Family Cultivation: I Become a Mirror-Chapter 184 - 171 The King Above Kings

"What? Pregnant again?"

Shamo Li was roused from his slumber in the dim and deep stone chamber, and upon hearing the news from the man before him, he was momentarily stunned, overwhelmed with embarrassment, and muttered to himself:

"How could it be… again… How many does this make now?"

"Prince, this is the fifth one now!"

Shamo Li felt a bitterness in his mouth. He had been practicing Qi Cultivation here among the Eastern Shanyue for two years, consumed several Spirit Fruits, and had finally made a breakthrough to the Fifth Layer of Fetal Breathing. He thought it was a speed to be proud of, but what surpassed his cultivation speed was the rate at which his wives and concubines were getting pregnant.

"The first child born here can already walk... Truly astonishing."

Shamo Li too had wives and concubines in the Eastern Shanyue palace, yet, under the instructions of Mu Jiaoman, his wives and concubines in the palace had been unable to bear him any children. Yet, who would have thought that here, offspring had started to appear one after another.

Shamo Li wandered out of the courtyard in confusion, looking at the multitude of wives and concubines before him, hardly able to match each face to its corresponding name. The pregnant concubine, smiling radiantly, approached him. She had been pregnant before he went into seclusion, and she was almost due.

"I must… I must... I must surely be the father…"

Shamo Li's heart thumped anxiously, for having not seen his wives and concubines for several months, their faces all seemed new to him. He pulled over the pregnant wife, examining her bashful face, and couldn't remember when he had enjoyed her company. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

"Enough of that, my eldest son will certainly be of my blood..."

Shamo Li looked toward the woman standing at the front of the crowd, holding a child who looked to be about one or two years old. The child had narrow eyes and healthy wheat-colored skin, clearly of Mu Lu's lineage.

When he first entered the Eastern Shanyue territory, this wife had become pregnant. It was Shamo Li's first time having an heir, and he cherished the child dearly, thus keeping a close watch and confirming that the timing ensured the child was his.

"That will be the future Wang Si!"

Shamo Li proudly took the child into his arms, playfully interacting with him. Soon after, an attendant approached and said respectfully:

"Prince, Young Master Yuanjiao is here."

Upon hearing this, the smile on Shamo Li's face instantly faded, and he grumbled to himself:

"Dammit… It must be another Spirit Fruit delivery, time to return to cultivation."

Shamo Li wanted to enjoy more time with his wives and concubines, but being under another's roof, he had to abandon the thought of laziness. Cursing inwardly, but with a smile plastered on his face, he hurried out to greet him, saying with a smile:

"The young master arrives!"

After two years living amongst the Eastern Shanyue, Shamo Li had finally come to understand some of their ways of speaking. This time he managed to be polite as Li Yuanjiao quickly entered the courtyard, raising an eyebrow and saying:

"Cousin, why are you so courteous today?"

"Heh heh."

Shamo Li laughed awkwardly, having only learned those opening phrases. He didn't expect Li Yuanjiao to throw him off with his reply, and suddenly he found himself at a loss for words, chuckling awkwardly without knowing how to respond.

All the wives and concubines withdrew, and Shamo Li accompanied Li Yuanjiao into the courtyard where they took their seats. Servants served them tea, and Li Yuanjiao then began:

"Cousin, your breakthrough to the Fifth Layer of Fetal Breathing brings you one step closer to returning to Eastern Shanyue and seizing the throne. Congratulations indeed!"

Shamo Li chuckled, nodding awkwardly, but then he saw Li Yuanjiao wave his hand casually and say:

"Your eldest brother Qi Mu has now firmly taken the throne, gathered the tribes and followers within the country, and none of your brothers managed to survive. He's now the one in high spirits."

"Truly despicable!"

Hearing this, Shamo Li felt a surge of jealousy and hatred, and he couldn't help but curse. Li Yuanjiao, after taking a sip of tea as if it were an afterthought, let slip:

"Your elder brother has some foresight indeed. No sooner had he secured the throne than he dispatched a caravan loaded with five or six carts of Tribute, and he's about to marry off a daughter to maintain family alliances. Now, outside, the streets are bustling with carts and horses, with everyone crowding towards the town to see."

"What!"

