Many children, many blessings: Stealing the offspring of powerful figures to cultivate immortality.

Jiang Yining felt a buzzing in her mind, as if a string had been suddenly plucked.

Almost instinctively, she turned around and covered Jiang Lei's mouth with her hand.

The movement was so fast and abrupt, and the force was so great that it distorted the little guy's face.

"Ahem!"

She coughed violently, as if the grief she had just experienced had left her breathless.

Bai Ze immediately supported her anxiously: "Ningning, what's wrong?"

"It's nothing...it's just..."

Jiang Yining released her hand from Jiang Lei's and instead held her own forehead, her body swaying precariously.

"It's this child... it's draining my spiritual power."

"I can sense that it's growing very fast and needs a lot of spiritual energy. I just absorbed some spiritual herbs, and now it's hungry again."

Upon hearing this, Bai Ze felt even more heartbroken, and his gaze towards Ji Lingxiao became even more hostile.

See? It's all your fault, you incompetent fool!

Ji Lingxiao ignored Bai Ze's gaze.

That stifling feeling and nameless anger surged within his chest, unable to find an outlet.

He didn't say a word, just waved his hand.

"Splash—"

A huge pile of radiant and precious natural treasures appeared out of thin air and instantly appeared in front of Jiang Yining.

Each one of these items would be fiercely sought after by cultivators from the outside world.

"These are for your pregnancy."

Ji Lingxiao had a blank face, spoke sparingly, and his tone was stiff, as if he were a creditor demanding payment rather than giving a gift.

After saying that, he didn't even wait for Jiang Yining to reply before disappearing from the spot in a flash.

The person left, leaving behind a room full of treasures and two people staring at each other in bewilderment.

Bai Ze glanced at the treasures on the ground, then at the empty doorway, and curled his lip.

"hypocritically."

He muttered something under his breath, then reverted to his nervous demeanor, helping Jiang Yining sit down.

"Ningning, don't be afraid. Our Qingqiu has far more treasures than his!"

"What do you need? I'll go and bring you my entire private treasury right now!"

Jiang Yining waved her hand weakly: "No need, Xiaobai, this... is enough."

Looking at the treasures scattered on the ground, she was overjoyed.

An unexpected delight.

Unexpectedly, just by putting on a show, they managed to squeeze out another wave of money.

Bai Ze also transformed into a streak of light and rushed out in a hurry.

The hall was finally quiet.

Jiang Yining let out a long breath.

Jiang Lei was panting heavily, his face flushed red.

"Mother, why won't you let me speak?"

Jiang Yining ruffled his hair: "Baby, only when you reach the very top level will you be able to say whatever you want."

……

As night fell, the moon rose high in the sky.

The night view of Qingqiu is extremely beautiful, with fireflies dancing and the fragrance of flowers filling the air.

Ji Lingxiao returned under the moonlight.

He spent a day cultivating outside, and needed to recover from his injuries as quickly as possible.

Push open the palace door.

Ji Lingxiao walked straight to the bedside, then suddenly stopped.

On the large jade bed, Jiang Yining slept on the inside.

That damned white fox curled up into a ball again, taking over the spot that originally belonged to him.

It was even worse than last night.

The nine fluffy tails covered Jiang Yining like a blanket, and one paw was on her waist.

She was sleeping so soundly.

Ji Lingxiao's temple throbbed.

An unnamed rage surged up to his head.

He gathered a sword aura at his fingertips, wishing he could shave the fox's fur off completely.

But thinking of Jiang Yining's protectiveness towards the fox, he forced himself to hold back.

You can't hit them, you can't scold them.

Do we really want him to squeeze into that corner again?

Ji Lingxiao took a deep breath, his icy blue eyes scanning the hall before finally settling on the small figure sleeping at the innermost side.

He reached out and cast a spell from a distance, a gentle spiritual force lifting the sleeping Jiang Lei.

Ji Lingxiao gently moved Jiang Lei off the bed, held him in his arms, and then turned and walked out of the main hall.

A night breeze blew, and Jiang Lei woke up instantly.

He rubbed his eyes blankly, looking at the cold moon overhead, then at Ji Lingxiao standing in front of him with a serious expression.

