Amid the towering, snow-white mountain peak—surrounded by countless floating mountains capped in ice and drifting through the sky—an awe-inspiring, almost sacred scene unfolded before the eyes of any who beheld it. Yet, amidst this grandeur, a cluster of eerie black fog tinged with dark purple quietly hovered in the air, exuding a chilling, oppressive presence as it gazed into the distance.
"Impossible… For two Honourable Elders to be defeated by a mere Dou Zong…"
The voice that emerged from the fog was low, dark, and spine-chilling, laced with disbelief and shock.
It continued to stare into the distance, sensing the fading presence of Qing Hai and Qin Tian. Their auras, once powerful and distinct, were gradually dissipating—until they vanished entirely. He could scarcely believe it. Not only had those two failed to eliminate a single Dou Zong, but they had actually been eliminated by that very same person.
"I can't remain in the Jia Ma Empire. I have to retreat for now. If that monster finds me… I wouldn't be able to endure even a single strike from him."
The black-purple fog trembled slightly, then swiftly turned and fled, streaking across the sky like lightning.
As he sped away, he recalled the information he had recently received and muttered inwardly, "Fortunately, I've heard that man will soon head to the Central Plains. That will be my opportunity to return and make my move."
The distance between the Central Plains and the Jia Ma Empire was vast. Even if something were to happen to the Xiao Clan, news would take time to reach Xiao Hua. By the time he realized, the plan would already be completed, and the perpetrator long gone.
But until Xiao Hua truly left the Jia Ma Empire and stepped into the Central Plains, he could only wait. He needed patience. In the meantime, he would continue nurturing Yun Shan, using him as the vanguard—while he remained hidden in the shadows, orchestrating everything from behind the scenes.
Even so, he couldn't help but curse inwardly in frustration. Dealing with the Xiao Clan, which had already grown significantly stronger, was difficult enough. But having to contend with that monster from the same clan made the mission feel nearly impossible.
"It seems I'll have to call for reinforcements…" he mused darkly, his voice laced with cold menace. "Even if Xiao Hua leaves, I can't abduct a Dou Huang from the Xiao Clan without drawing attention…"
...
As unease and concern continued to churn within Queen Medusa and Yun Yun, Xiao Hua finally captured Qin Tian, destroying his physical body and reducing him to a mere spiritual form. Without hesitation, he sealed Qin Tian's soul into a jade bottle.
As for Qing Hai, Xiao Hua glanced at an empty air. A moment later, the space where he is staring ripples which splits open a second after, forming a palm-sized spatial crack.
As for Qing Hai, Xiao Hua turned his gaze toward a patch of empty air. A moment later, the space where he stared began to ripple, and with a soft tearing sound, a palm-sized spatial crack opened.
From within the crack, a five-colored flame shot out, stopping before Xiao Hua and floating silently, dancing with a mesmerizing brilliance. Within the flame, a familiar, miserable voice could be faintly heard.
"Thank you for your trouble, Sister Azure," Xiao Hua said with a smile, speaking to the presence within his spiritual sea.
He has felt that Qing Hai escape his 'Ancient Desolate Hands' by self-destructing that is unique to Hall of Souls, but he knew that it would only destroy his physical body but not his spiritual body, which is his soul.
Earlier, he had sensed that Qing Hai had used a self-destruction technique unique to the Hall of Souls in an attempt to escape. However, he knew that such a method would only destroy Qing Hai's physical body, leaving his soul intact.
Xiao Hua had faced a difficult choice: if he focused on Qing Hai, he would risk letting Qin Tian escape; but if he hesitated even for a moment, Qin Tian could still slip away.
Fortunately, Lady Azure intervened at the critical moment, allowing him to pursue Qin Tian without reservation. Xiao Hua had trusted that Lady Azure would not fail to capture Qing Hai — and she had answered his trust perfectly.
