353: Yue Li's thoughts

Red Pine Sect.

West Courtyard.

Snow-white sheets were spread across the large bed, made of top-tier fur, soft and silky.

Lin Xue'er was fast asleep under a thin quilt, her breathing steady and a faint smile on her lips.

Beside her, Yue Li held Liu Xuan. A thin layer of sweat covered her body, indicating she had likely just finished her Cultivation.

“Junior Brother, I want to be with you every day!” Yue Li’s tone was coquettish and pleading, making it hard to refuse.

Liu Xuan calmly took a pill and lightly stroked her smooth shoulder. “Senior Sister! You have an important mission right now. You are the only Golden Core True Person in the Red Pine Sect. How can I feel at ease without you here to oversee things?”

The Red Pine Sect was a massive Sect; although more than half had been sent to the Peach Blossom Sect, over ten thousand Disciples remained.

In the Lin Garden on the mountaintop, Liu Xuan had over a hundred children under the age of sixteen. Nearby Feiyu City also had many businesses that needed tending. Only with Yue Li, a Golden Core True Person, presiding over it all could Liu Xuan feel at ease.

“Stay home with peace of mind. I’ll come to see you when I have time,” Liu Xuan said, turning to kiss her forehead. “Don't worry! I’ve noted down all your contributions. I’ll definitely make it up to you properly in the future!”

Yue Li was clearly not that easy to appease. She still frowned and said dissatisfiedly, “You only come back once in such a long time. I think you don’t care about me at all!”

She looked at the sleeping Lin Xue'er nearby. “You’re so gentle with Sister Xueer, but so... violent with me. If it weren't for Sister Xueer, I don't know if you'd even come back!”

“What nonsense are you talking about!”

“Xueer is only at the Qi Refining stage. How could I possibly be violent?”

Seeing Liu Xuan's growing impatience, Yue Li felt she was being a bit unreasonable. She immediately hugged Liu Xuan's arm to change the subject:

“Isn't True Person Qingzhu, Su Zhi, in Feiyu City? The situation is stable now; with him presiding, nothing should go wrong!”

“Su Zhi?” Liu Xuan slowly shook his head. “Don't you know what kind of character he has?”

“Never mind looking after our Liu Family; if Feiyu City were in danger, he’d be the first to run. Do you believe me?”

True Person Qingzhu, Su Zhi, was somewhat related to Liu Xuan because of Su Wan, but Liu Xuan didn't trust him at all.

This man was a typical pleasure-seeking Golden Core True Person. He loved cultivating spirit plants, fine wine, and spirit incense, living an extremely carefree life.

He wasn't one of Shen Yunshu's subordinates; rather, Shen Yunshu had hired him with a reward. As soon as he felt the danger outweighed the reward, he would leave without any psychological pressure.

“Lier!” Liu Xuan continued to soothe her. “Revered Master spent five million Spirit Stones to exempt you from the front lines. Wouldn't it be a waste if you followed me to Bone Fiend City now?”

“But...”

Yue Li understood everything Liu Xuan said. She knew he definitely wouldn't let her follow him constantly right now.

However, having tasted the rapid growth in cultivation from Dual Cultivation—even feeling her Golden Core grade slowly improving—she had to try and push for it.

Even if Liu Xuan didn't agree, she could make him aware of her sacrifices. As the saying goes, a coquettish woman has the best luck; she was naturally gifted in this regard.

But enough was as good as a feast; if she overdid it, she might incur Liu Xuan's dislike. Thus, she shifted her tone:

“Fine!”

“I’ll listen to you, Senior Sister will... but about that compensation you mentioned, I don't want it later. I want it now...”

With that, her fair wrists hooked around Liu Xuan's neck, and her tender red lips proactively pressed against his... Three days later.

South Courtyard.

Under the jade phoenix tree.

Liu Xuan caught a running little boy, reached out to pick up the jade tablet hanging around his neck, and read softly: “Ranked two hundredth, Liu Daozhen!”

‘Daozhen! It seems the last time I saw him was two years ago...’

‘Children change so much!’

Liu Xuan remembered that when he last saw this kid, he was at least half a head shorter. His overall face shape hadn't changed, but his features were much more defined.

With more and more children, it was impossible for Liu Xuan to accompany every child as they grew up. If not for an immortal cultivator's extraordinary memory, Divine Sense to identify auras, and the Spirit Treasure clan register recording Divine Soul imprints, he wouldn't even be able to recognize his own children after a long time.

Daozhen snatched his jade tablet back from Liu Xuan's hand. “Dad, you don't recognize me anymore?”

“I'm going to tell Mother and Aunt Miao!” The little guy looked furious, struggling to break free from the confinement of Liu Xuan's arm.

Liu Xuan gave him a smack on the butt and laughed. “You even know how to tattle. If you dare to tell on me, I'll have your Eldest and Second Sisters deal with you.”

Daozhen's steps came to a sudden halt. His Eldest and Second Sisters were Aunt Miao's right-hand women, and they specialized in dealing with disobedient children. If they really came for him... He turned and ran back to Liu Xuan's side, holding out a palm. “Dad, I know I was wrong. Give me one Spirit Stone, and I won't tell on you!”

Liu Xuan was stunned!

He never expected that one day he would be extorted by his own son. It was simply an inversion of the natural order!

“Smack!”

Liu Xuan slapped his small hand and laughed. “Today, I'll teach you a lesson: whoever has the bigger fist is the boss!”

“Waaah!!!”

“Dad is bullying me!”

“Waaah!!!”

The crying quickly attracted many brothers and sisters. Liu Miao, Lingxiu, and Ling Yun also came over upon hearing the sound.

Lingxiu walked to Liu Xuan's side and said, “Father, this kid Daozhen is very naughty. Do you want me to help you deal with him?”

“Uh...” Daozhen's loud wailing stopped abruptly. He looked at Aunt Miao, then at his Eldest and Second Sisters. He decisively backed down, wiping away his tears in two strokes. “Dad, I was wrong. Please punish me!”

Liu Xuan waved his hand to signal everyone to disperse, then led Daozhen to his sister, Liu Miao.

“Sister, this kid is quite clever. Please take more care in teaching him in the future; don't let him grow up crooked!”

Daozhen was only eleven years old. From what happened just now, the boy was mentally flexible and knew when to yield. With proper cultivation, he would surely be successful in the future.

Liu Miao nodded, then scanned the children nearby and advised Liu Xuan:

“Brother, you have more and more children. Don't always think about relying on me to teach them for you; you have to put in more effort yourself!”

Liu Miao was also helpless. Recently, the speed at which the women in the West Courtyard were getting pregnant was several times faster than before. A child was born every ten to fifteen days, meaning thirty to forty children were born a year.

Liu Xuan stayed in Bone Fiend City for long periods. She had watched many of these children being born, and she had to look after most of them afterward.

To take care of these children, she had trained nearly a hundred meticulous maids under her, and the number was still increasing.

Every child was of the Liu Family's blood. She didn't feel comfortable leaving them entirely to the maids. Besides arranging for trusted aides like Bai Zhiwei, Lingxiu, and Ling Yun to watch over them at any time, she also had to check the children's status every day to ensure they grew up healthy.

The number of Liu Xuan's children was approaching four hundred. If it continued to grow at the current rate, the number of children would reach a terrifying one thousand within twenty years!

A thousand children, all the biological children of her brother, Liu Xuan! The scene of a thousand people lined up, calling her Aunt Miao in unison, appeared in Liu Miao's mind...