Time swiftly marched into 2026. The preceding year, 2025, witnessed monumental shifts across the globe; following the rapid eruption and swift conclusion of the Third World War, humanity had effectively entered an era of unified progression.

Freed from national borders and internal strife, human society unleashed astonishing innovative capabilities. They rapidly healed the scars of war and surged forward in development, with the "City of Starlight" leading the charge by a vast margin.

Since the completion of the main structure of the "City of Starlight," several years of infrastructure development followed, and the city was officially declared fully realized. The functional zones previously designed by Liu Hui had all been implemented, establishing the "City of Starlight" as a comprehensive megalopolis.

The construction of the "City of Starlight" involved extensive use of cultivation arrays and demon beast cores, resulting in an abundance of spiritual energy within the city. The various plants cultivated there blossomed with far greater vitality and splendor than their counterparts elsewhere, and the overflowing spiritual energy made residents feel refreshed and exceptionally healthy; it was no exaggeration to call the "City of Starlight" an earthly paradise. Unquestionably, the "City of Starlight" had now become the most coveted living destination for people across the world.

Over the past year, despite the temporary halt to immigration plans due to the war, the second phase of the "City of Starlight's" Mars colonization project was successfully completed, and three and a half million Starlight Citizens now resided on Mars. Through the collective efforts of these pioneers, the natural environment of Mars had undergone a transformative change. Presently, apart from areas where gravity manipulation arrays were intentionally omitted, Mars was virtually indistinguishable from Earth.

Because the "City of Starlight" had already established a development blueprint for Mars spanning at least a century, and had consistently adhered to this master plan during the planet's development, Mars’s natural environment was exquisitely preserved, completely immune to willful destruction or pollution. If judged solely on environmental quality, present-day Mars had thoroughly surpassed Earth.

Although three and a half million people had migrated to Mars from the "City of Starlight," five million residents remained on the original city on Earth. Liu Hui planned to initiate the third phase of the Mars migration in 2026, where over three million people would relocate to Mars, leaving the "City of Starlight" on Earth at a stabilized population of just two million.

On Earth, the "City of Starlight" finally established its first military organization: the Starlight Guard. Comprising fifty thousand personnel, they were equipped with the latest weaponry developed by the "City of Starlight" and answered directly to Liu Hui. Under Liu Hui’s command, the Starlight Guard maintained global peace. It was this military deterrence that allowed Earth, having just suffered devastating human and economic losses, to rapidly stabilize and channel all its energies toward reconstruction.

After years of meticulous exploration, Liu Hui had established a complete management and operational framework within the "City of Starlight." Under this system, every individual performed their designated duties and bore corresponding responsibilities. Furthermore, the oversight mechanisms were incredibly robust, constantly correcting administrative errors within government sectors. Through the self-correcting nature of this rational management structure, the administration of the "City of Starlight" continuously trended toward perfection.

It was precisely this self-mending governance that made Liu Hui’s workload progressively lighter over these past few years, granting him significantly more time to spend with his family. Thus, as 2026 dawned, Liu Hui was greeted by momentous joyful news.

Due to the increased time Liu Hui spent with his wives, Hu Xian’er, who had previously been unable to conceive, was finally pregnant, carrying Liu Hui’s child as wished. Ever since the cultivation true essence that had been infused into her by the cultivation master had dissipated, the conversion process within her body had ceased, resulting in the immediate restoration of her fertility. Coupled with Liu Hui's diligent efforts, she was finally expecting.

Hu Xian’er was ecstatic over her sudden pregnancy; Liu Hui was overjoyed beyond measure, and his other women shared in the excitement. After so many years, Liu Hui’s second child was finally on the way, and the count of the Liu family was set to increase. Seeing Hu Xian’er pregnant, the women who had yet to conceive grew anxious, clinging to Liu Hui day and night, eager to bear his children and satisfy their intensely stimulated maternal instincts.

With her pregnancy confirmed, Hu Xian’er settled into a state of contentment, focusing on a peaceful gestation period at home. Watching Hu Xian’er immersed in the happiness of impending motherhood brought Liu Hui a deep sense of peace and joy. Hu Xian’er's greatest past regret—her inability to bear children—was finally remedied.

Since reducing his commitments in the "City of Starlight," Liu Hui enjoyed a surplus of leisure time. During these hours, besides attending to his wives, his greatest pleasure was standing atop Xiao Hei’s head at night, soaring over Earth’s stunning landscapes—possessing an aura reminiscent of the celestial immortals traversing the mortal realm astride a dragon.

