Ruyi Sword Sect.

Qu Manying’s youngest son, He Shu, had reached his full month celebration. Huang Rang and Xi Yin both hurried over.

Huang Rang held He Shu in her arms. The tiny infant emanated a milky fragrance. Huang Rang was absolutely smitten.

Qu Manying, Xi Yin, and Huang Jun were sitting together leisurely drinking tea. Seeing how much she liked the baby, Qu Manying couldn’t help but say, “You and Di Yiqiu have been married for so many years now. Why don’t you have one of your own?”

With this question, both Xi Yin and Huang Jun looked over.

Huang Rang’s face flushed red as she said, “Aunt, what are you saying! We’ve both been so busy.”

Qu Manying laughed heartily and said, “Look at you, married for so many years and still so shy.” Then she turned to Huang Jun and said, “You’re not young anymore either. Haven’t you found anyone you fancy?”

Huang Jun wasn’t skilled with words, so she simply replied, “No.”

Qu Manying said, “If you still haven’t found anyone, your aunt will just pick someone for you at random.” As she finished speaking, she looked toward Xi Yin.

Xi Yin said, “Sister, you’ve just come out of confinement. Say less.”

“Already finding me annoying?” Qu Manying didn’t mind at all and said, “I heard that you and that person…”

Before she could say the name, Xi Yin hastily interrupted, “Manying!” Her expression became serious as she shook her head and said, “I have no relationship with anyone.”

Huang Jun and Huang Rang played with He Shu together. He Shu smacked his lips, making the two sisters laugh heartily.

Seeing Xi Yin’s evasiveness, Qu Manying had no choice but to say, “Alright, alright, alright. But as an old friend, I still hope you can be more open-minded. After all, Huang Shu has been imprisoned for so many years now. If you just had that thought…”

Xi Yin said, “I’m doing well. Manying, I don’t have any such thoughts.” She then glanced at Huang Jun and Huang Rang, saying, “As long as these two are safe and sound, I have no other wishes.”

Qu Manying could only sigh and say, “I’m just afraid you’ll have regrets. A Yin, life is short. Why make yourself suffer?”

Xi Yin shook her head and said nothing more.

Nearby, He Shu began to cry.

Huang Rang quickly handed him back to Qu Manying’s arms. Qu Manying patted him gently while soothing him. After watching for a long while, Huang Rang suddenly felt a wave of nausea.

She covered her mouth as her stomach churned with acid.

Seeing her unusual expression, Qu Manying couldn’t help but ask, “What’s wrong?”

Huang Rang shook her head and said, “I still need to rush back to the farmlands. Aunt and Mother, please chat more together.”

This address of “Mother” came out light and casual.

Yet Xi Yin heard it with a relaxed brow. She said, “Don’t always be so busy with the improved seeds. Pay more attention to your own health.”

Huang Rang agreed and crushed a teleportation talisman.

As the light of the teleportation talisman faded, she had already returned to Shangjing. But waves of dizziness made her lean against the wall and vomit.

Zhu Xiang happened by and asked curiously, “Director, what’s wrong with you?”

Huang Rang had some suspicions in her heart, but she was ultimately too shy to say, so she replied, “I get dizzy from these teleportation talismans. I’ll be fine after resting a bit.”

Zhu Xiang was naturally carefree, so she simply said, “Then you should sit for a while.”

It was Huang Yang who passed by and, seeing Huang Rang’s pale face and white lips, helped her go find Qiu Shengbai.

As soon as Qiu Shengbai took Huang Rang’s pulse, his eyebrows shot up. Just as he was about to speak, Huang Rang gently pressed his hand and shook her head.

“Doctor Qiu, what’s wrong with my mother?” Huang Yang asked.

Qiu Shengbai glanced at Huang Rang and said casually, “Just a bit of a cold. Some medicine will fix it.”

Only then did Huang Yang relax. Qiu Shengbai wrote out a prescription and deliberately sent him away, saying, “Go get the medicine outside.”

“Right away!” Huang Yang agreed and ran quickly toward the medicine room.

Only then did Qiu Shengbai look at Huang Rang. “What’s the meaning of this?”

Huang Rang smiled slightly and asked, “Am I… with child?”

Qiu Shengbai huffed twice and said, “What else could it be? After all these years, if you still hadn’t conceived, this old man would really have to wonder whether Di Yiqiu was capable…”

Huang Rang quickly stopped his words, saying, “You don’t need to doubt that. Also, regarding this matter… please keep it confidential for me.”

