Cai Lian had never truly expected Long Ying to heed her words, but she hadn’t anticipated the girl being quite this unreliable. Just that morning upon waking, Long Ying had promised to ignore Yan Zhen all day long—so he wouldn’t dare bully Sister Cai Lian anymore—yet by breakfast time, she was already squeezed onto the same bench with him.
Talk about a fake sisterhood.
It wasn’t just her little sister, either. The child in her belly always took her father emperor’s side too, showing not a shred of pity for her mother concubine. This life was simply unbearable!
Fortunately, Yan Zhen knew how to soothe his wife’s little moods. With just a few sweet words, he had her feeling perfectly content. Only then did he lead Long Ying off for their sparring session, not returning until dusk.
Cai Lian stepped out from her room and took the filthy Long Ying to bathe, leaving the equally sweat-soaked Yan Zhen behind. Luckily, Mentor Yu Xuan and Aunt Shui Bailan had returned from their cultivation. Seeing Yan Zhen’s pitiful gaze, they sat down one on each side of him and waited on him hand and foot, treating him like the lord of the household.
With their help, Yan Zhen gradually regained some of his confidence and dignity as the man of the house.
Mentor Yu Xuan giggled and said, “Who told you to bully Sister Cai Lian, you lecher? You should show her some consideration for the hardships of her pregnancy.”
Yan Zhen pouted. “Isn’t there still ten months to go…?”
Aunt Shui Bailan sighed helplessly. “What Xuan’er means is that making love right now is a big burden for Cai Lian.”
“What about from behind?”
“From…”
“Behind?”
Aunt and niece exchanged a glance, quickly realizing what he meant. They both pulled away from Yan Zhen at once, clearly startled.
Yan Zhen looked utterly innocent. “What’s wrong?”
Mentor Yu Xuan swung her little fist and thumped him. “Sister Cai Lian is a woman in the late stages of pregnancy! And you’re still… still treating her like that!”
Aunt Shui Bailan pushed up her glasses and scolded him reproachfully. “Overstimulation isn’t good either, you fool. Why don’t you bother reading a medical book?”
Hearing them put it that way, Yan Zhen realized his mistake.
Though Cai Lian still had about ten months until delivery, she had already been carrying Yan’er for over two years—nothing like a human pregnancy at all.
Thank goodness he had been careful yesterday, and nothing had gone wrong.
“Thanks for the reminder, Mentor and Aunt!”
Yan Zhen pulled the two women into his arms and planted a kiss on each of them.
When the freshly bathed Cai Lian and Long Ying emerged, he immediately sidled up to them—only to be shooed into the bath by Cai Lian, who told him to wash the sweat off properly.
Yan Zhen had no choice but to obey and wash up. He had half a mind to ask Mentor Yu Xuan and Aunt Shui Bailan to keep him company, but they both slipped away, terrified he’d take them from behind too—mainly, that he’d take them both.
Sigh.
That night, Yan Zhen carried the medicinal tonic that Mentor Yu Xuan had given him into Cai Lian’s room. Using his spiritual power, he tossed the sleeping Long Ying back to her own bed. Then he played the role of devoted husband, personally spoon-feeding his pregnant wife the nourishing soup.
At first, Cai Lian refused with a string of “No, no,” but she soon meekly took the spoon’s tip between her lips and sipped away, swallowing in tiny gulps. Toward the end, Yan Zhen even fed her mouth-to-mouth, leaving the Sovereign Lady endlessly shy yet utterly blissful.
It was shameful to admit, but ever since Cai Lian had left the City of Water to stay by his side, he had never taken such meticulous care of her.
Though Cai Lian always carried herself with the mature, aloof poise of a queen, that didn’t mean she didn’t crave her husband’s tender devotion. He had been neglecting her.
That realization inevitably brought Zi Xunyi to mind. Zi Ji had been pregnant for over a year now as well. Apart from those first few days when he’d looked after her, he hadn’t paid nearly enough attention to her and their daughter afterward. Most of his time had gone into cultivation.
