30: Three children, the beginnings of a family

Feeling like my body has been hollowed out!

The next morning.

Liu Xuan took a whole bottle of qi and blood pill before he felt the Origin Qi in his body return.

Liu Xuan's Body Refining cultivation was about to break through to the second level, so logically he shouldn't be this weak.

But his goal wasn't just simple pleasure; he also had to expend his vital essence to conceive offspring.

If it weren't for the Kunpeng Swallowing Heaven Body Refining Method being of a sufficiently high level, an iron-wrought body wouldn't have been able to withstand such antics last night.

The four women were still sleeping. Liu Xuan's body had mostly recovered, so he got up and practiced a set of sword techniques in the courtyard.

The Innate sword technique taught by Lin Xue'er was something special. After practicing it for a while, Liu Xuan found that his control over his body had increased significantly, so he persisted in practicing it every day.

With the sword technique at Minor Achievement, combined with the infusion of magic power and powerful physical strength, the combat power Liu Xuan could unleash was not to be underestimated.

"Talisman Master Liu, someone is here to see you!"

While Liu Xuan was practicing sword, the voice of the guard Liu Gang came from outside the house.

Someone here to see him? Liu Xuan had only rented this small courtyard a few days ago, and very few people knew he lived here.

Liu Xuan put away his long sword and instructed: "Come in!"

The courtyard gate was pushed open, and a man in black walked in with Liu Gang.

Zhao Li cupped his hands in a salute, took out an exquisite Spirit Stone bag from his body, and handed it to Liu Xuan.

"This is the sixty-nine Spirit Stones I owed Brother Liu previously. Please count them."

Liu Xuan took the Spirit Stones, looked at them, felt their weight, and put them into his pocket without counting, smiling as he said:

"Brother Zhao is a man of his word. You can come find me if you have any Talisman needs in the future."

A look of guilt appeared on Zhao Li's face: "We agreed to deliver them within three days. I should have delivered them to you yesterday."

He had gathered enough Spirit Stones yesterday afternoon, but Liu Xuan's whereabouts were uncertain, and he had searched for an entire afternoon without finding him.

In the end, he spent money to get information from the Dual Cultivation Hall, and only then did he find Liu Xuan here early in the morning.

"Brother Zhao is too polite!"

Liu Xuan invited him to sit at the stone table in the courtyard. "Brother Zhao, buying so many Arrow Talismans, you shouldn't be using them yourself, right? Has the situation in Yongning not improved yet?"

One hundred Arrow Talismans, even at Liu Xuan's discounted price, cost nearly one hundred Spirit Stones. Zhao Li was only an Outer Sect Disciple with Qi Gathering second-level cultivation; he couldn't possibly consume them all and must be selling them to colleagues.

Liu Xuan was willing to sell Talismans to him at a low price not only because he was in a hurry to sell for cash, but also to befriend Zhao Li and gather information about the outside world.

"Brother Liu is right!"

Zhao Li did not hide anything and said directly:

"Our Spell Hall and Law Enforcement Hall have a high demand for Talismans. Usually, the higher-ups find Talisman Masters from the Talisman Hall to purchase them directly, and the price is a bit cheaper than the market price."

"However, the Talisman Masters need to make money, and the higher-ups in the Law Enforcement Hall also need to make money. The price we Disciples get is about eighty percent of the market price."

"Moreover, Talismans are in short supply, and there is a limit to the quantity of Talismans we can get at a low price."

Having said this, Zhao Li gratefully cupped his hands to Liu Xuan: "Brother Liu sells me one hundred First-Rank Low-Grade Arrow Talismans at seventy percent of the market price. I can earn twelve Spirit Stones just by reselling them."

Twelve Spirit Stones! Even risking his life for a month, Zhao Li might not necessarily have twelve Spirit Stones.

"Brother Zhao, don't mind it. We both only joined the Sect a year ago. I don't have many connections either, and selling to the Sect is the same price. It is only right that we help each other!"

Liu Xuan brought the Spirit Wine that wasn't finished last night and poured a cup for Zhao Li, and the two drank and chatted.

With the cooperation of interests, Zhao Li did not have as many reservations when speaking as before.

