Pregnant with the Immortal Venerable's Child After Divorce - Chapter 25

Chapter 25: What Are We Considered?

The immortal cranes didn’t fly fast. They flew for a long while, dragging the two mountains, before finally leaving the Mingxin Sect.

As soon as they left the Mingxin Sect’s territory, Ying Yunxian and a few others came up. Yan Zhuo immediately conscripted them, and the group became busy checking the two peaks, returning to rest only after ensuring that all the spirit plants were fine.

Qi Ranyin changed his clothes before coming over. As soon as he sat down, he picked up the spiritual fruit juice on the table and started drinking, asking Yan Zhuo between sips, “Where are you planning to go next?”

“I’m thinking about it,” Yan Zhuo said. “We have our own land; we can live anywhere.”

Yan Zhitao immediately said, “Then why don’t you return to Phoenix Mountain with me! Uncle, didn’t you say you were going back to see Great-Grandfather before?”

Just as Yan Zhuo was about to answer, he heard Qi Ranyin say, “You can also come with me to Lulin. You haven’t been there yet, have you?”

Yan Zhuo laughed: “You unfilial son are about to be kicked out of the Qi family, and you still want to bring me back?”

“Well, I haven’t been kicked out yet,” Qi Ranyin pouted.

The Qi family had a strict and upright family tradition, yet it produced a prodigal son like him. Every time he went home, his old father would chase him across Lulin with a ruler, making his visits home feel like he was a thief.

“How about going to the Demonic Realm?” Kong Fu glanced at Wen Suchen with a smile. “It’s perfect for you. Our place respects martial power, unlike your righteous path with its endless rules.”

“Go there to replace you?” Ying Yunxian scoffed. “If you ask me, we should just go straight to Fengling Continent. It’s close, and it saves those immortal cranes the trouble of flying.”

“Stop arguing, I’ve already decided.” Yan Zhuo raised his hand and waved, interrupting their discussion. Just as he was about to state his answer, he saw the Spirit Puppet walk over and announce that they had a visitor.

Yan Zhuo frowned.

They had only been gone a short while. Who could be visiting?

He immediately got up and went out, only to see Wen Tianren and his four senior brothers and sister had arrived.

Yan Zhuo had already anticipated his arrival. Now that they were not in front of others, Wen Tianren finally dared to speak some things.

Upon seeing Wen Tianren, Wen Suchen subconsciously wanted to perform a salute. As soon as he raised his hand, Yan Zhuo smacked it down: “He is not your Master anymore.”

Wen Suchen’s movements instantly froze. He hesitated: “He is also an elder.”

“Only elders of high virtue deserve a salute. Does he qualify?” Yan Zhuo pushed him. “Don’t just stand here, come in…”

“Little Zhuo,” Wen Tianren interrupted him coldly, “Where are Zhuiyun’s remains?”

Yan Zhuo’s hand movements paused. He turned his head and looked at him: “Why should I tell you?”

Wen Tianren’s face immediately sank: “She has been gone for so many years. Are you going to deny her peace even in death?!”

“You know she has been gone for so many years. If she had reincarnated early, who knows how old she would be now. There’s no such thing as peace or unrest,” Yan Zhuo said. “Seeing you is what truly causes her unrest.”

“She is my wife!”

“And he is my Mother,” Yan Zhuo frowned at him. “What’s wrong with me fulfilling my filial duty to my Mother?!”

“Is that what you call fulfilling your filial duty?!” Wen Tianren angrily shouted. “What filial son would dig up his own mother’s grave!”

As these words were spoken, the people standing behind Yan Zhuo were all stunned, and then simultaneously looked at Qi Ranyin.

Qi Ranyin shrugged: “I told him I wouldn’t do anything wicked, but what can I do? We’re good friends, aren’t we?”

“That’s not wicked at all,” Yan Zhuo said. “I was merely relocating my Mother’s grave. A perfectly normal thing.”

Wen Tianren cursed: “You unfilial son! Relocating what grave? Did you ask me?”

