Yin Changli nodded, agreeing: “That’s right, after all, it’s a disgrace.”

“How could it be a disgrace?” Xiang Haikui frowned, speaking frankly, “I consented to the dual cultivation—it was mutual.”

Even if she had truly become pregnant, it would have been a risk she’d chosen to bear.

However, with Jing Ran’s interference, there was indeed an unpleasant feeling in her heart that couldn’t be avoided. Plus, given the current situation where she lived day to day in peril, constantly draining Yin Changli’s health and energy to their limits…

Anyway, she wasn’t pregnant, so there was no need to consider so much.

She finished the remaining bread, clenching her blood-stained blue gauze sleeve: “Speaking of disgrace, you were the one who felt disgraced at the time, weren’t you? You were the one forced into it.”

That expression of being violated—Xiang Haikui couldn’t forget it even if she tried.

Her tone carried no blame but little emotion either. Hearing this, Yin Changli felt his heart tremble. On this point, he couldn’t defend himself and could only take the opportunity to say: “Little Kui, at that time, I didn’t mean to choke you…”

But Xiang Haikui interrupted: “We’re getting off topic. You haven’t answered my question yet.”

Yin Changli’s thoughts couldn’t quite keep up: “Hmm?”

Seeing his senile appearance, Xiang Haikui reminded him: “How to absorb these two unfused energies?”

“Oh, there is a method.” Yin Changli responded somewhat dully before hesitating for a moment and saying, “You just…”

Xiang Haikui listened carefully to his explanation, nodding repeatedly to show she understood, then asked: “How long will it take approximately?”

Yin Changli slowly extended his divine consciousness, trying to examine and estimate the time needed. With Heaven’s Madness at its peak, the sword energy created a serious barrier, and his divine consciousness could no longer easily penetrate.

So he withdrew his consciousness and stretched his arm toward her dantian.

They were sitting side by side with little distance between them. Seeing him reach out, Xiang Haikui understood his intention and quickly moved her hands from her dantian to behind her back.

This inevitably caused her chest to thrust forward. As Yin Changli extended his arm, his elbow touched a rather awkward spot.

Having just emerged from hibernation, he was quite sensitive to cold and dressed in thick clothing. Though it was just a light touch with little sensation, he paused slightly, and the fair skin behind his ears immediately changed color.

He hastily leaned forward, bending his arm to avoid contact with her as much as possible.

Xiang Haikui hadn’t noticed at all initially. Only when Yin Changli leaned forward did she belatedly realize.

This reminded her that during dual cultivation, he had been truly remarkable, managing not to touch any unnecessary areas, more precise than machine control.

Yin Changli hadn’t yet sensed the two streams of energy when he first perceived her emotional change. Looking at her, he noticed she had glanced at him.

Yin Changli didn’t know if she was overthinking, but his current carefulness was quite different from his carefulness back then.

“How is it?” Xiang Haikui had waited for some time, but his hand remained frozen near her dantian.

“It won’t take too long…” Yin Changli finally began to examine, “If you spend three hours daily healing, it will take about thirty-some days to absorb completely.”

With a general idea in mind, Xiang Haikui began using the method he described, guiding her internal sword energy to dissolve the two energy streams.

Just sensing the existence of the energy took considerable time. Upon careful observation, she realized that less than one percent had merged—the risk of failed fusion was extremely high.

She truly couldn’t understand how Jing Ran had been so certain of successful fusion. Because the heavenly way had given him this glimmer of hope?

Xiang Haikui didn’t quite believe that. Even if the heavenly way favored the Heavenly Race, it wouldn’t guide him to turn an innocent baby into a curse, would it?

Perhaps the heavenly way’s intention was for Jing Ran to reincarnate to Earth to study history and politics, to learn from humanity’s development process and adopt more progressive ideas for reform upon his return.

But it had all been wasted.

Shu Luoye, on the other hand, seemed as if he had studied on Earth.

Xiang Haikui gave a cold mental laugh and began healing her wounds.

After an unknown period, she heard Yin Changli call her: “Little Kui?”

Xiang Haikui didn’t open her eyes: “Yes?”

A long moment passed before he said: “There’s one more thing I need to tell you. If the fusion succeeds, during the nurturing process, it won’t burden you. It won’t even be visibly apparent, and you won’t feel anything. Your protective true energy would increase by at least… tenfold.”

