Pregnant with the Immortal Venerable's Child After Divorce - Chapter 18

Chapter 18: Little Senior Brother

The medicine was not difficult to refine; it was merely a basic abortion pill with a few extra ingredients added. Ying Yunxian had simply taken extra time to ensure it was as effective as possible.

Yan Zhu took the bottle and poured out a red pill. The color looked unappetizing and rather dangerous.

After just a few glances, Yan Zhu immediately raised his hand to pop the pill into his mouth, but Ying Yunxian stopped him before he could.

“You’re too fast,” Ying Yunxian frowned. “I deliberately made it this color to warn the person taking it that it is very dangerous!”

Yan Zhu looked at him: “What, do I need to hold some kind of ceremony before taking this?”

“No,” Ying Yunxian said. “It’s just that taking this medicine will leave you weak for a few days. If you have any plans, it would be best to wait a little longer.”

Yan Zhu thought about it. He had been quite free recently. The only thing to worry about was the secret realm, but they estimated it wouldn’t open for another half month. Taking the medicine sooner meant he wouldn’t delay anything.

“I don’t have any plans,” Yan Zhu said, moving to take the pill.

Ying Yunxian quickly stopped him again: “This is the last chance. Are you absolutely sure you don’t want to reconsider?”

Yan Zhu shook his head, but seeing Ying Yunxian still frowning, he could only reassure him: “The Pregnancy Fruit is not rare for me.”

“It’s still a pity, and doing this might incur karmic retribution,” Ying Yunxian tried to persuade him from a different angle, but seeing that Yan Zhu’s expression remained unchanged, he finally said, “Then won’t you say goodbye to him one last time?”

Yan Zhu naturally understood his meaning. Saying goodbye would stir his emotions, and stirring his emotions might make him soft-hearted.

“No need,” Yan Zhu said, moving to throw the pill into his mouth again, but A Fu came forward to stop him.

“Master, please reconsider,” A Fu said. “There’s no need to rush.”

“It’s better to deal with it quickly while it’s still early,” Yan Zhu said. Seeing the look of suppressed speech on Qi Ran’yin’s face, he couldn’t help but laugh lightly, “You all make me feel like a great villain.”

It felt as if everyone in the world, except him, was eagerly anticipating the birth of this child.

But what was there to look forward to?

Thinking this, he was about to place the pill in his mouth when A Fu stopped him again. This time, he didn’t try to persuade him, but instead asked: “Can I say goodbye to him?”

Yan Zhu was stunned, subconsciously wanting to refuse, but when he met A Fu’s serious expression, the refusal caught in his throat.

He didn’t know if it was his imagination, but he felt that A Fu’s eyes seemed a bit… sad?

He rarely saw this emotion on A Fu, and even less on the other person who looked exactly like him. But for some reason, he felt he saw it, and the idea that it might be good to let A Fu say goodbye to this unseen child on his behalf actually occurred to him.

After thinking for a moment, Yan Zhu nodded.

A Fu then reached out his hand and gently placed it on Yan Zhu’s belly.

The fetus was still small, and nothing could be felt, but his movement was still very light, so light that Yan Zhu barely felt any pressure. Yet, his heart still felt as if it had been scratched by something.

This was the first time someone had touched his belly like this.

Since the day he found out he was pregnant, he had tried his best to avoid touching his own belly. He was afraid of overthinking, afraid of becoming soft-hearted.

“That’s enough,” Yan Zhu pressed on the hand that was applying a little more pressure and gently said, “It’s time to say goodbye.”

As he spoke, he raised his hand and tossed the pill into his mouth. The sugar coating instantly dissolved, releasing a hint of sweetness.

He was just about to apply pressure with his teeth when a loud commotion erupted outside. A Seven Stars Sect disciple rushed in, panic-stricken: “Something has happened!”

Yan Zhu was startled and quickly spat out the pill, asking: “What happened?”

The disciple hurriedly explained that the Golden Tide Sect’s secret realm had suddenly gone out of control, opening prematurely and sucking everyone nearby into it.

This included Yan Zhitao, who was present at the time.

Yan Zhu’s face instantly changed. He threw the pill aside and quickly stood up, heading in the direction of the Golden Tide Sect.

He initially thought that although Yan Zhitao’s cultivation wasn’t high, she was quite clever and should be able to find a way to protect herself. He just needed to rush in and find her. But when he arrived, he realized the situation was more complicated than he thought.