"It is no problem, child. I anticipated this, so I understand that it would cause you to hesitate for a moment," Lady Azure's voice echoed reassuringly in Xiao Hua's mind.
"Thank you as well, Sister Xue Yue, for protecting them and preventing them from being implicated," he added sincerely.
Naturally, he was expressing his gratitude to Xue Yue for shielding Little Fairy Doctor and the others. Although she merely scattered the shockwaves, it was enough to allow Little Fairy Doctor to defend against the residual force rather than endure the full impact.
"Next time, don't use a technique if you can't properly control its strength!" Xue Yue scolded sharply, her voice cold and indifferent—yet beneath it, an unmistakable warmth could be felt.
Xiao Hua chuckled softly, finding amusement in the contrast between her icy tone and the underlying concern.
After carefully storing away the cluster of five-colored flames, he turned toward Little Fairy Doctor—only to be slightly surprised to see a few unexpected figures among the onlookers.
He wasn't surprised to see Queen Medusa and the two commanders of the Snake-People Tribe, but he was slightly taken aback by the presence of representatives from the Jia Ma Empire. He hadn't expected them to arrive so quickly.
His figure blurred as he rushed toward Little Fairy Doctor and the others.
As soon as Xiao Hua appeared in front of Little Fairy Doctor, she stepped forward, her voice filled with concern.
"Are you alright? Did you suffer any injuries?"
"I'm fine. It would be difficult for those two to injure me," Xiao Hua said with a smile, shaking his head reassuringly.
Zi Yan snorted coldly and glared at Xiao Hua with irritation.
"If you're not injured, then why did you use that 'Ancient Desolate Hands' for no reason? Do you know how much Little Fairy Doctor and I panicked?"
Xiao Hua could only smile helplessly. Even he knew that it might have been excessive to use 'Ancient Desolate Hands,' a high-grade Tian-Class Dou Technique, against Qin Tian and Qing Hai.
However, he had been slightly worried that Qin Tian might possess a jade plate to summon reinforcements — a fear that proved true when he later checked Qin Tian's Storage Ring. It was fortunate he had acted decisively.
If he had delayed any longer and allowed Qin Tian to call for even stronger reinforcements, the situation could have become uncontrollable — something he absolutely could not allow.
Still, he couldn't deny that the shockwaves were far stronger than he had anticipated. Although he had practiced the technique before, he had usually directed it toward the sky, letting it explode harmlessly while restrained his strength. Thus, he had been unable to accurately judge the true impact of its shockwaves.
Feeling somewhat embarrassed, Xiao Hua shook his head lightly. He then approached Queen Medusa, cupped his hands respectfully toward the majestic and captivating ruler of the Tagger Desert, and offered a faint, apologetic smile.
"Queen Medusa, I apologize for causing such a great disturbance in your domain."
"You need not concern yourself," Queen Medusa replied, shaking her head lightly. "I was merely curious to see who could drive you to create such a commotion."
In truth, she had accompanied Zi Yan, who wished to see Xiao Hua, mainly to ensure her safety. However, she could not deny her own curiosity about Xiao Hua's strength.
She couldn't help but wonder if Xiao Hua was one of those cultivators who, obsessed with advancing their realm, relied too heavily on external means and neglected their foundation. It was a natural suspicion—after all, Xiao Hua had risen to such heights at an astonishingly young age.
However, after witnessing his battle against Qin Tian and Qing Hai, she could clearly sense that his combat experience was immense, and his Dou Qi was both sturdy and stable.
This revealed that his foundation was as firm as solid earth and as steady as an immovable mountain.
"I cannot deny that it was an eye-opening experience, watching you fight against two powerful experts," Queen Medusa said, her voice carrying a hint of admiration.
Xiao Hua smiled softly and nodded, feeling relieved that she had taken no offense. Turning his head, he gave a warm smile to the noble and elegant lady he had once met and fought alongside.
"Yun Yun, it's been a while since we last met. You're still as beautiful as ever—that's one of the things I love about you."
