Chapter 41

Chapter 41

As the Old Medical Cultivator's words fell, there was a moment of dead silence in the courtyard, as if even the breeze brushing through the treetops had paused for a moment, with only the faint chirping of cicadas occasionally drifting in from outside the courtyard.

It was as if thunderclaps were sounding one after another in their ears, shocking them all into a daze for a moment.

Huo Wuyan suddenly lowered his head, his crimson eyes fixed straight on Lu Yuanyin in his arms, his mind went blank for a moment.

His pure white hair fell, draping loosely over his brows and eyes, hiding his expression.

Qing Nong nearly jumped three feet high. Ignoring his broken leg, he quickly hobbled over on his crutch, "Really? She's about to give birth? Damn..."

A wild joy surged in his heart, and he nearly couldn't control himself from shifting back to his original form and running wildly. They were finally going to have a cub! Ahhhhhhh...

Lu Yuanyin was also somewhat surprised, her eyes widening. She subconsciously touched her flat belly, a look of panic on her face. Apart from the initial depletion of spiritual power in her body, which had caused the cub to stir briefly in her womb, she had hardly felt any abnormality afterward—she ate heartily and slept like a baby. She hadn't expected to give birth so soon...

Fear set in belatedly.

Lu Yuanyin bit her lip, but felt the pain in her abdomen, which had just subsided, intensify again.

The next moment, as if realizing something, the smile on Qing Nong's face instantly froze. He looked at Lu Yuanyin's pale face, frowning deeply, "No, how is this possible? How can she be giving birth now? This fetus is barely four and a half months at most! How could it be so fast?!"

Normally, although the gestation period of dragonkind is not as long as that of humans, under normal circumstances, it should still be about six months. No matter how you calculate it, Lu Yuanyin's timeline doesn't add up.

What's more troublesome is that they had previously sent Hong Rong back to the dragon clan to fetch the Xun Dragon Pearl, and he hasn't returned yet. Qing Nong's expression darkened. If they couldn't get the Xun Dragon Pearl to protect her, with Lu Yuanyin's fragile physique now, this labor was bound to cause her great suffering. In severe cases, it could even damage her very foundation...

He checked her pulse, feeling a chaotic, bead-rolling rhythm beneath his fingers. His expression grew solemn, and his fist clenched tightly within his sleeve. He looked at the Old Medical Cultivator beside him, who also wore a grave expression, his murky eyes filled with anxiety. "What should we do now?"

"Miss Lu's condition is quite dangerous. Her body may not be able to supply the spiritual power needed by the fetus." The Old Medical Cultivator took out several small jade bottles from his storage pouch and fed the spiritual pills into Lu Yuanyin's mouth one by one.

Seeing Lu Yuanyin in so much pain that she was nearly fainting, he urged, "You need to circulate your spiritual power first. Don't panic. We're all here. You'll be fine. Try to focus and circulate your spiritual power..."

After speaking, he shouted to the maidservant outside the door, "Go fetch the midwife quickly! Hurry!"

As the spiritual pills entered her mouth, they transformed into dense spiritual energy that surged into her abdomen, briefly replenishing the spiritual power in her body. But in the blink of an eye, that energy was rapidly consumed. Her meridians were so dry they ached. Lu Yuanyin tugged at Huo Wuyan's sleeve and whispered, "Give me a few more pills..."

Hearing this, Huo Wuyan quickly took the pills from the Old Medical Cultivator and brought them to her pale lips. But then Lu Yuanyin suddenly cried out in pain. Her whole body trembled with agony, curling into a small ball in his arms. Her slender fingers clutched tightly at his long sleeves, her fingertips white from the strain.

Sweat beaded on her forehead, her damp black hair clinging to her snow-white cheeks. She breathed in short, quick gasps, her long eyelashes still wet with teardrops.

Huo Wuyan gently parted her lips and fed the pills into her mouth. He looked at the Old Medical Cultivator with a dark expression, his voice cold and low, "How can I ease her pain?"

The Old Medical Cultivator shuddered at the terrifying look on Huo Wuyan's face, but he had no solution. He could only shake his head through gritted teeth, "There's no way. She'll have to tough it out. For a woman, childbirth is a life-and-death trial..."

Moreover, the child she carried was Huo Wuyan's. His bloodline was too powerful, naturally hard for the world to accept. Lu Yuanyin's cultivation was too low, making this pregnancy extremely dangerous from the start.

The Old Medical Cultivator panicked, wiping the cold sweat from his brow, then looked at Qing Nong and asked urgently, "Go check when the midwife will get here."

Qing Nong quickly hobbled out of the room on his crutch, limping toward the door. Thinking of Lu Yuanyin's condition, he grew agitated and couldn't help but slam his fist against the nearby door.

He had long felt that several hundred years ago, the Spirit Beast Clan had grown too strong, upsetting a delicate balance in the cultivation world. Since then, the Spirit Beast Clan seemed to have been abandoned by the heavens. Qing Nong's own race wasn't particularly powerful, so while they were affected, it wasn't too severe.

However, the dragon clan, as the leaders of the Spirit Beasts and the overlords of countless realms, suffered far more than other spirit beast races.

