Three Thousand Daos!

In the ancient clan of the Quinns.

Catherine Grace, the Empress of Qingqiu, had carried her child for a hundred years. Today, her time had come.

Inside the clan, chaos reigned.

An Empress giving birth—this wasn’t just a family matter, it was monumental.

The clan's grand protective formation, untouched for ten thousand years, was activated.

Everything was tightly controlled.

In a chamber carved from gold and jade, Catherine sat calm and composed, her slender hand gently caressing her belly.

“Kid, looks like today’s the day I finally get to see you.”

“You’ve been kicking me for a whole century. Time to stop.”

Hundreds of years of nurturing, countless divine fruits and celestial elixirs, all drained away.

And after every elixir, the little troublemaker would thrash inside, making it impossible for Catherine to move freely.

“So restless, still moving.”

She smiled softly as tiny limbs stirred again inside her.

But that smile froze the next second.

Inside her, something split. The long-sealed energy burst free.

Her face paled as that terrifying force surged out.

Blood and power flooded the room in an instant.

Startled, Catherine widened her eyes.

“Boundless blood force… definitely my child.”

She muttered with a mix of shock and pride.

“Whoosh…”

Suddenly, a strange phenomenon filled the sky over the Quinn clan.

Where the sky had been clear, dark clouds rolled in, lightning tore through the air—

Then the sky ripped open with a thunderous crack.

From the rift, twisted runes poured down, swirling and lingering above.

“Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh…!”

With the celestial change came ten beams of light, streaking across the heavens.

Each one pulsing with a pressure so fierce, half the sky darkened under their weight.

The Ten Empresses had arrived.

All of them carried overwhelming power—each a ruler of a domain, unmatched across the Nine Heavens.

Wherever they moved, the space around them cracked apart, violent and unstoppable.

Glorious, radiant, oppressive!

Back in the gilded chamber, Catherine faced the ten imperial auras without flinching.

She caught one she knew—it belonged to Emma Bennett, the Empress of the Underworld.

Catherine frowned.

They’re showing up now, just as I’m giving birth... What’s all this about?

“Waa—!”

At that moment, a sharp cry rang out just as the ten arrived.

It echoed clean through the air—once, then stopped dead.

But everyone knew—an imperial child was born.

With a wave of her hand, Catherine summoned a golden swaddle and gently lifted her baby up.

“Whoosh—”Catherine Grace reached out and held the baby in her arms. Not a trace of fatigue showed on her. Her figure was still graceful, skin flawless, and long hair flowing.

Draped in a purple robe, she radiated the majesty of an empress. Her aura was calm and restrained, and her slender hands carefully cradled the infant. Her eyes never left the baby wrapped in the swaddle.

The child’s skin was milky white, his little face round and plump. Tiny arms and hands waved around nonstop.

“Mischievous now, huh? You’re finally in my hands,” Catherine Grace joked, gently pinching the baby’s cheek with a bright smile.

His jade-like face made her reluctant to let go. But remembering the ten Empresses waiting outside, she took a deep breath and stepped out, still glowing with joy.

Among them was her dearest friend.

*Creak—*

The door opened. The ten Empresses stood waiting. Each one breathtaking, full of vitality, their powerful presence veiled in light. To ordinary people, they were almost invisible.

As Catherine Grace emerged, all ten turned their eyes to the bundle in her arms.

There he was—white-skinned, eyes closed, tiny limbs flailing. Utterly adorable.

Emma Bennett’s eyes lit up the instant she saw him. In a flash, she was in front of Catherine, reaching out to pinch the baby’s cheek.

“Wow! So soft!”

“His little cheeks bounce like dumplings!” she gushed, both hands moving nonstop as she squished his tiny face.

The other Empresses: “…!”

“Emma, he’s still a newborn—take it easy!” Catherine smiled but protectively turned to shield her son.

“See? Once someone has a child, the best friend gets tossed aside. Now I can’t even touch him,” Emma said with a straight face, voice soft as wind chimes.

The others were lost.

“What nonsense are you on about?” Catherine stared, confused.

Before she could react, Emma’s body tensed. A gust of energy sliced through her white sleeve.

*Whirl!*

The fabric danced in the wind, falling to the ground.

“Catherine Grace of Qingqiu, from this day on, we’re no longer sisters.”

Her tone was firm. No hesitation.

Catherine blinked. “Are you serious?”

Right then, Emma broke into a sly grin.

“Mother-in-law, I came to propose marriage. Hand your son over—I promise he’ll rule the nine heavens and beyond.”As soon as the words left Emma Bennett’s mouth, the atmosphere froze.

“I thought we were best friends, and now you want to be my daughter-in-law?” That’s the first thing that popped into Catherine Grace’s mind.

Sophia Frost scoffed. “Why should he marry you? I’m here to propose too.”

She looked at Catherine and corrected herself immediately, “Catherine—no—Mother-in-law!”

“What she can offer, I can too,” Sophia added, her cheeks flushed as she pulled out a pendant. “This jade piece is crafted from a true dragon’s spine I hunted ten thousand years ago. Took me a thousand years to refine it. It’s for my future husband. Please, accept it on his behalf.”

The jade pendant spun through the air, landing squarely in Catherine Grace’s palm. It pulsed with blazing dragon breath—hot enough to sear the soul. Such a treasure could start wars between ancient monsters. And now—just an engagement gift.

Isabella Drake clicked her tongue. “A mere pendant? That’s all?”

“I’m here to propose too.” Her voice was sharp as she presented her own offering—a Nine-Colored Glazed Lamp, her life-bound treasure. Flames of rainbow glass shimmered across its surface.

“Who doesn’t have treasure? I’m proposing too! Whoever tries to outbid me—come fight me!”

Chaos erupted. One after another, the female emperors flung out their engagement tokens. The word "mother-in-law" passed their lips like it was second nature.

Catherine’s face shifted through a storm of emotions. Nine emperors all proposing at once… but one was still silent—Sarah Nankung.

Known as the Cold Fairy, Sarah always carried an icy air that chilled the spine. She was the strongest among them. In one-on-one combat, she might take damage—but she’d kill the rest of them.

Finally, she spoke. “Everyone, listen.”

Her voice was cold as frost—instantly quieting the fiery tension.

“You’re all Empresses, mighty in your own right. Scrambling over a child? Where’s your dignity?”

Then, she turned to Catherine Grace and added, “Mother-in-law—this is my engagement gift. He should pick me. The others are too weak.”

The other empresses stared, stunned. So that whole speech… was to steal the lead?

Shameless.

They sighed inwardly.

In Catherine’s arms, baby Alexander Quinn flailed his little arms, eyes sparkling with excitement.

Just born—and ten empresses now want to marry him?

This… this is power!

But then, his gaze darkened.

“What the hell…? My luck’s pitch-black?!”