“Confidential?” Qiu Shengbai clearly didn’t understand.

Huang Rang had to explain casually, “I… want to pick the right moment to tell him myself.”

Qiu Shengbai understood—marital intimacy, after all. He said, “As you wish. You have a demon body, so you’re not that fragile. Pregnancy-stabilizing medicine and such—you can drink it or not, it doesn’t matter.”

Huang Rang stood up and suddenly said, “Regarding Di Yiqiu’s matter, thank you, Doctor Qiu.”

Qiu Shengbai was completely baffled and asked, “Why such words?”

He had no memory of the Second Dream, so naturally he couldn’t remember that in both dream and reality, he had cared for Di Yiqiu many times.

Huang Rang didn’t explain further.

She and Di Yiqiu had been married for many years, and she had long thought about having a child.

But when this moment truly arrived, there wasn’t much joy in her heart.

Her mind heavy with concerns, she made her way to Di Yiqiu’s study.

But in the study, Di Yiqiu was not there.

Huang Rang touched her still-flat abdomen that showed no signs yet, her heart both sweet and anxious. She sat behind the desk, which was piled with case files and texts.

“The desk is always such a mess…” Huang Rang casually tidied up for him and saw that most of the texts were related to demon and ghost books.

Huang Rang randomly opened one and saw written inside: “Leiyin Daji’s evil powers surpass all, harming living beings. Yinian Shenbu entered the tower three times to subdue demons…”

Di Yiqiu had probably not discovered anything while perusing this book. But Huang Rang immediately noticed two words—entering the tower!

Yinian Shenbu entered the tower to subdue demons—what tower did they enter?

Huang Rang was truly too sensitive about “towers”!

When she had entered the dream, she had seen the nine-story high tower where Shi Wenyu stood.

And indeed, there was Yuanrong Tower built in the palace—nine stories high with jade steps on eight sides.

Now, Leiyin Daji also had a tower.

Why did Leiyin Daji also live in a tower?

Was it merely coincidence, or was there another reason?

Huang Rang began searching for the origins of Yuanrong Tower. Since Di Yiqiu was the Director of the Bureau of Astronomy, and the Ministry of Works was also under his jurisdiction, he had archives of blueprints for all buildings here.

Huang Rang searched from the founding of the nation all the way to the present, but found no records of Yuanrong Tower.

How could there be no records?!

Huang Rang went outside and happened to see Li Lu. She quickly grabbed Li Lu and asked, “Vice Director Li, when was Yuanrong Tower in the palace built?”

Li Lu was slightly stunned and said, “When this official entered the court, it was already there.” He thought carefully and couldn’t help but find it strange as well. “I’ve never seen blueprints for Yuanrong Tower. Nor do I know the craftsmen who built it.”

He seemed to sense something was wrong too and murmured, “Something His Majesty favors so much, yet no one knows who built it… That shouldn’t be…”

Just at that moment, Eunuch Fu hurried over and said, “Director, His Majesty wishes to cultivate an improved seed variety and summons you to an audience!”

Shi Wenyu…

Huang Rang’s heart skipped a beat—Shi Wenyu was finally taking the initiative to summon her.

Why?

But there was no time for her to think further. Eunuch Fu said, “Director, His Majesty is pressing urgently. Let’s go now.”

Huang Rang glanced at Li Lu. Hearing that Shi Wenyu wanted to cultivate an improved seed variety, Li Lu naturally had no suspicions. He said, “Then this official won’t delay Madam’s audience with His Majesty.”

Actually, Huang Rang also wanted to see Shi Wenyu. She had too many questions in her heart.

She sighed softly and said to Eunuch Fu, “Please lead the way.”

The Imperial Palace, Yuanrong Tower.

Huang Rang stood beneath the tower, once again surveying this nine-story high tower. The tower stood silent. Huang Rang really wanted to know—when Yinian Shenbu entered the tower to subdue demons all those years ago, had it also witnessed it with its own eyes?

She pressed her lips together and resolutely stepped into the tower.

Inside was the same as usual—murals and bronze steps, showing no abnormalities.

She followed Eunuch Fu, slowly ascending the tower.

On the ninth level of the tower, Shi Wenyu still sat behind a curtain as always. Huang Rang did not kneel. Despite Eunuch Fu’s repeated signals to no avail, he finally had to say, “Your Majesty, Director has arrived.”

