Chapter 965: One must use skillful strength

Liu Junyan and Xiao Jiu originally wanted to check in with Xiaoye here, tell Xiaoye that Ao Ji was with them, so that he and Zhong Susu wouldn't worry.

But Ao Ji wouldn't allow it.

He said he had just broken out of his shell not long ago, wanted to run around outside more, see the world; if his father found out where he was, he'd be immediately seized and taken back.

He didn't want to live that kind of life.

The couple then said nothing.

Ao Ji stayed with Liu Junyan for a week; after a week, Liu Junyan and Xiao Jiu planned to continue south, inviting Ao Ji to join them, but Ao Ji had his own plans, so they parted ways there.

After Ao Ji left, Liu Junyan then called Xiaoye to tell him about encountering Ao Ji.

By then, Xiaoye had already calmed down, not asking where Ao Ji would go next, just saying: "As long as he's safe, it's fine; when he's had enough fun, he knows to come home."

"With that kind of awareness, the kid wouldn't sneak off." Liu Junyan complained, "Xiao ge, being a father is a skill you still need to learn well."

Xiaoye rarely argued with Liu Junyan.

Reflecting on this, he indeed couldn't compare to Old Seven.

Thinking about Old Seven's several kids, which one is low-maintenance?

But if you want the kids to excel, you should indeed give them broader space to grow freely.

After chatting a bit more, as they were about to hang up, Liu Junyan asked with a mischievous smile, "Brother, are you planning to practice a few more small horns?"

"Get lost, you calf!"

Xiaoye hung up the phone angrily.

Liu Junyan never expected the boomerang to come back so quickly.

A few days later, Xiaoye called him again, teasing: "Old Seven, you should start practicing your small horn too..."

The cause was that A Cheng finally found a possible remedy from ancient texts to help the male phoenix.

This remedy requires many heavenly treasures and earthly riches.

Although everything is precious, the Feng Clan has stockpiled many good things, has wide connections, obtaining those items may involve some hassle, but they can ultimately be acquired.

The only thing lacking, and also the most crucial, is the phoenix placenta.

This is an indispensable medicine primer.

In itself, the phoenix clan's offspring are hard to come by; most are egg-born, and purebred phoenixes born live are exceedingly rare.

Shan Shan is live-born.

But when Shan Shan was born, her placenta had problems.

At the time, Li Qingying examined carefully and said that inside Shan Shan's amniotic membrane there was a soft eggshell; if she had been born a few days later, that thin outer membrane would calcify into an eggshell, making her egg-born.

Later that membrane was given to Bai Shulan.

Bai Shulan had long since cleaned it, ground it into powder, and used it in medicine.

Now, to obtain another phoenix placenta for use as a medicine primer, the best way is to have couples capable of conceiving pureblood phoenix genes hurry to have children.

After all, the chance of live birth is inherently low; it's not guaranteed to succeed with just one or two pregnancies.

When A Cheng brought this up, everyone's first thought was the couple Liu Junyan and Xiao Jiu.

But A Cheng said he had previously checked their fortunes for them, and they were destined not to have more offspring.

After ruling out the Liu Junyan–Xiao Jiu couple, the only one left was Shan Shan.

Tang Xun won't do; her true form has suffered heavy damage, and if it weren't for the Seven Halls Yama using special means, she would have long been annihilated.

Therefore, strictly speaking, Tang Xun's bloodline is no longer pure.

"This isn't urgent." A Cheng told Shan Shan, "You know the situation of the male phoenix in the Nirvana Fire Region—no mortal danger, and he's still cultivating; although all hopes rest on you, there's plenty of time, I'm telling you this so you won't overburden yourself worrying about the male phoenix, understand?"

Shan Shan nodded: "Uncle, I understand, this isn't urgent."

Saying it's not urgent on the surface, but it's just giving the uncle a placebo to calm him.

How could one not be anxious?

After all, it's not as if getting pregnant happens right after marriage.

Nor is it certain to conceive a little phoenix of pure bloodline.

Even if conceived, it's not necessarily live-born…

What seems simple may never be accomplished if luck is bad.

Shan Shan felt she not only had to strive herself, but also pay more attention to other clan members, just in case…

With Shan Shan's personality, how could she pin her hopes on others?

Shan Shan felt a bit lost, so she called Ao Jing over to keep her company.

But she felt embarrassed to bring this up with Ao Jing; it was too awkward.

Ao Jing stayed with the Feng Clan for three days.

During those three days, Shan Shan was constantly by his side, yet he could sense she had something on her mind.

Ao Jing cautiously probed indirectly, but still got nothing out of her.

His first reaction was to think Shan Shan might be worried about Tang Xun.

Since that day when the Seven Halls Yama publicly took Tang Xun away, she has lost contact with the outside world and hasn't reappeared for all these days.

But when Ao Jing brought this up, Shan Shan wasn't particularly fixated on it: "My uncle loves my aunt to death, he wouldn't harm her; my aunt is mostly at Hu Shan now, so rest easy."

Ao Jing fell into thought.

Since it's not about worrying over Tang Xun, what else could she be concerned about?

Before preparing to return to Ling Hai, Ao Jing couldn't hold back and went to find A Cheng.

From A Cheng, Ao Jing learned about the phoenix placenta matter.

A Cheng also earnestly told Ao Jing, "This isn't urgent; just follow your own pace."

Ao Jing finally could empathize with Shan Shan's thoughts.

He knew Shan Shan definitely especially wanted to help Xiong Feng.

Ao Jing, of course, also.

Xiong Feng is someone worth making deep friends with.

If he could help Xiong Feng, Ao Jing would certainly be willing.

But the key is, if because of this he immediately proposes to Shan Shan and immediately wants a child after marriage, would that be unfair to Shan Shan?

Would it make Shan Shan doubt that their feelings are just a transaction?

Ao Jing returned to the Linghai Dragon Clan and also became worried.

Zhong Su Su quickly noticed, she thought Ao Jing was worried about Ao Ji, so she proactively talked to him about Ao Ji.

As a result, she discovered Ao Jing was not at all because of that.

After a thorough investigation, Ao Jing finally laid out the whole story.

"Mom, what should I do?" Ao Jing asked, "I've always dreamed of marrying Shan Shan; becoming a son-in-law living with her family is also fine. I originally planned to wait another thirty or fifty years, let our feelings deepen a bit more, let our cultivation advance another step, and then everything would fall into place naturally. But now it seems we can't wait that long."

Zhong Su Su hesitated for a long time.

Actually, she didn't have any good suggestions either.

Finally, she just said, "This matter not only depends on what Shan Shan thinks, we also need to ask her parents' opinion, we need to use some cleverness, Jing'er, don't rush, understand?"

Ao Jing thought for a moment, nodded, and said, "I understand, I will find a better opportunity, first sound out Shan Shan's feelings..."