The Aloof Immortal Venerable is Pregnant with My Fox Cub - Chapter 91

Chapter 91

When Cang Ran and Tan Qingxuan left, it was early autumn. Upon their return, it was late autumn, and the pond, which had been full of blooming lotuses, was now scattered with withered ones.

Tan Qingxuan and Cang Ran went together to Cuiwei Palace to visit Song Zhen.

When they entered the bedchamber, Lin Mingyue and Yun Muyu were inside decocting medicine. The bitter smell of the herbal soup permeated the room.

Song Zhen sat on the sickbed, clad in a dark purple cloud-patterned Daoist robe, with a plum blossom desk in front of her. She was reading account books while operating an abacus.

Zuo Chunli was reading a medical book in a rocking chair, “Stop looking at the accounts. Your abacus beads are clattering all day long. Are you really that bothered about the eighty thousand high-grade spirit stones you earned? I told you patients need more rest.”

Song Zhen didn’t lift her head, not bothering to look at her, “I am bothered. Don’t even think about making money from our sect next time. Once my Senior Sister returns, finish your medicine refining, and hurry back to your Myriad Medicine Sect. You’re just an eyesore here every day.”

Zuo Chunli used the medical book as a fan, blowing on the strand of blue hair hanging from her temples, “The food at your Grand Profound Sect is good. My disciple and I are reluctant to leave. We plan to live here permanently from now on.”

Song Zhen rolled her eyes, dipped her brush in ink, and wrote down the recently calculated figures, “Suit yourself. Anyway, for every extra day you stay, I’ll charge you one more day’s spirit stones.”

She was in a much better mood after finally balancing the accounts during this period, and her tone was light.

Just as Song Zhen finished writing a line, she suddenly realized her Senior Sister had arrived. She quickly put down her brush, pushed the desk aside, and her outer Daoist robe slipped off as she prepared to get out of bed to greet Tan Qingxuan.

She saw Tan Qingxuan walk into the hall, as elegant as ever, and her gaze bypassed Cang Ran, “Senior Sister, you’re back.”

Lin Mingyue stopped fanning the medicine stove and immediately bowed respectfully, “Venerable Qingxuan, Senior Cang Ran.”

Yun Muyu was full of joy and hurried over, calling out, “Master! Mistress!”

Cang Ran noticed that both Yun Muyu and Lin Mingyue had significantly improved their cultivation, marveling that going out for experience truly was beneficial. She quickly helped both Yun Muyu and Lin Mingyue up and gave them their share of the divine wood’s profits.

Tan Qingxuan noted the lingering illness in Song Zhen, who looked quite fragile, and asked with concern, “Now that the poison has been neutralized, how is your recovery?”

Song Zhen quickly replied, “Much better. Did Senior Sister collect the final ingredient for the child’s medicine?”

Tan Qingxuan nodded slightly, “I found it. I came here specifically to ask Sect Master Zuo to refine the medicine.”

Song Zhen breathed a sigh of relief, “That’s good. I’ll take a pulse reading for Senior Sister to check on the child’s condition.”

She turned to look at Cang Ran and casually added, “Cang Ran, thank you for looking after Senior Sister on this trip.”

Cang Ran was accustomed to Song Zhen’s eyes only focusing on Tan Qingxuan and hadn’t expected a great attitude. Getting even a perfunctory expression of concern was a significant improvement.

She held up the tightly bound little plump tit in her hand and presented it to Song Zhen, “I promised you last time I’d bring back the bird demon Huazhao. Qingqing and I still need her for a reason. You can vent your anger, but don’t kill her.”

Huazhao vaguely heard Song Zhen’s voice and the sound of a woman talking to Song Zhen. Thinking she was dreaming, she was getting annoyed and wanted to see who the woman was, when she suddenly saw Song Zhen’s magnified face in front of her.

The little plump tit’s round black eyes blinked twice. Unable to use her demonic energy due to the medicine, her dizzy brain made her involuntarily sway from side to side.

The next moment, she was grasped tightly in the woman’s palm. The cold, clammy hand made Huazhao involuntarily shiver.

She felt the tangible killing intent. Her wings fluttered several times but she couldn’t escape from Song Zhen’s grip. Her sweet voice broke with fright, “Zhen Zhen! I’m sorry! I know I was wrong!”

Hearing Huazhao still dare to call her “Zhen Zhen,” Song Zhen’s furious emotions peaked. She felt a wave of nausea and tightened her grip on the plump tit.

