Returning to his private cultivation chamber, Xiao Jietian flicked his sleeve. The familiar three-legged medicine cauldron appeared, ancient bronze surface gleaming with faint spiritual light.
He retrieved the medicinal ingredients Hu Jia had painstakingly gathered — stalks of Purple Spirit Grass, Heart Cleansing Lotus Seeds, several portions of Ground Spirit Root, and other low-to-mid grade herbs commonly used in Pan Gate's bestselling pills.
During this period he had been out enjoying life, leaving all the tedious pill-refining to Xiao Yan.
His junior brother had long been designated as Pan Gate's Chief Alchemist — or, more accurately, its chief workhorse. More than half the elixirs sold under Pan Gate's name came from Xiao Yan's hands.
Ostensibly, it was to temper his alchemy skills and accumulate experience.
In reality… it was convenient.
Xiao Jietian warmed the cauldron with a thread of pure Dou Qi. Flames of controlled azure rose steadily within the furnace.
Then began the familiar, mind-numbing cycle:
Purify.
Fuse.
Condense.
Form pills.
Collect.
Half a day passed in mechanical repetition.
By the time he finished, the floor around him was covered in neatly arranged jade bottles — each one filled with round, lustrous pills radiating faint medicinal fragrance.
"These should be enough for now."
Xiao Jietian stood, joints popping with crisp sounds as he stretched his stiff body.
Refining large batches of low-to-mid grade pills was far more draining on the spirit than crafting a single high-grade one. The endless repetition numbed the mind; only those with iron will could endure it without collapsing.
Even he felt a wave of weariness settle into his bones.
He tidied the cauldron and ingredients, then walked with tired steps toward the bathing chamber.
The large wooden tub was already half-filled with warm water.
Xiao Jietian uncorked a jade bottle and poured in fifteen or sixteen drops of emerald-green Earth Core Body Tempering Fluid. He then scattered the prepared neutralizing medicinal powder across the surface.
A faint herbal fragrance immediately rose, mingling with the steam.
"Ah〜 so refreshing."
Stripping off his robes, he stepped directly into the tub.
Warmth enveloped him instantly. Every muscle seemed to sigh in relief. A low, comfortable groan escaped his throat.
This was already the second time today he had uttered those exact words.
Xiao Jietian closed his eyes, circulated his cultivation technique, and began guiding the medicinal power into his limbs and bones.
As time passed, faint Dou Qi fluctuations emanated from neighboring rooms — the others were likewise refining their portions of the Body Tempering Fluid.
Outside his door, Xun'er arrived quietly.
She sensed the stable, powerful energy fluctuations within and did not disturb him. Instead, she sat cross-legged in the corridor, silently standing guard.
…
Meanwhile, in what was once Mu City — now renamed Eternal Heaven City — order had gradually been restored under Boundless Heaven Hall's iron rule.
The sprawling web of underground casinos and gambling dens had been razed. Medusa and Yun Yun had swept through like twin tempests, slaughtering without mercy. To them, those places were no different from chicken coops waiting to be cleaned.
This ruthless purge naturally drew hostility.
Many smaller factions — some backed by major powers — began sending probing forces. At first they used cannon fodder; now they had grown bolder.
"They're getting restless," Xiao Ding said, voice low. "They've already started sending Dou Huangs to test our defenses."
Yun Yun sat at the head of the hall, expression cold as frost.
Her once gentle demeanor had long since been tempered into something sharper, more decisive. Under Xiao Jietian's guidance, and through the bloody process of integrating Mu City, she had changed.
She no longer hesitated to draw her sword.
Blood had washed away her softness; what remained was a blade that cut without remorse.
"If they refuse to feel pain, they will never learn to behave."
Her voice was icy, carrying the chill of a mountain gale.
She glanced at the address written on the intelligence report — a hidden ravine camp where the latest probing force had gathered.
A longsword of pure sword intent materialized behind her, azure and gold light intertwining. With a flick of her finger, it shot out the door and vanished into the sky.
