213: Chapter 213 Helping You Cultivate, Phoenix Child

Chu Sheng sat in a chair, his gaze sweeping over the bellies of Liu Qingyan, Li Zhiyi, and Lin Wanqing in turn.

Liu Qingyan's belly was already noticeably rounded; she leaned against a soft couch, her hand resting on her lower abdomen, her face glowing with a gentle, maternal radiance.

Li Zhiyi's belly was also quite large, and seeing Chu Sheng look over, she snorted, "What are you looking at? It's not like you're the one carrying."

Lin Wanqing was the quietest, sitting in a corner with a cup of hot tea in her hands, her belly slightly rounded.

Sensing Chu Sheng's gaze, she raised her head, the corners of her mouth curling up slightly.

A Cultivator's pregnancy lasts longer than a Mortal's.

The stronger the Spiritual Root and the higher the cultivation, the longer the gestation period.

While a Mortal's pregnancy lasts ten months, a Cultivator's might take a year, two years, or even longer.

Liu Qingyan and the others had been pregnant for nearly a year; their bellies were large, but they were still some time away from giving birth.

Chu Sheng nodded; this matter could not be rushed.

Zhou Wantang stood nearby, arms crossed over her chest, a cunning smile hanging on her lips.

Her belly was flat; among the four women, she was the only one who hadn't conceived.

She looked at Chu Sheng with eyes that held teasing, smugness, and something indescribable.

It was as if she were saying, "See? I don't have to carry a big belly; how comfortable I am."

Chu Sheng chuckled.

He stood up, walked over to Zhou Wantang, reached out to cradle her chin, and gently lifted it.

Zhou Wantang's face flushed, but she did not pull away.

Chu Sheng said, "I have come to assist your cultivation. And while I'm at it, help you achieve a Breakthrough to the Spirit Sea Realm."

Zhou Wantang's eyes brightened, but she wouldn't let her tongue rest, "Are you sure you're assisting my cultivation? Not..."

Chu Sheng didn't let her finish, leaning down to kiss her.

Chu Sheng formed a hand seal, casting a concealment technique.

An invisible barrier spread out from him, shrouding the entire residence.

Unless a powerhouse of the Dao Palace Realm happened to pass by, no one would be able to detect what was happening in this small place.

And in a place like Jin Xiao City, where would one find a Dao Palace Realm expert?

Zhou Wantang was swept up into his arms, her Daoist robe loosening.

Chu Sheng took a step, and his figure vanished from the courtyard.

When he appeared again, he was already on the main street of Jin Xiao City.

The night was deep, the streets were empty, and only a few lanterns swayed in the wind.

Moonlight spilled onto the bluestone road, as if covered in a layer of silver frost.

Zhou Wantang huddled in his arms, her face buried against his chest, the tips of her ears burning red.

"You're crazy... the main street..." she whispered.

Chu Sheng smiled, held her close as he crossed the street, stepped over the city wall, and headed north.

His pace was swift, each step covering several miles.

The concealment technique masked their presence completely, even blocking out the sound of the wind.

The two battled fiercely for a long time.

Jin Xiao City, Luofeng Town, Qingshi Town—familiar scenery flashed rapidly beneath their feet.

The Mountain Gate of the Qinglan Sect appeared before them.

Chu Sheng did not stop, passing directly through the great mountain protection array.

The array's spiritual light parted like water before him and closed again behind him, alerting no one.

He landed with Zhou Wantang at the highest point of the Qinglan Sect.

The moonlight spilled down without obstruction, shining upon them both.

Zhou Wantang's face was so red it seemed ready to drip blood.

She dared not look at Chu Sheng, nor at the sleeping houses down the mountain.

After it was over, Zhou Wantang sat cross-legged on the main vein node of the Qinglan Sect, her eyes closed, the spiritual energy within her churning like a tidal wave.

The Bottleneck of the Peak of the True Transformation Realm grew thinner and thinner under the scouring of the Luck from the Taixu True Scripture, like a layer of window paper.

Chu Sheng stood behind her, one hand pressed against her shoulder, channeling a stream of pure spiritual energy into her body.

The Bottleneck broke.

Zhou Wantang's aura surged violently, rocketing from the Peak of the True Transformation Realm straight to the Spirit Sea Realm.

The True Qi in her Dantian collapsed, reshaped, and expanded, transforming into a surging spring.

