71: Chapter 71 The Ruthless Emperor's Exploitation

After softly murmuring these words while gazing at the starry sky of the Emperor Burial Star, the Willow Deity transformed into a pale green streak of light and sped towards the Eastern Wilderness.

Her figure moved like a ghost, silently traversing the mountains, rivers, and valleys of the Eastern Wilderness.

At times, she would pause outside a certain Cultivator Sect, watching the Disciples diligently Cultivate according to the Secret Realm system left behind by Shi Hao. Their Life Wheels churned, their Dao Palaces glowed. Though their movements were still somewhat unrefined, they exuded an unyielding tenacity.

At other times, she would hover above Mortal villages, watching the villagers work from sunrise to sunset. Though ordinary, their lives were stable, constituting the most simple and honest vitality of this land.

Traveling south, the Willow Deity entered the Southern Ridge. Here, Yao Beasts roamed freely, dense jungles sprawled, and the air was thick with a savage aura.

She saw Yao Race Cultivators comprehending the Dao in the mountains and forests, saw ancient strange beasts guarding Legacy Secret Realms, and also saw Holy Land Cultivators fighting fiercely over resources, their blood staining the forest floor.

Heading west to the Western Desert, yellow sand filled the skies, and Buddhist kingdoms stood in great numbers.

Monks sat cross-legged in temples, their sutra chants transforming into golden Buddhist patterns that nourished this barren land.

The Willow Deity could sense the piety in their hearts, but also detected the hidden obsessions within some of these Buddhist practitioners—the longing for immortality, the pursuit of power—no different from those dormant Supremes.

Northern Region of the Eastern Wilderness.

This was the location of the Ancient Mine of Primordial Beginning, shrouded in black mist and deathly silent.

Even from a great distance, the Willow Deity could clearly sense several terrifying auras emanating from deep within the mine.

Those auras were mixed with a thick scent of blood and decay, remnants left after devouring the life essence of countless beings, nauseating to perceive.

But not all the Supreme auras were so vile.

The Willow Deity keenly detected that in the deepest part of the Ancient Mine of Primordial Beginning, there were a few auras that were relatively pure. Though they also carried the decay from self-mutilation, they were not tainted by the blood qi of living beings.

"So that's how it is," the Willow Deity understood in her heart. Chu Tianjiao's words were true; not all Supremes chose to instigate Dark Turmoil.

Some Supremes, even as their Lifespan ran out, would rather seal themselves in Immortal Sources to cling to life than harm living creatures. They still retained a shred of an Emperor's pride and bottom line within their hearts.

A pang of sorrow arose unbidden in the Willow Deity's heart.

These Supremes were all Prodigies who had dominated their respective eras. Their talent and brilliance were beyond doubt.

Had they been born in the Chaotic Ancient Era, even towards its end, they would have been sufficient to step into the Immortal Domain and strive for the Realms of True Immortal or even Immortal King.

Yet, they were But born in this era of great change, where the Dao is incomplete and the substance of longevity is severed. Even those as powerful as Great Emperors could not escape the shackles of a mere ten-thousand-year Lifespan.

They either chose to transform into the Dao in a blaze of glory, or to mutilate themselves and retreat into forbidden zones, waiting in darkness for the slim chance of the road to immortality opening.

"A pity, truly a pity," the Willow Deity shook her head lightly, turned, and left the Northern Wastes, finally stepping into the Central Province.

The Central Province, as the core region of the Emperor Burial Star, was densely populated with Holy Lands, saw Imperial Dynasties vying for supremacy, and had numerous Cultivators, making its Cultivation atmosphere the most intense.

The Willow Deity saw the ruins left after the fall of the Yuhua Divine Dynasty, saw new forces rising, saw young Prodigies competing in trials, and also saw the conspiracies and killings hidden beneath the prosperity.

She stayed in the Central Province for several days, taking in the customs, practices, and Cultivation landscape of this land.

Afterwards, she lingered no more. Transforming into a streak of light, she shot out of the Emperor Burial Star's atmosphere, heading towards other Star Domains in the depths of the Universe.

She wanted to see with her own eyes just how broken the Cultivation environment of this entire era had become.

After the Willow Deity left, the Emperor Burial Star returned to its usual tranquility.

However, within the Undying Mountain, a scene of "sweet exploitation" was unfolding, one that left Chu Tianjiao in "painful yet joyful" agony.

