Chu Hanjin repeated confirming, “Early?”

Ordinary people carry a child for ten months, so why would his be early?

Chu Hanjin’s first reaction wasn’t relief at an easier pregnancy but rather concern for the baby’s well-being, while also considering the practicality of it.

Yue Lin lowered his eyelids slightly and asked softly, “You don’t want to?”

It wasn’t that Chu Hanjin didn’t want to; it was just that there were too many factors to consider.

Chu Hanjin asked, “How much earlier?”

Yue Lin tilted his head, seeming to think for a moment before giving a firm answer, “Half as early.”

Then… why rush it suddenly?

On second thought, it became clear. It was still because Chu Hanjin was being targeted, his situation dangerous, and Yue Lin had too many enemies in the demon clan, leaving him stretched thin. For safety’s sake, it was better to have the baby sooner.

Chu Hanjin could understand the decision but after thinking for a while, he said, “I…”

His voice trembled for a rare moment.

Moonlight shone on his face. For the past few days, Yue Lin hadn’t taken a good look at him. His face was lowered, his clean white robe gleaming like snow, and his handsome features were outlined with a few strands of cold moonlight.

Chu Hanjin closed his eyes. As he looked up, a slight furrow appeared between his brows, and Yue Lin immediately knew what he was thinking.

He was reluctant.

After sharing a bed for so long, Yue Lin was keen enough to sense Chu Hanjin’s emotions. The child had only been in the womb for a few months, and already Chu Hanjin was reluctant, not just that, but also a bit confused.

It was strange how life could turn out. A few months ago, if Chu Hanjin had heard that a respected immortal was carrying a Demon Lord’s child, he would have considered it nothing more than idle gossip, maybe a far-fetched story from a novel. Now, however, he and Yue Lin had become part of such a story.

The most pitiful, of course, was the baby. Even if it wasn’t his own child, Chu Hanjin would have found it tragic—running around before birth, being pursued, constantly in danger, forced to be born prematurely. And now that it was his own, it was even harder to bear.

But Chu Hanjin also understood that only if he and Yue Lin were safe would the child be safe.

Chu Hanjin raised his eyes and asked, “If he’s born early because of a forbidden technique, will he… become an unusual child?”

Yue Lin’s tense expression softened. He lowered his gaze, took a step closer, and the scent of sandalwood in the air surrounded them. His voice was comforting, “No, he will be just fine.”

After a few days, Yue Lin reached out and grasped Chu Hanjin’s arms, moving them to rest over his belly and gently rubbing, “The baby’s been through a lot.”

These words were said to Chu Hanjin, but also to the child in his belly.

The low, steady tone caused warmth to rise behind Chu Hanjin’s ears.

It was a bit embarrassing. He thought the atmosphere would be awkward, but Yue Lin leaned in, hugging his shoulders, and whispered, “I’m sorry.”

Chu Hanjin looked up in surprise.

In the darkness, Chu Hanjin saw those deep eyes, filled with warmth. Yue Lin said, “I treated you like that the other day, partly because I was angry, unwilling to believe that you were so determined to turn away from me. And partly… I had some matters to deal with after I returned.”

Chu Hanjin lifted his head, “What matters?”

Yue Lin glanced around and whispered, “You figured it out a few days ago. No matter how much I resented you, I wouldn’t return to the demon clan to serve them again. It’s a place I loathe deeply. But I’ve been considering something.”

He guided Chu Hanjin into the inner room and poured him a cup of warm water.

“The sun and moon curse mark was taught by Bai Gu and the Zither Demon in the Celestial Burial Pit was also connected. If I killed him outright, the clues would be cut off.”

Chu Hanjin nodded, “I also wanted to extract some information from him.”

Yue Lin chuckled, “Don’t be fooled by his respectful demeanor and obedience. He’s full of schemes. If you treat him too well, he’ll betray you. He’s suspicious and paranoid, so it’s better to kick him a few times each day.”

Chu Hanjin smirked slightly, “So that’s why you shout at him every day.”

Yue Lin smiled faintly, “Of course, I also just really dislike him.”

“…” Chu Hanjin took a sip of the warm water, understanding, “If I had gone through what you did back then, I wouldn’t hate them any less than you do.”

Yue Lin refilled his cup, his expression becoming more serious, “Actually, when I found out the curse mark was connected to Bai Gu, I had some troubling thoughts.”

Chu Hanjin asked, “What is it?”

Yue Lin said, “I was initially certain of one thing. The person targeting you is hidden within the righteous path, blinded by greed. Having fallen into demonic cultivation but still pretending otherwise. If that was all, it wouldn’t be such a serious problem.”