“Why should I ask you? I didn’t dig it up before because I was in the Mingxin Sect. Now that I’ve left, I naturally have to take her with me,” Yan Zhuo said. Seeing Wen Tianren’s face turn green, he kindly reminded him, “Mother never joined the Mingxin Sect from beginning to end. She never belonged to be buried there.”

Wen Tianren frowned: “A wife follows her husband; she should naturally be with me.”

Yan Zhuo was speechless: “Then notify me when you die. I’ll discuss it with my uncle and see if he can find a spot for you to be buried on Phoenix Mountain.”

Hearing this, Wen Tianren’s brows furrowed even deeper: “You’re taking her to Phoenix Mountain?”

“Nonsense, she is a member of the Yan family, so she naturally has to be buried in Phoenix Mountain.” Yan Zhuo had intended to mention this earlier but was interrupted by Wen Tianren’s appearance. Now he explained, “I should have done this a long time ago, but I always hesitated and lied to myself that with me accompanying Mother, and with many disciples there calling her Martial Mother, it counted as her half-home. But now I understand: she probably didn’t want to stay there. I don’t know where she wants to go, but I guess she would like Phoenix Mountain.”

The last part, he didn’t know if he was saying it for Wen Tianren or for his Mother who had passed away years ago.

During the days Wen Suchen confined him to Fen Xue Peak, he desperately wanted to leave. As long as he could leave, he could abandon everything in the Mingxin Sect.

He didn’t know if his Mother would have abandoned him if she had the chance back then, but he knew that the Mingxin Sect would never be her home.

A home shouldn’t be a place one wants to escape from.

When he spoke those words to Wen Tianren, his tone was uncharacteristically gentle, but Wen Tianren’s face was ashen. He stopped wasting words on him and just asked: “Where is she?”

Yan Zhuo didn’t answer. Instead, he threatened: “You better think clearly, you definitely can’t beat my youngest senior brother.”

To Wen Tianren, his Mother was part of his image. He had worn the hat of a loving husband and been praised for so many years. Yan Zhuo knew he would never give up easily. Instead of reasoning with him, it was simpler to be direct.

Wen Tianren wasn’t afraid: “Does he dare to strike me?”

Yan Zhuo laughed upon hearing this: “His reputation can’t get any worse. Why should he be afraid of you? He won’t kill you, though.”

Colluding with the Demonic Dao—what a grave charge. As long as Wen Suchen carried this reputation for a day, everyone could throw dirt on him. After all, most people in the Demonic Dao are ruthless and commit numerous atrocities; Wen Suchen must be the same.

It wouldn’t even matter if he earned the reputation of deceiving and annihilating his Master, because such an act is perfectly normal for people in the Demonic Dao.

However, such an action would affect Wen Suchen’s cultivation by accruing bad karma. It wasn’t necessary. Getting the person to leave was enough.

Seeing Wen Tianren stunned, Yan Zhuo couldn’t help but laugh again: “Surprised, aren’t you? You took the worst step.”

But he knew that even if time were reversed, Wen Tianren would still do the same.

He cared too much about his reputation, so much so that he was practically driven by it, to the point where he would never allow even the slightest blemish on himself.

Even if it was a disciple he poured immense effort into cultivating, if it would implicate him, he would ruthlessly cut ties.

“So, hurry up and leave, or I’ll have to drive you out,” Yan Zhuo said again. “You know, Fen Xue Peak has many restrictions. It would be embarrassing to be flung out. It’s more dignified to leave on your own.”

Wen Tianren looked at Wen Suchen, but Wen Suchen lowered his eyes and remained silent.

“To think I raised you…” Before he could finish, a teleportation array appeared at his feet.

Yan Zhuo directly threw the person out, and then looked at his senior brothers and sister: “Are you also here to plead?”

None of the three spoke. Only one, standing a bit further away, walked over and softly asked, “Little Zhuo, can I leave with you?”

