Chapter 20: A Three-Year Pregnancy
“Why does my heart ache so much when I see you kill them?” Upon waking, Mo Liuli was noticeably calmer, no longer consumed by madness as before. She lay quietly in Xiao Junwang’s arms, gazing at him with sorrowful eyes.
“That’s a question you should ask yourself. As far as I know, those ghostly masks, fangs, and blood axes are the symbols of a mysterious gang whispered about in the martial world—the Blood Covenant. They rarely roam openly and represent darkness itself.”
“Then… can I continue cultivating like this?” Being targeted by such dark forces and losing all her spiritual power made her realize the importance of cultivation. She had originally planned to cultivate after giving birth, but under the current circumstances…
“Even if you cultivate now, it would be in vain. All the spiritual energy within you is absorbed by the fetus. Furthermore, spiritual power is almost meaningless to the fetus at this stage. Added to that is the toxin inside you—cultivating will only deepen the poison.”
Xiao Junwang spoke frankly. Some truths were better revealed sooner rather than later.
“Have you ever heard of the Dragon Clan? The child in your womb is a dragon offspring. A dragon pregnancy lasts three years, so you’ll have to endure this journey with me for three years.”
Mo Liuli was dumbfounded. She had vaguely suspected something related to dragons but never imagined the child in her womb was a dragon seed. Weren’t the dragons long extinct? Could it be… “Are you also of the Dragon Clan?”
Seeing Mo Liuli’s rare, startled expression, Xiao Junwang smiled faintly.
“Why do you ask? As of now, the only dragon left is the one in your womb,” he said with a hint of melancholy.
…
“Come with me to Wu. There’s a divine healer there who might be able to help with the poison inside you. This is Qingdan; take it before bed each night. It will alleviate the effects of the toxin.”
“We won’t be returning to the Mo estate for the time being. That woman, Aunt Qing, is not simple—perhaps the poison inside you is connected to her.”
Seeing Mo Liuli’s hesitation, Xiao Junwang fell silent for a moment before continuing.
By mid-afternoon, the three thousand elite troops dispatched by Emperor Huanlan arrived at the East Residence, only to find it deserted—completely empty, not even an animal in sight, let alone a person.
Within the depths of Huanlan City’s imperial palace, Emperor Huanlan crouched warily before a hidden door, resting his plump head on his hands.
No one would have expected that the emperor, second only to the heavens, could show such humility.
“It’s fate; no use resisting. The fake crown princess inside the palace must not be harmed! I still have use; don’t entertain any reckless ideas! Otherwise—”
A sharp crack echoed from behind the hidden door, like the lash of a whip, causing Emperor Huanlan to shudder. Any thought of harming Mo Ruyan was instantly dispelled.
Though Emperor Huanlan promised not to harm Mo Ruyan, he did not promise the same for the Mo family or Mo Yuan.
Since Mo Liuli was taken away under the watchful eyes of several elders, Mo Yuan and Lady Leng endured three days of relentless interrogation by the three senior elders at the family shrine. Even Mo Zichuan, who was studying at the Martial Academy, was summoned back.
No trace of information linking them to Xiao Junwang was found. Finally, the second elder stood and ordered, “Bring the young mistress’s maid here! She serves her daily and must know if the young mistress has met a man. Also, bring back the second young miss from the Demon Cultivation Academy. After all that has happened to the family, it’s time she returned.”