The entire Holy Son Peak was stirred into a frenzy. Chen Xi’s projection appeared in person to assist Cai Lian with the delivery, while Mentor Yu Xuan and Aunt Shui Bailan helped out at her side. Soon after, the Jialan Fairy arrived as well, with what looked like a hunched old woman made of lotus root perched on her shoulder.
Yan Zhen, meanwhile, had been chased out of the room. He waited quietly alongside Long Ying, Meng’er, Sister Ji Ya, Yi Xian’er, and the others.
Though he had wanted to stay by Cai Lian’s side during the birth, his beautiful master wouldn’t allow it, so he had no choice but to step out obediently.
Every muffled cry of pain that echoed from inside sent his heart leaping into his throat.
Logically speaking, with Cai Lian being a Mystic Ancestor expert and aided by his beautiful master’s medicinal pills and mudras to ease the suffering, she shouldn’t have been crying out in agony like this.
But Yan Yan wasn’t an ordinary fetus. She possessed a companion extreme flame called the Three Flowers Gathering Spirit Fire, forged from the fire seeds of the Gold-Silver Fire, the Great Crimson Heaven Flame, and the Evil Spirit Dragon Breath Flame. Once fully mature, it could easily claim a spot in the top ten of the Extreme Flame List.
Even fresh from birth, the Three Flowers Gathering Spirit Fire was no force a mere Mystic Ancestor like Cai Lian could ignore.
In other words, giving birth to Yan Yan meant not only enduring the pains of labor but also withstanding the searing torment of flames scorching her flesh.
Yan Zhen sat on the long bench, his fists clenched tight, his anxiety mounting by the second.
His beautiful master was a reincarnator; she surely knew how to handle Yan Yan’s companion extreme flame and ease Cai Lian’s suffering…
That was what he told himself to calm his nerves.
“Yan Zhen Zhen~”
Long Ying, sitting beside him, gently tugged at his arm. She had sensed his tension and was starting to feel uneasy herself.
Yan Zhen patted her little head and said calmly, “Have faith in Cai Lian, and in Master. Yan Yan will be born safely. When she is, you’ll have to keep her company and play with her lots.”
Long Ying’s face lit up with a smile once more. She patted her chest confidently. “Don’t worry. I will help Sister Cai Lian look after Yan Yan.”
Yan Zhen managed a faint smile in return before resuming his solemn vigil.
The women in the living room wore much the same expressions, no doubt empathizing deeply with Cai Lian—and perhaps even imagining their own future ordeals.
Sister Ji Ya couldn’t hold back any longer. “H-How long until She Ji gives birth to Yan Yan?”
Aunt Mu was the one who answered. “When the lady gave birth to the young miss before, it took about six hours.”
“Six hours?!”
Meng’er gasped in shock, then quickly clapped a hand over her mouth, her face full of apology.
Mi Xue’er lowered her voice. “Does it really take that long?”
Childbirth was uncharted territory for them. Even Yi Xian’er looked a bit surprised.
Yan Zhen had looked into the relevant texts in advance, so he explained patiently, “A natural birth is divided into three stages. The first is the contractions and abdominal pain—like what Cai Lian is experiencing now—which is the longest and can take over four hours. The second is the actual delivery, usually lasting about an hour. The third is the expulsion of the placenta, around half an hour.”
“Ah, I see…” The women’s faces mirrored the realization, and one by one, they subconsciously touched their own bellies, a faint blush coloring their cheeks.
The long wait dragged on until dawn, when the cries from the room suddenly intensified into a piercing wail that shattered the morning stillness.
Yan Zhen distinctly sensed the aura of an unfamiliar extreme flame. The crystal pendant hanging around his neck stirred restlessly.
It was the Three Flowers Gathering Spirit Fire!
The first stage had ended. The second was underway!
But before the extreme flame could rage unchecked, a chilling frost descended over the entire room—even seeping into the living room with threads of icy coolness.