"Brother Liu, the situation in Yongning will probably become increasingly chaotic. If you care about your Family, you should bring them to Red Pine City sooner rather than later!"

"Oh? How so?" Liu Xuan asked suspiciously.

"The chaos in Yongning is not as simple as two families fighting over a Spirit Stone mine. There is also the participation of external forces. According to my master's analysis, a major war is very likely to break out."

Yongning County is on the border of the Red Pine Sect, bordering another Golden Core Sect, the Nether Fire Sect.

"External forces involved?" Liu Xuan was even more confused. "Don't the higher-ups of the Red Pine Sect care?"

Zhao Li was silent, picked up the wine glass, took a sip, and said, "The affairs of the higher-ups are not something we can fathom. Who knows?"

Liu Xuan remembered the previous rumors; perhaps this was the root of the chaos.

After chatting for a while and agreeing on the time and place for the next transaction, Zhao Li bid farewell and left.

One month later.

Chang Dan, Huang Qian, Wu Qingyue, and Li Man became pregnant one after another. The monthly allowance for the four women was increased to six Spirit Stones per person per month.

Liu Xuan's life had not changed much. Every day he practiced Talisman Drawing, Cultivated, and looked after his business at the Talisman Hall in the city, using his spare time to accompany his Dao Companions.

Including servant girls and maids, Liu Xuan currently had nine Dao Companions, eight of whom were pregnant. Only Lin Xue'er had already given birth to a child.

Liu Xuan did not hide the affairs of Chang Dan and the others from Lin Xue'er. He found an excuse about wanting to Cultivate a Family, and then told her everything.

Lin Xue'er did not seem angry on the surface, but in reality, she was a bit unhappy inside. It wasn't because Liu Xuan was promiscuous, but because she was worried about her own child.

She did not have a Spiritual Root, and the probability of giving birth to a child with a Spiritual Root was not high. If the children of Chang Dan and the others had Spiritual Roots in the future, she was worried that her own child would not receive resources.

With the other women all pregnant, Liu Xuan had been focusing his energy on Lin Xue'er recently.

Before long, Lin Xue'er was pregnant again!

After becoming pregnant, Lin Xue'er's mood improved, and Liu Xuan's long-term companionship also made her feel the difference between Liu Xuan's treatment of her and the other Dao Companions.

Another month later.

Lin Xue'er's small courtyard.

Today was a big day because the maids Da Shuang and Xiao Shuang were about to give birth.

Liu Xuan was waiting outside the door, with Lin Xue'er holding Little Eldest Son beside him.

Little Eldest Son was not yet six months old. He was born with fair, tender skin, staring with big, dark, watery eyes, also peeking into the room.

"Woo~"

"Ah~"

He looked at Lin Xue'er, made a few wooing and ah-ing sounds, and then looked into the room, as if asking about the situation inside.

Lin Xue'er smiled and teased: "Little Eldest Son is about to have younger brothers and sisters. Are you happy!"

"Giggle giggle~"

It was unknown if he understood or not, but he was giggling anyway.

The physicians at the Pill Refining Hall had superb medical skills, so things like dystocia were basically impossible to happen. Plus, having experienced it once, Liu Xuan didn't feel nervous.

"Wah~"

"Wah~"

Almost at the same time, two infant cries sounded.

[Ding! Congratulations to the Host for the birth of the second offspring, obtained Mid-Grade Spirit Stone * 10]

[Ding! Congratulations to the Host for the birth of the third offspring, obtained one bottle of First-Rank Medium Grade qi gathering pill.]

[Ding! Congratulations to the Host for the number of offspring reaching three, achieved basic achievement: Family Prototype, obtained Second-Rank Spirit Insect: Black Crystal Bee Queen]

Three light clusters appeared in Liu Xuan's mind. As long as Liu Xuan touched them with his consciousness, they could turn into physical objects and appear before him.

Now was not the time to claim the rewards. If a pile of things suddenly appeared out of thin air, he wouldn't be able to explain it to Lin Xue'er.

'Second-Rank Black Crystal Bee Queen!'

Second-Rank represents the Foundation Establishment level!

And what was this basic achievement? Could one obtain special rewards by achieving certain milestones?