"I wouldn't dare." Xiao Jietian immediately raised both hands in mock surrender, eyes brimming with feigned innocence. "You are my beloved Xun'er. Whatever you say is right; your word is law. This husband shall obey without question."
The automatic sweetness in his voice struck true.
Xun'er felt the warmth seep into her heart. Her body softened against him, and in a voice soft as spring wind she murmured,
"Kiss me."
Xiao Jietian did not hesitate.
One hand cradled the back of her head with infinite gentleness, the other supported her slender waist. He lowered his head and captured her tender, dew-kissed lips.
Beneath the vast canopy of stars, it seemed as though the heavens themselves were moved. Countless motes of starlight drifted downward like gentle snow, swirling and sprinkling around the entwined pair, bathing them in a dreamlike silver glow.
Only when Xun'er gave his chest a light, breathless thump did Xiao Jietian reluctantly release her.
Their foreheads touched, noses brushing, eyes locked in silent depths of affection.
Xun'er suddenly nipped his lower lip in playful retaliation, mumbling against his mouth,
"Are you some wild ox? So forceful… you nearly crushed me. It hurt."
She freed herself from his hold, stepped back, smoothed the disarray of her robes with graceful motions, then flashed away in a streak of green silk, vanishing toward the palace exit.
Xiao Jietian stared after her departing figure, momentarily stunned.
"Wait—Xun'er! You're just leaving like that?" he called out, half-laughing, half-helpless. "Lighting the fire and then running away? That's too cruel!"
Xun'er alighted lightly atop the palace wall, turned, and cast him a sidelong glance filled with mock disdain.
"I couldn't care less about a philanderer like you."
Then she stuck out her tongue in an impish grimace and teased,
"Don't think I didn't notice. You secretly laid down several spatial barriers just now — and each one conceals a different formation array. Quite the thoughtful preparations, hm?"
Xiao Jietian's expression froze in genuine astonishment.
He was a master of spatial laws, yet she — a mere Dou Zong — had seen through his handiwork so easily?
Is a Divine Grade bloodline truly this terrifying?
"Hehe, stunned, aren't you?" Xun'er giggled, clearly delighted at catching him off guard.
She reached into her sleeve, produced a small rhombus-shaped crystal, shook it teasingly in the moonlight, then turned and fled in a flash of green.
She feared if she lingered another moment, her Tian-ge might truly turn into a ravenous beast and drag her back inside.
Xiao Jietian stared at the vanishing crystal, then helplessly covered his face with one hand.
Of all things… he had forgotten about the clan's communication artifact.
Who's the one showing off now? Fei Yan?
Somewhere in the distance, Queen Medusa's indignant voice seemed to echo through the ether:
??? What did I do this time? Why is every suspicious incident automatically pinned on me? Am I the designated scapegoat?
Xiao Jietian shook his head wryly.
He had no intention of chasing Xun'er for another round tonight. Not long ago she had nearly cursed him out after one such "lesson." If he pushed again so soon, she might really sink her teeth in.
He gazed up at the now ordinary starry sky and sighed softly.
"The night is long, and sleep eludes me. Why not find someone to… study some new knowledge together?"
His thoughts drifted.
Today Xun'er had worn jade-green robes.
And there was another girl here who also favored emerald hues.
Moreover, he had promised her a reward today.
Very well — time to impart some fresh teachings.
Xiao Jietian extended a hand toward a distant palace.
Space rippled.
In the next instant, a petite figure with flowing emerald-green hair appeared before him in a flash of light.
Qing Lin blinked in confusion, still half-asleep.
Wasn't I just about to lie down, cradling the star portrait Young Master made especially for me…? How did I suddenly appear here?
Then her gaze focused.
Xiao Jietian sat casually by the edge of the bed, regarding her with a warm, gentle smile.
"Young Master~~!"
Qing Lin's face lit up like the morning sun. She threw herself into his arms without the slightest hesitation.
"Young Master actually prepared one specially for Qing Lin too… Qing Lin loves it so much!"
