The next morning arrived beneath a bright, clear sky.
Golden sunlight streamed through the windows, casting a warm glow across the quiet room. Xiao Se stretched lazily, letting out a slow breath as the last traces of sleep left his body. Under Long Kui's attentive care, he finished dressing—his robes adjusted neatly by her gentle hands—before completing his morning wash.
Only then did he step out of the room.
By the time he made his way downstairs, he discovered that everyone else was already awake.
"Xiao Se, come here, come here!" Die's bright, cheerful voice rang out the moment she saw him. Her beautiful face lit up with a soft, radiant smile as she hurried over, grabbed his arm, and pulled him toward the dining table. "My sister cooked breakfast today! You have to try it!"
"Oh?"
Xiao Se allowed himself to be dragged along, a faint smile forming on his lips. But as he sat down beside Die, his gaze lingered on her for a moment longer than usual.
"Die… it looks like you've completed your transformation."
He looked her up and down carefully, then glanced over at Medusa.
Aside from their clothing and the subtle difference in aura, the two were now nearly indistinguishable in appearance.
If one ignored those details, it would be incredibly difficult to tell them apart.
"Hehe, well?" Die stood up with a playful grin, placing a soft hand on Xiao Se's shoulder. Then, under his slightly entranced gaze, she spun gracefully in place a few times. "Don't I look just as beautiful as my sister now?"
"Not bad, not bad…" Xiao Se stroked his smooth chin thoughtfully, his eyes following her movements. "Perfect proportions, elegant figure. Compared to Shasha, you might lack a bit of mature charm, but you make up for it with a unique youthful allure. Each has their own beauty—each has their own beauty…"
He even nodded a few times, as if delivering a serious evaluation.
"Ah—ow, ow, ow—Shasha! Are you trying to murder your husband?!"
Before he could finish, Medusa reached out and pinched the flesh at his waist without mercy. Her voice was low and dangerous.
"Don't you dare set your sights on my sister."
Xiao Se winced, quickly grabbing her hand to stop her. Without missing a beat, he smoothly changed the topic.
"…So, what's going on with Zi Yan?"
His gaze shifted to the little girl sitting nearby, whose entire face seemed to be radiating gloom and frustration.
Taking a closer look, Xiao Se realized—
Her body hadn't changed at all.
She still looked like a twelve- or thirteen-year-old child.
Didn't she take the Transformation Pill?
"Zi Yan did grow for a while after taking it yesterday," Zhu Zhuqing said, covering her lips as she laughed softly. "But not long after, she reverted back to how she was before. Though it wasn't completely useless—she managed to break through to Dou Huang because of it."
"…Uh."
Xiao Se's lips twitched slightly.
It seemed the effects of the Transformation Grass on her were deeper than expected. Even a Transformation Pill couldn't fully counteract it.
At this rate, she probably wouldn't truly grow up until she reached Dou Zong.
"I will grow up!"
Zi Yan suddenly glared at him, her big black eyes brimming with a mixture of determination and faint tears.
"Relax." Xiao Se reached out and rubbed her small head gently, smiling reassuringly. "Your magical beast bloodline is extraordinary—even stronger than Shasha's Seven-Colored Heaven-Swallowing Python. I believe you'll definitely grow up."
"Really?" Zi Yan blinked her large, watery eyes.
"Really."
"Really really?"
"Really really."
"Really really really?"
"Really really really. When have I ever lied to you?" Xiao Se said with a straight face.
"You lied to me last time."
Zi Yan sniffled, pouting as she wiped her eyes.
Last time…
Naturally, she meant the time Xiao Se had kissed her.
"…Ah. Heh heh…"
Xiao Se let out an awkward laugh, immediately shifting the conversation again.
"Xian'er," he said, turning to Xiao Yixian, "later I'll be heading to the Tagore Desert with Shasha and Die. I'll also take the opportunity to find that old man from before and get the method for condensing a poison pill to deal with your Woeful Poison Body."
As he spoke, he took out a small bottle—the Heaven Palm Bottle—and handed it to her.
