My Children’s Gifts Give Me 1000x Returns!

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

The silence inside the one-hundred-thousand-seat Grand Imperial Arena was absolute, heavy, and suffocating.

One of the four absolute titans of the Core City—Grand Elder Vane Zephyrus, a Peak Martial Grandmaster who commanded tens of thousands of cultivators and controlled forty percent of the realm's pill commerce—lay pinned face-first into the cracked dragon-marble stage. He writhing under an invisible, mountain-shattering domain pressure, completely unable to lift his head even a fraction of an inch.

Standing beside him was Gabriel. His dark dragon-silk coat settled over his shoulders as his gold-tinted dragon pupils scanned the high VIP platforms.

Representatives from House Aurelius and House Valerius sat frozen in their seats, sweat drenching their silk robes, not daring to emit even a single thread of Qi.

Gabriel looked down at Vane Zephyrus, his voice cold, flat, and echoing with unshakeable authority.

"You used blood-poison needles on my son during a public match," Gabriel said smoothly. "And when he broke your pawn, you tried to strike him down yourself. Tell me, Grand Elder Vane... why shouldn't I erase your entire lineage from the Core City right now?"

"C-Clan Master Sterling..." Vane gasped, coughing up a pool of dark, blood-tinged Qi as the spatial pressure squeezed his ribs. "Mercy... I—I was blinded by rage... Have mercy on House Zephyrus!"

A man who had ruled the commercial sector for fifty years was now weeping and begging for his life in front of the entire empire.

Gabriel raised a single hand.

BZ—ZZZ-T!

From the spatial rift floating behind Gabriel, Lord Harrison—the System-forged Chief Merchant of the Celestial Commerce Hall—stepped onto the arena stage. In his hands rested an ancient, pitch-black parchment scroll covered in glowing, gold-and-crimson runes: The Sovereign Imperial Vassal Scroll.

"I don't need your blood, Vane," Gabriel said, looking down at the trembling elder with bored indifference. "Your life is worthless to me. But House Zephyrus's trade routes, auction houses, and pill distribution networks... those will serve House Sterling well."

Lord Harrison unrolled the black parchment, letting it hover six inches above Vane Zephyrus's face.

"This is a System-Bound Soul Contract," Gabriel commanded, his eyes glowing with terrifying golden dragon light. "Sign it with your blood and your soul core. From this day forward, House Zephyrus becomes the official commercial vassal of House Sterling. Seventy percent of all your market revenues belong to our treasury. If anyone from your main line ever entertains a single thought of betrayal... your soul core will implode instantly."

Vane Zephyrus looked at the glowing red runes on the scroll. Signing it meant handing over his family's independence, their fortune, and their eternal freedom.

But as he felt Gabriel’s Peak Martial Grandmaster domain press an extra inch downward—cracking his shoulder blades—Vane knew he had no choice.

"I... I accept!" Vane sobbed in despair.

Vane bit his tongue, spitting a glowing droplet of blood-red soul essence directly onto the parchment!

FLASH!

The Sovereign Imperial Vassal Scroll absorbed the soul essence, erupting into a crimson beam of light that shot straight into Vane’s forehead, etching an invisible silver sword and golden dragon emblem deep into his soul core!

[Ding!]

[Major Milestone Achieved: 'Forced House Zephyrus into Total Commercial Vassalage'!]

[Triggering 1000x Critical Return!]

[Host receives: Complete Control over the Zephyrus Commercial Network (Valued at 500,000,000 High-Grade Spirit Stones)!]

[Host receives: 1x Imperial Grade-7 Sovereign Breakthrough Pill!]

(Pushes Host from Peak Martial Grandmaster straight into the MARTIAL SAINT REALM!)

[Host receives: 1x System Subordinate Summoning Card (Martial King Rank)!]

Gabriel felt the massive influx of rewards settle into his System space. A Martial Saint Breakthrough Pill and a Martial King Summoning Card!

The spatial domain pressing down on Vane Zephyrus instantly vanished. Vane collapsed onto his hands and knees, breathing frantically, bowing his head to the stone floor before Gabriel.

"Subordinate Vane Zephyrus... greets the Sovereign Lord!" Vane choked out, his voice filled with absolute, binding submission.

Gabriel didn't even acknowledge Vane's bow. He turned back to Ethan and Elena, who stood with calm, proud postures at his side.

"Ethan, Elena," Gabriel said warmly, patting their shoulders. "The tournament is finished for today. The referee seems too terrified to call the next match anyway."

The referee dropped to his knees on his platform, bowing frantically. "N-No, My Lord! The Regional Exchange Tournament trophy is officially awarded to House Sterling!"

"Good," Gabriel smiled, turning toward the open air. "Let's go back to the Floating Island."

WHOOSH!

A blinding golden spatial portal wrapped around Gabriel, Ethan, and Elena, vanishing them from the Grand Imperial Arena in a flash of divine light.

An hour later...

Inside the central, jade-carved cultivation chamber of the Floating Cloud Island...

Gabriel sat cross-legged atop his white jade altar, holding the glowing, golden Imperial Grade-7 Sovereign Breakthrough Pill in his palm. Below the floating island, the entire Core City was in complete lockdown as news of House Zephyrus's total submission spread like wildfire.

"The time has come," Gabriel whispered.

He swallowed the Grade-7 Sovereign Pill.

BOOM—AZURE LIGHT ERUPTED!

A blinding, multi-colored heavenly storm tore open the clouds directly above the Floating Cloud Island!

The celestial energy inside Gabriel’s Dantian erupted like a dying star, shattering the final barrier of the Grandmaster realm! His spirit channels turned into divine, crystalline dragon veins, and his soul core expanded tenfold!

[Ding! Breakthrough Successful!]

[Host Realm Upgraded: Peak Martial Grandmaster ➔ EARLY-STAGE MARTIAL SAINT!]

(Host now possesses Absolute Spatial Creation, Divine Domain Suppression, and Saint-Level Immortality over all entities below the Martial Emperor Realm!)

Gabriel opened his eyes, two terrifying golden dragon pupils illuminating the entire sky! His aura alone was now so immense that the spatial walls of the Floating Island vibrated with heavenly music!

At that exact moment, Malakor materialized out of the shadows, bowing deeply on both knees, his face pale with urgency.

"Sovereign Master!" Malakor reported rapidly. "Our shadow network inside House Aurelius has just transmitted an emergency message!"

Gabriel looked down at Malakor, his voice echoing like an ancient deity: "Speak."

"High Elder Jonathan Aurelius has learned of your true strength," Malakor warned. "Fearing that House Sterling will march on the Northern Realm, he has ordered Lady Evelyn Aurelius to be forcefully married to the Third Prince of the Central Imperial Household in three weeks to secure an Imperial Alliance!"

CRACK!

The white jade altar beneath Gabriel shattered into fine powder from his erupting Martial Saint pressure!

Gabriel stood up, his dark dragon-silk coat fluttering in a storm of golden divine light, his eyes burning with cold, world-destroying fury.

"Forcefully marry my wife to an Imperial Prince?" Gabriel murmured, his voice laced with absolute, inescapable doom.

Gabriel reached into his System inventory, pulling out the newly acquired Martial King Summoning Card.

"Malakor, Ignatius," Gabriel commanded, his voice shaking the heavens above the Core City. "Assemble all Eight Sovereign Halls. Summon our Martial Masters, Grandmasters, and Kings..."

Gabriel’s golden dragon pupils flashed with absolute dominance.

"...In three weeks... House Sterling marches on the Northern Realm, and we tear House Aurelius to the ground."