Heaven, Earth, Me

With everything on track, time passed by really quickly. One year went by, and then another. Time flowed like water, blurring the sense of time. During all the years, the girls focused on cultivating and caring for the growing children; the children that could cultivate body cultivation techniques also did so. Meanwhile the rest of the world slowly stabilized after the massive war that Yasenia started. 

As years went by, the fame of the [Astral Sky Clan] became as resounding as thunder, echoing across the entire continent and sweeping land and sea.

Their constantly increasing fame was due to not only what they managed to do but also the [Astral Sky Alliance] that centered around it. The main reason was that all the main cities under the sect's control had become the biggest commercial and cultivation zones in the entire World.

Using the nourishment from the Sky Continent that fell onto the Astral Sky Sect, Tatyana could create powerful formations that used the pureness of that energy as fuel to increase the natural generation of energy in the main sect.

Then, using the Astral Sky Sect's ever-growing energy quality, spatial formations provided the nearby cities with a much denser energy source.

To explain it simply, the Astral Sky Sect was raining energy on the main cities it controlled. 

Other than the ever-growing energy quality, the entrance exam was considered the hardest on the entire continent. Some people scoffed, saying that they would eventually get fewer and fewer disciples and disappear as time went by. 

That would be the truth if it were not for the terrifyingly high benefits that the Sect gave its disciples.

Even outer sect disciples were living better than many inner or even core sect disciples of other First-Rated powers. Therefore, while the sect entrance exam was extremely complicated, everyone tried to enter, so the sect was growing at all times. Moreover, thanks to the scrutinizing entrance test, the people who entered had a certain level of inner calmness, leading to very few acts of violence between disciples, elders, or sect members in general.

The dragoness returned from a gathering of leaders and saw a young girl standing there, looking at her with expectant eyes. The girl looked around 16-years-old, but her actual age was closer to 12-years-old. Of all her children, this girl was the only one who had a very distinctive pair of eyes.

"Estrella, what are you doing here?"

Estrella grinned and rushed forward, hugging Yasenia. "Mommy! I missed you!"

The dragoness laughed and caressed Estrella's hair. "I missed you too, love. How is everything going? Are you making progress?"

Estrella looked up and nodded, a bit hesitant. The dragoness poked her nose and smiled. "Don't lie to me~. Tell me the truth, baby."

Estrella scrunched her nose and said. "Well, that Body Cultivation Technique that Mama and Mommy gave me works…" 

Yasenia's eyes glowed. "Really? We thought that because you were attributeless, even the [Martial Emperor Body Technique] wouldn't work." Yasenia humphed. "I was going to go cross the seas and dig the mountains to search for one that worked for my baby!"

Estrella's eyes softened, and she spoke, feeling a bit ashamed. "But, Mommy…" 

Yasenia looked at her and asked. "What's wrong, Baby?"

Estrella muttered. "Other than Big Sister Kaleina, I am the oldest, but… I am the weakest…" Estrella said, feeling embarrassed. "I want to be stronger." 

Yasenia hummed. "Well, love. That's impossible now because of one thing."

Estrella blinked, and the dragoness smiled. "You are studying just Body Cultivation, while your little sisters are studying both Body and Spiritual cultivation. Then, your little sisters Dianna and Katarina are also pure beasts like you. However, unlike you, their [Beast Core] has been awakened since birth."

Estrella pouted. "So, I am defectuous."

Yasenia's tail moved quickly and slapped Estrella's butt, creating a loud slapping sound and making Estrella yelp. "Ouch! T-That hurt!" 

Yasenia snorted. "It is good that it hurt. Calling yourself defectuous…" Yasenia sighed and cupped her face. "Baby, listen well, okay?"

Estrella blinked a few times while rubbing her butt with her hands. "Okay." 

Yasenia said, her face serious. "In life, misery and fortune go hand in hand. If someone is very fortuitous, they will eventually face misfortune. And if someone's path is riddled with misfortune, they will eventually have a chance to turn that luck around."

Estrella blinked twice, and Yasenia continued. "However, that's nonsense unless you do one thing."

Estrella asked. "What thing?"

"Work hard."

Estrella looked at Yasenia, a bit confused. The dragoness smiled. "Unless you work hard, your life won't change. Do you want to become stronger? Train."

Estrella complained. "But I already train a lot…"

Yasenia smirked. "Then, train harder."

Estrella pouted again, feeling gloomy. "Mommy doesn't know how hard I work."

Yasenia lifted her eyebrow and said. "Nine hours this Monday without counting the rest. Ten and a half on Tuesday. Nine and three quarters on Wednesday. Today, you've worked for seven hours, and you'll go train later for another two or three hours at least."

Estrella was stunned. "H-How? Wasn't Mommy away?"

The dragoness grinned. "Well, I am following the progress that all my little dears are making closer than anything else." 

Yasenia asked. "Baby, how much do you think Mommy trains every day?"

Estrella stuttered. "Mommy trains every day?" 

The dragoness asked, speechless. "What did you think I did?"

Estrella coughed. "I don't know… Breathe air and get stronger?" 

Yasenia wanted to slap this little one's butt again, but she held back. "Anyway, Mommy trains 14 hours a day."

Estrella opened her eyes. "Impossible! When?"

