“……This matter must be discussed at length.”
This pregnant female cultivator happened to be an inner disciple, and goodness knows how furious her master would be.
Female cultivators were already scarce, and for one to be able to enter the inner sect was even more rare.
Once pregnant at a time like this, what was wasted wasn’t just ten months of time, but also the mother’s spiritual power.
The Azure Firmament Sect only had two female inner disciples. Aside from Ming Xiangchu, there was only this pregnant female cultivator inside, who was currently lying inside the cave, letting out groans from time to time.
Her name was Xiangxiang.
Truly a fine name.
Yet Shen Zhiwei had no particular impression of this name, figuring she was just another piece of cannon fodder.
A thought crossed Shen Zhiwei’s mind. “Rubai, how is Miss Xiang right now?”
“This disciple… this disciple doesn’t know either.” Mo Rubai blushed so hard with embarrassment that his face turned red. A woman was pregnant; how could a male like him possibly know about such things?
“To need to call upon an elder just for this minor issue—what a disgrace to be an inner disciple,” Shen Zhiwei said expressionlessly. “If word gets out, the one losing face won’t just be her, but her master as well.”
“Elder Lingzhi!” Ming Xiangchu had just walked out of the cave when she heard Shen Zhiwei’s unfeeling words, and she couldn’t help flaring up with anger. “Pregnancy and childbirth are things a woman must experience. So what if Xiangxiang is an inner disciple?”
“Even so, why on earth did she drag this body into the trial grounds?” Shen Zhiwei sneered. “She is harming the child in her belly by doing this!”
“You!”
Ming Xiangchu wanted to retort, but Mo Rubai pulled her back. “Senior Sister Ming, Little Master-Uncle was just speaking out of a moment of agitation. Besides, he is our master-uncle; you must not shout and yell at him.”
“Apologies!” Ming Xiangchu gave a stiff bow toward Shen Zhiwei. She had forgotten once again that this master-uncle had never been an easy person to get along with. Having lived her life with everything going smoothly, this was only the second time someone had refused to give her face like this.
Unfortunately, the first time had also been Realizer Lingzhi.
Too lazy to look at her, Shen Zhiwei said, “Rubai, accompany me inside to check on Miss Xiang.”
Upon stepping inside, Shen Zhiwei caught a whiff of an extraordinary aura.
Xiangxiang was currently lying on the ground, with only a thin layer of tree leaves spread beneath her. Her face bore an expression of agony, yet her belly was actively writhing.
“Are you all certain that what she’s carrying is human?” Shen Zhiwei narrowed his eyes, looking at the completely out-of-it woman.
No pregnant woman was ever like this. Judging by the size, her belly looked only six or seven months along, yet during this period, he had heard no news of any female cultivator falling pregnant.
In other words, back at the Azure Firmament Sect, even if Xiangxiang had already conceived, her belly shouldn’t have shown at all. Yet now it was bulging and swollen, with whatever was inside frantically thrashing about.
“It… it’s not human?”
The outer disciple who had been taking care of Xiangxiang and wiping her sweat was startled, involuntarily taking half a step back. “Elder Lingzhi, if what’s inside Senior Sister Xiang’s belly isn’t human, then… then what on earth is it?”
As soon as those words were asked, the answer formed in everyone’s mind.
—A demonic entity.
Could it be that demonic entities had already infiltrated the inner disciples?
If even the inner disciples couldn’t be guarded against, then what about the outer disciples?
Shen Zhiwei couldn’t help frowning. “What’s inside her belly is a demon.”
With that, Shen Zhiwei half-crouched down and vaguely traced a spell formation. Golden light slowly sank into Xiangxiang’s belly, and within moments, her groans ceased, and clarity returned to her eyes.
“Realizer… Realizer Lingzhi?” Xiangxiang struggled as if she wanted to stand up. Overcome by unbearable pain just moments ago, she had sent a distress signal to the elders—only for Realizer Lingzhi to show up!
Yet the moment Xiangxiang moved, a sharp pain surged from her belly…
“Xiangxiang, don’t move,” Ming Xiangchu said with a heartache, supporting Xiangxiang’s shoulders and letting her lean against her. “Your… who is your dao companion?”
A trace of a smile appeared on Xiangxiang’s face, but accidentally meeting Shen Zhiwei’s gaze, she lowered her head in panic.
Shen Zhiwei: “…Xiangxiang, whatever is inside your belly should be a demon. If you still want to live, you must kill it.”
“No!”
Xiangxiang instinctively covered her belly. The pain only grew more intense when her hands touched it, but even so, she clutched it for dear life, desperately hiding herself within Ming Xiangchu’s embrace.
Was it really this difficult to deal with just a piece of cannon fodder?
No. In this world, every single person was a living, breathing human being. Even if Shen Zhiwei viewed them all as mere strings of text and characters, to them, this was their reality, and they were flesh-and-blood people.
To stand out and become one of only two female inner disciples, Xiangxiang’s temperament and strength were undoubtedly top-tier.
Yet now, for the sake of the freakish fetus in her belly, she was willingly giving up her life?
Just what kind of man could make this proud favorite of heaven willingly give up her path to immortality?
Shen Zhiwei couldn’t help turning his head to look at Mo Rubai behind him. “Rubai, does this matter have anything to do with you?”
Mo Rubai was dumbfounded for a moment. “Little Master-Uncle, what do you mean by this?”
He hadn’t even experienced worldly matters yet; how could his master-uncle suspect that he had a child with another woman?
“Realizer Lingzhi!” A-ling chimed in angrily as well. “Senior Brother Mo is not that kind of person.”
“Oh, my apologies.” Shen Zhiwei offered an unconcerned apology. If not the male lead, who else could possibly possess such charm?
“I… I can’t say,” Xiangxiang choked out, tears threatening to spill. “Realizer Lingzhi, I want to go out. I want to go out and protect my child. There must be something wrong with this mystic realm; my child is definitely fine!”
“If you love this child so much, why did you even enter the trial?” This skeptical question was actually raised by Mo Rubai.
Shen Zhiwei looked at Mo Rubai in surprise. Done playing the innocent white lotus?
Yet with Mo Rubai pointing that out, no one else had any objections. Shivering in Ming Xiangchu’s arms, Xiangxiang stammered, “I… I didn’t know I was pregnant either. I only found out just now.”
Shen Zhiwei: “…”
If whatever was inside that belly were to be born, the consequences would be unimaginable!
[Let her give birth to it,] Three-Eight’s voice suddenly rang out. [The child in her belly—I want it.]
[Her dao companion is you?] Shen Zhiwei’s face darkened. [What did you do to her?]
[I am still a pure maiden!]
Three-Eight’s voice sounded rather proud of that fact.
“This child cannot be kept!” Shen Zhiwei said with cold ruthlessness. “Miss Xiang, I understand your feelings, but if it’s allowed to be born, the consequences will be unimaginable. The entire Azure Firmament Sect might be destroyed because of you!”
Hearing this, Xiangxiang looked at Shen Zhiwei with tear-filled eyes, too terrified to even cry.
This was the first child belonging to her and him. Was it really… impossible to keep it?
[Shen Zhiwei!] Three-Eight was furious. [Can’t you hear what I’m saying? Weren’t you supposed to be cold-hearted and merciless? Why are you doing this?]
Three-Eight was so angry his voice took on a mechanical glitch tone. [The child in her belly belongs to your sect leader!]
That single revelation caused Shen Zhiwei’s expression to change drastically…