Tears filled the eyes of Madam Shi as she said, “I won’t hide anything from Immortal Zhang. Although Shi Lang always advises me not to worry about having descendants, how could I not care about continuing our family line? He won’t even take concubines, and besides, I know very well that our union between human and spirit already violates heavenly law. Who knows when disaster might strike, and we may never meet again. Therefore, giving birth to this child cost me nearly half of my cultivation. Now, my powers are barely enough to maintain my human form.”
Zhang Shisan shook his head and said, “Heh, maintain? I think the only reason this child has survived this long is because of your spiritual energy. You must have realized there was no other way out, so you came to see me, hoping for a last-ditch chance, didn’t you?”
Upon hearing this, Mei Qing realized it was indeed the case. To seduce a mortal was a grave taboo in the cultivation world. Most cultivators would intervene, regarding it their duty to subdue demons and eliminate evil. Therefore, Zhang Shisan had already shown leniency by not exposing Madam Shi as a spirit and simply preparing to leave. For her to dare approach him now was practically tantamount to seeking her own death. Thinking it through, it was clear that her son, gravely ill for years, must have reached a critical point, leaving her no choice but to risk her life for one last gamble.
After hearing Zhang Shisan’s words, Madam Shi stiffened, then repeatedly kowtowed, saying, “Immortal Zhang, though I may be guilty and deserving of death, this child is innocent, and his father knows nothing of this. I am willing to bear all the sins myself. I beg you, Immortal, to show mercy and save my son. Even if I were to be shattered into dust, I would forever remember your kindness.”
Just as everyone was lost in their own thoughts, a sudden “crash” was heard, and the door was kicked open. Mei Qing and Bi Zhen were startled, and just as they were about to react, they felt their movements suddenly restrained, as if something had blocked them.
Bi Zhen’s beautiful eyes widened, and she was about to activate her magical artifact when Mei Qing realized it was Zhang Shisan secretly holding them back. He quickly pulled Bi Zhen’s arm. Sure enough, the one who had just entered was none other than Master Shi, the lord of Shi Manor.
With red eyes, Master Shi strode in and rushed to Madam Shi’s side, helping her up and saying, “Wife, don’t beg them anymore. If Lengzi’s fate is to die, then we’ll accept it. But I won’t let anyone harm a single hair on your head.”
Then he turned around and glared at everyone with bulging eyes, saying fiercely, “I don’t know who you all are, but my wife and I have never wronged anyone. If you are here for good intentions, you are welcome as honored guests of Shi Manor. Whatever you ask, I won’t refuse. But if you’re here to harm my wife, come and take my life first!”
Seeing Master Shi putting on such a fierce and threatening appearance, Bi Zhen couldn’t help but laugh. Such a look might scare ordinary people, but in front of them, it was almost amusing.
Madam Shi, however, was greatly alarmed, fearing that Master Shi’s blunt manner might anger Zhang Shisan. She quickly pulled on his sleeve and said, “My lord, please don’t act like this. Immortal Zhang and his companions are good people. It was I… it was I who deceived you all these years…”
“Wife, don’t say another word,” Master Shi waved his large hand dismissively. “What deception? When you appeared from that lonely village in the wilderness years ago, did you really think I didn’t know something was off? But you’ve devoted your heart and soul to this family. I’m not blind or stupid—I know exactly what kind of person you are. Whether you’re human, ghost, demon, or spirit, you’re still my wife. If anyone tries to separate us, I’ll fight them with my life!”
Upon hearing these words, Madam Shi suddenly burst into tears and threw herself into his arms. For years, she had lived in fear—afraid her husband would discover her true identity, worried about her son’s poor health, and drained her cultivation to the point of exhaustion. All these burdens were too painful to express. Now, hearing her husband speak so clearly, the heavy stone in her heart finally lifted, and she couldn’t help but cry.
Master Shi held his wife tightly, his eyes never leaving Zhang Shisan and the others, clearly ready to fight to the death at the slightest provocation.
After crying for a while, Madam Shi realized the impropriety and gently pushed her husband away. Seeing him still glaring at Zhang Shisan, she wiped her tears and gently said, “My lord, these are good people. They were just discussing how to heal our son. Please, go and wait elsewhere for now.”
Master Shi shook his head vigorously, saying, “No, wife, I know what they’re up to. They pretend to be noble cultivators, but they want to capture you. If I had known you’d suffer this much, I’d never have had this little bastard. What does it matter if I have an heir or not, as long as you’re safe?”