One such evening, Liu Hui was again standing on Xiao Hei's head, cruising above the vast Pacific, admiring the moonlit seascape, when his Dimensional Trader suddenly vibrated intensely. Liu Hui immediately signaled Xiao Hei to halt, opened the trader while standing on the creature, and was met with the beaming face of Alexander.

"Esteemed Teacher, greetings!" Alexander exclaimed happily.

Liu Hui smiled. "My dear Alexander, you seem quite pleased. Has something good occurred?"

Alexander replied, "Teacher, yesterday, while engaging the combined forces of the ten Elven Principalities in battle against Pompeii, we encountered priests from the Temple of the Nature Goddess."

Liu Hui started slightly. "The priests of the Nature Goddess Temple have finally appeared. What happened next?"

Alexander laughed. "Teacher, utilizing the high-powered weaponry you provided, we swiftly defeated the allied armies of the ten Elven Principalities. Just as our forces were about to press the advantage, the priests of the Nature Goddess Temple suddenly materialized. These priests were all God-level Mages, achieving at least the thirteenth rank. Their elemental magic was incredibly potent; not only did they halt our advance, but they inflicted heavy casualties upon our warriors."

Liu Hui grew tense. "They were all God-level Mages? How did you manage them then?"

Alexander continued, "These temple priests hovered in the sky, continuously unleashing elemental magic on our soldiers, posing a severe threat. Yet, we were not idle. We ordered a coordinated volley from your electromagnetic cannons directed at them. Under the fierce assault of the projectiles, they managed to hold out briefly, but eventually, they were driven off by our artillery fire. We even managed to kill two of the God-level priests, and the rest of the temple priests all retreated wounded. Teacher, you must know, your weapons are truly magnificent; we even managed to take down God-level priests."

After a pause, Alexander added, "Teacher, what pleased us most was that when we neutralized those temple priests, the legendary Nature Goddess and her Divine Emissary did not appear. We researched the mythological records and found that the last recorded appearance of a Divine Emissary was five hundred years ago. This suggests that their Nature Goddess might be a fabrication, a non-existent deity. Even if the deity exists, her absence for whatever reason is excellent news for us, as we no longer need to fear the direct intervention of the temple priests."

Liu Hui now understood the source of Alexander's delight. He chuckled. "Since that is the case, do not hesitate. Expand your territory as needed. Where you are, the jungle law of might makes right prevails. If any trouble arises, remember you have your Teacher standing behind you!"

Reassured by Liu Hui’s promise, Alexander grew animated. "I will, Teacher. I certainly will not disappoint your expectations."

Alexander then produced a leather pouch and initiated a trade with Liu Hui. "Teacher, this is a collection of God-level Demon Beast Cores we gathered from the noble residences after defeating the allied forces of the ten Elven Principalities. I present them to you now, hoping you will find them pleasing."

Liu Hui clicked the trade confirmation, taking the leather pouch into his hand. He smiled. "I certainly like your gift, Alexander. Thank you."

"As long as you like it, Teacher. I won't keep you any longer. Goodbye."

Liu Hui smiled back. "Alexander, farewell!"

After closing the Dimensional Trader, Liu Hui opened the leather pouch in his hand and was immediately dazzled by the divine radiance emanating from the God-level Demon Beast Cores within. Squinting, he happily counted them. "Not bad. Eleven God-level Demon Beast Cores this time. It seems today is truly a good day."

These God-level Demon Beast Cores, exposed to the air, emitted powerful spiritual energy fluctuations, even causing the light rays in the atmosphere to visibly refract. Just then, Xiao Hei beneath Liu Hui suddenly conveyed an overwhelming sense of hunger.

Liu Hui paused, quickly probing Xiao Hei’s thoughts. He found that, for unknown reasons, Xiao Hei was ravenously hungry and displayed an intense desire to devour the God-level Demon Beast Cores in his hand.

Puzzled, Liu Hui examined the cores in his possession and discovered that the two Water-element God-level Demon Beast Cores held the greatest allure for Xiao Hei. As he held these two cores, Xiao Hei transmitted an almost unbearable craving—a sensation so strong it suggested the creature would starve to death if it didn't consume them immediately.

A thought struck Liu Hui. He picked up one of the Water-element God-level Demon Beast Cores and tossed it sideways into Xiao Hei’s mouth. Xiao Hei swallowed it whole. As the core settled, Liu Hui immediately sensed a slight abatement in Xiao Hei's hunger, though the creature still fixated intensely on the remaining Water-element core. Liu Hui tossed the second core into Xiao Hei’s mouth, which it promptly swallowed. Only then did the overwhelming hunger subside.

