If You Won't Bear It, I Will!

A Dao Companion? Stared at by this black-veiled woman, goosebumps broke out all over Qi Yuan for some inexplicable reason. "I already have a Dao Companion! We've even collected our marriage certificate!" Qi Yuan answered at once. Seeing this, Ancestor Ziyuan said softly from the side, "This is the White Dragon Abyss Lord. I invited her here this time hoping she would become your Dao Protector!" A Dao Protector differed from a master; they functioned more like an investor. If the White Dragon Abyss Lord became Blood Robe's Dao Protector, she would be obligated to safeguard his life until he matured. In return, once Blood Robe grew powerful, he would have to repay the White Dragon Abyss Lord. *If not for this damned Linya Molt, this old man could naturally protect you fully. But as things stand, undercurrents are surging everywhere, so I'm finding you a Dao Protector.* Ancestor Ziyuan conveyed these words directly into Qi Yuan's mind via voice transmission. The situation within the Black Demon Abyss was growing increasingly convoluted; even Hei Jian had encountered a lethal crisis. Ancestor Ziyuan sensed a grave threat, and he did not feel confident in his ability to entirely shield Blood Robe. Sending him to the White Dragon Abyss was a far better alternative. Hearing this, Qi Yuan's eyes widened as he stared at the White Dragon Abyss Lord. "You're that White Dragon Abyss Lord who makes people pregnant just by glaring at them?" Qi Yuan desperately wanted to run. He had no desire to get pregnant. Ancestor Ziyuan's expression twitched slightly upon hearing that. "Abyss Lord, please forgive him! Blood Robe has always had a rather eccentric temperament!" He feared Blood Robe's remark would infuriate the White Dragon Abyss Lord. Yet, unexpectedly, the White Dragon Abyss Lord gave a soft chuckle. "A genius without a bit of personality would be rather dull, wouldn't they?" She looked at Qi Yuan with a faint, smiling gaze, seemingly taking a particular liking to him. Her next words, however, instantly shattered Qi Yuan's composure. "If you don't mind bearing me a child, this seat... will gladly serve as your Dao Protector and keep you safe. Even if an Honored Exalted seeks your life, I will ensure that both mother and child survive in one piece," the White Dragon Abyss Lord declared, her words astonishing. Ancestor Ziyuan was utterly dumbfounded. Although he had invited the White Dragon Abyss Lord to become Blood Robe's Dao Protector, the scope of such protection was inherently limited. Were an Honored Exalted to become involved, the White Dragon Abyss Lord would most likely step back. Yet, judging by her words, if Blood Robe was willing to bear her a child, she would go so far as to face down an Honored Exalted for his sake. This was simply inconceivable. As for the notion of Blood Robe giving birth, Ancestor Ziyuan did not actually think much of it. Qi Yuan, however, was an entirely different story. His eyes bulged. "Make me have a baby? Absolutely not! "I'm a man! How could I possibly give birth?!" "And why couldn't a man give birth? At our level of cultivation, does it really matter who carries the child?" the White Dragon Abyss Lord asked earnestly, utterly unconcerned. Ancestor Ziyuan did not find it so outrageous either. Compared to one's immortal path, compared to one's very survival, bearing a child was truly a trivial matter. Had the White Dragon Abyss Lord uttered those words across the Sixth Heaven, countless Yang God Heavenly Venerables would have trampled one another for the chance to bear her child. Even Ancestor Ziyuan himself felt a flicker of temptation. After all, a mother's status rose with her child. If one could latch onto the White Dragon Abyss Lord, how many years of bitter struggle could one shave off one's life? Alas, the White Dragon Abyss Lord would never look twice at an old man like him. "No, I refuse. My physical sex is male, and I identify as male!" Qi Yuan stated with utmost solemnity. "We must respect physiological differences!" The White Dragon Abyss Lord narrowed her eyes and said softly, "Ancestor Ziyuan likely hasn't told you, but a fierce battle erupted in Heaven Beyond Heaven not long ago. A traitor appeared within the Black Demon Abyss, and