Yan Zhen’s heart stirred. As expected, his beautiful master had prepared in advance!
The extreme flame was suppressed, and Cai Lian’s pained groans quieted somewhat.
Another full hour passed. The aura of the extreme flame grew ever stronger until, at last, Cai Lian let out a shrill scream. The extreme flame’s power erupted in full.
Yan Zhen shot to his feet, eager to rush in and check on things, when his beautiful master’s voice suddenly called from inside. “Zhen’er, come in.”
He instantly composed himself and pushed open the stone door with grave solemnity.
Inside the room, clusters of three-colored flames burned here and there, dotting every visible spot like flowers—yet they gave off no heat.
A sphere of three-colored fire hovered quietly in the air, like a blazing miniature sun from which all the flames emanated.
Yan Zhen saw at a glance that it was protected by his Saint Lord master’s mystic power. A barrier had been erected around the bed, and Cai Lian lay there pale-faced, seemingly having fainted.
Chen Xi’s projection spoke. “Zhen’er, remove the crystal pendant and place it on Yan Yan. Use it to subdue the Three Flowers Gathering Spirit Fire for her. Otherwise, she won’t wake up anytime soon!”
Without hesitation, Yan Zhen untied the cord and sent the crystal pendant over with his spiritual power. It slowly merged into the three-colored fireball.
Whoosh~
The fireball shuddered, and all the flames swiftly retracted, transforming into a pink-and-plump little girl like a delicately carved jade doll. Her long black hair was streaked with fiery red, and Yan Zhen’s crystal pendant hung around her neck. It was Yan Yan, looking about the same age as the loli dragon Long Ying—five or six years old.
Yan Zhen was dumbfounded. Born at this size?
She wasn’t the only one stunned. Chen Xi, the Jialan Fairy, Mentor Yu Xuan, and Aunt Shui Bailan all stared in astonishment.
As he pondered, Yan Yan abruptly opened her eyes. Her bright pupils flickered with faint flames, and the surrounding three-colored flames gathered around her, forming a colorful flame-tail dress over her body.
The Flame Princess blinked her big, watery eyes as if just waking from a dream. She looked around and spotted her own father at once.
Her eyes lit up, and she pounced straight toward Yan Zhen.
“Father Emperor~~~”
ヾ（≧≦）ゝ
The scene instantly reminded Yan Zhen of their first father-daughter meeting in the Water Capital Palace. He snapped out of it and spread his arms wide, catching his precious daughter securely.
Yan Yan rubbed her chubby little cheek furiously against his neck, wriggling with excitement like a husky puppy. “Father Emperor, I’ve finally been born! I’ve finally gotten to see my young Father Emperor again~~~”
“Mm.” Yan Zhen smiled with relief. “Yan Yan, your safe arrival is worth more than anything.”
Yan Yan lifted her head and giggled. “Thank you, Father Emperor and Mother Concubine, for giving birth to me. I love you both the most~~~”
“The main thanks go to your Mother Concubine.” Yan Zhen carried his daughter to the bedside. “She was in so much pain giving birth to you that she passed out.”
Only now did the overly excited Yan Yan realize what had happened. She hopped down from her father’s arms, landed by the bed, and saw her Mother Concubine weakly cracking open one eye. Yan Yan immediately sat at the bedside and chirped brightly, “Mother Concubine, are you okay? Thank you for working so hard to give birth to me. I love you~~~”
She had nearly forgotten her poor mother just moments ago, but sweet words now flowed effortlessly from her lips.
Cai Lian blinked, wondering if her eyes were playing tricks on her. The adorable little Yan Yan baby she had worked so hard to deliver… had turned into a naughty rascal just like that?
“Yan Yan, how did you—”
Yan Yan understood at once and puffed up with pride. “Hee hee, to keep Father Emperor and Mother Concubine from worrying, I used the power of the Three Flowers Gathering Spirit Fire to grow into a big girl right away. Aren’t I super thoughtful?”