Her name was Yan Sulan. Although she shared a generation name with Wen Suchen, and both Yan Zhuo and Wen Suchen called her Senior Sister, she was not Wen Tianren’s disciple; she was Yan Zhuiyun’s.

Wen Tianren had four disciples in total.

The Eldest Senior Sister, Sang Suyan, was an orphan. Wen Tianren and Yan Zhuiyun took her in when they were young out of pity. Her aptitude wasn’t great, but she was very obedient and had a somewhat rigid and strict personality. She was the Elder of the Enforcement Peak.

The Second Senior Brother, originally named Mei Zhi, was the young master of the Sun Rising Mei family. His aptitude was good. After entering the sect, he changed his name according to the sect’s generation order to Mei Suzhi. Although his name was slightly amusing, he was actually proper and polite, just a bit shy and quiet.

The Third Senior Brother, Huai Surong, originally named Huai Zirong, was the child of a small merchant. His aptitude was excellent, and he was amiable, but he wasn’t very interested in the way of the sword. He used to be forced by his Master to practice, but after Wen Suchen appeared, and his Master poured all his efforts into the junior brother, he immediately switched to alchemy.

The aptitudes of the three were better than the last, and besides Sang Suyan, who was an unexpected adoption in their youth, the other two were handpicked by Wen Tianren to the best of his ability.

Yan Sulan was just a peasant girl. Her original name was Lan Xiaowu. When her parents sold her for money, Yan Zhuiyun bought her. Yan Zhuiyun had intended to have her listed under Wen Tianren’s name, like Sang Suyan, but her aptitude was too poor, even worse than Sang Suyan’s. Wen Tianren was unwilling to take her in, but still wore a considerate mask, saying that Yan Zhuiyun didn’t have a disciple, and asked Yan Zhuiyun to take her in. Following the others, she took the generation name and made her surname her name, taking Yan Zhuiyun’s surname, and was called Yan Sulan. Yan Zhuo only ever called her “Senior Sister Lan.”

After Yan Zhuiyun’s death, Yan Sulan went out for practical training. Her cultivation remained unremarkable all these years, but she had excellent business acumen and was now quite wealthy.

She rarely returned to the Mingxin Sect. This time, she specially rushed back after hearing about the trouble. She hadn’t expected to encounter such a thing.

For her, the only people she cared about in the Mingxin Sect were her Master and her Youngest Martial Brother. Now that her Youngest Martial Brother was taking her Master’s remains away, she naturally had to follow so she would know where to visit in the future.

Yan Zhuo understood her intention and immediately agreed.

However, the other three were in a different situation. They had probably come over to discuss something, so Yan Zhuo let Yan Sulan and Wen Suchen go inside first, while he remained outside.

Seeing this, the three found it somewhat amusing. Huai Surong spoke first: “Afraid we’ll talk nonsense to him?”

Yan Zhuo shook his head: “I just don’t want him to be entangled with the Mingxin Sect’s affairs anymore.”

His overly protective demeanor made Huai Surong laugh even harder: “He’s not a child; there’s no need to be so protective.”

Yan Zhuo didn’t reply.

Although Wen Suchen didn’t say it, Yan Zhuo knew he must be feeling uncomfortable. This had nothing to do with age, only with the person.

No one cared before, but now Yan Zhuo cared.

Seeing that he was unwilling to elaborate, Huai Surong dropped the subject, only saying, “And you too, why didn’t you discuss such a big matter with us? You just left. What should we do if we miss you later?”

Upon hearing this, Yan Zhuo took out a communication artifact from his Cosmic Ring and handed it to him: “If you want to buy any spiritual herbs in the future, just tell me, and I’ll have someone send them to you.”

Huai Surong was momentarily surprised.

Yan Zhuo gave one to Mei Suzhi, who was also momentarily surprised.

The last one was given to Sang Suyan. Her face showed obvious surprise when she received it: “You’re willing to give this to me?”

Yan Zhuo lowered his eyes and remained silent.