"You take this for now. While I'm gone, use the Sea King Palace's influence to gather large quantities of rare medicinal seed stocks. Use it to accelerate their growth. When I return, I'll use those materials to refine high-grade pills. Then we can organize an auction in Black Seal City—maybe we'll even obtain the Bodhi Transformation Saliva."
"Don't worry." Xiao Yixian accepted the bottle, her smile bright and confident. "With this treasure, I'm sure by the time you return, the amount of medicinal materials I've gathered will shock you."
Xiao Se nodded slightly, then turned his gaze to Zhu Zhuqing.
"Zhuqing, do you want to come with me?"
A flicker of hesitation appeared in Zhu Zhuqing's eyes.
But after a brief pause, she shook her head.
"With my current strength, I'd only slow you down. I'll stay in the Black-Corner Region and continue training."
Seeing her resolve, Xiao Se sighed softly, though a faint smile remained.
After thinking for a moment, and under the curious gazes of the women, he reached into his system storage and took out a snow-white storage ring.
A streak of white light suddenly shot out from the ring, landing on the ground and forming into the figure of an elderly man in white robes.
Who else could it be but Venerable Tian Huo—Yao Tianhuo?
"You little brat! Throwing this old man into a pitch-black space—what the hell—"
The moment he appeared, Yao Tianhuo immediately started cursing loudly.
But halfway through his rant, he froze.
His eyes widened as he noticed two unfamiliar Dou Zong experts and two unfamiliar Dou Huang experts staring at him.
"…What is this?"
"Xiao Se, what are you trying to do?" Yao Tianhuo asked, clearly displeased. Being suddenly exposed in front of so many powerful individuals made him extremely uncomfortable.
Xiao Se chuckled.
"Don't worry, Senior Tian Huo. These are all my wives—no outsiders here."
"…Your wives?"
Yao Tianhuo blinked, momentarily stunned. Then he stroked his beard and carefully examined the women present.
He had to admit—
He felt a little jealous.
This kid's luck with women was absurd.
"This old gentleman," Xiao Se continued, "is the former owner of the Fallen Heart Flame—Venerable Tian Huo, Yao Tianhuo. In his lifetime, he was a Dou Zun expert. I encountered him by chance in the magma world beneath the Blazing Sky Qi Refining Tower. Due to certain circumstances, he is currently in a soul state."
Hearing that the old man before them had once been a Dou Zun, Xiao Yixian and the others immediately grew serious. They bowed respectfully.
"Senior Tian Huo."
"Heh… all in the past, all in the past," Yao Tianhuo waved his hand, though their respect clearly improved his mood after being stuck in that "little black room" (Xiao Se's storage) for so long.
He then turned back to Xiao Se.
"Alright, enough talk. What do you want from this old man?"
"Hehe." Xiao Se grinned. "Senior Tian Huo, didn't I promise to refine a body for you? And in return, you agreed to become an elder of the faction I'm building."
He gestured around.
"This is it. The details can be explained by Xiao Yixian later. For now, I'd like to ask you to protect my little wife Zhu Zhuqing for a while."
"Her?"
Yao Tianhuo narrowed his eyes as he looked at Zhu Zhuqing, nodding slowly.
"Good talent. Very pure dark attribute physique. It's a pity I cultivate fire, otherwise I'd really consider taking her as my disciple."
Xiao Se's expression turned slightly serious.
"So… what do you think, Senior?"
"Oh, enough already." Yao Tianhuo rolled his eyes. "I agree."
He had no intention of being thrown back into that endless, pitch-black confinement again.
"Then I'll trouble you, Senior. Once I gather the materials to refine your body, I'll definitely help you revive," Xiao Se said with a smile.
"Just make sure you keep your promise," Yao Tianhuo replied.
As he finished speaking, his form turned into a streak of white light once more and returned to the storage ring.
Xiao Se handed the snow-white ring to Zhu Zhuqing.
At the same time, he secretly left a sub-flame of the Fallen Heart Flame within her body—and very seriously instructed her to use the Guiyuan Soul Technique when bathing.
Just in case that old man got any funny ideas.
Finally—
Under the reluctant gazes of his wives, Xiao Se departed Feng City with Die and Medusa at his side.
Their next destination—
The Tagore Desert.
(End of Chapter)
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