Hei Jian nearly perished. "Even a peerless prodigy like Hei Jian, who possesses ample means of self-preservation, came close to an early grave—to say nothing of you. "If a Yang God Heavenly Venerable at my level, or even at Ancestor Ziyuan's level, plotted against you from the shadows with deliberate intent, do you honestly believe... you could survive?" What the White Dragon Abyss Lord spoke was the unvarnished truth, and precisely what Ancestor Ziyuan feared. If someone could blindside Hei Jian yesterday, could they not ambush Blood Robe today? Hearing this, Qi Yuan shook his head. "Ever since I stepped onto the path of cultivation, everything I seek has been about following my own will and doing as I please. "If I must go against my own heart, what meaning is there in cultivating immortality?" If Qi Yuan had only comprehended Absolute Adaptation, he might have agreed under the influence of that Supreme Ultimate Principle upon hearing her words. Everything for the sake of survival. Yet he had also comprehended Do As One Pleases. Ancestor Ziyuan sighed softly upon hearing that, then bowed to the White Dragon Abyss Lord. "I apologize for troubling you, Abyss Lord." He chose to respect Blood Robe's decision. His only regret was that he might lack the strength to truly protect Blood Robe. The White Dragon Abyss Lord's eyes narrowed as she gazed intently at Qi Yuan. She deliberated at length before finally asking in a low tone, "What if I bear you a child instead?" Ancestor Ziyuan's eyes went wide, his beard twitching violently—evidently shaken to the core by those words. He knew very well that the White Dragon Abyss Lord was a dragon by nature, specifically of the Dark Nether White Dragon lineage. This clan was extraordinarily unique. Generally speaking, they did not carry offspring themselves. Instead, they sought out Dao Companions to bear their progeny to preserve their lineage. Because of this, they frequently intermarried or formed alliances with other races. Of course, pairs formed within their own clan did exist, but they were exceedingly rare. For the White Dragon Abyss Lord to offer to personally carry Blood Robe's offspring was simply unfathomable. If an individual of the Dark Nether White Dragon clan personally bore a child, it would severely damage their vitality and push them to the brink of death. No dragon of the Dark Nether White Dragon clan would ever choose to bear young personally unless they were already grievously wounded and had one foot in the grave. Now that the White Dragon Abyss Lord had conceded this much ground, how could Ancestor Ziyuan not be stunned? Had this been any of the toxic creeps back on the Blue Star, they would have been bursting with sheer envy! The White Dragon Abyss Lord looked at Qi Yuan with supreme confidence. Such an offer was a golden opportunity by any standard. Yet she never anticipated the response she received... "I refuse," Qi Yuan declined decisively. "Getting married and having kids without any romantic feelings is no good." Though an outsider would see this as an immense windfall for Qi Yuan, he had always held that men and women were equal, and that all beings were equal. There were always people who assumed that if a man slept with a woman, the man was the one who profited. Was it not possible... that he was the one taking a loss? Did he truly need the White Dragon Abyss Lord as a Dao Protector right now? Not particularly. More importantly, his enemy was that figure in Taihuang Palace, an irreconcilable feud unto death. If he revealed the truth, would the White Dragon Abyss Lord really fight that Honored Exalted of Taihuang Palace to the bitter end for his sake? Most likely not. The White Dragon Abyss Lord looked at Qi Yuan, her eyes filled with complex emotions. "Even this... you will not accept?" Clearly, she was genuinely astonished. "My apologies, White Dragon Abyss Lord, but for now, I don't need a Dao Protector." Qi Yuan's stance remained resolute. Though Ancestor Ziyuan was stunned, he ultimately sighed and said, "It seems Blood Robe and the Abyss Lord are not destined for each other." The White Dragon Abyss Lord stared deeply at Qi Yuan before saying with disappointment, "If you ever change your mind, you can seek me out at any