He actually didn’t like the Eldest Senior Sister much. Once, a disciple from the sect offended her and said some unpleasant things, so he punished the disciple. The disciple complained to his Father. His Father asked the Eldest Senior Sister to handle it. He thought the Eldest Senior Sister would speak up for him, but she didn’t.

She told him to be more tolerant and not to hold a grudge against the disciple since he had already been punished. She even sent the disciple some things as compensation.

After that incident, none of the disciples under the Eldest Senior Sister were able to gain any benefit from him.

That included the Eldest Senior Sister herself.

Their relationship wasn’t bad, but it certainly wasn’t great. Most of the time, the Eldest Senior Sister would initiate a greeting, and he would simply acknowledge her and leave, never engaging in conversation.

“It’s nothing valuable,” Yan Zhuo explained, lowering his eyes. “I won’t have anything to do with the Mingxin Sect anymore.”

Sang Suyan remained silent.

Mei Suzhi immediately stepped forward and said, “Senior Sister cares about you, but she…”

“I know,” Yan Zhuo interrupted him. “I’ve said all I need to say. If you have nothing else, please leave.”

Huai Surong immediately came up and hooked his arm over Yan Zhuo’s shoulder, somewhat sadly: “Why are you so heartless, driving us away so quickly? Will you no longer give us discounts in the future?”

He was smiling jokingly, but Yan Zhuo gave a very soft “Mhm.”

Huai Surong was taken aback.

Yan Zhuo said, “Third Senior Brother, I’m not stupid.”

Huai Surong’s expression instantly froze.

Because of the Sang Suyan incident, both Mei Suzhi and Huai Surong rarely did things to upset Yan Zhuo. Huai Surong, who needed a large amount of spirit plants for his alchemy, even flattered Yan Zhuo. If a disciple upset Yan Zhuo, he would ensure that disciple never appeared in front of Yan Zhuo again.

He couldn’t be called good or bad; he was simply a bit worldly.

He would try to take advantage of spiritual plants as much as possible, but he would also prepare things Yan Zhuo liked and use sweet words to make Yan Zhuo happy.

Yan Zhuo knew all this, but now that he was leaving the Mingxin Sect, Huai Surong couldn’t coax him anymore.

Huai Surong hadn’t expected this to be a business transaction for Yan Zhuo as well. For a moment, he didn’t know what to say. After a long while, he let out a slight sigh: “It wasn’t entirely about the spiritual plants.”

But after saying this, he saw no change in Yan Zhuo’s expression and knew he didn’t believe him.

Even though it was the truth.

The three of them had all spent time with Martial Mother. He joined the sect relatively late, but he was also raised by Martial Mother for decades. He knew what kind of person she was and what had happened to Yan Zhuo.

But they couldn’t cross their Master. They couldn’t do anything, so they could only help look after their Youngest Martial Brother for their Master. The Eldest Senior Sister was too rigid, and the Second Senior Brother was quiet. He was the only one who got along somewhat well with the Youngest Martial Brother, but over the long years, he had slowly forgotten his original intentions.

He knew that by saying this, the Youngest Martial Brother was drawing a clear boundary.

Smiling, Huai Surong couldn’t resist asking, “Is it only Suchen who gets special treatment from you?”

Yan Zhuo pursed his lips and didn’t answer, only taking out a few spiritual herbs from his Cosmic Ring for the three of them, and then sent them away.

When he returned, Qi Ranyin smiled and asked him, “Pleading on behalf of Sect Master Wen?”

Yan Zhuo shook his head.

Yan Zhitao came closer, happily saying, “Uncle, are you really going back to Phoenix Mountain? Great-Grandfather will definitely be very happy. I’ll tell him right now!”

Yan Zhuo nodded: “No hurry. Let me introduce someone to you first.” Yan Zhuo pointed to Yan Sulan sitting nearby. “She is my Mother’s disciple. By generation, you should call her…”

Before he could finish, Yan Zhitao very appropriately shouted, “Maternal Grand-Aunt!”

Yan Sulan instantly spat out a mouthful of tea, almost choking.

