An hour later, Ji Chun withdrew his palm and turned to Mu Miefeng. "Xue Shenyi's internal injuries are now eighty percent healed. Please ensure he gets proper rest and care for a full recovery."
"Thank you, Ji Chun Dashi. I am deeply grateful," Mu Miefeng said, carefully helping Xue Yao lie back down and tucking him under the quilt. He then approached Ji Chun and bowed again, his gratitude evident.
"There's no need for such formality," Ji Chun replied, gesturing for Mu Miefeng to sit with him at a small table in the outer room. "I do have something to ask you, though," he added, his tone sincere but hesitant.
"Please, go ahead," Mu Miefeng said, pouring a cup of tea for Ji Chun.
Ji Chun paused, choosing his words carefully. "I need to know... is the leader of the Demonic Cult truly... pregnant?"
Mu Miefeng nodded. "Yes, he is." He studied Ji Chun's expression, sensing the unease behind the question. "Why do you ask, Dashi?"
Ji Chun hesitated, his discomfort evident. Mu Miefeng, noticing his struggle, decided not to press further and continued, "When I examined him at the Changyuan Inn in Jeju, I confirmed that he indeed had sexual intercourse with a man. The reincarnation pill is designed to allow men to conceive, so it's not surprising."
"And the fetus inside him...?" Ji Chun asked, his voice tense.
"It's no different from an ordinary fetus," Mu Miefeng replied, his curiosity growing. "Why do you ask? Is something wrong?"
Ji Chun's face paled slightly, and he looked away. "It's just... I'm concerned about the impact on his health."
Mu Miefeng's sharp eyes narrowed as he studied Ji Chun. After a moment, he asked pointedly, "That man... was it you?"
Ji Chun froze. The question hung in the air, heavy and unavoidable. He had never been good at lying, and now, faced with the truth, he couldn't bring himself to deny it. After a long silence, he finally nodded. "Yes."
Mu Miefeng inhaled sharply, stunned. "Ji Chun... how could you...?"
Ji Chun offered no explanation, his face solemn and his gaze fixed on the table. Mu Miefeng, knowing Ji Chun's character, quickly pieced together what must have happened. He assumed that Su Ran, with how cunning he was and with the influence of the drug, he had forced Ji Chun into the situation. Feeling a pang of sympathy, Mu Miefeng softened his tone. "I spoke out of turn. Forgive me."
He then shifted the conversation back to Su Ran's condition. "Regarding his current state, there are a few things to consider. First, abortion is an option, but it would cause his internal energy to dissipate, leading to his death. I doubt he would choose that. Second, the fetus acts as a sort of talisman for him—as long as it remains, his internal energy will remain intact. This will continue until birth. Finally, it's unnatural for a man to conceive, especially with a modified reincarnation pill. The day of birth will likely be the day of his death."
Ji Chun's mind reeled. "So... both outcomes lead to death?" he asked softly, his voice barely above a whisper.
Mu Miefeng nodded. "Yes. If the fetus is aborted, his internal energy will dissipate, and he'll die from physical weakness. If he carries it to term, the strain of childbirth will kill him."
"What if he hadn't become pregnant at all?" Ji Chun asked, his brow furrowed.
"If he hadn't conceived, the antidote I prepared would have gradually neutralized the effects of the drug," Mu Miefeng explained, though he knew the truth would only deepen Ji Chun's guilt.
"I see," Ji Chun murmured, his voice distant. He nodded mechanically, his mind struggling to process the weight of the information.
"Ji Chun Dashi," Mu Miefeng said gently, "I want you to know that I will never speak of this to anyone. And please, don't blame yourself too harshly. I can only imagine how difficult this must be for you."
Ji Chun nodded again, though his expression remained troubled. After a moment, he stood and bid Mu Miefeng farewell, retreating to his room.
As he entered, he was surprised to find Su Ran already lying on the bed, fast asleep. It seemed Su Ran had decided to stay after Ji Chun left, making himself at home without a second thought.
Su Ran's sleep was restless, his beautiful features marred by a furrowed brow and occasional murmurs. Ji Chun sighed, quietly returning to the table and sitting down. His eyes lingered on Su Ran's face, studying the man who had caused so much turmoil in his life.
Su Ran was undeniably striking, his beauty almost otherworldly. If he had been born into a noble family, he might have been a refined and elegant gentleman. Instead, he had become a notorious figure, revered as the leader of a cult. It was a tragic waste of talent and grace.
