The sun blazed high overhead, bathing the Black-Corner Region and Eternal Heaven City in brilliant golden light.
High in the sky, a massive silver Heavenly Thunder Dragon streaked forward like a bolt of living lightning, leaving behind a long, blazing crimson trail.
Seated on the dragon's broad back were two figures clad in white—one large, one small—both gazing down at the scenery flashing by below, reveling in the exhilarating rush of extreme speed.
The larger figure was naturally Xiao Jietian. The smaller one was Zi Yan.
As for why Yun Yun and the other five women weren't accompanying them—it was simple. The six of them were still lying in a deep, exhausted slumber in Xiao Jietian's bed back at the palace.
When Zi Yan heard Xiao Jietian was returning to his homeland, she had immediately volunteered to tag along.
Xiao Ling and Xiao Meng had been happily entrusted to their grandfather. Xiao Zhan had agreed without the slightest hesitation—nothing could compare to the bond between grandparents and grandchildren.
Even though his beard had been mercilessly tugged and yanked by his two little granddaughters, Xiao Zhan still beamed with delight, spoiling them rotten at every opportunity.
…
The three pairs of gun-like wings on either side of the Heavenly Thunder Dragon continuously ejected streams of scarlet energy, producing rolling sonic booms. Xiao Huiying, however, maintained a thin protective barrier of Dou Qi around Xiao Jietian and Zi Yan, completely shielding them from the violent airflow generated by their supersonic flight.
"Hui Ying is so fast—woohoo! We're totally taking off!"
Zi Yan watched cities, forests, and mountains blur into streaks beneath them. She excitedly shouted a new phrase she'd picked up from Xiao Jietian's stories, her small face glowing with pure joy.
Xiao Jietian looked at the thrilled little girl in front of him, a warm smile spreading across his face. He reached out and gently pulled her back against his chest.
"Be careful. What if you fall off? Let me hold you—it's safer this way."
Zi Yan rolled her eyes dramatically, but she didn't push his arm away. Ever since she had arrived in this world and joined Boundless Heaven Hall, Xiao Jietian had developed a habit of hugging her for seemingly no reason at all.
And truthfully… she quite liked the feeling of being cared for and protected like this.
Everyone here treated her like real family, showering her with endless warmth and affection. She loved it here more than anywhere she had ever been.
"I'm not a child, okay? Why would I fall for your obvious tricks? I'm way older than you—I should be the one you call 'Sister Zi Yan,' hehe~"
Zi Yan tilted her head back, playfully reaching up to pinch and pull at Xiao Jietian's cheeks. She watched his face deform comically in her small hands and burst into bright, bell-like laughter.
"Yes, yes, yes, Sister Zi Yan is absolutely right."
Xiao Jietian let the thousand-year-old legal loli have her fun, knowing full well he would get his turn for revenge later.
"I feel like I'm about to break through to Dou Huang soon," Zi Yan said after finally tiring of playing with his face. She leaned her head against his chest and continued in a softer voice, "Don't forget—you still have to tell me about my true form when it happens."
"Alright. The moment you break through, I'll tell you everything. And then… I'll take you to a place that's very important to you."
Xiao Jietian's tone grew unusually serious.
"Okay. It's a deal."
Zi Yan didn't press him for details about this mysterious place. She knew that even if she asked now, he wouldn't tell her. More importantly, she trusted him completely—he would never do anything to harm her. She was content to wait until the time was right.
The Heavenly Thunder Dragon subtly tilted her massive head to glance at the two people on her back. A faint, gentle smile curved across her draconic features—tinged with just a trace of envy, but no jealousy whatsoever.
She belonged to her master. And normally, her master doted on her even more than he did on Zi Yan. She had even slept curled up against him many times.
The only regret was that her master still refused to treat her the same way he treated Sister Ya Fei and the others. He always said she had to wait one more year.
…
In less than an hour, Xiao Huiying had already carried them clear across the entire Black-Corner Region and was now speeding toward the Jia Ma Empire.
Zi Yan suddenly nudged Xiao Jietian's chin with the top of her head. Her cheeks were flushed crimson, a mixture of embarrassment and anger in her trembling voice:
"That's enough! You're endless! If you bully me again, I'll really bite you to death!"
