Xiao Han: I'm Back

In the Langya Pavilion, a slender, fair hand gently pushed open the door. The warm spring sun lazily shone on the long, flowing blue dress, the simple accessories on which shimmered in the sunlight, complementing her fair skin.

The only flaw was the persistent trace of sorrow and weariness on the woman's face, which greatly marred her stunning beauty.

This woman was, of course, the nominal second-in-command of the Langya Pavilion, but in reality the head, the Pavilion Master's wife, Grandmaster Alchemist at the Tier 9 Golden Core level, Yi Huang!

"Roar!"

Yi Huang was comfortably basking in the sunlight, a beastly roar at her feet drew her attention. Little Tiger with wings on its back and a height barely reaching its knees was nestled close to her feet, rubbing against her incessantly.

"Xiao Hu, are you asking your mother for more pills again?"

As she spoke, Yi Huang took out a Jade Bottle from her Storage Ring and poured out a black pill the size of a longan. As soon as the pill came out, the lingering fragrance of the pill instantly filled the entire courtyard. The Little Tiger stared intently at the pill held in two slender, jade-like fingers, and tears of disgust for its own depravity streamed down its face.

"Ah~ Come on, open your mouth!"

As Yi Huang moved, the Little Tiger closed its eyes tightly and opened its mouth as wide as it could, waiting to be fed.

"Teacher, why are you giving him pills again!"

Before the feeding was finished, a seemingly helpless, light voice interrupted Yi Huang's actions. A cold and aloof fairy appeared in the courtyard, which drew a furious glare from the Little Tiger, who at the same time hid behind Yi Huang's feet, cautiously watching the uninvited guest.

"Xian'er, you're here! Isn't Xiao Wu with you?"

"Teacher, please don't change the subject."

"Isn't Xiao Hu growing?"

As if caught doing something wrong, Yi Huang felt embarrassed and put away the pills. She knew that feeding too many pills was not good for absorption, but she couldn't bear to refuse the little guy every time she saw his pitiful eyes and ingratiating actions.

"Xian'er, how about we just do it this once, and never do it again?"

Xian'er didn't speak, but looked at Yi Huang, who seemed a little embarrassed, with a blank expression.

Xian'er: I used to believe in the phrase "never again," but you made me lose so completely.

"Come with me."

As she spoke, Xian'er grabbed the Little Tiger by the scruff of its neck and, with Yi Huang looking on helplessly, lifted it up.

"Tell me, did you sneak into the kitchen to eat again last night?"

As he spoke, he patted the Little Tiger's soft belly, causing waves of flesh to surge.

Thinking of the despair on the face of the cook in charge of the kitchen when he reported to her today, and the desolate state of the kitchen with only four bare walls, Xian'er was filled with anger.

Fortunately, the disciples of the Langya Pavilion are all cultivators, and their daily food needs are not great. They only occasionally have a treat, but they still can't afford to eat like this!

"You still dare to take pills with this?"

"Have you been cultivating? Have you grown taller? Can you talk now?"

"What's on your mind besides eating? Besides gaining weight, what progress have you made?..."

One after another, sharp knives were spat out of Xian'er's mouth and stuck into the heart of the Little Tiger, who was used to it and had thick skin. In order to give the woman opposite him a sense of accomplishment, the Little Tiger even pretended to cover his eyes with his little paws to admit his mistake.

It's tough for it too! Doesn't it want to grow up? If it weren't unable to speak, the Little Tiger would have already poured out all its grievances to the other side.

Since being brought to the Langya Pavilion, the Little Tiger, cherished by Yi Huang for decades, has consumed countless high-grade elixirs.

Those of the Fifth Rank are too ugly to look at, those of the Sixth Rank are considered decent food, those of the seventh rank still do it, and those of the Eighth Rank can be looked at occasionally.

He was certain that not many of his ancestors had received this kind of treatment!

According to the method of consuming these pills, he should have already advanced to the next level of Magical Beast. What puzzled him was that he was currently only at the Fifth Order. It was truly an eye-opener, like being stabbed in the backside with a small knife.

The worst part is that I can't speak or take human form!

Even after consuming the Transformation Pill, it had no effect whatsoever, and even when Yi Huang personally examined her, she couldn't find anything wrong.