She knows she was wrong now? Could a simple apology atone for the lives of her entire family? She wanted Huazhao dead!

The little plump tit was gripped to the point of near death and hurriedly transformed into her human form.

Huazhao’s slender, pale neck was squeezed crimson by Song Zhen’s chokehold. She was inherently petite, and this forceful constraint nearly lifted her entire body up. Her cheeks turned white, looking almost like a hanged bird.

Cang Ran’s heart trembled slightly. Seeing that Huazhao was about to be strangled by Song Zhen, she quickly tugged at Tan Qingxuan’s sleeve, “Qingqing.”

Tan Qingxuan also noticed the reversal of spiritual energy around Song Zhen, which was tinged with a faint black aura. She was on the verge of becoming a fiend due to her obsession. Tan Qingxuan immediately placed her hand on Song Zhen’s back.

She used gentle spiritual energy to suppress the fiend energy in Song Zhen’s body and warned, “Junior Sister, you are about to become a fiend. Calm down and let go of Huazhao!”

Under the pressure of Tan Qingxuan’s powerful cultivation, Song Zhen reluctantly released Huazhao. After several moments of deep breathing, she finally stabilized the fluctuating spiritual energy in her body.

Huazhao fell to the ground, her silk sash spreading out, still bound by the red Immortal-Binding Rope. Her head hit the hard floor with a heavy thud, causing waves of dizziness from the pain.

She knew this was the best chance to escape, but Song Zhen’s medicine was too potent. She couldn’t muster any demonic power and was completely at their mercy. She could only appeal to Cang Ran, her face streaked with tears.

Huazhao’s voice was lovely, subtle and moving, matched with a pitiful expression, making her very endearing, “Ran Ran, please, give me a chance to start anew. I promise I won’t do it again. Could you please loosen the ropes for me?”

Before Cang Ran could speak, Song Zhen’s furious voice came from behind, “Huazhao, you must die today!”

Huazhao trembled in fear. Song Zhen truly hated her to the core. She could only seek some sympathy from Cang Ran, “Ran Ran, I even helped you collect your medicine! Don’t let Zhen Zhen kill me, please!”

Cang Ran looked at the current situation. If Tan Qingxuan weren’t holding her back, Song Zhen would be nearly mad. Could she stop her even if she wanted to?

If this continued, Song Zhen would go crazy. Huazhao would not only lose her complete corpse but would be chopped into pieces.

Worried that the conflict between the two might disturb Tan Qingxuan and the child, Cang Ran immediately grabbed a cloth and resolutely gagged Huazhao’s mouth to stop her from talking nonsense.

Huazhao’s mouth was tightly stuffed. Thinking she was about to be silenced and murdered, she urgently let out muffled cries.

Cang Ran leaned down and threatened her in a low voice, “If you want tonight’s dinner to be small bird soup, keep talking. Say it louder.”

Huazhao dared not make a sound. She was also afraid that Song Zhen, in her rage, would be unstoppable, giving her no chance to explain before chopping her up.

With Huazhao’s mouth gagged, the whole world became quiet.

Zuo Chunli, smelling fresh gossip, came over and asked, “Oh, could this little plump bird be True Person Yuheng’s little lover? Look, she’s quite a pretty little thing too.”

Song Zhen clutched her chest, her face flushed red and then pale with anger, shooting Zuo Chunli a glare, “Zuo Chunli, mind your own business!”

Tan Qingxuan’s expression was cool and clear, cautioning, “This is an internal affair of the Grand Profound Sect. I ask that Sect Master Zuo speak carefully.”

Zuo Chunli saw the solemn expressions of the two and immediately silenced herself, using the medical book to shield her wildly curling lips. Her eyes curved into crescents.

Even an impartial judge struggles to settle domestic disputes. To preserve her Junior Sister’s dignity, Tan Qingxuan couldn’t allow Zuo Chunli, an outsider, to continue watching the sect’s drama.

She asked Cang Ran to take out the Red Moon Sacred Orchid and handed it to Zuo Chunli, “Sect Master Zuo, thank you for your hard work at the Grand Profound Sect these days. I ask you to refine the final pill for me, and you may return to the Myriad Medicine Sect immediately after.”

This was clearly a request for her to leave. Having finally witnessed gossip involving Song Zhen, she wouldn’t see the aftermath.

