The joyful news came so unexpectedly that Jiang Fan was completely unprepared.
He tremblingly reached out and placed his hand on Gong Caiyi's abdomen; a faint but steady pulse could be felt.
She was truly pregnant!
Jiang Fan grasped Gong Caiyi's arm and asked, "Why didn't you tell me sooner?"
He finally understood why Gong Caiyi had said she was "inconvenient" the last time he saw her.
That was because she was already nearly three months pregnant.
If he had known this earlier, Jiang Fan would have insisted on bringing her to his side to care for her. How could he have left her alone on the continent?
Gong Caiyi's ears reddened in embarrassment. How could she have brought herself to say it?
Because she had initially planned to secretly give birth to the child and raise it herself.
Looking at the tombstone before them, she showed respect and bowed deeply:
"Your daughter-in-law, Gong Caiyi, has specially come to pay respects to you, Father-in-law. Jiang Fan has not abandoned me and has shown me great favor. Caiyi is willing to continue the Jiang family line and educate future generations."
Jiang Fan also kowtowed to the tombstone, his eyes brimming with tears of excitement and joy:
"Father, do you hear that?"
"Your son is about to become a father, and you are about to have a grandson."
After the three had completed their respects.
Jiang Fan looked at Gong Caiyi, momentarily at a loss for words. He could only grin foolishly.
As a first-time father, he had no experience whatsoever.
Xu Youran rolled her eyes at him and said, "What are you standing around for? Quickly take Sister Caiyi back to the Xu Manor to rest."
"This is the first child of my Jiang family. We can't afford any mishaps."
Jiang Fan nodded repeatedly, "Okay, I'll do as you say."
Soon after, at the Xu Manor.
The Xu Manor was now undoubtedly the most prominent family in Lone Boat City.
His two daughters, Xu Youran and Xu Yining, had brought immense glory to the Xu family.
Their son-in-law, Jiang Fan, was even more impressive, a Nascent Soul cultivator whose power shook the region.
The Xu Manor had not only been greatly expanded and made luxurious but also had powerful experts from the Azure Cloud Sect secretly protecting its surroundings.
It could be said their wealth and influence were boundless.
Upon learning of his daughters' return, Xu Zhengyan, sporting dark circles under his eyes, rushed to greet them.
"Youran!" Xu Zhengyan's aged eyes immediately welled up.
Ever since Xu Youran and Xu Yining went to the Azure Cloud Sect, their path into martial arts had been profound, and their return felt like a distant dream.
Xu Yining had returned once before.
But Xu Youran had vanished without a trace after she left.
"Your unfilial daughter has only just now returned to see you." Tears shimmered in Xu Youran's eyes.
Jiang Fan glanced at Xu Zhengyan, who looked utterly exhausted, and couldn't help but smile faintly.
It seemed his collection of beautiful wives and concubines had grown again.
Just then, a group of women from the household rushed over.
Except for Wang Yingfeng, they were all young and beautiful women, a veritable bevy of beauties.
With eyes full of curiosity, they observed the former illegitimate daughter of the Xu family. Looking at her extraordinary bearing and noble presence, they couldn't help but sigh with emotion.
Everything Xu Youran had today should have belonged to another daughter of the Xu family.
Unfortunately, Xu Yining had been young and arrogant, and her mother, Wang Yingfeng, was snobbish and worshipped wealth.
This was how Xu Youran had benefited.
Wang Yingfeng, seeing this scene, was filled with even greater regret and self-reproach.
She had ruined her daughter!
Many of the women bowed to Jiang Fan and Xu Youran. Wang Yingfeng, too, had shed her former sharpness and shrewishness and proactively knelt in deference.
Jiang Fan noticed her.
The former imperious madam of the Xu family, now set against the backdrop of so many young and beautiful women, looked even more aged and faded.
Moreover, these women came from more powerful families than the Wang family and had effectively begun to walk all over her, the former madam.
As a result, her face was filled with caution and restraint, and her former arrogance was completely gone.
As if noticing Jiang Fan's gaze, Wang Yingfeng trembled and quickly lowered her head, kneeling and saying, "This junior pays her respects to the senior."
As her knees touched the ground, Jiang Fan casually waved his hand, gently lifting her up, and said indifferently:
"We're all family, Auntie. There's no need for such formalities."
He held no strong resentment towards Wang Yingfeng; or rather, she wasn't worth his resentment.
Just then.
The Chen family, the City Lord's Manor, and the Examination Hall all arrived upon hearing the news.
