Chapter 472: Royal Power Has No Eternity

"Wizard family?"

Lei En raised an eyebrow and couldn't help but laugh: "Your ambition is truly great."

A Wizard family may sound unremarkable, but in reality its power rivals or even surpasses that of dragon‑blooded families. Wizard inheritance relies not on bloodlines but on vast magical knowledge and countless resources, and it requires centuries of accumulation.

A Legendary High-rank Wizard might establish a Wizard organization or found an academy, recruit students, pour effort and resources into their training, and thereby forge a sufficiently powerful Wizard force.

However, if one tries to build a Wizard family centered on one's own bloodline, the difficulty increases by more than a hundredfold!

Because of the Blood Soul Curse, the descendants of a legendary Wizard have no innate advantage over others; they are no different from children of commoners.

Across the human realm, true Wizard families are few and far between, most of them located within the Empire and countable on the fingers.

All these Wizard families share one trait: they were founded by Holy Soul Wizards!

It is rumored that a Holy Soul Ascension Wizard can lift the Blood Soul Curse, so their offspring are born uncursed and start ahead of ordinary people; not only are they exceptionally gifted, but they also receive guidance from their Holy Soul Wizard parents and possess limitless wealth and resources, making it highly likely they become Wizards.

Even so, they are merely Wizards.

Whether the descendants can ascend to legendary Wizards depends on the favor of the Goddess of Fate—a matter of luck; without reaching legend, it offers little benefit to Holy Soul Wizards, who are better off focusing on nurturing exceptionally gifted students.

These are the first‑generation descendants of Holy Soul Wizards. If they intermarry with humans outside the family, the next generation becomes tainted by the Blood Soul Curse, and after two or three generations their talent reverts to mediocrity. Only by incest as the dragon‑blooded do, or by marrying other Wizard families, can they avoid this—but that also involves the Holy Soul Wizards' stance within the Supreme Council.

Each Holy Soul Wizard is a great independent being who will not let descendants affect their own decisions.

Therefore, alliances between Wizard families are exceedingly rare.

To Holy Soul Wizards, founding a family is a casual act, far less important than pursuing higher realms; most Holy Soul Wizards do not create families, preferring to recruit students instead—namely at the great Fu Kong Cheng and academies.

Among the Holy Soul Wizards Lei En has met, only one founded a Wizard family: Duke Yin Xing.

That Holy Soul Wizard has many descendants; she alone bore twelve sons, and her Xi Er Wei Rui family is known throughout the Empire—Viola is a family member.

Yet, among all those offspring, five became legendary extraordinaires, and only one is a Wizard.

Lei En has never met this legendary Wizard, only heard the name; it is said she clawed her way to the initial stage of legend through resources, far weaker than the students of Duke Yin Xing, acting low‑key, handling internal family affairs, and rarely appearing.

The Xi Er Wei Rui family has over double‑digit Wizards, truly a Wizard family, yet the one who commands awe is still Duke Yin Xing himself.

Even though Duke Yin Xing has only a little over three hundred years of Holy Soul Ascension, his insufficient accumulation also demonstrates the difficulty of establishing a Wizard family.

If even Duke Yin Xing finds it a stretch, let alone Ai Mili Si.

Ai Mili Si ascended the throne, possessing the Kangjiatuo Kingdom; she may not lack wealth and resources, but her own strength is insufficient, and her hope of Holy Soul Ascension is extremely slim.

She is a dragon‑blooded apostle, casting spells through a red dragon bloodline; although she can learn additional spells, her foundation on the path of magic is far less stable than a Wizard's, making it hard to progress far.

In the three‑thousand‑year history of the Zhuo Geng Bao family, no dragon‑blooded has ever ascended to Saint Rank.

"I know this is difficult, but I still want to try," Ai Mili Si smiled sweetly, her violet eyes showing unprecedented resolve, her hand resting on Lei En's chest, she whispered, "Even if I can't, I still have you..."

"If you ask who in this world is most likely to ascend to Holy Soul, besides you I can't think of a second person!" she said, half seriously, half praising.

Lei En replied helplessly, "So you were still using my idea after all."

"Who made you his father?" Ai Mili Si said with a sly smile, "The distinguished Weizelan, the Earl of Glamorgan, Duke Ao Gu Si Du, the Empire's famed great hero, a student of Holy Soul Wizards, must also be a good father!"

Even though she said it in a light, teasing tone, Lei En felt a bit irritated inside.

