Wayfarer

Chapter 322: Nourishing the Fetus

In a hall within the aquatic palace of the dragons, Ao Zhou held a banquet in Xiao Nanfeng's honor. For entertainment, he had a group of sea spirits dance in the arena. Xiao Nanfeng and Ao Zhou had a discussion as the Divine Emperor sipped on wine quietly by the side, trying to help Xiao Nanfeng figure out if there was anything amiss in the area.

"Where's your prime minister?" Xiao Nanfeng asked.

"He headed out to bring me back a treasure. He'll be back in no time," Ao Zhou replied.

"Oh?"

"My prime minister's particularly loyal to me, and often brings back Immortal pills and herbs from time to time. I've only been able to establish all this business because of him. He's great, isn't he?"

Xiao Nanfeng wasn't paying particularly careful attention to the conversation. He turned to the Divine Emperor, as though asking if she had made any discoveries, as the Divine Emperor motioned to another zone of black fog beyond the barrier with her eyes.

"What's that domain of black fog?" Xiao Nanfeng asked Ao Zhou.

"It results from the formation that we dragons devised, and consists of incredible treasures within. Blue Lantern has been trying to break the barrier since. Three months ago, I had a look. Blue Lantern was seated in meditation, clearly engrossed with his work."

"Blue Lantern really is quite familiar with the art of making formations, but it doesn't seem like he's been lucky otherwise." The Divine Emperor smiled as she took a sip of wine.

"Hmm? That does seem to be the case. Three millennia ago, Blue Lantern headed to the undying realm in search of treasure, only to become the undying cursed king's cursed slave for the next three millennia. Then, after bringing me to the draconic palace, he was instantly whisked off by a length of red rope. He really is unlucky! Three months ago, when I headed into the formation to look for Blue Lantern, he was seated motionlessly and bleeding from all his orifices. Is he going to be unlucky again?" Ao Zhou murmured thoughtfully.

"Is it dangerous within the formation?" Xiao Nanfeng asked the Divine Emperor.

The Divine Emperor nodded. "Blue Lantern won't die, but he's not having a good time, either."

"Oh?"

"Xiao Nanfeng, what's your cultivation partner implying? Of course Blue Lantern can't die—he's just trying to break the formation! I asked him for an update three months ago, and he sent me a mental transmission saying that he was fine and not to worry about him." Ao Zhou seemed perplexed.

"Blue Lantern's not the only one with problems—Ao Zhou has some of his own, too." The Divine Emperor gave him a weird look.

Ao Zhou's face twitched. "Why's your companion being so mysterious, Xiao Nanfeng?"

Suddenly, a voice could be heard from beyond the hall. "Honored guests, you should be grateful that His Majesty has welcomed you personally and hosted a banquet in your honor. How could you taunt him instead?"

A hulking man walked in from outside. All the sea spirits were particularly respectful toward him.

"You're back, Prime Minister! What did you bring back this time?"

The hulking man walked up to Ao Zhou and retrieved a jade box. "Your Majesty, I helped you find an Immortal pill."

As he opened the box, a fresh fragrance filled the air. Just inhaling it made the cultivators around feel relaxed.

"What incredible spiritual aether this Immortal pill is giving off!" Ao Zhou wondered.

"I hope you won't mind the shabby gift, Your Majesty." The hulking man smiled.

"Of course not! You really know me well, haha!" Ao Zhou replied, laughing.

"The spiritual aether coming from this Immortal pill is rapidly dissipating. I recommend that you eat it instantly, or its efficacy will be greatly reduced," the hulking man continued immediately.

"Ao Zhou, show me that Immortal pill," Xiao Nanfeng said.

"For what? You aren't going to try to snatch it, are you?" Ao Zhou clutched the pill tightly.

The hulking man laughed. "Do you see that, Your Majesty? Some people might purport to be your friends, but they're all just trying to get rewards off you."

Fang Zhou considered his prime minister's words thoughtfully.

Xiao Nanfeng frowned. He felt as though the hulking man had to know of him; otherwise, he wouldn't have attempted to needle him so patiently. The Divine Emperor said that there was something wrong with the pill. Surely she wasn't mistaken.

"Ao Zhou, have you forgotten who I am? Why would I snatch what belonged to you? I'm just trying to help you out," Xiao Nanfeng replied.

Ao Zhou nodded. "You're right. We're both members of the Qiatian Alliance. If you scheme against me, you'll suffer heavy punishment."

"Your Majesty, he's lying to you! I've helped you research that information, and there's no such thing as the Qitian Alliance. He must have tricked you while you were in the Eastern Sea Draconic Palace. He's the real swindler!" the hulking man declared.

"Prime Minister, you don't understand. Your level of access is far too low. How could you comprehend how much power the Qitian Alliance possesses?" Ao Zhou shook his head.

"Your Majesty, it's true that I don't understand, but I can think about the situation from a logical perspective. If the Qitian Alliance really were as incredible as you claimed, why would Xiao Nanfeng's cultivation be that weak? Did you believe him just because he advanced to Spiritsong right in front of you? That's not difficult at all. If he had an Immortal pill in his mouth and swallowed it in front of you, that would easily have allowed him to advance from Ascension- into Spiritsong- realm. This pill of mine is Immortal-level and is particularly precious. What if he consumes it? Wouldn't that only be in his favor?" the hulking man continued. He really did seem to have prior knowledge of Xiao Nanfeng.

