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

"Ning'er, I don't care what others say about you. Your child is the legitimate daughter of the Lou family. Tomorrow I will bring the entire clan's treasures to your door to propose marriage."

Jiang Yining raised her hand to cover Lou Xiaotian's mouth, her palm tingling from the heat of his breath.

"Take care of your back injury first before thinking about these nonsensical things."

Lou Xiaotian held her hand but didn't argue anymore. He knew that Jiang Yining hated it when others made decisions for her, so he could only suppress those words and lower his head to straighten her disheveled clothes layer by layer.

The residual warmth of the earth fire still lingered in the stone cave. Wu Bao slept soundly, his little face pressed against the wooden tiger's back, a tiny white tip of his fox tail peeking out from under his outer robe. Jiang Yining leaned against the stone wall to stand up, but the soreness in her waist and legs made her sway. Lou Xiaotian immediately reached out to help her.

"You don't need to carry me out. I'm not so weak that I can't walk."

"I was just worried you'd step on the gravel, not that I wanted to take advantage of you."

"When you were about to propose marriage to me, you didn't follow these rules."

Lou Xiaotian blushed as she cornered him, but he still picked up a clean shawl from the ground and carefully wrapped it around her neck. He was very clumsy, even tying the knot twice, afraid that he wouldn't be able to cover the red mark left by the fire on her collarbone.

Jiang Yining touched her hair, which was tied up high, and made sure that the sleeves and collar were tightly sealed before looking at the hole sealed by the fire vines.

"The Zhang family members are still outside, and the array in the herb garden hasn't completely stopped. We need to take Siyue out first."

I'll walk in front, and you stay half a step behind me.

"Lou Xiaotian, you've already shielded me once today; you don't need to use yourself as a shield again."

"I don't need to be your shield, but at least let me hold your hand."

Jiang Yining glanced at him, but didn't respond. She simply bent down and picked up Wubao. The little girl was half asleep, and snuggled against her shoulder when she smelled her scent.

"Mother, in April I dreamed of a very big tree, and it was covered with sweet fruit."

"That's the young master's green wood qi and blood helping you block the fog. After we get out, we'll have him find you some fruit."

Wu Bao muttered softly with his eyes closed, "Uncle Planting Flowers is going to find lots of fruit to share with Uncle Chen Xin in April."

Lou Xiaotian looked at the child, a smile just beginning to appear, when a muffled, loud thud came from outside the cave. The fire vines sealing the door had been cleaved open from the outside, sending scorching fragments flying.

Lou Xiaotian sidestepped to block the debris, his old sword held horizontally in front of him. Jiang Yining also raised her newly tempered lightning-patterned short sword, about to step out first, when the assassins outside were all sent flying back in.

A tall, imposing figure stood outside the stone gate, his tattered monk's robes billowing and fluttering in the blood. Fan Chenxin held a string of broken prayer beads in his hand, and dozens of Zhang family assassins lay at his feet, their bone knives still dripping with blood.

He first noticed the five babies in Jiang Yining's arms, and her tense shoulders relaxed a little.

"Ning'er, are you and Siyue injured?"

Just as Jiang Yining was about to speak, Fan Chenxin's gaze slid past her neck and landed on Lou Xiaotian, who was half a step behind her.

Lou Xiaotian didn't dodge; instead, he placed his bloodied hand on the hilt of the sword and stood even closer.

Fan Chenxin's expression gradually turned cold, and even the surrounding earth fire seemed to be lowered by his blood pressure.

"Why is Young Master Lou trapped in the Wen Shi Cave with you, and why is he still covered in her blood and qi?"

Lou Xiaotian looked at him, his tone unyielding.

"When the Zhang family detonated the poison array, I stayed inside to protect the mother and daughter. It's the Buddha who arrived so late; are the assassins outside more important than Ning'er?"

Fan Chenxin's fingers tightened suddenly as she held the prayer beads, and the last few Bodhi beads shattered into powder in her palm.

"When I broke through the outer defenses and fought my way in, I had no idea where you were trapped."

"You don't know, but you're trying to shift the blame onto me."

"I just want to know why she has your original aura."

Jiang Yining noticed that both of their blood was rising, so she immediately stuffed Wu Bao into Fan Chenxin's arms. Fan Chenxin instinctively caught the child, and the fierce aura was suppressed by most of it the moment Wu Bao hugged his neck.

Wu Bao opened her eyes and looked at him, asking softly, "Uncle Chenxin, why are your clothes all red? Did you get into a fight with bad guys too?"

"Uncle is fine, he just got some dirt on him while walking."

"Then hold April tight, she was sleeping very well just now."

