Pregnant with the Immortal Venerable's Child After Divorce - Chapter 17

Chapter 17: Why Are You So Jealous?

The secret realm set to open this time belongs to the largest sect in Fenglingzhou—the Golden Tide Sect.

It is said to belong to them, but in reality, the entrance just happens to be located there. Since this kind of sole possession is not very honorable, the Golden Tide Sect opens it up periodically.

According to the information A Fu gathered, there are indeed signs that the secret realm is about to upgrade.

Most secret realms are separate minor worlds with their own environment and ecosystem. The realm has a cultivation limit, and all the creatures and natural treasures within the realm are generally restricted to this cultivation level.

The creatures within the secret realm continuously grow. Once they grow to a certain level, the secret realm will also upgrade, and its restriction limit will be raised.

This upgrading process often brings about many unexpected events, but also many opportunities.

“Although this news hasn’t spread yet, it’s only a matter of time. Many people should rush here afterward,” A Fu said, pulling out a map from his spatial ring. “However, since the secret realm is about to open, apart from a few sects with mobile artifacts, most of those who arrive will be from the nearby continents.”

Yan Zhu looked at him, noticing that he had thoroughly researched all the sects that might come, and was slightly stunned: “Why are you looking into all this?”

A Fu explained: “These are all our opponents.”

It took Yan Zhu a few seconds to understand what he meant: “Are you saying there will be conflict?”

A Fu nodded: “Naturally. Once inside the secret realm, the outside rules no longer apply. Murder and treasure-snatching are common occurrences within the realm. If we are to go in, we must plan carefully. I will spend the next two days compiling a list of the disciples who might enter, and investigate them thoroughly.”

Yan Zhu flipped through the map, puzzled: “Then why aren’t Ran’yin and the others preparing?”

“They initially thought it was just for fun. With their cultivation, they didn’t need to prepare,” A Fu explained. “But the situation is now special, so they will certainly have to investigate too.”

As he spoke, he took out a stack of booklets from his spatial ring and placed them on the table.

Yan Zhu took one and flipped through it, discovering that it contained some past information about this secret realm, such as the resources produced, casualties, and opportunities that appeared. Although it was only a small portion, it still surprised him: “How do you have this?”

“I grabbed it from the library before we left. I thought it might be useful,” A Fu explained.

Seeing his serious manner of reading the book, Yan Zhu suddenly felt a little guilty: “Little Senior Brother really taught you well.”

This earned him a puzzled look from A Fu.

Yan Zhu didn’t explain further, but instead asked: “Does Little Senior Brother conduct these investigations when he goes to a secret realm?”

A Fu hesitated for a moment and shook his head: “Senior Martial Brother doesn’t need to.”

Yan Zhu was momentarily surprised, but quickly understood what he meant.

Wen Sucheng was the number one swordsman. No one dared to provoke him in a one-on-one fight. As for a fight against multiple people… which powerful cultivator doesn’t cherish their reputation? Why would they do such a thankless and difficult thing unless they had a death wish? After all, resources could be found again, but if they died carelessly, everything would truly be gone.

Yan Zhu sighed inwardly for a while, then reached out for a booklet and began flipping through it with A Fu.

He lacked experience, so learning more was always a good thing.

…

The next day, the others also arrived.

Qi Ran’yin and Kong Fu also did some investigation, but only checked the sects that would be coming, not as detailed as A Fu’s work.

Qi Ran’yin flipped through the booklet, marveling: “The Bright Heart Sect even has this?”

“Just miscellaneous records. It’s incomplete, only for reference,” A Fu explained. “We don’t know what level it will upgrade to.”

Yan Zhitao was also looking, and asked with some confusion when she heard this: “What do you mean by ‘what level it will upgrade to’?”

“It means we don’t know what cultivation realm it will upgrade to,” Yan Zhu explained. “The living beings and the secret realm coexist and depend on each other. Under the realm’s limit, those beings can’t exceed the restriction, but when the secret realm upgrades, it will carry them through to a breakthrough. Generally, a secret realm upgrade only raises the level by one or two stages, but there can be accidents.”

For example, a Golden Core realm secret realm suddenly jumps to the Body Integration realm. This kind of situation would lead to a large number of casualties. Because the threshold is low, many low-level cultivators can enter, only to find that the realm level is too high, and they cannot withstand a single blow from the spiritual beasts inside.

“This restriction acts as a kind of protection,” Yan Zhu said. “Low-level cultivators can’t get in, and high-level cultivators will have their cultivation suppressed upon entry. To some extent, this ensures that the people inside are roughly on the same level of strength. Of course, this doesn’t include combat experience. If a secret realm upgrade occurs like this, the protection will completely fail.”

Yan Zhitao sounded a little worried: “Then won’t a lot of high-level cultivators go in? Will we be in danger too?”

“No,” Yan Zhu said, glancing at Kong Fu. With him entering, there wouldn’t be any danger, but his identity was best kept secret, so Yan Zhu pointed to Qi Ran’yin instead: “We have him.”

