Chapter 207

Chapter 207: Equally Distributing Care

In the room, he promptly applied the Wind Spirit Body to little Chang Le.

The effects of this constitution would probably only become apparent once she started cultivating.

"Husband, Grandfather has agreed," Lin Xi said softly.

Naturally, she was referring to the matter of them going to the core area of the spiritual vein for dual cultivation.

Zhou Luo hadn’t expected the old man to agree so quickly. Well, this was good — the sooner he could enter the spiritual vein, the better.

His current realm was still far too low.

Afterwards, Zhou Luo intended to proceed with dual cultivation with her, but Lin Xi wore a troubled expression, seemingly preoccupied with something.

"What’s wrong?" Zhou Luo had noticed her unusual mood.

"Husband, although this dual cultivation technique has indeed been beneficial, ever since your return, you’ve stayed solely in my quarters. The sisters and junior sisters are all beginning to voice some complaints," Lin Xi said.

As the family head and primary wife, managing Zhou Luo’s wives and concubines and ensuring harmony in his household was her duty.

While the others all had good dispositions, any woman in such a situation would naturally feel discontented. When grievances arose, they naturally came to Lin Xi to voice them.

Hearing this, Zhou Luo realized his own lapse.

Though dual cultivation was highly effective, Lin Xi was not his only wife. The others were all yearning for his attention.

If he favored one exclusively, it would inevitably breed resentment among the rest.

Such matters required him to equally distribute his care.

It wouldn’t do to leave some fields unplowed to later turn fallow outright.

Especially given that Lin Xi was already pregnant now, acquiring further lucky draw opportunities and lifespan extensions depended on the other women.

As advantageous as the dual cultivation technique was, he understood he couldn’t put the cart before the horse—marrying wives and fathering children remained the true, fundamental path.

"My oversight," Zhou Luo acknowledged with a nod.

Thankfully, Lin Xi had reminded him; pursuing the lesser benefit while neglecting the primary would ultimately be to his own detriment.

Originally, he had planned to immediately take Lin Xi to the spiritual vein’s core area for dual cultivation.

But now, it seemed they would need to wait a while longer.

Lin Xi smiled gently. "Then tonight, husband, you should stay in Elder Sister Jin Xuan’s room."

Zhou Luo did not refuse. He bent down, kissed her, and then left the room.

In the days that followed, Zhou Luo divided his attentions among all his wives and concubines, taking care to equally distribute his affection and time.

This caused the previously disgruntled women to cease their murmurs, and the sisterly relations within the household grew increasingly harmonious.

Both the Fusion of Dragon and Phoenix Technique and the Yang-Locking Art and Essence-Stabilizing Methods he had obtained from those evil cultivators significantly enhanced Zhou Luo’s prowess in matters of intimacy, greatly reducing the negative impact such activities had on his cultivation.

Consequently, the women all began to speculate just what their husband had experienced on his recent journey to return so noticeably… tougher… than before.

During these days, Zhou Luo was not idle during the daytime either. Under his guidance, Xu Changsheng finally learned how to infuse a formation disc with Illusionary Power, thereby influencing formations to alter their offensive capabilities.

Zhou Luo thus entrusted him with some of the spirit plants and tasked him with infusing all the formations in Zhou Garden with Illusionary Power.

Given such ample opportunity to practice, Xu Changsheng was naturally overjoyed and immensely grateful to Zhou Luo. He even stopped calling him Brother Zhou, instead respectfully addressing him as "Master."

Zhou Luo originally intended to refuse, but was unable to dissuade Xu Changsheng from insisting.

This alone showed Xu Changsheng had been completely won over by him.

Beyond mentoring Xu Changsheng, his own children naturally required attention too.

These little ones had all grown up, with his eldest son Zhou Chang An already six years old.

Aided by Qi of Innate Origins, Zhou Chang An—whose spiritual roots were merely Ninth Grade—approached the threshold of the mid-stage of Qi Refinement Level One.

Compared to other children practicing cultivation, his progress was significantly slower.

After all, their spiritual roots were poor, and they lacked cultivation support.

For these children, Zhou Luo could do nothing.

Spiritual roots were innate and immutable. Only legendary heaven-defying treasures could potentially trigger a transformation—a rarity even the Qinyuan Sect reportedly lacked.

By the time such treasures might be found, these children would likely have missed their prime cultivation years.

Gazing at Zhou Chang An—diligent, thick-skinned, and perseverant in daily practice—Zhou Luo sighed inwardly.

Effort mattered, of course.

But in the world of cultivation, talent dictated everything.

Still, they fared better than those without spiritual roots altogether.

As per family arrangements, children without spiritual roots would enter the secular world after turning ten, managing clan businesses.

Ten was an age for parental affection, yet they’d walk alone into the mundane world as ordinary souls.

How many understood such bitter sorrows?

Zhou Luo comprehended it all. After dwelling only briefly in fleeting melancholic thoughts, he poured his focus back into dual cultivation and childbearing.

Perhaps a boon of the dual cultivation technique manifested a month later: his wives and concubines became pregnant one after another.

First came Lin Jin Xuan, granddaughter of the Great Elder, who now saw herself wholly as part of Zhou Garden, seldom concerning herself with her former lineage.

Next was Lin Qing Han. As Zhou Luo’s first bride, once aloof and lofty, she’d shed that detachment. All her devotion centered on her two children, embodying gentle motherhood.

Third was Lin Yi Yi. This fourth child she shared with Zhou Luo still brimmed with her old lively audacity. Even as a mother of three, her boisterousness made her Zhou Garden’s liveliest spirit.

Their triple conception granted Zhou Luo three lottery draws.

In these draws, he obtained an Upper-grade Qi Refinement sabre technique, one strand of Qi of Innate Origins, and one top-grade magical artifact sword.

As a swordsman, Zhou Luo set the sabre technique aside for his descendants.

Establishing a lineage was inevitable.

A founding clan needed reserves—this Qi Refinement sabre art might later strengthen it greatly.

The Qi of Innate Origins naturally went to Zhou Chang Le.

The youngest and most gifted, nurturing him was logical and right.

The top-grade sword intrigued Zhou Luo most.

Gold-hilted and named Shuo Feng, it gleamed as a top-grade magical artifact.

Top-grade magical artifacts remained exceedingly rare among Qi Refinement cultivators, often reserved for Foundation Establishment cultivators.

Most such artifacts wielded by Qi Refinement cultivators were damaged.

Examples included the Xuanying Tower taken from the Lu Family’s high-tier formation master, or the bell and gold-threaded jade robe later acquired in Illusionary Forest.

Damaged magical artifacts worked at reduced power, even losing functions.

Zhou Luo sought repairs in Maple Leaf City but learned only Fifth Elder Lin Yan possessed such skill.

Surrendering three top-grade artifacts to rivals? Unthinkable. Thus, repair plans stalled.

Time passed until Bai Zhi Yan’s second child was about to be born.