For a long time, Xiao Jietian had been subtly shaping Xun'er's temperament.
In the original tale, the Xun'er of Jia Nan Academy had been gentle to a fault — indecisive when it came to the Ancient Eight Clans, always torn between clan loyalty and personal feelings.
Xiao Jietian disliked that weakness.
He had quietly nurtured her resolve, planting seeds of clarity and ruthlessness beneath her gentle exterior.
The so-called "steadiness" of the Ancient Eight Clans sounded noble in name, yet in truth it was nothing more than ingrained cowardice — a trait so deeply rooted it seemed almost woven into their bloodline.
They busied themselves with endless, futile posturing.
The Hun Clan stirred chaos right beneath their so-called watchful eyes, yet the Eight Clans merely observed from afar, content with empty surveillance.
Most laughable of all: while they endlessly proclaimed Xun'er's supreme importance to the future of the clans, when she ventured beyond the Ancient World, they deigned to assign only two Dou Zun escorts.
In the Central Plains, Dou Zun might be hailed as the peak of power, but hidden ancient monsters abounded.
Should the Hun Clan truly go mad and dispatch a Dou Sheng — should the Nihility Devouring Flame intervene to stall Gu Yuan for even a short span — those two Dou Zun would be nothing more than sacrificial offerings.
Xun'er's "importance" to the Ancient Eight Clans and Zi Yan's importance to the Ancient Dragon Clan stood at opposite extremes.
One was mere lip service.
The other was genuine, bone-deep protection.
Wherever Zi Yan went, a Half-Saint shadowed her in secret — silent, absolute.
It was the perfect reflection of the Ancient Eight Clans' utilitarian hearts: weigh benefits, discard the rest.
"Tian-ge, what are you thinking about?" Xun'er asked softly, noticing the distant look in his eyes.
Xiao Jietian returned to the present and smiled faintly.
"Nothing much. I was merely wondering whether I should force them to produce that Blood Jade Token right here — just to see how well it fares inside my Boundless Heaven Hall."
Xun'er rolled her eyes helplessly, a trace of amusement flickering through her exasperation.
Only her lawless Tian-ge would entertain such a brazen thought.
Even the other ancient clans would show some deference upon sighting a Blood Jade Token.
Yet her Tian-ge? Not in the slightest.
Because she understood: Xiao Jietian had always harbored deep disdain for the Ancient Eight Clans — and now, so did she.
She had spent far more years in the warmth of the Xiao family than in the cold, gilded cage of the Gu Clan.
Upon her return, her freedom had been stripped away layer by layer. Days stretched into months without seeing her Tian-ge.
Thankfully, they kept in constant contact through message stones.
Below them, Yang Hao overheard Xiao Jietian's words and caught the expectant gleam in his eyes. He immediately shrank his neck, not daring to respond.
A chill ran down his spine.
He had the distinct premonition: if he truly produced the token now, his entire group would be beaten once more — without mercy.
"Tsk."
Xiao Jietian clicked his tongue in clear disappointment when he saw their cowed expressions.
He had genuinely hoped they would take it out — so he could have the perfect excuse to slap them across the face.
You bring your Ancient Eight Clans' token into my Boundless Heaven Hall to flaunt your authority?
Hearing that regretful sound, Yang Hao became utterly certain: the other party had only been fishing for a pretext to act.
"Tian-ge, you're far too mischievous," Xun'er said, gazing at him with a mixture of fondness and mock reproach.
She knew her Tian-ge had never been one to shrink back.
If they dared produce the token, they would be beaten — one hundred percent.
In Xiao Jietian's own words: he feared no one.
At worst, he would simply bring everyone from Boundless Heaven Hall into the Eternal Heaven World, cultivate in seclusion, and emerge only when his strength towered over the heavens — then slaughter them all.
Xiao Jietian slid an arm around Xun'er's slender waist and smiled lazily.
"Bad boys get the girls."
Then he changed the subject, voice softening.
"Are you returning now… or…?"
He had no intention of playing the domineering chauvinist who forbade her from leaving.
