Demoted to Concubine

Zhao Ping'an relaxed slightly and turned his attention back to the Ancient Sacred Body bloodline. He saw that the Ancient Sacred Body bloodline had risen to Two Ten-Thousandths.

"10 Bloodline Potential Points can raise the Ancient Sacred Body bloodline by One Ten-Thousandth. Adding another 11 Bloodline Potential Points raised the Ancient Sacred Body bloodline from One Ten-Thousandth to Two Ten-Thousandths. Then, to raise the Ancient Sacred Body bloodline to one hundred percent, I'll probably need 100,000 Bloodline Potential Points."

He could not help but ponder. "As the saying goes, a pregnancy lasts ten months. I'm already three months along, and I'll be born in seven months—in other words, I have 210 Days left until birth. At my current rate of gaining Bloodline Potential Points, I can only obtain Over 2,000 Bloodline Potential Points, enough to raise the Ancient Sacred Body bloodline to barely over 2%!"

"I have to find a way to obtain more Bloodline Potential Points!"

Worry rose in Zhao Ping'an's heart.

"Though I'm a fetus, my Divine Soul is awake. I should be able to actively absorb nutrients and gain Bloodline Potential Points."

Thus, he tried consciously absorbing his mother's nutrients, and immediately felt energy pouring into his body at an accelerated rate.

"It really works!"

Overjoyed, he continued absorbing nutrients.

Jiang Shuyue clearly sensed her qi and blood continuously flowing toward the fetus. She was startled, but even more delighted.

"Child, they all say you'll be weak from birth, but Mother believes you are destined to be extraordinary!" she said softly, her face full of affection and anticipation. "Even if you truly are weak from birth, you are still Mother's child!"

About a quarter of an hour later, an irresistible wave of drowsiness swept over him, and Zhao Ping'an stopped actively absorbing nutrients.

He fought off the sleepiness and barely managed to open the panel for a glance. He saw that he had gained 20 Bloodline Potential Points.

Then he fell into a deep sleep.

On the third day, Zhao Ping'an woke up.

The first thing he did was open the panel to check it, seeing that he had accumulated 32 Bloodline Potential Points.

"Subtracting what the system gives every day and what I actively absorbed yesterday, I automatically absorbed 2 Bloodline Potential Points—1 more than the day before yesterday. That means the greater the concentration of my Ancient Sacred Body bloodline, the more Bloodline Potential Points I automatically absorb."

"Two factors affected the efficiency of my active nutrient absorption yesterday: first, the time was too short; second, my absorption speed was not fast enough."

"Both factors will improve as I grow."

Setting aside his thoughts, Zhao Ping'an began sensing the outside world and discovered that his mother, Jiang Shuyue, was sitting cross-legged on the bed, cultivating.

Out of curiosity, Zhao Ping'an carefully sensed Jiang Shuyue's cultivation, wanting to understand cultivation in advance.

After roughly Half a Cup of Tea, Zhao Ping'an suddenly came back to himself. "My waking hours each day are limited. I need to hurry and absorb nutrients."

Before actively absorbing nutrients, he naturally did not forget to first raise his Ancient Sacred Body bloodline.

Thus, he opened the panel and prepared to allocate points, only to unexpectedly discover that the panel had changed. A Maternal Technique had been added beneath the cultivation techniques.

Maternal Technique: "Clear Void Xun Wind Art" Second Layer (0/)(Disappears after birth)

"The Maternal Technique should be the technique Mother cultivates." Zhao Ping'an could not help but feel delighted. "Does that mean I can also assist Mother's cultivation?"

With that thought, he added Proficiency Points to the Maternal Technique.

However, he did not dare fill it all at once, fearing that something might happen to Jiang Shuyue. For his first attempt, he only added 2,000 Proficiency Points.

The next moment, enlightenment struck Jiang Shuyue. Everything suddenly became clear, and she completely understood how to open her qi sea in accordance with her own circumstances.

The path of cultivation was divided into the Seven Realms: Channel Opening Realm, Primordial Sea Realm, Divine Treasury Realm, Dragon Transformation Realm, Law Manifestation Realm, Dao Unification Realm, and Celestial Realm.

Each realm was a separate heaven and earth, each realm a natural chasm. Not only was there a world of difference in strength, but breaking through was also extraordinarily difficult—as difficult as crossing a heavenly chasm.

Jiang Shuyue had been stuck at the peak of the Channel Opening Realm for Over Three Years.

After her enlightenment, Jiang Shuyue pressed on in one burst of momentum. She immediately took out One Primordial Sea Pill and swallowed it, circulating her True Essence with all her might to open her Primordial Sea.

Boom—

As if opening heaven and earth, Jiang Shuyue successfully opened a Primordial Sea within her body.

Under the endless washing of True Essence, the Primordial Sea rapidly expanded.

One Zhang!

Ten Zhang!

Hundred Zhang!

Thousand Zhang!

When the Primordial Sea expanded to Thousand Zhang, Jiang Shuyue's True Essence was exhausted, and she no longer had the strength to expand it further.

