Chapter 295: Chapter 262: Exotic Beast Evolution

"Don’t overthink it. I’m still young, not suitable for having children yet. Don’t worry, my body is fine. When the time comes, you can have as many as you want." Lin Miao chuckled, knowing full well what Yue Mei’Er was thinking.

He had his own reasons; having a child now wasn’t really an issue. If he wanted, it would be very easy for the two women to conceive.

But now wasn’t the ideal time to have a baby.

Of course, he also considered Sun Youwei. If his first child was born by his senior sister, it would save a lot of trouble.

Other than Si Miaoxue being slightly older, Yue Mei’Er wasn’t at her optimal childbearing age either. A woman should have children at the right age; too early or too late could pose certain risks.

Not just for themselves, but for the child as well.

Yue Mei’Er was just in her early twenties. Waiting another two years would be the golden age for having children, which was actually the best choice.

As for how many to have, that would be her decision. After all, once the seed is planted, whether it comes to life has nothing to do with the provider of the seed.

Yue Mei’Er’s cheeks flushed bright red.

This was Lin Miao’s direct response to the matter. Before, she wasn’t sure if Lin Miao might deliberately avoid doing so, leaving her and Si Miaoxue without a chance to have a child.

After all, for them, besides having a title, having a child meant they no longer had to worry.

However, being young sounds more like an excuse. Given how strong your capabilities are now, if you grow even more, who could handle it?

...

"It’s all your fault. Are you satisfied now?"

"Blaming me? Your cultivation level is higher than mine; you must have known Jun was coming, yet you didn’t warn me?" Yue Mei’Er complained.

"I had no strength left, didn’t notice at all..."

"You wanted it all along, didn’t you? You’re already twenty-seven. If you don’t have a child soon, you might not have another chance!"

"Nonsense, Jun told me that as long as a woman doesn’t..."

"You knew this, why didn’t you tell me?"

"Did you ask?"

...

Perhaps it had been more than half a month since he last felt so invigorated. After this session of cultivation, Lin Miao felt he would soon break through to the Upper Grade Blood Fusion Realm.

The progress in cultivation was indeed quite fast.

Especially the ’Moon Attraction Chapter,’ which greatly assisted in cultivating the Dragon Elephant Wisdom Strength, a Buddhist cultivation technique.

The Moon Attraction Chapter is also written in Sanskrit, related to Buddhism. Could there be a special connection between the two?

This point remains unknown.

...

"Senior sister, didn’t you sleep well?" Pushing open the door, Lin Miao naturally walked into his senior sister Sun Youwei’s room. By then, she was already awake, sitting at a simple dressing table, combing her hair.

Her slender figure draped in a thin veil was now more alluring and enchanting compared to the frail senior sister of a year ago, as her figure gradually became more voluptuous.

"Ah, junior brother, why did you come in without making a sound?" Sun Youwei turned back in surprise, her expression shy, instinctively covering her chest with both hands.

"I think I knocked, but you probably didn’t hear..."

"Junior brother, please step outside and come back in when I’m ready?" Perhaps not wanting Lin Miao to see her just-woken appearance, Sun Youwei said shyly.

"Senior sister, you’re really cute when you’re shy like this." Lin Miao chuckled, then turned and walked out, closing the door behind him, standing guard at the door.

After the time it takes to burn an incense stick, Sun Youwei came out after grooming herself, returning to her dignified and gentle appearance, though the blush on her cheeks seemed slow to fade.

Lin Miao reached out to hold Sun Youwei’s small hand.

Time to go have breakfast together.

Though conditions were tough, the food on the construction site wasn’t bad. The craftsmen might not have meat at every meal, but there certainly wasn’t a lack of fat.

Breakfast consisted of large steamed buns, at least two per person. Those who worked quickly and had more strength could ask for more, but none should be wasted.

There was also a bowl of porridge, and unlimited pickled vegetables, because in the summer heat, without salted food, even craftsmen wouldn’t have the energy.

"Miaoxue, our engineering project is expected to last many years. The food supply is a huge issue. What is the land like around here? Could we recruit some displaced people to come and cultivate the land, do some farming and vegetable planting? Even when the project is over, we could be self-sufficient. If we keep buying from outside, the transport costs are too high, and fresh vegetables won’t be fresh anymore when they arrive..."

"Okay, I’ll give it a try. If it works, I think it’s a good idea. This way, we could indeed save a lot of costs."

"Also, although the artisans’ food and drink are covered by us, they cannot go home once a year. We could build an inn and arrange for their families to come visit each month..."

"We could invite a physician from Li Hen City to come each month to treat the artisans. If there are serious cases, they should be sent for treatment promptly."

