"But Han Yue is seriously lucky. She walked right into a fairy tale life. I'm so jealous! I really want Xiao Tian to hold me too."
Many girls shrieked, their faces flushed with infatuation.
"Exactly! If it's Xiao Tian, besides having kids, I'd do anything else!"
Everyone turned their heads, thinking some hopeless romantic girl had spoken up, ready to get to know her better. Then they saw it was a man.
A million wild beasts stampeded through their hearts. Even the guy standing next to him quickly shuffled several meters away.
"This Heaven Punishing Divine Palace is seriously powerful! I've decided—I'm joining them after I graduate!"
A Boundless Gate plant shouted in the crowd.
"Right! Great minds think alike!"
"Exactly! I had the same plan. I didn't expect everyone here to be thinking the same thing. We can form a squad together later."
In no time, the name of the Heaven Punishing Divine Palace spread throughout the academy. Su Qian heard it too.
The veins on his forehead bulged instantly. He felt sick. He hadn't expected the other side to have this move up their sleeve.
Su Qian stood there dumbfounded. Now, in the eyes of every outsider, his academy was already tied to the Heaven Punishing Divine Palace.
There were plenty of spies from other Black-Corner Region forces planted in the academy. The news that Han Feng and his crew had died here definitely could not be kept under wraps.
Lin Xiuya could only sigh at Xiao Tian's strength. He'd never imagined Xiao Tian would be this monstrous. The man had already left everyone else in the dust by several streets.
"Everyone calls us geniuses. But standing in front of Xiao Tian, our genius looks like a joke."
Yan Hao shook his head and sighed.
"Yeah. Now I finally understand what it means: 'Genius is just the entry ticket to meet me.'"
Lin Xiuya nodded in agreement.
"Let's go. Everything's over now. Looks like the Qi Refining Tower is gone for the time being. It won't be back up anytime soon."
Those gathered around Lin Xiuya were mostly this year's top ten on the strong ranking. In any world, the same rule applied: birds of a feather flock together.
"You're about to break through to Dou Wang, aren't you?"
Liu Qing asked, sensing the fluctuations in Lin Xiuya's aura.
"You'll find out soon enough."
Lin Xiuya left those words behind and walked away.
After he left, the others dispersed as well.
Xiao Yu also left with Hu Jia and the Boundless Gate members.
Su Qian gathered a large group of Earth-attribute Dou Qi users and began repairing the damaged ground. The magma in the deep pit had already flowed back into the underground world when the seal was activated. Under the combined efforts of several elders, the land around the former Qi Refining Tower gradually returned to its original flat state. Only the spot where the familiar black spire had once stood was now marked by a single-story house.
---
Meanwhile, Han Yue had followed Yun Yun into the Heaven Punishing Divine Realm. She stared in wonder at the grand, majestic Heaven Punishing Divine Palace—a place that looked like it belonged in the celestial realm.
Yun Yun gently explained the Heaven Punishing Divine Realm to her as they walked.
She brought Han Yue straight to the Eternal Dream Palace. After looking around, Han Yue chose a palace close to Yun Yun's as her own.
Then, under Yun Yun's guidance, they arrived at a small pavilion in the middle of a lake. Han Yue kept gazing at the beautiful scenery along the way. Inside the pavilion, she saw two graceful figures already waiting: Qing Lin and Ya Fei.
Yun Yun introduced them, and the three briefly got to know each other.
Two things surprised Han Yue during that meeting.
The first: she never imagined that Qing Lin—who looked so soft and easy to bully—was actually the master of that man-eating giant snake she had seen at the academy. That was a Tier 6 Magical Beast. It killed Dou Wangs like they were chickens. And apparently, she also had another Tier 5 Magical Beast.
The second: Ya Fei, sitting right in front of her, was also pregnant, just like Yun Yun. Their pregnancies were around the same time. Han Yue could deduce from that alone that they must have served Xiao Tian together.
"Sister Yun Yun, Sister Ya Fei… what does it feel like? Being pregnant?"
Han Yue gently touched their bellies, her voice soft and shy.
"Pretty much the same as usual. You'll know for yourself later. What, can't wait?"
Ya Fei heard Han Yue's question and looked at her with teasing, bewitching eyes.
"No… no, not at all."
Han Yue blushed, looking completely embarrassed.
The women chatted idly in the small pavilion. Han Yue felt the genuine kindness from everyone and gradually relaxed. Before long, the scenery around the pavilion seemed to gain more life and color from their clear, melodious laughter.
---
The next day. The sun was high in the sky.
A long-sealed palace door slowly creaked open. A tall, handsome figure stepped out. But as he passed through the doorframe, he had to steady himself with one hand.
"Those two are genuinely fatal enchantresses. I almost didn't survive."
Xiao Tian rubbed his back. Then he felt power continuously flowing through him, nourishing him. Even as he walked, he could feel himself recovering. His sage mode cooldown had been slashed by more than half.
"Dou Zun and Dou Zong. Plus a Magical Beast physique. And still, they were utterly defeated by me. Hmph."
Xiao Tian stretched. Having reasserted his dominant position in the family, he felt refreshed and completely invigorated.
If a camera had passed through the thick palace wall and entered the room, it would have found utter devastation. Not a single intact object remained. Even a husky—specialized in home demolition—would have taken one look and shouted "Master!"
Xiao Yi Xian and Medusa lay peacefully on the bed, completely unconscious. The entire room was filled with the scent of blooming gorse flowers. It seemed Xiao Tian's cream puffs had been a resounding success. A perfect replication.
---
Xiao Tian spotted Yun Yun training Han Yue, helping her fully digest the gains from her earlier body tempering. Even though the tempering had succeeded, a great deal of energy was still accumulated inside her body. It needed continuous refining and complete transformation to maximize its value.
He didn't disturb them. Everyone had their own time for cultivation. In this world—where Dou Qi had flourished to its absolute peak—strength was the truest proof of worth. Besides, the higher the realm, the longer one could live. There would be endless time for companionship in the future. No need to rush now.
He appeared at the site of the former Qi Refining Tower. Looking at the small, single-story house before him, he didn't hesitate. He walked straight inside.
The two elders on guard sensed someone approaching and immediately opened their eyes, ready to bark at the intruder to leave. But the moment they saw who had entered, the words died in their throats.
Not only was Xiao Tian's realm already higher than theirs, but Su Qian had also made it clear: Xiao Tian could do whatever he wanted when he came here. They were not to pay him any mind. They were not to hinder him.
Xiao Tian gave the two elders a slight nod, then walked to the edge of the seal and studied everything visible inside.
"Has anything unusual happened here during this time?"
His calm voice drifted to the two elders' ears.
"Unusual? There was something. But it didn't affect the seal."
One elder—a Six-Star Dou Wang—thought for a moment, then spoke.
"Tell me."
Xiao Tian turned to face him, motioning for him to describe it in detail.