Liu Hui considered a possibility and immediately searched his storage space. He located twelve Water-element Demon Beast Cores among the God-level cores he had stored away. As he brought these cores out, Xiao Hei once again registered the pangs of hunger.

Liu Hui began feeding them to Xiao Hei, who devoured them one after another. It wasn't until Liu Hui had tossed nine Water-element God-level Demon Beast Cores into Xiao Hei's mouth that the creature ceased its consumption, conveying a feeling of satiation to Liu Hui.

Confused yet intrigued, Liu Hui returned the remaining cores to storage and began carefully sensing the changes within Xiao Hei's body. He discovered that the swallowed cores were emitting potent Water-element magic, which was rapidly absorbed by Xiao Hei's physique. As it absorbed this magic, Xiao Hei’s body began undergoing a transformation Liu Hui couldn't yet define. Though the nature of the change was unknown, Liu Hui recognized it as a method to strengthen Xiao Hei.

Liu Hui was greatly elated. Xiao Hei had already reached the apex of its genetic modification, seemingly possessing no further avenues for increased strength. If the God-level Demon Beast Cores from the magical planes could further enhance Xiao Hei’s power, Liu Hui would welcome it wholeheartedly. Although Xiao Hei was already unmatched on Earth, who would ever refuse greater strength?

The cores inside Xiao Hei continued to release Water-element magic, causing the creature's physique to grow increasingly robust. Filled with excitement, Liu Hui directed Xiao Hei to return toward the "City of Starlight." Upon arriving at the city's beach, Liu Hui noticed the Water-element magic emanating from the cores within Xiao Hei growing increasingly volatile, while Xiao Hei’s body seemed to lose strength, becoming lethargic as if soaked in warm water.

Liu Hui began to panic. He knew that God-level Demon Beast Cores were the concentrated essence of immensely powerful entities from the magical planes—far superior to the God-level experts of the Elven race. Those experts remained within the realm of human potential, whereas God-level Demon Beasts possessed characteristics akin to divinity.

Now, Xiao Hei had consumed nine such cores almost simultaneously. The sheer power erupting from these cores filled Xiao Hei’s interior with a volume of Water-element magic that vastly exceeded its absorption rate.

Standing by the ocean, Liu Hui felt a pang of regret, yet there was nothing he could do but command Xiao Hei to descend into the depths. Under Liu Hui's control, Xiao Hei rapidly sank to the abyssal floor and swam into a deep ocean trench. By this point, Xiao Hei was utterly drained of strength. The Water-element magic continued to seep out, and since the body could not absorb it all, the excess magic began to coalesce outside Xiao Hei, forming an increasingly dense, solid white cocoon of light. This cocoon enveloped Xiao Hei completely, rendering the creature unconscious within, allowing the immense Water-element magic to remodel its form.

Liu Hui remained by the shore, silently monitoring Xiao Hei’s condition. He sensed that even while unconscious, the devoured God-level cores continued to radiate powerful Water-element magic, ceaselessly refining Xiao Hei's structure, making it stronger.

After sensing for a while and receiving no response from Xiao Hei, and confirming that its body was indeed growing more robust under the magic’s influence, Liu Hui finally exhaled with relief. He realized Xiao Hei had entered a new phase of evolution, one distinctly different from all previous transformations, as Liu Hui had absolutely no frame of reference for its future direction.

With Xiao Hei comatose and undergoing its rebirth, Liu Hui could only wait, silently praying for the evolution to conclude swiftly and bring forth a magnificent surprise.

Liu Hui felt a mixture of excitement and apprehension regarding Xiao Hei’s transformation. He reluctantly left the coastline. When he arrived at a large, open-air temple near the beach, he noticed, under the faint glow of the lighting, two figures speaking near a bodhisattva statue.

Liu Hui’s heightened senses immediately identified the speakers as acquaintances: Xiao Yao and her mother, Sister-in-law Gao. They appeared to be engaged in a heated argument. Liu Hui paused, then stealthily approached, intent on discerning the cause of their dispute.

Xiao Yao was twenty-two, in the prime of her youthful beauty. Even in the dim light, she radiated captivating allure, though she was currently weeping softly.

Sister-in-law Gao spoke nearby. "Xiao Yao, what am I to say about you? Repeating the third year of high school for so many years without graduating, unable to get into university—don't you know you are your mother's greatest worry?"

Xiao Yao cried out, "But I'm just stupid, what can I do? Do you think repeating the final year of high school brings pride?"

Sister-in-law Gao sighed. "Xiao Yao, looking at you like this, how can I face your deceased father..."

