I've announced that I'm destined to have many children, and my father has bestowed upon me

crunch--

The heavy iron gate slowly opened outwards under his spiritual power.

The light from outside rushed in instantly, enveloping him.

Zhao Chen'an stepped out of the treasure trove.

The blinding sunlight made him squint instinctively; after a month without seeing the sun, he was finding it hard to adjust.

Outside the treasury, two loyal royal guards stood ramrod straight, like two statues.

Upon seeing Zhao Chen'an emerge, the two men straightened up, knelt on one knee, and spoke in loud voices.

"Welcome back, Your Highness!"

Get up.

Zhao Chen'an waved his hand, his voice slightly hoarse, because he hadn't spoken for a long time.

He stretched his stiff muscles and bones, and his joints cracked and popped.

Although his mind was exhausted from alchemy, his spiritual core was more complete than ever before, and his cultivation was becoming more and more stable, with a faint tendency to move towards the second level.

Returning to the long-lost backyard of the Prince's Mansion, before even approaching the main house, one could hear the cries and laughter of babies, mixed with the gentle coaxing of maids.

Zhao Chen'an quickened his pace unconsciously, a warm feeling welling up in his heart.

That was his home, the source of all his struggles.

Pushing open the door, a heartwarming scene comes into view.

Wu Lanxue, Li Qingluan, Liu Ruoshuang, and Xiao Chuchu were all present.

They sat or stood, each holding a swaddled baby, their faces radiating maternal glow.

The four little ones, Zhao Xiao, Zhao Zixing, Zhao Ding, and Zhao Lanyu, are each announcing their existence in their own way.

"My lord, you've emerged from seclusion!"

The first to spot him was Wulanxue, who stood up with a look of surprise on her face, holding Zhao Xiao in her arms.

The other three women also looked over, each with a different expression.

Li Qingluan remained as spirited as ever, Liu Ruoshuang possessed a cool yet gentle demeanor, and Xiao Chuchu radiated pure joy.

Zhao Chen'an looked around at the four lively and adorable children, and all his fatigue vanished.

Going to the Hunyuan Sect is a must, for both Mo Yuqing and Xiao Chuchu.

But you absolutely cannot stay there for long.

I must come back in three to five months at most.

He didn't want to miss the children's growth, and more importantly, his real reliance was the Ten Thousand Heirs System.

Only by staying in the Great Zhou Dynasty can he continue to expand his family and obtain more incredible rewards; this is the foundation for his survival.

No matter how good the opportunities from the outside world are, they can't compare to the direct rewards from the system.

"I'm back."

Zhao Chen'an walked to Wu Lanxue's side and gently pinched Zhao Xiao's chubby little face.

The little guy was staring at him with his big, dark eyes, seemingly trying to recognize this somewhat unfamiliar father.

"My husband, you've lost some weight."

Wu Lanxue said with some heartache, her mind was simple, and she had focused all her attention on the Prince's Mansion and Zhao Chen'an.

"It's alright, it's just seclusion."

Zhao Chen'an smiled and listened as Wu Lanxue began to talk about the everyday affairs of the Prince's Mansion.

"The manager of the front yard has been a bit lax lately, and the quality of the items he buys is poor. I've already reprimanded him."

"And the new gardener in the back garden is clumsy; he killed two precious orchids."

Zhao Chen listened quietly, nodding occasionally.

These seemingly trivial matters, though insignificant, represent the true essence of life. He enjoyed this feeling.

As they were talking, Zhao Xiao, who was being held in someone's arms, suddenly stretched out his little hand, and a thin golden arc of electricity danced on his fingertips.

It's sizzling!

The electric arc flashed by in an instant, accompanied by a slight whooshing sound.

The maid beside her was startled and quickly took two steps back, her face full of awe.

Ulanxue, however, was used to it and simply patted the little guy's bottom helplessly.

"You're not listening again."

Upon seeing this, Zhao Chen'an laughed and took Zhao Xiao from Wu Lanxue's arms.

"As expected of my son, the Nine Heavens Divine Thunder Physique is indeed domineering."

With a thought, a wisp of tempering spiritual lightning "borrowed" from Zhao Xiao's body appeared at his fingertips, transforming into a small golden snake that coiled around his finger.

Zhao Xiao was immediately intrigued when he saw the little golden snake, and he reached out his little hand to grab it while making cooing noises.

The father and son treated the violent lightning, which ordinary cultivators would avoid at all costs, as toys, playing with it in their hands.

This scene terrified the surrounding maids, yet they dared not utter a sound.

After playing with Wulanxue and Zhao Xiao for a while, Zhao Chen'an turned his gaze to Li Qingluan on the other side.

She was sitting to one side, carefully wiping a silver spear with a piece of fine silk.

The gun's body shimmered with iridescent light, clearly indicating it was no ordinary weapon.

Her daughter, Zhao Zixing, was placed in a cradle to the side. Her little hands were clutching Zhao Chen'an's clothes, tearing at them forcefully, and she was giggling and being very restless.

Zhao Chen'an walked over and sat down next to Li Qingluan.

"How is the border lately? Has your father-in-law sent any letters?"