In the Little Tiger's innocent thoughts, if he wanted to speak and take human form, he would continue to advance and grow. How to grow up? By eating!

However, after years of eating, its strength has decreased instead of increased, its body has become smaller and it looks fatter. In the past, when it walked on the street, it could be mistaken by passers-by as a man-eating beast. Now, no matter how fierce it looks, it is just a powerless kitten in other people's eyes.

Thinking this, the Little Tiger felt even more wronged, and his big, golden eyes were unknowingly filled with tears.

"Hmm~"

"Um?"

Xian'er keenly noticed the Little Tiger's unusual behavior and was greatly surprised.

Why are you crying?

Based on her understanding of the former, shouldn't she have ignored it and let it go in one ear and out the other?

"Please don't cry anymore, okay?"

Xian'er's tone softened.

"Would you like some pills? Would you like something delicious?"

"As long as you don't cry, I'll let you eat whatever you want..."

"I'll do it."

Seeing Xian'er's clumsy attempts to comfort her at a loss, Yi Huang had been silent for a long time, helplessly took over the responsibility of comforting the heartbroken Little Tiger. She held him in her arms and gently patted his back rhythmically. Before long, the Little Tiger fell into a deep sleep like a newborn baby.

"It seems this child's mental development has regressed a bit?"

Yi Huang looked at the Little Cutie who occasionally hummed in her sleep, and her brows furrowed even deeper.

"What exactly happened?"

Initially, the Little Tiger's growth was exactly as expected. With ample supplies of elixirs and materials, it broke through to the Sixth Order in less than ten years.

Contrary to everyone's expectations, after reaching the Sixth Order, the Little Tiger's cultivation level rapidly decreased, like a punctured balloon. From then on, no matter how much he tried to regulate his body or take pills, he could only maintain his cultivation level below the Sixth Order.

This bizarre situation is almost identical to when Xiao Yan's Dou Qi was secretly absorbed.

However, even though the Demon Beast Emperor Zhu Kun personally examined the tiger cub, he could not draw any further conclusions except for vaguely sensing the presence of something he found extremely repulsive within the Little Tiger's body.

"Teacher, you should get some rest. You've been working very hard lately!"

"Isn't the teacher resting now?"

Yi Huang countered with a question.

No noisy music to disturb her ears, no tedious paperwork to weary her body. Such a leisurely and comfortable life has always been her pursuit. Of course, it would be even better if some scoundrel who left without saying goodbye and hasn't returned for years were by her side.

Seeing her teacher's familiar expression, Xian'er knew that he was thinking of someone again. She sighed softly and was about to leave when suddenly, an excited shout echoed throughout the entire Langya Pavilion.

"Yi Huang, I've brought that bastard back!"

Bastard? What bastard?

Without giving the two time to wonder, Ye Jianxin and Xiao Han appeared in the courtyard the next moment.

"Um... well..."

With the figure he had longed for right before his eyes, Xiao Han felt a sense of trepidation, as if he were returning home, and he didn't know what to say.

Xian'er was about to cry out in surprise, was quietly taken away by Ye Jianxin with a glance, leaving only two figures in the courtyard.

"Huang'er, I'm back."

These few simple words conveyed the speaker's complex emotions: the excitement and joy of reunion, but even more so, guilt for not having heard from them for so many years and for not returning in time when their loved ones were in the most danger.

"You're back."

Yi Xiao Han Yi Huang indifferently; her calm reaction frightened him somewhat.

"I thought you'd died out there!"

Her voice was already tinged with a sob. Her husband was nowhere to be found, and her daughter was on the verge of death. In order not to worry her relatives and friends, she had to force herself to keep smiling at all times. When she was all alone, she had no one to rely on and could only shed tears in secret.

At this moment, Yi Huang's long-hidden weakness and grievances erupted in an instant, and her incessant sobs were like whips soaked in salt water, lashing Xiao Han's heart hard.

Taking a deep breath, Xiao Han strode forward, tossed the troublesome Little Tiger onto the grass, and pulled his wife into his arms, weakly and repeatedly expressing his apologies.

"I'm sorry, it's my fault..."