time." With that, the White Dragon Abyss Lord's figure vanished from the spot. Roughly a dozen breaths later, outside the Black Demon Abyss, shock flashed across the eyes of a female Great Ultimate Principle. "Abyss Lord, why would you suddenly wish to... bear a child for a junior? Hmph, that boy truly doesn't know the height of the heavens or the depth of the earth, daring to reject you!" This Great Ultimate Principle came from the White Dragon Abyss. Blood Robe and the Abyss Lord's conversation had not been deliberately concealed, and being nearby, she had naturally overheard it. She felt both shock and intense indignation. What shocked her was that the Abyss Lord was willing to bear a child for Blood Robe. She found it unacceptable! What right or qualification did Blood Robe have?! Even if Blood Robe had agreed, she would have done everything in her power to persuade the Abyss Lord to drop the notion. A profound gleam flitted through the White Dragon Abyss Lord's eyes. She asked abruptly, "Within the Sixth Heaven, are there any other dragon lineages?" The female Great Ultimate Principle was taken aback. "None. Could it be...?" Her eyes immediately lit up. Naturally, there were other dragon clans in the Sixth Heaven. However, the Dark Nether White Dragons considered themselves the orthodox lineage and origin of all dragons. All other dragon clans had been stripped of their dragon identity in their eyes, reduced to mere mongrels and mixed-bloods. Now that the White Dragon Abyss Lord asked such a question, she certainly was not referring to those dragons whose status had been revoked. "I smelled the scent of another dragon lineage on him—exceptionally pure, exceptionally... ancient," the White Dragon Abyss Lord said in a low voice. "He actually possesses dragon blood as well?" Only now did the female Great Ultimate Principle understand why the Abyss Lord had been willing to bear a child for Blood Robe. If it were her, she likely would not have been able to resist bearing his child either. After all, the offspring of two pure dragon lineages would be unimaginably terrifying! According to the ancient divine prophecies of the Dark Nether White Dragon clan, a child born of such a union would inevitably become an Honored Exalted, or reach even higher heights. How could the White Dragon Abyss, which had long been in decline and forced to survive in the cracks, pass up such an opportunity? "What level of lineage is it? On par with our Dark Nether White Dragons, or a tier above?" the female Great Ultimate Principle asked. The Dark Nether White Dragons held an outlook that all below them were mongrels, while all above them were their equals. "I do not know," the White Dragon Abyss Lord shook her head. "I would need to examine him thoroughly... to find out." The female Great Ultimate Principle hesitated, but her gaze soon grew resolute. "Abyss Lord, since he is unwilling to give you a child, should we... kidnap him?" The White Dragon Abyss Lord shook her head, an enigmatic gleam in her eyes. "The present Black Demon Abyss... is full of holes. Worry not, he will come begging for me to be his Dao Protector. After all... he won't have the heart to watch Ziyuan Heaven... perish." The female Great Ultimate Principle's pupils contracted. "Ziyuan Heaven will...?" "This Linya Molt is being presided over by Taihuang Palace, and Taihuang Palace must establish its authority. Moon Goddess Palace has Moon Goddess Yuanjun holding down the fort, so nothing catastrophic will occur before the Linya Molt begins. As for that Abyss Lord of the Black Demon Abyss... heh, his current state... is hard to say. "He has always been thoroughly selfish; otherwise, he wouldn't have seized his own disciple's opportunity back then. Now, for his own sake, he will certainly sacrifice... a few branches to exchange goodwill for Taihuang Palace's restraint. "The incident back then has always been a thorn in the Black Demon Abyss Lord's side. He would love nothing more than to discard Ziyuan Heaven... When that time comes..." "But wouldn't that make an enemy of Taihuang Palace?" the female Great Ultimate Principle asked worriedly. "This seat cannot shield Ancestor Ziyuan, but surely I can protect my own husband, can't I?" A terrifying radiance erupted from the White Dragon Abyss Lord's eyes. As the master of the White Dragon Abyss and the ruler of a sacred ground, she naturally possessed her own trump cards. They were all old foxes who had lived for tens of millions of years; how could they be so easily slain? Who didn't have hidden cards up their sleeve? Of course, had Qi Yuan heard the White Dragon Abyss Lord's words, he would have spat, *Ptooey, you toxic creep, I haven't even agreed to be your husband yet!