Mei Qing nearly fainted. To refer to his own son as a “bastard” showed just how fierce Master Shi could be.
Madam Shi, tears welling up again, softly replied, “My lord, you’re talking nonsense. No one wants to capture me. Our child is our own flesh and blood—how can we not save him? You don’t understand the whole story. Please, just leave and don’t interfere.”
Master Shi shouted, “Wife, I don’t care what you say. I won’t let them take you today!” He stood in front of her, facing Mei Qing and the others with clear hostility.
Madam Shi was anxious, tears streaming down her face, but no matter how much she pleaded, Master Shi stubbornly refused to move.
Finally, Madam Shi gritted her teeth, her hands flicking rapidly. Suddenly, a long sash shot out, tightly binding Master Shi’s entire body. Gently lifting him behind her, she softly patted his hand and whispered, “Shi Lang, don’t resent me. If fate allows me the fortune to serve you again in the next life, I promise I’ll obey you completely.”
Master Shi cried out desperately, “Wife! Don’t do anything foolish! Whether these people can save Lengzi or not, who knows? Even if they can, how can we trust their intentions? If they deceive you and leave, how can I go on? We live together, die together—what does it matter if we have children or not? Let me go!”
He roared and struggled fiercely, but the sash was strange indeed—it looked thin, yet no matter how hard he struggled, it did not loosen even the slightest bit.
Watching the couple’s emotional struggle, Mei Qing and Bi Zhen felt a pang of sympathy. Zhang Shisan coughed and rasped, “You two are putting on quite a show, but I never said I’d save your dying son. Why are you both so desperate to sacrifice yourselves?”
“Hmph!” Master Shi spat. “It’s your son who’s dying! Who knows what spell you’ve cast on my wife, making her obey you so readily? Wife, this guy has a face like a cockroach and eyes like a rat—he’s clearly a despicable rogue. What skills could he possibly have? He’s just trying to seduce you with trickery… Mmmph!” Madam Shi quickly used the sash to gag him, fearing his unchecked words would further provoke Zhang Shisan.
With a pained expression, Madam Shi turned to Zhang Shisan and said, “My husband didn’t mean any offense, Immortal. Though my cultivation has greatly diminished over the years, my golden core remains intact, and I’ve hundreds of years of cultivation behind me. If you agree, I will offer my golden core to you immediately.”
Seeing Zhang Shisan remain silent, she clenched her teeth, chanted the word “Pardon!” and began to stir her inner energy, preparing to extract her golden core.
Zhang Shisan snorted, “Golden core? When did I ever ask for your core? Hmph! The boy’s inner energy is chaotic, his body’s constitution in disarray. To save him, one must forcibly reshape his marrow and reform his body. You, a little fox spirit with less than three hundred years of cultivation, how much could you possibly offer even if you squeezed every last drop? I’m not so foolish, unlike your dumb husband!”
Madam Shi was at a loss after hearing this. Mei Qing furrowed his brow and, using his spiritual sense, examined the child in Madam Shi’s arms. Indeed, as Zhang Shisan had said, the boy had a human body but his meridians were filled with chaotic demonic energy, likely due to an incomplete human spirit compounded by Madam Shi’s daily infusion of her own energy to keep him alive. Though this kept him alive temporarily, it was clearly not a sustainable solution.
Behind them, Master Shi was again making muffled sounds. Madam Shi turned to glance at him, sighed softly, and then turned back to Zhang Shisan with a determined expression. “My cultivation may seem insignificant to you, Immortal, but if you would save my child, I am willing to offer my demonic soul for your use. Even if you were to refine me into a spirit artifact, I would never refuse.”
Madam Shi, with tears in her eyes, said, “I won’t hide it from you, Immortal Zhang. Although my husband always advises me not to worry about descendants, how can one not care about continuing the family line? He refuses to take concubines, and besides, I, a little demon… also know that the union between humans and demons violates heavenly laws. Who knows when misfortune might strike, and we may never meet again. Therefore, to bear this child, I have sacrificed most of my cultivation. Now, my cultivation is barely enough to maintain my human form.”
Zhang Shisan shook his head and said, “Maintain? I think your child has survived until today solely because of your cultivation, right? Did you feel like there was no other way out, so you came to see me, taking this gamble?”
