“Congratulations, Adam.” I clapped and gave him a reassuring pat on the back. “I think we should have a fine feast in celebration. I'm guessing, since you've been dismissed from the military, that you currently need somewhere to stay?”

  He looked up, tears forming in his eyes. “Ms. Heather… I didn’t know you cared this much about me.”

  I frowned slightly. “You think I give healing medicine and Saint Realm techniques to people I don’t like?”

  Realisation struck him, and the room burst into laughter. Even Adam eventually joined in, rubbing the back of his head as he endured the teasing. The atmosphere was warm—dangerous power and core formation breakthroughs aside, this was beginning to feel like a family.

  “Adam,” I said once the laughter died down, “given that you won’t be organising the orphans anymore, do you have any connections who could help with that matter?”

  He steadied himself and nodded. “Yes. A few people in my old unit care deeply about the mortal children. Most of us aren’t particularly talented. We know we’ll likely have mortal children ourselves. The thought that someone would protect them if… if the worst happens, it brings more comfort than any medal ever could.”

  I stroked my chin thoughtfully. “Do you think you can contact them and ask them to bring the children here? I’ll offer them either a cultivation technique suited to them… or one thousand spirit stones.”

  He stared at me, stunned. “Ms. Heather, you realise that any technique at the level of the one you gave me—”

  He faltered, clearly wrestling with the implications.

  “Adam,” I said calmly, “I’m guessing those techniques are worth far more than a thousand spirit stones, aren’t they?”

  Relief flooded his face at my understanding. “Those techniques… they’re things fought over by beings capable of cleaving mountains in two. Drying seas with a single palm strike. Causing millions of mortals to die in the aftermath of their battles. Entire regions fall into despair over less.”

  My smile faded.

  I could not hand that kind of power to people who were not under my banner.

  “Well,” I corrected smoothly, “what would be an appropriate gift for their help?”

  He didn’t hesitate. “The spirit stones are more than enough. Usually, if we’re lucky, grateful immortals might toss us one or two silver coins for labourers.”

  “That settles it,” I said. “Pass the message along—but don’t mention the amount. Just say a generous reward will be given for their assistance.”

  He spun toward the door at once.

  “Wait!”

  He skidded to a halt and sprinted back. “Yes? How can I help?”

  I shook my head. “You can’t wander around without proper techniques. You’d bring disgrace to me. And you need a mount as well. With your current cultivation, you should be able to contract a young adult beast from the Second Mountain.”

  He blinked. “You mean… I can learn more techniques? And what beasts on the Second Mountain?”

  Lucy was the first to rush over. “Uncle Adam! This is Luna.” She lifted the delicate creature from her shoulder. “She’s a Yin-Void Butterfly and going to be my first tamed beast.”

  The boys quickly introduced their own companions, each animal radiating restrained but unmistakable power.

  Not to be outdone, I called calmly, “Nine Nether Python King and Eighteen Heavenly Flame Peacock King, come introduce yourselves to our new friend.”

  The air trembled.

  Two colossal presences surged forward from beyond the Pagoda grounds. The doors burst inward as twin titanic forms descended—one wreathed in nether-black miasma, the other blazing with multicoloured heavenly flame. As they approached the entrance, both rapidly shrank, their immense bodies compressing until they could pass through the doorway with deceptive ease.

  They bowed first to me.

  Then to the children.

  Finally, their gazes settled on Adam.

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  The oppressive weight of Peak Great Emperor aura rolled off them in waves. Space itself seemed to groan. Adam’s newly stabilised Core Formation cultivation flickered like a candle in a storm.

  His breath hitched.

  His earlier breakthrough—earth-shaking though it had been—felt insignificant beneath the towering presence of beings who could swallow dynasties whole.

  I folded my arms.

  “Right, you two. Don’t break my new friend. He’s going to find a partner of his own. And one day…” I allowed the faintest smile to curve my lips, “he may very well raise a companion who can rival the pair of you.”

  The two Kings narrowed their eyes.

  Adam swallowed hard.

  And for the first time since his breakthrough, true ambition ignited in his gaze.

  “Right, you two—off you go. I just wanted to show off your majesty a bit.”

  With a casual wave of my hand, they slipped back through the doorway, expanding once more into their original gargantuan forms the moment they cleared the Pagoda. Their immense bodies stretched toward the sky, a reminder of the overwhelming power that now stood under my banner.

  In the span of barely an hour, Adam had received a variety of techniques. Soon, he would be stronger than he was now by a magnitude of a thousand. These techniques would guide him through the Core Formation stage, where he would need to imprint his insights upon his core to forge a true Golden Core. It was a stage defined by comprehension—the first genuine test of a cultivator’s aptitude for their chosen path. The higher the quality of the technique, the clearer and more refined one’s insights would become.