“Senior.” Xiang Haikui turned to look at him. “I have no concerns or considerations because I’ve never thought about having children.”

Many believe orphans lack love, desire family warmth, and want to have children of their blood.

Xiang Haikui didn’t know how the other orphans felt, but her thoughts were exactly the opposite.

Why had her father always been so obsessed, always thinking of her?

Because her father was an orphan, abandoned at birth without knowing who his parents were. Having experienced the hardships of being an orphan, he naturally would imagine how difficult her life must be.

“I lost my mother at five and my father at nine. And father disappeared suddenly…”

The day before, he had promised to buy her a sugar figurine the next day. When she woke up from sleep, he had become a cold corpse.

In the orphanage, she’d seen many orphans, each with their tragic stories.

Life was full of unexpected turns. What if something happened to her during her child’s formative years?

As she spoke, she noticed Yin Changli’s expression suggested he thought she was overthinking.

“Yes, you’ve lived long, like an indestructible cockroach. But so what? Who can truly calculate the will of heaven?”

Xiang Haikui held back a retort: Your whole family might be strong, but wasn’t Director Yin such a powerful Torch Dragon, yet still left you all alone?

These words were too hurtful to speak aloud.

Yin Changli understood—she lacked a sense of security.

After pondering for a moment, he smiled slightly: “I understand. Seeing me alone all these years, you know I don’t like raising offspring either. Being a parent indeed carries many responsibilities. Moreover, in our clan, when nurturing offspring, the father practically has to give half his life. Raising Xiao Bai alone has already irritated me greatly.”

“If I were to take a wife, I would choose one who doesn’t desire children, unlike my mother, who loved children and gave birth to twelve. Otherwise, my father’s cultivation wouldn’t have stagnated, ultimately leading to his death in battle.”

No wonder, Xiang Haikui had previously puzzled over how someone like Director Yin should have been imprisoned like her master, not died in battle.

Originally, Xiang Haikui had suspected Yin Changli’s ramblings were meant to persuade her to continue merging with this child.

Now it seemed he, too, had shadows in his heart about this matter.

It appeared that on this point, she and he were like-minded—understanding was paramount.

Yin Changli’s eyes dimmed slightly as he fell silent, and she continued her healing.

…

Several days later, after the situation in the Other Shore City had stabilized, Qi Yin and Dugu He were still fighting.

If both had been at full strength, this battle would certainly have resulted in serious injury for one of them.

But because Qi Yin was only in soul form, and Dugu He disliked taking advantage, using only fifty percent of his power,

Neither had injured the other. When exhausted, they stopped without determining a winner.

“Not satisfying at all.” After descending from the sky, Dugu He pounded his chest in frustration. “Qi Yin, when will you finally escape from your prison?”

He looked around—many spectators in the distance, but nearby, only two young people sitting on ruins, eating while watching the battle.

“Where’s Yin Changli? Hurry and have him rescue you!”

Yin Changli arrived across the sea, smiling: “If Elder Dugu is so eager, why not go to Di Jun and destroy Master Qi’s array disk?”

He had brought Xiang Haikui with him.

As soon as Xiang Haikui landed, she ran to Qi Yin’s side. Qi Yin had originally wanted to speak with Dugu He, but couldn’t attend to that now, busy examining his disciple’s injuries.

Dugu He shook his head: “That won’t do. Although I have this thought every day, as a member of the Heavenly Race, I cannot commit such an act of betrayal.” He lamented, “Why am I a member of the Heavenly Race? If only I were one of your Mountain Sea Clan, then I could act completely according to my own will.”

He wasn’t afraid of royal spiritual perception; he had a powerful family backing him.

Otherwise, he would have chosen to stand with Shu Luoye from the beginning.

Regardless of how satisfying it was, the battle had been thoroughly invigorating. When Qi Yin didn’t respond to him, he continued speaking to Yin Changli: “Little Torch Dragon, I’m counting on you to rescue Qi Yin soon.”

Before raising his sword to leave, Dugu He stood shoulder to shoulder with Yin Changli. After hesitating, he said, “I’m just a brute pursuing the ultimate sword dao, becoming increasingly reckless and mad. Even Di Jun is at a loss with me now.”

