Bai Tu froze in place, unable to recover from the shock of the woman’s words for a long time.

Pregnant?

How could he possibly be pregnant?

Noticing the change in his expression, the woman asked with concern. “Sir? Are you all right?”

Bai Tu snapped out of his stupor. “N-no, it’s nothing. Did you just say that I… I’m pregnant? Could it be a misdiagnosis?”

The woman chuckled. “Sir, what are you saying? Our clinic has treated plenty of shuang’er—do you think we’d mistake a pregnancy pulse?”

Bai Tu was taken aback. “But I’m not…”

The woman interrupted. “Let me ask you, have you been feeling unusually tired or drowsy lately? Perhaps bouts of nausea as well?”

Bai Tu lowered his head, unable to respond.

“I knew it,” the woman said with a knowing smile. “Don’t worry, sir. It’s true that shuang’er often experience pregnancy symptoms earlier and more intensely than ordinary women. However, you seem to be in good health. As long as you don’t overwork yourself, you should be fine.”

She sighed and shook her head. “Still, I must say, I’ve never met such a clueless shuang’er. You’ve been pregnant for quite some time now, and yet you didn’t notice at all?”

Looking at Bai Tu’s refined and elegant attire, she added. “Judging by your clothing, you must come from a wealthy family. Honestly, your husband should be ashamed. Not only has he failed to take care of you, but he even let you spend last night sleeping on the roadside? That’s just unforgivable!”

The woman was still chattering away when someone called for her from outside. She answered with a quick “Coming!” before turning back to Bai Tu. “Sir, lie down and rest for a bit. I’ll have one of the shop assistants escort you home shortly.”

Bai Tu’s mind was in turmoil, and before he could respond, the woman had already lifted the curtain and stepped out.

The room fell silent once more. Bai Tu sat on the small bed, staring blankly down at his flat stomach.

How could this be possible? He clearly wasn’t…

Gathering a trace of spiritual energy in his palm, Bai Tu placed it over his abdomen. The energy coursed through his body, and then he heard it—a faint, almost imperceptible sound, like the rhythm of a heartbeat.

Thump, thump, thump…

His hand recoiled as though burned, and his chest heaved with uneven breaths.

Bai Tu fell back onto the bed, staring up at the ceiling, frozen for a long moment. Then, he murmured in a troubled voice. “How… how did it come to this?”

No wonder he’d been feeling unwell lately. With this revelation, everything suddenly made sense.

But… what was he supposed to do now?

In this world, some men could conceive, but such cases were rare. And for a man to actually get pregnant wasn’t easy. Yet here he was—just one time, and…

To make matters worse, the father was his own disciple.

Bai Tu lay on the bed for a while before getting up and stepping out of the inner room. The woman from earlier was busy attending to the patients in the clinic. Noticing him, she asked. “Are you leaving, sir? Would you like one of the assistants to escort you home?”

“No need,” Bai Tu replied softly. “Thank you, miss. I can manage on my own.”

With that, he headed toward the door.

Before he could leave the clinic, the woman suddenly called out from behind him, “Sir!”

She hurried over, handing him an oiled paper umbrella. “It’s raining outside. Take this with you.”

“That won’t be nec—”

Before he could finish declining, the woman pressed the umbrella into his hands and smiled. “Just take it. You’re not the same as before, sir. Even if you don’t think about yourself, you need to think about the little one in your belly.”

Bai Tu froze for a moment, then pressed his lips together and said. “Thank you.”

The rain draped over the city like a misty veil as Bai Tu walked slowly along the long street, umbrella in hand. The downpour gradually softened, and the hurried footsteps of passersby echoed faintly. The entire town seemed shrouded in a melancholic haze of rain and mist.

Suddenly, a familiar voice called out from behind him. ” Immortal Lord Zhaohua! So this is where you are.”

Bai Tu turned his head.

Jing Yan jogged up to him, stopping a step away. ” Immortal Lord Zhaohua, you didn’t return all night, and Senior Brother Yun has been searching for you everywhere. I’m so glad I found you. I’ll go tell Senior Brother Yun right away!”

“Wait,” Bai Tu interrupted, a hint of hesitation in his expression. “Don’t tell him I’m here yet.”

” Immortal Lord Zhaohua, what’s wrong?” Jing Yan asked. “Last night, Senior Brother Yun didn’t return until late, and the moment he got back, he started looking for you. Did… you have a fight with him?”

“It’s nothing,” Bai Tu replied without explanation, then instructed, “Jing Yan, focus on what’s important. Return to Tianyan Sect immediately and inform the sect master of what we’ve discovered here. They need to prepare as soon as possible.”

Jing Yan hesitated. ” Immortal Lord Zhaohua, aren’t you coming back with us?”

Bai Tu’s expression wavered slightly. “I… not yet. You go ahead.”