As Ji Chun watched, Su Ran shifted in his sleep, his movements causing his robes to tighten around his waist. The faint outline of a small bulge was visible—a subtle but unmistakable sign of the life growing inside him. Ji Chun's heart clenched as he realized what it meant. That small, discordant curve was the unformed fetus—his child.
Around noon, Ji Chun went out for lunch and happened to run into Mu Miefeng as he was leaving his room. The two exchanged greetings, and as they were about to part ways, Mu Miefeng suddenly stopped him.
"Ji Chun Dashi," Mu Miefeng began, "Xue Yao is still unconscious, and I'm worried about him. I think it's best if I stay here to care for him, which will delay our journey. Why don't you go ahead, and we'll catch up with you later?"
Ji Chun nodded. "That's fine. There's no urgent need to rush west, but staying here too long isn't ideal either."
Mu Miefeng handed him a small bottle. "This is a special wound medicine made by Yisheng Valley. Take it with you." He hesitated for a moment before adding, "May I ask... are you traveling with him this time?"
Ji Chun thought back to Su Ran's words during their recent encounter and considered the day's events. After a pause, he replied in a low voice, "Yes, I'll be traveling with him."
Mu Miefeng looked as though he wanted to say more but ultimately held back. Instead, he sighed and said, "Ji Chun Dashi, be careful on your journey. Don't trust that man too easily. That's all I have to say."
As Mu Miefeng turned to leave, Ji Chun suddenly remembered something. "How is... he faring right now?"
Mu Miefeng gave him a complicated look. "No different from an ordinary pregnant woman," he replied before heading back to his room.
No different from an ordinary pregnant woman... Ji Chun repeated the words silently in his mind as he returned to his room. Inside, Su Ran seemed to have just woken up, sitting on the bed in a daze. He glanced at Ji Chun but said nothing.
Ji Chun broke the silence. "Sect Leader Su, regarding your proposal to cooperate with me, I've decided to accept. I'll pack up and set off now. What about you?"
Su Ran stood up quickly, his expression cold. "Good. Did that Mu fellow tell you how to resolve this situation?"
"Mu Gongzi has explained everything. Please don't disturb them further," Ji Chun replied, his tone firm but patient despite his growing irritation with Su Ran's attitude.
Su Ran's eyes narrowed, a cold glint flashing in them. If you dare deceive me, I'll drag you down with me, even if it kills me!Without another word, he slammed the door and left, his voice echoing behind him. "Wait for me to finish eating. We'll set off together!"
To avoid further conflict between Su Ran and Mu Miefeng's group, Ji Chun decided not to say goodbye to them. When he stepped outside, he found Su Ran waiting, empty-handed and dressed as carefree as ever. In contrast, Ji Chun carried a heavy bag, making the two of them look less like traveling companions and more like a master and his servant.
They set off without delay, hoping to reach the next town before nightfall. For several hours, they walked in silence, neither willing to break the tense atmosphere. By the time darkness fell, they still hadn't reached their destination and were forced to camp outdoors.
They stopped under a large tree in an open area. Ji Chun unpacked the dry food he had prepared earlier and laid it out on a clean handkerchief. As he reached for the water in his bag, he noticed Su Ran helping himself to the food without a word of thanks.
Ji Chun frowned, watching as Su Ran took a bite and nodded in satisfaction. Just as he was about to say something, Su Ran spoke first.
"What are you staring at?" Su Ran asked, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. "I'll pay you back for the food later."
Ji Chun knew arguing with Su Ran was pointless, so he simply turned away and ate in silence. Suddenly, something hit him. He turned to see Su Ran, the culprit, smirking at him.
"What are you doing?" Ji Chun asked, his voice low.
"That's some silver," Su Ran said, tossing a small pouch toward him. "Consider it payment. Since we'll be traveling together for a while, let's make things clear now. You'll handle buying supplies and carrying them. In return, if we run into trouble, I'll deal with it. Fair enough?"
Ji Chun thought to himself, This man really knows how to arrange things to his advantage. Am I supposed to be his servant now? Though annoyed, he decided not to argue. Instead, he pretended not to hear and continued eating.
The next morning, they packed up and resumed their journey. By afternoon, they finally arrived at a bustling town. It seemed some lively event was taking place, as crowds of people were heading in one direction. Ji Chun wanted to avoid the commotion and take a quieter route, but Su Ran had other ideas.
"Why don't we see what's going on?" Su Ran suggested, raising an eyebrow as he watched the crowd. After days of monotonous travel, he found himself oddly intrigued by the activities of ordinary people.