She glanced at the fiend across from her, then blushed prettily and parted her rosy lips, obediently accepting the treat from her husband.
She had her own fetal-protection herbs, but those were just crude recipes, not proper pills.
Fire Mystic Cultivators were rare among snakefolk, and Pill Refiners even rarer, so pills were scarce for them.
The Fetal Protection Pill was far superior, and since her husband had refined it himself, it held special meaning.
A faint bitterness spread in her mouth, but to Cai Lian, it tasted like sweet nectar. The corners of her lips curved up slightly.
Watching Yan Zhen feed Cai Lian the pill left Yi Xian’er with nothing but sour jealousy churning inside.
The one carrying the baby had a natural advantage!
She’d have to work for it herself—
“Yan Zhen~” Yi Xian’er called out, her tone a touch coquettish. “I want one too.”
Yan Zhen replied earnestly, “Xian’er, these are for pregnant women. You’re not expecting.”
“That’s true~” She bit her lip, blushing shyly. “But can’t you make me pregnant too?”
Even Yan Zhen was startled by her boldness. He glanced at Cai Lian and saw the smile vanish from her face.
“Uh, that might not be a good idea. You can’t just try for a baby out of jealousy. Besides, your constitution couldn’t handle it right now anyway.”
“I’ve already fixed the constitution issue. We just need to formally Dual Cultivate, and that’s why I came—to do exactly that with you.”
Yi Xian’er ignored the terrifying glare from She Ji, grabbing Yan Zhen’s hand and pressing it to her cheek. She rubbed against it affectionately, gazing up at him with pleading eyes.
“I’m born with a Fiend Body. With the power of the Great Crimson Heaven Flame, you can form a Gang Body. Through Dual Cultivation, we can fuse gang and fiend energies—not only resolving our individual flaws but pushing us even further.”
Yan Zhen was puzzled. Weren’t gang and fiend energies mutually repelling?
In the script, after he formed his Gang Body and reunited with Yi Xian’er, they’d feel uncomfortable even getting close. Only after learning a concealment technique could they touch safely. No way they’d combine.
Otherwise, the script’s him would’ve married more than two wives—including her.
“Xian’er, I haven’t formed my Gang Body yet.”
Yan Zhen’s Body Refining Technique was the Primordial Dharma Body Atlas.
The “Primordial Dharma Body” was the origin of all special physiques. At the Body Refining Mid Accomplishment with Qi-Blood Wolf Smoke stage, it would manifest the corresponding special body for him.
As a Fire Mystic Cultivator with multiple yang-gang Extreme Flames in his body, he’d manifest a Gang Body.
He was only at Complete Minor Achievement, Flame Like Red Lotus stage right now. He needed more tempering to build his foundation, then refine the drop of divine blood Zi Xunyi left him before advancing.
“No problem—it’s already taking shape, just one step from full manifestation.” Yi Xian’er smiled faintly. “I can use a bit of my Baleful Qi to stimulate your Body Realm, generating more gang qi to help you form it faster.”
“You can do that?”
“Would I lie to you? If you don’t believe me, let’s try it right now.”
Yan Zhen felt tempted. “How exactly do we do it?”
Yi Xian’er grinned playfully. “Simple. We both strip down, face each other, and hug as tightly as possible—skin to skin. Then I’ll release just a tiny bit of Baleful Qi. Don’t resist with the Great Crimson Heaven Flame. Just circulate your Body Refining Technique.”
Yan Zhen blinked. Stripping naked and hugging face-to-face? That was his favorite position.
…His rational mind screamed no, bad idea—but his body was yelling yes, awesome!
Nearby, Cai Lian’s face turned pitch black.
She suddenly remembered that in her previous life, with Master Chen Xi’s help, this Killing Woman had indeed devised the method of Gangsha Unity. It would allow Yan Zhen’s Gang Body to merge with her Fiend Body, forming the even more powerful Gangsha Holy Body.
Once Yan Zhen formed his Gang Body, there would be no barriers to their union anymore. This realization filled Cai Lian with a Mystic sense of crisis.
The bond between Cai Lian and Yan Zhen had blossomed later on—like hopping on the train before buying your ticket. By contrast, Yi Xian’er had stuck by his side, just like Long Ying, all the way into the Eighth Continent. For years, they had faced life and death together, their friendship forged in the fires of battle, deep and unbreakable.
Unlike the airheaded Long Ying, Yi Xian’er was aggressively proactive. The only thing she couldn’t do was fully unite with him, but she eagerly took on every other role of a wife, treating herself as Yan Zhen’s principal girlfriend. That was precisely why Cai Lian despised her.
Neither Zi Xunyi, bound by her great clan marriage alliance, nor Yan Zhen’s first love, Yun Xiu, had ever been as brazen as this Killing Woman. They always provoked with that infuriatingly calm demeanor!
Take right now, for instance. In Cai Lian’s very presence, Yi Xian’er was telling Yan Zhen, “Let me get pregnant too,” and “Let’s dual cultivate.” It was utterly outrageous!
With the techniques of a Mystic Ancestor expert, Yi Xian’er could stimulate Yan Zhen to form his Gang Body using Baleful Qi. A mere flick of her finger sent out a wisp—enough for a full day of cultivation. What need was there for them to embrace face-to-face? Clearly, she was using Yan Zhen’s favorite position to seduce him.
If this kept up, the fool would fall right into the Killing Woman’s trap.
Cai Lian bit her lip. Then, clutching her belly, she let out a soft moan of pain. It was barely audible, but in the quiet room, it rang clear, instantly drawing the attention of the pair nearby.
Seeing Snake Snake Wife clutching her belly, brows tightly furrowed, Yan Zhen panicked at once. He squatted down in front of her and asked,
“What’s wrong, Cai Lian?”
Cai Lian murmured softly,
“Yan’er just kicked This Queen. It hurts a little.”
“Ah? The Fetal Stability Pill I gave you was supposed to make Yan’er a good baby. Why’s she still kicking around? Did I mess up the refining?”
Yan Zhen grew flustered. He snatched the pill bottle from the table, poured out another pill, scraped off a thin layer with his fingernail, and licked it to check the composition.
He let out a relieved breath. “Whew, scared me there. The ingredients are fine.” Yan Zhen furrowed his delicate brows, tucked the pill away, and adopted a stern fatherly tone. “Listen up, Yan’er—no causing trouble in your Mother Concubine’s belly, you hear me?”
“Ahwoo~” Yan Yan let out a sleepy yawn. “I’m sooo tired. I didn’t—”
Before she could finish, Cai Lian swiftly formed the Fetal Protection Incantation and pressed it to her belly, lulling her daughter to sleep. A touch of guilt in her voice, she said,
“Maybe Yan’er just twitched unconsciously. Don’t blame her.”
“You’re right. She’s back in the womb now and can’t control her body yet.”
“This Queen… This Queen wants to rest.”
“Got it. Here, let me help you up.”
Yan Zhen rose to his feet and offered his hand to support his pregnant wife. Turning to Yi Xian’er, he added,
“You should rest too, Xian’er. We’ll talk cultivation later when there’s time.”
Yi Xian’er gave a faint hum of acknowledgment. She watched as Yan Zhen escorted her mortal enemy, the Snake Woman, into the master bedroom. Only after the door clicked shut did annoyance flash across her face.
“Despicable Snake Woman, always exploiting her pregnancy.”
No chance tonight, it seemed.
Yi Xian’er bit her lip, then stood and scooped the still-floating, loudly snoring Long Ying down from midair. She carried her into the secondary bedroom and shut the door behind them.