* *** Meanwhile, Ancestor Ziyuan was sighing mournfully. "You let such a prime opportunity slip right through your fingers! The White Dragon Abyss Lord is a well-known wealthy matriarch in the Sixth Heaven! If you could have knocked her up, you'd have saved yourself tens of millions of years of detours! "If you don't want to bear her child, there are plenty of people lining up to do so!" He was genuinely heartbroken that Blood Robe had passed up such an exceptional chance. "Hardly necessary," Qi Yuan replied with a shake of his head. He intended to rely on his own hard work! As a native of the Blue Star, one had to achieve prosperity through diligent labor and continuous effort—lying flat was not an option! "Sigh, once the Linya Molt begins, danger could descend at any second. Even Hei Jian might struggle to protect himself. With my frail old bones, I fear it will be difficult to keep you safe. How about... you go to Moon Goddess Palace instead?" Ancestor Ziyuan looked at Qi Yuan and suggested casually. He was truly worried sick. Hei Jian being wounded had sounded the alarm for him. Undercurrents were surging through the Black Demon Abyss, concealing a colossal crisis. "Old man, you underestimate me too much. I still have some means of self-preservation!" Qi Yuan was brimming with confidence. His cultivation was advancing with every passing moment. "Hmph, you?" Ancestor Ziyuan scoffed. "Old man, if we went at it for real—and not to sound disrespectful to an elder—with those old arms and legs of yours, you might not necessarily beat me." "Look at you, getting cocky now, are we?!" "Old man, I'm improving and bettering myself every single second. What about you?" Qi Yuan asked placidly. He was indeed improving across the board. Cultivating the Ancestral Blood Art, elevating his strength as a Myriad Dao Martial God, refining the Human Sovereign Banner, consolidating his Supreme Ultimate Principles... and finally, most importantly, the number of his Stellar Golden Cores was steadily climbing, already reaching an exaggerated figure. He didn't actually know just how powerful he was right now. However... pinning down Ancestor Ziyuan shouldn't pose much of a problem. Of course, he still needed to keep a low profile. After all, Qi Yuan's true enemy—that Honored Exalted of Taihuang Palace—remained exceedingly formidable. "Get lost, you brat!" Ancestor Ziyuan cursed angrily, his figure vanishing into thin air. "Old man, if you run into any trouble you can't settle, come find me! Seeing how filial you've been, treating me like your own grandfather, I'll begrudgingly help you sort it out!" "Get lost!" Only a furious shout echoed down from the high sky. Seeing this, Qi Yuan didn't take it to heart. He shrugged and returned to his cave abode. Just as he arrived at the entrance, he spotted Ziyuan Xiaolu waiting patiently. "Senior Brother Blood Robe, you went out?" After leaving earlier, Ziyuan Xiaolu had gone to search for information regarding curious lands on Qi Yuan's behalf. "Yeah, went to meet a toxic creep. Sigh... the moral atmosphere in the immortal world is simply atrocious; it desperately needs rectifying. Any random woman I run into turns out to be a creep!" Qi Yuan lamented. The Canglan Realm was still the best after all. Back at the beginning, the atmosphere there had been terrible too, full of toxic men and women. Many had nothing better to do than curse at each other all day long on the network. Fortunately, he had been there to track them down through their cables, beating them up in person and founding the Blood Palace to clean up the cultivation world's morals. Only now could the Canglan Realm be considered a harmonious, loving family. The current Sixth Heaven, on the other hand, had massive problems. Moral degenerates, people who gasped cool