Mei Qing, upon hearing this, also felt that it was indeed the case. Demons seducing mortals is a grave taboo, and most cultivators would intervene to eliminate such demons. Therefore, Zhang Shisan had already discovered that Madam Shi was a demon but chose not to expose her and was prepared to leave, showing leniency. Yet, Madam Shi dared to come forward and meet him, which was practically suicidal. Now, it seemed that her long-ill son had reached a critical point, and she had no choice but to risk her life for his sake.
Upon hearing this, Madam Shi stiffened and then kowtowed repeatedly, saying, “Immortal Zhang, although I, a little demon, deserve death, this child is innocent, and his father knows nothing of this. I am willing to bear all the sins myself, and I only beg for your mercy to save my child. Even if I am crushed to pieces, I will forever remember your great kindness.”
As everyone was pondering Madam Shi’s words, suddenly there was a loud crash as the door was forced open. Mei Qing and Bi Zhen were startled and were about to act when they felt their movements hindered, as if blocked by something.
Bi Zhen’s eyes widened as she tried to activate her magical tool, but Mei Qing had already sensed that Zhang Shisan was secretly restraining everyone. He quickly pulled Bi Zhen back. Looking back, they saw that it was none other than Shi Wuqi, the master of Shi Village.
Shi Wuqi, with red eyes, strode in and rushed to Madam Shi. He helped her up and said, “Wife, don’t beg them. If our son is not well, we’ll accept our fate, but I won’t allow anyone to harm a single hair on your head.”
Then he turned around, glaring fiercely at everyone and said, “Friends, I don’t know who you are, but my wife and I have never wronged anyone or done any evil. If you are reasonable, you are welcome guests of Shi Village. Whatever the matter, I will not hesitate. But if you intend to harm my wife, you’ll have to take my life first.”
Seeing Shi Wuqi’s fierce demeanor, Bi Zhen couldn’t help but laugh. Such a display might scare ordinary people, but in front of everyone, it was somewhat amusing.
Madam Shi, extremely anxious, feared that Shi Wuqi’s bluntness would anger Zhang Shisan. She quickly pulled Shi Wuqi and said, “Husband, don’t be like this. Immortal Zhang and the others are good people. It’s me… I… who have deceived you all these years…”
“Wife, don’t say anymore,” Shi Wuqi waved his large hand and said, “What deception is there between us? When you appeared in that desolate village, I wasn’t foolish; how could I not understand? All these years, you’ve devoted yourself to this family, and how you’ve treated me, I’m not blind or stupid; I know it all too well. I don’t care if you’re human or ghost, demon or monster; you’re my wife. Whoever tries to separate us, we’ll fight them together!”
Upon hearing this, Madam Shi suddenly burst into tears and cried in his arms. Over the years, she had been terrified, fearing that her husband would discover her true identity and worrying about her son’s poor health. Her cultivation had been nearly exhausted, and the hardships she endured were beyond words. Today, hearing her husband’s clear understanding, the weight lifted from her heart, and she couldn’t help but cry.
Shi Wuqi held Madam Shi, but his eyes remained fixed on Zhang Shisan and the others, ready to fight to the death if necessary.
After crying for a while, Madam Shi realized it was inappropriate and quickly pushed Shi Wuqi away. Seeing his fierce gaze at Zhang Shisan and the others, she wiped her tears and gently said to Shi Wuqi, “Husband, Immortal Zhang and the others are good people. They are discussing how to save our child. You should step aside for now.”
Shi Wuqi shook his head vigorously and said loudly, “Enough, wife. I know everything. These guys pretend to be noble, but they want to capture you. If I had known you were suffering, I wouldn’t have had this little rascal. Whether we have descendants or not, as long as you’re well, I can give up anything.”
Mei Qing almost fainted upon hearing this. To call his own son a rascal, Shi Wuqi was indeed a tough man.
Madam Shi, hearing this, stopped crying but tears kept flowing. She softly said, “Husband, what nonsense are you saying? No one wants to capture me. Our child is our flesh and blood; how can we not save him? There are things you don’t understand. Please listen and don’t cause trouble here.”
Shi Wuqi loudly said, “Wife, don’t say anymore. No matter what you say, I won’t let them capture you today.” With that, he stood in front of Madam Shi, facing Mei Qing and the others with hostility.
Madam Shi, tears streaming down her face, tried to persuade him, but Shi Wuqi was stubborn and refused to budge.