Xiao Nanfeng turned toward Ao Zhou with a strange expression on his face. "Why did you tell him everything, including about the Qitian Alliance?"

"Prime Minister Whale and I had a long discussion in bed, and I mentioned it in passing," Ao Zhou replied.

"A long discussion in bed...?" Xiao Nanfeng sucked in a deep breath and subconsciously stepped back.

What was the relationship between Ao Zhou and his prime minister?

"Prime Minister Whale has helped me recruit countless subordinates, and he's a close confidante. Recently, we've been having discussions late at night by candlelight and sleeping in the same bed. He told me a lot of secret information about the seat spirits, and I mentioned some secrets about the Draconic Palace to him in exchange."

Xiao Nanfeng peered at the hulking Prime Minister Whale, then at Ao Zhou. He shuddered.

"Sharing a bed? You really are adventurous..." Xiao Nanfeng took another step back subconsciously.

"What sort of expression is that? It's a friendship born of our respective positions as king and prime minister. We had too long a chat and consumed quite a bit of wine. I was a little tired, so I decided to rest."

"No wonder. You're pregnant!" the Divine Emperor exclaimed.

The hall fell silent. Everyone gave her an odd look.

"Xiao Nanfeng, what's your cultivation partner saying? Who's pregnant?" Ao Zhou retorted, flustered.

Prime Minister Whale's face fell. "Your Majesty, these guests are far too impolite. Why not chase them off now?"

Xiao Nanfeng gaped in surprise. He believed that the Divine Emperor would never say something like that for no reason. He gaped at Ao Zhou's stomach incredulously. "You and Prime Minister Whale are both male, aren't you?

"How could I have become pregnant? This is the stomach a dragon king ought possess, nothing more!" Ao Zhou thundered.

Xiao Nanfeng turned to the Divine Emperor. "Is Ao Zhou's baby male or female?"

"Xiao Nanfeng, don't push things too far!" Ao Zhou thundered.

"Guards! Seize these cultivators!" Prime Minister Whale shouted.

A large group of sea spirits and serpents appeared from outside the barrier.

The Divine Emperor continued, "I don't know if the fetus is male or female, but from the looks of it, it's already almost fully grown. If I'm not mistaken, that Immortal pill is meant to provide nutrients to the fetus."

"So that pill is for nourishing the fetus?" Xiao Nanfeng exclaimed.

Ao Zhou's face twitched. "You're taking things too far!"

"Strike!" Prime Minister Whale shouted.

"Understood!" A swarm of sea spirits shot forward.

"Hold it!" Ao Zhou commanded.

The sea spirits stopped short, not knowing whether to continue proceeding onward.

"Your Majesty, these two cultivators are making an unreasonable fuss and mocking you. Why allow them to stay?"

Ao Zhou's eyes flashed. In the end, because he had been overwhelmed by the power that the senior members of the Qitian Alliance had once 'displayed', he felt that it would be prudent to confirm the truth of the alliance once again. At worst, he would lose an Immortal pill; it was a worthwhile trade.

"Come, then, have a look. How could this be meant for a fetus?" Ao Zhou tried to hand over the Immortal pill,

but the Divine Emperor didn't reach out for it. Rather, she said, "I'm not interested in it either. Come over here. I'll show you what's in your belly."

"Ah?" Ao Zhou stilled.

He immediately stored the Immortal pill and walked over in surprise.

"Your Majesty, don't listen to their nonsense! They're playing you for a fool!" Prime Minister Whale cried out.

Unfortunately, Ao Zhou continued to walk up to the Divine Emperor.

The Divine Emperor felt Ao Zhou's stomach. There was a hum, causing Ao Zhou's belly to shake. He pulled off his clothes to reveal a bulging belly, the skin of which seemed to oscillate in waves. Was there really a living being inside?

"How could this be? What's in my belly?!" Ao Zhou cried out.

"Do you believe me now?" The Divine Emperor smiled.

"Impossible! Why haven't I sensed it before?!" Ao Zhou exclaimed.

"Your Highness, they're using vile techniques to trick you!"

By then, however, Ao Zhou had been shellshocked by what he had observed within his own body.

"W-Would you be able to extract what's in my belly?" Ao Zhou fretted.

"Please, help me extract it. I was never able to sense it before this. How could there be something in my belly?!" Ao Zhou cried out.

The Divine Emperor smiled. "Let's do so."

Her right hand turned pitch-black and reached for Ao Zhou's skin. The hand seemed somehow ethereal, passing right through his skin without meeting any resistance.

Then, the Divine Emperor seemed to catch something. The fetus squirmed madly in Ao Zhou's belly, occasionally letting out roars of anger.

The Divine Emperor continued to pull the fetus out of Ao Zhou's body. Ao Zhou shrieked in pain, canceling his human transformation and reverting to the form of a fat black dragon. He lay paralyzed on the ground, crying out, "It hurts!"

"Stop it!" Prime Minister Whale darted forward.

Multicolored light flashed around Prime Minister Whale's body as he unleashed a frightening aura.

"Wait right there. I'll interrogate you afterwards." Xiao Nanfeng's eyes turned cold.

His body flickered as his robes took on a silver tint. He punched forward.

"What? Yin Body?!" Prime Minister Whale exclaimed.

A frightening burst of strength sent Prime Minister Whale flying.

Xiao Nanfeng didn't give chase; he guarded the Divine Emperor and Ao Zhou. As the Divine Emperor tugged forcefully, she pulled out a bloody being from Ao Zhou's belly.

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