The morning sun had only just risen above the distant mountain ridges.
Soft golden light poured across the inner courtyard, gently dispersing the lingering chill of night.
The wooden door creaked open.
Xiao Yixian stepped out of Xiao Se's room, her steps light but hurried.
Her cheeks were flushed faintly pink, the color spreading all the way to the tips of her ears. Her usually calm expression carried an unusual trace of panic, and her fingers subconsciously tugged at the hem of her robe as though afraid someone might notice something amiss.
She had barely taken three steps before freezing.
At the stone table in the hall, Zhu Zhuqing and Han Yue were already seated.
Breakfast steamed quietly between them.
When they heard the sound, both women turned their heads at the same time.
Their gazes fell squarely on Xiao Yixian.
For a brief moment—
Silence.
Zhu Zhuqing blinked once.
Han Yue blinked once.
Then both of them stared.
"…Last night," Han Yue finally spoke, her voice as cool as ever, though a faint crimson tint had already crept onto her ears, "…did something happen?"
Xiao Yixian's face exploded red.
"N-No! Absolutely not!"
She waved her hands frantically, nearly tripping over herself.
"We're still young—nothing like that happened! It was only… only that Xiao Se helped me refine a treasure! My cultivation increased by one star!"
Her words came out far too quickly, tumbling into one another without rhythm.
The more she explained, the more suspicious she sounded.
After all—
Her collar was slightly loose.
Her eyes carried traces of exhaustion.
And the faint aura fluctuation around her body had indeed strengthened.
Han Yue's eyebrows twitched subtly.
"Oh?"
Zhu Zhuqing's lips pressed together gently.
She said nothing.
Last night, Xiao Yixian had indeed spent over two hours inside Xiao Se's room.
After that—
The spiritual barrier remained active until dawn.
Anyone with half a brain could imagine what sort of scene that suggested.
Xiao Yixian naturally knew what they were thinking.
Her face grew even hotter.
If they truly knew everything that happened after the soul-bone fusion—
How she had been held.
How she had been teased.
How her body had gone weak again and again—
She would probably never dare step outside again.
"I… I'm going to bathe."
She forced a stiff smile.
"I was cultivating all night. I'm sweaty. I'll wash up first."
Before either woman could reply, her figure flickered.
In an instant, she vanished upstairs into a side room.
The sound of the door closing echoed faintly.
Only then did Zhu Zhuqing exhale slowly.
"…She really did break through."
Han Yue nodded calmly.
"Yes. Her aura is much steadier now."
They exchanged a glance.
Neither pursued the topic further.
At that moment, footsteps sounded again.
Xiao Se walked out of the room, looking refreshed, his long hair loosely tied, expression calm and relaxed.
The contrast was… rather striking.
He glanced toward the table.
"Oh? You're both up early."
He walked over and sat naturally beside Zhu Zhuqing, smiling.
"So thoughtful—did my little cat bring me breakfast?"
Zhu Zhuqing shot him a sideways look.
Then—
Under the table—
Her heeled shoe stomped down hard on his foot.
"Eat," she said coldly.
Xiao Se hissed softly.
"…That hurt."
But he did not pull away.
If anything, the corner of his lips curled upward slightly.
He knew exactly why she was upset.
Last night, Xiao Yixian had gained immense benefits.
But she had also been thoroughly bullied.
And Zhu Zhuqing—
Had experienced similar "treatment" before.
Jealousy was unavoidable.
He sighed inwardly.
The harmony of a multi-partner relationship was never as simple as it appeared.
"You've reached six-star Dou Shi already?" Xiao Se asked casually, changing the topic.
Zhu Zhuqing nodded.
"Yes."
Her tone softened slightly, though she still refused to look at him directly.
"Probably not long before I break into Da Dou Shi."
"That's fast," Xiao Se said sincerely.
Zhu Zhuqing had no soul bones, no Calamity Poison Body, no divine bloodline—yet her progress remained astonishing.
Pure will.
Pure discipline.
Pure talent.
Han Yue watched the two silently, lips faintly curving.
"So even he has domestic trouble," she thought with mild amusement.
After breakfast, Zhu Zhuqing rose.
"I'm going with Han Yue."
"Her women's association opens today."
Xiao Se nodded.
"Be careful."
She hesitated for half a second—
Then leaned close enough that only he could hear.
"…Don't do anything improper again."
He smiled helplessly.
"Yes, ma'am."
She snorted softly, then turned and left with Han Yue.
Watching their backs disappear beyond the courtyard gate, Xiao Se rubbed his temples.
"Harem management truly is harder than cultivation."
Shaking his head, he prepared to leave as well.
He still needed to refine the Earth Spirit Pill.
And afterward—
The Fallen Heart Flame awaited.
Yet the moment he stepped out of the courtyard—
He stopped.
A group of over a dozen new inner-court students stood outside the gate.
Their expressions were anxious.
Some were bruised.
Others looked close to tears.
The moment they saw him, their eyes lit up.
"Senior Xiao Se!"
"You have to help us!"
The courtyard instantly erupted into chaos.
Complaints overlapped.
Voices piled together.
Xiao Se raised his hand sharply.
"Enough."
His voice was calm—but carried undeniable pressure.
The crowd instantly quieted.
He turned toward Zhu Zhuqing and Han Yue, who had not yet gone far.
"What happened?"
Han Yue's voice was icy.
"The old student factions are collecting protection fees."
Xiao Se blinked.
"…Ah."
Right.
That.
Inner Academy tradition.
Old students extorted new ones.
The academy turned a blind eye.
Weakness was a sin.
Survival was training.
A cruel but effective system.
Xiao Se shrugged.
"Then cultivate harder."
"Get strong."
"Beat them later."
The students' faces fell instantly.
"Senior, we can't survive like this!"
"They take our fire energy every week!"
"We won't even be able to enter the Heavenly Flame Tower!"
Xiao Se spread his hands.
"And?"
"I'm not the academy's disciplinary committee."
The group panicked.
Then—
Their gazes slowly shifted.
Toward Zhu Zhuqing.
She stiffened.
"…Why are you looking at me?"
One student swallowed.
Then clasped his fists.
"Zhuqing-saozi!"
The word echoed.
Her brain blanked.
"S-Saozi?!"
"Yes! Zhuqing-saozi!"
"You're Senior Xiao Se's girlfriend!"
"Please persuade him!"
"Only he can protect us!"
The courtyard fell silent.
Zhu Zhuqing's face turned crimson instantly.
From her neck—
To her ears—
To her cheeks.
"S-Stop calling me that!"
But strangely—
Her heart fluttered.
Xiao Se's eyebrows lifted slightly.
He glanced at her.
She hesitated.
Then looked back at him, eyes conflicted.
"…Could you help them?"
He leaned close.
"Not mad anymore?"
"…Not mad."
He smiled.
"Then I'll help."
He turned toward the new students.
"Bring me to whoever's collecting fees."
Their eyes shone with relief.
"Yes, Senior!"
As they left, Zhu Zhuqing walked beside him.
"…You're really going to interfere?"
He nodded.
"I'm not stopping competition."
"I'm stopping extortion."
She smiled softly.
That was exactly why she trusted him.
In the Inner Academy—
A storm was about to rise.
And everyone would soon learn one truth:
The new generation's era—
Had already begun.
(End of Chapter)
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