The Empire had offered surrogacy services for so long that no one could trace their origins.
However, due to ethical concerns and other reasons, the practice later disappeared and was replaced by machine-based cultivation, which also had a high survival rate.
Yet machines were ultimately not human. Babies cultivated that way had an astonishingly low awakening success rate.
Moreover, even machine surrogacy was subject to extremely strict management, with rigorous Imperial oversight.
In the era of Great Navigation, population was critically important, and the Empire had always actively encouraged childbirth.
Such oversight was meant to prevent certain wealthy people from having children without limits.
There had been painful precedents. Someone had once attempted to produce hundreds of thousands of children, fortunately being stopped midway.
Once such a thing happened, it would not only cause social unrest, but also create a human tragedy.
"Through a surrogate," Xiao Moshan replied casually. "I never intended to have Xiao Qin give birth, and the Empire tacitly approved it!"
By the time Xiao Qin had lost all hope of reaching the Golden Core Realm, she had also passed childbearing age. Xiao Moshan had not cared, staying by her side until she passed away.
It was only around a decade ago, when he felt his condition worsening severely, that he took out Xiao Qin's frozen genetic material.
The Imperial Military also understood very well that he had not left with the Digital Phantom Fleet because he wanted to stay with Xiao Qin.
His circumstances were pitiful, and Marshal Xiao held a high rank and had made tremendous contributions to the Empire.
Xiao Moshan's disciples had now spread throughout the military, and he did not form factions...
In any case, for all these reasons, the Empire decided: We didn't hear you apply for anything. We know nothing.