The final agreement was reached quickly.
Xiao Yan promised to help Venerable Skyfire restore his soul body. In exchange, Venerable Skyfire would bestow upon him:
- The **Five Wheels Blazing Fire Technique**—a Dou Technique comparable in power to a true Heaven-tier method.
- The infant Fallen Heart Flame.
- One full year of personal protection after his soul was fully restored.
Xiao Yan carefully placed the infant Fallen Heart Flame into the Fire Gathering Pot he had prepared long ago. Then, together with Venerable Skyfire, he respectfully gathered the venerable's scattered bones and placed them inside the white storage ring.
As they prepared to leave, Venerable Skyfire solemnly warned Xiao Yan about the even greater terrors lurking in the deeper layers of the magma world and briefly explained the origin and uses of the Fire Beads.
After the venerable's soul returned to the white storage ring and fell into a light slumber, Xiao Yan turned and began swimming upward, following the faint soul connection he had left on the xuan heavy ruler.
Ascending took far less time than descending.
When Nalan Yanran—who had been anxiously waiting above—saw Xiao Yan's figure finally emerge from the magma, she immediately rushed forward. Her small hands anxiously patted and checked every inch of his body.
"Don't worry, everything is intact. Nothing's missing. It won't affect your future happiness," Xiao Yan said with a teasing grin as he caught her fluttering hands.
Nalan Yanran's cheeks instantly flushed at his ambiguous words. She lightly punched his chest in embarrassment.
"Hmph, you naughty pervert."
Xiao Yan laughed softly and pulled her into his arms, gently soothing her like coaxing a kitten.
"My young friend certainly knows how to enjoy life—bringing his little girlfriend even into a place like this."
Venerable Skyfire's teasing voice rang clearly in Xiao Yan's mind.
"Life is short; of course one must know how to enjoy it!" Xiao Yan replied solemnly—while inwardly muttering: *How could I possibly tell you this was a wonderful accident?*
"Also—I'm adding one more condition: absolutely no peeking."
Xiao Yan thought to himself: if anything happened in the future, would this old man be watching a live broadcast?
That absolutely wouldn't do.
It was fine if he himself was seen—but his wife absolutely could not be.
"What great storms has this old man not witnessed? I have zero interest in your little romantic affairs. With my current soul strength, I won't manifest unless it's absolutely necessary."
Venerable Skyfire's voice carried clear black lines of exasperation.
He was a man with no women in his heart, a natural god of playing with fire. Women simply weren't worth mentioning to him.
"Still—I'm laying down the ugly words first. That way it's better for everyone."
Xiao Yan didn't care what the old man thought; this matter had to be settled clearly.
"Don't worry. This old man naturally understands."
Venerable Skyfire could, of course, understand Xiao Yan's concern—they were both men, after all. After speaking, he directly sank back into deep sleep.
Xiao Yan looked at the black and white storage rings in his hands and suddenly felt a strange sensation.
*Who understands? Who else carries two soul bodies around with them? Families, am I right?*
"Everything here is finished. We should be able to leave now."
Xiao Yan said softly, looking down at Nalan Yanran still nestled in his arms.
"How do we get out? You said there's a seal above," Nalan Yanran asked curiously.
"This seal can't trap me," Xiao Yan declared confidently.
But his next action immediately made Nalan Yanran burst into laughter.
Xiao Yan took out a message stone, leaned close, and spoke into it with exaggerated misery:
"Tian Ge, I've got the goods. Hurry and come rescue your dear fourth brother, Xiao Yanzi!"
Xiao Jietian: *Actually, it's just so you don't get a chance to show off.*
In Eternal Heaven Palace, Xiao Jietian felt the message stone vibrate. With a thought, it flew into his hand.
After listening to the message, Xiao Yan's deliberately pitiful and mischievous voice rang out. Xiao Jietian's entire forehead was instantly covered in black lines.
"Tian'er, what happened?" Xiao Zhan asked when he saw his son's expression change after receiving the message.
"Xiao Yanzi succeeded. He's preparing to come back now."
Xiao Zhan's face immediately lit up with relief and joy.
Although Xiao Jietian had repeatedly assured him that his youngest son would return safely, he couldn't help worrying deep down.
Now, hearing that he was finally coming back, the stone that had been hanging over Xiao Zhan's heart finally settled.
