She... will never blame Jiang Che

Half a day later.

Jiang Che had eliminated over a dozen so-called "fortunate women" who sought to reincarnate into Shen Yu's womb, leaving him nearly seething with frustration.

Of course, he also reaped considerable rewards—billions of points seized, along with a trove of scriptures and treasures, all of which were at least Emperor-tier.

He was a villain, after all. Despite his usual lecherous demeanor, when it came to serious matters, even the most beautiful woman in the immortal realm wouldn’t escape Jiang Che’s blade unscathed.

A child born after ten months of pregnancy, only to have its soul replaced by some transmigrator the moment it was born?

Jiang Che simply couldn’t accept that!

"Shen Yu, you saw what just happened, right? I wiped out over a dozen people trying to steal our baby’s body. Shouldn’t your affection points for me skyrocket by a few thousand?"

Jiang Che took Shen Yu’s small hand in his. Though she remained outwardly composed, her fingers trembled faintly.

"Mhm." Shen Yu nodded, pulling out a small device from her clothes that displayed a heart-rate-like graph.

"My heart rate fluctuated intensely just now. According to the algorithm... my affection for you increased by approximately 500 points. At this rate, it might not take millennia—just a few centuries—before I fall in love with you."

Her earnest expression amused Jiang Che.

This silly girl couldn’t even self-romance properly. "Take ten thousand years to fall for Jiang Che?"

Once their child was born, she’d be devoted to him within a decade, let alone ten thousand years.

The easier something was to obtain, the less people valued it. That was the principle Jiang Che lived by now—everything in the world came too effortlessly to him, which was why he sought out high-difficulty conquests.

...

After ensuring Shen Yu’s pregnancy was stable, Jiang Che went to check on his other women.

He gave the Xiao triplets a massive boost in cultivation talent, leaving even the once-defiant Xiao Wanwan utterly subdued.

Then there were Gu Lingfei, Ji Ningxue, and others, who were always buried in work.

Truth be told, Jiang Che felt a pang of guilt toward them. He really hadn’t been giving these elder sisters enough attention.

Ahem. Of course, while Jiang Che’s heart might play favorites, his... "contributions" were distributed fairly and equally. No one was left wanting.

Otherwise, Gu Lingfei and the others would surely have complaints.

"Xuexue, give me the weekly report. This quarter’s pill sales have stabilized... There’s no supply shortage."

In the office, Gu Lingfei was briefing Ji Ningxue on the company’s recent developments.

Gu Lingfei, Ji Ningxue, and the system puppet Leng Ningqiu had built a vast corporate network, managing resources for over a billion cultivators across the Dragon Country.

Everything ran like clockwork.

After finishing her tasks, Gu Lingfei removed her gold-rimmed glasses, propping her head up with one hand, exhaustion evident on her face.

Just then, Jiang Che materialized silently behind her and wrapped his arms around her.

"Who—?!"

Gu Lingfei erupted in fury, her Shattering Void-stage cultivation flaring like a razor-sharp blade.

Who dared to approach her so brazenly?

But the moment she recognized Jiang Che, her anger melted away, replaced by tender affection.

"Xiao Che, you scared me half to death. Shouldn’t you be off playing with your little mermaids? What brings you here?"

Tsk, tsk. Someone’s jealous!

But considering even Lingfei-jie was feeling neglected, she must’ve been bottling up some resentment.

"Lingfei-jie, why not leave these tasks to my puppets? How about you stay by my side instead?"

Jiang Che scooped Gu Lingfei into his arms and settled onto the sofa, deftly removing her shoes and socks to reveal her delicate feet.

A loli’s feet were plump and adorable, a maiden’s were slender and fragrant, but a mature woman’s feet were long and elegant—enough to make one’s waist tremble at the mere thought.

Jiang Che resumed his old pastime: giving Gu Lingfei a massage to help her relax.

Though a single pill could banish her fatigue, physical touch deepened their bond.

Gu Lingfei chuckled, stretching languidly, her curves as enticing as a ripe peach. "No thanks. I’d go stir-crazy sitting around the house fighting for your attention. Even if we ascend to the Nine Heavens someday, I’ll expand the company there and make a fortune!"

She grinned. "Once I’m rich, I’ll take care of you, okay?"

Jiang Che laughed awkwardly. Why were all his women so fiercely ambitious?

Shen Yu was like this. Gu Lingfei was like this.

"By the way, you should check on Ji Ningxue. She’s been swamped too, and at her age—over thirty—her needs are... quite demanding."

Gu Lingfei’s sudden remark made Jiang Che break out in a cold sweat.

"After all, I was the one who introduced her to you. You should treat her well."

Her voice was gentle, and it was precisely this kind of woman who evoked the most tenderness.

"Xiao Che, Lingfei-jie knows you’re destined for greatness, a man who’ll soar through the Nine Heavens. So I can’t afford to embarrass you."

"I don’t have a prestigious background, so I’ll earn my own dowry—a grand one, just for you!"

Jiang Che: "..."

Lingfei-jie, please stop. You’re making me feel like an absolute scumbag here.

This kind of talk only made his guilt worse.

He’d rather she called him a bastard than say things like this.

"Alright, alright. Just chatting with you like this is enough for me. Go see Xuexue now."

Gu Lingfei lifted a leg and gave Jiang Che’s backside a light, half-hearted kick—more playful than angry.

But Jiang Che caught her ankle before she could pull away.

"Lingfei-jie, I’ve recently mastered time compression—four days inside, one day outside. So we’ve got plenty of time..."

"Huh?" Gu Lingfei’s eyes widened.

"That’s why... I can spend more time with you now. I know I’m a scoundrel, but I can’t help it."

At this point, abandoning the others was out of the question.

"Tch. Greedy little man." Gu Lingfei rolled her eyes, but her gaze was brimming with affection.

She... would never blame Jiang Che.