One of the young girls was about to cry out, only to be silenced by an older sister who covered the child’s mouth.

The Sea Lineage Diva’s gaze turned cold at Yun Xiao's boldness. Still, she held back her anger and commanded, "Continue."

Hearing this, Valkyrie Queen Hai Yue stifled the strange, unfamiliar sensation that stirred within her, staring at the divine-looking youth before her.

Just as she wrestled with the cruelty of fate, she suddenly felt the swirl of lightning from Yun Xiao's hand pierce into her body, surging straight into her heart. Then, a perfect ring of lightning took form around her heart, as if a furnace had been set upon her chest.

"Hm?" Valkyrie Queen Hai Yue froze, caught off guard.

In the next instant, the furnace discharged a surge of primordial thunder, jolting her frail heart into a beat. The shock forced blood through her veins, flooding her entire body with life.

Her once pale, delicate face suddenly flushed with color.

“Let's keep going…” Yun Xiao’s hand remained steady over her heart, controlling the yin furnace of the Primordial Yin-Yang Thunder Furnace. Each pulse of electricity struck her heart, realigning its erratic rhythm, each jolt bringing it closer to a stable beat.

Again and again, this process repeated—roughly ten times—until the pain in her chest completely vanished. It was as if she had been reborn, her entire being suddenly filled with vitality.

"Mother!" Valkyrie Queen Hai Yue gasped, eyes wide in disbelief as she looked at Yun Xiao, then turned to her mother, "It's working! He really did it!"

She didn’t need to say a word. The Sea Lineage Diva, who had been watching anxiously, had already seen the change in her daughter’s condition. Her beautiful eyes trembled, brimming with tears, and her breath grew heavy.

In two swift steps, she was at her daughter’s side, her hand gently inspecting her. Then, unable to contain her excitement, she turned to Yun Xiao. "You... you built a net of lightning around her heart, and that was all it took to heal her? Was it really that simple?"

Yun Xiao glanced at her calmly, shaking his head. "It wasn’t simple. Proper stimulation must form an endless cycle, perfectly precise. For that, nothing matches the balance of the primordial. There's no more complete rule than that."

“What is the primordial?” the Sea Lineage Diva asked, biting her lip.

“You don’t need to worry about that.” Yun Xiao smiled, then added, “All you need to know is that she’s fine now.”

He then turned to Valkyrie Queen Hai Yue and said, “Make sure to rest for the next year or two, avoid strenuous activity. Once your heart has fully absorbed the rhythm of the Yin Furnace, you’ll no longer need its influence, and you’ll be just like any other person. It won’t hinder your cultivation breakthroughs.”

Valkyrie Queen Hai Yue nodded, still dazed, as if she were living in a dream. She got off the bronze bed, her serpent tail transforming into long legs that touched the ground. Two of her sisters rushed forward to support her, but she waved them off—she could move freely, entirely on her own.

“Slave! How can you guarantee what you’ve said is true? How do I know she’s not just well for the moment, but truly healed?” the Sea Lineage Diva demanded, her voice filled with urgency.

“What do I gain from lying to you? I’m not charging you for treatment. All I ask is that you don’t trouble me,” Yun Xiao replied calmly.

However, the Sea Lineage Diva, hearing his words, remained unsettled for a long while.

“She is only the beginning,” Yun Xiao added after a moment of quiet. “Every one of your daughters will face this trial, and when the time comes, they’ll need me.”

“Mother…” Valkyrie Queen Hai Yue spoke softly, “I believe he’s telling the truth. I feel truly better now. No matter who he is, he’s our family’s great benefactor.”

“I understand.” The Sea Lineage Diva shot a deep glance at Yun Xiao. “We’ll talk outside.”

“Alright.” Yun Xiao followed her out.

Meanwhile, the rest of her daughters rushed into the room, eager to check on their eldest sister’s condition.

In that moment, it wasn’t just Valkyrie Queen Hai Yue who had been saved—it felt like every one of their futures had been given hope. They wept tears of joy.

“Does anyone know who that slave really is?”

“Could he not be a slave at all?”

“Maybe.”

“Sister, I think he’s… really handsome.”

If she had said that about any other slave, her sisters would have scolded her, but when she spoke of Yun Xiao, no one could bring themselves to argue.

“Let’s hope mom doesn’t treat him too harshly.”

“Don’t worry,” Valkyrie Queen Hai Yue reassured them. “With skills like his, no matter how strict our mother is, she’ll treat him well.”

▬ι══🪦✧⚰

Outside, Wan Ji watched as her daughters in the chamber rejoiced. Her heart churned with emotions, though the joy they shared was clearly written on her face.

“There’s no need to see me as an enemy. I’m a good person. If there’s something I can help with, I won’t hesitate,” Yun Xiao said.

"Hmm..." The Sea Lineage Diva gave him a long, deep look before speaking. “Very well. I’ll no longer meddle in what’s between you and Si Ji.”

“Thank you, Diva.”

“But I have conditions. What happened with your… lack of cleansing—no one else can know!” Wan Ji said, her tone stern.

“Rest assured, Diva. I don’t expect anyone will be tearing apart my clothes again,” Yun Xiao replied with a smile.

Wan Ji shot him a playful glare, unable to hold back. “You’ve got some nerve. This place is infamous as a purgatory for men, and yet you dared to sneak in with such a grave offense.”

“It was all forced by fate,” Yun Xiao sighed, “Just going with the flow.”

There was a trace of melancholy in his voice, a kind of sorrow that, oddly enough, added a certain charm.

The Sea Lineage Diva watched him, feeling a mix of emotions herself.

