Jin Renfeng was dead.
He died peacefully—so peacefully, in fact, that one could almost call it merciful—his end delivered by the hands of the He Yuan.
Following Xiao Se's suggestion, Dongfang Guyue had chosen not to kill Jin Renfeng directly. Instead, he exiled him—banished him to a secret realm from which escape was absolutely impossible.
And that so-called "secret realm" was none other than the Dou Qi Continent.
Under Xiao Se's special arrangements, Jin Renfeng was sent deep into the mountainous inner regions of Canaan Academy, where an enormous tribe of He Yuan resided. There, his punishment was carried out in full.
One fourth-rank He Yuan.
Seven or eight third-rank He Yuan.
And dozens—no, hundreds—of first- and second-rank He Yuan.
They took turns.
Round after round.
Under unimaginable pain and torment, aided generously by Xiao Se's medicinal pills to ensure he wouldn't pass out or die too early, Jin Renfeng endured it all.
In the end, he barely completed the so-called "Hundred Ape Slaughter" achievement—
—and died a heroic, utterly miserable death.
After that, for the following week, Xiao Se's life became almost absurdly comfortable.
Every night, he would return to the Dou Qi Continent to cultivate his dou qi.
During the day, he would either practice sword techniques and battle skills, or patiently teach the Dongfang sisters methods of controlling flames.
And along the way…
He occasionally took advantage.
Just a little.
Nothing excessive.
Life passed by in a relaxed, unhurried bliss.
"Heh heh, my good son-in-law," Dongfang Guyue said with a hearty laugh inside the main hall. Stroking his beard, his face was full of satisfaction. "Thanks to your pills, I feel at least ten years younger. Even the hidden injuries I picked up in my early years are completely healed now."
Truth be told, Dongfang Guyue was becoming more and more pleased with this future son-in-law of his.
Xiao Se wasn't just powerful—his understanding of medicinal principles was astonishing. Those miraculous healing pills he provided could honestly be described as having the power to revive the dead.
"Father-in-law, you flatter me," Xiao Se replied with a faint smile.
"All right, all right," Dongfang Guyue waved his hand. "This old man won't disturb you young people any longer. You chat."
With that, he stood up and left the hall.
Dongfang Qinlan, having received a single candied hawthorn skewer as compensation from Xiao Se, also very knowingly made herself scarce.
Soon, only Xiao Se and Dongfang Huaizhu remained in the spacious hall.
"Huai—" Xiao Se paused briefly, then looked at her with gentle eyes. "Huaizhu."
"Yes?" Dongfang Huaizhu replied softly. A faint blush crept onto her cheeks, and her gaze instinctively shifted away.
"Come with me."
Without waiting for her response, Xiao Se reached out, took her delicate jade-like hand, and led her back to his room.
"What is it? Why so mysterious?" Dongfang Huaizhu asked, puzzled.
Xiao Se smiled. "There are a few things I want to give you. Close your eyes first… and open your mouth."
"Let me say this first," Dongfang Huaizhu said, pretending to sound wary. "I'm not as easy to fool as Qinlan."
Despite her words, her body was far more honest. Her red lips parted slightly, and she obediently closed her beautiful eyes.
Xiao Se chuckled softly. Reaching into the system storage, he took out a Longevity Pill and gently placed it into her mouth.
"Swallow it," he said quietly.
Dongfang Huaizhu did so without the slightest hesitation.
The moment the pill entered her body, strands of white light began to surface along her skin, glowing faintly.
"What is this…?" Feeling the changes within her body, Dongfang Huaizhu opened her eyes in surprise, instinctively examining herself.
As the white light faded, she felt an unprecedented sense of comfort wash over her entire body.
"The spiritual power you cultivate can't significantly extend your lifespan," Xiao Se explained with a smile. "What you just took is a miraculous medicine that preserves youth. With it, living for several thousand years won't be a problem."
"Eternal youth…" Dongfang Huaizhu's pupils shrank sharply.
She fell silent for a moment, then took a deep breath and asked, "What about you? Do you have one too?"
She was happy—of course she was. But if the price of eternal youth was watching her beloved grow old and die one day, she would rather not have it at all.
"Don't worry," Xiao Se said gently. "The dou qi I cultivate can greatly extend my lifespan once it reaches a certain level. You don't need to fear that."
As he spoke, he reached into the treasure pouch at his waist and took out a soft, crimson, trembling immortal herb.
The plant looked simple—just roots and basic red leaves. The tip of the leaves resembled a rooster's comb, and golden-red veins ran through them. The instant it appeared, the temperature of the entire room rose noticeably.
"This is called the Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower," Xiao Se said. "An immortal-grade herb. It can massively enhance your fire attribute and even raise your cultivation level. You possess Pure Yang Flame—this couldn't be more suitable for you."
Dongfang Huaizhu looked at the immortal herb, then shook her head without accepting it. Instead, she stared at Xiao Se intently.
"…Are you hiding something from me?" she asked quietly.
"I may need to leave for a while," Xiao Se admitted with a nod. "That's why I want you to improve your strength as quickly as possible—so you can protect yourself."
"How long?" Dongfang Huaizhu asked, her brows knitting together.
"Maybe a few months. Maybe a year," Xiao Se replied.
Absorbing the Fallen Heart Flame was far more difficult than absorbing the Green Lotus Core Flame or the Ice-Fire Dragon Flame. The former lacked intelligence—dangerous, but manageable. The latter had the remnant soul of the Ice-Fire Dragon King assisting him, making the process almost risk-free.
But this time was different.
"Then go," Dongfang Huaizhu said with a gentle smile. "I'll wait for you at Divine Fire Manor."
She didn't ask what he was going to do.
In her heart, there was already nothing in this world capable of threatening the man she loved.
By dusk, with Xiao Se's assistance, Dongfang Huaizhu successfully refined the Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower. As expected, her Pure Yang Flame advanced to its strongest state—fire essence perfected, golden light guarding the body.
That night—
Dongfang Huaizhu didn't leave Xiao Se's room.
And Xiao Se, for once, didn't return to the Dou Qi Continent to cultivate.
"It's so peaceful," Dongfang Huaizhu murmured softly, nestled against his chest. "If only time could stop at this moment."
"It really is peaceful," Xiao Se agreed with a wry smile. "But Huaizhu… you're making it very easy for someone to commit a crime."
Women of this era were extremely reserved—especially someone like Dongfang Huaizhu, a refined young lady from a prestigious family. Before marriage, even with the man she loved most, intimate behavior was rare.
Tonight was only an exception because Xiao Se was leaving the next day—and she had mustered the courage to stay despite her shyness.
"Commit a crime?" Dongfang Huaizhu blinked in confusion. She raised her beautiful face and asked sincerely, "What does that mean? How did it suddenly turn into a crime?"
"You want to know?" Xiao Se asked with a mischievous grin.
"Mm?" Dongfang Huaizhu nodded instinctively—then immediately realized something was wrong.
Unfortunately, it was already too late.
"Wait—mm—"
Her unfinished words were swallowed as Xiao Se sealed her lips with his own.
It was her first time being so intimately close to a man. Dongfang Huaizhu's heart raced wildly, beating so fast it felt as though it might leap out of her chest.
The calm, composed, brave, and resilient woman who normally handled everything with poise found her mind completely blank.
Before she knew it, she was utterly overwhelmed by the kiss, her heart in chaos, allowing Xiao Se to do as he pleased.
Just as Xiao Se reached out, preparing to untie his robe and take the next step—
Light, careful footsteps suddenly sounded outside the door.
(End of Chapter)
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