Chapter 377: Bloodline

Chapter 377: Bloodline

"Eclipse Ability!"

Ji Xinghuo was first shocked and then felt that it was only natural. Such a powerful ability would be strange if it weren't an eclipse.

Just having a lifespan of several thousand years would be enough to drive countless people insane.

He couldn't help but feel a bit envious. "Ren Jie, with the addition of the plant original body, you've now fused with two eclipse abilities!"

"What's so great about two eclipse abilities?" Ren Mian said with a smile, but Ji Xinghuo could detect a hint of sarcasm in her tone.

He felt proud, but dared not show it, and said very seriously, "I didn't know Ren Jie's true identity before. No matter who Ren Jie is, the person I love is still you."

"Smooth talker," Ren Mian said, flattered but still giving him a sidelong glance. "You're just attracted to my looks."

"Cough..."

Ji Xinghuo quickly changed the subject. "Why did you use a pseudonym, Ren Jie?"

"Of course, it's for my safety," Ren Mian replied. "I've regressed from a Level Two Heavenly King to a Primary Level mutant, and my strength is barely a fraction of what it used to be. I definitely can't let outsiders know, especially my opponents and enemies."

"Does Ren Jie have enemies too?"

"Who doesn't?" Ren Mian sighed softly. "Every mutant who embarks on the path of evolution will inevitably face competition and battles for resources and benefits. To become a Heavenly King, I naturally had to step on many enemies along the way."

At this point, she looked at Ji Xinghuo. "The stronger your strength and the higher your rank, the stronger and more numerous your enemies will be."

"You're the legendary one, attracting more enemies, and stronger ones at that," Ji Xinghuo said.

"Hehe..." Ji Xinghuo knew from her words that Ren Jie was aware of his affairs on Earth. "I have been a bit high-profile recently, but I have no choice. I often carry out missions for the Head of State, for the sake of our country."

"Was your duel with Li Xuan also for the country?" Ren Mian asked with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "Or is your feud with Shi Hongyi also for the country?"

Ji Xinghuo felt embarrassed. "Those were personal grudges."

"Whose personal grudges?"

Ren Mian pressed him further, and Ji Xinghuo found himself at a loss. He realized that Ren Jie's personality seemed a bit different from before. She had said that she wouldn't interfere with Zhao Manying's matters, but now she seemed to be holding a grudge, which was very unusual.

It must be because she's pregnant and her hormones are affecting her mood.

Ji Xinghuo guessed the reason. Pregnant women's moods could change quickly, and in this case, he was at fault, so he could only give in.

He tried to appease her, saying, "Ren Jie, tell me who your enemies are, and I'll take care of them for you."

Ren Mian's eyes flickered.

After a moment's thought, she said, "Other enemies and opponents are nothing to worry about. You just need to be careful of one person."

"Who?"

"Qi Feiyang."

Ji Xinghuo was stunned. The name "Qi Feiyang, the Flame King," was also famous. He was ranked 33rd on the Global Combat Power Ranking. Ji Xinghuo had seen him once at the Star Gate Square last year when he returned to Earth from the Star Realm, but they hadn't fought.

Later, during his duel with Li Xuan, Qi Feiyang had lent his Heaven's First Star equipment, "Thermal Ice Ball," to Li Xuan.

Qi Feiyang was not part of the Head of State's circle.

However, he was very famous and young, having become famous in his teens. His evolution speed was astonishing, and he faced almost no bottlenecks on his way to becoming a Heavenly King. By the time he ascended to the heavens, Qi Feiyang was only in his early 80s.

Unlike Li Xuan, Qi Feiyang's fame was entirely self-made, and his strength was genuine.

In terms of age, Qi Feiyang and Ren Jie were top geniuses of the same generation.

Ji Xinghuo asked, "Ren Jie, how did you and Qi Feiyang become enemies?"

"When I first entered the Star Realm, I cooperated with him a few times and even teamed up temporarily. Then, just like you, he was attracted to my looks, but I rejected him. Later, we had a few conflicts of interest, and he started treating me as an enemy," Ren Mian said indifferently.

"So it's a case of love turning to hate, haha..." Ji Xinghuo was not surprised.

What he thought was, here's another man trying to take my woman. If I ever come across Qi Feiyang, I'll definitely have to finish him off.

If I don't kill him, I'll cripple him.

"Don't worry, Ren Jie," Ji Xinghuo patted his chest and said confidently, "Watch how I deal with him."

Ren Mian looked skeptical. "Are you very strong now?"

"Of course," Ji Xinghuo said proudly. "I'm ranked 31st on the Global Combat Power Ranking, two places higher than Qi Feiyang. I can definitely take him on."

"I'm still ranked 30th," Ren Mian shook her head. "The ADC ranking can only be used as a reference. The vast majority of Heavenly Kings won't reveal their true strength. You shouldn't be too confident. Qi Feiyang's strength is definitely not limited to 33rd place. If it's not necessary, don't provoke him. I don't want our child to be born without a father."

