Time, within the gilded stasis of the harem, was measured not in seasons, but in cycles of production. For Niu, the cycles were defined by the pleasant fullness, the relieving drain, and the rewarding pats on her head. The first seed planted within her had grown, a silent, swelling truth beneath the layers of her bovine serenity.
The Ancestor monitored the pregnancy with the detached interest of a master farmer watching a prized crop ripen. Her nutritional regimen was adjusted, her qi-infused milk now also funneling back into her to nourish the developing life—a perfect, closed-loop system of production. Her body, already reshaped for milking, swelled further, her breasts becoming impossibly heavy and ripe, a living testament to her dual purpose.
The birth, when it came, was a quiet, efficient affair. It did not take place in a medical wing, but in her own padded stable. Lin Xian'er was there, her healer's hands guided by the Ancestor's will, her face a mask of professional detachment over a core of revulsion. The Ancestor himself observed, not as an anxious father, but as a quality control inspector.
There was no dramatic struggle. Niu's body, perfected for this function, performed it with a placid, animalistic ease. A few pushes, a soft, lowing groan, and it was over.
A son was born.
He did not cry with the world-shaking roar of his elder brother, the Tyrant. His entrance was silent. His skin was not pale jade, but had a healthy, ruddy hue. He was robust, well-formed, but lacked the palpable, oppressive aura of divine evil that surrounded Lu Feng.
The Ancestor approached, his green eyes analyzing the newborn. He picked him up, turning him over in his hands as if inspecting a new fruit from a grafted tree.
[Analysis: Offspring #2. Bloodline: Hybrid (Netherworld Dragon Sovereign / Yin Phoenix Weakened / Verdant Empress Diluted).]
[Cultivation Aptitude: High (Earth Grade). Physique: 'Steadfast Ox Body'. Alignment: Neutral (High Resilience, High Endurance).] [Assessment: Superior Soldier Stock. Not a ruler. A loyal, unbreakable tool.]
A slow smile spread across the Ancestor's face. "Perfect," he murmured.
He had his heir apparent in Lu Feng, a peerless weapon of domination. Now, he had his legionnaire. This child would not shake the heavens; he would hold the line. His Steadfast Ox Body meant he would be incredibly difficult to kill, able to endure immense pain and hardship—a perfect general for the endless wars of conquest to come.
He handed the child to a wet nurse—not Niu. Her primary function was milk production for the Dynasty, not nurturing. The child would be raised by specialists, indoctrinated from birth into absolute loyalty to his father and his half-brother, the future Emperor.
Niu, meanwhile, lay on her platform, her body already beginning the process of recovery. She looked at the child for a moment, her eyes registering the movement but showing no maternal spark. The connection had been severed by her conditioning. The child was simply a product she had yielded, like a particularly good volume of milk.
The attendants moved in immediately. They cleaned her and, within the hour, had her back on the milking bench. The flow of milk, temporarily diverted during the pregnancy, resumed. The Ancestor watched, pleased, as the rich, qi-infused liquid began to fill the crystal basins once more.
"Her production has increased by eighteen percent post-birth," he noted aloud to Lin Xian'er. "The pregnancy has enhanced her capacity. Excellent."
He walked over to the milking bench. Niu was leaning forward, her eyes half-closed in the familiar rhythm of relief. The Ancestor placed a hand on her head.
"You have done well, Niu," he said, his voice a bland monotone of praise. "A strong calf. And your yield is improved. You are a model of efficiency."
He dipped a finger into the fresh, warm milk and brought it to his lips. "The quality is exceptional. The nutrients that fed the child have refined your output."
Niu let out a soft, contented sigh at his touch and his words. She had pleased him. That was all that mattered.
The System chimed.
[Ding! Second offspring from Breeder #004 ('Niu') successfully delivered.]
[Reward: Cultivation Base Boost! Host's comprehension of the 'Dao of Vitality' enhanced.] [Host Cultivation Base: Early Ascendant Soul Realm -> Mid Ascendant Soul Realm.]
[New Title: 'Master Breeder'. Passive effect: Fertility rates and successful implantation chances for all Breeders increased by 10%.]
