114: A year in the tower, a tremendous change in the family

When Chu He's figure reappeared at the Dragon City City Lord's Manor, only a few short hours had passed in the outside world.

Invincible in the East and others had already been waiting respectfully outside the door. They felt that Chu He's aura seemed to have become deeper and more restrained, and the metallic giant beast behind him, emitting a terrifying pressure, made them tremble with fear, not even daring to lift their heads.

Chu He paid no heed to these servants who had already become mere tools. He only gave a faint glance at the mountain of resource reports, and after confirming everything was under his control, he once again opened the world passage back to the Xuanhuang Realm.

This time, there were no obstacles.

He took the evolved Star Devourer and stepped into the silver-blue spatial rift, his figure vanishing instantly... Xuanhuang Realm, Chu Family.

Heaven-Reaching Pagoda, Fifth Layer, beneath the phoenix tree divine tree.

When Chu He's figure emerged from the Void Realm, what greeted him was a thick breath of life and refreshing Spiritual Qi.

"Husband!"

"Daddy!"

Several voices full of surprise and longing rang out simultaneously.

Lin Waner, Su Qingxue, Qing'er, as well as Zhao Linger and Feng Ziyan, who were already visibly pregnant, all came out from the palace under the phoenix tree divine tree, their faces overflowing with unconcealable joy.

Behind them followed several half-grown children who had grown quite a bit.

Looking at this scene, a warm current welled up in Chu He's heart. The heavy pressure brought by the "Star-Devouring Demon Emperor" over the past few days seemed to be diluted a lot at this moment.

He had only been away for a few short days, but for his Family members, who experienced a time flow 365 times faster inside the Heaven-Reaching Pagoda, more than a year had passed.

"I'm back."

A gentle smile appeared on Chu He's face as he opened his arms and embraced his wives and children who rushed toward him one by one.

His gaze swept over everyone, his heart filled with gratification.

In over a year, with the accumulation of massive resources and the support of a Holy Land for Cultivation like the Heaven-Reaching Pagoda, his Family members had undergone earth-shaking changes.

As the matriarch, Lin Waner's cultivation had stabilized at the Middle Stage Nascent Soul. She was in charge of the entire Family's resource allocation, and the aura of elegance and nobility on her became increasingly thick. Every word and action carried an unquestionable majesty, already showing the demeanor of an immortal Family's matriarch.

Su Qingxue's changes were equally massive. She was already a Genius of the path of Formations, and after refining the "nine-aperture exquisite heart," her cultivation had also successfully broken through to the Early Nascent Soul Stage. At this moment, her temperament was increasingly cold and ethereal. As her eyes opened and closed, it seemed as if countless Formation patterns were flowing within, clearly showing that her attainments in the path of Formations had taken another qualitative leap.

And the newly joined Zhao Linger and Feng Ziyan made Chu He's eyes light up even more.

Zhao Linger possessed the "Supreme Yin Body," and Cultivating the "Taiyin Sutra" bestowed by Chu He was like a fish in water. In just one year, she had leaped from a powerless Mortal princess to a Late Golden Core Stage Cultivator! The aura of the fetus in her womb was stable and perfectly fused with the power of the Supreme Yin, showing that the nurturing of the "chaos dao fetus" was proceeding very smoothly.

Feng Ziyan was even more exaggerated.

She was already at the Middle Stage Nascent Soul and possessed the Archaic Phoenix Bloodline. Cultivating under a divine object as perfectly matched as the phoenix tree divine tree was like covering a thousand miles in a day. At this moment, her cultivation had actually reached the peak of the Late Nascent Soul Stage, only one step away from the Great Perfection of the Nascent Soul! The "Chaos Sacred Body" fetus in her womb was nourished with vibrant vitality, and the Innate Dao rhythm it emitted even made Chu He feel a sense of shock.

As for Qing'er, who had the weakest cultivation, she also successfully achieved Foundation Establishment under the nourishment of various Heaven And Earth Treasures. Her appearance was even more beautiful than before, looking increasingly clear and moving.

But what surprised Chu He the most were his children.

Those who were still children when he left had now all grown up.

The Eldest Son, Chu Tian, was already a handsome youth of fourteen or fifteen, with an upright posture and a heroic spirit between his brows. He had perfectly inherited Chu He's Primordial Dragon God Bloodline, and his cultivation had actually broken through to the Early Golden Core Stage! Every move he made carried a faint dragon pressure, far beyond what ordinary Golden Core Cultivators could compare to.

