As the two crossed the colorful, extremely poisonous Poisonous Miasma Zone, Purple Pearl's reaction somewhat surprised Yu Qing.
"The Poisonous Fog here is so unique!" Purple Pearl widened her purple eyes, curiously examining the swirling colorful mist around them. She even cautiously took a small breath, savoring it, "The toxins contained within are very complex, but a few types seem to resonate with my Spirit..."
Yu Qing pulled her back, not knowing whether to laugh or cry, "Don't just inhale it! This miasma was set up by that old monster, Dugu Bo. It's a mixture of hundreds of powerful poisons. Even if you are a Poison-Attribute Soul Master, inhaling too much will be tough."
Only then did Purple Pearl stick out her tongue and obediently follow behind Yu Qing, but her eyes were still sparkling as she looked around, like a child who had found a new toy.
Passing through the miasma, their vision suddenly cleared. The unique and magnificent sight of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well came into view. Purple Pearl felt the dense Heaven and Earth Essence Qi that had condensed into mist, and she felt refreshed with every breath.
"What... what a magical place!" Purple Pearl's purple eyes were full of astonishment. "The energy here... it's too abundant! No wonder husband, you said this is a Cultivation Treasure Land!"
Just as Yu Qing was about to give Purple Pearl a detailed introduction, a pink figure appeared almost instantly in front of them!
It was A Rou!
This beautiful young woman, who was the human form of a hundred thousand years Soft Bones Rabbit, had clearly sensed Yu Qing's aura and used a Spirit Ability to teleport directly here!
"Yu Qing!" A Rou's voice trembled slightly. Like a swallow returning to its nest, she directly leaped into Yu Qing's arms, holding him tightly as if to confirm this wasn't a dream. "You're finally back! Eight whole months! Do you know how much we missed you?!"
Feeling the slight trembling of the warm, delicate body in his arms and the unconcealed deep longing, Yu Qing's heart instantly softened. He hugged her back tightly, his tone gentle and apologetic, "I'm sorry for making you worry... I missed you all too."
Immediately after, two other figures rushed over from a distance at high speed: Duan Xin and Zi Ruyi. Their speed was slightly slower, not because their strength was lacking, but because each of them was holding a swaddled infant! The two young women, who were new mothers, also had faces full of joy and eagerness, but their movements were careful, afraid of disturbing the babies in their arms.
Following them was Dugu Bo, dressed in a dark green robe, with white hair and beard, his figure slightly hunched but his steps steady.
The old monster still wore that half-dead, sullen expression, but when his pair of emerald green Snake Eyes swept over Yu Qing, a faint, almost imperceptible hint of relief flashed through them.
The last to appear was Fox Consort, leading two little girls. She held the hand of the bouncy, curiously looking Xiao Wu with one hand, and the quiet, well-behaved, bright-eyed Dugu Yan with the other. When Fox Consort saw Yu Qing, her charming fox eyes immediately curved into crescent moons, conveying endless allure and longing through her gaze.
Seeing his entire family gather so quickly before him, an indescribable warmth surged in Yu Qing's heart. He released A Rou, flashed a brilliant smile at everyone, and waved, "Hi! Long time no see! Did you miss me?"
"Hmph!" Duan Xin deliberately put on a stern face and glared reproachfully at Yu Qing, her tone sour, "Eight whole months! Not a single word! We thought you'd been seduced by some Sea Vixen and forgotten about us old wives!" Despite her words, her slightly reddened eyes betrayed her true emotions.
"How could that be!" Yu Qing quickly protested, his gaze gently sweeping over each of his wives. "I missed you all terribly every single day! I wanted to rush back every moment!" He walked forward and first took the baby wrapped in a light blue swaddle from Duan Xin's arms, his movements gentle and practiced.
The little one seemed to sense his father's aura, cooing and waving his little hands, his big, dark eyes curiously fixed on Yu Qing.
"Oh, my little darling~ Did you miss Daddy?" Yu Qing grinned widely, gently teasing the baby's pink cheek with his fingertip, his eyes filled with boundless affection.