He truly did not want to experience sending off a black-haired person with white hair.
"Alright. I'll go pick up Xiao Yanzi first."
After speaking to Xiao Zhan, Xiao Jietian gently placed his two already sleeping daughters back into their mothers' arms, then vanished from the spot.
Xiao Jietian appeared directly at Jia Nan Academy, heading straight for the flat area where the seal was located.
Just as he arrived, Great Elder Su Qian—who had also received the message—appeared beside him.
"Great Elder, undo the seal here. All the problems have been resolved."
Su Qian's face instantly bloomed with joy.
The worry that had plagued him his entire life was finally over.
His body trembled slightly. After clouds parted, he finally saw the light.
Su Qian quickly formed hand seals. Under his control, the massive seal covering the cave entrance slowly faded and finally disappeared completely.
A streak of red light shot out from the depths and instantly merged back into Xiao Jietian's body—it was the sub-flame of the Pure Lotus Devouring Life-Spirit Holy Flame he had left behind earlier as a precaution.
"Then I'll go down and bring Xiao Yanzi up first."
Xiao Jietian said to the Great Elder, then flashed downward into the cave.
In the blink of an eye, he arrived at the stone platform where Xiao Yan and Nalan Yanran were waiting.
Xiao Yan and Nalan Yanran stared dumbfounded at the figure who had suddenly appeared—walking on air with no Dou Qi wings behind him.
"Tian Ge… are you already a Dou Zong?!" Xiao Yan's mouth fell open in shock.
Nalan Yanran was equally dazed.
"Thump!"
"You're already a Dou Huang, and I can't be a Dou Zong? No matter what, I'm still your older brother."
Xiao Jietian directly rapped Xiao Yan hard on the head. The sound was crisp and clear—indicating a very sturdy skull.
He then gave a slight glance at the white storage ring on Xiao Yan's finger.
Turning to Nalan Yanran beside him, he smiled and asked:
"Should I call you sister-in-law now?"
Nalan Yanran's face instantly turned scarlet. She shyly nodded, gratitude flickering in her eyes.
If Xiao Jietian hadn't thrown her down into the magma world back then, who knew when she and Xiao Yan would have finally come together.
"That's unreasonable! I fought tooth and nail to reach Dou Huang, and you're already a Dou Zong? You bully me the moment we meet. If I'd known, I would've come out earlier and made you call me 'Ge'!"
Xiao Yan rubbed his head and muttered inwardly.
Of course, he didn't dare say it out loud. Otherwise a beating would be the least of his worries—if he got tricked again, he'd be the one crying. He knew exactly how cunning his big brother could be.
Nalan Yanran, meanwhile, watched the two brothers' interaction like an ostrich—head lowered, pretending to be invisible.
"Tian Ge, let's go up quickly. I'm starting to see everything red down here."
Xiao Yan rubbed his eyes irritably.
Xiao Jietian looked at Nalan Yanran and said gently:
"You should go to Eternal Heaven World first. Your teacher misses you very much."
Nalan Yanran immediately showed a look of longing.
Although she had been trapped in this underground world, she had frequently exchanged messages with her teacher.
She also knew her teacher was now a mother—and she truly wanted to meet her little junior sister.
Seeing her nod, Xiao Jietian waved his hand.
Nalan Yanran vanished and was teleported directly into Eternal Heaven World.
Upon arrival, she immediately headed straight for Eternal Heaven Palace.
"Let's go!"
"Woohoo! Taking off! Finally leaving this hellhole!"
Xiao Yan impatiently summoned his Dou Qi wings, let out a strange excited cry, and shot upward toward the exit.
Xiao Jietian smiled helplessly and shook his head—clearly the child had almost gone mad down here.
He turned and looked down into the endless magma world, murmuring to himself:
"Tuoshe Ancient God's Cave Mansion… and Zhukun. I believe we'll meet very soon."
Then he stepped into the air and flew upward.
A few strands of faint light-purple hair "accidentally" slipped from Xiao Jietian's hand and fell into the magma below—where they were instantly incinerated.
After Xiao Jietian left, a colossal eye slowly opened at the very bottom of the magma world.
If one looked closely, a faint trace of excitement could be seen flickering within that enormous, ancient pupil.