Fan Chenxin responded softly, but his arms remained stiff. He carried the five treasures and walked step by step toward Jiang Yining, his gaze never leaving her face.

"Let me check your pulse. Phosphorus Mist is no ordinary poison."

Jiang Yining instinctively wanted to dodge, but seeing several deep arrow wounds on the back of his hand that exposed bone, she stopped trying to dodge.

"You are only allowed to examine the pulse, not to use this as an excuse to make a fuss."

"If I really wanted to use this as an excuse, I wouldn't be standing here talking to you about rules."

Fan Chenxin held the five treasures firmly with one hand, while using the other to hold Jiang Yining's wrist. His palm was very hot, but he was extremely careful when probing her meridians with his qi and blood, as if afraid of hurting her.

The next moment, his fingertips suddenly stopped.

Within Jiang Yining's body, a wisp of unfamiliar green wood vitality was intertwined with the Myriad Spirits Divine Wood. That aura was not impure; in fact, it had repaired her hidden dangers, yet it was so distinct that it could not be ignored.

Fan Chenxin's breathing became shallow.

"This is the ancient source of the Lou family's green wood; he has entrusted it to you."

Jiang Yining did not deny it, but calmly explained.

"When the poison array triggered the earth fire, my sacred tree malfunctioned, and it used its essence to stabilize my meridians. This was a life-saving act, not what you think."

Lou Xiaotian felt a moment of disappointment upon hearing this, but he still didn't say anything to force her to admit anything.

Fan Chen's heart ached even more as if stabbed by those words of help, and his fingers involuntarily reached towards her lower back. Through the fabric, he touched a red mark that was still warm, and his palm trembled violently.

Jiang Yining immediately grabbed his wrist.

"The desire for worldly pleasures ends here."

"I'm just checking to make sure the poisonous fire didn't hurt you."

"Are you sure the injury needs to be treated by pressing here?"

Fan Chenxin gazed at her, his eyes filled with deep pain. He had countless questions to ask, but in the end, he only uttered one.

"I'm late, aren't I?"

Jiang Yining loosened her grip.

"You weren't too late. You fought your way through the outer perimeter to give us a way out. Lou Xiaotian stayed inside to protect me and Siyue, and he didn't do anything wrong either. None of you are my enemies, so there's no need to punish me by taking it out on each other."

Lou Xiaotian turned to look at Fan Chenxin. Although he was injured on his shoulders and back, his aura was not weak at all.

"She made it very clear that if the Buddhist disciple still wants to take action, I will not back down."

Holding the five treasures, Fan Chenxin felt his dark golden blood surge several times, only to be forcibly suppressed. He didn't want to lose control in front of the children, but he couldn't ignore the unfamiliar green wood aura emanating from Jiang Yining.

Wu Bao hugged his face and carefully turned his face towards her.

"Uncle Chenxin, don't be fierce. Mother said that fierce people don't get any fruit."

Jiang Yining couldn't help but raise her hand and press her temples.

"You two, first tie up the Zhang family assassins, and also find out how many hidden formations are in the herb garden. Anyone who dares to point a sword at their own people again, I'll make them wash fruit for April for a whole month."

Lou Xiaotian immediately nodded: "I will lead the Lou family guards to clean up the inner garden."

Fan Chenxin kept staring at Jiang Yining, and after a long while, he finally managed to squeeze out a sentence.

"I'll take you and April back to the inn first. Young Master Lou can go do what he needs to do."

"I will also return to the inn. The herb garden is the Lou family's territory, and it's not your place to make arrangements."

Jiang Yining raised her thunder-patterned short sword and lightly sliced ​​it across the stone surface between them. The sword energy seeped into the stone, leaving a deep crack.

"If you argue any further, I'll take April and walk back by myself."

The two of them fell silent at the same time.

As they left the herb garden, the Lou family guards had already arrived, drawn by the commotion. Lou Xiaotian personally ordered the sealing of the Earth Fire Abyss and commanded men to bring the remaining roots of the Golden Silk Vine back to the herb garden for treatment. Fan Chenxin, carrying the Five Treasures, walked beside Jiang Yining, never touching her again, but his gaze was so deep it was impossible to ignore.

When they arrived at the entrance of Yunhe Inn, Wubao yawned sleepily in his arms.

Jiang Yining reached out to take the child, but Fan Chenxin hugged Wubao even tighter.

"I'll take her to the tatami mat and then come out; it won't disturb your rest."

"You'd better really keep your word."

Holding the child, Fan Chenxin stared intently at the inch of red mark peeking out from Jiang Yining's collar, her eyes red, and said through gritted teeth in a low voice, "Jiang Yining, do you really think I wouldn't dare to do anything to you?"