Chapter 456

Xiao Minghuang was moved.

But...

"How did you come to know about this?"

She gazed calmly at the white-haired man.

Even she herself didn't know about this.

How did the white-haired man, or rather... the Weiming Immortal King, know this?

"Hehe, since you are here, why ask any further questions?"

The Weiming Immortal King smiled slightly, seemingly confident of victory, and spoke to himself.

Xiao Minghuang clenched her fists. She could indeed guess that the white-haired man's deduction of her pregnancy and the magical artifact that had unknowingly transferred her here were probably the same thing.

... but.

She could guess that being honest with the other party was two different things!

The attitude of the Weiming Immortal King made her very uncomfortable.

Xiao Minghuang's eyes flickered, and after a moment she looked up at the Weiming Immortal King: "So, what is the price?"

She certainly didn't think that the Weiming Immortal King's offering of a precious Chaos Rare Treasure was simply an attempt to form an alliance with her.

Upon hearing this, the Weiming Immortal King's eyes lit up for a moment, seemingly with some delight. "Fellow Daoist is straightforward, then I won't beat around the bush either..."

"At this grand auction, I request your assistance in slaying Lifeng Immortal King. Upon success, the Lifeng Star Domain will be divided equally between us, and the Yin Yang Hua Sheng Seal will be presented to you with both hands!"

He paused, then turned his gaze to Xiao Minghuang, saying meaningfully, "A great calamity is imminent. Fairy, you may find it difficult to protect yourself alone. Why don't we join hands and overcome this calamity together?"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Minghuang frowned slightly. She could tell that the Weiming Immortal King's words seemed to have a deeper meaning and were implied.

"Hehe... Fellow Daoist is joking."

"Fairy, please don't refuse yet. You are pregnant and will surely need a lot of resources. The Ziwei Star Domain is newly established and probably can't provide that much right now. If you agree, I will do my best to help you in the future!"

"If you repeat this statement, the previous agreement is null and void!"

"No, no, no!" Weiming Immortal King hurriedly said, "Fairy, please don't misunderstand. I just want to give the child in your womb a home..."

"Nonsense, utterly nonsensical!"

Xiao Minghuang coldly uttered these words, her entire body radiating Immortal Light, and she was about to leave.

"Please wait, fairy! I misspoke earlier. Please forgive me!"

The Weiming Immortal King repeatedly apologized.

Xiao Minghuang turned her head, her expression completely calm, as if nothing had happened.

How can I trust you?

"Words are no proof; let's put it in writing!"

The words had barely left his mouth.

With a flick of his sleeve, the Weiming Immortal King released a talisman.

He raised his palm and placed it on the talisman. Then, his finger sliced through the air, and a blood-red character appeared, imprinting itself into the talisman.

"I promise you, I will help you fight against Lifeng Immortal King after the grand auction. In return, you must give me the Yin Yang Hua Sheng Seal. If you break this oath, may you be struck down by heaven and earth!"

Xiao Minghuang spoke, raising his palm and pressing it onto the talisman as well.

Instantly.

The talisman shone with golden light, transforming into specks of light that vanished without a trace. Invisibly, two threads seemed to extend, connecting Xiao Minghuang and the Weiming Immortal King.

"With the Great Dao as your witness, fellow Daoist, you can rest assured now!"

The Weiming Immortal King chuckled softly, his expression relaxed, as if everything was going according to plan.

After all, he wouldn't dare to negotiate with the Ziwei Immortal King unless he was absolutely certain.

As for the strength of the Ziwei Immortal King, he was not worried at all.

When he first entered the realm of Immortal King, he was able to kill Immortal King Bo Feng who had undergone nearly three thousand tribulations. Although not much time has passed, his realm must have stabilized by now.

He was already in a strong position to defeat the Lifeng Immortal King, so his alliance with the Ziwei Immortal King was merely a precaution.

He also wanted to take this opportunity to try to arrange a marriage with the Ziwei Immortal King, but the other party strongly opposed it, so he temporarily put the matter aside.

"Forget it, let's deal with it slowly another day..."

"Hehe..."

Xiao Minghuang smiled, neither confirming nor denying.

Regardless of whether the Weiming Immortal King was sincere or not, at least on the surface, she did have many advantages.

Especially the promised Chaos Rare Treasure, the Yin Yang Hua Sheng Seal!

This is also the reason why Xiao Minghuang agreed to the other party's request.

However, the Weiming Immortal King seemed to harbor some improper thoughts about her, which greatly displeased her.

Compared to the Lifeng Immortal King, the difference in their abilities is immediately apparent.

"The grand auction is in three days. I will inform you in advance, so please be ready to act at any time."

"I see."

The words had barely left his mouth.

The surrounding pure white color dissipated like melting snow, and Xiao Minghuang returned to the Lifeng Immortal King.

"Your Highness?"

"Um?"

"Your Highness has been in a daze ever since Li Chenzhu left, and we can't wake you up no matter how much we call you..."

Xu Xiuer looked at her with a worried expression and couldn't help but ask.

Xiao Minghuang turned her head to look at Xu Xiuer, the news she had just learned flashing through her mind.

There was already an unborn life inside her.

"Your Highness, are you alright...?"

Seeing that she didn't speak, Xu Xiuer became even more anxious and couldn't help but call out again.

"Fine."

Xiao Minghuang finally shook her head.

