Chapter 403 Matters Concerning the Children

After handling these matters, Shaoke lingered in the imperial capital for a few days. After purchasing women's jewelry and daily necessities, the mage returned to his own territory. When Lan Wei'er saw the jewelry Shaoke had bought for her, she was extremely excited, as this was the first time in decades that her father had bought her jewelry. Finally, after lingering here for a few more days, Shaoke returned to the Ninth-rank territory. There, he would wait patiently for the end of Hegel's ten-year imprisonment and for Moyu'er's secluded cultivation to conclude. All of this required the mage's patient waiting.

Admittedly, Shaoke’s over a hundred years of secluded cultivation in this territory greatly benefited him. Not only did he learn dozens of additional obscure magic scripts during this time, but he also mastered a large amount of spell knowledge while deciphering those books. After returning to the territory once more, ten short years quickly passed. One day, while the mage was resting outside in a small grove with Mage Roman and the White-robed Cleric, Lan Wei'er contacted him.

"Father, Hegel's imprisonment has ended. Should I let him return to visit you?" Lan Wei'er's beautiful face appeared clearly in the image projected by the scepter. She looked more mature than she did ten years ago. Although the mages couldn't see this, they could still sense it through their powerful mental power. Mage Roman, standing nearby, praised Lan Wei'er's beauty.

Shaoke pondered for a moment and said, "Let him come back as you think best." Just after he spoke, Lan Wei'er was about to end the communication, but her mother, Mage Roman, and the White-robed Cleric retrieved the scepter and started talking to their daughter. They hadn't seen each other for a long time and had much to discuss. As for the energy cost of this long-distance magical communication, none of them cared.

After his two wives left, Shaoke sat under a large tree and started meditating. It was not until nightfall that Mage Roman and the others called him back for dinner. After dinner, Mage Roman started a conversation: "Xueye, how do you plan to punish Hegel when he returns?"

Shaoke shook his head, sensing the White-robed Cleric's worry beside him. "I won't punish him in any form. He has already paid his dues for what he did." As he spoke, the mage poured a glass of wine for Mage Roman, just as he had done centuries ago in the Bloody Fortress.

"When Hegel was first imprisoned, the female mage he knew was taken by Lan Wei'er to the alliance's territory. Hegel once hoped to bring her back to meet you." Mage Roman smiled and took a small sip of wine, then shared the news Lan Wei'er had told them earlier.

Shaoke patted Mage Roman and the White-robed Cleric's hands and said, "Don't worry about these things. I've already said I don't care about that female mage's bloodline. As long as Hegel likes her, that's fine." He paused and added, "Back in the Bloody Fortress, didn't you accept me despite my bloodline?" With that, Shaoke couldn't help but laugh. He recalled their first passionate entanglement. Mage Roman's face visibly flushed red; she downed a glass of strong wine in one gulp, then lightly kicked the mage a few times before shifting the conversation to other matters.

"I want to visit my uncle sometime soon." After a brief silence, Mage Roman changed the subject. "It's been many years since I last saw him. I wonder how he's doing now."

Shaoke nodded. During his last visit to the Bloody Fortress, he had been too busy discussing matters with the Death Mages and had forgotten to see Mage Roman's uncle. Of course, he didn't mention this and quickly agreed. Then Mage Roman decided to take Moyu'er to see her uncle after she advanced to an Eighth-rank Practitioner.

Days passed one after another. More than half a year after Lan Wei'er's last message to the mage, Hegel finally arrived at the mountain with his companions. Before they arrived, Shaoke had long detected his son's spiritual fluctuations and led Mage Roman and the White-robed Cleric outside to await their return. "Xueye, Hegel is more impressive than you," the White-robed Cleric said proudly to Shaoke.

Under Shaoke's puzzled gaze, the White-robed Cleric raised the corners of her mouth happily and said, "Look! He's brought back three women this time. I can sense one of them is already pregnant."

Mage Roman, intrigued by the White-robed Cleric's words, asked, "Are you sure those women have a close relationship with Hegel?" This was mainly because Mage Roman's mental power wasn't as powerful as the White-robed Cleric's.

"Yes, I'm sure." The Cleric adjusted their cloaks and robes for Shaoke and Mage Roman and said excitedly, "I hope it's a son. If so, the family will grow even stronger." The Cleric was very pleased with this development. Although Mage Roman's descendants couldn't bear the surname Xueye to continue the Snow Night Family, she still hoped all her descendants would be men and grow powerful.