Zuo Chunli took the Red Moon Sacred Orchid, carefully checked the quality of the medicinal material, and nodded slightly, “The final medicinal ingredient needs to be refined with other herbs. It will take three days to form the pill. I will deliver it to Venerable then. I heard from Shaoyi that Venerable has already taken the first two ingredients. Since I am here, let me take a pulse reading for Venerable.”

Song Zhen’s mind was troubled by Huazhao, and she had originally intended to personally take Tan Qingxuan’s pulse. But now, with her agitated state and the recent near-possession by fiend energy, she could only let Zuo Chunli take the pulse on her behalf.

Tan Qingxuan extended her jade-white wrist from her sleeve and placed it before Zuo Chunli. As Zuo Chunli took her pulse, Cang Ran sat beside her, anxiously focused on the condition of the little fox cub.

Zuo Chunli’s expression this time was not tightly furrowed as before. Her face held a cheerful look, “The pulse is strong and vigorous. The fetus is developing very well. It is now only slightly smaller than a normally developing fetus. After taking the final pill, there should be no more issues with the bloodline fusion.

The baby is due in five months. Venerable should maintain a relaxed and pleasant mood during this time, cultivate less, and try to keep the fetus in a peaceful and stable environment.”

Cang Ran beamed with joy and immediately said, “Thank you, Sect Master Zuo. Is there anything else we should be aware of?”

Zuo Chunli waved her hand and said cheerfully, “Nothing else. After the child is born, for only fifty thousand high-grade spirit stones, our Myriad Medicine Sect can assign a specialized medical cultivator. We cover childbirth, and we even include postpartum confinement meals! We can take care of the child until they turn one month old.”

Cang Ran was rendered speechless by her. Sect Master Zuo truly never forgot her original intention of making money, no matter the circumstances.

Song Zhen immediately countered, “You and your disciple should leave quickly. My Senior Sister and the child do not need your care. I will personally take care of them.”

Zuo Chunli blinked twice, her tone soft, “The medical cultivators we dispatch are professionals. They have delivered many female cultivators’ babies. The confinement meals use the best ingredients, including spiritually nurtured cattle, sheep, and poultry from our sect, which produce the most abundant spiritual milk and eggs, ensuring the baby is raised better.”

Cang Ran found this somewhat appealing. Although it was a bit expensive, the way Sect Master Zuo described it made it sound like it was worth the money.

Song Zhen scoffed in dissatisfaction, “As fellow medical cultivators, it sounds like we’ve never delivered a baby before. Our Grand Profound Sect also has the Spiritual Beast Hall, and countless subsidiary immortal mountains. We don’t lack fodder. We can afford to spiritually nurture dozens of cattle and sheep, and we won’t be short of poultry. You can save your concerns.”

Cang Ran found Song Zhen’s words surprisingly confident and well-reasoned, which made her feel confused.

She had been in the Grand Profound Sect for so long, and the most she had seen were cranes and carp. She hadn’t seen any other animals.

Cang Ran couldn’t help but transmit a message to Tan Qingxuan with her divine sense, “Where does the Grand Profound Sect keep cattle and sheep?”

Tan Qingxuan’s cool tone held a hint of amusement, “It seems Junior Sister doesn’t want Sect Master Zuo to earn more money. We should arrange to raise some spiritual beasts in the future. We can leave these matters to Junior Sister.”

Cang Ran thought that starting to raise cattle and sheep now should still be manageable. She and Qingqing could work hard when the baby was first born, and when the baby grew up, it could drink milk on its own, making things easier for everyone.

Zuo Chunli saw that Song Zhen had once again transformed into an iron hen and knew this business venture was a bust, “Alright then. True Person Yuheng is omnipotent, even proficient in such mundane matters. If you need anything, you can still come to our Myriad Medicine Sect. I will go back to refine the medicine now and won’t bother you any longer.”

Zuo Chunli dusted off her sleeves and left Cuiwei Palace, leaving only the troublesome little bird, Huazhao.

If Song Zhen and Huazhao were allowed to stay together, a few stimulating words would likely drive Song Zhen to the brink of fiend-hood again.

Cang Ran offered a suggestion, “Why don’t we lock Huazhao up? Find a few people to guard her, and then interrogate her slowly.”

Tan Qingxuan was about to nod, but Song Zhen immediately objected, “Senior Sister, I want to personally guard her!”

