148 Child Rearing Issues
In Cao Mao's mansion, twelve mothers were looking at small beds with a complicated expression, questioning themselves how they gave birth to these babies.
Laying on the beds were eleven children with green skin and a baby boy with two horns. However, their feature was the same as human infants.
Wei Yuan, Jiang Lan, and the ten yin slaves were looking at their children while Jia Shan was inspecting them. Cao Mao was standing behind these elders, waiting for the verdict if they could raise them.
Jia Shan shook his head. They gazed at Cao Mao, "Had you inherited an orc bloodline before you impregnated your wives?"
Cao Mao wryly smiled. He figured that the two scrolls of Orc King Sutra had screwed him forever, "Yeah."
"I have good news and bad news. Which one do you want to hear first?"
"Bad one first. I don't have high hope anyway. Just tell me the truth."
"The little boy you have with Wei Huang's granddaughter is an oni, through and thorough. As for the rest, they are half-orcs," Jia Shan paused to stare at Cao Mao. "Another piece of bad news, that orc bloodline of yours has mutated you. From now on, all your children will be either orcs or demons."
"Yeah, I figure as much. Is that all the bad news?"
"No. If someone finds out about you or your children, all greedy bastards will raid your manor for sure. You're not safe here."
"Haiz."
Cao Mao had been through an ordeal to find a place to call home. Now, his mentor said that Yeet City wasn't safe. He massaged his temples, thinking of a way to solve this issue.
"That's all the bad news. Now the good news…"
Cao Mao waved his hands, "They probably don't matter."
"Pfft. You're na?ve! I have TWO good news for you. First, all demons and orcs can camouflage their true appearance with their racial ability. They can transform into humans as soon as they can use Qi!"
Wei Yuan rolled her eyes. As an oni, she knew how hard it was when she had practiced a human transformation technique for the first time. It would take these children 6-7 years before they could practice Qi gathering techniques.
"Next, you've underestimated my connection and my family's influence in this sect! Do you know that the sect is in an uproar?"
Cao Mao shook his head, "No. What happened in there?"
"Several garden masters want to reopen the dryad's realm to search for a certain dead body. The crown prince also sent his envoys and demanded the sect to let his royal army enter."
Cao Mao's heart sank. He thought of Xie Tian's dead body in his spatial ring, but he wasn't sure if they were searching for him or not. After all, there were many strong cultivators in this world. It wasn't necessary to be Xie Tian.
"So, what's that has to do with me and my babies?"
Jia Shan grinned, "Remember my brother, Jia Wenhe?"
"That guy received a commission to refine a random 5th-stage expert's corpse with a lizardman bloodline crystal. It seems that the customer wants to create a fake corpse and give it to the royal clan."
"Is that guy dumb? He's messing with the imperial clan."
"Haha! We don't care. That's none of our business. What we care about is the reward for this commission. Do you know what my brother gets in return?"
"I don't know. What does he get?"
"An abandoned city at the western coast."
"Wait, what!?"
Cao Mao understood what Jia Shan and Jia Wenhe did. These elders had already secured a secluded place, where he and his family members could use as a sanctuary. But the questions were – could they use it? Moreover, it was too much of a coincidence. Could Jia Wenhe be up to no good?
Looking at his disciple's expression, Jia Shan snickered. He patted Cao Mao's head, "I know what you're thinking. Don't worry. Jia Wenhe has inspected the city, and nobody is living there. It's a bit far from here, but we don't have to worry about war or annoying thugs in the neighborhood."
Despite hearing the good news, Cao Mao scratched his head in confusion. This development was too good to be true.
"Hahaha! It's odd, right?"
"Yeah. It feels like your brother has already predicted this and did everything to help me."
"Actually, my brother planned to con the imperial clan for the shadow element crystal, but a fatty chancellor showed up and commissioned him with what Wenhe was doing. Since it's better not to risk offending the imperial clan, Wenhe gave the fake corpse project to that guy."
"Won't your brother get into trouble if the imperial clan were to find out?"
Jia Shan laughed, "Wenhe isn't that stupid. He forced the chancellor to sign a detailed contract. He even has the family token of that guy."
"Oh? Who's the gutsy bastard?"
"Dong Zhongying, the chancellor from the imperial clan. Funny, right? A guy from the imperial clan wanted to con their own superior."
"!!!"
Cao Mao remembered that name. It was the person who tried to block the groom carriage when Cao Mao was escaping from the wedding.