The mages waited until nightfall before Hegel arrived with his companions. At the forefront was Hegel, whom they hadn't seen for decades. He looked more mature than before. Beside him were three women: an ordinary female mage with a pleasant face who was already a Sixth Tier Mage; next to her was a woman in a yellow robe who appeared very noble. According to Lan Wei'er, this woman was a younger daughter of the current Empress, who possessed a special constitution. Barring unforeseen circumstances, she would also bear the responsibility of becoming Empress in the future.

The last woman, though they had already sensed her presence through mental power, still seemed somewhat strange upon close inspection. She was a rare Winged Race maiden. People of this race were extremely rare across the continent. As far as Shaoke knew, the Winged Race only existed in the Misty Forest within the Blue Feather Empire; they had no presence elsewhere. He hadn't expected Hegel to bring back such a maiden this time.

Behind these people were several young guards and mercenary-looking professionals. Some were protecting the Empress's daughter, while others were companions Hegel had met during his earlier travels. Among the mercenaries were also a few women, but Shaoke and Mage Roman paid them no attention.

"Father, Mother." Seeing his father and mother waiting for them in the night, Hegel quickly led the three women to bow and greet them before making introductions. After brief pleasantries, Mage Roman invited everyone into the living room, where they would prepare food to entertain the guests. Naturally, the men didn't need to prepare the food and pastries.

While the women prepared the food, the mage led his son, his companions, and the guards to their seats. Although his son's companions were somewhat reserved, when Hegel started the conversation, the formality among them gradually diminished. "Father, I feel deeply sorry for what happened before." With that, Hegel bowed to Shaoke once more, seeking his father's forgiveness.

The mage nodded, indicating that there was no issue. Having received his father's forgiveness, Hegel and his companions began to recount in detail what had happened over the previous period. These events, if recorded, would fill a thick biography, but here we will not elaborate further.

During the conversation, Mage Roman led the women into the living room with the food. This was because there were no maidservants here. They were not qualified or able to stay on this mountain peak for long periods; living at an altitude of thousands of meters without cultivation was quite difficult unless their ancestors had lived here for generations.

The mage didn't force anyone to follow his rules but continued the conversation during the meal. After the toast, Mage Roman started a new topic. "Xueye, you should give these children some gifts later. It wasn't easy for them to come here." As she spoke, the female mage cut a small piece of meat and placed it on the mage's plate. These meat slices came from Eighth Tier magical beasts.

Shaoke nodded, indicating that he would prepare gifts for everyone after dinner. This pleased the young adventurers and guards. After all, a gift from a Ninth-rank Spellcaster was not something they, as low-order beings, could easily purchase. The preciousness of these gifts was easily imagined.

"Father, I want to marry the three of them." After the meal, when Mage Roman and the Cleric were preparing gifts for the young people at Shaoke's request, Hegel suddenly changed the subject. "I love them deeply, and they love me too." He looked nervously at his father. He saw his father as the epitome of seriousness and conservatism. He wasn't sure if his father would make things difficult for him because of their bloodlines and professions. His worries turned out to be unfounded; Shaoke didn't make things difficult for his son.

"I'm just telling you that you now have the power to decide your own affairs. In the future, you will become the family's Ruler." Having said this, Shaoke paused briefly before continuing: "You can only marry after Moyu'er advances to an Eighth-rank being. I don't want your wedding to lack anyone's participation." He raised his glass in a toast to Hegel and his companions.

The mage's response relieved Hegel and his seven or eight companions. They had originally worried that Shaoke wouldn't agree, so they had decided that if possible, Hegel would take his young wives and companions and leave here, perhaps even go to another empire.

Mage Roman and the White-robed Cleric soon returned. They had prepared numerous precious gifts for the son's companions: drugs to aid cultivation, magic items crafted by an Eighth-rank Alchemist, and various scattered books. These books were collected by Shaoke and the others, and professionals of every path could obtain a few.

When Mage Roman heard that Shaoke had formally agreed to the marriage of his son and the three women, she joyfully kissed Shaoke and blessed Hegel. The White-robed Cleric was the most moved among them. She had always worried that her son's lack of talent would prevent him from earning Shaoke's favor, but now it seemed everything was unnecessary. As for her son's three women, though she was somewhat dissatisfied with their racial backgrounds, she still gladly accepted them into the family.