Outsiders didn't know, but Qing Nong had spent many years in the dragon clan and had seen with his own eyes several pregnant female dragons miscarrying due to various reasons. Many dragon eggs, protected within the clan's forbidden grounds, lost their vitality overnight. Such bizarre events had occurred many times.

No matter how carefully the elder dragons guarded them, none of it worked. In recent years, it had become extremely rare even for a female dragon to become pregnant. The elder dragons in the clan were aging, yet no dragon cub had been born, suggesting they were heading toward extinction.

That was why they had been so excited when they learned Lu Yuanyin was pregnant. But they never expected that despite all their care and precautions, they would still end up in this situation!

Unnoticed by them, the wind had already begun to howl fiercely. Dark clouds pressed down on the city, the sky grew dim as if the entire void were collapsing. The wind swept through the trees, causing them to sway violently, sand and stones flying.

The unbroken chirping of cicadas ceased. Within the city, startled birds took flight, children cried, and cultivators on the streets looked up in shock and fear at the void, wondering what was happening in the city to cause such a celestial anomaly.

Qing Nong felt an indescribable heaviness in his heart.

His expression darkened. Inwardly, he cursed Hong Rong and the heavens up and down! His mind raced, and he quickly strode out of the room.

The Old Medical Cultivator also hurried out of the room.

Hearing Lu Yuanyin's broken, pained cries, Huo Wuyan's pupils contracted. He lowered his lashes and looked somberly at Lu Yuanyin in his arms. Her face was deathly pale; she seemed to be in extreme pain, with a fine layer of cold sweat on her forehead. She bit her pale lips so hard that he could see specks of blood on her lips.

She was like a fragile glass bead—the slightest touch could shatter her into scattered fragments.

He could feel her slowly fading life force. Huo Wuyan was rarely at a loss. Watching her suffering, his breath hitched, and panic crept into his crimson eyes.

All the spiritual power in her body was uncontrollably surging toward her abdomen. Her cub's birth required immense spiritual energy, far more than Lu Yuanyin's cultivation could provide. If this continued, she would likely be drained dry of all her spiritual power by the cub.

Huo Wuyan's eyelashes trembled. For once, he didn't know what to do.

He cupped her face, his rough fingers slowly wiping the blood from the corner of her mouth, his movements were stiff.

For a moment, Huo Wuyan's mind was dazed. In this life, he had faced many hardships—even during the time in the dragon clan's forbidden grounds, when he nearly had his divine sense shattered and his soul scattered, when he endured eighty-one heavenly thunders and had all his golden scales stripped away.

But never had a moment made his heart stop like this one.

His thoughts were chaotic, yet in the end, his mind was filled with images of Lu Yuanyin.

These past days had been like a flower in a mirror or the moon on water—illusory and elusive, yet vivid and real.

Huo Wuyan pressed his thin lips together. Silently, he tightened his arms around her, placing his palm on her flat belly. He continuously transferred spiritual power to her, hoping to ease her pain.

But soon, he realized that her spiritual power was replenished only for a moment, then quickly dissipated again. Her aura grew weaker.

Lu Yuanyin could also feel the rapid drain of her spiritual power, a chill spreading through her body. Instinctively, she sought the source of warmth, pressing close to Huo Wuyan's chest. It felt as if a hand inside her abdomen was twisting her internal organs into a knot, causing such pain that she nearly fainted.

Lu Yuanyin had been injured many times before. The worst was when she had shielded Gu Lingqiu from a sneak attack from behind, and a long sword had pierced straight through her abdomen. But even that pain was nothing compared to this.

She lifted her eyes, watching the maidservants rush back and forth, carrying hot water and ginseng soup into the room. Seeing the grim expressions of the Old Medical Cultivator and Qing Nong, she felt a stab of fear. Medicine and alchemy were inseparable, and as an experienced alchemist, she knew all too well how strange and dangerous her condition was.

Childbirth for an ordinary woman shouldn't be like this...

She bit her pale lips, breathing rapidly. Her slender fingers clutched tightly at the fabric of Huo Wuyan's robe. "Huo Wuyan," she whispered, "am I going to die?"

Huo Wuyan's pupils contracted. He cut her off instinctively, saying, "You won't die."

He held her tightly, his warm, large hand gently rubbing her flat belly as he continued to feed her spiritual power. He silently wiped the sweat from her forehead. "I'm here. You won't die."

His white hair brushed lightly against her cheek. Lu Yuanyin's gaze shifted, and she saw the crimson tassels dangling below his ear.

She couldn't hold back the tears. She sniffled, realizing her cheeks were wet and cold. Tears rolled down her pointed chin. "If I die, take care of my grandmother for me..."

The tears fell onto the back of his hand, forming tiny droplets. Huo Wuyan felt the teardrops burn. His fingers tightened, the muscles in his arms tensing.

Huo Wuyan pressed his thin lips together, looking at the pale-faced Lu Yuanyin. He suddenly lifted his eyes and stared straight at the Old Medical Cultivator.