"Of course I did." Xiao Jietian stroked her soft hair, voice tender. "You are my beloved Qing Lin."
"To have met Young Master is already Qing Lin's greatest fortune in this life," she mumbled against his chest, voice muffled yet overflowing with uncontainable joy.
Xiao Jietian smiled softly.
"You've only just emerged from seclusion. Tonight… allow me to teach you some new knowledge."
Qing Lin immediately sensed the burning affection in his tone and understood his meaning.
A faint blush crept up her cheeks, yet anticipation sparkled in her eyes.
She had been in closed-door cultivation for so long, separated from her Young Master. She had missed him terribly.
She nodded vigorously, shy yet eager.
"Young Master gave Qing Lin such a beautiful gift… Qing Lin will study hard and will not disappoint you."
She stood, quickly gathered the loose emerald locks that had spilled over her shoulders for sleep, and deftly retied them into her signature twin ponytails.
"Young Master, Qing Lin is ready. Shall we begin the lesson now?"
Xiao Jietian waved a hand.
The vanished palace roof silently reappeared, sealing them once more in intimate seclusion.
Then he produced several "study materials" with a flick of his sleeve.
"Tonight we shall study strategic material identification and application."
Qing Lin glanced over them, pointed shyly at the thinnest volume.
"Young Master… let's start with this one first. It looks simpler. Young Master can transmit the key points to Qing Lin more easily."
"Very well. Prepare yourself. Once you're ready… we begin."
Qing Lin's eyes shone.
"Okay, Young Master! Qing Lin loves studying the most!"
…
Early next morning.
Qing Lin emerged from Xiao Jietian's palace, steps light and face radiant.
She rubbed her twin ponytails absently — perhaps they had grown uncomfortable after being tied so long.
Yet from her glowing expression and the satisfied curve of her lips, it was clear the night's "studies" had borne excellent fruit.
Her entire being seemed to shimmer with delight, as though she had reaped a bountiful harvest.
…
Xun'er remained in the Eternal Heaven Palace for three full days.
And during those three nights, a certain mischievous "person-to-person transmission" quietly spread throughout the palace halls.
It turned out Xun'er had secretly picked up some bad habits from Medusa and the others — namely, the art of nocturnal peeking.
…
Four days passed like flowing water.
In a waterside pavilion bathed in morning light, Xun'er and Xiao Jietian sat facing one another over tea.
Xiao Jietian set down his cup and spoke lightly.
"We just received fresh intelligence. A battalion of magical beasts is marching in our direction."
Xun'er's brows lifted slightly.
"The Black Annihilation Army?"
"Precisely." Xiao Jietian gave a soft chuckle. "Four-winged unicorns paired with purple-black robes. Apart from the Gu Clan's Black Annihilation Army, no other force in the world employs such a configuration."
Xun'er's expression immediately soured, displeasure written clearly across her exquisite features.
"They truly are like vengeful ghosts that refuse to disperse."
"And those old geezers…" She pressed her temple as though already developing a headache. "They are utterly insufferable."
The Black Annihilation Army was the Gu Clan's most elite force.
Every member was chosen through layers of brutal selection; each one possessed heaven-defying talent and battle prowess.
They answered solely to the Gu Clan Elder Council — those same stubborn old fossils who would rather Xun'er remained imprisoned in the Ancient World for the rest of her days.
Not out of concern for her well-being, of course.
They coveted only her Divine Grade bloodline.
They dreamed of pairing her with some "suitable" genius within the clan, so that future generations might inherit an even purer lineage.
"When I set foot in the Gu Clan," Xiao Jietian said, reaching out to gently stroke her hair, "I will help you vent this anger properly."
He paused, then added with genuine curiosity,
"Still… I am rather interested to see who they've sent this time."
The scouts stationed outside were not particularly powerful.
A unit like the Black Annihilation Army invariably included experts skilled in reconnaissance, concealment, and soul perception.
Thus the Boundless Heaven Hall's outer scouts had not dared approach too closely — and so the identity of the commander remained shrouded for now.