Jing Yan opened his mouth as if to say something but eventually held back. He simply nodded and replied. “Understood,” before quickly heading back the way he had come.

Letting out a long sigh of relief, Bai Tu was about to continue on his way when, out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of a familiar figure. Yun Ye was walking down the street toward him. He wasn’t carrying an umbrella, his hair slightly damp from the rain, giving him a disheveled and forlorn appearance.

Bai Tu’s gaze snapped away instantly. Without a second thought, he summoned his sword, leaping onto it and vanishing into the rain like a streak of light.

Sensing the familiar aura of sword energy, Yun Ye looked up, his brow furrowing slightly.

Wuya Valley

The sun was shining brightly, and a serene melody of a qin echoed through the cliffs. Xun Yi lounged in a pavilion by the edge of the cliff, lazily sipping from a wine flask. His half-lidded eyes occasionally drifted to the person playing the qin in the center of the pavilion.

Suddenly, Pei Ran’s hands paused, interrupting the melody.

Sensing something, Xun Yi turned to look over his shoulder. Bai Tu stood outside the pavilion and nodded slightly. “Senior Brother.”

“You finally remembered to visit me?” Xun Yi smirked, lifting his flask as if to say more. But before he could, Bai Tu’s steps faltered. He stumbled forward and nearly fell.

Pei Ran moved swiftly, appearing by Bai Tu’s side in an instant to steady him.

Pei Ran called out softly, “Immortal Master?”

“I…” Bai Tu opened his mouth, but no words came out. Having flown at high speed to get there, exhaustion hit him all at once as soon as his feet touched the ground. Overwhelmed by a wave of fatigue, his vision darkened, and he quickly lost consciousness.

Bai Tu fell into an unusually deep sleep, and in his haze, he found himself caught in a strange dream.

When he opened his eyes, the scene before him was unfamiliar. He was inside a small bamboo house, its interior simple yet clean and orderly. Rising from the bed, he faintly heard footsteps approaching from outside.

He walked to the door and opened it, only for a tiny figure to rush into his arms.

It was a child, no older than three, waddling unsteadily. Their skin was pale, their form soft and chubby, resembling a delicately carved jade doll.

The little one looked up at him, their voice sweet and cheerful. “Daddy, you’re finally awake…”

Instinctively, Bai Tu scooped up the tiny, warm bundle into his arms. Before he could respond, the child suddenly shimmered with a soft white light and transformed into a fluffy baby rabbit, resting in the palm of his hand.

The little rabbit bore a striking resemblance to Bai Tu’s original form, except its fur was a silvery gray, and its bright, obsidian-like eyes blinked up at him with innocent curiosity.

It was impossibly adorable.

Bai Tu gently pinched the baby rabbit’s soft ear. The little rabbit wriggled in contentment, rolling over in his hand to expose its fluffy belly.

A faint smile tugged at Bai Tu’s lips.

Suddenly, a commotion sounded from outside the door.

A group of baby rabbits hopped into the room, their movements lively and chaotic. They gathered around Bai Tu’s feet, bouncing eagerly as if competing for his attention. Some tugged at the hem of his robe, determined to climb up onto him.

“Daddy, hold me… Daddy, pick me up…”

“Wait, all of you—” Bai Tu started, his voice trailing off as the crowd of tiny rabbits swarmed him, their soft, high-pitched voices overlapping.

Bai Tu stumbled back half a step, utterly at a loss as he stared down at the cluster of fluffy little creatures crowding around his feet.

The door creaked open again. Yun Ye stepped in, dressed in coarse linen, a hoe slung casually over his shoulder. He scolded the little ones. “You brats, leave your father alone. He’s not feeling well. Stop pestering him.”

The furry bundles obediently scurried away from Bai Tu, forming a neat group. Yun Ye carefully stepped over them and approached Bai Tu. Without hesitation, he leaned down and pressed a gentle, natural kiss to Bai Tu’s forehead.

“Did you sleep well, Master?” Yun Ye asked, his tone soft and affectionate.

Bai Tu jolted awake, sitting up abruptly. He found himself lying on a soft bed, the world of the dream fading away. The room he was in now was a quiet chamber, dimly lit. A faintly calming incense burned on the table nearby, its fragrance lingering in the air. Bai Tu closed his eyes briefly, and the image of the bamboo house from his dream resurfaced.

“Awake?” Xun Yi’s voice pulled Bai Tu out of his reverie. Turning his head, Bai Tu saw Xun Yi enter the chamber, carrying a bowl of medicinal soup. Xun Yi placed it on the bedside table. “I brewed this for you. Drink it when you’re ready—it’ll help calm your nerves.”

“Thank you, Senior Brother,” Bai Tu said quietly.