The choice was hers alone.
Xun'er shook her head gently.
"My bloodline is in the midst of awakening. Only after it fully awakens can I truly stand beside Tian-ge and help you. Besides… Xun'er can't eat any more. In three days I've already had several meals. If you're not afraid of me growing fat, I am."
The second half was transmitted directly into his mind via soul voice.
After speaking, she shot him several shy, reproachful glances.
During these days she had spoken much with her sisters.
She learned of their grand ambitions — to build a mighty foundation for Xiao Jietian.
As the future principal wife, she naturally had to contribute more.
To catch up to Tian-ge and stand shoulder-to-shoulder with him — or even walk ahead — she needed the full power of her divine bloodline.
In these three days, Xiao Jietian had imparted to her the Void Piercer Art and the Grand Yin Divine Refining Art.
In return, Xun'er had given him the final three seals of the Emperor Seal Art.
He had accepted without refusal — it was her sincere offering.
Xiao Jietian chuckled softly.
He drew her fully into his embrace and murmured against her hair,
"Very well. Then wait for me in the Ancient World. Once you complete your clan's coming-of-age ceremony, I will come to bring you home."
Xun'er nestled against his chest like a contented little woman and nodded heavily.
"Xun'er will wait obediently in the Ancient Eight Clans."
Ling Quan, sprawled on the ground, witnessed the scene.
The goddess he had once worshipped — the untouchable Xun'er — was now held intimately in another man's arms, displaying a shy, demure demeanor he had never seen.
Jealousy erupted in his chest like wildfire, devouring his reason.
Ignoring the agony coursing through his battered body, he forced himself upright and rasped hoarsely,
"Let go of the Young Lady! She is not someone you are qualified to touch!"
Xun'er lifted her head from Xiao Jietian's embrace.
She regarded Ling Quan expressionlessly.
"Are you qualified to point fingers at my affairs? Who do you think you are?"
Ling Quan's body began to tremble violently. His eyes turned bloodshot.
"Noisy."
Xiao Jietian's voice fell indifferently.
An invisible force erupted from his body.
"Bang!!"
Ling Quan had no time to react.
His body was hurled backward as though struck by heavenly lightning, crashing heavily to the ground. A mouthful of fresh blood sprayed from his lips.
Xiao Jietian took a single step.
In the next instant he appeared before Ling Quan, gazing down from above with cold detachment.
"You forced your way into my Boundless Heaven Hall and now show disrespect. Out of consideration for your status as a member of the Ancient Eight Clans, I will merely reduce your cultivation by three stars as a warning."
"Next time — if you lack the strength, do not strut around showing off. Failure carries a price."
Ling Quan stared up at him, eyes filled with disbelief and terror.
"No… you cannot do this! The Ancient Eight Clans will never let you get away with it!"
"Tsk."
Xiao Jietian scoffed lightly.
"Do you truly believe the Ancient Eight Clans would mobilize against my Boundless Heaven Hall… for the sake of someone like you? Especially when you brought this humiliation upon yourself."
Ling Quan's face drained of all color.
He knew Xiao Jietian spoke the truth.
The Ancient Eight Clans would never wage war over him.
Boundless Heaven Hall was deeply intertwined with Xun'er — and Xiao Jietian's monstrous potential alone already surpassed his own insignificant worth.
Xiao Jietian paid him no further attention.
With a casual wave of his hand, a stream of pure Dou Qi shot forth, piercing straight toward the Dou Qi cyclone in Ling Quan's abdomen.
Ling Quan's body convulsed violently.
His internal Dou Qi surged chaotically, then abruptly stilled.
In an instant, he felt as though something vital had been torn away from his Qi Sea.
His cultivation plummeted — three full stars vanished in the blink of an eye.
At this moment, all arrogance had fled.
Only endless humiliation and despair remained in Ling Quan's eyes.
He no longer knew how long it would take to recover these three stars.
This back-and-forth had cost him the equivalent of six stars in total.
A lifetime of effort — erased in a single gesture.