At those words, Yun Yun's graceful body suddenly stiffened. Beneath the scorching sun, her slender figure stood tall, like a plum blossom blooming resolutely against the heat—noble and elegant.
"It truly has," Yun Yun replied softly, her voice carrying a trace of emotion. She let out a light sigh, as though releasing the worries and anxieties that had long weighed on her heart. "I'm relieved to see you safe."
As her beautiful eyes fell upon the young man before her, whose brilliant smile seemed to light up the world around him, an involuntary gentle smile blossomed on her moist, rosy lips. She did not take his earlier words to heart—words that carried a dangerous charm, lightly veiled beneath his teasing tone.
She knew it had been spoken in a moment of excitement, a playful jest. Yet, even so, it stirred something tender deep within her heart...
She could not deny that, ever since the incident in the cave, her mind would sometimes drift away, recalling that day—where she was simply Yun Yun, and he was just Xiao Hua.
"Hehe." Seeing that familiar, beautiful face, Xiao Hua couldn't help but chuckle softly. He took a step forward and smiled warmly. "It's been half a year since we last met. How have you been?"
"…Ugh, quite well," Yun Yun replied, pursing her lips in mild irritation as a faint groan of frustration escaped her.
She was clearly trying to maintain her usual calm and indifferent demeanor. However, her composure gradually unraveled—the forced coldness on her face crumbling bit by bit with each time her eyes met the young man's gentle smile.
Jia Xing Tian and Gu He exchanged glances, their eyes filled with disbelief. It was the first time they had seen Yun Yun—respected leader of the Misty Cloud Sect—display such an array of unfamiliar emotions all at once.
They knew her as someone who always carried herself with aloof grace—distant and unshaken. Now, watching her like this, they couldn't help but exchange bewildered glances.
Yun Yun, however, paid them no mind. She was fully aware that her reaction was out of character. But really—what could she do about it?
Sweeping her gaze over Xiao Hua's body, Yun Yun's bright, expressive eyes lit up with relief. Like Little Fairy Doctor, she had truly been worried that he might have sustained injuries.
With her status, Yun Yun had encountered many outstanding young men—some so strikingly handsome that they could make women fall for them at a glance.
And yet, none of them had ever caught her attention.
The only man who could stir her heart, fill her with genuine joy at his well-being, and whose stories she unconsciously longed to hear—was this young man standing before her, with whom she shared an undeniably complicated relationship.
"I hope there's no... questionable cooking involved this time," Xiao Hua suddenly said, his smile turning mischievous as his voice took on a teasing tone.
At his words, Yun Yun's cheeks flushed crimson. Her eyes widened slightly before narrowing into an intense glare, her embarrassment clear as she shot him a look filled with both annoyance and flustered indignation.
Others might dismiss her as a bad cook, but she knew all too well the hidden meaning in his words.
He was clearly reminding her—deliberately—of that day when she had mistaken an aphrodisiac for pink-colored salt and unknowingly mixed it into their meal. The memory of that near-disastrous moment, which nearly led to an accident between them, resurfaced vividly in her mind.
"You actually dare bring that matter up again… I warned you about it," Yun Yun said, her tone laced with reprimand—yet the warmth and affection in her eyes made her glare far from threatening.
Xiao Hua chuckled softly, clearly amused by her reaction. He then turned his gaze to Jia Xing Tian and cupped his hands respectfully. "Jia Lao, Master Gu He, it seems I've caused you both some concern."
"Ke ke, it's no trouble at all, Young Master Xiao Hua," Jia Xing Tian replied with a light chuckle, quickly withdrawing his incredulous gaze and offering a friendly smile.
As the Guardian of the Jia Ma Empire, he had come to investigate the terrifying disturbance near the empire's border. In truth, he felt relieved to find that the situation had resolved itself without requiring his intervention.
"Indeed… As long as there are no lingering issues," Gu He added with a faint, somewhat forced smile. A flicker of complicated emotion passed through his eyes as he looked at Xiao Hua and Yun Yun.