Yin Changli listened silently.

Dugu He continued: “I hope you can fulfill Shu Luoye’s ideal.” With these words, he departed.

“Master, please promise me you won’t be so impulsive in the future, alright? Not every time will be so fortunate.” Xiang Haikui was seriously warning Qi Yin. “You need to consider what it would mean for me if you had died this time.”

“Fine, we’ll discuss it next time.” Qi Yin rubbed her bun-shaped hair.

“What do you mean by ‘discuss it next time’? There’s going to be a next time?” Xiang Haikui needed to make this clear.

Qi Yin hastily agreed: “No more next time. Little Kui certainly won’t experience such things again, and I won’t need to help you vent your anger, right?”

“That’s more like it.” Xiang Haikui nodded, then realized something was off about his words, as if he hadn’t promised anything.

Of course, since his youth, Qi Yin had been constantly persuaded by various people. While unyielding in other matters, he was a master at placating people.

Yin Changli pinched the bridge of his nose: “Master Qi, your soul shouldn’t remain separated from your body for too long. Please return quickly.”

Qi Yin refused: “I still have one matter to attend to.”

Xiang Haikui asked: “What?”

Qi Yin raised his eyebrows: “Changli told me someone is trying to steal my disciple? And has challenged me to a duel?”

Xiang Haikui was momentarily stunned, having almost forgotten: “Master, please don’t get involved in this.”

Having her master fight Jing Wenxiu would be like bullying a primary school student.

“I’ll go myself,” she said. “After I defeat him, how could he have the face to take me as his disciple? Please leave this opportunity to shine to me.”

“Though Heaven’s Madness is at its peak, your cultivation is only at the eighth rank…” Qi Yin paused, then waved his hand dismissively. “No worries, you should have a fighting chance. It’s good practice for you.”

After talking a while longer, Xiang Haikui, plagued by illness and exhaustion, needed to rest.

With the Twelve Palaces nearly destroyed, Yin Changli suggested: “Come sleep at my palace for a while.”

“Alright,” she nodded.

The small black sphere enlarged, opening its mouth.

“Be careful, Big Sister Kui.” Lu Xiqiao and Bai Xingxian, who had been watching the excitement, came over to support her.

Xiang Haikui placed her arms around their necks, and they helped her walk into the small black sphere.

Yin Changli had originally extended his hand to help, but was completely ignored.

Now he watched their “three brothers” silhouette with awkwardness.

Qi Yin clicked his tongue beside him: “Jealous, aren’t you? But there’s nothing you can do.”

He pointed at Bai Xingxian, then at Lu Xiqiao, mocking: “Look at those two—one is a little white mouse, all fluffy, and the other is a United Fruit, all fragrant. Girls like them both. Unlike you, a cold, stinking snake.”

…

Xiang Haikui slept for two days in the palace.

After waking, she prepared to continue healing but felt hungry again and went to find Xiao Bai for food.

When she saw Xiao Bai, she was stunned.

Xiao Bai had always moved about in his demon form within Yin Changli’s palace—originally a fluffy Tuntun Shu, now a plump lump of flesh.

“Xiao Bai, where’s your fur?” she was extremely shocked.

Bai Xingxian was using his front paws to grip a small broom, carefully sweeping dust from the desk, very happily saying: “My uncle said I’ve come of age. According to our clan’s customs, he held a coming-of-age ceremony for me and shaved off my baby fur.”

Xiang Haikui:?

A rat over five hundred years old still had baby fur?

“Your demon clan is so strange.” Xiang Haikui couldn’t bear to look; it was too ugly. “Where’s your uncle?”

“Oh, he’s outside handling some matters.”

Just as Bai Xingxian finished speaking, Yin Changli returned from outside: “I’m here.”

Xiang Haikui turned her head and was shocked again. Usually, he had two scales at his temples, but now they were replaced with two fluffy decorations, like rabbit tails. At the same time, his cloak’s edges were covered with fur.

Looking at Bai Xingxian once more, Xiang Haikui understood and transmitted angrily: “Senior, you’re too unscrupulous! If you’re afraid of the cold, there are plenty of fur materials in your treasury. Why did you shave Xiao Bai’s fur?”