Xun Yi leaned back lazily in a chair beside the bed, regarding Bai Tu with a casual but curious gaze. “So, what’s going on with you?”

“I’m fine…” Bai Tu began.

“Fine? You fainted out of nowhere. And fine?” Xun Yi paused, raising an eyebrow. “Your ears—can’t even keep them hidden anymore?”

Bai Tu froze, startled. Instinctively, he reached up to touch his ears.

A pair of long rabbit ears poked out from Bai Tu’s hair, their tips slightly curved and trembling faintly with each breath. Soft, white fur covered the ears, with a faint pink hue visible beneath.

Bai Tu closed his eyes, attempting to retract them, but it was no use. Unconsciously, he furrowed his brow, causing the ears to droop downward.

Xun Yi chuckled lightly. “Do you take me for that naive little disciple of yours? Someone so easily deceived?”

“He’s not that gullible…” Bai Tu mumbled under his breath, then said to Xun Yi, “It’s probably just a result of my spiritual energy leaking. I’ll recover after some rest. You don’t need to worry, Senior Brother.”

Xun Yi stared at him intently, saying nothing for a long moment. Bai Tu squirmed under the scrutiny, his gaze flitting away uneasily.

After a while, Xun Yi stood up. “If that’s the case, shall I call someone to escort you back?”

Bai Tu looked up. “What?”

With a casual wave of his hand, Xun Yi summoned a light mirror that appeared in midair between them. Reflected in the mirror was the entrance to Wuya Valley.

There, a tall and straight figure knelt at the valley’s threshold, unmoving. It was clear he had been there for a long time.

Xun Yi glanced at Bai Tu. “You hadn’t been here long yesterday when that boy followed after you. Refused to come in, no matter what. Just stayed kneeling out there. You’ve slept an entire day, and he’s been kneeling just as long.”

Bai Tu lowered his head, his brows knitting slightly. A faint unease settled in his chest, leaving him feeling uncomfortable.

Xun Yi dispelled the light mirror with a wave. “Since you’re fine, I’ll step out and call him in to see you.”

As he turned to leave, Bai Tu hurriedly stopped him. “Senior Brother, please don’t let him in. I… I’ll tell you everything.”

Bai Tu pressed his lips together, hesitated briefly, and then recounted the events: how Yun Ye had succumbed to inner demons, how their physical intimacy had come about, and finally, the current situation of his pregnancy.

Xun Yi listened quietly, saying nothing for a long while after Bai Tu finished.

Uneasy, Bai Tu looked up at him. “Senior Brother?”

Xun Yi finally spoke, his tone calm. “What do you plan to do now?”

“I’ll keep it hidden for as long as I can,” Bai Tu replied. “Yun Ye has no idea about any of this. He’s just gained the Taichu Scripture, and this is a critical period in his cultivation. He can’t afford to be distracted by matters like these.”

“I’m asking you,” Xun Yi clarified. “What are your plans?”

“I…” Bai Tu hesitated, his hand unconsciously resting on his abdomen. After a moment, he said softly, “Yun Ye did nothing wrong, and neither has this child. There are still matters in the cultivation world I need to attend to. Once everything is resolved, I’ll find a secluded place to give birth to the child.”

After a pause, Bai Tu looked at Xun Yi. “Does Senior Brother have any immortal medicine that can temporarily conceal the presence of this child?”

Xun Yi didn’t seem surprised. “You came here for that, didn’t you?”

Bai Tu lowered his gaze and nodded slightly.

Xun Yi pondered for a moment before readily agreeing, “I do have something, but I’ll need a few days to refine it. In the meantime, stay here in the valley and wait.”

“Thank you, Senior Brother.”

“What’s there to thank me for? If you’d confessed earlier, I wouldn’t have had to go through so much trouble,” Xun Yi said, waving him off with a laugh. “I’ll start working on the medicine. In the meantime, drink that soup before it gets cold. Don’t worry—it’s a calming and stabilizing elixir for the pregnancy. It’ll do you good.”

Bai Tu froze for a moment. “This…”

Xun Yi spoke as if it were the most natural thing in the world. “You fainted right in front of me. Of course, I took your pulse. It’s not like I intentionally set out to uncover your secret.”

With that, he turned and headed toward the door. Just as he was about to leave, he stopped, as if something had come to mind. Turning back, he gave Bai Tu a serious warning. “You’re not allowed to go out and see that disciple of yours. Let him kneel outside for a few more days. Making my junior suffer like this—he deserves it.”

Bai Tu: “…”

=^_^=

Author has something to say: Yun Ye: Miserable.

After seeing some comments asking if Bai Tu could have an entire litter, I was inspired to write the dream sequence. But rest assured, Bai Tu won’t actually give birth to a whole litter—it’s way too much work! (><)_ That said… a second child? Totally possible. (><)_