Jia Xing Tian glanced at Gu He and sighed quietly in his heart, feeling a pang of pity for his old friend. He understood all too well the reason behind the complex expression on Gu He's face.
It was no secret in the Jia Ma Empire that Gu He harbored feelings for Yun Yun. Yet, it was equally well known that Yun Yun had little interest in romance, dedicating herself wholly to the pursuit of martial arts. When Gu He confessed his love, she had gently but firmly turned him away.
Yet Gu He persisted, believing that one day he could move her heart. It was this hope that kept him rooted within the Misty Cloud Sect.
And yet, just moments ago, before their very eyes, Yun Yun had displayed a flood of emotions unlike anything they had ever seen from her. It was clear that she shared a special bond with Xiao Hua.
After a brief discussion, Yun Yun and the others departed from the area, having no intention of lingering once the situation was understood. Gu He, however, could not help but steal subtle glances at Yun Yun as they left.
Unaware of it herself, Yun Yun's elegant face remained adorned with a soft, gentle smile—one born from a heart at peace.
Watching her like this, Gu He felt a bitter ache rise in his chest. Though he did not know the full story, it wasn't difficult to guess that something significant had happened between Yun Yun and Xiao Hua during their time in the Magic Beast Mountain Range to make their relationship deepened.
After all, it was during that period of time that Yun Yun had disappeared without sending any word back, causing no small amount of panic within the sect. Only after several days of silence had she finally contacted the Misty Cloud Sect, calming their fears.
Still, Gu He had never imagined that during that time, Yun Yun would forge such a deep bond with Xiao Hua.
He thought back bitterly to when Yun Yun had asked him to refine a pill for Nalan Yanran following the 'Three-Year Agreement' between Xiao Yan and Nalan Yanran. Naturally, he had agreed without hesitation.
At the time, he had mentioned he was missing a crucial ingredient—the Purple Spirit Crystal. Without hesitation, Yun Yun had set out alone for the Magic Beast Mountain Range to obtain it.
At the time, Gu He hadn't requested to accompany her—nor had he even considered following her. He believed that with her strength, no trouble would befall her.
Now, watching Yun Yun's radiant, gentle smile—a lovely smile she wore unknowingly, effortlessly—he regretted it with all his heart.
If only he had followed her, shamelessly if necessary. If only he had been there, or even head there himself, perhaps the bond between Yun Yun and Xiao Hua would never have blossomed so deeply.
As Yun Yun and the others disappeared from view, Xiao Hua turned back to Queen Medusa. Unaware of the silent heartache he and Yun Yun had stirred in Gu He's heart, he cupped his hands respectfully.
"Once again, I apologize for the disturbance caused within your domain, Queen Medusa. If you ever have any pill refinement requests in the future, I will do my utmost to fulfill them."
"Hehe, since you've said that, I'll be sure to remember it," Queen Medusa replied with a soft laugh, gently touching her red lips. Her long lashes fluttered as she added teasingly, "I just hope you'll be available when the time comes."
Her mood clearly brightened after hearing Xiao Hua's offer. She had no intention of using her connection with Zi Yan to ask him for favors—so receiving this promise directly from him felt far more natural and welcome.
"Anyway, here are the 'Sand Datura' you requested," Queen Medusa continued, retrieving a bundle of peculiar pale-yellow medicinal plants and handing them over to Xiao Hua.
The Sand Datura had an unusually bizarre appearance. Its body curled and coiled like a yellow serpent, and at its top, a snake-like head reared upward. A fist-sized tumor bulged from the crown of the head—this was where the plant's medicinal essence was most concentrated.
"Thank you, Queen Medusa."
After accepting the Sand Datura, Xiao Hua carefully stored it in his storage ring, then brought out several jade bottles from within.
He handed them over to Queen Medusa with a calm smile and said, "These are the medicinal pills you requested in exchange."