air to cause global warming, people who impregnated others with a glare—every bizarre kind of oddity existed. This made Qi Yuan hesitant to wander outside heedlessly. What if someone caught sight of him and he suddenly wound up pregnant? What would happen to his purity? "Huh? What toxic creep?" Ziyuan Xiaolu clenched her fists, filled with righteous indignation. "What did she do to you, Senior Brother Blood Robe?" "She wanted me to have a baby for her!" "Too toxic!" Ziyuan Xiaolu nodded vigorously. To think someone would demand Senior Brother Blood Robe bear a child! Even she couldn't bear to let Senior Brother Blood Robe carry a child. Shouldn't handsome men be pampered and cherished? If anyone was going to give birth, it should be her bearing a child for Senior Brother Blood Robe. "Later, seeing that it wasn't easy for me, she said she'd keep me as a kept man and bear the child herself," Qi Yuan added. Ziyuan Xiaolu puffed up with anger, her cheeks bulging. "She's dreaming! How could something so good exist in this world?! Senior Brother Blood Robe, who is she? I'll go teach her a lesson myself—she has no shame at all!" "You want to go confront her and take her down?" Qi Yuan blinked. "But she's rather powerful. I'm afraid you won't be her match." Hearing this, warmth filled Ziyuan Xiaolu's heart. Senior Brother Blood Robe was caring about her. "No matter how strong she is, Xiaolu isn't afraid! Xiaolu will denounce her, and Xiaolu will work hard to become stronger!" "Alright. She's the White Dragon Abyss Lord. She probably hasn't gotten too far yet; there's still time to go yell a few insults at her." "Ah? Ah?! Ah?!" Ziyuan Xiaolu's eyes went wide, utter disbelief plastered across her face. "The White Dragon... Abyss Lord?" "Yeah. The old man wanted her to be my Dao Protector, but she'd only agree if she could bear me a child. Sigh, being too handsome makes going outside truly dangerous. I get harassed at every turn," Qi Yuan sighed. Ziyuan Xiaolu was utterly shaken. The revelation struck her like a bolt from the blue. Soon after, she murmured aggrievedly, "Senior Brother Blood Robe, I... I wouldn't dare scold the White Dragon Abyss Lord. Xiaolu doesn't want to... get pregnant with her child!" The White Dragon Abyss Lord was a ruthless figure who could impregnate anyone with a single glare. Ziyuan Xiaolu had no desire to get pregnant out of wedlock. "Haha, don't worry about it, it's no big deal." Qi Yuan brushed it off, then asked casually, "Did you sort out the curious lands?" Hearing that, Ziyuan Xiaolu instantly snapped back into work mode. "I've found them! There are three curious lands that meet the criteria!" Ziyuan Xiaolu said seriously. "Oh? Which three?" "The first is the Star Drunk Curious Land. "From this curious land, one can see the Ten Thousand Ghost Soul Banner at Ghost Pass from afar. Furthermore, one day in the Sixth Heaven equals roughly twelve days within the Star Drunk Curious Land. "Among the three, this is the safest. As long as Senior Brother Blood Robe sneaks in secretly, it will be very secure," Ziyuan Xiaolu explained carefully. "The time flow is a bit slow. What about the other two?" Qi Yuan asked. Discerning the flaws in the Ten Thousand Ghost Soul Banner would likely require considerable time. "The second is called the Hibiscus Curious Land. One day in the Sixth Heaven equals thirty days in the Hibiscus Curious Land. "However, this curious land produces an abundance of Hibiscus Intoxication. Even a Yang God who enters could end up lost in drunken dreams, making it extremely dangerous," Ziyuan Xiaolu said anxiously. This curious land was perilous; she did not recommend Senior Brother Blood Robe go there. "And the last one?" Qi Yuan asked again. Ziyuan Xiaolu hesitated for a moment before speaking. "For the last curious land, one day in the Sixth Heaven equals roughly a year and a half inside." "Oh? That's quite good!" Qi Yuan's eyes lit up. If that was the case, wouldn't it mean he could identify the flaws in the Ten Thousand Ghost Soul Banner in no time at all? Not only could he slip into Ghost Pass openly, he might even be able to claim that phantom for himself. "However, inside this curious land... there seems to be a Yang God of the Holy Light Clan!" Mentioning