Xiao Jietian dodged effortlessly.
The flame struck the ground behind him, scorching a massive crater into the earth.
He smirked.
The golden-red ring on his finger transformed into a pair of gauntlets.
"Your fur is beautiful," he said lightly."I like it."
He vanished.
In the next instant, his fist slammed straight toward the White Flame Tiger's head.
The beast roared violently, unleashing its innate technique—
Tiger Roar of the Mountains and Forests!
Terrifying sound waves exploded outward, enough to make ordinary cultivators bleed from all seven orifices.
Xiao Jietian ignored it completely.
His soul force was far too strong.
Lightning surged as his fist descended.
The White Flame Tiger raised its paw in a desperate block.
BOOOOM!
Gauntlet and claw collided.
The impact sent the White Flame Tiger flying like a broken kite, smashing into a massive tree and snapping it in half.
The injured woman stared in shock, her lips parting slightly.
She had never witnessed such overwhelming brute force.
The White Flame Tiger staggered to its feet, fear flashing in its eyes. It began retreating, searching for a chance to flee.
Xiao Jietian did not allow it.
His figure shot forward.
"Thunder Blast."
Violent lightning condensed in his palm, forming a massive lightning sphere.
He hurled it forward.
The White Flame Tiger spat out a blazing fireball in response.
The flames shattered instantly upon contact.
The lightning sphere continued forward—unstoppable.
The tiger opened its mouth to release another attack—
—but instead, the lightning sphere flew straight inside.
Electric currents ravaged its body.
The White Flame Tiger let out a miserable shriek and collapsed heavily onto the ground, completely paralyzed.
Its internal organs had been charred beyond recovery.
Xiao Jietian formed a halberd from the ring and pierced its skull, ending its life.
He then transformed the weapon into a blade and carefully peeled off the snow-white tiger skin, cleaning it before storing it away.
Only then did he turn back.
The injured woman looked at him weakly.
"Thank you… for saving me…"
Before Xiao Jietian could respond—
Her eyes closed.
She collapsed straight to the ground.