The size of a newly opened Primordial Sea was critically important, because the final Primordial Sea could only reach about Ten Times the size of its initial opening. The larger the initial Primordial Sea, the greater one's strength, potential, and the farther one could go.

Ten Zhang Talent.

Hundred Zhang Elite.

Thousand Zhang Genius!

Jiang Shuyue stopped cultivating and opened her beautiful eyes, beside herself with joy and delight beyond all expectation.

The human body had a total of 108 Meridians. The "Clear Void Xun Wind Art" she cultivated could only open 45 Meridians; by all reason, it was nearly impossible for her to open a Thousand Zhang Primordial Sea.

Yet she had gained a profound enlightenment. During the process of opening her Primordial Sea, she had not wasted a single thread of True Essence, allowing her to break precedent and open a Thousand Zhang Primordial Sea in one breath.

"Child, was it you who helped Mother cultivate?" Jiang Shuyue lowered her head, her slender hand gently stroking the fetus, her voice incomparably tender.

That enlightenment just now had seemed like divine aid. She knew full well that her comprehension and aptitude were not particularly good; otherwise, she would not have spent Over Three Years without being able to open her Primordial Sea.

So there was only one explanation: the fetus had helped her.

It was not merely speculation; she herself had sensed it intuitively.

Hearing his mother's question, Zhao Ping'an stretched his body in response.

Feeling the fetus move, Jiang Shuyue was even more delighted, overflowing with maternal love. As she continued stroking the fetus through her belly, she said with utmost tenderness and affection, "Good child, Mother's good child..."

Basking in that deep maternal love, Zhao Ping'an felt comfortable all over.

He opened the panel and added all his Bloodline Potential points to the Ancient Sacred Body bloodline.

An ancient, weathered scene appeared in his mind.

That Towering Man stood atop the tip of a mountain peak that pierced straight into the clouds, gazing down as he searched the horizon. Golden light flowed through his eyes, and obstacles such as clouds, mist, mountains, and forests became transparent. A Wounded Beast fleeing through the mountain forests several thousand miles away came into his view.

The Towering Man's eyes narrowed slightly. Terrifying lightning suddenly descended above the Wounded Beast, reducing it to ashes on the spot, scattering it to the winds.

At the end, the Towering Man slowly turned his head and cast a glance at Zhao Ping'an.

Boom—

The image shattered, and Zhao Ping'an recovered from his shock.

He opened the panel to check. Sure enough, an additional divine ability had appeared on it.

Divine Ability: Heavenly Punishment Sacred Eye (0/1,000,000)

Heavenly Punishment Sacred Eye: See heaven and earth as clearly as the lines on one's palm; nothing in creation can hide. Shatter all illusions. Wherever the sacred eye reaches, heavenly thunder descends in punishment.

"This divine ability is incredible. Killing people without a trace—it's perfect for playing the old sixth! I like it." Zhao Ping'an was overjoyed, deeply taken with the Heavenly Punishment Sacred Eye.

From a thousand miles away, he could kill an enemy with a single distant glance. Not only would he have a perfect alibi, but people might even believe the enemy had deserved it—after all, even the Heavenly Dao had sent down punishment.

Closing the panel, Zhao Ping'an pondered, "Mother exhausted all her True Essence opening her Primordial Sea today, so I won't actively draw nutrients today."

With that, he fell asleep of his own accord.

Noticing that the fetus had gone completely quiet, Jiang Shuyue took out a Thousand-Year Ginseng Pill and refined it, recovering a portion of her True Essence.

Afterward, she rose to her feet and went to find her husband, Zhao Yingpeng, brimming with joy.

The fetus's ability to help her enter enlightenment was enough to prove that it was extraordinarily extraordinary.

Before long, Jiang Shuyue found Zhao Yingpeng practicing in the Martial Arts Field.

After hearing Jiang Shuyue out, Zhao Yingpeng said dismissively, "It has nothing to do with the fetus. You've already spent over three years opening your Primordial Sea. That's a very long time."

Back then, after cultivating the first layer of the ancestral Divine River Dragon Song Art to perfection, he had opened a Primordial Sea of Ten Thousand Feet in merely seven days. He had never considered opening a Primordial Sea difficult.

Then, he earnestly advised, "Now that you've entered the Primordial Sea Realm, you should press on while the iron is hot and enter the Third Realm, the Divine Treasury Realm, as soon as possible. Then we can have many children."

"This fetus must be aborted as soon as possible, lest it delay your cultivation."

Jiang Shuyue shook her head firmly, determined to continue proving that the fetus was extraordinary. "The fetus truly did help me enter enlightenment. After I broke through, I asked it about it, and it responded."

"Husband, our child is extraordinary. Let's give birth to him." She stepped forward and grasped Zhao Yingpeng's arm. Her peerlessly beautiful face tilted up toward him, her lovely eyes filled with pleading, supplication, and entreaty.

Zhao Yingpeng let out a soft sigh. He brushed Jiang Shuyue's hands aside, then extended his hand before her. "Give me the Abortion Pill."

Thinking she had persuaded Zhao Yingpeng, Jiang Shuyue hurriedly took out the Abortion Pill and happily handed it to him.