At the mention of their child, Ji Xinghuo's momentum immediately weakened, and he nodded. "I understand.

Ji Xinghuo reached out and placed his hand on her belly, immediately sensing the presence of the tiny lives within. Although Ren Mian's pregnancy would be much longer than that of an ordinary person, and the fetal development was slower, there was already a heartbeat. He couldn't help but press his head against Ren Mian's stomach, listening to the clear heartbeat, and there were three distinct beats.

The feeling was indescribable. Thinking that just beyond her belly lay three children carrying his bloodline, a smile appeared on Ji Xinghuo's face.

He maintained this posture for several minutes.

Ren Mian looked at him happily as he rested his head on her belly, their gazes locked, communicating silently, their unspoken words hanging in the air.

"Wonderful!"

Ji Xinghuo stood up and began, "Ren..." His voice paused as he smiled and asked, "Should I address you differently now? What should I call you from now on? Ye Zheng? Ye Jie or Zheng Jie?"

Ye Zheng had been famous for a long time and was known as the first generation global goddess. When she was in her twenties, her numerous fans gave her a very fitting title, "Lady of a Hundred Blossoms". However, after she retired from the internet, this title gradually lost its luster.

"You can call me whatever you like," Ye Zheng said softly.

"Ye Zheng, Ye Zheng..."

Ji Xinghuo murmured her real name, then suddenly slapped his thigh as he realized something. "When I was looking at Ye Zheng's information before, I came across the origin of this name, which is from a famous poem in the Book of Songs, 'The Peach Blossom'—'The peach trees are lush, their leaves so verdant.'"

She had a peach blossom mark between her eyebrows, lived in seclusion in Peach Blossom Gully, and had planted a large peach blossom forest on the other side of the secret realm.

All of these hints pointed to her true identity.

And the name "Ren Mian" also had a connection to peach blossoms, as it sounded similar to "renmian," which meant "a face unknown." This was a reference to the line, "A face unknown, yet the peach blossoms still smile in the spring breeze!"

The books she often read included the Book of Songs and ancient poetry collections.

"So, Ren Mian is actually a reference to 'a face unknown.' I'm just realizing this now!" Ji Xinghuo scratched his head and laughed bitterly.

Seeing his embarrassed expression, Ye Zheng covered her mouth and chuckled. "You're suffering from a lack of cultural knowledge."

"My Chinese language class grades were fine, but after I entered university, my major had little to do with classical Chinese. It's not surprising that I wouldn't make the connection," Ji Xinghuo said, feeling a bit embarrassed. He quickly added, "Zheng Jie, from now on, the task of naming our children is yours."

"I've already chosen their names," Ye Zheng nodded.

"What are they?"

But Ye Zheng teased him, "I'll tell you when the time comes."

"Alright," Ji Xinghuo said rationally, deciding not to press the issue.

These three children were Ye Zheng's, and he had only provided the genes. He had no say in what surname they would carry or what names they would be given. Their upbringing and education were also solely Ye Zheng's decision.

As if guessing his thoughts, Ye Zheng said, "Don't overthink things. Our children will bear the surname Ji."

"Huh?" Ji Xinghuo was taken aback.

"There's something else I haven't told you," Ye Zheng said softly. "My mother's surname is also Ji. She's the granddaughter of the Head of State, so I'm related to him by blood. In the future, our children will benefit greatly from sharing his surname."

"Your mother is the Head of State's granddaughter..." Ji Xinghuo was slow to make the connection. "So, that means the Head of State is your great-granduncle!"

"That's right," Ye Zheng nodded.

"No wonder..."

Ji Xinghuo suddenly understood. When he had met the Head of State for the first time, the man had said that they were from the same family, and then added that he was a junior member of the family. At the time, Ji Xinghuo had found it strange and thought it was a slip of the tongue, but now it all made sense.

It was clear that the Head of State had known about their relationship even back then.

"What about the letter?" Ji Xinghuo asked.

Ye Zheng smiled and said, "I asked the Head of State to write that letter, and I wanted you to deliver it to Zhou Yishang."

"I knew it. That's why Zhou Yishang's attitude changed so drastically," Ji Xinghuo shook his head. "A handwritten letter from the Head of State, asking him to take good care of me. As the director of the Sword Bureau, he wouldn't dare disobey."

Ji Xinghuo sighed, "Zheng Jie, is there anything else you haven't told me? You might as well tell me now."

"That's all," Ye Zheng said, spreading her hands.

"With this blood relation, it's indeed better for the children to have the Ji surname," Ji Xinghuo said, bringing the topic back. A proud look appeared on his face as he continued, "But the most important thing is that I bear the Ji surname. Our children will definitely benefit from sharing my surname."