White Album also told Cao Mao a bit of that man's background.
Dong Zhongying was a corrupted official, who openly opposed the crowd prince and eunuchs in the palace. He governed a province and ruled a dozen small clans and 3rd-rated sects. However, after he got promoted into a chancellor, he migrated all his people into the capital city and increased the size of his private army, preparing to do something.
In summary, this person was not an honest official. He was planning something.
"There's nothing to worry about. Your kids' secret won't be exposed if you migrate your family to that abandoned city. I'll talk with Jia Wenhe, so he can give you the land deed and the authorization token. He won't need the entire city to himself anyway since he only needs more land to grow a few thousand plants."
Wei Yuan, Jiang Lan, and the girls finally heaved a sigh of relief. They didn't care if their children were monsters since they were made by their blood and flesh. As long as these children could grow up safely, they were willing to move again.
Meanwhile, Ju Chen and Kang Yan, who were infertile and couldn't get pregnant, gazed at the happy family with a complicated expression. Unlike the mothers, who were influenced by their natural instinct, these girls didn't want to move between cities like a fugitive. Their lives were good here.
Kang Yan raised her hand, "Master, are we all moving into the new city? What about the manor? We spent a lot to buy it."
Cao Mao shrugged, "We'll keep the manor since I've sighed a one-year contract job. I think I'll stay here until I can finish the 10,000 orc strength pills. I still have to look after the geese on the farm, too."
"Then, can I stay with you?"
Ju Chen, who was busy drinking raw pig's blood, also raised her hand, "I like street food. I stay."
Wei Yuan picked up her son and rubbed his horns, "I'll stay, too."
Seeing that not all of his wives wanted to move, Cao Mao sighed, "Master, let's talk with your brother first, so we can discuss the arrangement and how we could move there."
"Okay."
If possible, Cao Mao also didn't want to move since the business and the environment in this sect was good. Moreover, he was looking forward to reentering the dryad realm, which should be opened to the public again in a few months.
But for now, Cao Mao wanted to talk with Jia Wenhe and affirm the current situation in the sect.
.
.
.
Meanwhile
"This place is fucking huge!"
The Zhu Clan's flying ship reached Yeet City. However, they could not land inside the city as it was a common manner not to fly in a metropolitan city. Or else, several ill-tempered experts might be offended.
The ship landed 500 meters away from the main city gate. Zhu Nuan erected the clan's flags on the deck, telling the city guards that their clans came for a friendly visit.
Soon, a thin old woman flew toward them. It was the leader of the Han Garden, Han Wenjie.
Han Wenjie still maintained her fa?ade as a weak old woman. She cupped her fist with her trembling hands and bowed to Zhu Nuan.
"Esteemed guests, welcome to the Yeet City, the land of alchemists. To what do we owe the pleasure of your clan's visit again?"
As the leader and the strongest member of this ship, Zhu Nuan took the lead. She cupped her hands and responded, "We've come to investigate the clues of a certain man."
"Xie Tian, I assume?"
"So, you knew?"
Han Wenjie giggled with a hoarse voice like an old witch, "Over a thousand experts have come to this city for the same reason. But I think you've come too late, though."
"Oh? Why?"
"I think someone has already found the dead body."
"… I see," Zhu Nuan was disappointed. "Well, since we're already here, I hope that you can accommodate us for a few days. We wish to purchase some pills."
"Of course. Please follow me."
Zhu Nuan and Han Wenjie continued to chat as they walked toward the city. As for the other former JY disciples of Xu Xiuying on the ship, they followed their new leader without uttering a word.
But one daredevil girl broke the silence.
Zhu Qiao rushed to Zhu Nuan's side and questioned Han Wenjie without caring if she was a senior.
"Senior elder, do you know who killed Xie Tian?"
"You're quite brave, aren't you?" Han Wenjie snickered, "Do you know what happened to the people who spoke to me without my permission?"
Zhu Qiao raised her eyebrow as if she mocked the elder with her eyes. Yet, she turned to the elder and bowed, "This junior has overstepped her boundary. I'm sorry."
Han Wenjie snorted and ignored her.
On the other hand, Zhu Qiao sneered at the elder. She brought out a talisman and tore it.
Zhu Nuan was observing the princess from the beginning. She slapped Zhu Qiao's head, "What are you doing?"
"Hehe, nothing."
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