This revelation startled Zi Xunyi. Her daughter had been reborn alongside her? Reborn into the present? But her daughter shouldn’t even have been born yet.
A barrage of questions flooded her mind, throwing her thoughts into chaos. Yet Yan Zhen’s earnest expression silently conveyed that he wasn’t joking.
“What’s going on here?”
Yan Zhen shook his head.
“I’m not entirely sure about the specifics, but Ling’er was reborn with me. However, since she hasn’t been born in this era yet, she has no physical body. All that’s left is her conscious will, drifting through the realm of dreams.”
As he spoke, a shadow crossed Yan Zhen’s face.
An ominous premonition stirred in Zi Xunyi’s heart, though she still struggled to believe it. She pressed on.
“Can I see her?”
Yan Zhen nodded.
“You can, but you need to prepare yourself mentally.”
Seeing his grave demeanor only heightened Zi Xunyi’s worry. Her hands clenched tightly together.
“Take me to her.”
“Alright.”
The two of them each activated their Divine Soul Merit Law and slipped into the dream realm almost simultaneously.
It was that same Purple Flower Sea that still sent a shiver down Zi Xunyi’s spine, but right now, she had no time to dwell on it. She only wanted to see her “future daughter.”
They arrived beneath the great tree. Yan Zhen formed a hand seal, and a rift tore open in the space before them—a vibrant, multicolored fissure. Suspended inside was a large, translucent cocoon.
Nestled within the cocoon was Yan Lingji’s conscious form. She lay there peacefully, her breathing steady, as if simply asleep.
The sight of her in such a vulnerable state tugged at Zi Xunyi’s heart, a sharp pang of pain that made her want to cradle and protect the little one.
Was this Ling’er—their daughter?
She did bear some resemblance to Zi Xunyi, even down to the color of her hair. Yan Zhen’s features lingered faintly in her brow and eyes. All in all, she was utterly adorable.
Just gazing at that tiny face filled Zi Xunyi with a soothing warmth.
The only problem was how fragile the child seemed, as if she might dissipate into nothing at any moment.
With her pretty face taut, Zi Xunyi asked, “Yan Zhen, what’s wrong with Ling’er?”
Yan Zhen let out a sigh, his voice heavy with sorrow.
“Without a physical body to anchor her for so long, her consciousness has begun to fade. I’ve sealed her deep in this dream realm and used a Divine Soul Secret Art to slow the dissipation, but it’s only a temporary fix. In time, she’ll still—”
“How could this happen?!” Zi Xunyi felt her breath catch. “Isn’t there any way to save her?”
Yan Zhen shook his head.
“I consulted my master, but even she had no solution. Cases of rebirth from the future are simply too rare.”
Zi Xunyi had no attention to spare for who his master might be. She squeezed her eyes shut, frantically combing through the tomes in her memory for methods to “stabilize the mind” or “nurture the divine soul,” but none fit the situation.
She bit her lip, steeling her resolve.
“I’ll go inform my father. He might be able to help.”
“Although Father-in-law is a Nine-Star Mystic Saint, his expertise in this area falls short of my master’s.” Yan Zhen’s eyes were dull with exhaustion. “My master said that only an Imperial Sovereign Powerhouse could intervene, or…”
He trailed off, his expression conflicted. Zi Xunyi grew frantic.
“Or what?”
“Or… when you get pregnant, we transfer Ling’er’s consciousness into the fetus and bring her into the world that way.”
“Eh?” Zi Xunyi froze. “You mean… get pregnant?”
“That’s right. Once she’s back in her original flesh and blood, Ling’er’s consciousness will gradually awaken. But her body doesn’t exist yet—we have to create it. In other words, you need to conceive her.”
Zi Xunyi’s face flushed crimson. She bowed her head and murmured, “Would that… really work?”
“My master says the success rate is over ninety percent.” Yan Zhen’s eyes gleamed as he gazed at her. “If even that fails, then there’s truly no other way.”
“…”
Zi Xunyi fell into deep turmoil.
From her understanding of divine souls, the method did make a certain sense. But jumping straight to pregnancy was too much to accept.
And to get pregnant, they’d have to consummate their union first—and with her future husband, no less.
She did harbor some fondness for Yan Zhen, but it was far from “love,” nowhere near enough to see him as a husband yet.
The real issue was that if she got pregnant at the Holy Land Academy, the Heavenly God Clan would probably raze the entire place.
Yan Zhen spoke softly then.
“Truth be told, I originally planned to win your affection first before telling you about Ling’er, so you’d be more receptive. But… I got impatient. I realized the process of falling in love can’t be replicated. Even repeating the same actions from our past life won’t spark that same thrill… I might not be able to make you fall for me again.”
He exhaled a long breath of stale air.
“I’m sorry. I failed to protect our daughter—or you. Even after rebirth, I’ve let you and her suffer. I’m a poor excuse for a husband.”
Zi Xunyi lowered her head.
“How much longer can Ling’er hold on?”
“About half a year,” Yan Zhen replied. “In that time, I’ll keep working with my master on alternatives. If nothing else pans out, I’ll wake her and grant her one final wish.”
At those words, Zi Xunyi’s delicate frame shuddered, her limbs growing weak. She suddenly looked up, her voice ringing out fiercely.
“I won’t let her vanish! No matter what it takes, I’ll save her!”
“Zi Ji…”
Zi Xunyi bit her lip.
“But I’m not mentally prepared yet. Give me a little more time to gradually accept you, alright?”
“Alright.”
They fell silent, their gazes settling on the slumbering Yan Lingji. They watched her quietly until the rift sealed shut.
“That’s enough for today. If you want to see her again, you can come here anytime—I’ll teach you the technique.”
“Mm, okay.”
Yan Zhen passed the hand seal to Zi Xunyi. She succeeded on her first try and left the dream realm ahead of him.
Yan Zhen sighed deeply, preparing to follow, when a voice called out.
“Husband~”
It was the fully matured Zi Xunyi from their future life. She drifted out from a crack in the dream realm and landed before him, pulling him into a tight embrace before he could react.
Yan Zhen felt two exquisite mounds of softness pressing against his chest, his chin resting on her smooth, fragrant shoulder. He blinked in confusion.
“What’s wrong, Zi Ji?”
“It’s not your fault!” Zi Xunyi clung to him fiercely, her voice trembling with emotion. “It was me—I failed to take care of myself, failed to protect Ling’er, and dragged you down with my troubles, leaving you so burdened… I’m sorry.”
Soft sobs escaped her.
Yan Zhen hugged her back, gently patting her back.
“Don’t say that. I arrived too late and left you to bear it all alone for so long. You’ve done more than enough, Zi Ji. Having a wife like you makes me feel truly fortunate.”