The mage didn't stay long before leaving. Mage Roman and the others knew his temperament, so they didn't say anything. Instead, the conversation became even more relaxed after the mage left. After all, the mage seemed a reserved person, which easily made the atmosphere tense.

Hegel and his companions stayed here for a long time. It wasn't until the ordinary female spellcaster gave birth to a baby that they left at Shaoke's request. They were to relieve Lan Wei'er and allow her to return from the distant alliance territory. This was mainly because Shaoke couldn't wait for Hegel to advance to an Eighth-rank Spellcaster, as his talent was too poor. Despite using large amounts of precious drugs, the risk of failure made Shaoke unwilling to take the gamble. He decided to find a good method before letting Hegel attempt the advancement.

The female mage's child was a boy. Perhaps due to Shaoke's influence, the child also had spellcaster talent, but like his father, it was ordinary. The child's father named him Hei Luode, a common name in the Savage Wasteland. Although the child's mother was reluctant to part with him, under Shaoke's decision, they were temporarily separated. The mage promised to send the child to his parents for one month each year, and the rest of the time he would stay here for spellcaster training. This arrangement would continue until the child was twelve, after which he would leave.

Over a decade passed quickly. The mage sat in a chair, and at a small writing desk rested a young child. The child wasn't very tall and was quite thin, with a head of shiny black hair. The boy used an ordinary quill to carefully write characters on paper, while the mage sat nearby with his eyes closed, resting. A female mage in a blue robe stood behind the chair, using her slender hands to massage the male mage's head.

"Honorable Mage, I've finished writing." After a while, the young child looked up and handed the paper to Shaoke. He had completed today's writing task but still needed the inspection of these two mages. The blue-robed female mage took the paper, read it carefully, nodded, and patted the boy's head. "Hei Luode, this time your writing is much better than last time. Tomorrow, Auntie will bring you some delicious pastries."

Hei Luode nodded excitedly, politely thanked his aunt for the reward, and prepared to leave. But the male mage beside him said in a low voice, "Remember, don't treat this writing as a task. You will use it in many places in the future. Whenever you write any magical script or character, concentrate all your spirit. This time, there are more than a dozen characters with uneven spiritual distribution. I hope next time the number will be fewer." Having said this, the male mage waved for the child to leave.

Seeing the boy leave the room somewhat dejectedly, Lan Wei'er, a little dissatisfied, looked at the male mage. "Father, he's just a child, a twelve-year-old child. You shouldn't be so harsh with him." Then, as if sulking, she stepped away from behind the mage and sat down on a nearby chair, falling silent. "If you treat him like this for too long, the child will develop rebellious feelings."

Shaoke shook his head and stood up. "Here, he only endures my verbal reprimand. If he goes to the academy in the imperial capital, he will face even more scolding."

"You're planning to let Hei Luode leave here and study at the imperial capital's academy? I'm worried about the environment there." Lan Wei'er looked worriedly at the boy's writing, sighed, and put the paper away in a small box. These things needed to be preserved for future reference and reminiscence.

Shaoke nodded. "Your mother also agrees with this decision. The child's talent isn't high. I think there he might find another profession he likes, rather than being forced by us to become a spellcaster with little prospects." As he spoke, the mage sighed. Over the past ten-plus years, his son had fathered several more children, but none of them had been sent here, which disappointed the mage. However, he didn't say anything to Hegel. After all, Hegel was now a qualified ruler, and Shaoke didn't need to require him to listen to his father's opinions.

The atmosphere fell silent. As Shaoke had said, Hei Luode's spellcaster talent wasn't strong. At twelve, he could only cast zero-level spells. Shaoke estimated that it would take another three years before the child could cast first-level spells, provided he maintained his current diligence.

"He wants to become a great painter." After a long silence, Lan Wei'er said in a low voice.

"He often hides alone in the woods outside to paint. I think he has considerable painting talent." She sought Shaoke's opinion: "I'll ask him. If he really likes painting, then I think there's no need to force him to learn spellcraft."

After thinking for a moment, Shaoke agreed. He had done everything he could for the children. From now on, they would have to rely on themselves, not on him as their elder.

Soon it was time for Hei Luode to leave. During this period, Shaoke spent most of his time with his first grandson, finally giving him a puppet made from the corpse of an Eighth-rank Practitioner he had just experimented on. But he didn't tell the child the function of the pendant, only that he should always wear it. The pendant could protect his safety.