The woman seemed to have taken herself for granted.

Just because of one son?

"Hmm?" Lei En suddenly realized, "You said 'him'; how can you be sure the child in your womb is a son?"

"Conceiving a child using dragon‑blooded secret arts inevitably yields a male," Ai Mili Si explained, "Male dragon‑blooded are more suitable for passing on the bloodline and inheriting the dragon lord; this is the intentional adjustment made by the ancestor who created the secret art."

Son…

Lei En nodded, turned and stared at Dragon Spine City below the tower, remaining silent for a long while.

Ai Mili Si stood behind Lei En, watching his tall silhouette but unable to read his expression, her heart fluttering as she realized she might have become overconfident. Whether it was converting to the God of Magic, bestowing a dukedom, or the plan to found a Wizard family, she had deliberated for a long time before deciding.

But she had not obtained Lei En's prior consent; now she was merely "informing" him, not consulting.

This obviously displeased Lei En.

Even though the unborn son gave her great confidence, after more than two years together she believed she had understood Lei En's character; he is not a cold, heartless man who would shirk responsibility, yet upsetting him could mean he only "takes responsibility" without giving his full effort…

Ai Mili Si was about to explain a few words when Lei En turned back.

His expression appeared very calm.

"I don't like others telling me what to do. If you were a Holy Soul Wizard who could press my head to the ground and rub it, I'd do whatever you say, but you aren't," Lei En stared coldly at Ai Mili Si, "For the sake of the son, this is my last tolerance of your willful recklessness."

Ai Mili Si had never seen this side of Lei En and felt immense pressure.

She dared not meet Lei En's gaze, lowered her head and obediently said, "I understand, there will be no next time."

But inside she was secretly delighted; as long as Lei En agreed this once, she wanted nothing more. Yet before she could enjoy it long, Lei En said, "Convert to the goddess, establish a new Ao Gu Si Du Principality, found a Wizard family—I can help you, but I have one condition."

Ai Mili Si lifted her head, her face full of astonishment.

She seemed to see a cold smile in Lei En's eyes and told herself, "I will designate the heir of the Ao Gu Si Du Principality; it need not be our son, anyone bearing the Ao Gu Si Du surname qualifies, and his succession order must be placed later, so that only in the absence of other Ao Gu Si Du descendants can he ascend."

"This isn't…"

Ai Mili Si's complexion changed drastically, instinctively ready to object, but seeing Lei En stare coldly at her, she hurriedly forced herself to stop speaking.

"Do you intend to oppose?" Lei En asked gravely.

Ai Mili Si wanted to nod and wanted to shake her head, momentarily tangled in confusion, her beautiful face showing great inner conflict.

Lei En's meaning could not be clearer; he saw through her ploy.

The dragon‑blooded in her womb is undoubtedly the first heir to the Kangjiatuo throne; a child conceived with the secret art possesses talent far beyond ordinary people and inherits Lei En's bloodline, so without doubt will ascend to legend and don a crown.

In her scheme, her own son would also be the heir of the Ao Gu Si Du Principality.

Disregarding Lei En's lifespan and regardless of how many generations have passed, as long as the dragon‑blooded king also holds the title of Duke Ao Gu Si Du, the two houses become one, and the Ao Gu Si Du Principality remains part of the Zhuo Geng Bao family.

Now Lei En says that bearing the Ao Gu Si Du surname grants succession rights, fundamentally changing its nature.

Moreover, Lei En intends to place the dragon‑blooded's succession order later, making the Ao Gu Si Du Principality effectively an independent principality, severed from the Zhuo Geng Bao family, and after several generations no blood ties remain.

In Kangjiatuo's history, such examples are common.

The ancestors of the Lao Bo Di Er family originated from the Zhuo Geng Bao family, also dragon‑blooded; after reaching adulthood they abandoned the dragon‑blooded bloodline, branched out independently, and formed the Lao Bo Di Er family.

After several generations, the blood ties between the two families had faded to insignificance, until they later turned hostile.

Ai Mi Li Si felt anxious; while Lei En and she were still alive, the two principalities would have no problem, but if any mishap occurred, a conflict broke out, or any descendant bearing the Ao Gusdu surname harbored rebellious thoughts, it would be a cataclysm for the Zhuogengbao family.

It might even reenact the usurper war!

