116: Everyone has preferences

Liu Residence.

Moonlight, like water, streamed into the second-floor bedroom of a small building.

The bedroom was large, the bed was also large, and the decorations were few, making it appear extremely spacious.

A pile of clothes, skirts, silk stockings, and a magic robe, along with a green sash, were scattered on the floor.

On the bed, a thin silk quilt covered one-third of Xia He’s body, revealing her snow-white skin, which, illuminated by the hazy moonlight, resembled the finest mutton-fat jade.

Jade feet, jade legs, jade back... After her Breakthrough from Qi Refining to Late Qi Refining Stage, Xia He became even more beautiful.

Liu Xuan leaned against the headboard, taking pills, clearly having finished his business and entered sage mode.

“Husband, what level is your Martial Dao Cultivation exactly? Why are you so... strong?”

Liu Xuan’s Physical Body quality was exaggeratedly strong; ordinary people couldn’t tell, but the women who had intimate contact with Liu Xuan could.

To this, his previous explanation was that he had Cultivated a Martial Dao Cultivation Technique, which was why he was so strong.

Liu Xuan had indeed Cultivated Martial Dao; he had learned the top-tier martial art Innate Sword Qi Art from Lin Xue'er and had also specifically studied some martial arts for external training.

Xia He had never doubted before, but this time, even after her Breakthrough to Late Qi Refining Stage, she still felt she couldn’t compare to Liu Xuan, which made her puzzled.

A Late-Stage Qi Refining Cultivator’s magic power cleanses the Physical Body, making it not much worse than an ordinary Martial Artist, and with the Dantian’s magic power enhancement, Liu Xuan should have been weaker than her.

“Around Innate Late Stage!”

“Your husband’s Physique is special; it’s probably because of this that he’s a little stronger than ordinary Martial Artists!”

Liu Xuan explained casually.

“Is that so?”

Xia He thought for a while but couldn’t figure it out. However, she didn’t dwell on it and instead waved her hand, retrieving a jade bottle from a pocket in the clothes on the floor and handing it to Liu Xuan.

“I only took one of the stage-breaking pills you gave me last time, and I already had a Breakthrough. This remaining one is for you.”

Liu Xuan didn’t take it. “This is something I gave you. How can I take it back? You keep it.”

Liu Xuan was quite surprised that Xia He actually intended to return the remaining stage-breaking pill to him, especially since he wouldn’t have known if she hadn’t brought it up.

Xia He was delighted. “Husband, are you really willing to give it to me?”

“I’ve already had a Breakthrough to Late Qi Refining Stage, so keeping it is no use. Husband will need it more when he has a Breakthrough in the future.”

“It’s just a first-tier mid-grade stage-breaking pill. If you need it in the future, Ho’er, I’ll even buy you a foundation establishment pill.”

Xia He’s chest rose and fell, trembling slightly, and she said excitedly, “A foundation establishment pill costs tens of thousands of Spirit Stones. Husband, are you really willing to give it to Ho’er?”

Xia He didn’t know Liu Xuan’s exact financial resources, but through the daily expenses of the Liu Family and some business dealings of the Merchant Alliance, she knew that Liu Xuan definitely had a lot of Spirit Stones.

Liu Xuan himself was a First-Rank Mid-Grade Talisman Master, and he was backed by the Sect’s Lin Family Old Ancestor Qingyun. With long-term accumulation, he could probably afford a foundation establishment pill.

Whether he could afford it was one thing. Liu Xuan had many women and children, and he still had to Cultivate himself. Was he truly willing to spend such a large sum on her?

Xia He thought it was impossible, but she couldn’t help but feel a surge of excitement.

“When have I, your husband, ever been stingy?”

A foundation establishment pill was precious to others, but to Liu Xuan, it was just so-so. He already had one in his Storage Pouch, which the System had given as a gift when Yan Qingyao’s child was born.

Perhaps the System would continue to give foundation establishment pills as gifts in the future. Liu Xuan himself didn’t need them for now, and his children were still too young to use them. If Xia He truly reached the Qi Refining Perfection Realm, what harm was there in giving her one?

