However, before he came along, Ning Xuan already had several outstanding Contractors by her side. In terms of timing, Yu Mingche was at a disadvantage.

That was why Yu Mingche went ahead with the implantation surgery.

He made that decision for two reasons. First, he had long wanted a child of his own bloodline. Second, he wanted to gain an edge over the other competing Contractors.

He had analyzed Ning Xuan’s personality. ’She would never be willing to bear a child herself, but who in this world would refuse a direct blood relative? Therefore, I can do this for her.’

’With Ning Xuan’s exceptional genes, talent, and obvious potential, many Spirit Controllers would surely be willing to do the same in the future. Chen Nan, Lin Mo, and the others are still young and haven’t considered it yet. This gives me the perfect opportunity to get ahead of the curve.’

"Because you’re trustworthy." Ning Xuan pulled Yu Mingche to his feet and placed a hand on his abdomen, channeling pure energy into his body.

The blocked meridians in Yu Mingche’s abdomen were already mostly healed thanks to Ning Xuan’s treatment. With the meridians clear, the gestational sac could function as it was supposed to.

"Ming Che, once I advance to SSS-level, I’ll hold a Contract ceremony with you. And if a life truly begins in there, I’ll give you the official status you deserve." Ning Xuan had been in this world for over a year and was now well-acquainted with its contract system.

Yu Mingche was stunned by her words. It was incredibly difficult for a female Spirit Controller’s spiritual power to grow, especially for High-level Spirit Controllers. The difficulty of advancing each level increased exponentially. Even though Ning Xuan’s Spiritual Power Level had risen at a breakneck pace early on, from S-Class upward, each promotion was like crossing an impassable chasm.

An SSS-level female Spirit Controller hadn’t emerged in the entire Federation for centuries.

’Even if Ning Xuan is exceptionally talented and confident she can break through to SSS-level, it would likely take decades, if not centuries. So, is she being overly proud, failing to grasp the true difficulty of reaching SSS-level? Or is this just her way of saying she doesn’t want to hold a Contract ceremony with me anytime soon?’

’But she also mentioned giving me official status if we had a child. Looking at that, and combining it with her earlier statement, it seems Ning Xuan thinks she can advance faster than a child can be conceived and born.’

Yu Mingche’s mind reeled. ’Does this mean she doesn’t want a child right now?’

Just as Yu Mingche’s mind was racing with complicated thoughts, he suddenly felt himself falling, only to be caught in Ning Xuan’s embrace. "You zoned out again," she said. "Never mind. I asked you a moment ago, and you didn’t say anything, so I’ll take your silence as consent."

"Consent to what?" Yu Mingche asked reflexively.

"To get started on making a baby, of course." Ning Xuan was quite curious about the whole affair.

"Sigh... Xuanyuan, the Little Vermilion Bird is still here." Yu Mingche gestured toward the Little Red Bird snuggled in his arms for Ning Xuan to see.

"Don’t worry about it. This has nothing to do with it." The Practice Room had an adjoining lounge and bathroom. Ning Xuan carried Yu Mingche into the bathroom first.

In the warzone garrisoned by the Sixth Legion, Di Youlin furiously swept the battle plans from his desk onto the floor. "Didn’t you tell me you were absolutely certain? Is this what you call absolute certainty? An S-Class Resource Star has fallen! Do you have any idea what a heavy price our legion has paid for this?"

"Commander, we didn’t anticipate the sudden appearance of an SSS-level flying Exotic Beast. It wasn’t on any of our sensors; it was as if it materialized out of thin air. We called you for support, but we couldn’t get through to your comms," someone reported.

Hearing this, Di Youlin clenched his fists. ’So this is my fault, too,’ he thought. An SSS-level flying Exotic Beast was indeed a formidable opponent. Within the Sixth Legion, he was the only one who could go up against it.

"Assemble the troops immediately. I’m leading a force to retake the lost territory," Di Youlin commanded.

"Yes, sir!" came the immediate reply.

The Sixth Legion was the Di Family’s Direct Lineage army. When Di Youlin had chosen to enlist, he had asked Ning Xuan if she would interfere with his choice of warzone. She had said she wouldn’t; he was free to fight wherever he wished, and she would not meddle in his decision.

Reclaiming lost territory was no easy task. Upon returning to the warzone, Di Youlin was immediately plunged into a hectic campaign.

「Qingluan Mountain Villa」

More than ten days passed while Ning Xuan was in seclusion. When she emerged, Yu Mingche told her that Zhang Jingyi’s parents, relatives, and friends had all shown up at her gate. On days when the weather was nice, they would even carry Zhang Jingyi over and leave her at the villa entrance.

A large crowd had now gathered at the villa’s main gate. Most of them had only heard the Zhang Family’s side of the story and were there to denounce Ning Xuan.

Yu Mingche wore a guilty expression. He hadn’t been able to resolve the trouble outside and felt ashamed to face Ning Xuan.

"Xuanyuan, they’ve been causing a huge fuss, insisting on seeing you. I called the enforcement squad to drive them off, but they came right back as soon as the squad left. It’s no use having them arrested, either. There are too many of them; they just keep showing up in shifts." He sighed inwardly. ’It’s so much harder to deal with trivial matters like this on Central Star. On the battlefield, anyone throwing a tantrum like this would have been dealt with immediately.’

"Is the Zhang Family ever going to give up?" Ning Xuan was furious when she heard about it.

"Contact the Second Legion. I’m accepting a post there," Ning Xuan instructed Yu Mingche.

"Yes, but... what about the people outside?" Yu Mingche asked, troubled.

"Once the people from the Second Legion arrive to escort me, I’ll be gone. What reason will they have to linger here then?" Ning Xuan let out a soft laugh.

’Zhang Jingyi is certainly resilient. After all this time, she’s still not dead.’

The villa gate opened, and Ning Xuan’s figure appeared before Zhang Jingyi. The latter’s face was deathly pale, her lips completely colorless. She was slumped weakly in a chair. Upon seeing Ning Xuan, a flicker of life sparked in her eyes. "Save... me."

Ning Xuan didn’t even glance at her. Instead, she stared coldly at the crowd outside. A hush fell over the scene, subdued by Ning Xuan’s overwhelming presence.

Just then, a deep, oppressive hum grew from a distant drone to a roar, shattering the silence. It was the sound of powerful engines, cold and resonant with the thrum of metal.

A massive shadow abruptly fell over the open ground outside the villa.

A large, sleek, all-black military Flying Car, like a beast of steel, landed steadily on the open ground before the villa.

A hatch slid open without a sound, and several well-equipped soldiers in standard-issue black combat fatigues leaped out one after another. Their movements were synchronized, swift, and precise, displaying the neat efficiency of the highly trained. The officer in the lead surveyed the surroundings, his eagle-sharp gaze locking onto the slender figure at the villa’s entrance.