"Recruit some women to come and provide logistics services for the artisans..."

"Langjun, are you trying to completely convert these Su Family artisans into our own?" Si Miaoxue said with a sparkling glance.

"Being able to retain people is our capability. Of course, we shouldn’t overdo it."

"In Li Hen City, there are quite a number of aged and impoverished women. Although they are older, as long as we offer them a way to live, I believe they would come," Yue Mei’Er said.

"I will stay one more day today and leave early tomorrow morning. If there are any difficulties you need me to resolve, feel free to mention them. If I can’t solve them now, I’ll find a way to help you after I return," Lin Miao said.

"Langjun, the problem with passing through Li Hen City is that we need to transport a large amount of building materials and supplies. We have to go through Li Hen City to reach Yingfeng Valley. Although Li Hen City doesn’t levy taxes, our transport fleet cannot proceed inside once entering. We must hire the Skull Association’s fleet for the transport and pay a high fee..."

"Is it the same for our transport fleet or for everyone else as well?"

"The other two major forces and protected merchants, as well as several major forces within Longchuan Canyon, can bypass this. Everyone else must comply. This is one of the Skull Association’s sources of income. Also, if the supplies and materials are handed over to them for transportation, they are less likely to be robbed."

"This rule must have been set by the Skull Association, right?"

"Yes."

"Those who disagree probably suffered losses. Once they reach Li Hen City, they have no choice but to switch to letting the Skull Association handle the transport, correct?" Lin Miao asked.

"Yes, if they handle the transportation, if anything goes wrong along the way, they will still be responsible for compensation. They do have some credibility there."

"If we follow their rules, how much extra silver would we need to pay?" Lin Miao asked.

"A conservative estimate is at least fifty thousand taels. As we transport more supplies in the future, the amount could be even more," Yue Mei’Er, who is responsible for procurement, said, quite familiar with the situation.

"Fifty thousand taels, that much?"

"That’s just a conservative estimate, but in reality, we might pay even more."

"Could we negotiate with the Skull Association? We could give them a sum of money and then put the Skull Association’s flag on our transport fleet, taking responsibility for the safety of the supplies ourselves?" Lin Miao carefully considered and proposed a solution.

"That’s a method. This way, we’ll take responsibility for the safety of the supplies and materials ourselves," Yue Mei’Er nodded, "but whether the Skull Association will accept our proposal is uncertain."

"Whether it works or not, we should try. If they don’t agree, we can find another way. If we’re just paying a toll, it’s acceptable, but if we continue to be exploited like this, it’s unacceptable!" Lin Miao said.

Actually, paying a toll or a tax is acceptable, but having no choice but to use the other party for transportation, with no second option, is excessive.

The transport fee isn’t just a huge demand where you ask for however much you want. Even if you can guarantee the safety of the goods, wouldn’t our secrets be exposed to you?

If it’s just transporting some building materials, that’s one thing, but in the future, there might be the transportation of secret goods. How can that be left under your control?

Of course, this is because the Skull Association controls the passage in and out of Li Hen City; otherwise, they wouldn’t have established such a rule.

...

After breakfast, Yue Mei’Er went back. People shouldn’t be too greedy, after all, she has her own affairs.

Sun Youwei set up a "free clinic" stall in Yingfeng Valley, saying that since she was here, she had to do something.

Anyway, the authorities couldn’t control this place. When these artisans had headaches, fevers, or diarrhea, there was no physician to see them. It was a good opportunity for her to practice independent diagnosis experience and capability.

Besides, she had the company of Lianxin and Liansuo, and Lin Mao was there to help her.

Lin Miao, on the other hand, went into the python cave with Si Miaoxue.

The last time they came, they only killed two mysterious large pythons. But where did these two pythons come from? Were they initially in Yingfeng Valley or did they come from elsewhere?

According to ancient records, there are two origins of mysterious beasts. One is that such mysterious beasts already exist as a species, like the Fire Phoenix or the Long-armed Ape, beasts that have existed since ancient times. The other is mutation, which is divided into two types: atavism, where a gene carrying mysterious beast characteristics reveals itself in a certain generation, and evolution, such as a python evolving into a dragon, but this requires certain conditions like consuming some kind of heavenly material or treasure, or cultivation and growth, etc.

Silver pythons are already exceedingly rare. They obviously mutated and evolved into mysterious beasts, so Si Miaoxue suspected that this pair of silver pythons evolved by consuming some kind of heavenly material or treasure. Otherwise, in this world where mysterious beasts have largely retreated from human living areas, such instances are scarce.

Deep in the python cave runs an underground dark river, from which the water source of Yingfeng Valley originates.

The silver python couple likely came from this underground dark river.