Behind the Ao Gusdu principality stood the support of Weizelan Fu Kong Cheng; at that time, the principality's subjects were all followers of the goddess, and it was impossible for another Dragonborn to restore the Zhuogengbao dynasty.

Thinking of this, Ai Mi Li Si's body swayed, and her hands trembled slightly.

She began to doubt whether her decision was correct, her complexion shifting unpredictably, yet faced with Lei En's gaze, she opened her mouth several times but could not speak.

The Soul Eye saw Ai Mi Li Si's colors change rapidly, like a huge dye vat, her emotions extremely intense.

Lei En knew he had pressed her vital point.

He is no fool; for a son and a Duke title, he would work for the Zhuogengbao family without complaint—he is not a laborer, has no worker spirit, and certainly not a son‑in‑law!

"You can still regret now."

Lei En hummed softly, then said calmly, "I allow you to reclaim the Duke title and lands, provided you give me Dragon Spine City and that Mithril Mine."

"I..."

Ai Mi Li Si wanted to withdraw her plan, but it was the result of years of contemplation, countless effort, involving too many future matters to abandon lightly.

In an instant, her mind was in chaos, her complexion turned pallid, and sweat streamed down her forehead.

Lei En saw her tangled expression, felt a sudden softness, and said gently, "Think long term; since you believe I can achieve Holy Soul Wizard and want me to help you establish a Wizard clan, you should know how long a Holy Soul Wizard lives. I can assure you that as long as I live another day, the one seated on the Iron Throne will certainly bear the Zhuogengbao name."

How long a Holy Soul Wizard lives is a mystery to Ai Lun E Si.

In any case, up to now, unless by accident, no Holy Soul Wizard has died of old age; the first Holy Soul Wizard in history, Augulevi Master, has already lived over two thousand years.

If the Zhuogengbao family can shine for another two thousand years, that will be enough.

There is no eternal sovereignty in the world.

Ai Mi Li Si's emotions steadied, after pondering she gritted her teeth and said, "You promise?"

"I promise," Lei En made a gesture of praying to the God of Magic, solemnly saying, "In the goddess's name, I pledge, for as long as I live, to devote all my effort to uphold the Zhuogengbao family's rule over Kangjiatuo; the king shall be a member of the Zhuogengbao family."

The oath still has loopholes, but it already demonstrates Lei En's sincerity.

Ai Mi Li Si did not probe further, exhaled deeply, nodded and said, "I accept your terms."

"A wise choice," Lei En smiled.

At the tower's summit, silence returned; the Soundproof Force Field remained active, with no sound passing outward or inward.

The unsettling quiet lasted a few seconds, Lei En opened an Arbitrary Door and said, "Let's go down."

Ai Mi Li Si did not follow immediately.

She watched his silhouette vanish behind the Arbitrary Door, feeling conflicted.

Everything proceeded according to her plan; although some aspects slipped beyond her control, the overall outcome was favorable, and this conversation laid the foundation for the Zhuogengbao family's resurgence, yet she could not feel any joy.

She sensed Lei En's attitude toward her had grown noticeably colder.

Feelings mixed with profit are ultimately impure.

Moreover, her motives were impure from the start; now she uses her son as a bargaining chip, engaging in blatant profit exchange, leaving no trace of warmth between them.

"Alas..."

Ai Mi Li Si let out a bitter sigh, shook her head to discard her thoughts, regained the bearing of a Dragonborn lord and queen, and stepped into the Arbitrary Door.

In the Dragon Spine Fortress hall, everyone already knew Lei En had accepted the Duke title and offered congratulations. Wa Luo Gen and others, realizing the situation was settled, were surprised yet could only accept the fact, congratulating Lei En as Kangjiatuo's eighth Duke.

On the contrary, Lei En himself appeared very calm.

Soon after, the Scale Blood Guard brought in several large chests and reported, "Your Majesty, these are treasures retrieved from the castle's secret passage; Fei Er Dun's family attempted to flee with them, but we intercepted them."

"Open them and see," Ai Mi Li Si waved her hand.

All the chests were opened, a dazzling light burst forth; most contained gold jewelry, precious gems, and some rare alchemical materials, together worth tens of thousands of golden dragons, likely the wealth the Fei Er Dun family had amassed over years.

Lei En's gaze fell on several of those chests; inside were not gold or gems, but piles of Mithril.

In the corners of those Mithril chests, crystalline ore was exposed.

"Source Crystal Ore!"

(End of Chapter)