this, Ziyuan Xiaolu showed visible dread. The terror of the Holy Light Clan was common knowledge across the various sacred grounds of the Sixth Heaven. This race originated from beyond the Sixth Heaven. Ordinary cultivators who heard their words would take them as absolute truth. Even Yang Gods in the realm of Great Ultimate Reason stayed as far away from the Holy Light Clan as possible. "Holy Light Clan?" A curious look appeared on Qi Yuan's face. "How fascinating. I happen to be... very curious about that race." Truth be told, Qi Yuan would also take the words spoken by the Holy Light Clan as truth, but his nose would grow longer. That peculiar contrast was quite entertaining. "Don't worry, I'm not afraid of the Holy Light Clan." Qi Yuan asked earnestly, "Where is this curious land located?" Ziyuan Xiaolu hesitated. "Senior Brother Blood Robe, the Holy Light Clan is terrifying. I'm afraid to tell you, in case you..." "Relax. I've met the Holy Light Clan before. In fact, I even killed one in the past," Qi Yuan said proudly. Back then, he had exerted tremendous effort to finally slay Dongjun. "Ah?" Ziyuan Xiaolu looked somewhat skeptical. "Rest assured. Don't you trust me? Whenever I do things, I'm always completely confident. I never do anything I'm not sure of. "I'm also a man with plans. Remember my great plan? Didn't that Huizeng die... exactly according to plan?" Qi Yuan asked. It was fine if he hadn't brought up the plan, but bringing it up left Ziyuan Xiaolu even more speechless. "Senior Brother Blood Robe, Heavenly Venerable Huizeng died at the hands of the Human Sovereign Palace Emissary!" Ziyuan Xiaolu said earnestly. "Hmph, if not for my great plan, how could he have died? "Everything fell within my plans and arrangements!" Qi Yuan declared with absolute confidence. "..." Just then, a realization suddenly struck Ziyuan Xiaolu. Senior Brother Blood Robe had asked her to find a curious land, specifically one from which he could see the Ten Thousand Ghost Soul Banner! Right now, the person most interested in the Ten Thousand Ghost Soul Banner was precisely the Human Sovereign Palace Emissary! A wild suspicion bloomed in her heart. "Senior Brother Blood Robe, do you know the Human Sovereign Palace Emissary?" she lowered her voice and asked in a secretive, conspiratorial whisper. "Know him? You could say so, or you could say I don't," Qi Yuan answered. Knowing oneself? What was that called? Hearing this, tempestuous waves surged in Ziyuan Xiaolu's heart. That mysterious, unfathomable, and immensely powerful Human Sovereign Palace Emissary was actually someone Senior Brother Blood Robe knew! At this thought, she breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed Senior Brother Blood Robe wouldn't be the one going to that curious land; if anyone went, it would be the Human Sovereign Palace Emissary. "That curious land is called the Tiankun Curious Land. Its exact location is..." Ziyuan Xiaolu held nothing back, adding, "Senior Brother Blood Robe, you must be sure to warn the Human Sovereign Palace Emissary that there might be someone from the Holy Light Clan in there!" "The name of this curious land... is quite amusing. A coincidence? "Mm, don't worry. By the way, don't tell anyone about this matter today!" Qi Yuan pondered for a moment and instructed. "Understood!" Ziyuan Xiaolu nodded firmly. "Senior Brother Blood Robe, you know me. Xiaolu's lips are tightly sealed; I will never let a word slip!" She felt rather thrilled right now. After all, running errands for Senior Brother Blood Robe and the Human Sovereign Palace Emissary meant participating in grand endeavors. After all, she had taken part in formulating the great plan, offering suggestions to make it more detailed. Therefore, when the Human Sovereign Palace Emissary executed the great plan and slayed a Yang God, a share of the credit belonged to her, Ziyuan Xiaolu! Qi Yuan looked at Ziyuan Xiaolu's little mouth and nodded approvingly. "Your mouth, I can trust!" With a buoyant heart, Ziyuan Xiaolu departed from the cave abode. Inside, Qi Yuan gazed in the direction of the Tiankun Curious Land, his eyes surging with ambition. "One day for a year and a half... Let's aim to... turn Guiyu Heaven completely upside down within half a month!"