Zhao Yingpeng removed the stopper and poured out a black pill the size of a longan, carrying a pungent scent. Pinching it between his thumb and forefinger, he said to Jiang Shuyue in an unquestionable tone, "Open your mouth."

It turned out that he had already seen through the fact that Jiang Shuyue had no intention of aborting the fetus. So he simply decided to feed her the Abortion Pill himself, lest more complications arise.

Jiang Shuyue's expression changed drastically. Terrified, she swiftly clamped one hand over her mouth and repeatedly backed away, putting distance between herself and Zhao Yingpeng.

"I won't eat it! I won't eat it!" she cried emotionally. "If you want me to abort my child, I'd rather die!"

Zhao Yingpeng's face turned ashen. Jiang Shuyue had always been exceedingly gentle, following her husband's lead in all things. He had never expected her to defy him and sing a different tune over something so important!

"Husband, you are also this child's father. Can you truly bear to abort him?" Jiang Shuyue begged bitterly. "Please, let me give birth to this child."

Zhao Yingpeng said coldly, "Precisely because he is my child, he has no right to be born. A tiger father does not raise a dog son. I, Zhao Yingpeng, have no need for a mediocre descendant!"

"Aborting it would be good for everyone, including the child itself!"

As he spoke, he strode toward Jiang Shuyue and commanded, "Swallow it!"

Jiang Shuyue fell into utter despair.

As she retreated, she quickly drew a dagger and pressed it to her throat. Though her gentle, beautiful face was streaked with tears, her expression was incomparably resolute. "Husband, do not force me."

Zhao Yingpeng had no choice but to stop advancing. He trembled with rage. "You are truly being unreasonable!"

Jiang Shuyue dropped to her knees, keeping the dagger pressed tightly against her throat as she pleaded mournfully, "Please, Husband, let me give birth to this child."

Zhao Yingpeng flung his sleeve and left in fury.

Jiang Shuyue remained kneeling, refusing to rise, hoping that Zhao Yingpeng would soften his heart.

Originally, she had planned to lull the Zhennan Marquis and his wife, as well as Zhao Yingpeng, into lowering their guard, then find an opportunity to quietly leave the Zhennan Marquis Estate and hide away to give birth to the child. But now that she had been seen through, she no longer had any chance to leave the Zhennan Marquis Estate.

Half a day later, the Zhennan Marquis Dowager came before Jiang Shuyue.

"Jiang Clan, you have greatly disappointed everyone." With a dark expression, the Zhennan Marquis Dowager rebuked her in disgust, "You used death to threaten Yingpeng. Are you trying to put Yingpeng in an unrighteous position?"

Jiang Shuyue pleaded mournfully, "Please, Mother, allow me to give birth to this child. I am willing to bear any punishment."

"Since you are so ignorant of propriety and insist on giving birth to this bastard child, you are unfit to remain Yingpeng's principal wife." The Zhennan Marquis Dowager said coldly, "From today onward, you are Demoted to Concubine. The bastard you bear will be concubine-born and have no inheritance rights. And once the bastard is born, the Marquis Estate will not spend a single copper coin on him!"

With that, she tossed a document and a brush before Jiang Shuyue. "If you want to give birth to that bastard, sign the confession!"

Jiang Shuyue lowered her head and looked at the document. Written in stark black ink on white paper were the words:

Confession

I, Jiang Shuyue, deceived and defied my parents-in-law and husband. I refuse to repent and willingly accept punishment, lowering myself to a concubine. Any children I bear shall be concubine-born and have no inheritance rights.

After reading the confession, Jiang Shuyue picked up the brush through her tears and signed her name upon it.

"Press your fingerprint." The Zhennan Marquis Dowager ordered coldly.

Jiang Shuyue had no choice but to bite her finger, staining it with blood before pressing a bloody fingerprint onto the confession.

With a wave of the Zhennan Marquis Dowager's hand, the confession flew into her grasp. She let out a heavy, cold snort, then flicked her sleeve and departed.

After turning away, she rolled the string of Buddhist beads in her hand, which emitted a faint Buddha Light, and an involuntary smile of triumph crept onto her face.

As it turned out, when Jiang Shuyue had first married into the Zhennan Marquis Estate, she had fiercely opposed it. She despised Jiang Shuyue's humble origins and mediocre cultivation talent, believing that she was utterly unworthy of her outstanding son.

It was only because Zhao Yingpeng was utterly infatuated with Jiang Shuyue's beauty—the foremost beauty of White Emperor City—and refused to marry anyone but her, coupled with the Jiang Family's willingness to provide an enormous dowry, that she had reluctantly agreed.

Now that Jiang Shuyue had brought ruin upon herself and been Demoted to Concubine, she could finally have Zhao Yingpeng marry the ideal candidate she had chosen long ago.

The daughter-in-law she favored was named Su Yingluo. Not only was she the young lady of the Qingzhou Su Clan, she was also the sole personal laywoman disciple of the Pudu Mountain Buddha Lord, a sacred cultivation land.

Pudu Mountain was one of the two great sacred cultivation lands of the Great Qian Kingdom. The Buddha Lord possessed vast divine powers and boundless magic; even Emperor Qian had to show him three measures of deference when they met.