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

No sooner had Jiang Yining finished her reminder than the rock wall behind Lou Xiaotian, which had been shrouded in poisonous fog, suddenly cracked open.

A jet-black bone spear shot out from the crack in the rock. Instead of aiming at Lou Xiaotian's heart, the spear tip viciously bypassed his shoulder and stabbed straight at Jiang Yining, who was sitting cross-legged by the fire.

"The Zhang family did indeed have a backup plan. Protect Siyue and don't turn back."

Upon hearing her voice, Lou Xiaotian stepped in front of her without hesitation.

He smashed the throat bone of the assassin in front of him with one palm, grabbed the edge of the stone wall with his other hand, turned around, and squeezed the bone spear into his palm.

The cyan phosphorus venom on the bone spear instantly burned through his palm, drilling into his wrist bone along his flesh.

"Lou Xiaotian, let go immediately. That thing is a poison weapon that specifically corrodes blood and qi."

"Don't worry about me, something else has gone over to the stone platform."

Lou Xiaotian's voice tightened, and the qi and blood in his palm suddenly burst forth.

The bone spear shattered inch by inch in his palm, but the splattered venom was shaken into the fiery cracks in the ground, and the originally crimson flames were immediately mixed with a strange green light.

Standing deep within the poisonous fog, Steward Zhang burst into laughter upon seeing this scene.

"Young Master Lou is truly a fool who loves to protect flowers. When this Azure Phosphorous Blood Mist meets the Earth Fire, even a cultivator at the Divine Power Realm would have their mind disrupted. You all like to protect her, so let's all be trapped and die in the Warm Stone Cave."

Before he finished speaking, the hidden array patterns on the four walls were completely illuminated from the outside.

Emerald green blood mist poured back along the cracks in the rocks, and the subterranean fire, as if drawn by some force, surged toward the center with scorching waves.

The fire-protecting stone platform where the five treasures were located emitted a sharp buzzing sound, and the little girl hugged the wooden tiger tightly, finally being awakened by the shock.

"Mother, April smells something bad, and her nose feels uncomfortable."

Jiang Yining raised her hand and erected a purple-gold barrier, separating the stone platform from the poisonous fog.

She wanted to break free of the formation, but at that moment the Myriad Spirits Divine Tree in her dantian plunged into the earth fire. The Azure Phosphorus Death Poison she had swallowed earlier was forcibly refined, turning into a violent and almost out-of-control surge of pure yang blood and qi, which rushed upwards along her meridians.

Her vision suddenly went white, and the old sword lying across her knees emitted a piercing tremor.

"Ning'er, why did your face suddenly turn like that?"

Lou Xiaotian had just taken a step when he saw Jiang Yining pressing her fingertips to the ground, her breathing becoming extremely erratic.

She was usually aloof and composed, but now the corners of her eyes were reddened by the heat, and even the purple-gold light in her eyes scattered into wet fragments.

"The sacred tree transformed the poison into vital energy; I must draw this power out."

"You can't force yourself to draw out your qi right now. I'll take you away from here and we'll think of something else."

"There are still assassins outside, and April can't risk going with them."

Before Jiang Yining could finish speaking, a blazing pillar of fire suddenly erupted from the fissure in the earth.

The barrier she had erected was scorched and shook, the hot stone beneath her feet cracked, and she slid toward the edge of the burning crack.

Lou Xiaotian's pupils shrank, and he almost lunged forward to hug her.

He carried Jiang Yining and rolled her halfway around, his back hitting the ground full of sharp stones first. The scorching stones tore through his clothes, and his blood sizzled from the heat.

Jiang Yining was held tightly in his arms, and not even her elbows were scratched.

"Are you crazy? You dare to use your back to cushion me at a time like this?"

"If I didn't catch you, would I let you fall into that fiery inferno?"

Lou Xiaotian's forehead was covered in cold sweat, but he still protected her very well.

He saw the beads of sweat rolling down Jiang Yining's neck and wanted to reach out to wipe them away, but he stopped in mid-air, as if afraid that even the slightest touch would make her uncomfortable.

"You're more seriously injured than me, put me down first, I can still walk by myself."

"Your fingertips are trembling right now, where do you think you're going?"

The ground trembled again, and half of the stone gate outside the Wenshi Cave collapsed.

Lou Xiaotian carried Jiang Yining back into the deepest compartment, then tore off a hanging fire vine to temporarily seal the entrance.

The passage was only about ten feet square, with a warm stone floor and walls that were glowing red from the firelight.

The poisonous fog didn't penetrate much, but it still spread throughout the narrow space, carrying a sweet, fishy smell that made one's blood and energy restless.

Lou Xiaotian placed the fire-protecting stone platform of the Five Treasures on the innermost side, and then covered the little girl with his outer robe.

"It's okay for you to sleep for a while, Wu Bao. My vital energy is here to protect you."