  As we made our way toward the Second Mountain, Adam did not attract beasts the way the children did. That was understandable. He possessed neither a Heavenly Constitution nor a Heavenly Spirit Root; there was nothing innate drawing spirit beasts toward him.

  Still, that did not mean he was without options.

  I surveyed the area and noted several beasts that would make excellent mounts. Some were capable of traversing both land and sky—ideal for travelling between settlements and collecting children efficiently.

  “Do you see anything that takes your fancy, Adam?”

  He looked utterly captivated, his gaze sweeping across the valley as he took in the sheer variety of species. It was clear he could hardly believe such creatures existed.

  Then we came upon them.

  Two Qilin stood upon a gentle rise.

  Both were mutated variants. One radiated an intense connection to fate and fortune, an almost tangible aura of destiny swirling around its antlers. The other emanated perfectly balanced yin and yang energies, black and white currents revolving harmoniously across its scales.

  Either would be a heaven-defying prodigy if properly nurtured.

  “Ms… do you think one of these mighty creatures would agree to join me?”

  The Qilin did not react with hostility. They did not sense domination in his tone—only hope. One of them inclined its head slightly, as though acknowledging his sincerity.

  As Adam continued admiring them, praising their strength and majesty rather than attempting to suppress them, a slightly older female Qilin pup stepped forward. She watched him closely, her bright eyes studying his expression.

  He glanced at me, curiosity etched across his face. “Why don't you ask her if she would allow you to tame her?”

  Instead of answering, he slowly lowered himself onto all fours so that he met the young Qilin at eye level.

  “Oh, mighty beast,” he said earnestly, “would you like to become my greatest ally? Will you help me achieve my goal of protecting the unwanted children of this world and bring them under our banner, so the mistress may raise them into powerful beings?”

  The Qilin seemed to sense the sincerity in his voice. She gave a regal bow.

  Then, without warning, she leaned forward and delivered an enthusiastic lick straight across his face, knocking him flat onto his back.

  Laughter nearly burst from my chest.

  “Ahahaha! I have a true partner!” Adam exclaimed, dazed but grinning. “Someone who will have my back. Right?”

  The Qilin bounded around him excitedly, clearly eager to form their bond.

  They all made their way back to the Pagoda and began an intense period of training.

  I forbade the children from bonding with their beasts until they had mastered their respective techniques. I would not allow them to grow arrogant—at least not without the strength to support that arrogance.

  Adam, on the other hand, only needed to master his taming technique. Given his natural aptitude, he required the additional assistance to successfully form the bond—even with a willing partner. Some things demanded hard work to defy the fate of mediocrity.

  Fortunately, the techniques I had given him would allow him to grow.

  Three days passed in the blink of an eye.

  Each of the children progressed astonishingly fast. Adam could scarcely believe it. Only days ago, they had been dismissed and discarded. Now, every one of them had reached Qi Refining Stage Four—just a small realm away from being able to formally tame spirit beasts that radiated the aura of Foundation Establishment.

  And those beasts were still babies.

  As they gathered for dinner on the third evening, relaxed and flushed from training, the first sign of trouble arrived.

  A voice echoed from the courtyard gates.

  “Widow! Come out and present yourself. Our Family Head wishes to take a bride and establish a branch family here. Come out and accept our bridal gifts!”

  The air inside the Pagoda instantly turned cold.

  All four of them seethed with rage.

  James and Adam spoke in perfect unison.

  “Who in the Nine Nethers dares to take our Granny/Boss away? Who has the delusion to think they are worthy of such majesty?”

  Adam, being the strongest among them, turned to me immediately. His eyes burned with fury.

  “Ms, allow me to handle these pests. How dare they try to tarnish your benevolent name?”

  I studied him for a moment.

  In my previous life, I had never experienced this level of fierce protection—certainly not from people I had known for only a few days. Their loyalty was raw, instinctive.

  It stirred something unfamiliar in my chest.

  Perhaps being crushed by a car and thrown into this world had not been entirely unfortunate.

  “Adam,” I said calmly, “if they prove too strong, don’t forget about your new friends from the other day.”

  A dangerous glint entered his eyes.

  “Oh, I think merely scaring them would be far too merciful.” His voice dropped, steady and lethal. “I’ll chop them up and feed them to the beasts on the Second Peak.”

  The fire in his gaze made it clear—he was not joking.

  Without another word, he stormed toward the entrance.