After a brief exchange of words, Queen Medusa and her entourage prepared to take their leave. However, Zi Yan did not follow them.
Understanding the reason behind her choice, Queen Medusa refrained from insisting. She knew the time had come for Zi Yan to part ways. Though there was a faint trace of sadness in her heart, she chose not to voice it. Instead, she simply said to see Zi Yan again in the future.
Zi Yan responded with a bright nod and a cheerful smile—pure and innocent, just like a child bidding farewell to someone dear.
"Since we've obtained the Sand Datura, how about we return to Hai Bodong and complete his request?"
After Queen Medusa and the others departed, Xiao Hua turned to Little Fairy Doctor and Zi Yan, his face adorned with a faint smile as he spoke calmly.
Little Fairy Doctor nodded silently, while Zi Yan, on the other hand, had a few complaints about Hai Bodong. Her voice carried a slight tone of irritation as she grumbled.
"Finally, we're leaving this place. If it weren't for that old man's connection to Sister Ya Fei—and the fact that I got to meet Sister Medusa—I would've beaten him up already for giving us such a troublesome request!"
Little Fairy Doctor chuckled softly at Zi Yan's grumbling. She then turned her gaze toward Xiao Hua and said with a smile,
"Should I take it that you plan for him to guard Xiao Yan and the Xiao Clan while we travel around the Central Plains?"
"That's exactly what I had in mind," Xiao Hua nodded, unsurprised that Little Fairy Doctor had seen through his intentions.
"Hai Bodong will surely return to the Miteer Family once he recovers his strength. Since he'll find out that Ya Fei and I are close, there's no doubt he'll have no objections to protecting Xiao Yan and the Xiao Clan," he added calmly.
"What about the last person from the Hall of Souls? Isn't he hiding within the Misty Cloud Sect?"
Little Fairy Doctor turned her head, gazing thoughtfully into the distance—the direction where the Misty Cloud Sect was situated.
"That guy is merely a Dou Zong," Xiao Hua replied with a light shrug. "After the commotion we caused, he'll be even more cautious with his movements. He's probably waiting for an opportunity to act... or trying to create one if it takes too long."
"Is there a chance that the Misty Cloud Sect could become our enemy?"
Little Fairy Doctor asked softly, a trace of concern appearing on her beautiful face.
Zi Yan, who normally paid little attention to such topics, suddenly grew serious after hearing Little Fairy Doctor's question.
She hadn't thought much about it before, but it was true—if someone was manipulating events from the shadows and pushed the Misty Cloud Sect to move against the Xiao Clan, there was a very real risk that Xiao Hua and Yun Yun might one day find themselves on opposite sides.
Xiao Hua could only smile helplessly in response to her question. With a dispirited tone, he said, "That man left the Jia Ma Empire after realizing that both Qing Hai and Qin Tian were defeated by me. His current whereabouts are unknown…"
It wasn't that he didn't want to confront him, but the Protector who had been manipulating Yun Shan had already escaped. Even with his current Spiritual State at the Heavenly Realm, it wasn't feasible to spread his spiritual perception across the entire North-West Region just to track down a single hidden figure.
For now, his best option was to help Hai Bodong advance to the Dou Zong realm and entrust him with the protection of the Xiao Clan and Xiao Yan. Xiao Hua believed the Protector from the Hall of Souls would eventually return—once he was convinced that Xiao Hua had completely withdrawn from the Jia Ma Empire.
When that time came, he could only hope that the Miteer Family would serve as a powerful deterrent against future threats, particularly from the Misty Cloud Sect, which will fall under the Protector's control in the future.
As for whether the Miteer Family would honor his request, Xiao Hua trusted in the loyalty of Hai Bodong and Ya Fei—both of whom had already proven their willingness in the novel to protect the Xiao Clan, even in the face of near-annihilation.
For people like them, Xiao Hua would not hesitate to draw closer, form lasting bonds, and help strengthen them further.
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