He wondered if becoming the Saint Son ahead of schedule would let him form that marriage alliance with the Heavenly God Clan sooner.
“You have the final match of the Seven Peaks Consecutive Battle tomorrow. You should rest early.”
Lost in thought, Yan Zhen snapped back at the sound of Cai Lian’s voice. He smiled. “Yeah. I’ll give it everything I’ve got and claim the Saint Son position!”
Yan Yan couldn’t help butting in. “Go, Father Emperor!”
Yan Zhen returned to his own room, where he sat in meditation to regulate his breathing until dawn broke in the east and the sun rose. Only then did he end his cultivation session.
After a quick wash-up, he donned his Jialan Peak disciple robes and stepped out of his room.
All four women were already waiting in the living room—not even Long Ying was dozing off.
Yan Zhen flashed them an OK sign, then strode out of the cave dwelling with purpose, transforming into starlight as he sped toward Cloud Immortal Peak.
By now, Emerald Cloud Peak on one side (for disciples) and Flowing Cloud Peak on the other (for elders) were packed to the brim. Everyone wanted to hear the outcome of the Seven Peaks Consecutive Battle’s final match as soon as possible.
Up on Cloud Immortal Peak, all six Supremes had gathered their avatars—everyone except the traveling Wind Supreme.
When the starlight reached Cloud Immortal Peak and revealed Yan Zhen’s figure, Xiao Fang plummeted down from the clouds, landing steadily opposite him.
The two stood a hundred zhang apart, gazing at each other from afar.
For Mystic Ancestor experts, that distance was merely a single dash away, yet both men stood relaxed, calmly regarding one another.
Xiao Fang wasn’t what you’d call strikingly handsome, but his face had sharp, defined features. More than that, his aura matched his name perfectly—free and unrestrained, like a wandering swordsman roving the world.
Yan Zhen cupped his hands. “Yan Zhen of Jialan Peak challenges Senior Brother Xiao Fang. For the final battle of the Seven Peaks Consecutive Battle—please advise me!”
Xiao Fang flicked his long sideburns, tilted his head with chin raised, and pointed at Yan Zhen with one finger, saying coolly, “You’re too polite, Junior Brother. Before we start, I’ve got a question.”
Yan Zhen maintained his courteous demeanor. “Please, Senior Brother, ask away.”
The watching disciples, deacons, elders, and even Peak Lords all wondered curiously what Xiao Fang wanted to ask—and why right at this crucial moment.
He held his supposedly handsome pose and asked in a deep voice, “It’s nothing complicated. Just—can I surrender?”
The entire arena fell silent for a beat, then erupted in uproar. Everyone doubted whether their ears were playing tricks on them.
Hadn’t he said something provocative like “You can surrender?” Why did it sound like “I can surrender?”
Cloud Supreme’s face darkened. Under the bizarre stares of the other five Supremes, even he felt a flush of embarrassment.
Yan Zhen’s mouth twitched. “Why say such a thing, Senior Brother?”
Xiao Fang dropped his dramatic pose and brushed back his sideburns. “Isn’t surrendering when you can’t win the most normal thing?”
“Uh, well…”
“I’ve watched your fight with Deacon Ling Jun. That terrifying Mystic Technique fusing the Three Extreme Flames—no Mystic Ancestor expert could dodge or block it. I know I’d lose without even fighting, and I might lose my life too. So I’m leaning toward surrender. What do you say?”
“That wouldn’t be great. This is the final match, with all eyes on us. If I win without a fight, no one will accept it.”
“Exactly, that’s what I want. Lately, there’ve been unfriendly rumors about you among the disciples. If I surrender now, people will say the Seven Peaks Consecutive Battle is rigged—that I was pressured into forfeiting, that your win is dishonorable and proves nothing… In short, Junior Brother Yan Zhen, it’ll tarnish your reputation even more, making it easier for me to challenge you later and take the Saint Son spot!”
He even crooked his mouth in a smirk like some dragon king with a lopsided grin.
Yan Zhen was even more speechless. He desperately wanted to pull out that meme face to express his feelings—
You’re a damn genius.
