Finally coaxing her best friend into admitting her true feelings, Shui Bailan felt a Mystic sense of accomplishment mingled with relief. Seeing her so embarrassed she looked ready to faint, Shui Bailan smiled helplessly. She turned to Yan Zhen, her gaze drifting over the dragon mark on his body before she reluctantly pulled it away. Clearing her throat twice, she spoke gently.
“We can discuss the details later. For now, why don’t you take a bath, Yan Zhen? We won’t disturb you any longer.”
With that, Shui Bailan mustered her courage and planted a light kiss on his cheek. She then took the hand of her pouty best friend—who was stubbornly covering her face—and led her out of the bathroom.
Watching their retreating figures, Yan Zhen touched the lingering imprint of her lips on his cheek. He remained a bit dazed for a moment.
Just a year ago, he had met this beautiful elder, and they had gotten along splendidly. Yet in the past few days, she had suddenly begun showing signs of interest in him. What kind of bizarre twist was this? Some urban family ethics drama? This was supposed to be a protagonist power fantasy xianxia!
Could it be a chain reaction from where he had slipped up in his acting?
Yan Zhen frowned.
At this point, the only ones who seemed remotely normal were the Family Head Mother-in-Law and the Yu Shizun.
No, even the Family Head Mother-in-Law didn’t feel entirely normal. What kind of proper mother-in-law gripped her son-in-law’s “handle” to inspect whether it worked properly?
Yan Zhen settled back into the bathtub, his mind swirling with a thousand thoughts. He soaked for a long while before finally emerging from the bathroom.
The Family Head Yu Lu sat waiting just outside, elegantly lifting her teacup for a sip. Her movements were graceful, her demeanor noble and pleasing to the eye.
The mother of Cousin Yu Die, acting as her guard, sat nearby as well. Spotting Yan Zhen, she raised a hand in a casual, hearty wave.
Yan Zhen nodded in return before saying, “Mother-in-Law, if there’s nothing else, I’ll take my leave.”
The Family Head Yu Lu closed the lid of her teacup and set it down on the table. Only then did she turn to Yan Zhen. “Son-in-Law Yan Zhen, when do you plan to refine the Wind-Thunder Crystal Fire?”
“Tomorrow or the day after.”
“Refining an extreme flame is extremely perilous. How confident are you?”
“One hundred percent.” Yan Zhen spoke with full assurance. “I’ve made every possible preparation, and with my master’s assistance, there won’t be any mishaps.”
“Will the Technique Saint Lord be handling it personally?” The Family Head Yu Lu inclined her head slightly before asking further, “May I observe?”
Yan Zhen hesitated. “I’m sorry, Mother-in-Law, but that wouldn’t be convenient.”
After all, refining an extreme flame was no trifling matter—bystanders could easily be caught in the backlash. Moreover, his foolproof method involved dual cultivation with his beautiful master, something that absolutely could not be witnessed.
The Family Head Yu Lu understood. The Technique Saint Lord had her own rules, after all.
“In that case, I won’t impose… You may go.”
Yan Zhen had just turned to leave when he paused and looked back. “Mother-in-Law, how many days do you plan to stay at the academy?”
“Until Elder Great-Aunt awakens. Then I’ll depart.” The Family Head Yu Lu spoke faintly. “The family has many affairs requiring my attention.”
“Oh.”
Elder Great-Aunt should wake by noon tomorrow at the latest, which meant the Family Head Mother-in-Law would leave the academy around then—right when he planned to refine the Wind-Thunder Crystal Fire. He wouldn’t be able to see her off personally.
Sensing the disappointment in her son-in-law’s tone, the Family Head Yu Lu’s gaze softened. “There’s no need to worry. You can visit the Yu Family when you have time. Next month happens to be our Listening Rain Festival. The Supreme should return then, bringing Xuan’er with her.”
The Listening Rain Festival was a holiday unique to the Yu Family, falling around the time of Qingming but with customs reminiscent of the Dragon Boat Festival. After a simple ancestor worship ceremony, the clan members would board boats on the lake. Amid gentle breezes and soft drizzle, they would play music, dance, sip tea, and drink wine to honor their ancestors’ spirits in the heavens. It was quite the grand gathering.