Hegel came with his wives. He now had eleven children, some with strong spellcaster talent, others quite ordinary. But regardless, all these children were valued by Shaoke and Mage Roman. Naturally, Hegel also found tutors to teach the children in various fields, hoping that they would one day help the family in any way possible. Among these children, excluding Hei Luode, only two had spellcaster talent.

After the family gathered here for a lively time, Hegel left with his three wives and children. Among his wives was a daughter of the current Empress. Fortunately, the Empress had given birth to another child with a special constitution, so Hegel's wife was spared from becoming Empress. Nevertheless, Shaoke made a promise to the current Empress to help her or her family once in the future, which she accepted. These matters were not something Hegel could know.

After the children left, Shaoke's residence quieted down once more, and everyone returned to their previous routine. Though this life seemed dull to outsiders, it was quite enjoyable for the mages. Such a life greatly aided their research into magic or artifacts. At least during this time, Mage Roman and the White-robed Cleric replicated the technique for embedding special defensive spells into robes and cloaks. This technique once again became an important source of revenue for the entire Wanderers Alliance of the Blue Feather Empire.

Every family sent alchemists capable of learning this technique to produce them, and the magical materials obtained were distributed according to a certain ratio and labor output. No one complained, as although this work was laborious, it provided a good foundation for the family's future development. Of course, Mage Roman and the Cleric no longer engaged in producing these items. They began attending to their own affairs.

One day, Shaoke and Mage Roman put down their work and gathered around a small hut. This was because Moyu'er, who had been in secluded cultivation inside, was about to advance to an Eighth-rank Practitioner. Everyone was very worried, so they gathered around. The Cleric continuously cast Support Spells on Moyu'er, enhancing her chances of advancement. Shaoke didn't think about the possibility of failure at this time; he believed his daughter would surely succeed in becoming an Eighth-rank Spellcaster.

As the mage had thought, after three days, Moyu'er successfully advanced to an Eighth-rank Spellcaster. Like Lan Wei'er, she chose to specialize using special magical materials and an arcane secret to become an ancient command mage. According to Mage Roman, their family had traditionally produced many command-type mages in the past. Moyu'er specializing in this path would greatly aid her future development. Although this type of spellcaster was also very powerful, Shaoke believed it was not as strong as a Law Mage.

The successful Moyu'er was overjoyed. She continuously hugged and kissed her sister. Finally, after receiving blessings from Shaoke and her mother, she returned to her room to comprehend the changes brought by her advancement. The mages, who hadn't rested for three days and nights, also returned to their rooms to rest. The White-robed Cleric, in particular, had been casting spells to assist Moyu'er's advancement over the past few days and looked very exhausted. Fortunately, precious magical medicines were available, allowing her to recover quickly. Shaoke and Mage Roman stayed by her side, quietly watching over her.

When the Cleric woke up, she found Mage Roman lying in Shaoke's arms with a flush on her face. Her robe was noticeably disheveled, and her lower abdomen moved slightly. The Cleric instantly understood what they were doing. "Can't you go somewhere else? At your age, still doing things like this?"

The female mage was too busy to answer; she was being teased passionately by the male mage. What followed was a bout of wild passion. Finally, as the Cleric tightly gripped the bedding and let out a low cry, the mage stopped thrusting and gasped as he rested on her back. Mage Roman sat nearby, her little hand randomly wandering over their bodies. Of course, the Cleric received the most attention, as her constitution was too sensitive, and the female mage loved to see her pleading expression.

At breakfast the next morning, the mage's three daughters also arrived. Moyu'er looked at her mother and said quietly, "You should keep your voices down at night. Otherwise, we have to cast soundproofing spells to sleep." Then she gave her father a strange look, acting as if nothing had happened, and continued eating her breakfast. The other women blushed, especially the Cleric, whose cries had been the loudest.

This small incident dispelled the slight rift caused by Shaoke and Moyu'er's long separation. After breakfast, instead of busying himself with his own affairs as usual, the mage stayed in the dining room and chatted leisurely with his wife and daughters. They mainly discussed insights gained after advancement. Shaoke often pointed out areas that Moyu'er hadn't noticed or understood, helping her quickly master the things gained from her advancement.

A month later, after Moyu'er had fully consolidated her rank with the help of Mage Roman and Lan Wei'er, everyone discussed leaving here to visit Mage Roman's uncle in the Bloody Fortress. This decision had been made long ago; they were only repeating it today.