Qi Ran’yin immediately choked up and said speechlessly: “I can’t possibly protect all of you.”

Kong Fu chuckled but didn’t speak, yet his demeanor alone made him seem very formidable. Yan Zhitao felt reassured just looking at him.

A Fu frowned at his look and said: “Bright Heart Sect disciples will definitely come. Master, send a letter to Senior Martial Brother, and he will come.”

Before anyone else could reply, Yan Zhu shook his head and refused: “No. If he comes, those disciples will also follow.”

A Fu said: “They’re not children; they don’t need supervision.”

“But Little Senior Brother still has a responsibility,” Yan Zhu said. “I don’t want to play father to those people in the secret realm.”

A Fu fell silent, but his eyes still showed a bit of reluctance.

Yan Zhu had to comfort him: “With Kong Fu here, you don’t need to worry.”

A Fu held his hand: “I can protect Master too.”

“Good, then I’ll entrust my safety to you,” Yan Zhu said, reaching out to stroke his head. “And Taozi.”

Yan Zhitao immediately turned her head when she heard her name.

Yan Zhu then began to instruct her to be careful and pay attention, clearly using a tone one would use with a child.

Yan Zhitao listened happily.

A Fu frowned, pulling Yan Zhu’s hand: “She’s not a child anymore.”

“She’s not big either,” Yan Zhu said. “She’s the same as you.”

Both were juniors, and both needed his care.

A Fu was even more displeased when he heard this. The thought of creating another Divine Consciousness Clone surfaced again.

“Master, do you want to take another disciple?” A Fu asked.

Yan Zhu looked at A Fu amusedly. Occasionally, small disciples would go to Burning Snow Peak when they were at the Bright Heart Sect, and this little cat never paid any mind. Now that they were out, he was jealous of everything.

He had to patiently coax him: “Don’t worry, I won’t be looking for a new disciple.”

“You can look,” A Fu said. “I’ll help Master look.”

These words sounded to Yan Zhu as if A Fu was asking for a suitable playmate for himself.

What kind of playmate would a little cat like? Probably another little cat.

He smiled and said: “Then you go look. If you find one, bring it back.”

A Fu nodded and began to ponder what kind of “Junior Brother” he should create.

Seeing that he was distracted by his own thoughts, Yan Zhu turned his attention to Qi Ran’yin and said: “Although there shouldn’t be any danger, we still need to be careful.” As he spoke, he found a few artifacts from his spatial ring and handed them to Qi Ran’yin. They were all for reconnaissance. “I will also check the surrounding area these few days so we can run if anything goes wrong.”

Qi Ran’yin wasn’t too worried, but seeing Yan Zhu so nervous, he had to take it seriously, saying: “We will handle it. You don’t need to worry. Taking care of your body is what’s important.”

Yan Zhu frowned: “My body is perfectly fine.”

Qi Ran’yin didn’t want to argue with him about this and simply concluded: “In any case, you are not allowed to mess around.”

Yan Zhu, though unconvinced, didn’t want to worry Qi Ran’yin, so he had to agree and assigned the tasks to A Fu and Yan Zhitao.

The task was simple: set up some precautionary artifacts and arrays near the secret realm. However, since the area belonged to the Golden Tide Sect, placing these things in someone else’s territory was a bit presumptuous. So, the two went as disciples of the Bright Heart Sect, and the Golden Tide Sect didn’t say much.

But using this identity caused a problem: they would be noticed by Bright Heart Sect disciples who were also here for experience.

A Fu was fine, but Yan Zhitao was unfamiliar with the Bright Heart Sect’s situation and happily brought back two disciples she met.

Yan Zhu also knew those two disciples. They were his Senior Martial Brother’s apprentices and often came to Lush Peak to get spiritual plants. When they saw him, they respectfully bowed: “Martial Uncle Yan.”

Yan Zhu nodded and didn’t say much. He wasn’t familiar with the two. When they met at the sect, they would state their intention, he would go pick the spiritual plants for them, and the exchange would end.

He thought it would be the same this time, but unexpectedly, the two disciples started chatting with him: “Martial Uncle Yan, when are you planning to return?”

“I don’t know,” Yan Zhu hesitated for a moment, then said, “Just wandering around. I’ll go back when I get tired of playing.”

One of the disciples then asked: “Is Lush Peak alright without supervision?”

Yan Zhu said: “An array has been set up there. It will be fine unattended for a short time.”

The other disciple then asked: “Then what should we do if we need spiritual plants?”

Yan Zhu didn’t understand what he meant at first, paused, and explained: “Just go find the spiritual puppets.”

“Those spiritual puppets are too unfeeling,” the disciple complained. “They won’t give us anything unless we pay enough spirit stones.”

Yan Zhu was silent for a moment, then laughed softly: “Even when I’m back, it’s the spiritual puppets who get them for you.”

The two disciples were stunned.

Yan Zhu asked: “Do the two of you know that the person who came to get things for your Master before was always the same?”

The two disciples hesitated and nodded.

Yan Zhu asked again: “Then do you know that after your Master assigned the task to you, he would also send me a copy of the list?”

