Another Supreme Spiritual Root Exposed

This time, there were quite a few people around—after all, this was the wedding of Patriarch Qin Zhengyang's daughter. Everyone understood its importance. The Qin family's higher-ups were all present, and the various sons-in-law hurried over one after another to offer toasts.

"Brother Changqing, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠you've got some real luck marrying the eldest miss. Hope you'll look out for us in the future."

"Brother Changqing, we're pretty tight, right? Mind spilling the secret on how you caught the eldest miss's eye?"

"I'm so jealous!"

……

The sons-in-law seized the moments between toasts to try prying words out of Qin Changqing's mouth.

Qin Changqing wasn't about to spill the truth, of course. He brushed them off with a few vague words.

Night had fallen deep. Qin Changqing cast a spell to dispel the alcohol from his body and entered the room, where he found Qin Fenglan sitting primly on the bed—quite proper, all things considered.

He lifted her veil. Qin Fenglan's big, sparkling eyes fixed on him intently, appraising him. This man wasn't bad-looking at all. Despite joining the Qin family so long ago, he still looked so young.

Her initial anxiety began to ease.

"Can you really give me a child with an Earth Spiritual Root?" Qin Fenglan's gaze burned with intensity, a hint of fervor.

Qin Changqing couldn't guarantee something like that—it'd be handing them leverage over him.

"Can't promise for sure," he said with an awkward smile, though anger points were already building inside him. "I know you're just here for a stud service, but do you have to be so blatant about it? Just wait till I vent this rage later!"

"Then let's get started!"

Though a bit shy, Qin Fenglan's excitement at the thought of bearing an Earth Spiritual Root child overrode her restraint. She reached out impatiently to hook her arms around Qin Changqing's neck.

But she clearly lacked experience—her movements were clumsy and flustered.

Qin Changqing caught her soft wrist, taking control. "Easy now. Can't rush this. I need to do some prep first."

"Prep what?" Qin Fenglan looked at him, puzzled.

Qin Changqing explained, "To produce a high-quality spiritual root child, it takes a ton of spirit stones. The spiritual energy I've got stored up might not be enough for something top-tier…"

Qin Fenglan got it—Qin Zhengyang had mentioned this to her. She pulled a chest from her storage pouch. "Is a thousand spirit stones enough?"

The chest brimmed with dazzling spirit stones. Qin Changqing's eyes lit up. He nodded. "Should be plenty, madam. Just give me a moment."

Right there in front of her, he began absorbing them.

One by one, the stones crumbled to ash in his hands and drifted away. His speed shocked Qin Fenglan, her eyes widening. It lent credence to his earlier words.

Even a Foundation Establishment cultivator couldn't absorb spirit stones that fast—and a thousand at once? If it wasn't for breeding superior roots, it wouldn't add up.

"Madam, I'm ready!" Qin Changqing stepped up to her with a grin.

Qin Fenglan gave a soft hum. The next instant, he had her pinned to the bed. Curtains fell, clothes flew out one after another.

……

The long night stretched on, sleep far from their minds. Qin Changqing faced another multiple-choice question!

As expected, Qin Fenglan's medium-grade spiritual root could indeed elevate their child's potential even further.

The fresh millennium of lifespan was about to vanish before he could even savor it… Qin Changqing sighed inwardly but still selected the third option.

……

Soon after, Qin Fenglan tested positive for pregnancy.

The Qin family promptly delivered several more low-grade spiritual root women, shoving them straight into Qin Changqing's rear courtyard without a word.

This no-nonsense efficiency even drew praise from Qin Changqing.

But this time, he made a demand: Every Supreme Spiritual Root child required pre-absorbing five hundred spirit stones.

Netting him four hundred each time!

A month later, Qin Rongrong gave birth to her second child.

Learning the news, Qin Changqing could only tilt his head back and let out a helpless sigh.

What a sin…

At the Jia residence.

Qin Xiahe arrived alongside an elder and steward Qin Wenbo to offer congratulations. Jia Qiang, caught off guard by the honor, hastily ushered them into the inner hall.

After a sip of tea, Qin Xiahe smiled. "Brother Jia, I've brought a spirit-testing stone that can check a newborn's aptitude. Why not test the child's spiritual root right now?"

Jia Qiang's mind stirred—he knew these visitors were here for the baby. He nodded eagerly. "I'll fetch the child at once."

Moments later, Jia Qiang carried the swaddled infant before the elders. Qin Xiahe wasted no time, placing the testing stone on the baby's forehead. Light erupted brilliantly.

"Another Supreme Spiritual Root!"

The group stared in shock, eyes wide.

Qin Xiahe's brow furrowed slightly. He glanced thoughtfully at the beaming ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Jia Qiang, then exchanged looks with the other elders.

They'd harbored suspicions for a while. Jia Qiang hadn't fathered a child in ten years, yet the first two were both Supreme Spiritual Roots—and both from Qin Rongrong. His other wives and concubines showed no signs at all.

Qin Rongrong herself had only low-grade aptitude. They couldn't help suspecting some prolific breeder in the Qin family…

"Brother Jia, you haven't disappointed us. Another Supreme immortal seedling for the Qin family—what joyous news. I'll have the rewards sent over shortly. Rongrong's a hero of our clan; the patriarch asked me to ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠bring her some tonics for recovery."

"My deepest thanks to the patriarch." Jia Qiang bowed, reaching out to guide them.

Qin Xiahe returned the gesture with a hearty laugh, then slipped into the room alone.

As Qin Xiahe entered, Jia Qiang's excitement began to cool. Staring at the child, doubts crept in.

After all these years of infertility, how did his first two kids both turn out Supreme Spiritual Roots?

Was he that potent?

Counting the days, the birth timings didn't line up. During that period, he'd been in secluded cultivation, not sharing a bed with Qin Rongrong at all. So where did these kids come from…?

Inside the room, Qin Xiahe pressed down on Qin Rongrong as she tried to rise and bow, erecting a sound-isolating barrier of ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠mana around them. He said coolly, "Rongrong, tell me the truth. Whose child is this?"

Qin Rongrong's heart skipped. Panic fluttered through her, but she forced a smile. "Elder, what do you mean? Of course it's mine."

Qin Xiahe snorted heavily through his nose, shooting her a sidelong glare. "I mean the real father. We already know—why keep hiding it?"

Qin Rongrong's face drained of color. Ignoring her weakened state, she slid from the bed and knelt. "Elder, I was wrong. I lost my senses. Jia Qiang showed no signs after so long, and I was desperate to produce an heir for the family… so I did this unthinkable thing…"

She spilled everything, start to finish.