Madam Shi gritted her teeth, her hands trembling, and suddenly she whipped out a long ribbon, tightly binding Shi Wuqi and gently lifting him behind her. She softly grasped his hand and whispered, “Shi Lang, don’t hold a grudge against me. If there is a next life, and I have the fortune to serve you again, I will surely listen to you.”
Shi Wuqi urgently said, “Wife! Don’t be foolish. Whether these guys can save our son or not, even if they can, how can we be sure they have good intentions? They might deceive you and run away, leaving me to live alone? We live together, and we die together. What does it matter if we have a child or not? Quickly release me!” With that, he roared and struggled continuously. However, Madam Shi’s ribbon was strange; no matter how Shi Wuqi struggled, it didn’t loosen at all.
Mei Qing and Bi Zhen, watching the couple’s desperate struggle, felt uneasy. Zhang Shisan coughed and said in a hoarse voice, “You two are quite lively, but this old man hasn’t said he would save your dying son. Why are you so eager to fight and die?”
“Bah!” Shi Wuqi cursed, “You old fool, your son is the one dying! I don’t know what spell you cast on my wife to make her listen to you, and now you pretend to be noble! Wife, this guy is shifty-eyed and looks like a despicable scoundrel. What ability could he have? He must have taken a fancy to you and wants to deceive you… mmm…” Madam Shi, seeing Shi Wuqi’s unrestrained cursing, quickly used the ribbon to gag him.
Madam Shi, with a sorrowful expression, said to Zhang Shisan, “My husband’s words were thoughtless, Immortal, please don’t take offense. Although my cultivation has greatly diminished over the years, my golden core remains, and I have centuries of cultivation. If you agree, I will immediately offer my golden core.”
With that, seeing Zhang Shisan remain silent, she gritted her teeth and chanted, “Release!” Her entire body’s true essence surged as she prepared to expel her golden core.
Zhang Shisan snorted and said, “What golden core? When did I say I wanted your core? Hmph, your son’s true essence is tangled, and his body is in chaos. To save him, one must forcefully reorganize his marrow and reshape his body. You, a little fox who hasn’t even cultivated for three hundred years, how much oil can you squeeze out? This old man isn’t stupid or foolish, unlike your foolish husband.”
Upon hearing Zhang Shisan’s words, Madam Shi was at a loss. Mei Qing frowned and secretly probed the child in Madam Shi’s arms with his spiritual sense. Indeed, as Zhang Shisan said, although the child was human, his body was filled with demonic energy, and his meridians were chaotic. It seemed that his incomplete human form, coupled with Madam Shi’s daily infusion of true essence to sustain his life, had caused the demonic energy to grow heavier. Although he was alive for now, this situation couldn’t continue indefinitely.
Behind them, Shi Wuqi began to grunt again. Madam Shi glanced back at him and sighed softly. Turning back to Zhang Shisan, she resolutely said, “Immortal, my meager cultivation is naturally beneath your notice. But if you save my child, I am willing to let you extract my demon soul and use me as you wish. Even if you refine me into a tool spirit, I will not refuse.”
Bi Zhen, upon hearing this, couldn’t help but exclaim, “Ah!” showing great pity. She shook Zhang Shisan’s arm and said, “Master…”
Mei Qing wasn’t sure what extracting a demon soul or refining a tool spirit entailed, but judging from Madam Shi’s words and Bi Zhen’s reaction, it seemed that Madam Shi had already staked everything she had.
Zhang Shisan rolled his eyes and said, “This old man isn’t a sinister cultivator, nor do I refine magical tools. What would I do with your demon soul?”
Hearing Zhang Shisan’s words, Madam Shi could no longer hold on. Her body swayed as she cried out in despair, “Immortal, what must I do for you to save my child?”
Bi Zhen, already angered, huffed and shook Zhang Shisan’s arm, saying, “Stinky master, how can you be so heartless? I won’t acknowledge you as my master anymore!”
Though Mei Qing wasn’t sure what it meant to extract a demon’s soul or refine it into an artifact, from Madam Shi’s words and Bi Zhen’s reaction, he could tell she had truly given everything, staking her very existence.
Zhang Shisan rolled his eyes and said, “I’m no evil cultivator, and I don’t forge magical artifacts. What would I do with your demon soul?”
Upon hearing this, Madam Shi could no longer hold herself up, her body swaying as she cried out, “Immortal, what must I do to convince you to save my child?”
Bi Zhen, now furious, angrily let go of Zhang Shisan’s arm and shouted, “You’re such a cruel master! I won’t call you my master anymore!”
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