Before even entering the Golden Tide Sect, he saw a huge, pitch-black rift in the sky from afar. Only when he got closer could he see how large the rift was, and it was still expanding, only held back by a barrier formed by an array.

Ying Yunxian was quite familiar with the Golden Tide Sect’s Sect Master, Geng Yanzhi, so he went over to inquire about the situation, but the latter was also clueless and completely overwhelmed.

After all, a significant number of people were sucked in, including not only their sect’s disciples but also those from other sects. If those people were harmed, those sects would definitely harbor ill will towards the Golden Tide Sect.

Not to mention that the entrance to the secret realm was still violently expanding.

How big would it get? How long could the array barrier hold? What was the situation inside?

No one knew any of this. Geng Yanzhi could only prepare for the worst, ordering people to continue reinforcing the array and retrieve any useful artifacts.

Yan Zhu walked over and asked: “Was there no sign at all before this?”

Geng Yanzhi shook his head: “Spiritual energy fluctuations during a secret realm upgrade are normal. Our disciples have been monitoring it, and there were no prior signs before the rift appeared.”

Yan Zhu asked again: “Did anyone record it?”

Geng Yanzhi nodded and quickly pulled out a recording stone for Yan Zhu, which contained the entire process of the disciples’ disappearance.

The footage began with a group of different disciples scattered around, some talking, some fiddling with artifacts, when suddenly a massive rift appeared in mid-air.

The rift was like a gaping maw, quickly expanding and swallowing everyone nearby until it was stopped by the array barrier. The entire process took only a few seconds.

It was indeed very strange.

Yan Zhu gave him a few more artifacts and told him to reinforce the surrounding arrays.

Geng Yanzhi was surprised when he saw them and quickly asked for Yan Zhu’s name. When he heard that it was Yan Zhu, his face immediately lit up with hope, and he asked if he could please ask Wen Sucheng for help.

Yan Zhu was taken aback.

Geng Yanzhi also seemed to realize that this request was somewhat unreasonable and quickly said that compensation was negotiable, whatever the Golden Tide Sect could afford. He added that the matter was of great importance and wasn’t just for them; disciples from other sects were also sucked in, and he hoped Wen Sucheng could lend a helping hand.

He spoke loudly, and people not far away heard him, immediately gathering around and urgently pleading with Yan Zhu for help.

Yan Zhu was instantly put on the spot.

After a moment of hesitation, he said: “He might not be able to solve this matter.”

Geng Yanzhi replied: “We must at least ask the Celestial Venerable to take a look before we know.”

The others chimed in with agreement.

Yan Zhu suddenly felt the pressure. He subconsciously stepped back half a step, bumping into A Fu who was standing behind him.

He steadied himself and quietly said to the person next to him: “You go back first.”

A Fu shook his head. Not only did he not leave, but he took two steps forward, shielding Yan Zhu behind him. He looked up at Geng Yanzhi and said: “If Sect Master Geng wishes to invite Senior Martial Brother to act, you should respectfully write a letter of petition and send it to the Bright Heart Sect for Senior Martial Brother to decide. What is the meaning of pressuring my Master here?”

He spoke with force and clarity. The severe accusation was like a bucket being dumped on Geng Yanzhi’s head, leaving his expression frozen.

These words could be interpreted as a major slight or a minor one. Although Yan Zhu was not a powerful figure, everyone knew he was the Descending Snow Celestial Venerable’s Dao Companion. If the Descending Snow Celestial Venerable investigated this afterward, then…

Thinking of this, Geng Yanzhi wiped the sweat from his forehead and forced an awkward smile, explaining: “Circumstances demanded quick action! With Fellow Daoist Yan here…”

A Fu immediately cut him off: “If Sect Master Geng cannot write a letter of appeal, I can deliver a message on your behalf.”

With such a firm attitude, Geng Yanzhi felt somewhat aggrieved, but ultimately, this was the Golden Tide Sect’s matter. Neither Yan Zhu nor Wen Sucheng had an obligation to help. If Wen Sucheng himself were here, Geng Yanzhi could perhaps persuade him with an appeal to justice, but that tactic clearly wouldn’t work on Yan Zhu.

Geng Yanzhi could only say: “I will compose a letter. I ask the young friend to please deliver it.”

A Fu gave him a cold glance and remained silent.

Yan Zhu reached out and stroked his head, then looked at Geng Yanzhi: “It will take time for Senior Martial Brother to arrive. How about letting my friend take a look first?”