With the departure decided, they were in no hurry. As before, they leisurely flew toward the Blue Feather Empire. Along the way, they continually taught Moyu'er matters an Eighth-rank Spellcaster should be aware of, and during the journey, the mage taught them some understanding of space magic. Although such teaching seemed useless in the short term, after long practice, it would greatly aid the mages in combat. This was mainly because two of the mage's three daughters had never experienced fierce battles, but as elders, they tried their best to instruct them.

One day, the group arrived once again at the Bloody Fortress. Shortly after arriving, Shaoke encountered the Blue-robed Female Mage, whom he hadn't seen for some time. The Female Mage was hovering above the fortress, frowning as if lost in thought. Shaoke's arrival seemed to unsettle her.

"Mage Xueye, it's good to meet you here," she said, then glanced at Moyu'er, surprised to see Shaoke's family had grown once more. A hint of jealousy stirred within her, though she didn't show it.

After a brief exchange, they entered the mage tower within the fortress. Shaoke dispatched his three daughters to the barbarian settlement to collect Snow Bee Queen blood and trade for magical materials. He hadn't visited that place in years; previously, Anling had gone on his behalf, and this time was no exception.

"You seem troubled," Mage Roman said softly to the Blue-robed Female Mage. "Is there anything we can help with?" She glanced at Shaoke, confident he would assist if needed—unless the female mage refused.

The Blue-robed Female Mage shook her head. "It's nothing, just a bit restless." With that, the Blue-robed Female Mage rose and flew out of the tower. "I'll rest outside; don't worry about me." She vanished instantly. Shaoke chose not to track her with his psychic senses, as their purpose here wasn't to seek her out.

After explaining their intentions to the Death Mages stationed there, they were directed to the residence of Mage Roman's uncle. Unlike the other mages, he didn't live in the grand tower but in a small courtyard centuries old.

Upon arriving, they soon found him. The once-handsome man now appeared aged, with sparse white hair and wrinkles that made him unrecognizable. Had it not been for their unique familial bond, Mage Roman would have doubted he was her uncle.

"Oh, Moxier, my dear, I didn't expect you to remember your uncle!" The old man dropped his book upon seeing her and embraced the weeping Mage Roman. Shaoke wasn't spared either. "If you hadn't come here, everything of the Roman Family would have faded into history with my death."

"Perhaps millions of years from now, a great historian would write: 'The Roman Family, spanning millennia, ultimately vanished due to issues with their descendants.' Heavens! What an unpleasant record that would be!" her uncle rambled. Shaoke and the Cleric were astonished—they hadn't realized the Roman Family had endured for tens of millions of years.

Shaoke took some time to calm the emotional Mage Roman and her uncle. The Elder Mage frowned at Shaoke. "So you're the Death Mage from back then? I see you've lost your sight." He let out a helpless sigh. Mage Roman quickly explained, putting the old mage at ease. "I know of the Death Will spell. I didn't expect you to have mastered it to such a degree."

After more conversation, the old mage suddenly changed the subject. "I recall a little girl came here many years ago, inheriting our family's bloodline. Has she left any descendants? Next time you come, bring her here for me to see." He sighed, speaking softly of the Roman Family's future, which made Mage Roman blush.

His implication was clear: she and Shaoke should be more active in having children, to avoid ending up like him—stuck in slow progress because he used arcane secrets to transfer bloodlines.

"Don't worry, uncle. Xueye and I already have a child—a daughter. She's been promoted to an eighth-rank spellcaster." Mage Roman then detailed Moyu'er's situation. Overjoyed, the old mage pulled a necklace from around his neck and tossed it to her, insisting Shaoke bring Moyu'er to see him soon. He wanted to personally bless his grand-niece, a blessing far more potent than ordinary ones.

"This holds all the Roman Family's collections spanning millennia, accessible only by our bloodline. I believe its contents will greatly aid in reestablishing the family." He spoke seriously, then added, "Inside are many items. If you ever become a Legendary Being, some of these mark our family's legacy. Using them ensures even gods, due to our family's Legendary beings, won't trouble you too much." He grimaced. "But I can't confirm any Legendary beings still exist. Time, you know."

Mage Roman clutched the beautiful necklace, which depicted a woman in an odd robe holding a scepter, surrounded by strange patterns. At her uncle's insistence, she solemnly put it on. When she asked why he had become so aged, his answer brought her to tears once more.