"Can a dragon pearl replace the Xun Dragon Pearl to protect her heart meridian?" he asked in a cold voice.

The Old Medical Cultivator was taken aback. When he realized the implication of Huo Wuyan's words, his expression changed. A dragon pearl was the very essence of a dragon's life. If it were damaged, even Huo Wuyan would be severely injured, or worse.

The old physician hesitated for a moment before silently nodding, "It should be useful."

"But I wouldn't recommend that method, my lord. The dragon pearl is far too important to you, and must never be easily separated from your body!"

As he spoke, Huo Wuyan did not hesitate for a moment. His fingers formed hand seals and swiftly tapped several major acupoints on his body, and his immense spiritual power spilled out.

At the same time, an ancient, terrifying pressure slowly spread through this small space. The old physician's breath caught, and he nearly fell to his knees, helpless against it, the bloodline's pressure left him unable to speak.

The bed curtains swayed violently, and the walls and floor instantly cracked, with bricks and tiles shattering.

The old physician staggered, instantly flung back by the overflowing spiritual power. He crashed into the table behind him, only just stopping, lifting his head in disbelief.

In his shocked gaze, Huo Wuyan's white hair and robes billowed without any wind. Crimson demonic patterns flickered across his body, and from his back sprouted sharp wings, layered with golden scales, gleaming brilliantly in the dim light.

Amidst the shifting light and shadow, Huo Wuyan slowly bent down. He took her pointed chin in his hand, gently parting her pale lips. Their eyelashes brushed, and his black hair tangled with her white hair.

Huo Wuyan parted his lips, and a red-gold dragon pearl slowly slipped between Lu Yuanyin's lips.

The old physician's eyes flew open. He never imagined Huo Wuyan would go this far for her...

Usually, Huo Wuyan's attitude toward Lu Yuanyin was somewhat cold, even bordering on indifference. He'd figured the girl was just a passing whim, but now, he had even given her his dragon pearl.

This old dragon was really falling for her...

As the dragon pearl entered her abdomen, Lu Yuanyin's color visibly improved. The old physician quickly made her drink two bowls of ginseng soup.

Just then, Qing Nong, leaning on his crutch, hurried into the courtyard, shouting, "Hurry, follow me! This way, this way!"

His voice trailed off as dozens of midwives flooded into the room. They looked at each other, their expressions twitched despite themselves, but everyone staying in this inn was either wealthy or of high status, and they could not afford to offend them.

They could only respectfully say, "Could you all step out? We'll take it from here..."

Huo Wuyan held her gaze for a long moment, then strode out of the room.

The midwife glanced at Lu Yuanyin and quickly removed her clothes. Then, they all widened their eyes in shock, for underneath her clothes, her stomach was pale and flat—no sign of pregnancy at all.

Seeing her pale face, the midwife hesitated for a moment before reaching out to touch her stomach. At that touch, she felt something odd—a round object gently shifting inside her belly.

The midwife was startled. There really was a baby in there?

But they kept their faces neutral. Over the years, they had traveled far and wide, witnessing all kinds of strange phenomena. They'd even seen a woman from the Red Elephant clan carrying triplets, her belly so swollen it looked about to burst—truly terrifying.

But with the baby so small, this girl would have an easier time of it.

The midwife felt her belly and, seeing Lu Yuanyin's frightened expression, immediately called out to reassure her, "It's okay! Don't be afraid, miss! It'll be over soon! Just relax..."

The room immediately became noisy. Lu Yuanyin's broken screams mingled with the midwives' soothing words, each cry slamming into his ears. Dark clouds gathered over the small courtyard, and an inexplicable unease settled in his heart.

Hearing the cries of pain, Huo Wuyan furrowed his brow. He touched the empty space where his dragon pearl had been, feeling his heart pound. His fingers tightened slightly, and his crimson eyes darkened.

The old physician and Qing Nong secretly glanced at Huo Wuyan. Seeing his restless state, they couldn't help but sigh.

They forced themselves to calm down and sat absentmindedly by the door.

The sky gradually darkened. Two or three hours had passed, and the sounds from the room still hadn't ceased. A strong wind howled outside the courtyard, and before long, rain began to fall heavily, the raindrops splashing against the eaves and creating countless flowers of water.

Huo Wuyan stood outside the door. The dim candlelight flickered through the gap in the door, casting light and shadow across his face, and a hint of urgency even he hadn't noticed flickered in his eyes.

The old physician carried a bowl of medicine and slowly walked to his side, saying quietly, "My lord, you just moved your dragon pearl. Please drink this..."

But Huo Wuyan only stared silently at the closed door.

Seeing this, the old physician sighed helplessly, holding the bowl of medicine, and silently retreated to a corner.

After an unknown amount of time, the sounds from inside gradually weakened, and Lu Yuanyin's cries of pain grew more and more feeble. Everyone felt their hearts clench as they stared at the closed door without blinking. Just as they felt they might suffocate, joyful voices from the midwives came from inside: "Oh! It's out! The baby is born! Congratulations! Don't be afraid, miss, it's all over!"

A moment later, their voices paused, "It's... a big fat egg?"

Author's note:

None