She already knew that when Xiao Jietian first appeared before her, that man had already harbored ill intentions toward her. If not, why would he help her so freely, as if giving alms?
It's just that this clueless pervert—bold in thought but timid in action—refuses to act. Must this king make the first move?
Under their watchful gazes, the pillar of light slowly dimmed until it vanished.
Within the span of five hours, three more pillars of light rose.
After the final one faded, Xiao Jietian strode out of the hall.
In just a few flashes, he was already beside them. He produced two jade bottles from his storage ring and handed one to each.
"These contain a Qi Replenishing and Fetus-Stabilizing Pill, and a Fetus-Nourishing Spirit Ganoderma Pill. They'll warm and nurture your bodies."
Xun'er and the other three exchanged glances—their suspicions now fully confirmed.
Yun Yun and Ya Fei trembled slightly. Although they had long guessed that Xiao Jietian had been refining pills for them, holding the results in their hands was something else entirely. A wave of emotion crashed over them.
The two women threw themselves into Xiao Jietian's arms without hesitation. He let them cling to him, uncorked the bottles, and brought the pills to their lips. Gently, they parted their mouths and accepted the medicine, their expressions as though they had just tasted the sweetest nectar in the world.
The other three women felt no trace of envy. Instead, warm, doting smiles spread across their faces as they watched the trio sink into their tender moment.
After swallowing, Yun Yun and Ya Fei immediately sensed the medicinal energy transforming within them—pure, gentle warmth spreading through their bodies, nourishing and calming.
Soon, all six gathered in the pavilion, chatting merrily.
Little Fairy Doctor: "…" (I really don't belong here.)
In the more than two months that followed, Xiao Jietian either accompanied his women or cultivated alone.
After all, cultivators were not frail mortals. Morning sickness was a non-issue, and the pregnancies didn't hinder their daily lives in the slightest.
When Yun Yun and Ya Fei cultivated, even a trace of purified Dou Qi would be subtly channeled toward their wombs, nourishing the little lives within.
During this period, Xiao Jietian gathered all members of the Xiao family and immediately activated the Bloodline Awakening Card. Though only ten percent was awakened...
That mere ten percent triggered a massive transformation in both talent and strength across the entire Xiao family.
Even Xiao Jietian's cultivation realm surged forward—breaking through to a Four-Star Dou Huang.
His cultivation speed had increased as well.
The overall combat power of the Xiao family skyrocketed. Xiao Zhan broke through to the peak of Dou Ling. Xiao Ning and Xiao Mei advanced to Da Dou Shi. Xiao Yu reached the peak of Five-Star Da Dou Shi. And Xiao Yan—Six-Star Dou Ling.
Now, only half a month remained until the Strong Ranking Tournament.
Xiao Yu contacted Xiao Jietian through a message stone: the Great Elder wished to see him.
He arrived at the elder's pavilion, pushed open the door, and sat down across from Su Qian without preamble.
"Young friend Xiao Jietian," Su Qian began, "the academy has unanimously approved the proposal you raised. It will take place after the Strong Ranking Tournament."
"This year, the top ten on the Strong Ranking will receive Heart Flame Body Tempering as their reward."
A hint of mischief glinted in the elder's eyes. "This time, Zi Yan will likely drop from first place, haha."
Xiao Jietian looked at Su Qian, who was clearly delighted at the thought of his granddaughter losing her crown. Truly a grandfather and granddaughter with a love-hate relationship.
"Great Elder, has the Fallen Heart Flame already erupted once?" Xiao Jietian asked, ignoring the old man's barely concealed glee.
Though Xiao Jietian had mostly remained within Eternal Heaven World, he hadn't cut himself off entirely from news of the Inner Academy.
"It erupted recently. It's precisely because it's becoming harder to suppress that those old fossils inside finally agreed to your plan."
Su Qian sighed. Normally, he wielded great authority, but the elders entrenched within the academy were stubborn. They had known that Xiao Jietian possessed another Heavenly Flame—but without absolute proof, they feared being tricked.
Xiao Jietian nodded helplessly.
"Then you must keep a tight guard against the Black-Corner Region."
"You mean… Medicine Emperor Han Feng?" Su Qian's playful demeanor cooled, his brow furrowing. "Yes… with his strength and his Heavenly Flame, he would certainly sense the disturbance here."
Xiao Jietian nodded gravely. "And Han Feng won't come alone. As a sixth-rank alchemist, his influence is vast. Many will flock to do him favors."
Su Qian's expression turned grim. If the academy's forces were pinned down and Han Feng attacked at the same time, they would be overwhelmed. His gaze drifted to Xiao Jietian.
Xiao Jietian caught the look but pretended otherwise. He picked up his teacup, lowered his head, and drank slowly—feigning obliviousness.
Silence stretched between them. Oppressive. Tense.
Xiao Jietian remained as steady as still water.
Finally, Su Qian exhaled, as though releasing a weight. "Young friend, you win. In the future, when our academy's students graduate, we will recommend them to join your Boundless Heavenly Hall."
His hands rested limply on the armrests. There were still two reclusive old monsters hidden within the academy, but they were in seclusion—he could not command them.
"Great Elder, what are you saying?" Xiao Jietian set down his teacup, his voice suddenly brimming with righteous indignation. "We are allies! How could we stand idle while you face hardship? Rest assured, Great Elder—our Boundless Heavenly Hall will drive off every invader. Your academy will suffer no harm."
He smiled warmly. "Thank you, Great Elder, for your support and trust in our Hall."
With that, he downed the last of his tea, rose, and left before any further complications could arise.
Su Qian stared at the young man's swiftly retreating back, his mouth twitching.
Never have I seen such a shameless person!
"…Alas."
In the end, his protest dissolved into a single, helpless sigh. He had asked for a favor—and in truth, the cost was not heavy. Graduating students would go their own ways anyway. Only a few remained with the academy.
At Pan Gate, Hu Jia slumped over the table, lifeless as a wilted flower. She turned her head toward Xiao Yu.
"Why does Xun'er keep disappearing? And that guy—he never shows his face anymore! I'm bored to death!"
Xiao Yu propped her chin in her palm, equally drained. "They're both busy dealing with some matters right now. It's probably going to take… a long time."
At least eight more months, she thought.
"Yu'er," Hu Jia leaned in, nearly pressing her face against Xiao Yu's, "what matters?"
"N-Nothing."
Xiao Yu shoved her away. This little enchantress had a penchant for women—if she got caught in her web, it'd be a headache for months. Her grandfather would surely rage if she ended up bent.
And if Hu Jia ever found out that Xiao Jietian had multiple wives, and that two of them were pregnant… She'd probably explode on the spot.
The Strong Ranking had only fifty spots. Only those on the list were eligible to compete in the Strong Ranking Tournament.
In the half month before the tournament, long-dormant powerhouses finally surfaced, scrambling to claim their places.
Two spots on the ranking had never once been challenged—first place, and thirty-fourth.
Zi Yan, of course, was the perennial champion. No one was foolish enough to challenge her.
As for Xiao Jietian—he hadn't fought since defeating Bai Cheng, but everyone knew he was a Dou Wang. Who would be mad enough to provoke him? To get swatted away like a fly in front of hundreds of spectators, with everyone watching them initiate the challenge? They'd be a laughingstock for years.