No wonder Si Ji fell for him—this boy really is something, a rare breed of man even among those in the Samsara Galaxy. And it’s not just his nerve that’s large...

The thought made her cheeks flush slightly.

She had never imagined that the usually obedient Si Ji would take such a reckless step, while she, the one renowned for her grace and charm, was still dutifully drinking from the Divine Spring like some ascetic.

“What’s your name?” Wan Ji asked, looking at him.

“Yun Xiao.”

“Don’t worry, I won’t let you work for nothing. If you save my other daughters in the future, I’ll make sure to reward you,” she said coolly.

“Thank you, Diva.”

Yun Xiao paused for a moment before adding, “There’s one more thing, though I’m not sure if I should mention it.”

“Go on,” she said.

Yun Xiao continued, “The technique you've cultivated from the Divine Founder also affects the heart. However, your condition is different from that of your daughters—far more severe. It impacts all of your meridians. If it flares up, it could cause instant death…”

Wan Ji's body stiffened, her face darkening as she asked, “How do you know this?”

Yun Xiao answered truthfully, “I can see it. Also, I suspect the previous Divas of your Sea Lineage may have died the same way. You’ve lived longer than most.”

Wan Ji lowered her head, falling into silence.

“To be honest, your Harmony and Divine Founders didn’t do right by their descendants. The things they left behind all have fatal flaws, shackling you, almost as if they were intentionally preventing you from taking that next step,” Yun Xiao said.

“Silence!” Wan Ji suddenly snapped. But as soon as the words left her lips, her expression softened, and she looked even more pained. “You know a lot, but there’s no need to say more. The two founders likely had their reasons. We, as the vanguards of the Extreme Yin Celestial Realm, have no choice but to become Divas to protect our people.”

“I understand,” Yun Xiao nodded.

“I’ll take you back to the Snow Diva Ruins,” Wan Ji said.

“Wait,” Yun Xiao looked at her, his voice low, “I can save you too.”

“Hmm?” Wan Ji froze.

Yun Xiao’s hand lit up with the same swirling lightning vortex. “This is called the Primordial Yin-Yang Thunder Furnace. I just used it to save your daughter. But your condition is far more complex. If you want to survive, you’ll need to establish Primordial Yin Furnaces throughout your entire body. You’ll have to abandon your current martial path, but who knows? It might even lead you to a breakthrough to become a Boundless Immortal.”

“You…”

In Wan Ji’s eyes, this mysterious slave was becoming even more enigmatic.

“How do we do that?” she asked, biting her lip.

“It’s a bit complicated,” Yun Xiao admitted, scratching his head. “The essence of it is a method of merging the dao. I would use my Primordial Yang Furnace to help cultivate your Primordial Yin Furnace, but... it requires an exchange.” His tone was awkward.

He and Cao Shuo had perfected the Primal Yin-Yang Thunder Furnace, allowing them to advance rapidly in the Martial Dao. While he had once bluffed to the Ice Lineage Diva, what he said now was entirely true—this was the only way to save her.

Hearing this, the Sea Lineage Diva suddenly laughed. She laughed with a seductive charm, casting Yun Xiao a playful glance. “Boy, are you sure you’re not just trying to seduce me?”

Yun Xiao shook his head. “I’m only offering a sincere desire to heal and help. If you have any doubts or hesitations, I completely respect your decision.”

“We’ll see,” Wan Ji said, gazing out over the vast ocean, still smiling. “I’m not dead yet. If it comes to that, maybe I’ll let you try. Who knows, I might end up giving you an opportunity.”

Yun Xiao sighed helplessly. He really was only trying to talk about saving her life.

"Thank you for today," the Sea Lineage Diva said, her smile fading into a sudden seriousness as she spoke to Yun Xiao.

"I'll need your guidance in the future, Diva," Yun Xiao responded with a polite bow.

"Alright! Consider it a favor I owe you," she said.

Just then, a message arrived, delivered through a flying talisman.

Upon reading it, her expression darkened.

"I need to meet with Yu Ji and Si Ji. I’ll have Hai Yue escort you back to the Snow Diva Ruins," she said.

"Understood." Yun Xiao nodded, but quickly added, "Diva, I'd appreciate it if you didn't mention our dealings to the other two Divas."

"Why?" she asked.

"The Snow Lineage Diva considers me her possession. If she learns I helped you, it may cause some... displeasure," Yun Xiao explained.

"She is rather possessive." The Sea Lineage Diva chuckled.

Soon, Valkyrie Queen Hai Yue arrived. After learning Yun Xiao’s name, she said, “Yun Xiao, come with me.”

“As you wish, Valkyrie Queen,” Yun Xiao replied.

“You can call me Big Sis Hai Yue if you’d like,” Valkyrie Queen Hai Yue said with a soft laugh. “You saved my life, so I wouldn’t dare put on airs around you.”

“Then I won’t be formal. Big Sis Hai Yue,” Yun Xiao called out with a smile.

“Mhm,” she responded, her voice gentle and warm, carrying the same seductive grace as her mother.

As they flew away, the Sea Lineage Diva, Wan Ji, watched them leave. Once they were out of sight, she bit her lip and looked down at the flying talisman in her hand, her brow furrowed in frustration.

“Damn the Heavenly Deity Alliance. If we don’t make it into the top ten at the Grand Assembly of Myriad Sects, they’ll strip our Harmony Divine Palace of its status. To think they’d deny the contributions of our founders to the Samsara Galaxy. How infuriating!” The Sea Lineage Diva cursed aloud, but beneath her weathered, battle-hardened face was a deep well of worry...