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

"Take Situ Kong, the head of the Tianji Pavilion, for example. He recently comprehended the Dao of Heaven and wants to find a companion in the mortal world and take ten concubines."

"Any female cultivator with a clean background and decent appearance can try her luck at the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion."

"If you are not selected, the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion will reimburse your round-trip travel expenses and give you a gift of high-grade spirit stones."

Lin Qingxue was stunned for a moment, then her eyes widened.

Tianji Pavilion has always been known for its tranquility and mystery, and Situ Kong even boasts that he is a banished immortal, untouched by the mortal world.

Once this news comes out, wouldn't all the female cultivators in the cultivation world who want to climb the social ladder wear down the threshold of the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion?

And they also want to reimburse travel expenses and give you high-grade spirit stones?

This is practically emptying the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion's coffers!

"Master, what is this...?"

Lin Qingxue was a little confused as to why Situ Kong had offended her master.

"The Heavenly Mystery Pavilion is selling information about the true master, and in the future, the Sword Sect will also face many women claiming to be the mothers of children."

Ji Lingxiao snorted coldly: "If you dare to sell my information as a commodity, you should be prepared to pay the price."

"What! They actually... damaged Master's reputation!"

Lin Qingxue's eyes blazed with anger: "Master, rest assured, this disciple will definitely deliver a brilliant counterattack!"

Ji Lingxiao nodded and returned to the cabin.

Lin Qingxue gazed longingly at his retreating figure.

Ten concubines?

Master, you are still too merciful.

Since that blind man dared to sell Master's information, causing Master to be entangled with those women, how can ten be enough?

This fire needs to burn even brighter.

Lin Qingxue summoned a trusted disciple and instructed in a low voice, "Go, use our outposts in the major cities to spread the message."

"Take Situ Kong, the master of Tianji Pavilion, for example. He wants to expand his harem and is holding a nationwide search for concubines!"

"There are 100,000 openings! So we're recruiting a million people for the selection process."

"Regardless of background or cultivation level, as long as she's a woman, even if she's a demonic cultivator or a monster cultivator, as long as she's presentable, she can apply!"

"Those selected might have the chance to become the Pavilion Master's wife and share the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion's resources for millennia!"

"Even if you're not selected, as long as you went, each person will receive a compensation of one thousand spirit stones for lost work time!"

The trusted disciple broke out in a cold sweat: "Senior Sister, one thousand spirit stones per person for a million people... can the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion afford that?"

Whether or not he can produce it is Situ Kong's business, what does it have to do with us?

Lin Qingxue sneered: "Make a big splash, the bigger the better!"

"How dare he mess with our Lingxiao Sword Sect! I'll make sure that Situ Kong is drowned in a mountain of women's cosmetics!"

……

Three days later, in Zhongzhou.

Outside the once mysterious Tianji Pavilion, the area was now packed with people, and the air was filled with the sounds of gongs and drums.

The scene was a hundred times more lively than a market day in the mortal world.

"Make way! Make way! I'm from the Hehuan Sect, let me in first!"

"Tch, so what if it's the Joyful Union Sect? I'm from the Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain! I'm bringing three hundred spirit pigs as dowry; Pavilion Master Situ will definitely appreciate something as practical as mine!"

"Ouch, don't ruin my makeup! I got this done especially for seeing the Pavilion Master!"

There were even a few demon cultivators with cat ears and fox tails mixed in with the crowd, striking poses and preening themselves.

"I heard that Pavilion Master Situ loves fluffy things the most, and my tail feels really nice to the touch."

The gates of Tianji Pavilion were tightly closed.

The two disciples guarding the mountain at the entrance were so frightened by the sight of the large group of women that their legs trembled and they scrambled inside.

"Master! Something terrible has happened! Master!"

"Outside... tens of thousands of women have arrived! They say they've come to apply for the position of concubine!"

"They're even demanding we pay for their travel expenses!"

Deep within the Tianji Pavilion, in an elegant and quiet room.

Situ Kong, who was burning incense and playing the zither, trembled when he heard his disciple's wails.

"Boom——"

One of the strings broke.

The sharp strings plucked, leaving a thin trail of blood on his incomparably handsome face.

"What did you say?"

Situ Kong looked towards the door, and for the first time, his usually calm face broke down.

