134: Chapter 134 Dual Cultivation

Two months—neither too long nor too short. Long enough for Xiao Yan to recover from the severe injuries inflicted by Zhu Kun at Starfall Pavilion, and short enough that Hun Feng still hadn't memorized all seven of his daughters' names. Since the day the three women gave birth, the cries of infants in the East Courtyard had risen one after another. Hun Qian led the guards to the storeroom every day, where the consumption of diapers, swaddling clothes, and tiny garments was even greater than wartime supplies. When Hun Feng reviewed battle reports in his study, on average, every half cup of tea, a daughter would be brought over for him to kiss. By the end, he could hardly tell which was which.

But in these two months, what he did most wasn't taking care of the babies—it was something else far more important.

His cultivation at the initial stage of Nine-Star Dou Sheng had been fully consolidated, and his Emperor Realm Soul at the mid stage was also completely stable. However, he still had three thresholds to cross to reach the Emperor Realm: the mid, late, and peak stages of the Nine-Star level. With normal cultivation, crossing these three thresholds would take at least several years. He didn't have that much time. Although Xiao Yan was severely injured by Zhu Kun, given that man's tenacity, he would eventually make a comeback. The ten-thousand-year loosening period of the plane barrier was also approaching day by day; he had to break through to the Emperor Realm within a hundred years. So when Hun Feng finished flipping through the ancient dual cultivation secret manual borrowed from Hun Tiandi, he had a plan—the harmony of yin and yang, the fusion of bloodlines. Each of his six wives possessed a top-tier bloodline: the Nine-Colored Sky Swallowing Python, the Gu Clan's God-Grade Bloodline, the Hun Clan's blood-attribute Dou Qi, the Calamity Poison Body, the Flower Sect's inheritance, and the Demon Phoenix Bloodline. Every one of them carried a fragment of the primordial Emperor's origin from ancient times. Previously, during dual cultivation, he mainly used his own Fire of God origin to nourish them, helping them refine their Dou Qi and break through bottlenecks. Now, he would do the reverse: with his Nine-Star Dou Sheng cultivation as the lead, he would actively absorb the origin fragments from their bloodlines and merge them into the Heaven-Slaying Flame, which would greatly aid his path to the Emperor Realm. So he approached each of his six wives one by one, explaining the techniques from the ancient dual cultivation manual. Yao Yao was the first to respond. Her peach blossom eyes sparkled with mischief as she declared she would gladly contribute to his path to the Emperor Realm, but this time, he would be the one begging for mercy. Medusa, leaning on a soft couch while flipping through letters, didn't even look up as she said, "Don't be too frequent; the children still need to be fed." Gu Xun'er, still as dignified and composed as ever, only had the tips of her ears slightly redden as she softly said, "Whatever my husband arranges." Xiao Yi Xian said nothing, just continued embroidering a pouch. After a few stitches, she said flatly that tonight was her turn and told him not to be late. Yun Yun set down her teacup, a faint blush spreading across her elegant face, yet she still nodded gently. Cao Ying stuffed her daughter into Hun Feng's arms, telling him to put the girl to sleep first, lest their cultivation be interrupted by crying.

Thus, the "cultivation" schedule of the esteemed Nine-Star Dou Sheng and Young Clan Leader of the Hun Clan was fully booked. Every morning, he played with his daughters; at noon, he reviewed battle reports; in the evening, he took a walk; and after nightfall, he took turns engaging in yin-yang harmony with his six wives. The blood-red light of the Heaven-Slaying Flame flowed through the East Courtyard's bedchamber night after night. Under his lead, the origin fragments of the six top-tier bloodlines were stripped away, merged, and refined bit by bit. Each union was a resonance and refinement of bloodlines.

In the first few days, the six wives could still handle it calmly. Yao Yao, relying on her Eight-Star mid stage, always declared that tonight she would make him beg for mercy, but each time, she was the first to go weak in the knees, clutching the bedpost. Medusa remained the most composed, never taking the initiative to beg for mercy, but Hun Feng could tell from her suppressed breaths and occasional light moans that she, too, had reached her limit. Gu Xun'er maintained her dignified demeanor in the bedroom, but after each session, she would look at him with those clear, ancient-well-like eyes and softly ask how he felt. Xiao Yi Xian was the quietest but also the most clingy—after each session, she would nestle in his arms for a long time, her fingers tracing slow circles on his chest, as if drawing a pattern only she knew. Yun Yun had changed the most, from initial inferiority and restraint to now actively meeting him. Encouraged by Hun Feng, she had completely let herself go, occasionally whispering a few words in his ear that made his blood boil, then blushing and burying her face in his chest. Cao Ying was the most unceremonious, relying on her best postpartum recovery to pester him for extra rounds, yet she was always the first to beg for mercy.

After two weeks, the six wives began tacitly deferring to each other. Yao Yao, holding her waist, said she had to teach Mu Xiao how to use a whip tonight and told her husband to go to Sister Cai Lin. Medusa put down her letters, saying she was tired from too many clan affairs and told her husband to go to Xun'er. Gu Xun'er, holding her daughter, said she had to put Mu Xian to sleep tonight and told her husband to go to Xiao Yi Xian. Xiao Yi Xian silently bolted her door and said flatly from inside, "I need to embroider my pouch tonight." When Hun Feng cornered Yun Yun under the corridor, a helpless smile appeared on her dignified face as she softly asked why it was her turn again. Cao Ying was the most straightforward, simply stuffing her daughter into his arms and telling him to take care of the baby tonight.

Hun Feng stood under the corridor holding his daughter, looking at the six closed bedchamber doors, and shook his head helplessly. Over these two months, his cultivation had indeed improved significantly—after merging the origin fragments of the six top-tier bloodlines into the Heaven-Slaying Flame, the origins of the nine types of fire in his dantian had become more solid. The bottleneck at the initial Nine-Star stage had begun to loosen, and he could faintly touch the threshold of the mid stage. His Emperor Realm Soul had also steadily improved through the process of bloodline fusion. Although there was still some distance to the late stage, it was far stronger than two months ago. At this rate, breaking through to the Nine-Star mid stage in another three to five months should be no problem. But the price was that his six wives were thoroughly exhausted—Yao Yao had dark circles under her eyes, Medusa turned her letters at half the previous speed, Xiao Yi Xian's pouch had been embroidered for over a month without finishing, and Yun Yun's evening walks were noticeably slower.

Hun Feng looked down at his daughter, who was babbling in his arms, and sighed: "Your father's path of cultivation is long and arduous." The little girl giggled at him, her tiny hands clutching his collar and refusing to let go. In the distance, Hun Muxiao was teaching Hun Muying how to swing a whip, Hun Muxian was lying in Gu Xun'er's arms babbling as she learned to talk, Hun Muqing was sleeping soundly in Medusa's arms, and the three newborn girls were being breastfed by their respective mothers. Seven daughters, seven golden flowers. He raised his daughter high and announced to the entire courtyard—to break through to the Emperor Realm as soon as possible, cultivation would continue tonight. As soon as he finished speaking, six closing sounds rang out simultaneously. Even Cao Ying, who had just finished breastfeeding, flashed into her room with her daughter. Hun Feng stood in the empty courtyard holding his daughter, and after a long while, he finally blurted out—"Are you rebelling?" Yao Yao's voice came from inside the room, tinged with schadenfreude: "Not rebelling, just a truce. Husband said it yourself—tonight it's your turn to take care of the baby." Hun Feng looked down at his daughter, who was giggling in his arms, resignedly sighed, and carried her toward the study. Tonight, the study was destined to be a lonely night without sleep.