Next, he took the other baby, wrapped in a pink and white swaddle, from the arms of the gentle-eyed Zi Ruyi. This child was quieter, simply watching Yu Qing with clear, pure eyes, the corners of his mouth slightly upturned, as if smiling silently.
"Haha! Both are great! Both are great!" Yu Qing held a baby in each arm, his heart melting as he looked at the two healthy and adorable children. The exhaustion from days of travel instantly vanished.
After playing with the babies for a while, Yu Qing carefully handed them back to their mothers. Then he squatted down, opened his arms, and smiled at the already impatient Xiao Wu and Dugu Yan, "Come! Let Daddy give you a hug! Let's see if my little princesses have grown taller!"
"Daddy!" Xiao Wu cheered, plunging into Yu Qing's arms like a pink cannonball. She vigorously rubbed her little head against his chest, chattering about how much she missed him.
"Master!" Dugu Yan, being quieter, still quickly stepped forward and tightly hugged Yu Qing's arm, her small face beaming with a happy smile.
After finally calming the two excited little girls, Yu Qing remembered the main business. He rubbed his nose and turned his gaze to Purple Pearl, who was standing quietly to the side, looking a bit reserved. He introduced her to everyone, "Right, let me introduce Purple Pearl. If she hadn't saved me during this trip to sea, I might have truly... been buried in the sea."
"What?!"
"Buried in the sea?!"
"Injured?! Was it serious?!"
Yu Qing's words were like a giant rock thrown into a calm lake, instantly stirring up huge waves among his wives! The color instantly drained from the four beautiful faces of A Rou, Duan Xin, Zi Ruyi, and Fox Consort! They immediately forgot everything else, swarming him, fumbling and checking him all over, their eyes filled with unprecedented panic and fear!
"Oh, stop! I'm fine, I'm fine! I healed long ago! Look, aren't I full of life and vigor now!" Yu Qing waved his hands repeatedly, not knowing whether to laugh or cry, but his heart felt warm.
Purple Pearl also spoke up at the right time to confirm, "Yes, husband's injuries at the time... were indeed very serious. He was unconscious for ten whole days before waking up, but his recovery ability was astonishing; he was almost completely better in just three days."
Yu Qing proudly puffed out his chest and added, "Don't forget, I am a Life-Attribute Titled Douluo. It's not that easy to kill me!"
The four women only then slightly relaxed, but their expressions remained serious. Duan Xin's willow brows furrowed, and she asked in an icy tone, "Who did it? Was it the Evil Killer Whale Pod?" A chilling killing intent began to spread around her.
Yu Qing shook his head, his expression also becoming serious, "It wasn't them. My process of hunting the Evil Spirit Orca King went smoothly. It was later... I was targeted by the High Priestess of Sea God Island, and after fighting her, I was injured like that."
"High Priestess of Sea God Island?!" A Rou's pupils contracted slightly, then her pretty face turned frosty, and she snorted coldly, her tone resolute, "Hmph! I don't care what kind of High Priestess she is! When this old lady cultivates to Rank 99, I'll definitely go capture her and make her your punching bag!"
"Count me in!" Duan Xin agreed without hesitation, cold light flickering in her beautiful eyes.
"Hmph! Even if she is an super Douluo, she must pay the price for injuring my husband!" Fox Consort's charming face was also covered with a layer of frost, and behind her, the phantom of a fox tail seemed to be swaying.
Even Zi Ruyi, who had the gentlest and most soft-spoken personality, now had obvious anger flashing in her eyes, and she gently nodded, indicating her stance.
The wives' shared hatred for the enemy, and their immediate support and protection, caused a warm current to surge in Yu Qing's heart, deeply moving him. He smiled, his tone firm, "Good! When we all become stronger! We will go together then!"
The atmosphere, a blend of warmth and killing intent, slowly subsided after a brief intersection.
Yu Qing turned his gaze to Dugu Bo, who had been standing nearby watching the show with a smile, and asked, "Senior Dugu, how has everything been within the Sect recently?"
Dugu Bo stroked his beard and said in a sarcastic tone, "Thanks to you, we haven't disbanded yet. But if you hadn't come back, some people here might have fallen ill from lovesickness~" As he spoke, he meaningfully glanced at A Rou and the others, earning him several glares.