The dragon and phoenix twins, Chu Batian and Chu Lingxi, had also grown to thirteen or fourteen. Chu Batian was burly with knotted muscles, and the power of his True Dragon Battle Physique was stimulated to an increasingly terrifying degree, as if every punch and kick could shake mountains. Chu Lingxi had grown more beautiful and striking, with long fiery red hair and a seductive figure. From time to time, a wisp of golden Phoenix Divine Fire danced at her fingertips, appearing both dangerous and charming. The cultivation of the siblings had also reached the Great Perfection of Foundation Establishment, suppressed by the dragon and phoenix jade pendants; otherwise, they would likely have already achieved Core Formation.

What surprised Chu He the most were his daughter Chu Yuning and his youngest son Chu Ce.

Chu Yuning was now an eleven or twelve-year-old girl, as exquisite as carved jade and extremely adorable. However, the Innate Dao rhythm on her had become even thicker. She disliked Cultivating and spent all day sitting under the enlightenment willow reading books or dazing off, yet her cultivation had unknowingly reached the Late-stage Foundation Establishment. Her whole being seemed to have merged with the Great Heavenly Dao, and every word and action secretly aligned with some profound principle.

And his youngest son, Chu Ce, had completely become a "Formation Maniac." This little fellow, who was just over ten years old, had no interest in Cultivating and spent all day following his grandfather Su Mo, studying the "heavenly derivation array diagram" and the "Introduction to the Path of Formations" left by Chu He. With his SSS-rank "Innate Killing Array Dao Fetus," his talent in the path of Formations was simply inconceivable. Now, he could independently set up fourth-rank composite grand Formations, leaving even Su Mo, a former Fourth-Rank Array Master, often speechless by his questions, only able to cry out "Prodigy."

Looking at these familiar and vibrant faces, and seeing this flourishing Family with its skyrocketing strength, the last trace of haze in Chu He's heart dissipated.

Indeed, so what if the pressure was great?

So what if the enemy was strong?

As long as this Family remained, as long as these lovely Family members still needed his protection, he, Chu He, would be fearless!

He had the System, the Myriad Heavens and Myriad Realms as his backing, and this group of children with Heaven-Defying talent as his future core team.

Star-Devouring Demon Emperor?

One day, he would personally lead his "Divine Rank Legion" to trample that so-called Demon Hall and twist off that Devil Emperor's head to use as a chamber pot!

"Husband, did everything go smoothly during your trip?" Lin Waner looked at Chu He and asked softly. She keenly noticed that although Chu He's aura was more powerful, there seemed to be an indescribable trace of solemnity between his brows.

"Everything went smoothly." Chu He smiled, not wanting them to worry. "I even brought back some novel things for you."

With a thought, he summoned the Star Devourer he had subdued on Azure Star from his internal space.

"Roar!"

A mechanical leopard three meters long, full of metallic texture and ferocious beauty, appeared out of thin air before everyone. A terrifying pressure of the Soul Transformation stage instantly swept out.

"Ah!"

Qing'er and Zhao Linger cried out in fear and hastily hid behind Chu He.

Lin Waner and Su Qingxue's expressions also changed, and Feng Ziyan's beautiful eyes narrowed as if facing a great enemy.

Only the half-grown children, especially Chu Batian, had eyes shining with excitement. Instead of being afraid, they stared at the Star Devourer eagerly, itching to try it out.

"Is this... a Puppet beast? No, it has its own life aura! Its rank... is at least Soul Transformation stage!" Feng Ziyan said in shock.

"Don't be nervous. This is a new pet I took in, called Star Devourer." Chu He smiled and patted the Star Devourer's metallic head. The latter immediately withdrew all its pressure and lay submissively on the ground like a large cat.

Everyone then breathed a sigh of relief and gathered around, curiously observing this strangely shaped "pet."

Chu He briefly introduced the origin of the Star Devourer, omitting the parts about the Star-Devouring Demon Clan and the beacon, only saying it was an ancient mechanical lifeform he had subdued in an otherworldly realm.

Even so, it was enough to leave everyone deeply shocked.

To be able to subdue a Soul Transformation stage pet, what terrifying level had their husband's (father's) strength reached?

While the Family was enjoying the joy of reunion, Chu He's gaze inadvertently fell upon his Eldest Son, Chu Tian, and a faint, imperceptible look of surprise flashed in his eyes.

He keenly felt that within his Eldest Son's body, there seemed to be hidden a power... that did not belong to him.