Chapter 996: The Fetus

“This is troublesome.”

“Yuan is right. The supreme laws of the Heart Realm Continent are completely different from those of my homeland! Even the profound mysteries beneath the supreme laws have undergone drastic changes.” Though Dongbo Xueying found it troublesome, he wasn’t overly concerned. All paths ultimately converged—while the mysteries differed, many underlying structures remained the same. Here, too, there were supreme laws, cosmic laws, and chaos-level laws…

With his accumulated knowledge, he was confident in progressing further in his cultivation.

“Moreover, this is a form of tempering. Cultivating under different supreme laws will refine my own path. Perhaps this will increase my chances of breaking through to become a Cosmic God.” Dongbo Xueying mused silently. The information contained within the ‘Heart Realm Token’ had already made it clear—Yuan had stated that the Heart Realm Continent was deeper in foundation, and cultivating under different supreme laws would indeed aid in the breakthrough to Cosmic God.

“My expertise lies in four paths: the Void, Slaughter, and Ripple. The first three have undergone significant changes. Only the ‘Void’ path remains largely similar.” Dongbo Xueying inwardly sighed in relief. He believed his progress in the Void path would be the fastest. “Whether in the Chaos Void or the Heart Realm Continent, for both source worlds, the ‘Void’ is a fundamental component. It makes sense that the Void would be similar.”

After just half a month of sensing, he had already elevated his understanding of the Void to the deity level—though his soul was still too weak, slowing his comprehension.

“Let me sense the outside world.” Dongbo Xueying dared not extend his soul fluctuations to investigate, given that this body’s bloodline suggested an extraordinary origin.

Instead, he focused intently, carefully listening to the sounds outside.

—

“Mother, please calm down.”

“That maid isn’t here to serve me—she’s here to torment me!”

Outside, in the room.

A woman wrapped in thick robes reclined, unable to suppress her frustration. “I refused repeatedly back then, saying I didn’t need a maid! Yet the Marquis’ estate insisted on assigning her to me.”

“It’s the estate’s rule, Mother. Since you’re with child, a maid must be assigned. Our status in the estate is already low. That maid, unless she’s a fool, will naturally obey the First Madam’s orders. We must endure and avoid provoking trouble. If we anger the First Madam, we’ll suffer even more. It’s only a pity that I’m useless, barely reaching the True God level—my status is only slightly better than a maid’s.” The green-robed woman beside her whispered.

“It’s not your fault. Blame me for being weak, and blame your father for his cruelty.” The woman sighed.

“Father…” The green-robed woman shook her head.

They had long since given up on their father. Even if they saw him from afar, he might not recognize them. Some of his children had never even met him after birth.

—

*Creak.*

The courtyard gate suddenly swung open.

The mother and daughter inside immediately turned their gazes outward. A maid entered the courtyard carrying a wooden tray, her tone indifferent. “Madam, this is the ‘Seven-Star Spirit Flower Tea’ sent by the estate.”

The two women inside hurriedly stood up, for they saw an elderly man standing coldly outside the courtyard, watching them.

The woman obediently stepped forward, took the bowl of tea, and drank it in one gulp. This single bowl of Seven-Star Spirit Flower Tea was something she could never afford in her lifetime—it was a precious resource the Blazing Fire Marquis Estate provided to every unborn child, ensuring they grew stronger even in the womb.

“Hmph.” Only after seeing the woman finish the tea did the old man turn and leave.

The mother and daughter returned to the room. Outside, the maid sneered before walking away, unwilling to serve further. She looked down on this “Madam”—after all, if not for the pregnancy, this woman’s status in the Blazing Fire Marquis Estate was pitifully low, barely above a maid’s. She had no right to be served. Such “Madams” numbered in the tens of thousands within the vast estate.

Every son of the Blazing Fire Marquis had dozens, if not hundreds, of women.

The Blazing Fire Marquis himself had thirty-six children. The descendants beneath him were beyond counting… Thus, being of the direct bloodline didn’t confer much nobility. Only by reaching the Void God level would one’s status rise slightly. As for the countless “Madams,” their positions were naturally even lower—unless they bore exceptionally talented children, elevating their status through their offspring.