He understood Ye Zheng's thoughts.

The Head of State had thousands of blood descendants, but with two or three generations of separation, or even four or five, the vast majority of them were not close to the Head of State and had never even met him. They did not enjoy any special privileges in the Asia-Pacific Community and were mostly ordinary people.

This wasn't because the Head of State was indifferent to his descendants, but rather, in this era, it was difficult to stand out unless one was extraordinary.

Ji Xinghuo couldn't help but admire the perfection of Ye Zheng's plan, which already paved the way for their children's future.

"If all goes well, a powerful family based on blood ties will emerge on Earth!" he exclaimed.

"And I am a crucial part of it," he added, feeling a sense of importance.

Enlightenment dawned on Ji Xinghuo, and Ye Zheng took his hand, asking, "You won't object, will you?"

"Of course not," Ji Xinghuo replied with a silent admiration for Ye Zheng's foresight. No matter her plans, the triplets growing inside her carried his bloodline, intertwining their interests and emotions. He, too, would benefit from this arrangement.

Without further ado, Ji Xinghuo took a seat on another lounge chair, engaging in light-hearted conversation with Ye Zheng, mostly revolving around the children.

"Big Brother Xinghuo!"

A radiant beam of light flew in from the depths of the garden, revealing a petite and adorable figure dancing joyfully before them.

"Xiao Kui," Ji Xinghuo greeted with a smile, "It's been a while."

He recalled the name of this light spirit butterfly, 'Ye Xiao', whose surname was Ye, the same as Ye Zheng's. It was another subtle hint.

"Big Brother Xinghuo, where's Qinghong? Hurry up and let it come out to play with me!" Little Hibiscus exclaimed excitedly.

Ji Xinghuo took out Qinghong from his pocket. It had been dozing off and was less than enthusiastic about being abruptly woken up and tossed onto the balcony. Seeing Little Lotus (Xiao Kui) flying towards them, it yawned indifferently, showing no interest despite Little Lotus's persistent calls.

Ye Zheng's eyebrows furrowed in surprise. "What's wrong with Qinghong?"

"This guy has been a homebody for half a year, doing nothing but eating, sleeping, and watching kids' shows. I even had a hard time getting it to come back to the Star Realm," Ji Xinghuo explained helplessly. It was challenging to deceive a battle pet with high intelligence; they had minds of their own.

"I'll make something delicious to entice it. Food will surely get it moving," Ye Zheng suggested, already on her way to the kitchen.

Ji Xinghuo quickly offered to assist her, but she politely refused.

"Don't treat me like a fragile pregnant woman. I can manage on my own," Ye Zheng insisted, though she couldn't help but feel pleased by Ji Xinghuo's concern.

In the kitchen, Ji Xinghuo played the role of assistant chef to Ye Zheng.

"Impressive!" Ji Xinghuo couldn't help but exclaim.

Just from this simple act, he could tell that Ye Zheng would be an exceptional caregiver and a model mother to their children.

In the days that followed, Ji Xinghuo remained in Peach Blossom Gully.

He spent less time cultivating and more time with Ye Zheng, tending to the garden, taking leisurely walks, and cooking together. Their days were centered around nurturing the pregnancy.

During this time, Ji Xinghuo made a brief trip away from Peach Blossom Gully.

Before he had left Heavenfall Cliff previously, he had renewed his contract with Chief Han Qiu, continuing to send updates about the bloody battles occurring on the Highland of Bloodlust. This time, the war took place quite far away, but thanks to Ji Xinghuo's swift flight, he managed to arrive just in time.

However, the scale of the conflict was relatively small, and Ji Xinghuo could only absorb a little over ten thousand units of spiritual source energy from the battlefield.

He channeled this energy into his "Shadow Clone" technique, advancing it to (Tier 3 1/50599).

At Tier 3, the Shadow Clone technique allowed him to create eight clones.

Each clone required an investment of 800 star power units, resulting in increased combat prowess and sustained duration. However, there was no qualitative change in their abilities.

What truly astonished Ji Xinghuo was the amount of spiritual source energy required to upgrade his Shadow Clone technique to the next tier—a staggering fifty thousand units or more! No wonder there had never been a record of anyone on Earth advancing this technique beyond Tier 3.

With each tier advancement, the spiritual source energy requirement increased by a factor of ten! Ji Xinghuo surmised that reaching Tier 4 would undoubtedly bring about a qualitative change, but the amount of energy needed was simply too vast, and he couldn't afford to wait that long.

Half a Star Realm month passed as Ji Xinghuo stayed by Ye Zheng's side in Peach Blossom Gully.

Ye Zheng, always perceptive, spoke up first, sparing Ji Xinghuo the need to bring it up. "The children won't be born for another two years, and you don't have to stay with me constantly. I can take care of myself, so if you have other matters to attend to, feel free to go and take care of them."

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end