The strength of his Dao Companion wouldn’t be added to Liu Xuan, but it didn’t prevent them from being part of the Liu Family and contributing to the Family’s strength, especially in the early stages when the children hadn’t grown up yet.

“Husband~”

“Ho’er thanks Husband...”

Xia He was emotional... Afterwards.

The clouds dispersed, the rain ceased, and Liu Xuan began taking pills again. One blood transformation demon pill was enough to replenish his depleted energy.

Xia He had a Sixth-Grade Spiritual Root, and now that her Cultivation had broken through to Late Qi Refining Stage, the probability of her offspring having a high-grade Spiritual Root was estimated to be comparable to Yan Qingyao’s. Liu Xuan was naturally willing to go all out.

“I heard that Elder Zou and your Master left Yongning half a month ago. Are you in charge of the city now, Ho’er?”

Liu Xuan embraced Xia He, asking about the situation in the city.

Xia He nodded, “Elder Zou left the county town a long time ago. After my Breakthrough, Master began to hand over affairs to me, and he also left half a month ago.”

“However, I’m not in charge of the county town. There’s also County Magistrate County Magistrate; he’s the nominal owner of Yongning City.”

Yongning County Town was actually equivalent to a Cultivation Market. Its main purpose was to conduct business, collect taxes, and also supervise the various Cultivation Families in the area.

The choice of county magistrate was quite crucial. They were usually from commoner Disciple backgrounds, without much Family background, and were trained by the Sect’s Xiao Family faction.

Alternatively, they were direct descendants of the Xiao Family with average talent, who were then sent out to work.

Given Liu Xuan’s status and background, as long as he didn’t openly violate the Sect’s major taboos, County Magistrate wouldn’t meddle.

If things could continue to develop this way, the Liu Family would surely quickly become the second Cultivation Family in Yongning, second only to the Foundation Establishment Family Lu Family.

‘It all depends on whether Old Ancestor Wang Qiao is capable!’

If Old Ancestor Wang Qiao was capable and successfully formed a Core, the Red Pine Sect could remain stable for several hundred years, and Liu Xuan could develop effortlessly.

If Old Ancestor Wang Qiao failed, the situation would likely turn into a chaotic mess, and whether it would be good or bad would be hard to say... Several months later.

Xia He’s son, Liu Daoyong, turned three and was found to have an Eighth-Grade Spiritual Root. Everyone was envious, and the little one became the object of everyone’s affection.

Not long after, She Xiaorong’s son, Liu Daoyun, was also tested to have a Ninth-Grade Spirit Root. The busy She Xiaorong even returned specifically to celebrate with her son.

Subsequently, Ye Manqing’s son, Liu Daodan, who was just an ordinary maid, also tested to have a Ninth-Grade Spirit Root, which further aroused the envy and jealousy of other ordinary maids.

Until Bai Zhiwei’s daughter, Liu Ling Miao, was tested to have an Eighth-Grade Spiritual Root, her older sister Liu Miao was even happier as if she were her own biological daughter.

The little girl Liu Ling Miao was born delicate and exquisite, exactly like her mother, Bai Zhiwei, like a miniature version of Bai Zhiwei. Liu Miao adored her and treated her completely as her own daughter.

The name Ling Miao was given by her back then, and now that Ling Miao possessed an Eighth-Grade Spiritual Root, Liu Miao cherished her even more as her darling.

Some children had Spiritual Roots, while others did not. Although Liu Xuan did not advocate for differential treatment, the children were still divided into two groups due to the attitudes of the other adults.

Children with Spiritual Roots, such as Daoyong, Daoyun, Daodan, and Ling Miao, found it easier to play together, and the other children without Spiritual Roots also found it easier to play together.

Not only that, the relationships between the children would also change based on the relationships between their mothers. If their mothers were close, they would also be close, and vice versa.

As the children gradually grew up, this closeness and distance in relationships would become even more apparent.

As humans, there will always be favoritism, closeness, and distance. Even among biological siblings, it’s impossible for everyone to love each other.

Liu Xuan would not interfere with this. He was the core bond among all the children. As long as he ensured everyone lived in harmony and didn’t become enemies, that was enough.