Power, warm and immense, flowed through him. His connection to the very essence of life and creation grew stronger. He could feel the vitality of every living thing in his Citadel, every plant, every animal, every one of his breeding women.
He looked from the silent, robust newborn being carried away to be weaponized, to the placid, productive hucow on the bench, to the notification in his mind.
The system was perfect. Every outcome was a victory. A tyrant, a soldier, a constant flow of potent energy—all harvested from the fields he had conquered and cultivated.
He gave Niu one final pat.
"Continue the good work," he said, before turning and leaving the stable.
The milking machines hummed. Niu lowed softly. The second harvest was in. The gardener was already planning the next planting.
The rhythm of the Citadel was a symphony of production, and Niu had settled into her part with placid acceptance. The birth of her son—the robust, steadfast child now being trained elsewhere—was a distant memory, a biological event that held no more emotional weight than a particularly productive milking session. Her world had once again narrowed to the pleasant ache of fullness, the relieving ritual of the milking parlor, and the rewarding touch of her Master's approval.
The Ancestor, however, was a master of efficiency. A fallow field, even a contented one, was a waste of potential. The System had confirmed her body had fully recovered. The data was clear: her Qi-lactation yields, while still excellent, had plateaued. Post-pregnancy, her body was primed for another seeding, which would, based on the previous results, boost both the quality and quantity of her milk and potentially produce another valuable asset.
He came to her stable not with ceremony, but with purpose. The masked attendants had just finished the evening milking. Niu knelt on her cushioned platform, her large, soft body relaxed, her eyes half-lidded. The air smelled of sweet hay, clean animal, and the faint, metallic tang of spirit-rich milk.
He did not speak to her. Words were largely unnecessary now. His presence alone commanded her focus. A soft chime of a bell—one she associated with him—made her lift her head.
"Turn over, Niu," his voice was calm, instructional.
She complied with a docile grunt, shifting her heavy form to present herself. It was a position of absolute vulnerability and submission, one she had been conditioned to accept without question. This was not the violent conquest of her first seeding, nor the cold, transactional impregnation of the Second Wife. This was something else entirely—a husbandman tending to his livestock.
The Ancestor's hands were cool as they examined her. There was no passion in his touch, only a clinical assessment. He checked the firmness of her udders, the readiness of her womb—a process as impersonal as a farmer checking the soil.
"Satisfactory," he murmured, more to himself than to her.
The act itself was swift and efficient. There was no ceremony, no struggle, no whispered lies of past lives. It was a biological function, a necessary step in the maintenance of a valuable resource. For Niu, the sensation was familiar, a deep, internal pressure that was neither pleasurable nor painful, merely another part of her routine existence. She remained still, her breathing even, her mind focused on the expectation of a reward for good behavior afterward.
It was over in minutes. The Ancestor withdrew, his task complete. He did not look at her with lust or pride, but with the satisfaction of a job well done.
"A good yield is expected," he stated, his tone leaving no room for failure. He rang a different bell, the one for the reward of a special treat.
An attendant hurried in with a small bowl of glowing, golden fruit mash. Niu's eyes lit up with simple anticipation. She eagerly consumed the sweet, euphoria-inducing paste, her tail giving a faint, contented swish.
The System chimed in the Ancestor's mind, its notification cold and precise.
[Ding! Seed of Many Offspring successfully implanted in Breeder #004 ('Niu').]
[Physiological Analysis: Vessel optimal. Fetal development initiated. Qi-lactation yield projected to increase by 22% upon stabilization.] [Projected Offspring Alignment: 'Earth-Attuned Sentinel' (High compatibility with 'Steadfast Ox Body').]
The Ancestor nodded, storing the data. Another soldier. Another boost to resources. The cycle continued.
He gave Niu a final, patronizing pat on the flank. "Good Niu."
He left her then, contentedly licking the remains of the fruit mash from her lips, already forgetting the brief intrusion. For her, the act of impregnation held no more significance than being brushed or milked. It was just another step in the endless, peaceful loop of her existence, another way to please the Master and earn her reward.
The garden's most productive asset had been successfully re-seeded. The harvest would continue, uninterrupted and efficient. The Eternal Dynasty's engine of production hummed on.