Yu Qing laughed heartily, unconcerned by the old monster's teasing. He then greeted his two Fathers-in-law who had rushed over upon hearing the news—Father Zi and Father Duan.
Arriving at the Small Wooden House for Discussions, Yu Qing sat down, took the thick stack of lists handed to him by Father Zi, and began to read through them carefully.
"Sect Master, the Sect now has one hundred and fifty people," Father Zi reported. "Most of them are children around twelve years old, orphans or those from extremely poor families gathered from various places. This contains their detailed identity information and preliminary Spirit Awakening records."
Yu Qing looked carefully through the pages. Most of the children on the list had very ordinary Spirits, some even leaning towards the Lifestyle Category, and their innate Soul Power generally hovered between Rank One and Rank Two. Only two children had innate Soul Power reaching Rank Three.
"Hmm, not bad." Yu Qing nodded in satisfaction and put down the documents. "It doesn't matter if the talent is a bit lacking; they can be nurtured slowly. Loyalty and temperament are paramount. We must ensure their sense of belonging and loyalty to the Yin Yang Sect."
"Understood." Father Zi and Father Duan responded in unison.
Yu Qing sensed the spirit power fluctuations of his two Fathers-in-law again. Father Zi's progress could be called miraculous, having already reached Rank 54! This was clearly inseparable from the immense benefits of Yin Yang Dual Cultivation. In contrast, Father Duan... his spirit power was still stuck at Rank 51, progressing slowly.
Yu Qing rubbed his chin, his gaze circling Father Duan's slightly awkward face, and then he suddenly said something shocking, "By the way, Father-in-law. Have you... considered Remarrying?"
"Pfft—!" Father Duan, who was drinking water, immediately spat it out, choking and coughing repeatedly, his old face instantly turning bright red! He frantically wiped the water from his beard, his eyes darting away, and his tone embarrassed, "V-virtuous son-in-law! W-where did that come from! I-I'm forty-five years old! Half my body is in the grave, w-why would I remarry! T-this is outrageous!"
Yu Qing waved his hand dismissively, his tone becoming serious, "Father-in-law, you can't say that. As you know, the core of our Yin Yang Sect is the path of Yin Yang Dual Cultivation. You are currently alone, so how can you Dual Cultivate? How can you rapidly increase your strength?" He pointed to Father Zi next to him, "Look at Father Zi, his spirit power has already reached Rank 54! Are you content to remain stagnant, unwilling to climb to a higher Soul Master Realm and see a broader landscape?"
Father Duan's face alternated between green and white as he was lectured. His lips mumbled a few times, and finally, he sighed dispiritedly, his tone helpless with a hint of bitterness, "virtuous son-in-law, I understand your intentions. But... alas! Who would look favorably upon an Old Widower like me, who has no money, no influence, and mediocre talent?"
"I don't care about that!" Yu Qing deliberately sterned his face, adopting a domineering look of "I'm doing this for your own good," "In any case, you must put Remarrying on your agenda! This is an order!" He stood up, walked to the door, and then suddenly stopped, turning back to flash a "kind" smile, delivering the killing blow:
"If, by this time next year, I haven't seen you find a partner and start Dual Cultivating..." He drew out his words, his gaze sweeping meaningfully over Father Duan, "...then don't even think about holding your Grandchildren again~! Hehe!"
After speaking, Yu Qing gave Father Duan no chance to refute, pushed open the door without looking back, and slipped away.
Father Duan was left standing stiffly in place, dumbfounded, mouth agape, unable to utter a single word for a long time, his face filled with confusion and disarray.
Father Zi suppressed his laughter, walked forward, and sympathetically patted his old in-law's shoulder, his tone sincere, "Old Duan... although the virtuous son-in-law's words were a bit blunt, the principle is indeed sound. You and I have personally witnessed and experienced the effects of his Dual Cultivation method. He really is doing this for your benefit! Cheer up!"
After offering his comfort (?), Father Zi also shook his head, walked out of the room slowly with his hands behind his back.
In the empty wooden house, only Father Duan remained, deeply shocked, his Worldview violently impacted, sinking into deep contemplation, utterly bewildered...
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