Deep beneath the Blood Spider Sect, past nine layers of crimson wards and a river of frozen blood, stood the final stone seal.
It was taller than ten men, black as the abyss, carved with the personal sigil of the Saint Emperor himself.
Golden chains thicker than ancient pythons wrapped it a thousand times as each link hummed with the power that once subdued the heavens.
Elder Sister Huang knelt three steps behind Li Qingmu the instant they arrived.
Her swollen belly brushed her thighs… the red robe could no longer close over it.
『Who knew carrying a child can be so stressful~』
She rubbed her swollen belly.
"Young Master Li…"
She didn't think she'd ever say his name so normally after moaning it out for so long.
"We sisters were meant to gather yang for ten thousand years before daring to touch this seal. Yet… with the amount you poured into us, you alone should be enough."
Her cheeks burned red just at the thought of how he used them like tools for his satisfaction.
Big Sis Huang is an independent woman.
But she also likes to be told her place by a man.
The young master had crushed her delicate back into pure submission and she was charmed.
He is a real man…
Li Qingmu gave a lazy nod, hands still folded behind his back like a young master inspecting his garden.
"I see."
He stepped forward.
The chains rattled though no wind blew.
Runes brightened in warning, then dimmed again, as if even the Saint Emperor's formations were unsure whether to stop him.
Elder Sister Hong lifted her head, cheeks flushed.
"Young Master… once the seal breaks, what will you do to our Matriarch?"
Li Qingmu placed one palm flat against the cold stone.
A faint golden glow seeped from his skin into the seal like warm honey into parched earth.
"What else?"
He spoke in a calm, almost bored voice.
"The moment she steps out, I'll put a baby in her."
He smirked confidently.
"She'll make a fine addition to the family."
Elder Sister Huang's breath hitched.
She wanted to call it arrogant or laugh even, but the words died in her throat.
The young master had just ruined several Foundation Establishment fairies in one night. Maybe cultivation realm really didn't matter to him anymore.
Li Qingmu narrowed his eyes.
"Open."
Pure yang exploded from his palm like a second sun.
BOOM!
The entire mountain range screamed.
The stone seal cracked down the middle with a sound like the heavens splitting. White light speared upward and punched a hole through nine layers of cloud and storm, visible even from the distant imperial capital.
Elder Sister Hong shielded her eyes.
Her black hair whipped in the wind.
"It… it broke… the seal that stood for years…"
Thousands of years!
Then minutes passed.
Nothing else happened.
No demonic laughter.
No world-shaking pressure. Not even a breeze.
Li Qingmu tilted his head.
"Huh?"
Elder Sister Huang crept closer and squinted at the fist-wide crack.
"Huh?"
Li Qingmu scratched his cheek.
"What's wrong?"
"The seal is definitely shattered…"
She murmured, disappointed.
"Perhaps Young Master's cultivation is still…"
Li Qingmu stroked his chin with a bored face.
"Or maybe your ancestor is just scared?"
"ABSOLUTELY NOT!"
Elder Sister Huang shot upright as her belly wobbled.
"Matriarch Blood Spider once flipped the Middle Heavens upside down! Even the Saint Emperor needed three moves to seal her! She fears no one under the starry sky!"
Elder Sister Huang is very loyal.
You can see it in her voice.
Inside the hidden realm beyond the crack, the beauty with waterfall brown hair and eyes like molten rubies hugged her knees and shook like a frightened rabbit.
『Scared? I'm friggin terrified!!!』
Cold sweat poured down her flawless immortal skin.
She stared through the crack again.
Just looking at the leisurely youth outside made her womb clench shamefully.
『That brat… that absolute monster… even ancient dragons in the Lower Heavens don't carry that much yang! And he's still Qi Condensation!? If I step out there I'll get pregnant just from breathing the same air! Father will skin me alive!』
She slapped both hands over her face and groaned like a little girl caught stealing sweets.
『In all my years of rampaging across three realms, I have never been afraid of a low-level cultivator no matter what treasure they possess… until today!』
She tapped her jade-like chin and mumbled.
"How does trash Qi Condensation hold more yang than a Heavenly Dragon? Is he a hidden dragon prince? …No, if he were, his realm wouldn't be this pathetic."
Suddenly her eyes sharpened.
She rubbed her still-lat belly thoughtfully.
"…Now that the seal is broken, I should probably report to Father first before anything stupid happens."
She nodded to herself.
"Yes. Smart."
She made a hand seal and her body dissolved into a streak of crimson-golden divine soul light.
Like a firefly, she silently slipped through the crack.
It circled once, twice, then dove straight into the little pouch on Li Qingmu's waist.
Completely unnoticed.
Outside, Li Qingmu yawned, stretched, and turned away.
"Well, I think I did my best. If your ancestor wants to keep hiding, that's her business. Send a jade slip if she ever grows a spine."
He started walking, gray robe fluttering as he looked every inch the carefree young master.
Elder Sister Huang panicked. She pressed both hands to her round belly to steady herself, then threw her forehead to the ground again.
"Young Master! W-, Will you… will you ever come visit… the children, I mean! It's fine if you don't want to, this humble one would never dare burden—"
Li Qingmu paused. Turned back.
And gave her the gentlest, most heart-melting smile she had ever seen.
The kind that promised he would brutally raze the Heavens for his women, yet still made you want to kneel and call him husband.
Then he simply gave a lazy wave and kept walking.
"May the heavens be with you."
Elder Sister Hong's legs turned to jelly.
"WHAT—!?"
She clutched her stomach so she wouldn't collapse from sheer emotion.
By the time she looked up again, Li Qingmu was already halfway across the sect, waving cheerfully at the rows of pregnant fairies blowing kisses from balconies.
"Take care, lovelies~"
He chuckled sweetly.
"This one will visit when he's rich!"
Under his breath he hissed through clenched teeth as his face dripped sweat.
"Do they have any idea how much child support the Earthly Magistrate charges these days!? Twenty-six kids at once… I don't have that many spirit stones!!"
He flashed away like a bolt of lightning disguised as an elegant stroll until he vanished beyond the mountain gate in the blink of an eye.
Inside the pouch, the tiny divine soul of the matriarch watched him go, speechless.
『Shameless… so shameless… this kind of man would make an excellent Immortal Official.』
Ding!
A blue panel popped up in front of Li Qingmu's eyes just as he landed on the official road.
[Family Head Reminder: Please properly raise your children and care for your concubines. Maintaining a good family image will greatly increase cultivation speed and unlock hidden assets required to become an Immortal Official!]
His face scrunched up like he'd bitten into a lemon.
"…You're kidding…"
[Start by opening the Earth-grade Family Gift Pack!]
He stopped in the middle of the road, looked left and right to make sure no one saw, then rubbed his hands together like a greedy merchant.
"Fine, fine. System, open the gift pack!"
Golden light exploded from his chest and lit up the night sky for fifty li.
[Family Gift Pack is being processed!]
Inside the pouch, the matriarch's divine soul shrank even smaller and hugged her own tail.
『…He can sense me…』
Somewhere very far away, in the highest immortal palace above the Eastern Reaches, an ancient voice that shook the stars suddenly thundered.
"WHO DARES TOUCH MY DAUGHTER!?"
The Blood Spider Empress whimpered and buried herself deeper into Li Qingmu's pouch.
Outside, Li Qingmu whistled innocently as he strolled back home in search of sleep.