“Withdraw.” Shi Wenyu’s voice was authoritative and aged.

Eunuch Fu quickly acknowledged and soon withdrew.

Only after he left did Shi Wenyu say, “Is everything well within the dream?”

He was straightforward and direct. Yet Huang Rang needed to ask the question she most wanted answered from among a thousand threads of thought. She said, “Why did Your Majesty lead me into the dream?”

Shi Wenyu laughed lightly and after a long while said, “Naturally because of Xie Lingbi. His attention to my whereabouts has been far too keen.”

Huang Rang actually believed this explanation to some extent. At least each time she entered the dream, Xie Lingbi’s weakening was visible to the naked eye. She asked, “Has Your Majesty gone to such great lengths merely for Xie Lingbi?”

“An interesting question.” Shi Wenyu didn’t answer this question. Instead, he asked in return, “What else do you think it should be for?”

Huang Rang frowned and after a long while said, “Is this Yuanrong Tower a magical artifact?”

Shi Wenyu suddenly raised his head, the smile on his face vanishing instantly. After a long time, he became calm again and said, “You are the person who should trust me most, because only you understand the pain of the Soul-Binding Bone-Setting Needles. Isn’t that right?”

Huang Rang fell silent.

Shi Wenyu said, “Here, you have a husband, elders, an older sister, a mother, and an adopted son. Soon, you will even have your own flesh and blood. Let me think—what do you have outside the dream?”

Huang Rang continued her silence. Outside the dream, she was trapped in the prison of her body, unable even to move.

She had nothing.

Shi Wenyu smiled and said, “When I first chose you, you have never once disappointed me. Huang Rang, enjoy the present to the fullest. Why bother questioning cause and effect? Even if the result is terrible, could it possibly be more tragic than outside the dream?”

It couldn’t be. Huang Rang thought silently. Outside the dream, she was pierced by Soul-Binding Bone-Setting Needles, unable to speak or move like a living corpse. And Di Yiqiu had been wounded by Xie Lingbi, his organs nearly all exposed.

Xie Hongchen had been possessed by Xie Lingbi, his life and death unknown.

Xi Yin was dead.

Huang Jun had married far away, living an ordinary life. Huang Yang had never even met her.

Yet Huang Shu was alive and well.

She remained silent. Shi Wenyu said, “Go back and take good care of my imperial grandson.” When he mentioned the imperial grandson, Huang Rang looked up at him.

Shi Wenyu said indifferently, “Although Di Yiqiu has been stripped of the imperial surname, he is after all my most beloved imperial prince. This realm will sooner or later be yours.”

As he finished speaking, he seemed tired and said, “Without your Divine Immortal Grass in the dream, I am actually quite lonely.”

Huang Rang’s heart jumped in alarm as she blurted out, “What Divine Immortal Grass?”

Shi Wenyu said, “The Divine Immortal Grass you cultivated for your father. Later, Di Yiqiu also used it to show filial respect to me.”

Back then, in order to numb Huang Shu, she had specially cultivated a variant of Divine Immortal Grass.

He knew everything.

Huang Rang’s heart pounded with fear!

But Shi Wenyu didn’t care. He said, “No need to be nervous. I am the Emperor, the sovereign of the mortal realm. Naturally, I will only make the mortal realm better and better. You are an exceptionally clear-headed child, so naturally you know whose words to heed. Isn’t that right?”

With that, he waved his hand, indicating that Huang Rang could leave.

He had no intention of moving against Huang Rang. He had sufficient confidence to believe that Huang Rang would not betray him.

This was only natural.

Within the dream, Huang Rang had a husband and child, fame and profit, with all her elders still living.

Having grown accustomed to such a life, how could she possibly endure the neither-living-nor-dead existence outside the dream?

The agony of the Soul-Binding Bone-Setting Needles—others might not know it, but he understood it all too well.

Huang Rang silently left the tower.

Every single word Shi Wenyu said was correct.

She had no way to refute it.

She should go back now and tell Di Yiqiu that she was with child.

From now on, she would care for her husband and teach her children, cultivate improved seed varieties, and live peacefully in this world. The fame, profit, and honor she had once desperately pursued were all within easy reach here, everything one could want.

As long as she didn’t care.

Didn’t care what price all the other people in this world were paying.