Chapter 380 - 159: Qing Lian’s Sacrifice

Seven days later.

Xu Lei had since married another girl—a slightly plump, bookish young woman.

Her name was Chu Shuhan.

On their wedding night.

Xu Lei held the young woman, bestowing his Charitable Giving upon her while having her recite the tenets of female virtue.

According to the bookish young woman, her family had drilled her on the tenets of female virtue since she was a child.

In any case, they had raised her to be exceedingly proper, with a great emphasis on etiquette.

True to the principle that a wife should obey her husband, the young woman complied with all of Xu Lei’s requests without hesitation, completely subservient.

She cooperated with Xu Lei’s Charitable Giving, diligently reciting the tenets of female virtue all the while.

The sound of intermittent recitation drifted from the room.

Outside, Xu Lei’s mother was taken aback.

Three more years passed in the blink of an eye.

On this day.

The Xu Family finally had its first son. Unexpectedly, it was Di Xixi who gave birth to him.

That was right—three years had passed.

In that time, Di Xixi, Di Mengmeng, Zhao Xiaoru, and Chu Shuhan had each borne Xu Lei two children.

However, all the others were, surprisingly, daughters.

’I wonder if it’s my body’s genes,’ Xu Lei mused. ’Are my chromosomes just predisposed to producing daughters?’

’Of course, this proves I can still have sons.’

’Gender is just a matter of probability at birth, after all.’

"The Xu Family finally has an heir."

Xu Lei’s mother was deeply moved and overjoyed. "Thank you, Xixi. Thank you. It must have been hard for you."

A blissful smile spread across Di Xixi’s face.

’As the principal wife, being the first to give birth to a son was the best possible outcome.’

Beside her, Zhao Xiaoru, Chu Shuhan, and Di Mengmeng were all filled with envy.

That day, Xu Lei spent some time with Di Xixi, thanking her for her hardship.

"General, how is it you’re still so young?"

Lying in bed, Di Xixi couldn’t help but marvel, "Xixi and you... we don’t even look like we’re from the same generation anymore!"

It was true. Nearly seven years had passed, yet Xu Lei remained as youthful as ever, still looking to be about sixteen.

Di Xixi, however, had become a voluptuous matron in her thirties.

Di Mengmeng, Zhao Xiaoru, and Chu Shuhan now looked like women in their early twenties.

Every one of them looked older than Xu Lei.

Although Xu Lei could wear a Human Skin Mask to disguise his appearance and make it seem as though he were aging alongside them, the masks were ultimately a bit uncomfortable, so he hadn’t worn one.

’Besides, the age difference is still within an acceptable range for now. I’ll wear one when more time has passed.’

Afterward, Xu Lei went to continue his Cultivation.

BOOM.

To his surprise, it was a day of double blessings. Xu Lei hadn’t been cultivating for long when the Qi inside his body suddenly shifted.

Xu Lei had advanced another Small Realm, reaching the Third Tier of Bodhisattva Light Realm.

’More than three years have passed... It hasn’t been easy. This is still thanks to the help from Bai Ling’s half Demon Core.’

Xu Lei sighed. ’I’m actually thirty-one now! I’ve lived for thirty-one years in this third life! But at this rate, my previous judgment was correct. I will definitely achieve apotheosis in this life.’

Another half a month passed in the blink of an eye.

Over the past half-month, Xu Lei’s progress had indeed slowed considerably.

After reaching the Bodhisattva Light Realm, advancing seemed a bit more difficult than in the previous Realms.

The Demon Core was now completely refined.

And Xu Lei couldn’t find any Demon Spirits on his own.

Unlike Bai Ling, who had the help of Creepy Spirits and could find them often.

But Xu Lei could only be patient.

’After all, I can live for a very long time, life after life.’

On this day.

Xu Lei was stroking Chu Shuhan’s soft hair.

...just as he once used to stroke Qing Lian’s small, shaved head.

Looking at Chu Shuhan’s face and her eyes, Xu Lei couldn’t help but think of Qing Lian.

’I wonder how she’s doing now.’

At that very moment.

To Xu Lei’s surprise, a household servant came to the door to report that a young nun was asking to see him. The servant said her name was Qing Lian, and that she was from the Cixuan Nunnery.

After all, the staff in Xu Lei’s residence had turned over completely by now.

It wasn’t like when Xu Lei was a child.

So none of these servants knew that Qing Lian was the so-called Divine Nun.

Xu Lei was startled when he heard this and immediately told the servant to show Qing Lian in.

Xu Lei didn’t go out to greet her himself, however.

...because things between him and Chu Shuhan hadn’t quite concluded.

But again, to Xu Lei’s surprise, Qing Lian dispensed with all formalities.

She barged right in.

"Senior, I have urgent business to discuss with you!"

Of course, when she came in and saw Xu Lei and Chu Shuhan, she froze for a moment. "My apologies. I will wait for you outside."

Xu Lei said nothing. A moment later, he released Chu Shuhan and let her go about her business.

Then, Xu Lei went out to see Qing Lian.

Qing Lian still had the appearance of a pure young maiden.

Though in reality she was older than Chu Shuhan and the others, she looked younger. Qing Lian was a Cultivator, after all.

"You’re living quite the life now, aren’t you, Senior?"

Qing Lian said, her tone a bit sour. "Even without me, you still have someone to help you. When I was by your side, that sort of work was always mine.

"Also, I just heard from the servants that you have four wives now?"

"I had no choice," Xu Lei said. "There was a tragedy in my family, and I’m the only heir left.

"I had to do this so my mother wouldn’t be heartbroken—marry wives and have children. What’s wrong? Is there a problem? Why did you suddenly come looking for me? And why say things like that, bringing up the past? Do you want to return to my side again? To serve me as you did before? And what was that ’urgent business’ you mentioned!"