By daybreak, Jalen arrived at Hewitt Capital. He could have arrived earlier, but Cali and Calen's weak cultivation levels forced him to transport them in stages. A single long-distance jump would have shattered them under the strain of the energy required.
Cali and Calen were awestruck by the city's grandeur.
Obsidian towers crowned with flame-shaped spires rose into the sky, their surfaces etched with celestial runes. Floating platforms drifted between radiant bridges, and the air shimmered with qi so dense it made their skin prickle.
At the center stood the Flare Palace—vast, fortified, its silhouette pulsing with divine formations. It wasn't just a seat of power. It was the heart of a state forged by myth.
Guards lowered their heads respectfully as Jalen passed, making Cali and Calen exchange a glance.
"Senior, are you perhaps… a noble?" Cali whispered.
Before Jalen could answer, a blur of motion streaked toward them.
A boy descended. His aura hit Cali and Calen like a wave—dense, radiant, impossibly refined. Not just cultivation. Not just bloodline. Something older. Something colder.
He looked to be ten years old. His skin was cedar-toned, kissed by a frost aura that shimmered near the shoulders. His hair was raven-black, coarse and curling near the nape—textured like riverstone, echoing the stillness Jalen wore even in motion.
But it was his eyes that stopped them.
Piercing blue. Rounder than Jalen's, gentler—but unmistakably the same. They held no arrogance. No fear. Just curiosity, wonder, and a quiet loyalty that felt… ancient.
It was the now four-years-and-eight-and-a-half-month-old Jael.
"Daddy!" the boy called, voice bright with joy as he launched into Jalen's arms.
Jalen caught him effortlessly, smiling as the boy's arms wrapped around his neck.
Cali blinked. "That's… your son?"
Of course they looked alike. But what shocked her was the boy's cultivation realm. It was impossible for his age.
Then she considered who his father was—the true anomaly. Jalen.
Just what is this family? she thought. They defy cultivation norms.
"Jael," Jalen said, ruffling the boy's hair. "Say hello."
Jael turned to the mother and son, gaze calm but curious. "Hi."
Cali and Calen greeted the boy tensely—but the commotion wasn't over. Nor was the shock.
Other incredible children showed up.
"Jael, you cheater!" Jared shouted, gliding down from the balcony. At five years and five and a half months, his qi was dense and refined. Though still at the peak of the Diamond Realm, his energy was twice that of an average cultivator at the same level. He wrapped his arms around Jalen's waist, laughing. "Big brother! Jael bullied me. We agreed to race here without supernatural aid to see who could reach you faster—and Jael cheated!"
Jalen rubbed his little brother's head and smiled. "It's nice to see you again, Jared. You've gotten even bigger."
Jared floated before Jalen with a wide grin. "And someday I'll grow big and strong like my brother."
"Strong?" Jael scoffed. "You can't even beat me."
"I will someday. Just wait, nephew," Jared snorted folding his little arms to his chest. It was a very funny sight. "Just you wait."
"By then i will be even stronger," Jael taunted.
"Daddy?" Raja and Jala—the four-years-and-one-month-old twins—descended in synchronized spirals of light. Raja landed with a grin, while Jala tackled Jalen's leg with a squeal.
Cali stood stunned. Even Calen was speechless.
These kids are monsters, she thought. There's no other way to describe them.
From the palace steps, Rana appeared, her smile radiant as she watched her children swarm their father.
Then came Jaquan and Lara.
Jaquan carried the twin boys—Larek and Quan, now two years and nine months old—each nestled in an arm, asleep but pulsing with gentle qi.
Lara held a single cradle close to her chest, glowing with soft formation light. Inside lay her four-and-a-half-month-old son, Zaquan. His qi was faint but already awakening.
Beside them walked Jamir and Jamar, now four years and two months old. Their steps were light, but their qi vibrant. Already at the early Emerald Realm, their laughter echoed like wind chimes.
Floating nearby were six cradles bearing Lloyd's legacy: Lloyd Jr., Lyon, Lyonel, Lyra, Lyn, and Lynell—ranging from three years to one year old. Each rested in formation-stabilized cradles, their qi soft but unmistakably present. As for their mothers, they had left months ago to cultivate—and still hadn't returned. For now, the children were cared for by their grandparents, Jaquan and Lara.
"Welcome home, son," Jaquan said warmly.
Jalen bowed his head. "It's good to be back. And it's a good sign to see you're not expecting."
"With a household this full, there's no room to even think about more kids," Jaquan replied.
The father and son laughed, while Lara and Rana simply rolled their eyes.
Lara was the first to speak. "So, son, aren't you going to introduce us to your guests?"
"This is Cali and her son, Calen," Jalen said, introducing them.
Cali and Calen bowed respectfully. After all, these people weren't just their host family—they radiated importance, and each carried powerful qi.
"Are they…?" Jaquan began.
Before Jalen could answer, Simon, Emperor of the Flare State, arrived—flanked by his wife Jana, along with Talia and Tomlinson, now advisors to the throne.
Talia and Tomlinson nodded respectfully in Jalen's direction, and he returned the gesture.
"Welcome back, my handsome son-in-law," Jana said with a grin, pinching Jalen's cheek. "You've been missed. And I see you've brought a family home. Not suspicious at all."
Jalen sighed. Then he said, "Prepare a place for these two."
"I'll handle that," Jana assured him. She motioned toward Cali and Calen. "You two, come with me. You look like you could use a warm bath and a change of clothes."
Cali gulped, feeling a wave of anxiety. She didn't know what she expected—but it wasn't this.
"Don't be shy, I won't bite," Jana added with a wink.
As she and Calen were led inside, the laughter faded behind them, replaced by quiet footsteps and the distant hum of formation light. Jalen lingered for a while, exchanging words and smiles with his family. Then, without ceremony, he slipped away to be with his wife and three children—to spend time with them in peace. It had been months, after all.