She opened her eyes, tidied her clothes, her eyes flashing with brilliance, her entire body radiating the aura of the Spirit Sea Realm.

The old Sect Master of the Qinglan Sect was startled awake from his sleep.

He ran out of his Immortal Cave and, seeing Zhou Wantang sitting cross-legged on the Peak, widened his eyes, his voice trembling, "You... why are you here? How did you achieve a Breakthrough?"

Zhou Wantang stood up, her face still flushed, but her voice had regained its calm, "I had a slight epiphany; please forgive me, Sect Master."

The Sect Master opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but upon seeing that aura of the Spirit Sea Realm on Zhou Wantang, he swallowed the words that had reached his lips.

He was silent for a moment, then suddenly said, "In my opinion, it is time to consider passing the position of Qinglan Sect Sect Master to you."

Zhou Wantang waved her hands hurriedly, "No need, no need."

Her tone was urgent, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on.

She turned and left, her pace so fast it was as if she were fleeing.

As she walked out of the Mountain Gate, she whispered a curse, "Chu Sheng, you are so bad."

Chu Sheng, still concealed, stood beside her, watching her bashful and annoyed expression, and laughed.

He reached out to wrap an arm around her waist, and with one step, the two disappeared into the night.

The old Sect Master stood at the Mountain Gate, watching the direction in which they had disappeared, stroked his beard, and muttered, "Strange, but it counts as a good thing; my Qinglan Sect finally has a Spirit Sea Realm expert..."

Returning to the residence in Jin Xiao City, the sky was already nearing dawn.

Zhou Wantang dove into her room, closed the door, and refused to come out; she was stabilizing her Realm.

Liu Qingyan, Li Zhiyi, and Lin Wanqing did not ask.

They smelled the aura on Chu Sheng, and they also smelled the aura on Zhou Wantang.

The four women all understood, but no one broke the silence.

Chu Sheng sat in the courtyard, watching the pale white of dawn appear on the horizon, calculating his next stop in his mind.

He had reached the Dao Palace Realm and could now enter the core deep within the Fengxian Secret Realm.

In the fifth simulation, the remnant soul of Feng Xian had said to return when he reached the Dao Palace Realm, and now he had arrived.

The Fengxian Secret Realm was deep in the mountains of Fengxian Prefecture; the last time he came, he was still in the Early Stage of Sea Opening Realm and had relied on the phoenix ring to enter.

This time, he wouldn't need to go through that trouble.

Chu Sheng stood up and brushed the dust off his body.

He walked toward the outskirts of Jin Xiao City, took a step, and his figure vanished.

The cultivation of the Mid-stage Palace Building flowed within him; he waved his hand, and the Restriction of the Secret Realm was torn open as if it were made of paper.

Chu Sheng stepped inside.

Fengxian Hall, the cave at the bottom of the mountain, the skeleton, the Jade Slip—everything was the same as when he last visited.

Chu Sheng did not linger, heading straight for the deepest part of the cave.

That skeleton was still there.

The remnant soul of Feng Xian drifted out from the skeleton, having become somewhat more substantial.

She looked at Chu Sheng, a flash of surprise appearing in her amber eyes, "Dao Palace Realm? So fast?"

Chu Sheng said, "Is it fast? I think it was slow."

The remnant soul of Feng Xian was silent for a moment, then suddenly smiled.

That smile was not the faint, bitter smile from before, but a very strange, relieved smile.

Her remnant soul flickered, like a candle flame in the wind.

"I am not Feng Xian," she said.

Chu Sheng was stunned for a moment.

The remnant soul of Feng Xian continued, "My name is Feng Wa. I am a Cultivator from the Western Regions, and I obtained the Legacy of Feng Xian in the Western Regions."

"Later, I came to the Northern Regions and entered this Secret Realm, intending to explore more secrets left behind by Feng Xian."

"As a result, I was ambushed by the previous Demon Lord and trapped here for thousands of years."

Chu Sheng frowned.

Feng Xian—no, the fake Feng Xian, Feng Wa—her remnant soul kept staring into his eyes as she spoke these words, as if confirming whether he would believe her.

"The Fengxian Secret Realm existed long ago, even earlier than Feng Xian herself. I am just a Cultivator who obtained her Legacy."

Chu Sheng crossed his arms, leaned against the stone wall, looked at her, and said only one thing, "If you are not Feng Xian, why should I help you?"

The remnant soul of Feng Wa fell silent.