Chapter 1000: Wrath

While the First Madam Chanyu Yanzhen was desperately trying to cover all flaws, at the massive teleportation array in the Blazing Fire City…

“Hum.”

A swirling black vortex, like a distorted black hole, appeared in the teleportation array, from which two figures emerged. Both wore black robes trimmed with gold, gazing toward the direction of the Marquis’s estate.

“Who would have thought that the Blazing Fire Marquis’s lineage would produce a child born as a Void God. Truly rare, truly rare.”

“Before this, our Yingshan Clan has only ever had two such geniuses. Both quickly reached the Unity Realm, with one becoming a Chaos Realm expert and founding the ‘Nine Dragons Marquis Estate.’ The other, though slightly weaker, still managed to clear the sixth level of the Primordial Spirit Palace.” The two elders from the Yingshan Clan’s main family chatted casually, their voices filled with admiration.

They were envious.

A birth of such extraordinary talent signified an immensely powerful bloodline. The stronger the bloodline, the easier the cultivation. Those with weak bloodlines… when observing their inner bloodline, it was like viewing flowers through fog—blurry and indistinct! But those with dense and powerful bloodlines saw theirs with crystal clarity, making cultivation a hundred or even a thousand times easier.

“Whoosh.”

The two elders teleported directly. Blazing Fire City was too vast, and flying would have been too slow. One of them possessed the ability to teleport, which was why they had been dispatched.

Soon, they arrived at the Blazing Fire Marquis Estate.

“Honored elders of the main family, please come this way.” A voice echoed in their ears as the estate’s array suppression was temporarily lifted for them.

“Marquis.” The two elders immediately teleported again. The scene was unmistakable—the swirling pillar of cosmic energy was still visible, and the faint golden glow was easily discernible.

…

By the time the two elders arrived, the Blazing Fire Marquis, the estate’s elders, and many other high-ranking members of the Yingshan Clan, along with guest experts, were already gathered in the air above. The courtyard below was too small to accommodate everyone.

“Honored elders, you’ve come a long way. Please wait a moment. The child will emerge shortly,” the red-robed Blazing Fire Marquis said with a smile, standing nearby.

The area was already crowded with high-status individuals—those of lower status wouldn’t dare approach. The First Madam, Chanyu Yanzhen, hovered at the back of the crowd. Seeing the elders and the Marquis eagerly watching the golden-glowing red sphere below, she gritted her teeth. “One last flaw to fix.”

Hum.

Her face paled slightly before quickly returning to normal.

Time passed slowly, each moment stretching.

All the high-ranking members of the Blazing Fire Marquis Estate watched with anticipation. Rong Xinglan had long regained her composure, standing with her daughter, Yingshan Xiyue, both waiting eagerly.

“Whoosh—” The round red sphere suddenly split open, revealing a fair-skinned child with rosy lips and white teeth, clad only in thin undergarments.

The aura emanating from the child was unmistakably that of a Void God.

The barefoot child, dressed only in undergarments, leaped forward and knelt before Rong Xinglan. “Your son greets you, Mother!”

Dongbo Xueying’s bow was heartfelt. While in his mother’s womb, he had sensed the outside world through the void—witnessing his mother and sister fighting desperately against Steward Tian, his mother’s tears of despair. He knew she valued him more than life itself. Emotions were mutual, and Dongbo Xueying deeply respected this mother of his.

As for his father in this life? Hmph. Fifteen years in the womb, and not once had that man visited. He didn’t even recognize his father, let alone feel any affection.

“Good, good.” Rong Xinglan, overjoyed, reached out to lift her child. The sight of his chubby little arms melted her heart, her face radiant with genuine happiness.

“Haha… this child is truly filial,” one of the elders from the main family laughed. The Blazing Fire Marquis nodded in agreement, prompting a chorus of praise from the estate’s high-ranking members.

No one was surprised by Dongbo Xueying’s intelligence.

Even the most ordinary infants of the Yingshan Clan spent decades in the womb before birth, emerging with remarkable wisdom.

The Blazing Fire Marquis boomed with laughter, “Rong Xinglan, have you chosen a name for your son?”

“Not yet,” Rong Xinglan replied quickly.

Her low status had previously denied her the privilege of naming her child—that responsibility usually fell to Yingshan Liehu.

“I’ve chosen my own name,” the child in her arms declared, jumping down and facing the gathered cultivators without fear. His clear voice carried far. “It’s Xueying!”

“Xueying? Yingshan Xueying?” The Blazing Fire Marquis chuckled. “This little one is extraordinary, naming himself at birth.”

“With such talent, he is naturally different from ordinary people,” the tall, lean elder praised. The slightly plump elder, meanwhile, produced a strange golden weapon shaped like a hook, about the size of a palm, and tossed it toward Dongbo Xueying. “Little Yingshan Xueying, we have been tasked with delivering the Yingshan Gold Token to you.”

The child caught the token, curiosity flickering in his eyes.

“The Yingshan Gold Token is reserved for the most exceptional members of our Yingshan Clan, bestowed personally by our Ancestor,” the Blazing Fire Marquis explained. “With this token, your status within the estate equals that of an elder. You may also visit the main family to study their vast collection of texts. The main family will also send you numerous treasures.”

Many among the onlookers couldn’t hide their envy.