Tan Qingxuan saw that Song Zhen was filled with killing intent whenever Huazhao was mentioned. She was, after all, her own Junior Sister, and a deep-seated enmity was at hand. There was no reason not to seek justice, and Tan Qingxuan’s heart naturally favored Song Zhen.

Tan Qingxuan cautioned, “Huazhao has high cultivation, so she must be locked up in the dungeon. I will give the key to Junior Sister then. She has a significant connection to the people who planned the demon invasion last time. Junior Sister, do not act rashly and succumb to inner demons. If you interrogate her, you must take people with you.”

Seeing that Senior Sister had approved, Song Zhen immediately said, “Senior Sister, don’t worry. I have a sense of proportion. She has taken the medicine I meticulously prepared. She will be powerless for this period and won’t cause any trouble. I won’t let her die so easily.”

Before handing the bound Huazhao over to Song Zhen, Cang Ran whispered a comforting word to the pitiful bird, “Don’t worry. Confess properly inside and try for lenient treatment. I will come to see you every day.”

Huazhao’s mouth was gagged. Hearing that she was going to be locked in a prison cell, she anxiously cried out with muffled sounds.

Unfortunately, she was dealing with women with hearts of stone. No matter how silver-tongued she was, she had no room to maneuver.

Huazhao was handed over to Song Zhen and personally escorted to the dungeon by Song Zhen. Cang Ran and Tan Qingxuan returned to Rising Phoenix Palace. It had been a long time since they had been back, and they missed it.

The little hedgehog didn’t know the Great King had returned. She was in the side hall doing woodworking with Zheng Mingxin. Zheng Mingxin sensed Venerable Qingxuan’s return and quickly told the little hedgehog to hurry and welcome her fox Great King, whom she missed day and night.

Cang Ran hadn’t even reached the door before the chubby little hedgehog hugged her leg.

Cang Ran immediately picked her up. She was warm and seemed slightly lighter than when they left. She happily asked, “Did you miss the Great King?”

The little hedgehog happily rubbed her cheek against Cang Ran’s, “I missed the Great King. I missed the Great King every day. I finished two things the Great King asked me to make when she left. Does the Great King want to see them?”

The little hedgehog was truly talented. Cang Ran immediately picked her up, lifted her a little higher, and smiled, “The Great King missed you too! Let’s go see them together.”

Tan Qingxuan watched the scene, a warmth melting in her eyes. She wondered if A’ran would also hold their baby like this after it was born.

Zheng Mingxin bowed respectfully to Tan Qingxuan. Seeing the little hedgehog being so affectionate with the fox Great King, she should have been happy for the hedgehog after spending so much time together, but she suddenly felt a desire to take the little hedgehog from Cang Ran’s arms.

They arrived at the side hall together. The little hedgehog moved its short legs, walked to the finished rocking cradle, and pushed it back and forth with its small paws, showing Cang Ran, “Great King, look at this small bed. It can rock! The Great King’s little fox cub will sleep here, and Aunt Hedgehog will rock the cub like this, and the cub will fall asleep.”

The cradle emitted a pleasant woody scent. It was polished very smoothly and rocked steadily. Several little hedgehog puppets and fox puppets hung from the top.

Cang Ran smiled knowingly, “So cute! You made it so beautiful! The Great King must reward you well!”

The little hedgehog’s small chest puffed up even more. She then picked up a crystal baby bottle to show Cang Ran, “This nipple is made from the peach gum of a thousand-year-old peach tree. It’s soft yet tough. My Senior Sister helped me find it. I polished the crystal bottle myself, and Master helped me make a temperature-controlling base. The cub’s milk bottle won’t get cold or too hot.”

Cang Ran hadn’t expected the little hedgehog to be so thoughtful. She seemed to have grown up, become sensible, and capable of taking care of a baby.

She affectionately pinched the little hedgehog’s fluffy cheek, “You did so well! The Great King collected many good spiritual plants this time. I’ll ask Song Zhen to refine some good pills to boost your cultivation. I even brought back some fun capybaras for you to train as your subordinates.”

The little hedgehog jumped up happily but then asked with some anxiety, “Good! I will definitely do a good job for the Great King! The Great King won’t leave again this time, right?”

Cang Ran smiled faintly, “No, I won’t leave. Qingqing will stay in the Grand Profound Sect to await childbirth. We will concentrate on waiting for the little fox cub to be born during this time.”

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