Hearing “if that was all,” Chu Hanjin had a vague sense of what Yue Lin was getting at.

Tension brewed in the air.

Yue Lin knew that Chu Hanjin had guessed and met his eyes directly, nodding, “Yes.”

Chu Hanjin slowly finished the sentence for him, “What a coincidence… this person just happens to be Bai Gu. This proves that the leader of the righteous path is connected to the leader of the demonic path. And their first move was at the Celestial Burial Pit. Which, while a dangerous and cursed place to the righteous sects, is a boundless treasure trove for the demon clan.”

Yue Lin nodded, “Greed knows no limits.”

A chill ran down Chu Hanjin’s back, “A demonic cultivator might only want to kill me, but a Demon Lord who’s already gathered all the rare treasures in the world… if they are persuaded to act personally, the stakes must be far higher than that.”

The candle wick suddenly flickered with a soft crack, its flame casting shadows over Chu Hanjin and Yue Lin’s eyes.

Yue Lin’s voice lowered, as if with a sigh, “Kidnapping you while you were in seclusion and throwing you into the sword-forging array to kill you… that was just the beginning of the story.”

Outside, the wind stirred, as if heralding an impending storm, with clouds gathering and a sense of oppression filling the air.

This wasn’t hard to understand. The tools for cultivation were limited, and the world’s most precious spirit grasses, those that matured over millennia, had long been harvested by the predecessors. Even those that matured every five hundred years were becoming rare, almost impossible to find. What’s more, it wasn’t just the Six Sects cultivating now; the hundreds of great families were also competing fiercely for cultivation resources.

Even the Six Great Sects, supposedly the paragons of the immortal path, had seen their fair share of scandals, with sect leaders fighting over divine artifacts or even murdering innocents. Some scandals were covered up, while others couldn’t be hidden.

Those that couldn’t be hidden resulted in expulsion from the sect.

Those that were covered up allowed the perpetrators to continue sitting on high.

Tensions had been simmering for a long time, and one day, when the pressure could no longer be contained, it would all explode.

Yue Lin gently placed his hand on Chu Hanjin’s shoulder and said, “I don’t know what deal Bai Gu has struck with the person hiding behind the righteous banner, but I didn’t ask directly. I’ve been pushing him lately to hand over the treasures he’s been hoarding. I pushed too hard, and he suggested that I continue using live humans for sword-forging. He also mentioned that he has a group of cultivators with excellent foundations.”

Chu Hanjin gave him a surprised look.

This was the source of their previous argument.

Yue Lin lowered his voice, leaning close to his ear and whispered, “In the Many-Eyed Salt Lake.”

The Many-Eyed Salt Lake—Chu Hanjin had heard of it before. It was a spiritual energy-rich lake hidden beneath the desert sands, where an ancestor of the Rongku Sect had perished centuries ago. His blood had mixed with the rainwater, creating the lake, which remained brimming with spiritual energy. The salt crystals, which had formed from the blood, had kept the lake from drying up for years.

A cultivator, especially one who had achieved great mastery, would often cause a surge of spiritual energy upon death, triggering natural phenomena. Just like when Yue Lin died, people fought over his body, extracting his bones to make spiritual tools. Anything left behind by such powerful figures became treasures for later generations to fight over.

Chu Hanjin raised an eyebrow, realizing, “The Many-Eyed Salt Lake is in the northern desert.”

Yue Lin nodded, “Exactly, and it’s only a few dozen kilometers away from Fengliu City. It’s under the jurisdiction of both Chenyang and Luoyang.”

This was an astonishing revelation.

However, Chu Hanjin became cautious, “If he’s telling you this, could it be a trap?”

“Even if it is, I have no choice but to go. I have no way out.” His hand rested lightly on Chu Hanjin’s shoulder, “But you do.”

The warmth from his palm stirred something in Chu Hanjin’s heart.

Yue Lin lowered his gaze, his lips brushing against Chu Hanjin’s ear, his breath making it burn, “The ancestor of Rongku Sect died in midsummer, and midsummer is when the spiritual energy of the Many-Eyed Salt Lake is at its peak. Rongku Sect will send their disciples with the best spiritual bones to receive a cleansing there. Without exception, they will all be pure, clear children, only thirteen or fourteen years old. Perfect for forging into sword spirits.”

“On the fifteenth of July,” Yue Lin gently clasped his hand, “our child will be born too.”

A warm, tingling sensation spread across Chu Hanjin’s back.