The Marquis Estate was vast, with an overwhelming number of cultivators, all ranked in a strict hierarchy. Members were divided into six tiers.

Countless servants occupied the lowest, sixth tier.

Some childless ‘madams’ also belonged to the sixth tier. Rong Xinglan, having borne a child, and Yingshan Xiyue, as a direct descendant, were fifth-tier.

Fifth-tier… still lowly. Even a servant leader could be fifth-tier. Though slightly above common servants, they held no real authority, unable to command even the maids who looked down on them.

Fourth-tier individuals held higher status among servants, like Steward Tian.

Members from the fourth to sixth tiers were considered the lower ranks.

The third to first tiers were the upper ranks. Only those in the upper ranks could represent the Blazing Fire Marquis Estate. Only upper-tier members could rightfully claim to be ‘scions of a Marquis family’ when venturing outside. Yingshan Xiyue, with only True God strength, was merely an ordinary commoner outside, unworthy of the title.

After all…

Marquis families had propagated for countless ages, their bloodlines innumerable. Only the truly exceptional could represent them.

Scions of Marquis families enjoyed many privileges, all enshrined in the laws of the Southcloud Nation.

“The Yingshan Gold Token? Equal to an elder? And with privileges in the main family?” Many were green with envy. The First Madam, Chanyu Yanzhen, felt particularly conflicted. She herself was a scion of a Marquis family, with strength at the fourth level of the Primordial Spirit Palace, and had married into the Yingshan Clan. After years of effort, she had only risen to the second tier!

Yet this newborn child surpassed her by a tier—a gap that, though seemingly small, was monumental.

In the entire estate, aside from the Marquis, there were only fifteen elders. This child’s status now matched theirs.

“Rong Xinglan, you have rendered great service. Your rank in the estate shall be raised to the second tier!” the Blazing Fire Marquis declared. A mother’s status rose with her child’s—such was the estate’s rule.

“Thank you, Marquis.” Rong Xinglan was overwhelmed. In an instant, she had ascended to the heavens? From now on, she would have servants at her beck and call, escorted by guards and retainers wherever she went?

A hunchbacked elder of the estate spoke up, “Rong Xinglan, how long was your pregnancy?”

“Fifteen years,” Rong Xinglan answered promptly. The gestation period of every child was recorded, especially for a prodigy like Dongbo Xueying.

“Fifteen years?” The Blazing Fire Marquis was stunned.

“How could it be so short?” The two main family elders were equally baffled.

“Too short, only fifteen years?” Almost every expert in the estate was shocked. The more extraordinary the child, the longer the gestation—this was common knowledge! Had Dongbo Xueying remained in the womb for three or four hundred years, no one would have batted an eye. But fifteen years? That was unheard of.

“I wasn’t supposed to emerge so soon,” a clear voice interjected.

All eyes turned to Dongbo Xueying. The barefoot, chubby-cheeked child with rosy lips and white teeth seemed indignant. “I was perfectly comfortable in my mother’s womb when I heard a man named Steward Tian outside, trying to force poison down her throat. My mother fought desperately but couldn’t stop him. Sensing the danger, I severed my connection with the embryo and had to be born prematurely. If you don’t believe me, inspect the remains of the sphere—you’ll find traces of the poison.” He pointed at the split-open sphere.

“What?”

“Forced to be born early?”

“Poison?”

The assembly gasped in collective astonishment. The Blazing Fire Marquis’ countenance darkened like a storm-wracked sky. Several elder practitioners invoked temporal retrospection arts to pierce the veil of mystery. Though the vision remained obscured by powerful interference – precisely what concealed Steward Tian’s machinations – this very obstruction screamed of conspiracy! The arcane investigation irrefutably confirmed the gestation period spanned merely fifteen celestial cycles.

“Only fifteen years… To nurture such talent in so short a time, only to be forced out prematurely. Had he gestated for centuries or even millennia, his bloodline would have been far denser—born a Unity Realm expert!” The thought sent shivers through the crowd, many gnashing their teeth in anger.

Born a Unity Realm expert?

In the entire Southcloud Nation, those born at the Unity Realm could be counted on one hand. Each was fiercely protected and lavishly nurtured, all destined to reach the Chaos Realm without fail. Among them, two had even become Kings!

“Outrageous!” The tall, lean elder roared. “A genius of our Yingshan Clan, forced to be born after only fifteen years! Had he gestated fully, Yingshan Xueying’s potential would have been far greater! Blazing Fire Marquis, how could such a violation of our clan’s laws occur in your estate?”

The Blazing Fire Marquis was equally furious.

“Where is Yingshan Liehu? Where is the father?” The Marquis’s rage shook the heavens. His gaze swept the area—his son was nowhere to be seen.

“He… he’s probably still at the Misty Cloud Pavilion,” an old man nearby muttered.

Yingshan Liehu, weak in cultivation, was known for indulging in pleasure. The clan’s true elites disdained associating with him, so no one had bothered to inform him. His child had been born, yet the father remained in a brothel, lost in revelry. With 340 children already, Yingshan Liehu hardly cared.

“Investigate! Find out who did this! And drag that fool Yingshan Liehu back here!” The Blazing Fire Marquis’s voice thundered across the sky. No one dared utter a word. Chanyu Yanzhen trembled inwardly.