My Children’s Gifts Give Me 1000x Returns!

**ARC 3: THE SOVEREIGN CLAN FOUNDATION & MARCH TO THE CORE**

The white-and-gold walls of the Core City rose like a titan’s shield against the sky, stretching over two hundred feet high and carved from solid, anti-magic granite. Floating stone spires hovered above the city’s six main sectors, connected by bridges of solid light, while massive airships etched with noble crests glided lazily through the clouds.

This was the heart of the Southern Realm—a metropolis where even the street sweepers possessed Mortal Physique cultivation, and where a single merchant shop held more wealth than an entire Outer District slum.

The academy convoy glided through the sprawling southern gates under the watchful eyes of heavy-armored Imperial Core Guards, all of whom were elite Martial Scholars.

Inside the lead carriage, Seraphina and Lucas stared out the window with wide, awe-struck eyes.

"The spiritual Qi here..." Lucas gasped, taking a deep breath of the air circulating through the carriage's vents. "It's at least four times denser than the Inner City! Just breathing here feels like meditating!"

"The Core City sits directly atop a Grade-5 Imperial Spirit Vein," Seraphina explained, though her own eyes were filled with excitement. "Look! That hovering pavilion over there belongs to House Aurelius—the Sword Monarch Realm! And that golden tower with the flaming phoenix crest is the main headquarters of House Zephyrus!"

Ethan and Elena looked out the window as well, their expressions calm and sharp.

When their eyes passed over the hovering sword-spire of House Aurelius, Elena’s hand tightened slightly around her sword hilt. Eight years ago, her mother, Evelyn, had been dragged away to that very house in chains by elders who viewed her commoner father as trash.

Ethan reached over, gently patting his sister's shoulder. "Not much longer, Elena. Dad promised."

Elena looked at her brother, a quiet, immovable resolve returning to her azure eyes. "I know."

The convoy pulled up to the grand stone courtyard of the Grand Sovereign Hotel—a massive, seven-story luxury palace reserved exclusively for tournament delegations and high-ranking noble guests.

As Ethan, Elena, Seraphina, and Lucas stepped out of the white ironwood carriage, surrounded by silver-armored academy guards, a group of young noble heirs clad in golden-embroidered silk robes stood on the hotel steps, watching them with cool condescension.

"Look... the squad from Verdant Haven Citadel has arrived," one of the noble youths smirked, fanning himself with a jade fan.

At the center of the group stood a tall, handsome young man with sharp, fox-like eyes and a golden crest pinned to his chest—Young Master Kaelen Zephyrus, a direct genius of the main line of House Zephyrus, cultivating at Spirit Vein Opening (Late Stage).

Kaelen Zephyrus stepped down the stairs, his eyes fixing onto Ethan and Elena with a cold, mocking gaze.

"So you are the famous twin S-Ranks from House Sterling," Kaelen drawled, his voice carrying an arrogant, echoing Qi. "I heard my branch uncle Cedric lost his administrative post because of your family's little scene at the Exchange."

Ethan didn't stop walking. He kept his hands in his pockets, his posture relaxed as he approached the hotel entrance.

"If your branch uncle lost his job, it's because he was foolish enough to send weak dogs after us," Ethan replied flatly, without even looking Kaelen in the eye. "Are you here to apologize for him, or are you just making noise?"

The surrounding noble heirs gasped!

Kaelen’s fox-like eyes narrowed into razor-sharp, venomous slits, his Late-Stage Spirit Vein Opening Qi flaring into a sharp, golden wind that cracked the stone steps beneath his boots!

"Arrogant commoner trash!" Kaelen sneered, his hand dropping to the hilt of his golden rapier. "You think having a mysterious background lets you run wild in the Core City?! The Regional Tournament starts in two days on the Grand Imperial Arena. When you step onto that stage, I will personally strip away your cultivation and make you crawl!"

Elena stopped, turning her head slightly to look at Kaelen with cold, azure eyes.

"You speak a lot for someone whose ambush mercenaries vanished in Blood-Pine Gorge," Elena said softly, her voice carrying a chilling, razor-sharp edge.

Kaelen’s face flushed pale for a split second, a flicker of shock and horror flashing through his eyes! They knew about the mercenaries?!

Before Kaelen could respond, Vice-Principal Oberon stepped between them, his Early-Stage Martial Scholar pressure flaring to separate the two sides.

"Save your energy for the arena, young masters!" Oberon barked sternly. "This hotel is neutral ground managed directly by the Imperial City Council!"

Kaelen gritted his teeth, reining in his golden Qi. He shot a final, murderous glare at Ethan and Elena before turning around and marching up the steps into the hotel with his retinue.

Meanwhile, high above the clouds...

Floating invisibly directly over the Core City, the Floating Cloud Island hovered like a silent, divine sentinel.

Inside the Sovereign Martial Library, Gabriel stood near a floor-to-ceiling window, holding an ancient, leather-bound scroll. Surrounding him, row upon row of glowing, System-bound S-Grade manuals floated in mid-air inside protective crystalline cubes.

WHOOSH.

Malakor materialized out of the shadow behind Gabriel, bowing deeply on one knee.

"Clan Master," Malakor reported. "Young Master Ethan and Lady Elena have checked into the Grand Sovereign Hotel. Young Master Kaelen of House Zephyrus attempted a verbal provocation, but was shut down immediately."

Gabriel didn't turn around. He calmly rolled up the leather scroll, his dark eyes glowing with a quiet, terrifying golden dragon fire.

"Kaelen Zephyrus..." Gabriel murmured softly. "His father is the Senior Grand Elder of the Zephyrus Merchant Alliance, correct?"

"Yes, Clan Master," Malakor replied. "Grand Elder Vane Zephyrus—a Peak Martial Grandmaster who controls 40% of the Core City's medicinal pill market."

Gabriel turned around, a slow, dark, and extraordinarily cold smile playing on his lips.

"A Peak Martial Grandmaster who controls the pill market?" Gabriel chuckled softly, walking toward the jade table where two glowing System items rested: a Martial Grandmaster Summoning Card and a Sovereign Alchemy Blueprint.

"Malakor," Gabriel commanded smoothly.

"I am here, Clan Master!"

"Tell our Celestial Commerce Hall to open its doors in the Core City tomorrow under a disguised banner—The Sovereign Pill Pavilion. Sell Grade-5 and Grade-6 medicinal pills at half the market price of House Zephyrus."

Malakor’s eyes lit up with absolute, ruthless delight. "Clan Master... you plan to bankrupt House Zephyrus's main revenue stream before the tournament even begins?"

"They tried to assassinate my children in the gorge," Gabriel stated, his voice flat, calm, and laced with absolute, inescapable dominance. "First, I destroy their business. Then, during the tournament... Ethan and Elena will crush their young masters on the arena stage. And if their Peak Martial Grandmaster elder tries to step out..."

Gabriel’s Peak Martial Grandmaster Qi erupted in a brief, blinding flash of golden dragon light that made the entire library tremble!

"...I will crush him myself."