Childbirth Reward!

Zhang Chen sat to one side, listening quietly.

His current status was equal to the Family Head's, so he naturally could not be absent from such a core meeting.

"Wang Lie dared to act so arrogantly for no reason other than betting that the old ancestor had little lifespan left and would not dare to act rashly."

Zhang Chen suddenly spoke, his voice so calm that he hardly sounded like a young man. "On top of that, his cultivation has improved, and he thinks he can do whatever he wants now."

Zhang Yunshan glanced at his son and forcibly suppressed his anger. "Chen'er is right. The Wang Family is cutting us with a dull knife, trying to force the old ancestor to act."

"Once the old ancestor uses his true qi, his lifespan will drain faster. Only then will our Zhang Family truly be finished."

This was precisely the Wang Family's poisonous scheme. An open plot, yet one that left them helpless.

"We still have to endure."

Zhang Chen spoke softly, his gaze sweeping over the various elders. "As long as our main line remains stable, so what if we give them half of that Second-Grade Spirit Ore?"

"Give?!"

The Third Elder abruptly raised his head, his eyes filled with unwillingness. "That is a mid-grade Second-Grade Spirit Ore! Why should we give it to that band of bandits?"

"Not only must we give it to them, we must make a grand show of it."

A cold glint flashed through Zhang Chen's eyes. "Feigning Weakness will make them grow even more bloated with confidence. Only when they believe victory is already in their grasp will they expose an even greater flaw."

The elders exchanged glances. Though their hearts were aggrieved, they knew this was currently the best way to preserve their strength.

After the meeting ended, Zhang Chen walked alone along the road back to the Side Courtyard.

The sea breeze was slightly cool as it stirred the hem of his clothes.

He could feel the Spiritual Power in his body, which had already reached its breaking point, surging like a flood blocked by a dam. Every collision caused a faint ache throughout his meridians.

In truth, if he had wanted to, he could have easily established his Foundation two months ago.

But he had not.

He was suppressing it with all his might.

In the Cultivation World, establishing one's Foundation was not a simple increase in realm. It was the cornerstone on which one's future Great Dao rested.

Foundation Establishment was divided into three grades: Human Dao, Earth Dao, and Heavenly Dao.

Human Dao Foundation Establishment was the lowest grade. One only needed to take an ordinary Foundation Establishment Pill, and although it could extend one's lifespan by two hundred years,

one would be stuck at the Early Golden Core realm for life, with mixed and impure magic power.

Earth Dao Foundation Establishment was somewhat better. It required the aid of Earth Vein energy and high-grade Foundation Establishment spiritual items. Although there was hope of reaching Nascent Soul, the odds were exceedingly low.

Their own old ancestor, Zhang Tianzheng, had established an Earth Dao Foundation back then and formed an Earth Dao Golden Core.

Later, he had risked half his life just to form the weakest "Human Dao Nascent Soul." Not only was his battle prowess at the bottom among those of the same realm, his lifespan was also much shorter than that of ordinary Nascent Soul Cultivators.

As for Heavenly Dao Foundation Establishment...

That was the perfect Foundation Establishment of legend!

It required gathering the fortune of Heaven and Earth and top-grade spiritual items!!

Once successful, not only would one's magic power be several times that of cultivators in the same realm,

it would also be the only ticket to Spirit Transformation, Void Refinement, and even higher realms.

With the system in his possession, Zhang Chen's vision naturally would not be confined to the tiny East Mountain Islands.

His goal was the sea of stars, that legendary state of everlasting life and ageless existence.

Therefore, even though the family situation was dire now...

Even though he had to endure the pain of suppressing his cultivation every day, he still had to wait.

Wait for that most perfect opportunity.

"It won't be long now."

Zhang Chen touched the Storage Bag at his waist and gazed at the roiling dark clouds over the distant sea horizon. "When the children are born, that will be when the Zhang Family soars to the ninth heaven like a dragon."

Time slipped by, and another two months passed.

The Zhang Family Courtyard, which had originally been shrouded in a stifling and tense atmosphere, was now enveloped by an even more feverish one.

Inside the Side Courtyard, the servants who were normally steady and composed now seemed to have no feet touching the ground. Some carried hot water, some brought towels, and they hurried in and out in a frantic bustle.

All because the Young Madam was about to give birth.

Outside the delivery room, Zhang Chen paced back and forth beneath the osmanthus tree in the courtyard with his hands behind his back. He walked so quickly that he nearly ground sparks from the bluestone bricks beneath his feet.

The usually calm and unflappable him now had his forehead covered in fine sweat.

"Chen'er, can you stop pacing? You're making Mother dizzy."

Although Liu Yueru said this with her lips, the string of prayer beads in her hands was nearly rubbed apart.

She murmured prayers without pause, begging every god and Buddha under Heaven in turn.

Zhang Yunshan was even more exaggerated. His entire body was pressed against the door, as though he wished he could stuff his ears through the crack to hear what was happening inside. There was not the slightest trace of a Golden Core True Person's dignity left in his appearance.

"Ah—!!!"

Lin Qingxue's anguished cry came from inside the room, the sound like a knife stabbing fiercely into Zhang Chen's heart.

"Why hasn't she come out yet? It's already been two hours!"

Unable to restrain himself, Zhang Chen asked the maid by the door, his voice trembling slightly.

It was no wonder he was nervous.

Childbirth for cultivators was inherently more dangerous than for Mortals, as the fetus would instinctively absorb its mother's Spiritual Energy.

And Lin Qingxue was carrying twins. Those two little fellows were already domineering in the womb, so the difficulty of the birth naturally doubled.

"Young Master, don't worry. The midwife said that the Young Madam has a strong constitution. She'll definitely be fine."

The maid offered a quiet reassurance, though her own face was taut with nerves.

Zhang Chen drew a deep breath and forced himself to calm down.

He raised his head toward the sky. Perhaps it was only an illusion, but the clouds above the Zhang Family today had taken on a strange, pale-purple hue, and the Spiritual Energy was unusually active.

Just then.

"Wah—!!!"

A resounding cry instantly pierced through the door and rang across the entire courtyard.

The cry was full of vigor, and it actually carried a faint fluctuation of Spiritual Power.

The leaves in the courtyard trembled violently from the vibration.