The power of that sword strike had been far greater than expected.
Xuanzhu and the others had never imagined that one sword could shatter such an enormous boulder.
Feng Jinfan and the other guards were also trembling with apprehension.
The explosion was clearly the result of the princesses receiving guidance from their Emperor Consort, Lin Xuan. Only then could they unleash such terrifying Sword Qi.
"I never expected the Emperor Consort to be so accomplished at formations—and so formidable in Sword Dao, too."
"No wonder, no wonder! The Empress Profound Ice is so proud, yet she chose the Emperor Consort, who was living in the lower realm!"
"The Emperor Consort is the kind of man who keeps his true abilities hidden. If I could learn even a little Sword Dao from him, I'd wake up laughing from my dreams!"
Feng Jinfan couldn't help sighing in admiration.
The guards beside him also couldn't resist whispering among themselves.
In Northern Profound Heaven, many martial artists longed to pursue the pinnacle of Sword Dao.
These guards were all sword cultivators, too.
Seeing how Lin Xuan had only needed to offer a little guidance to make the princesses so powerful, they were instantly filled with admiration.
Meanwhile,
Xuanzhu, Xuanxi, Xuanhan, and Xuanyou were still in shock.
Xuanzhu raised the sword in her hand and examined it from every angle.
"How amazing!"
"I used the same sword move Mother taught me, but the Sword Qi I sent flying was so much stronger!"
Xuanxi and the others nodded repeatedly.
"Big Sister's move was so powerful!"
"Yeah, it scared me!"
"It was all thanks to Father!"
As soon as she finished speaking, Xuanyou eagerly picked up her sword. "I want to try, too!"
She imitated Xuanzhu, closing her eyes to feel the sword intent.
Then she took aim at another boulder and swung.
Crash!
Another deafening boom rang out, and the boulder shattered on impact.
"Wow!"
Xuanxi and Xuanhan cried out in amazement again.
The two little girls exchanged a glance, raised their swords, and struck at the same time after grasping the sword intent.
Crash! Crash!
After two more deafening booms, the boulders exploded into dust.
Feng Jinfan and the other guards were both astonished and envious.
Every one of the princesses had such monstrous talent.
And to make matters worse, they had a monstrous father, too!
Then again, the Empress was a monster in her own right.
This family really proved that birds of a feather flock together.
They were enough to make anyone green with envy!
"Father, you're so amazing. We're so lucky to have you!"
Although Xuanzhu and the others were all exceptionally talented,
that one swing had still taken a great deal of strength.
Once their excitement faded, the children looked exhausted.
Now the little girls were starting to get clingy.
Sure enough, Xuanzhu was the first to throw herself into Lin Xuan's arms, nuzzling his stomach like a kitten.
Xuanxi, Xuanhan, and Xuanyou weren't about to be left behind. They all piled into Lin Xuan's arms.
"Father, hold us!"
"All right, all right!" Lin Xuan simply sat down on the ground and gathered all four girls into his arms.
Xuanyou lay across Lin Xuan's legs, tilted her little head up, and blinked her big eyes. "It would've been wonderful if Mother had brought Father back sooner."
Lin Xuan affectionately stroked her little head. "But it's not too late. Father's back now."
Xuanzhu held out her little finger. "Then Father has to promise to stay with us forever!"
Lin Xuan laughed and hooked his little finger around hers. "I promise!"
"Pinky swear, a hundred years, no take-backs!"
The four little girls were overjoyed by Lin Xuan's promise.
Before long, they had recovered much of their strength.
With Lin Xuan by their side, the little girls had even more enthusiasm for practicing their swords.
The laughter that rang out now and then from inside the Spirit Gathering Array filled Feng Jinfan and the other guards with envy.
Two days later, at dawn,
Donghuang Ziyou, dressed in a purple-red robe, walked into the Crystal Palace beneath the morning sun.
As she approached the bedchamber, a servant hurriedly bowed. "Your Majesty, the Emperor Consort and the others haven't gotten up yet."
Donghuang Ziyou's delicate brows furrowed slightly.
It was already the hour of the Dragon. It was understandable if the children hadn't gotten up yet.
But Lin Xuan still hadn't gotten up, either.
Sigh!
Donghuang Ziyou sighed to herself.
She had been out fighting wars and conquering lands, and had finally managed to return.
Yet the father of her children was still fast asleep.
Even if he couldn't help her govern the country and keep it secure, he could at least stop being so lazy!
"It seems that aside from looking after the children, he really isn't someone I can put any faith in."
Donghuang Ziyou felt rather helpless.
Forget it. She already knew what kind of person he was.
Why waste her time and energy hoping he would pull himself together, build a great reputation like other men, and carve out a vast realm for himself?
"Your Majesty, should I notify the Emperor Consort?" the servant asked cautiously.
"No need. Let them get up when they're ready." Donghuang Ziyou turned away with a cold expression and stood by the door, gazing up at the boundless sky.
In this battle against the Ten Thousand Devil Kingdom, Northern Profound Heaven had won a great victory.
She had thought the Bloodthirsty Devil Lord would be extremely difficult to deal with.
But when he fought her, he seemed to have something weighing on his mind.
That gave her several opportunities to seize on his openings and land a grievous blow.
Not one of her people had died in the battle.
They had killed more than ten thousand enemies—enough to finally shut up those old fogeys at the Profound Ice Palace.
She had come over full of excitement, hoping to see Lin Xuan and the children.
Who could have known...
She waited like that for about half an hour.
At last, the bedchamber door behind her opened.
Donghuang Ziyou let out a long breath and said without turning around, "You're finally up."
Lin Xuan nodded. "Mm. Come on in."
Donghuang Ziyou silently gritted her teeth. This man doesn't even ask how long I've been waiting.
"Mother!"
Xuanzhu and the others ran out of the room. Seeing Donghuang Ziyou, the little girls called out together.
A gentle expression instantly appeared on Donghuang Ziyou's face. She turned around and went into the bedchamber.
"Xuanzhu, did all of you get up at the same time?" Donghuang Ziyou asked, affectionately stroking the four children.
"Yes, because we all sleep together!" Xuanzhu nodded.
Xuanhan chimed in, "We sleep with Father!"
"Really?" Donghuang Ziyou looked at Lin Xuan in surprise.
He slept with all four children by himself. Wasn't it exhausting?
Donghuang Ziyou remembered how much the four girls had tossed and turned at night when she first started sleeping with them.
Lin Xuan nodded. "Mm. The children are very well-behaved. It's not tiring at all to sleep with them."
Hearing him say that, Donghuang Ziyou's gloom eased considerably.
At any rate, he was quite a capable father.
After chatting for a few more moments, Lin Xuan took the children to wash up.
Then the little girls urged him to make breakfast, and Lin Xuan went ahead and prepared a whole tableful.
Seeing the lavish breakfast spread across the table, Donghuang Ziyou couldn't help showing a hint of surprise.
"The dishes are glistening with color and rich with fragrance. There's an impressive variety, and each one is carefully prepared."
"I never expected his cooking to be so good!"
~Is anyone reading this? Nobody ever says anything...
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