High above the mountain ravine, Yun Yun hovered in silence.
Below, disorderly new tents sprawled across the valley floor. Through them she could almost see the conspiratorial faces plotting against Boundless Heaven Hall.
A sharp glint flashed in her eyes.
A slender longsword — golden-red, gleaming like autumn water — appeared in her grasp.
Sunlight caught its edge, refracting a cold, lethal glow.
"Today is your day of death," she said softly. "This is the price of provoking Boundless Heaven Hall."
Her voice was not loud — yet it echoed clearly throughout the entire ravine.
Figures poured from the tents, faces twisted with fury as they looked up at the woman in the sky.
Before the first curse could leave their lips —
Yun Yun lifted her sword.
"Sword Qi Long River."
A single downward slash.
Azure sword qi surged forth like a roaring river, tangible and terrifying, each strand containing enough power to rend heaven and earth.
The torrent poured down upon the camp.
Screams erupted instantly.
Weapons rose in desperate defense — only to shatter like dry twigs.
Bodies were sliced apart mid-motion. Limbs flew. Blood painted the ravines crimson.
Wherever the Sword Qi Long River passed, deep gashes were torn into the earth itself. Residual sword intent continued to howl within the wounds long after the main wave had passed.
When the azure river finally subsided, the ravine had become a scene from purgatory.
Severed limbs, rivers of blood, shattered tents — hell on earth.
Even the two-star Dou Huang sent to lead this probing force had perished in a single strike, not even given time to scream.
Yun Yun's expression remained utterly blank.
She cast one final, playful glance toward a seemingly empty corner of the ravine — then turned and left.
Five minutes later.
A trembling hand pushed aside a pile of corpses.
An old man crawled out, face ashen, pants stained with filth.
"This… this is a god of slaughter…"
"In an instant… everyone I was just laughing with… gone…"
"If I hadn't reacted quickly and used the others as shields…"
He staggered to his feet, muttering in terror, and fled the ravine without looking back.
After he disappeared, Yun Yun's figure silently reappeared in the sky.
She had known he was hiding there all along.
She had deliberately spared him — so he could return and spread the tale.
If they did not feel bone-deep fear, they would never learn to retract their claws.
Only pain could teach obedience.
Yun Yun returned to Boundless Heaven Hall, gave Xiao Ding a brief report, entrusted him with the cleanup, and stepped through the portal back into the Eternal Heaven World.
…
Inside the bathing chamber.
Xiao Jietian continued absorbing the medicinal power.
His bones, bone marrow, flesh, and meridians were all undergoing transformation. His meridians widened noticeably; Dou Qi flowed faster and smoother than ever before.
After a full night of refinement, the energy within his dantian finally reached a critical saturation point.
Just as he felt the momentum stall — unable to break through to Dou Huang —
A soft sound.
Something dripped into the tub.
A powerful surge of pure medicinal essence flooded his body, instantly replenishing the missing momentum.
"Break for me!!!"
Xiao Jietian roared.
The invisible barrier before him shattered like glass.
His aura erupted.
From eight-star Dou Wang, he surged directly to nine-star Dou Wang — then kept climbing, breaking past the peak in one breath.
Finally —
A dazzling light exploded from his dantian.
The aura stabilized.
One-star Dou Huang.
Xiao Jietian stood up slowly.
He clenched his fists.
The surging power within him was several times stronger than when he had been a Dou Wang.
"Finally… Dou Huang."
"Roughly speaking… I'm not far from Dou Di anymore. Not bad, haha."
"Pfft~"
"Ah!!"
Just as the words left his mouth, a clear, bell-like laugh — hastily suppressed — rang out in the room.
Followed immediately by a startled exclamation.
Xiao Jietian turned his head.
There, standing frozen in the doorway with wide eyes and burning cheeks, was Xun'er — one hand still covering her mouth, the other clutching the doorframe as though she might flee at any second.