—

“Yue’er, the effects of the Seven-Star Spirit Flower Tea seem weaker than the legends say.” The woman transmitted her voice silently. “Ah, your younger brother in my womb is already weak. If the tea’s aid is insufficient, he may not even reach True God level at birth! With weak bloodline potential, cultivation will be even harder in the future.”

“Mother, the First Madam wouldn’t dare deny you the tea, but tampering with it is easy for her.” The green-robed woman also transmitted her voice.

They didn’t dare speak these words aloud.

“Your brother will likely be your father’s three hundred and fortieth child. Weak from the start, his future is bleak. Your father probably wouldn’t even deign to glance at him.” The woman shook her head. She had been an ordinary girl in Blazing Fire City, taken into the estate solely for her looks. Her so-called husband only summoned her when he remembered her existence, then cast her aside afterward.

—

Elsewhere.

“That lowly woman has drunk the Seven-Star Spirit Flower Tea.” The old man reported respectfully.

Seated before him was a red-robed woman, her aura vast—a Void God at the Unity realm.

“Good. That wretch is quite fertile. Last time, she bore a daughter. Who would’ve thought that useless husband would favor her again? Just once, and she’s pregnant with a son.” The red-robed woman smirked coldly. “It’s pointless. No matter how many these lowly women bear, none will amount to anything.”

“Madam! Madam!”

A voice called from outside.

A middle-aged man rushed in, grinning obsequiously as he bowed. “Madam, I’ve run out of cosmic crystals again.”

“Yingshan Liehu, all you know is indulgence. The Marquis’ gifts to you will be squandered sooner or later. This is the last for the year—don’t come begging again. Even if you do, there’ll be nothing left.” The red-robed woman flicked her sleeve in annoyance, tossing a storage bracelet at him. The man caught it, quickly refined it to check the contents, then turned to leave with a grin. “Thank you, Madam.”

“Useless fool.”

The sight of her husband filled the red-robed woman with irritation.

Her husband was merely a True God ruler—not even a Void God! Fortunately, as the Blazing Fire Marquis’ second son, born when the Marquis was still weak, he held some sentimental value. Thus, the Marquis had allocated a considerable portion of the estate’s resources under his name.

As the city lord, the Blazing Fire Marquis owned vast lands, mansions, and shops throughout Blazing Fire City.

Moreover, the Marquis had constructed nine great cities, each guarded by one of his slumbering avatars. Naturally, the resources of these cities belonged to him, though he had delegated many to his descendants.

“My family actually married me off to such trash.” The red-robed woman fumed. She hailed from a noble marquis family, her status lofty, her bloodline pure. The Blazing Fire Marquis, out of affection for his second son, had arranged this marriage, hoping for exceptional offspring.

“Though his uselessness does have its advantages.” She smirked inwardly.

Since her marriage, the lands, shops, and resources under her husband’s name had all fallen under her control. Many had even been transferred to her own son under various pretexts—such as gifts from father to son.

Only her wariness of the Marquis’ lingering affection for her husband kept her from acting too overtly.

—

Inside his mother’s womb.

Dongbo Xueying listened intently to the outside voices, piecing together his circumstances from his mother and sister’s complaints. *”What? I’m my father’s three hundred and fortieth child? How can a cultivator have so many offspring?”* In his homeland, the stronger one became, the harder it was to bear children. He and Jingqiu had only had Yu’er and Qingyao while still weak in the material realm—none after.

Three hundred and forty?

That was insane.

*”It seems my mother’s status in this marquis estate is pitifully low.”* Dongbo Xueying mused silently. Not that he minded. He focused on absorbing every bit of nourishment from the Seven-Star Spirit Flower Tea, even if it had been diluted. Every fraction counted. For him, even without external aid, advancing in strength was no challenge.

*”I’ll take it slow. Who knows how long I’ll remain in the womb?”* He had a vague sense that birth was still far off.