"Hmm... Father?"

The little one, half-asleep, let out a soft, childish cry.

Ji Lingxiao's body stiffened again.

He cleared his throat, trying to make his voice sound more authoritative.

"woke up?"

Ji Lingxiao stood with his hands behind his back, dressed in white, looking like a celestial being in the moonlight.

But the words he spoke were even colder than the night breeze.

"There are too many people during the day, and I don't have time to teach you."

Ji Lingxiao stood with his hands behind his back, looking up at the moon in the sky, his voice cold and clear.

"But the path of the sword is like rowing against the current; if you don't advance, you fall behind."

"One must not slack off for even a day."

Jiang Lei seemed to understand, but not quite. He took the sword and stood up straight.

"Today, I'll teach you 'stab'."

Ji Lingxiao pointed his fingers like a sword and made a light slash in the air.

An invisible sword aura shot out and silently left a tiny hole, as fine as a needle tip, on a bamboo leaf ten feet away.

But that bamboo leaf didn't even sway.

"Did you see it clearly?"

Jiang Lei tilted his little face up and nodded vigorously.

"prick."

The little guy imitated him, gripping the wooden sword and thrusting it forward.

It's limp and weak.

"That's not right." Ji Lingxiao frowned. "The wrist should be level, the sword tip, wrist, and shoulder should be in a straight line. The qi should originate from the dantian and the power should flow to the sword tip."

He walked behind Jiang Lei, reached out, and grasped his small wrist.

Cool palms covered warm skin.

Two figures, one tall and one short, began practicing again and again under the moonlight.

"No, that's too slow."

"The force is too scattered."

"Keep your eyes focused; your enemy is right where your sword tip is pointing."

"You've practiced this move a hundred times, why do you still only have the form but not the spirit?"

"Again!"

The wind howled, and the leaves rustled.

Inside the hall.

Jiang Yining rolled over and covered her ears with a pillow.

Do these two not need to sleep?

What's wrong with you doing this in the middle of the night?

She opened her eyes irritably and looked outside through the crack in the window.

Under the moonlight, Ji Lingxiao stood tall and straight, meticulously instructing the young children.

Despite being drenched in sweat from exhaustion, Jiang Lei's small frame had an astonishingly bright gaze.

Each thrust was more stable and powerful than the last.

The irritation in Jiang Yining's eyes gradually dissipated.

In this dog-eat-dog world of cultivation, strength is the only capital for survival.

Although she felt sorry for her son, she also knew that some hardships had to be endured.

Moreover, to receive personal instruction from a powerful figure like the Sword Master Lingxiao is an opportunity that many people would rather die for.

With this thought, Jiang Yining's slight displeasure at being disturbed vanished.

She even rested her chin on her hand and watched through the window with great interest.

To be honest, the way this father and son practice swordsmanship is exactly the same.

The same focus, the same stubbornness.

Jiang Yining yawned and decided to ignore them.

Practice as long as you like.

Jiang Yining closed her eyes again with a clear conscience and hugged Bai Ze's fluffy tail into her arms.

It's so nice to have someone to help take care of the kids.

……

Meanwhile, in the capital of Zhongzhou, a hundred and eight thousand miles away...

The scene inside the Regent's Palace was quite different.

The study was in a mess, as if it had just experienced a catastrophe.

A priceless antique vase was shattered on the ground, and a famous painting was torn to shreds.

A burnt smell filled the air.

The powerful regent, Chu Jinglan, who held immense influence and was second only to the emperor, was currently slumped in his armchair without any regard for his image.

His robes were now burned with several holes, and there was a suspicious water stain on the hem.

Even her usually meticulous hair ornament was askew, and she exuded a deep sense of exhaustion.

And in the rosewood cradle opposite him.

A beautifully sculpted baby was lying there.

The baby was born exceptionally well, with skin as white and tender as jade.

He neither cried nor made a fuss.

She simply stared at Chu Jinglan with an expression as if he were an idiot.

The little guy made a cooing sound.

[Hey Deng, what are you looking at?]

Chu Jinglan didn't understand, but he could tell from that disdainful look that it wasn't anything nice.

"Ancestor... I've really brought back an ancestor..."