Ever since resolving the misunderstanding and reconciling with Xiao Nannan, Chu Tianjiao's days had become thoroughly "lively."

Five millennia of pent-up longing and grievances from Xiao Nannan transformed into a constant stream of various demands. Among them, the most urgent and resolute was her desire to have a child.

"Teacher, let's have a child," was something Xiao Nannan said every day.

Leaning against Chu Tianjiao's chest, her eyes full of expectation, she said, "I want to have our child, watch them grow up, teach them to Cultivate, let them inherit your Chaos Body, inherit my Heaven-Swallowing Demonic Art."

Xiao Shitou was also extremely supportive of this.

He knew full well his own Lifespan was nearly exhausted. His greatest wish before his Soul Transformation was to see his younger sister have offspring to carry on the Legacy, thus settling a matter of his heart.

"Teacher, Nannan is right. You two should have a child soon. I can still help look after them, teach them the Holy Body combat techniques."

This tormented Chu Tianjiao.

For the first few days, he was still immersed in the joy of reuniting with Xiao Nannan.

The two were together day and night, inseparable. During the day, they would drink tea and discuss the Dao in the courtyard, exploring the ultimate applications of the Chaos Body; at night, they would return to their room, entangled in passion, exploring the Profound Truths of life, researching the Origins of existence.

It seemed Xiao Nannan wanted to make up for all the emptiness of the past fifty thousand years at once, and she was extremely assertive in that aspect.

Perhaps having been widowed for too long, her demands were astonishingly intense, often leaving Chu Tianjiao somewhat overwhelmed.

But Chu Tianjiao, being a True Immortal and a man, naturally couldn't let his wife look down on him.

He circulated his True Immortal Origin, cooperating with all his might, satisfying Xiao Nannan every time.

Adequately nourished, Xiao Nannan's complexion grew increasingly radiant. The aloofness between her brows was replaced by gentleness. Her entire being glowed with happiness, and the smile on her face grew ever brighter.

But Chu Tianjiao gradually began to feel overwhelmed.

He never imagined Xiao Nannan's "revenge" would be so fierce.

The moment he showed the slightest hint of fatigue or reluctance, Xiao Nannan would immediately pull him back to their room, justifying it as "for the grand plan of having offspring, we cannot slack off."

"Nannan, let's exercise a little moderation. Our health is important," Chu Tianjiao pleaded weakly.

But Xiao Nannan, blinking her large, watery eyes, retorted righteously:

"I was widowed for you for fifty thousand years! You weren't by my side for all those fifty thousand years. Now that we're finally reunited, shouldn't you compensate me for all the lost time of those fifty thousand years?"

The corner of Chu Tianjiao's mouth twitched. He inwardly wailed: *You're not serious, are you? You wouldn't actually want to make up for all the times from those fifty thousand years, would you?*

Xiao Nannan seemed to see through his thoughts. A playful smile appeared on her lips as she hooked a finger under his chin. "Teacher, you're not saying you can't handle it, are you?"

"Impossible!" Chu Tianjiao instantly refuted, his innate competitive spirit ignited. Gritting his teeth, he persevered, continuing to devote himself to the "grand plan of having offspring."

But he was suffering inwardly!

He really wanted to tell Xiao Nannan that he had already reached the True Immortal Realm.

The life level of a True Immortal had long transcended the Mortal plane. Conceiving offspring was already as difficult as ascending to heaven.

Unless both parties were at the True Immortal Realm, there was only a sliver of possibility.

But Xiao Nannan was currently still at the Peak of the Mortal plane, just one step away from the True Immortal Realm. Under these circumstances, for the two of them to have a child was nothing short of a pipe dream.

Yet, every time he tried to explain, Xiao Nannan would resort to tears, tantrums, and threats.

"Wahhh... Teacher, don't you love me anymore? Back then, you deceived me for fifty thousand years, leaving me all alone. Now you won't even have a child with me. Do you look down on me now?"

Holding his arm, Xiao Nannan's tears came on cue. "I know I haven't reached the True Immortal Realm yet, but if we try hard enough, maybe it'll happen? You're not even willing to try. That's just irresponsible!"

After such an accusation, Chu Tianjiao was left speechless, as if he truly had become a heinous criminal.

Faced with his wife's tears, he could only helplessly compromise, grit his teeth, and continue "fulfilling his husbandly duties."