The reason was simple. Ever since Xiao Jietian had pulled her into his arms earlier, his behavior had grown increasingly bold. His hand had slipped under the hem of her clothes and was now gently caressing the soft skin of her small belly.
Xiao Jietian looked at her shy yet threatening expression and—far from stopping—only laughed softly.
"How am I bullying you? I just thought the wind might have made your little belly cold, so I'm warming it up for you. Getting a bit closer is only natural. Don't accuse an innocent man."
Zi Yan's face instantly burned even hotter. She glared at him reproachfully.
"Sister Fei Yan was right—your skin really is thicker than a city wall! If you keep… if you keep doing this, I'll get angry, hmph!"
But her threat carried almost no weight at all. In fact, she secretly quite liked the warm, comforting sensation of his palm against her stomach—just as he had claimed.
Ptooey, ptooey, ptooey! How could she have such thoughts? It must be this big bad guy corrupting her!
"Alright, alright. Since my Miss Zi Yan is so cute and charming, I'll stop."
Xiao Jietian finally withdrew his hand from her soft belly.
The moment the comfortable warmth disappeared, Zi Yan couldn't help but frown slightly.
"I'm not yours, hmph. Shameless."
She crossed her arms, thought for a moment, then lifted her chin haughtily.
"But… since you praised me just now, I'll reluctantly allow you to rub a few more times. Just a few—no more!"
Seeing her classic tsundere act, Xiao Jietian's lips curved into an amused smile.
She clearly enjoyed it too, yet she still had to find an excuse and pretend otherwise.
Xiao Huiying, listening to their exchange from the front, secretly chuckled to herself.
…
About twenty minutes later, still on the back of the speeding Heavenly Thunder Dragon—
"Mmm~"
Zi Yan's small body suddenly shuddered several times. Then, without warning, she stood up and delivered a swift kick to Xiao Jietian's side.
Xiao Jietian looked at her innocently while rubbing his nose. Seeing this, Zi Yan kicked him again—harder this time—before finally glaring daggers at him.
Without another word, she stomped toward the front of the dragon's back. With a wave of her small hand, a deep purple Dou Qi barrier instantly enveloped her entire body.
Roughly two minutes later, the barrier dissipated.
Zi Yan reappeared—her previous white two-piece mini-skirt now replaced by a simple yet elegant mid-length purple dress.
"Oh? Zi Yan, why did you change your clothes? Was the wind too strong and it wasn't suitable anymore?" Xiao Huiying sensed the fluctuation in Zi Yan's Dou Qi, turned her head, and asked in confusion.
"No… the previous dress got dirty, that's all."
As she spoke, she shot another fierce glare at Xiao Jietian. Her lips moved silently, mouthing the words clearly enough for him to understand:
It's all your fault.
Xiao Huiying didn't press further. She simply turned back and continued guiding their high-speed flight.
Xiao Jietian, however, wore a playful smile as he watched Zi Yan's furious little expression. He deliberately mimicked her earlier lip movements in return:
You implicitly agreed too.
"I'll bite you to death!"
Zi Yan's small face practically exploded with embarrassment. Wisps of steam seemed to rise from the top of her head.
She threw herself at him, opened her mouth wide, and chomped down hard on his arm.
As she bit, her mind was in chaos—how could she have let herself implicitly agree earlier? She must have been bewitched!
"Ouch! It hurts—it hurts so much!!"
Xiao Jietian didn't push her away. Instead, he deliberately relaxed his physical defenses a little, cooperating by letting out several exaggerated cries of pain.
After biting for a while, Zi Yan finally grew tired. She released his arm, sat down beside him with an angry huff, and turned her head away.
Her lips were slightly pursed, her entire demeanor radiating sulky indignation.
Xiao Jietian glanced at her adorable, puffed-up expression, then down at his arm—where a perfect ring of tiny teeth marks now stood out clearly against his skin.
A mischievous glint flashed in his eyes.
With a casual flick of Dou Qi, Zi Yan's soft, boneless little body instantly floated up and landed squarely in his embrace once more.