Jiang Fan decided to receive them all together in the Xu Manor's main hall.
Towards his father-in-law, Xu Zhengyan, Jiang Fan naturally wouldn't be stingy and immediately helped him break through to the Core Formation realm.
He was equally generous to Chen Yuqiu, his future father-in-law; with a wave of his hand, he bestowed abundant resources upon him.
As for the City Lord's Manor, Jiang Fan looked at Ye Qingxue, the City Lord's daughter, who was gazing at him with reverence. It was then that Jiang Fan realized Ye Qingxue had failed the Azure Cloud Sect's disciple examination and had no choice but to return to Lone Boat City.
He immediately wrote a letter of recommendation and said:
"Take my letter to the Azure Cloud Sect and choose any peak master you like to become your mentor."
"If none of them suit you, choosing a Grand Elder would also be fine."
Ye Qingxue was overwhelmed with emotion.
How could this be called a recommendation letter? It was clearly an imperial decree!
If she returned to the Azure Cloud Sect with this letter, the Grand Elders would likely fall over themselves to vie for her, just to gain Jiang Fan's favor.
"Thank you, Senior Jiang."
Jiang Fan smiled faintly, "You're too kind. You helped me back then."
Ye Qingxue had established the Shadow Guards and hired him as Shadow Guard Number One, which had allowed Jiang Fan to obtain many opportunities.
Now, this was a repayment.
By the time the guests had left, it was already dusk.
After settling Gong Caiyi down to sleep, Jiang Fan and Xu Youran took a walk and arrived at Xu Youran's former boudoir.
The once simple boudoir had long since been renovated to be luxurious and splendid, bearing no resemblance to its former self.
However, Jiang Fan would never forget the scene where Xu Youran, from a simple cabinet, took out an old purse and placed it into Jiang Fan's hand, asking him to use it as a betrothal gift to marry her.
That gesture had lit an inextinguishable bright lamp in the gloomy life of a down-and-out youth.
"Youran." Jiang Fan passionately embraced her.
Xu Youran was already sentimental from revisiting the old place, her eyes brimming with tears.
This had once been their bridal chamber.
After a long time, they had returned again.
Feeling Jiang Fan's embrace, her heart resonated. She shyly closed her eyes, allowing Jiang Fan to lift her chin and lower his head to kiss her.
As passion deepened, their two figures, embracing, tumbled onto the bridal bed.
Not long after, amidst a clear, lingering cry, their long-delayed wedding night finally began.
An hour later.
Xu Youran's damp long hair clung to her chest, which was covered in hickey marks. Aches and soreness spread throughout her entire body.
She lightly punched Jiang Fan's shoulder and quietly complained, "You're so tireless, aren't you?"
"How does Yunshang manage with you?"
Jiang Fan chuckled, "Tired of my 'tirelessness'? This is just the beginning."
"It's a long night, my dear wife, let's continue."
He lowered his head and took her breast into his mouth.
After dawn, the "storm" showed no signs of abating.
Xu Youran said awkwardly, "Xiao Fan, why do I feel like I can't stop?"
She clearly felt tired and wanted to stop, but her body wouldn't obey.
Jiang Fan smiled mysteriously, "It's good that you can't stop! Let's get you pregnant too!"
Having long been intimate with Yunshang, he now also carried a trace of the Heavenly Fox bloodline within him.
And its effect was self-evident; it would be strange if Xu Youran could stop.
In the blink of an eye, it was dawn on the second day.
Jiang Fan looked at Xu Youran, who lay sprawled on the bed like a puddle of mud, deeply asleep. He lowered his head and kissed her forehead.
"You and Caiyi rest here at the Xu Manor. Your husband will go out for a bit and be right back."
He hadn't forgotten that woman Tiange was still in the underground world.
This hidden danger had to be eliminated.
Besides that, he had one more matter to attend to in the underground world.
That was, he had once promised Yun Tianzhou that after reaching the Soul Transformation realm, he would go to the underground world to search for the sleeping ancient sage.
Although the ancient giant war had ended, Jiang Fan intended to find an answer for the Heavenly Secret Pavilion's predecessors regarding their thousand-year-old long-cherished wish.
Was there truly an ancient sage there?
And would that ancient sage truly, as they had claimed, create a path of hope for the Central Plains?
Today, the answer would be revealed.
[15 minutes ago] Chapter 1449: Humanity's Starshine Moment (Final) (Four-in-One)
[32 minutes ago] Chapter 546: Sliding to the Knee (Requesting Monthly Tickets)
[1 hour ago] Chapter 324: August Events
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