The expressions of the two disciples slightly changed.

Yan Zhu explained with a smile: “Because your Senior Martial Brother knew that I wouldn’t be too strict with him, he would secretly add the things he wanted to the list every time. He didn’t spend a single penny, and blamed all the favors on your Master.”

The faces of the two disciples fell.

Yan Zhu continued: “Actually, I also told your Senior Martial Brother to come get them himself. He said it was a little benefit for you apprentices. He also said he would make up the extra money to me. I told him not to worry about it, that it was my spending money for you, which is why the disciples who come now take turns.”

The two disciples were flushed with shame. One of them stammered, trying to say something, but didn’t know how to explain. The one with thicker skin, however, said directly: “Then, since Master buys so many things, what’s wrong with Martial Uncle Yan giving some away?”

Yan Zhu was angered into a laugh: “You don’t think the spiritual plants on Lush Peak sell for only that much money outside, do you?” He said, his gaze falling on the disciple who hadn’t spoken: “Cui Haotang, from now on, you won’t get a discount when you buy spiritual plants on Lush Peak.” He then looked at the thick-skinned one: “Pei Hua, when you come to Lush Peak in the future, the price will be the market price plus fifty percent.”

The faces of the two disciples changed completely this time. Pei Hua said angrily: “You are abusing your power! When I go back, I’ll report this to Martial Uncle! Martial Uncle is impartial and will never condone this!!”

Yan Zhu nodded: “Go ahead. If you go, the monthly stipend for all your martial brothers and sisters in the sect will be issued as normal from now on.”

Pei Hua was momentarily stunned, not quite understanding what Yan Zhu meant.

Yan Zhu looked at him as if he were an idiot: “When you entered the sect, did no one tell you that the spiritual grass in the monthly stipend for all disciples is three stalks?”

Pei Hua frowned. He had been a disciple for a long time and didn’t remember this detail. Cui Haotang, however, remembered and said: “Yes.”

Yan Zhu nodded: “But you receive five stalks. The extra two stalks are what I give you. Everyone in the Bright Heart Sect, except the disciples under the Executive Elder, receives them.”

Pei Hua had vaguely understood his meaning, but still argued stubbornly: “Aren’t those spiritual grasses the sect’s property too!”

Yan Zhu looked at him with pity: “Did no one tell you that Lush Peak does not belong to the Bright Heart Sect?”

Pei Hua shook his head blankly.

Yan Zhu smiled: “Lush Peak was my mother’s dowry. It was left to me after she passed away. Every blade of grass and tree there is mine. The spiritual grass on Fragrant Array Peak is also grown by me and has nothing to do with the sect.”

Pei Hua fell silent.

“Now that you understand, go back. If you are not satisfied, go complain to your Master,” Yan Zhu said, waving his hand. The two were then sent out by a surge of spiritual energy.

…

Although Yan Zhitao was unfamiliar with the Bright Heart Sect’s situation, she could tell the two disciples were disrespectful to Yan Zhu. She stood before Yan Zhu with a sheepish look: “Grand-Uncle, I’m sorry… They said they wanted to come pay their respects, so I agreed. I didn’t realize they were those kind of people…”

Yan Zhu reached out and stroked her head: “It’s fine. They were in the wrong. You don’t need to bother with Bright Heart Sect disciples in the future.”

Yan Zhitao lowered her head, softly saying “Oh.”

Yan Zhu had to find an artifact from his spatial ring and give it to her. Only when her mood improved did he send her away.

As soon as she left, A Fu came.

Perhaps because he saw Yan Zhitao leave happily, he was unhappy. The moment he entered the room, he transformed into a small cat and burrowed into Yan Zhu’s arms, letting out affectionate “meow-whine” sounds, rubbing his fluffy head against Yan Zhu.

Yan Zhu was immediately tickled and couldn’t help but laugh: “Why are you so jealous?”

A Fu whined: “Master only had me before.”

“It’s the same now,” Yan Zhu poked his fluffy head. “She’ll go home after we leave the secret realm.”

A Fu was still reluctant and continued to butt him with his furry head.

Yan Zhu had no choice but to say: “Then I won’t give her any more artifacts.”

“Artifacts are fine,” A Fu said.

Yan Zhu then understood, smiling and kneading his paws: “Alright, then I won’t comfort her.”

A Fu was satisfied then. He also thought about simply going to handle all the remaining tasks and sending Yan Zhitao out to play, so she wouldn’t come to Yan Zhu to compete for attention every day.

However, Yan Zhitao’s thoughts were similar. Because she had made a mistake, she wanted to try harder and do more to make Yan Zhu happy, so she ran to the Golden Tide Sect every day.

Since she was willing to run around, A Fu was happy to delegate the work. This gave him more time to spend with Yan Zhu.

And most importantly, Ying Yunxian came to find Yan Zhu, saying he had successfully refined the suitable elixir.

…

The conflict of interest with the two disciples seems to have been resolved, and A Fu is intensely focused on Yan Zhu. The critical plot point is the arrival of the medicine from Ying Yunxian.