In the end, she saw Yan Zhuo smiling and felt somewhat helpless, so she took out an artifact as a welcoming gift for Yan Zhitao.

Seeing this, Yan Zhuo suddenly remembered: “I should have kept you back. I could have gotten three more gifts.”

Yan Zhitao, who was happy to receive the gift, immediately pouted when she heard this: “I don’t want them. It’s not about the money.”

Yan Zhuo was stunned for a moment, then realized it was because of him. He smiled helplessly, reached out, and stroked her head: “Tell your uncle that I am bringing Mother back and ask him to help find a place for me. I want to give her a proper burial.”

Yan Zhitao had already guessed this when she heard about Yan Zhuo digging up the grave. She nodded immediately, then frowned as if wanting to say something, but Yan Zhuo pretended not to notice her dilemma and turned to talk to the others.

Yan Zhitao wasn’t one to sit still. After listening to their incomprehensible conversation for a while, she asked Yan Zhuo if she could look around.

Yan Zhuo summoned the Spirit Puppet and asked it to guide Yan Zhitao, cautioning her: “Some areas on Fen Xue Peak and Lush Bloom Peak have poisonous herbs planted, and there are restrictions all around. The Spirit Puppet will also remind you, so don’t wander off.”

Yan Zhitao nodded and immediately ran off.

Ying Yunxian watched her and shook his head with a laugh, then couldn’t help but ask Yan Zhuo, “Are you really not planning to come to Seven Stars Sect? I don’t mind you bringing your whole family, you know.”

“I’m going to Phoenix Mountain,” Yan Zhuo said.

“You can’t stay on Phoenix Mountain forever,” Ying Yunxian said. “Or are you going to formally acknowledge your ancestry?”

Yan Zhuo shook his head, frowning as he pondered.

Qi Ranyin saw this and said, “Why don’t you start your own sect?”

Yan Zhuo looked at him, speechless.

With the two of them in this situation, starting a sect? Who would be crazy enough to join them?

Qi Ranyin saw what he was thinking and chuckled: “There are plenty. Those high-sounding rules only work in those prominent righteous sects. Who cares otherwise? You haven’t killed or committed arson, and you have so many resources. Early enrollment might even get them an Elder position someday, and who wouldn’t be tempted by the chance to gain more resources?”

His words were a bit crude, but they were truthful.

Sects recruit people for only two reasons: reputation or resources.

Wen Suchen’s reputation was poor now, but the resources in his private vault were enough to sustain a large sect, not to mention Yan Zhuo.

Yan Zhuo thought for a moment and laughed: “If we start a sect, would you join?”

Ying Yunxian immediately shook his head: “I am the Sect Master.”

Kong Fu shrugged: “I have my own territory.”

Only Qi Ranyin didn’t refuse. He raised an eyebrow: “If I join, you won’t make me call you Master, right?”

“Naturally,” Yan Zhuo said.

Qi Ranyin refused on the spot.

“Then it’s no fun,” Yan Zhuo shrugged, laughing and letting the matter drop.

He didn’t want to bear that responsibility. As for Wen Suchen…

Yan Zhuo glanced at the person sitting silently nearby, and saw him shake his head as well.

The group chatted for a while longer, then dispersed. Yan Zhuo had the Spirit Puppet arrange rooms for them.

Before they separated, Ying Yunxian stopped him and handed him the medicine bottle.

Yan Zhuo looked at the bottle, hesitated for a moment, and then took it.

Ying Yunxian warned him: “If you feel any discomfort after taking it, come find me immediately.” He paused, then cautiously added, “Think carefully before you take it.”

Yan Zhuo nodded: “How long will I be weak after taking it?”

“At least half a month,” Ying Yunxian said. “With me here, it should be a few days less.”

Which meant that by the time he reached Phoenix Mountain, his body would have recovered.

Yan Zhuo nodded and returned to his room with Wen Suchen.

The Spirit Puppet had already prepared dinner, with a table full of steaming dishes.

