By the time the courtyard finally settled after the earlier breakthroughs, the atmosphere of the entire imperial grounds had already undergone a subtle yet undeniable transformation, because although nothing visible had changed on the surface, everyone present could clearly feel that the foundation of the Great Qian Dynasty had just been forcefully elevated, and standing calmly at the center of it all, Yuan Feng did not appear overly proud or excited, but instead carried himself with a steady composure, as though everything that had just happened was simply part of a larger plan that had long since taken shape in his mind.
He stepped forward slowly, his expression calm, and with a light movement of his sleeve, another batch of pills appeared in his hands, their faint dragon-patterned glow immediately drawing the attention of everyone present, yet unlike before, he did not act casually or carelessly, but instead approached his parents properly and presented them with both hands.
"Father, Mother," he said respectfully, his tone steady and sincere, "these pills can help you catch up with the dynasty's current pace of growth and strengthen your foundations, so please accept them."
Yuan Gan paused for a brief moment as he received the pills, clearly noticing not only the value of what was being handed to him but also the change in his son's demeanor, and after a short silence, a faint smile appeared on his face.
"Good," he said with a nod, "you've matured."
Beside him, Yin Wan'er accepted hers as well, though her gaze lingered on Yuan Feng slightly longer than before.
"At least you still remember your manners," she said lightly.
Yuan Feng coughed once.
"I always knew them."
"…You just chose not to use them."
"…That too."
Without letting the moment stretch, Yuan Feng brought out another batch, this time far larger, and carefully handed them to his father once more, his expression becoming more serious.
"Father, these fifty pills should be used to cultivate the dynasty's strongmen," he said, his tone calm yet firm, "after this wave of strengthening, the number of King Realm experts within Great Qian should increase significantly."
Yuan Gan's expression turned solemn as he accepted them, because he understood better than anyone what those words truly meant.
"With these… the dynasty will rise," he said quietly.
Yuan Feng then turned toward his grandfather, stepping forward and handing over another portion respectfully.
"Grandfather, these twenty are for the Yin Clan. Please use them to strengthen our maternal side."
The old man accepted them and immediately burst into hearty laughter, his eyes filled with satisfaction.
"Hahaha! Good, good! This old man knew you would not disappoint!"
Yuan Feng smiled faintly.
"I will rely on Grandfather to handle it."
"Leave it to me."
After distributing everything, Yuan Feng paused briefly and calculated what remained.
"…About forty-eight left," he murmured softly, before nodding to himself, "that's enough for the next step."
Strengthening the Hidden Forces
With a light wave of his hand, space rippled, and in the next moment, twenty-four figures appeared silently within the courtyard, their presence heavy yet restrained, like storms waiting quietly behind calm skies.
The Twelve Supremes of the Supreme Legion.
The Twelve Shadow Elders of the Shadow Guard.
They knelt immediately.
"Greetings, Young Master."
Yuan Feng stepped forward and personally handed each of them two pills, his actions calm and deliberate.
"Take these and enter seclusion immediately," he said, "break through as much as possible, because the dynasty will soon require your full strength."
"Understood."
Without hesitation, the twenty-four figures vanished.
Yuan Feng exhaled lightly.
"Now everything is in place."
Return to the East Dragon Palace
When he returned to the East Dragon Palace, the atmosphere shifted from overwhelming power to something quieter yet more complicated, because inside the hall, three women were already waiting, their expressions calm but carrying different thoughts beneath the surface.
He paused at the entrance for a moment, then sighed softly.
"…Facing heavenly tribulation might actually be easier than this."
Yaoyue couldn't help but smile.
"Your Highness exaggerates."
He walked in and sat down.
"I'm serious. Lightning doesn't expect conversation."
That small remark eased the tension slightly, and soon the four of them began to speak, slowly at first, the unfamiliarity between them still present, yet not uncomfortable, because although they had only just met, the bond of marriage had already tied them together in a way that could not simply be ignored.
Zhou Mingyao spoke about her dynasty.
The Saintess asked calm, measured questions.
Yaoyue guided the conversation smoothly whenever it faltered.
Yuan Feng listened more than he spoke, occasionally responding, occasionally teasing lightly, and though they were not yet close, there was no resistance between them, only a quiet understanding that things would take time.
Sign-In — A New Force Emerges
Later that day, the system's voice sounded again.
"Ding! Sign-in successful."
Yuan Feng glanced at the rewards, and although most of them were expected, the final one caused even him to pause slightly.
Nine Dragon Legion.
He didn't hesitate.
With a single thought—
He summoned them.
The Nine Dragon Legion Descends
The moment they appeared, there was no explosion, no dramatic tearing of the sky, yet the pressure that followed was enough to make the entire palace feel as though it had been pressed down by an invisible force.
Zhou Mingyao's expression changed first.
"…What is that?"
They stepped outside.
And what they saw—
Left them completely silent.
An army stretched across the horizon, so vast that it seemed endless, rows upon rows of soldiers standing in perfect formation, their armor uniform, their presence steady, and within each of them flowed a faint yet unmistakable dragon bloodline aura.
One hundred thousand Dragon Blood Soldiers.
And every single one of them—
Had reached the Peak Sacred Lord Realm.
Zhou Mingyao's voice dropped unconsciously.
"…One hundred thousand peak Sacred Lords…"
Behind them stood one hundred Dragon Chiefs, each one at the Peak King Realm, their presence like pillars supporting the legion.
Above them—
Twelve Dragon Lords, each at Grand King Perfection, their aura so heavy that space itself seemed to bend slightly around them.
And beyond them—
Seven figures stood quietly.
The Dragon Sovereigns.
Each one at the terrifying level of God King Realm Perfection.
Silence filled the air.
Yaoyue spoke softly.
"…This isn't an army."
The Saintess added.
"…This is domination."
Yuan Feng simply said,
"Report to my father."
The entire legion vanished instantly.
Night and Decision
That night, the atmosphere softened, and although the relationship between them was still new, there was no longer the earlier distance, only a quiet familiarity beginning to form.
Zhou Mingyao eventually spoke.
"…Your Highness, I would like to return to my dynasty."
The other two followed.
"We will go as well."
Yuan Feng nodded.
"…We leave tomorrow."
Journey to Great Zhou
The next morning, the Grand Emperor Chariot appeared, pulled by nine dragons at the Heavenly King Realm, their presence alone enough to shake the surrounding space, while four Dragon Lords revealed themselves openly and the seven Dragon Sovereigns hid silently within the void.
Even if the Dragon Lords could not handle a threat—
The two chariot drivers, both at Grand King Peak, were more than enough.
After seven days of travel—
They arrived at the Great Zhou capital.
The moment the nine dragons appeared, the entire city was shaken, and the imperial elders rushed out immediately, their expressions tense.
"Who approaches—"
Then Zhou Mingyao stepped forward.
"It's me."
Everything changed instantly.
Meeting the In-Laws
Within the palace, Yuan Feng greeted them respectfully.
"Greetings, Senior."
Then he presented gifts.
Ten True Dragon Realm Breaking Pills.
One hundred Longevity Medicines.
And numerous high-grade treasures.
The rulers of Great Zhou were stunned.
Inside, they could only think—
This is just a greeting gift?!
At the same time, they sensed his aura.
Grand Lord Realm. Early Stage.
At eighteen.
Any doubt they once had—
Vanished completely.
This was no waste.
This was a genius.
And their daughter—
Had married him.