The disciple, with a mournful face, cried out, "Rumors are circulating that you're going to build a large harem and select 100,000 concubines! A million people are willing to apply, and everyone who applies will receive 1,000 spirit stones!"

"They've surrounded our mountain gate now, saying they won't leave until they see you!"

"One hundred thousand... concubines?"

Situ Kong probed with his divine sense and found that at least 30,000 women had arrived outside.

He expanded his divine sense further and saw that there were at least 10,000 people on the road in the distance heading this way.

I just received the news.

"Even if only 100,000 come, giving each person 1,000 would still amount to a million spirit stones!"

"If a million people come, that's ten million spirit stones—"

Situ Kong clutched his chest, feeling a metallic taste in his throat.

The news has spread, and people have arrived. If we don't give them money, they might not be so easy to get rid of.

"Who dares to harm me, the sect leader!"

Situ Kong hurriedly set up a formation to deduce who was behind this.

This calculation is still beyond what can be expected.

"It's actually related to a Nascent Soul stage cultivator?"

He can only increase his power.

"Ji Lingxiao... How dare a dignified Sword Master do such a despicable thing."

A petty, vengeful sword maniac!

The thought of losing millions of spirit stones!

"puff--"

He spat a mouthful of blood onto the broken-stringed zither.

Situ Kong calculated everything, including the general trend of the world and the good and bad fortune.

The only thing he didn't expect was that the biggest calamity of his life would be being pressured into marriage by tens of thousands of women!

"Ji Lingxiao—!"

Over there, in the capital city of Zhongzhou, at the Golden Palace.

The atmosphere was solemn and dignified; you could hear a pin drop.

The Regent was carrying a child to court?!

The civil and military officials stood on both sides, each with their eyes downcast and not daring to even breathe loudly.

Next to the dragon throne was a purple-gold grand master's chair, which was the exclusive seat of Regent Chu Jinglan.

In the past, this imperial tutor, who held immense power, was always impeccably dressed and maintained a refined and elegant demeanor, deciding life and death with a few words.

But today, everyone feels that the Regent's style is a bit off.

Chu Jinglan was wearing a black python robe, but his hair ornament was a little crooked, and there were a few suspicious milk stains on his cuffs.

He was holding a beautifully sculpted baby in his arms.

The baby looked to be just over a year old, wearing a miniature version of a purple brocade robe, with a longevity lock radiating spiritual light hanging around its neck.

At this moment, the little darling was squirming restlessly in Chu Jinglan's arms, his big, grape-like eyes darting around, looking at everyone as if they were two-legged sheep.

"cough."

Chu Jinglan pressed down with one hand on the small hand in his arms that was trying to pick at the golden dragon's eye on the armrest of the dragon throne, and cleared his throat.

"If you have something to report, speak now; otherwise, the court may adjourn."

His shout sounded a bit weak.

Last night, this little brat made a fuss all night, insisting on sleeping on the roof beam, and demanding that his half-saint father support him with his righteous energy from below. He would cry as soon as the energy was released.

Chu Jinglan essentially served as a human mattress for the entire night.

"Your subject, Liu Neng, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, has a memorial to present."

A middle-aged official with a goatee stepped forward, holding a ceremonial tablet in his hands, his face beaming with smiles.

"The Southern Prefecture suffered a severe drought this autumn, and the people have had no harvest. I humbly request Your Highness to allocate three million taels of silver from the treasury for disaster relief."

Chu Jinglan narrowed his eyes, his refined face revealing no emotion.

Is Nanjun suffering from a severe drought?

How come he remembered that just two days ago the official gazette was issued, saying that the southern county was flooded?

Is Liu Neng taking advantage of the fact that he's been busy taking care of the kids these past few days and hasn't had time to look at the folding paper, trying to skim some money off him?

Just as Chu Jinglan was about to lash out, Chu Anyan in his arms moved first.

The little guy's purple pupils narrowed slightly as he stared at the official hat on Liu Neng's head, and he pouted.

"bad."

A single, extremely clear character echoed throughout the main hall.

Liu Neng was stunned, not yet realizing what the little baby was saying.

"Sizzle—!"

A bolt of purple-gold lightning, only as thick as a chopstick but exuding a chilling aura, appeared out of thin air.