The dragoness smiled. "When you sleep, Mommy is training. I haven't slept in several years already."

Seeing her face, Yasenia knew that Estrella understood and commented. "Love, you have the base to grow into greatness. You can become incredibly strong. However, you need to not give up and continue as you are currently doing for the rest of your life."

Yasenia sighed. "Life is a never-ending race. You need to run and run, never stopping. Otherwise, someone will overcome you. If that someone has bad intentions, then…" Yasenia said severely. "Your race can be over."

Estrella tilted her head. "You stop running?"

The dragoness shook her head and said bluntly. "You get killed." 

Estrella opened and closed her mouth, not knowing how to respond to that. Yasenia asked. "Imagine that Fu Lang Zu, the man that you read about in the War's history books, was stronger than Mommy or Mama? Stronger than the maids? What would've happened?"

Estrella got thoughtful. "Mommy would've lost?"

Patiently, the dragoness guided her thinking. "And, when Mommy lost, what would've happened?"

After thinking for a few seconds, Estrella frowned and answered. "Aunty Zephyrith wouldn't have come home with Mommy?"

"Well…" Yasenia laughed. "That's not a lie. But, what would've happened to Mommy? Do you think Fu Lang Zu was a good person?"

"No! He was very evil and stupid!"

"Right." Yasenia nodded. "So, he might've wanted to kill Mommy, right? Try to stop me at whatever cost, no?" 

"Mhm!" Estrella nodded. 

Yasenia commented. "Therefore, you can't be weak. Weakness is… I don't really want to call it a liability, but it is. A weak person who doesn't work toward getting stronger is someone who is a burden."

The dragoness smiled widely and poked Estrella's nose. "I would rather have one thousand children like you than have a super-talented child who is lazy." 

Estrella hummed, thoughtful. The dragoness thought that it was enough for now, so she changed the subject. "So, how is Luminaria doing? Do you think she can become a humanoid soon?"

Estrella shrugged. "I don't know." Then, she praised with glittering eyes. "I can feel that she is very clever! She can communicate with me using energy! Like, creating words and such!" 

The dragoness was surprised. "Oh? She is so adept at controlling energy! That's very impressive for someone at her level and age."

"Right!?" Estrella smiled, and then she sighed. "Even my friend is more talented than me…"

The dragoness burst into laughter and smacked the back of her head. "You silly daughter." 

"Oh? Big Sister Estrella! There you are!"

An energetic voice came from the side. The girl approaching was a woman with dark blue hair and brilliant golden slit eyes. Her stature was tall, and her body, while young, looked very curvy. When she matured, she would probably bloom like a rose.

Estrella looked over and smiled happily. "Little Sister Skye! What's wrong?"

Skye was going to continue speaking, but she realized that Yasenia was there, and her eyes lit up. "Mommy!" 

She stepped forward like a little spark, arriving quickly by their side and throwing herself into Yasenia's arms. "Ah~, so nice~ so soft~. I missed this!"

Estrella sighed. "You sound like a pervert."

Skye blinked. "Mama Evelyn does this all the time."

Estrella sighed. 'And Mama Evelyn is a pervert…' But she didn't say out loud.

"So…" The dragoness looked down at her energetic Little Spark and asked. "What are you babies going to do?"

Proud and eager, Skye answered. "We are going to go out and roam the sect by ourselves for the first time!" 

Estrella asked, surprised. "It's today!? I completely forgot!"

Skye laughed. "Big Sister is so forgetful lately. Tsk, tsk. This is what happens because you worry about silly stuff." 

The black-haired child pouted. "It's not silly…" 

Skye stuck out her tongue. "Silly Big Sister, as if Mommy or Mama Tatyana won't love you the same because you can't keep up! That's a silly thought to have."

The dragoness blinked and spoke, supporting her daughter. "Well, baby. This time, your little sister is right. Even if you couldn't cultivate, I would love you the same."

Confused, the little one asked. "The same? Not more?"

Yasenia snorted. "More? Why would I love you more or less? You are my baby, Estrella. Regardless of your talents, I will love you the same. More talented? Less talented? Does it matter when the recipient of my love is my lovely daughter!?" Yasenia snorted twice more. "If my baby wants the Moon and can't get it by their own efforts because of something, then Mommy will get it for you!"

The two children wanted to refute, but somehow, it sounded like something their Mommy would do. She was the first to push them to be better, but if their Mommy entered her "pampering mode," then they would get almost anything they wanted. 

"Also, babies." 

Both answered. "Yes, Mommy?"

"What's this thing about going out all alone that you are speaking about?"

Both girls explained. Estrella started. "We asked Mamas to let us out alone, with just our maids. We want to explore the sect by ourselves." 

The dragoness blinked twice. "They accepted?"

Estrella smiled proudly. "Mama Tatyana gave us the go-ahead!"

Skye nodded. "When Mama Tatyana agreed, the other Mamas, who were frowning, suddenly relaxed. It is very strange. Why is that, Mommy?"

Yasenia commented. "She probably told them something through spiritual sense." The dragoness thought for a bit and commented. "Well, sure. Be careful, though. Do you all have the life-saving treasures that we gave you?"

Estrella and Skye shook their hand, summoning a complex talisman. "Yes!"

The dragoness smiled. "Good. Then, have fun, okay babies?" 

"Okay!!"