The child in her womb is undoubtedly her own flesh and blood, but who the child's other mother is is hard to say.

Ordinary people carry a pregnancy for ten months, so the timing of conception can be estimated by observing the signs of pregnancy, but this is not possible for cultivators.

Even lower-level cultivators, such as those at the Spirit Seed or Nascent Soul Realm, need to go through a relatively long period of several years, or even decades, to produce offspring.

Sages, whose realm is even higher and whose Life Level is closer to the Dao, require thousands or even tens of thousands of years to attain enlightenment.

As for instances of immortals giving birth, although they have occurred, they are extremely rare.

Not to mention that conception requires the aid of rare and precious medicines, during the pregnancy itself, a continuous supply of divine substances is needed for the fetus to grow smoothly; otherwise, there is a high probability that the fetus will die in the womb.

Furthermore, even when it is time to give birth, there is no guarantee that the baby will be born safely.

There was a case where a celestial being went through countless hardships and spent countless resources to finally give birth to his own flesh and blood.

However, during childbirth, because her own Dao was too powerful, she interfered with the fetus's true spirit, causing the child to be born with a deficient true spirit. Even though the child was born as an immortal, because of the deficiency in his true spirit, his cultivation level was limited to that point, and he was also an idiot.

Therefore, whether they are immortals or mortal beings of a higher realm, they will choose to teach a disciple who suits their taste and inherit their mantle.

"Whose child is my?"

Although she knew that the child's other mother must be one of Ye Ruoshui, Lin Wanqiu, Xu Xiuer, Luo Qianhua, or Sheng Bailan, she couldn't be sure who it was.

[Ding! Host has been detected to have triggered the hidden function. Do you wish to view it?]

Suddenly.

A cold, electronic voice echoed in Xiao Minghuang's mind, causing Xiao Minghuang to pause in surprise.

"Check."

A thought flickered in her mind.

The next moment, a panel that had never been seen before appeared.

[Conceiving a Child: Progress 20%]

[Note 1: The host can increase the progress by communicating with the object of conception, using treasures containing Innate Power, and increasing their mastery of Innate Power. When the progress reaches 100%, the offspring will be born, bringing unexpected joy to the host.]

[Note 2: During the pregnancy, the system will periodically activate additional random functions to help the host successfully give birth to offspring.]

Xiao Minghuang was slightly surprised.

The system proposed three methods to help her conceive. The first was to communicate with the object of her conception... which essentially meant that she should cultivate a dual relationship with the child's other mother.

"That's easy..."

As long as she continues to cultivate with Ye Ruoshui and the other five women and records it, the data can be statistically analyzed to determine who the child's mother is.

The second option is to invest in treasures containing Innate Power. She currently possesses the Qianyuan Sacred Cauldron and the Six Harmonies Sacred Disk, both of which are Chaos Rare Treasure containing Innate Power.

As for the third point, Xiao Minghuang has not yet made any contact with it.

The most crucial point is...

"System, what unexpected joys followed the birth of the child?"

Xiao Minghuang inquired in her mind.

[Ding! Since it's an unexpected surprise, we'll only find out when the time comes; otherwise, it wouldn't be an unexpected surprise.]

Xiao Minghuang frowned slightly; it seemed the system wasn't going to tell the truth.

However, she didn't dwell on this point; after all, it was better than having no benefits at all.

Moreover, the system also said that it would activate additional functions immediately. Xiao Minghuang hesitated for a moment, then suddenly thought of something and couldn't help but look at Xu Xiuer.

"Your Highness."

Sensing Xiao Minghuang's gaze, Xu Xiuer looked back at her.

"Xiu'er..."

She wanted to know who the child's mother was, so she decided to start now.

Feeling Xiao Minghuang's gaze become increasingly intense, Xu Xiuer blushed slightly and said reproachfully, "Your Highness, it's still broad daylight..."

After saying that, he turned his head away, not daring to look Xiao Minghuang in the eye.

"Xiu'er?"

She gently stroked Xu Xiuer's smooth skin, her breath sweet as orchids.

Xu Xiuer was completely overwhelmed. She felt dizzy, her face flushed as she nodded, letting out a soft moan as her delicate body trembled slightly, as if she were about to melt into Xiao Minghuang's arms.

"Hehe, you sweet little girl, your big sister loves you."

Xiao Minghuang murmured softly.

Immediately, she picked Xu Xiuer up and carried her into the light gauze curtains...

Xiao Minghuang had a dream.

She sensed that in this vast and boundless universe, there existed something that could not be spoken of, something whose existence was tightly sealed in a corner of the universe, beyond the power of language to describe.

Even anywhere, whether it's Dead Star outside the universe or a secret realm within the universe, anyone who tries to describe its characteristics, its process, or even its form will be perceived by the endless power of the universe and then suppressed.

This unspeakable thing is so powerful and mysterious, as if hidden in the abyss of the universe, beyond human comprehension. Its existence is everywhere, yet it cannot be perceived by humankind. It is both the secret and the nightmare of the universe.

Its appearance often signifies destruction and disaster.

Just like the Way of Heaven, it controls the changes and ups and downs of the fate of all things in the world. It is the end of everything and the point of transition between the old and the new. It represents the birth, growth and death of life.

Whenever someone mentions it, it sends shivers down one's spine.

Of course, such horrific events only target those who want to touch upon or describe "taboos".