Wu Bao, still half asleep, hugged the wooden tiger and clung to Lou Xiaotian's clothes, refusing to let go.

"Uncle Planting Flowers is bleeding from his back. Can Mommy blow on it to cool him down?"

Jiang Yining felt a tightness in her chest upon hearing this and raised her hand to press on Lou Xiaotian's back.

The fabric beneath his palm was already soaked in blood, and tiny flint fragments were embedded in the flesh. An ordinary martial artist would have fainted from the pain long ago.

Lou Xiaotian, however, only stared at the corners of her reddened eyes.

"Don't touch my injury, tell me how to save you first."

"I need someone to stabilize my blood and qi, otherwise the sacred tree will swallow up all the subterranean fire and poisonous fog."

"I possess the vital energy of the ancient Green Wood; could you suppress it for me?"

Jiang Yining looked up at him, her expression finally showing a hint of hesitation.

"That is the foundation of your Lou family's heritage; once it is integrated, it is very difficult to completely separate it."

"I never intended to separate from you."

Lou Xiaotian's ears burned red after he finished speaking, but he didn't look away.

As if afraid that Jiang Yining would misunderstand, he hurriedly added another sentence.

"I'm not trying to force you to agree to anything, I just can't bear to see you in pain. If you're unwilling, I'll use my own life force to shield you until the formation dissipates."

Jiang Yining looked at the burns on his palm that had not yet healed, and then looked at the sleeping Wu Bao.

The sounds of clashing weapons outside grew closer, but inside the tunnel, only the uncontrolled breathing of the two men and the low rumble of the churning subterranean fire could be heard.

"Lou Xiaotian, if you make this choice, you can no longer use it to negotiate with me."

"I have never used you as leverage; I only want you to be safe."

Jiang Yining closed her eyes, raised her hand to grab his collar, and pulled him closer.

"Then follow my guidance. Only transfer half of your Qi and blood to Qingmu, and do not deplete your own Qi and blood."

Lou Xiaotian froze for a moment, then nodded solemnly.

He first tore off his clean undergarments and placed them on the warm stone, then carefully helped Jiang Yining lean against him, pressing his palms against hers, and slowly transferring the purest green wood qi and blood from his body to her.

The moment their qi and blood touched, the raging fire within Jiang Yining's body surged back.

She gripped Lou Xiaotian's shoulders tightly with her fingertips, her breathing erratic, but Lou Xiaotian did not step back, only guiding her rhythm again and again.

"Look at me, don't listen to what's going on outside."

"Your Qi and Blood are too domineering, don't send any more in."

"It has already recognized your meridians, and I can't take them back now."

"Lou Xiaotian, are you deliberately making your words sound so scary?"

"If I were doing it on purpose, I wouldn't be so afraid."

His eyes welled up with tears, yet he stubbornly held onto her hand.

Jiang Yining could feel the green wood qi and blood gradually wrapping around the roots of the divine tree, slowly smoothing out the tiny crack in her dantian.

The hidden dangers left by the repeated impacts of the laws of the two realms on her were gradually healed in this vitality.

The old sword was also quenched by the earth's fire, and the lightning patterns on the sword surface lit up.

Outside the tunnel, Steward Zhang's angry shouts were blocked by the fire vines, leaving only a faint echo.

"Blast this rock wall open! They can't possibly come out alive."

Lou Xiaotian heard the commotion and immediately tried to break away to meet the enemy.

Jiang Yining grabbed his wrist and pressed him back to his original position.

"Your back must not move anymore. I'll figure out a way to fix the array's core outside."

"I won't go anywhere until I protect you."

"You're not my bodyguard, why do you always rush to do everything?"

"Then just consider me someone who wants to stay by your side. I only beg you not to push me away."

Jiang Yining remained silent for a moment, but ultimately did not let go.

The two streams of energy slowly merged in the warm stone cave, and the emerald phosphorescent blood mist was gradually swallowed up by the myriad spirit divine tree. The raging earth fire outside also gradually extinguished its emerald light.

When the last wisp of poisonous fog dissipated, Lou Xiaotian collapsed beside her, almost completely exhausted.

He tore off his still-intact outer robe and wrapped it around Jiang Yining and Wu Bao, his fingertips still gently holding Jiang Yining's hand.

Jiang Yining saw the bloodstains on his collarbone from the flint, and reached out to wipe them away.

"You gave away too much of your essence; you'll need to recuperate for at least three days after you return."

"I can adjust my breathing for three days, or I can adjust it for thirty days, as long as you don't risk your life alone again."

"You certainly know how to push your luck."

Lou Xiaotian looked down at her, his eyes still red, but his voice was much firmer than before.

"Ning'er, I don't care what others say about you. Your child will be the legitimate daughter of the Lou family. I will propose marriage tomorrow."