Xiao Yao replied, "Then go ask him to bless me so I can become smart, then I can finally graduate high school and get into a good university."

Sister-in-law Gao said, "Xiao Yao, you are quite intelligent, but why can't you focus that intelligence on your studies? I don't understand what’s wrong, but I still hope you can graduate quickly and enter university. Once you learn a real skill, you can go work for the Boss. Only then can you repay the immense kindness our family received from him."

Hearing this, Liu Hui frowned, wondering about the full implications of Sister-in-law Gao’s words.

Xiao Yao whispered tearfully, "Mother, I've understood your meaning since I was very young. And I truly adore Uncle; I want to be with him. But the women around him are all so exceptional. How could someone like me, who can't even finish high school, possibly join his side?"

Sister-in-law Gao sighed. "Xiao Yao, when the Boss took us in, I knew he had an interest in you, which is why I intended to raise you and give you to him. I constantly told you that when you grew up, you were to marry the Boss. Over time, you genuinely began to see yourself as the Boss's woman. Despite your poor grades in school, you studied tirelessly. While others were out socializing and dating, you were focused on learning. For years, you haven't even had a single male friend. But now, Mother regrets it. Perhaps the Boss didn't favor you when he helped us; I shouldn't have taken it upon myself to expect you to repay him through marriage."

Xiao Yao wiped her tears away. "Mother, this isn't your fault; I developed feelings for Uncle myself. How could I not, when he is so outstanding? I have decided I want to be with him. I am working hard to achieve that goal! I must graduate from the third year and get into my dream university. Only then can I stand proudly before him and confess my feelings."

Sister-in-law Gao worried, "Xiao Yao, the Boss already has four wives. He might not accept you?"

Xiao Yao countered, "Mother, do you remember my childhood friend, Xie Yuxin? She also fell for a man much older than her. We both thought there was no future for them, but she still mustered the courage to confess to him. Although they faced obstacles, they ultimately married. I learned from her a few days ago that she is now pregnant and close to giving birth."

Sister-in-law Gao nodded. "I remember that. You’re talking about Zhou Tengyun and Xie Yuxin, aren't you?"

"Yes, their story. So, for the sake of my own happiness, I am determined to work hard. If you don't fight for something, you have zero chance. But if you try, there’s at least a fifty percent possibility of success. For my happiness, I will definitely choose a time to confess to Uncle."

Madam Gao sighed, "Xiao Yao, you are truly too persistent. Mother truly cannot bear to see you disappointed."

Xiao Yao smiled brightly, "Mom, don't worry. Even though my studies aren't great, I can cook, and I’m diligently learning housework too. I believe if I confess to the Uncle, he will definitely consider me, and we will definitely be happy together."

Madam Gao remarked, "I truly don't know what to do with you. Otherwise, I wouldn't be accompanying you out at this hour to pray to the Bodhisattva for blessings at the temple."

Xiao Yao affectionately linked her arm through Madam Gao's and said, "You really are my dear mother. Let's offer incense together—pray that your daughter finds her happiness, and also pray that my mother finds true love herself."

Hearing this, Liu Hui was inwardly startled. He never imagined Xiao Yao had feelings for him. It suddenly made sense why every time he saw her, Xiao Yao would say such strange things to him. Back then, he thought she was speaking metaphorically, never suspecting she was completely infatuated with him.

However, Liu Hui had always treated Xiao Yao as a little sister; how could he harbor any romantic affection for her? Furthermore, he already had four wives, and he only achieved those unions after enduring immense hardship with each of them. How could he dare to accept Xiao Yao into that mix now? It seemed he could only break Xiao Yao’s heartfelt affection.

Thinking this, Liu Hui’s figure flickered, and he rapidly vanished from the spot. He made a firm resolution in his heart: from now on, he must keep his distance from Xiao Yao, ensuring there would be no opportunity for them to meet alone. This was not only to maintain the stability of his current family but also genuinely for Xiao Yao's own welfare. If she couldn't confess to him, time would pass, and she would gradually forget him, allowing her to find someone else who could bring her happiness in the future. Liu Hui dared not waste any more of Xiao Yao's precious youth.

Even though there had been the successful precedent of Zhou Tengyun and Xie Yuxin uniting, Liu Hui refused to venture down that path again. He was perfectly content just being with his four wives.

Liu Hui swiftly fled the temple, leaving only Xiao Yao and Madam Gao within its walls, devoutly praying for the fulfillment of their respective loves.

～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～ Thanks to book friend: ☆☆ for the support! RO