Geng Yanzhi didn’t know Kong Fu, but he recognized Qi Ran’yin and knew his cultivation level. Although he didn’t hold much hope, he nodded, embracing the idea of trying anything.

Yan Zhu then walked with them toward the entrance and stopped around the array barrier.

He took out a small wooden carving from his spatial ring and tossed it inside. The carving passed through the rift without resistance and fell below.

Yan Zhu then threw in a spiritual grass, with the same result.

He asked A Fu to catch a spiritual beast, tie the small wooden carving onto it, and throw it in. The spiritual beast and the carving both disappeared.

Yan Zhu thought for a moment, then found a small pot of spiritual grass and threw it in. He saw the spiritual grass disappear and confirmed: “It seems to only affect living beings.”

This was the rule of the secret realm.

Upon hearing this, Qi Ran’yin attempted to reach out, but Yan Zhu stopped him before he could pass through the barrier: “Don’t mess around.”

“Exactly,” Kong Fu smiled, reaching out instead of Qi Ran’yin. He extended his Demonic Qi into the rift to probe the area, then slightly frowned: “Body Integration Realm. I can’t sense any life aura.”

While this detection wasn’t complete, the result was indeed a little frightening.

“Should we just go straight in?” Yan Zhu hesitated. “I brought many artifacts. It’s only the Body Integration Realm; it’s not much of a threat.”

Kong Fu shook his head: “I suspect the secret realm has changed. It’s no longer the same environment as before, but something else entirely.”

As for what it was, the possibilities were numerous.

Extreme environment, special rules, spatial fissures, illusions, foreign lands, different realms, etc. Anything was possible. Some of these scenarios weren’t even heavily dependent on cultivation level, and even if Kong Fu went in, there might be trouble.

Yan Zhu frowned upon hearing this: “Then I have to go in. What if something happens to Xiao Tao?”

Kong Fu glanced at him and sighed: “Actually, there is a simple solution: attack the secret realm.”

Although they couldn’t destroy the secret realm, they could cause a momentary stagnation, allowing them to glimpse the situation inside during that instant.

“If the Descending Snow Celestial Venerable were here, he might be able to cleave this secret realm open directly,” Qi Ran’yin took out his artifact and said helplessly, “If the secret realm’s rules are special and it retaliates, you have to save me.”

Yan Zhu frowned upon hearing this: “Should I go find Little Senior Brother then?”

Qi Ran’yin shook his head: “It will take time for him to get here. Xiao Tao probably can’t wait. Don’t worry, we have Kong Fu here.”

He said, opening his fan and generating a sharp spiritual power. The spiritual power, wrapped in fierce winds, rushed toward the rift.

And then vanished without a trace.

The few of them were all startled.

“What’s going on?” Qi Ran’yin said strangely. “Is my cultivation not high enough?”

He said, looking at Kong Fu. Kong Fu then cast a spell, but the spell also disappeared into the rift as if sinking into the sea.

Their movements attracted the attention of others. Seeing that their attacks on the rift were harmless, some others also tried to attack, but the result was, without exception, that all the attacks were swallowed by the rift.

Yan Zhu stared at the pitch-black area, feeling that something was wrong.

He closed his eyes and listened carefully.

The sound of churning wind was mixed with the noisy human voices, and water was flowing within the earth, interspersed with a very faint, sound like… chewing.

Yan Zhu’s expression suddenly changed as he realized something, and he quickly shouted: “Stop! Everyone!!”

But it was too late.

The pitch-black rift had already begun to swell. Before anyone else could react, it broke through the array barrier and, with lightning speed, swallowed everyone nearby. In the blink of an eye, it arrived right in front of Yan Zhu.

Yan Zhu immediately took out an artifact, about to activate it, when a single snowflake suddenly drifted down in front of his eyes.

The world seemed to suddenly go quiet. A black figure had appeared in front of him at some point, blocking him.

The black sword was unsheathed, but it cut a snow-white blade of light that, wrapped in a blizzard, tore open the rift, only to be swallowed again in an instant.

Then the darkness surged over, carrying a bone-chilling cold, like a great snowstorm descending from the Heavenly Mountain, covering the figure that had lunged towards him.

He looked at that somewhat youthful face, and very lightly uttered three words. Although his voice was also swallowed by the darkness, A Fu still clearly saw the shape of his mouth: “Little Senior Brother.”