These Are My Own Combat Power

“Holy crap?”

Xu Mu never expected things to line up so perfectly. The Zhong Qianqian standing before him was actually Xiao Gui’s sister-in-law.

“Are you related by blood?”

“Half-related,” Zhong Qianqian explained. “My father had one legal wife and three concubines. The mothers of Zhong Ci and me were both concubines.”

“This all happened six or seven years ago, but I still remember the details.”

She began recalling what had happened in the Zhong family.

Zhong Ci’s mother had been the first concubine—in other words, the second woman her father married.

Originally, there had only been one legal wife in the family. When another woman suddenly entered the household, the first wife began targeting her constantly.

Later, Zhong Qianqian’s father married another woman.

The eldest and the third then joined forces to target the second—in other words, Zhong Ci’s mother.

Zhong Qianqian’s mother was the last to enter the family. As the newcomer, she had the lowest status, but that also left her outside the conflict.

In the end, the household’s inner struggle had evolved into a situation where the eldest and third wives were constantly at odds with the second.

The reason the second wife could stand against the eldest and third was that she had given birth to an excellent daughter.

That daughter was Zhong Ci.

She had the strongest talent among the younger generation and had even joined the Artifact Sect, one of the Five Great Sects.

As for the fourth wife, she made sure not to offend anyone.

Of course, they were still family. At most, they looked down on one another in secret and rarely brought their conflicts into the open.

That continued until one day, when Zhong Ci became pregnant. The sect gave her temporary leave on the grounds that she needed to give birth.

Only after everyone pressured her did Zhong Ci reveal the truth.

While she had been traveling outside, she encountered an injured man and saved him.

However, the man seemed to have been poisoned by Springnight Grass. His cultivation was higher than hers, and she was unable to resist. In the end, he had his way with her.

Afterward, the man was extremely remorseful. He kept apologizing and even gave her medicinal pills and cultivation techniques.

At first, Zhong Ci refused to accept them and told him to leave.

But the man continued to linger around her. Once, when Zhong Ci encountered danger while carrying out a mission, the man happened to rescue her.

That was when Zhong Ci began to develop feelings for him.

After they spent about a month together, the man said that his injuries had mostly recovered and that he had more important matters to attend to. After that, he vanished without a trace.

When Zhong Ci’s father heard about it, he flew into a rage.

Having a child without being married was already a terrible disgrace.

But if the child had been fathered by a promising young disciple of the sect, it might still have been acceptable.

Unfortunately, the father of her child was an unknown nobody.

From that point on, Zhong Ci and her mother were constantly targeted.

At first, they demanded that Zhong Ci abort the child, but she insisted on giving birth, saying that the baby was her flesh and blood.

After the child was born, the mockery and insults only grew worse.

Then, just over half a year ago, that man returned.

After learning what Zhong Ci had suffered, he relied on his overwhelming strength to wipe out the eldest and third wives’ entire branches.

Because Zhong Qianqian’s mother had never insulted him, she was spared.

The current legal wife of the Zhong family was now Zhong Ci’s mother, but in reality, Xiao Gui had long since become the one in control.

…

After listening to Zhong Qianqian’s explanation, Xu Mu understood what had happened.

“You’ve been avoiding home all this time because of that, haven’t you?” Xu Mu asked. “After all, your father is no longer the one calling the shots.”

“That’s part of it, but there’s another reason—his child, Xiao Qiao.”

Zhong Qianqian said, “That little girl seems to have been bullied too badly before. Now that her status has risen, she causes trouble at home all day long. Since I can’t afford to provoke her, can’t I at least avoid her?”

“I see. That little girl really does need to be taught a lesson.”

Just then, Ye Tong arrived at the villa.

When she saw Zhong Qianqian, her face filled with surprise.

“Qianqian? It’s been ages.”

“Hello, Sister Ye.”

Zhong Qianqian smiled and nodded.

“Don’t leave today. Stay for dinner.”

Ye Tong sat down on the sofa and took Zhong Qianqian’s hand.

Xu Mu sat to the side, deep in thought. In the end, he decided not to deal with Xiao Gui for the time being.