Yan Zhuo glanced at Wen Suchen.

Wen Suchen said, “The others also have food.”

“That’s not it…” Yan Zhuo frowned, wanting to say something, but didn’t know what to say. He rubbed his thumb against the bottle.

This medicine had been refined for some time. Every time he wanted to take it, he was interrupted. Now was the best time.

Yan Zhuo hesitated for a moment, ultimately just placing the bottle on the table and saying, “Let’s eat first.”

Wen Suchen subtly let out a sigh of relief and sat down at the table with Yan Zhuo.

The two of them rarely ate together.

Yan Zhuo could survive without food for a long time just by eating some spiritual fruits, and he ate them every day. Besides a little snack to go with wine, he rarely ate meals.

Wen Suchen needed it even less.

Thus, after they sat down, neither knew what to say and just lowered their heads to eat.

Yan Zhuo then realized that Wen Suchen couldn’t handle spicy food.

Seeing him purse his lips after every bite, yet still reaching for more, Yan Zhuo couldn’t help but stop him: “Why are you forcing yourself?”

“You eat it,” Wen Suchen said.

Yan Zhuo frowned: “What does that have to do with you?”

Wen Suchen froze. He stared at the terrifyingly red dish in front of him. After a long while, he opened his mouth softly: “Little Zhuo, what are we considered?”

Yan Zhuo was momentarily at a loss for how to answer him.

He had acted on impulse when he took Wen Suchen away from the Mingxin Sect, but now that the event had passed and he was calm, he realized their relationship was awkward.

They were supposedly divorced.

They had seemed on the brink of disaster not long ago.

Yet, after all that drama, they seemed to be standing on the same side again.

Qi Ranyin and the others assumed that whatever they did next, they would be doing it together—whether going to Phoenix Mountain or starting a sect.

Wen Suchen didn’t deny it, and Yan Zhuo didn’t know how to deny it either.

Perhaps it was because he realized Wen Suchen wasn’t who he thought he was.

So, his feelings for Wen Suchen had also changed.

But with this slight softness and hesitation, how long could the two of them last?

How long could their current situation be maintained with Wen Suchen’s obedience and desperate need?

“What do you want us to be considered?” Yan Zhuo asked him.

Wen Suchen didn’t answer either, but instead asked: “Whatever I say, it will be considered that?”

Yan Zhuo didn’t dare to make a rash judgment about their relationship, and Wen Suchen didn’t dare either.

But Yan Zhuo guessed that Wen Suchen might have a few more degrees of worry and fear than he did—afraid of saying the wrong thing, afraid of making him angry again.

But the way a husband and wife interact shouldn’t be like this.

Yan Zhuo looked at the person with his head bowed in front of him. He couldn’t see his expression, but he disliked his current posture.

The Wen Suchen he remembered was not this indecisive, even cowardly, person.

“I am not a worm in your stomach; I don’t know what you are thinking,” Yan Zhuo said. “Wen Suchen, I don’t want to have to decipher the meaning behind every word spoken by the person next to me.”

Upon hearing the words “the person next to me,” Yan Zhuo could see a light ignite in Wen Suchen’s eyes. Even his back straightened, and his expression became serious, as if he had finally made up his mind to tell him something very important.

But in the end, he only said a very short sentence: “Little Zhuo, I want you.”

Yan Zhuo could even hear an almost imperceptible tremor in his voice—that was Wen Suchen’s nervousness, solemnity, subtle affection, and much, much more unspoken love.

Now, it was Yan Zhuo who didn’t dare to speak.

He didn’t dare to ask Wen Suchen if he had misunderstood.

He pondered for a moment, then, under Wen Suchen’s astonished gaze, he reached out, picked up the medicine bottle on the table, and gently rubbed the cork with his thumb.

The movement was very light, like a feather brushing against Wen Suchen’s tightly wound nerves.

“Wen Suchen,” Yan Zhuo opened his mouth softly, like a sharp pluck on his nerves, “Do you still want to keep this child?”