When the three of them stepped out of the main hall, the buildings beyond were already swallowed in flames, the air filled with the roar of battle.
Xiao Tian had not come alone. The other tasks—the smaller, messier ones—were being handled by the elders and members of Heaven Punishing Divine Palace.
"Palace Master, this is Mo Ya. Mo Tianxing's son." Jin Mo approached, dragging a handsome young man in white robes by the collar.
The young man's face was twisted with terror. "My father is a Four-Star Dou Zong! If you kill me, none of you will escape!"
Mo Ya had assumed that since Jin Mo was a One-Star Dou Zong, and the people before him all looked so young, the one holding him must be the strongest among them.
Xiao Tian glanced at Mo Ya's expression and waved a hand dismissively. "If you miss your father that much, go join him. Old Mo, end it."
The terror in Mo Ya's eyes sharpened into pure horror. He wasn't stupid. Xiao Tian's words made it clear—his father was already dead. Before he could utter another word, Old Mo's Dou Qi surged. Mo Ya's body instantly went limp, as though every bone had been removed.
Oh. There were no bones left. Old Mo had shattered them all, along with every internal organ.
Within Heaven Punishing Divine Palace, Old Mo served as the head of the Enforcement Palace. He was the person most of the palace's members feared above all others. Fair, strict, and utterly ruthless—criminals and spies who fell into his hands rarely emerged intact. Xiao Tian fully endorsed this approach. In chaotic times, harsh measures were necessary. A sect without firm rules and an iron-fisted enforcer would rot from within. As for resentment—with the palace's exceptional benefits, such a thing simply never took root.
Old Mo tossed Mo Ya's body into the flames, saluted Xiao Tian, and returned to cleaning up the rest of the Black Emperor Sect.
Xiao Tian, flanked by Medusa and Xiao Yi Xian, continued searching. Eventually, they found the Black Emperor Sect's treasure vault, tucked away in a hidden basement.
Under Medusa's enthusiastic demolition, the vault door was smashed into several pieces. After delivering the final blow, she shot Xiao Tian a triumphant glance. *How about that? Am I impressive or what?*
Xiao Tian pulled her straight into his arms and kissed her deeply. A brief, fierce press of lips. Then they parted.
"That's your reward." He gave her pert bottom a light pat and walked inside.
"You wicked man, bullying me again." Medusa stomped her foot, her voice full of indignation.
Beside her, Xiao Yi Xian covered her mouth, her shoulders shaking with suppressed laughter. "Cai Li, if you hadn't been smiling just now, I might actually have believed you."
"Oh! You too, Xian'er? Bullying me just like that scoundrel!" Medusa lunged at her with feigned fury.
Xiao Yi Xian dodged, then—imitating Xiao Tian—gave Medusa's bottom a light smack of her own. "I have to admit, it does feel rather satisfying. No wonder Xiao Tian enjoys patting yours so much."
"Xian'er, you stop right there!" Medusa's face flushed crimson. She advanced with a "fierce" expression.
"I'll teach you a way to get revenge on Xiao Tian. Do you want to hear it?"
Medusa halted immediately. "Tell me."
"Give him a son. Then beat the son every single day."
Xiao Yi Xian smiled sweetly and slipped deeper into the vault.
Medusa froze. "That… actually sounds possible. If I can't bully him, I can at least bully his son." She paused. "Wait. Wouldn't that just be bullying myself?"
Realizing she had been thoroughly played, she sprinted after Xiao Yi Xian. "You hateful Xian'er! You made fun of me!"
She caught up quickly, and the two of them chased each other in circles around Xiao Tian. He watched their antics with a quiet smile, making no move to stop them. Medusa was shedding more and more of her queenly armor when she was with family, acting more like a young woman in love with every passing day. Of course, in front of outsiders—anyone who wasn't her sisters or Xiao Tian—she remained the same cold, elegant Queen.
When he judged they had played enough, Xiao Tian caught both their faces between his fingers and gave them a gentle pinch. "Alright, enough fooling around. Time to get to work."
The two immediately retaliated by pinching his cheeks in return, then strode ahead like vanguards scouting the way.
The three pressed deeper into the vault until they reached a lavishly adorned chamber. Moonstones were embedded everywhere, bathing the space in light as bright as day. Rows of bookshelves stood in quiet formation.
Xiao Tian moved to the scrolls first. Most were Earth-tier Dou Techniques. On a single shelf, nearly ten scrolls of Earth-tier techniques and cultivation methods sat side by side.
"As expected of a sect that runs both a city and an auction house. Far wealthier than that reclusive Demon Flame Valley." He flipped through scroll after scroll.
But while the Black Emperor Sect possessed more techniques, their quality was clearly inferior to Demon Flame Valley's collection.
He glanced over at Xiao Yi Xian and Medusa. They were busy rifling through a shelf packed with ornaments and various functional items.
"Cai Li, I think this one suits you. Try it."
"This one is perfect for Yun Yun. This for Qing Lin. This for Han Yue…"
Xiao Tian's forehead creased with dark lines. He felt as though he had thoroughly spoiled them. Especially Xiao Yi Xian. The first time they had gone treasure hunting together, her eyes had been full of nothing but medicinal herbs. Now her focus seemed to have… shifted.
"What are you staring at? Don't meddle in girls' conversations. Go do your own work." Medusa caught him watching and dismissed him with a wave.
Xiao Tian studied her arrogant expression and silently vowed to enforce "household rules" with a particularly large "stick" tonight.
"I feel like you're thinking something extremely rude right now." Medusa eyed him with deep suspicion, a sudden chill crawling down her spine.
Xiao Tian ignored her and swept all the scrolls into his storage ring. He didn't spot the Earth-tier Dou Technique *Six-Harmonies Roaming Body Ruler* among them. Someone else must have already found it and sent it off for auction. He let the thought pass. Whether Xiao Yan got his hands on it later would simply depend on his luck.
When Xiao Tian reached the medicinal herb storage, he found a trove of rare ingredients waiting for him. Without hesitation, he collected every rare specimen and everything he personally needed. The rest he swept directly into his ring. There was no helping it. A massive organization like Heaven Punishing Divine Palace had too many mouths to feed. He silently thanked the Black Emperor Sect for their generous sponsorship and their contribution to securing the top position.
And deeper in the vault, Xiao Tian discovered other treasures—things he needed very much indeed.