Li Qingluan continued wiping the spear without stopping, and answered without looking up:

"I received a letter half a month ago that my father led 30,000 iron cavalry deep into the heart of the Great Xia Dynasty, capturing seven cities in succession and forcing the Great Xia to retreat 300 miles and sign a temporary truce agreement."

Her voice was cool and aloof, but her words carried a hint of pride.

Zhao Chen'an nodded; he knew of Li Qingcang's bravery.

"Tell my father-in-law, don't pursue a desperate enemy. The Great Xia Dynasty has a deep foundation, be careful of their counterattack."

"Yes, I already mentioned that in my reply."

Li Qingluan responded.

Just then, Zhao Zixing, who was in the cradle, seemed unhappy about being neglected and gripped the cradle even tighter.

It even started nibbling on Zhao Chen'an's robes and grabbed a strand of his hair, stuffing it into its own mouth.

Zhao Chen'an was both amused and exasperated, and picked up the little devil.

"You little rascal, you truly live up to your name, the Purple Star of Destruction, always causing trouble since you were a child."

When Zhao Zixing was picked up, she was not afraid at all; instead, she laughed even more happily and grabbed Zhao Chen'an's beard with both of her little hands, pulling hard.

This force was nothing to Zhao Chen'an, but that playful energy softened his heart.

After calming down the "demon child" Zhao Zixing, Zhao Chen'an then walked towards Liu Ruoshuang.

Liu Ruoshuang was sitting at a desk, flipping through some files, a thoughtful look on her face.

Zhao Ding in her arms was unusually quiet, neither crying nor fussing. His dark eyes darted around as if he could see through everything in the world.

"What are you looking at?"

Zhao Chen'an sat down next to her.

Liu Ruoshuang handed him a file:

"It's a battle report from the Great Xia Dynasty, along with some confidential reports about the Great Xia Dynasty's internal affairs."

She was once the dean of the Jixia Academy and possessed an extraordinary insight into the state of the world.

"After the Great Xia Dynasty annexed our Great Zhou's territory, it did not rest and recuperate. Instead, it waged constant wars and fought on all sides. Its national strength was greatly depleted, and the people were already full of resentment. I believe that now is not the best time to have a decisive battle with the Great Xia Dynasty."

Liu Ruoshuang's voice was soft, yet clear and articulate.

"Your Majesty is a man of great talent and ambition, but he seems a little too eager for quick success. I hope you can advise His Majesty to at least take three to five years to recuperate and rebuild the nation's strength before making any plans for the Great Xia."

Looking at Liu Ruoshuang's serious expression, Zhao Chen'an admired her in his heart.

As expected of the head of the academy, her vision and perspective are far beyond what ordinary women can match.

"You're right, I'll find an opportunity to bring it up with my father."

As the two were talking, Zhao Ding, who was in Liu Ruoshuang's arms, seemed to understand what they were saying and actually nodded slightly.

This subtle movement startled both Zhao Chen'an and Liu Ruoshuang, who then exchanged a smile.

With a mind as sharp as seven orifices, she was born with extraordinary intelligence, truly living up to her reputation.

This son may one day forge his own path to greatness in the arts of literature.

Finally, Zhao Chen'an came to Xiao Chuchu's side.

She neither read books nor handled affairs; she simply held her daughter, Zhao Lanyu, and stared blankly into space.

Her expression was somewhat forlorn, and she would occasionally glance towards a room deep within the inner courtyard. That was where Mo Yuqing recuperated.

Zhao Chen'an gently held her hand and asked softly:

"Master...is she still not awake?"

Xiao Chuchu shook her head, her eyes slightly red.

"Master's breathing is steady, but he remains unconscious."

"Don't worry, I have already refined some pills that may be helpful for Master's injuries."

Zhao Chen'an comforted him.

The Spring Breeze and Dew Elixir, a top-grade celestial medicine, is specifically designed to heal injuries to one's fundamental Dao foundation; it was prepared precisely for Mo Yuqing.

Despite this, Zhao Chen'an and Xiao Chuchu didn't actually have high expectations.

After all, Mo Yuqing's injuries... sigh!

The little Lanyu in Xiao Chuchu's arms was nicknamed "Shanwa".

At this moment, she stretched out her delicate white hand and grasped a small, golden bird about the size of her palm.

That was the ancient, exotic species, the three-legged golden crow.

At this moment, this terrifying beast, capable of burning mountains and boiling seas, was trembling in Xiao Lanyu's hands.

He dared not move an inch, for fear that even a spark from his body might hurt this little darling.

Its wings were held by Xiao Lanyu, and it was sometimes tossed around like a windmill, and sometimes stuffed into her mouth and gnawed.

Its golden feathers were covered in drool, making it look quite disheveled.

The Six Paths of Reincarnation Body, the King of Beast Tamers, is born with an absolute power to suppress and befriend all kinds of spiritual beasts.

Zhao Chen'an couldn't help but chuckle at the sight.

The family enjoyed this rare and heartwarming time together.

At this moment, the servant's sudden appearance interrupted the pleasant atmosphere.

"Your Highness, someone claiming to be the leader of Tianjian Mountain is visiting!"