This remark struck Shamo Li like stepping on a cat's tail, nearly making him jump three feet high. At that moment, he was filled with jealousy, hatred, and a mix of terror and panic, which muddled his head so much that he couldn't utter a word despite his mouth agape.

Shamo Li now lived a carefree life, not only surrounded by a bevy of wives and concubines but also having ascended to a higher level of power. All these were tied to the Li Family, and while Shamo Li might not be very perceptive, he wasn't an utter fool either; at the very least, he knew his value lay in delivering an obedient and compliant Eastern Shanyue.

His own brother had never been easy to deal with and probably fully understood these matters. This had him rushing over to submit himself, leaving Shamo Li feeling redundant and overwhelmed with fear and dread. His legs trembled uncontrollably, rendering him utterly speechless.

After gulping down several mouthfuls of tea, Shamo Li put down his cup with trembling hands. Although not the calculating type, he still had some wit in crucial moments; otherwise, he wouldn't have fled to the Li Family in such haste. He then stammered nervously,

"Prince... Prince... Qi Mu is greedy and not... a contented man, not truly submissive, but waiting for an opportunity..."

"Hmm."

Seeing him frightened out of his wits, Li Yuanjiao intentionally fell silent for a while, watching his eyes turn red, feeling that the time was ripe, he then spoke with a serious tone,

"Cousin, rest assured, Yuanjiao understands. You've always been my good brother. How could Qi Mu, a fratricide and patricide, be genuinely submissive?"

"Exactly, exactly, he killed his brother and father; he definitely isn't sincerely submissive!"

Shamo Li nearly applauded Li Yuanjiao, his deduction naturally flowing and easing Shamo Li's tension. But just as he began to relax, Li Yuanjiao's expression grew troubled, and he said through clenched teeth,

"It's aggravating that he conceals himself so well, several of our elders actually believed him! Yuanjiao had to argue fervently to prevent them from handing you over... it's just..."

"Just what?!"

Overwhelmed with emotion, Shamo Li was on the verge of tears, deeply moved by his cousin's staunch support, but sensing something more in Li Yuanjiao's tone, he hurriedly pressed for an answer.

"It's just... your cultivation is progressing too slowly... causing our family to lose faith."

"Thump!"

In a rush, Shamo Li stood up, and the large wooden chair under him broke, its legs snapping, leaving it lopsided on the floor. Shamo Li's face turned crimson as he yelled,

"Damn it! I'm going to cultivate right now!"

"Hold on!"

Li Yuanjiao had not expected such a drastic reaction, and he was momentarily taken aback, then said in a firm voice,

"Brother, are you practicing the rudimentary cultivation technique of the Shanyue?"

Shamo Li's face turned a shade of embarrassed red, he nodded awkwardly and said hesitatingly,

"Yes... the method is slow in cultivation, and during breakthroughs, it just gathers a wisp of impure Qi from The Great Void. It only takes a little more than a month to coalesce and consume, nothing compared to the sophistication of your Eastern people's cultivation techniques."

The issue of cultivation techniques had been a pain for the Shanyue people for thousands of years. Every Shanyue who rose to dominance on their lands and encountered the outside world realized that they were nothing in front of cultivators. Even those not of equal realm, as long as one practiced the Orthodox Law, could easily take on three or four of the Shanyue Qi Cultivation practitioners with their crude techniques and adulterated Qi.

"Brother, I am aware that your technique is ineffective, so I specifically requested from our family the hope that they would bestow an Orthodox Law upon you..."

"What?"

Shamo Li was so stunned by this immense surprise that for a moment his mind went blank; the extraordinary fluctuations of the day made his breathing rapid and uncontrollable, his voice hoarse,

"You've treated me so well, brother. I will remember it always. Please, do not offend the elders on my account..."

"Don't worry."

Li Yuanjiao shook his head, his voice heavy,

"As long as you can reach the Fetal Breathing Peak within a few years, Yuanjiao is confident that the family will bestow you an Orthodox Law, and I will seek a Qi for you, making you as formidable as Ganixi once was!"

Upon hearing these words, Shamo Li could no longer contain himself. Emotions surged within him, tears streaming down his face. He nodded vigorously and bowed deeply to Li Yuanjiao, his tone determined,

"Great kindness is beyond thanks! As long as I am in the Shanyue, Brother Yuanjiao will stand as king above kings!"