The original plot had glossed over it in a single line, but hearing the Family Head Mother-in-Law mention it now piqued Yan Zhen’s interest.
“I’ll definitely come,” Yan Zhen said. “Farewell for now, Mother-in-Law.”
After bidding farewell to the Family Head Mother-in-Law, Yan Zhen left the Elders’ Small Building and returned to Yan Huang headquarters.
It was already late at night, but the young women inside had not yet retired. Each waited in her own room.
Long Ying was with Cai Lian, listlessly draped over the third-floor windowsill. She was the first to spot Yan Zhen’s return, and her emerald dragon eyes sparkled like jewels. “It’s Yan Zhen Zhen! Yan Zhen Zhen’s back!”
With that, she leaped down excitedly, arms outstretched as she pounced toward him.
Yan Zhen snapped to attention, his mind flashing back to past collisions. He immediately circulated the Dragon Blood Scale Transformation Technique to bolster his defenses and assumed a goalkeeper’s stance.
This time, he would catch her for sure!
Just as Yan Zhen thought that, Long Ying accelerated midair, then vanished. She reappeared right in front of him.
Holy shit, spatial power again!?
Yan Zhen’s eyes bulged. He didn’t even have time to curse before Dragon Dragon’s Meat Bullet Impact slammed into him squarely. His body launched into the air, landing flat on his back.
The loli dragon girl buried her face in his chest, nuzzling against him happily like a husky reuniting with its owner. “Welcome back, Yan Zhen Zhen~”
Yan Zhen raised a hand and pressed it to the back of Long Ying’s head, his voice hoarse like that of a car crash survivor. “Long Ying, you little rascal… You’re gonna remember this…”
The young women inside all flung open their windows. Seeing that Yan Zhen was safe (or at least alive), they broke into radiant smiles.
It took Yan Zhen a good while to recover. He hauled the loli dragon girl into the living room and casually dumped her onto a stool before straddling a chair boldly beside her.
The five women who had been waiting descended from upstairs and gathered around him in a circle.
Cai Lian lifted the teapot and poured her husband a cup of plain boiled water. She asked calmly, “Did it work?”
Yan Zhen drained the cup in one go before humming in affirmation. “I’ve already subdued the Wind-Thunder Crystal Fire. It’s inside the Fire Refining Starry Sky.”
“Were you hurt?”
“Just a minor scrape. Nothing to worry about.”
Cai Lian examined his complexion and found his aura steady and normal. She nodded, reassured.
Hearing this, the other four women breathed sighs of relief as well. In his previous life, Yan Zhen had sustained severe injuries while subduing the Wind-Thunder Crystal Fire, so they had been quite anxious. Fortunately, he had prepared this time, and the process seemed to have gone smoothly.
Yan Meng’er asked curiously, “Cousin, when do you plan to refine the new extreme flame?”
“Starting tomorrow.” Yan Zhen gripped his teacup. “I’ve been stuck at this bottleneck for a while. The sooner I break through, the better.”
Yan Ruyu followed up. “How long will it take?”
“About three days, depending on the circumstances.” Yan Zhen thought for a moment. “The Wind-Thunder Crystal Fire is particularly volatile. It’ll need extra time to stabilize.”
Mi Xue’er seized the chance to ask, “Junior Brother Yan Zhen, where do you always refine your extreme flames?”
“Right here.” Yan Zhen tugged the Crystal Pendant from beneath his collar. “This is the ‘Fire Refining Starry Sky,’ an ancient supreme treasure capable of suppressing extreme flames. It contains its own internal space, and the master who’s been guiding me resides within it.”
The four women stared in astonishment.
Even the three with memories of their past lives hadn’t realized that the Star Saint was housed in Yan Zhen’s pendant. By the time they learned of Chen Xi’s existence, she had already broken free.
So that’s how it was.
“This is the perfect opportunity for you all to meet my master,” Yan Zhen said, struck by inspiration. “She’s been eager to see you for a while—especially you reincarnators, Meng’er, Cousin Ruyu, and Senior Sister Xue’er.”
Meet the master? The four women tensed up immediately.