He was not the sort of person who killed indiscriminately. Based on what he knew so far, his relationship with Xiao Gui had not yet reached the point of an irreconcilable life-or-death struggle.

However, if Xiao Gui dared to make a move against him, Xu Mu would show no mercy.

For instance, he would certainly not spare Xiao Gui’s wife in the Zhong family.

While Ye Tong and Zhong Qianqian chatted, several more presences appeared outside the main gate.

“Big Brother!”

Dressed in traditional Han clothing, Dai Xingluo was the first to enter the living room. With her graceful and dignified bearing, she looked like a refined young lady from ancient times.

[Favorability +20]

Soon afterward, Meng Wanyue and Tong Guoguo also arrived one after another.

[Favorability +20]

The favorability points from the two of them caused Ye Tong’s total to double once again.

Dai Xingluo ran over first and sat down beside Xu Mu, wrapping her arms around his.

“Your little sister has missed you so much.”

“Hahaha! I’ve missed you girls too.”

Xu Mu smiled.

“Brother Mu, we can all use the cultivation technique you gave us now. We’re just not very proficient yet.”

Meng Wanyue walked over. Overall, she did not look any different and was still as beautiful as ever.

“We’ve been cultivating the technique this whole time and haven’t had a chance to stretch our legs. If there’s any fighting to be done lately, I can go help.”

Tong Guoguo took a bite of an apple.

“There’s been more than enough fighting lately, but tonight, I’m going to give you all a chance at a great opportunity and celebrate your arrival.”

Xu Mu smiled at the people before him.

…

That evening, as usual, Xu Mu also summoned Feng Yue and Mu Qingying.

Fu Jinyu and Nalan Shisan had already entered the World-Breaking Realm.

His most important task now was to raise Tong Guoguo to the World-Breaking Realm as well.

After that would come Meng Wanyue and Dai Xingluo.

As usual, Xu Mu used heavenly treasures to prepare dinner, earning a wave of Justice Points.

This time, Zhong Qianqian and Mu Qingying provided the most Justice Points.

Zhong Qianqian, in particular, could hardly believe that she had broken through simply by eating at Xu Mu’s place.

Anyone who married him could become an expert just by eating with him every day.

After dinner, Xu Mu took out several Great-Tonic Pills and handed them to Tong Guoguo, Meng Wanyue, and Dai Xingluo.

The three of them looked at the pills in their hands, then swallowed them.

The moment they took them, a violent surge of energy filled their bodies.

Their qi involuntarily began to pour outward.

“So powerful! Is this some kind of divine medicine?”

The golden gears in Tong Guoguo’s eyes spun rapidly.

Bang!

Her cultivation advanced another step, reaching the peak of the Transcendent Realm. Even so, the power within her continued to grow.

[Favorability +30]

As for Meng Wanyue and Dai Xingluo, they easily advanced from the early stage of the Grandmaster Realm to the middle stage.

The medicinal effects continued to spread violently through their bodies.

In the end, Meng Wanyue broke through two levels in succession, entering the late stage of the Grandmaster Realm.

Dai Xingluo, meanwhile, stopped at the peak of the middle stage of the Grandmaster Realm, remaining just a little behind Meng Wanyue.

Even so, the favorability points above her head did not decrease.

[Favorability +30]

“This is divine medicine—a kind that increases your strength.”

Xu Mu smiled at the group. “Take some time to stabilize your cultivation.”

As he spoke, he walked over to Ye Tong and gave her and Feng Yue some scraps left over from the divine medicine.

At their current cultivation levels, they could not fully absorb a Great-Tonic Pill. Giving them one would only be wasteful.

Even so, the scraps alone allowed Ye Tong to reach the middle stage of the Divine Ability Realm.

Feng Yue, meanwhile, reached the peak of the Astral Qi Realm.

Xu Mu was overjoyed to see how much everyone around her had improved.

They would all become her future fighting force. When there was something to do, she could put them to work—and when there was nothing to do, she could have her way with them.

Just then, a message came through on Xu Mu’s phone.

He took it out and glanced at it, only to find that it was from Ji Liang.

Seeing the missions, Xu Mu’s eyes narrowed slightly. As expected of missions from the Inner Realm—they were truly interesting.