Chapter 111: The Price

Ruyi Sword Sect.

Qu Manying’s youngest son, He Shu, is a month old. Huang Rang and Xi Yin were both rushing over.

Huang Rang held He Shu, a tiny baby, emits the scent of milk. Huang Rang loved him dearly.

Qu Manying, Xi Yin, and Huang Jun were casually sitting and drinking tea. Seeing Huang Rang’s interest, Qu Manying couldn’t help but said, “You’ve been married to Di Yiqiu for so many years; why not have a child of your own?”

At her question, both Xi Yin and Huang Jun looked over.

Huang Rang blushed and said, “Auntie, what are you talking about!… We are both busy.”

Qu Manying laughed heartily and said, “Look at that, married for so many years and still shy.”

After saying this, she turned to Huang Jun and said, “You are not young anymore; don’t you have any preferences?”

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She then turned to look at Huang Jun and Huang Rang, saying, “As long as they are well, I have nothing else on my mind.”

Qu Manying sighed and said, “I’m just afraid you will regret it. Ah Yin, life is short; why torture yourself unnecessarily?” Xi Yin shook her head and remained silent.

On the side, He Shu began to cry.

Huang Rang quickly brought him back to Qu Manying’s arms, and Qu Manying gently comforted him. After looking at him for a while, Huang Rang suddenly felt nauseous. She covered her mouth as a sour taste surged in her stomach.

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

Huang Rang shook her head and said, “I have to rush back to the farmland,so I will chat again later with Aunt and Mother.”

The word “mother” was spoken lightly.

Xi Yin, however, heard it with relief. She said, “Don’t always be busy with farming; take care of yourself.”

Huang Rang agreed and crushed a teleportation talisman.

When the light of the teleportation talisman went out, she had already returned to the capital. However, waves of dizziness made her lean against the wall and vomit.

Zhu Xiang saw this and couldn’t help but wonder, “Madam, what’s wrong with you?”

Huang Rang also had some doubts in her heart, but she was too embarrassed to say, “I got dizzy from using the teleportation talisman. I just need to rest for a while.”

Zhu Xiang was usually carefree and said, “Then sit for a while.”

It happened that Huang Yang passed by and saw Huang Rang’s pale face. He helped her and went to find Qiu Shengbai.

Qiu Shengbai took Huang Rang’s pulse and raised his eyebrows. He was about to speak when 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 casually said, “A bit of wind chill; take some medicine, and she’ll be fine.” Only then did Huang Yang feel relieved. Qiu Shengbai wrote a prescription and intended for him to leave. He said, “Get the medicine outside.”

“Okay!” Huang Yang agreed and quickly ran to the pharmacy. Qiu Shengbai then looked at Huang Rang and asked, “What do you mean?”

Huang Rang smiled and asked, “Did… I get pregnant?”

Qiu Shengbai snorted twice and said, “Otherwise? After so many years, if you don’t, I really doubt if Di Yiqiu is still functioning…”

Huang Rang quickly stopped him and said, “You don’t need to doubt that. Also, please keep this matter confidential.”

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

Huang Rang could only explain casually, “I… want to find the right time to tell him.”

Qiu Shengbai understood; it was a matter of marital intimacy. He said, “It’s up to you. Being a spirit, you’re not that fragile. Whether you drink the prenatal medicine or not is your choice.”

Huang Rang stood up and suddenly said, “Thank you, Doctor Qiu, for everything about Di Yiqiu.” Qiu Shengbai was puzzled and asked, “What brought this up?”

He had no memories of the second dream, so naturally, he didn’t remember taking care of Di Yiqiu in and out of dreams many times. Huang Rang didn’t explain further.

She and Di Yiqiu had been married for many years, and she had long wanted to have a child. However, when the moment really arrived, there wasn’t much joy in her heart.

With a heavy heart, she made her way to Di Yiqiu’s study. However, he wasn’t there.

Huang Rang touched her belly, which had no sensation, feeling both sweet and anxious. She sat behind the desk, which was piled with scrolls and classics.

“The study desk is always so messy…” Huang Rang casually tidied up for him and noticed that many of the books were related to demonic and spiritual practices.

Huang Rang randomly opened one, and inside, it was written, “Lei Yindaji Evil Technique, world-shattering, harming living beings. Yi Nian Shenbu, step into the tower three times to subdue the devil…”

Di Yiqiu may not have noticed anything while reading this book, but Huang Rang immediately noticed two words—enter the tower!

Yi Nian Shenbu is stepping into the tower to subdue the devil. What tower was this? Huang Rang was too sensitive to the word “tower”!

When she entered the dream, she saw the nine-tiered tower where Shi Wenyu stood. Indeed, there was the Yuanrong Tower in the palace, a nine-tiered tower with jade steps on all eight sides.

Now, Lei Yindaji also had a tower. Why did Lei Yindaji also live in a tower? Was it just a coincidence, or was there another reason?

Huang Rang began to investigate the origin of the Yuanrong Tower, and Di Yiqiu was the Chief of the Celestial Court, with the Ministry of Works under him. He had archived all the drawings of every building.

From the founding of the dynasty until now, Huang Rang searched but found no record of the Yuanrong Tower.

How could that be?!

As she walked out, she happened to see Li Lu. She quickly grabbed Li Lu and asked, ” deputy chief Li, when was the Yuanrong Tower in the palace built?”

Li Lu was slightly stunned and said, “When I entered the court, it already existed.” He thought carefully and couldn’t help but wonder, “I have never seen the blueprint of the Yuanrong Tower. I don’t know the craftsmen who built it.”

He seemed to sense that something was wrong and muttered, “The Emperor loves this thing so much, and yet no one knows who built it… This shouldn’t be…”

At that moment, Eunuch Fu hurriedly arrived and said, “Master, the Emperor wishes to raise a good seed. He summons you to the palace!”

Shi Wenyu…

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

Why?

But there was no time for her to ponder. Eunuch Fu said, “Master, the Emperor is in a hurry. Let’s go.”

Huang Rang glanced at Li Lu, and upon hearing that it was Shi Wenyu’s desire to conceive a good seed, Li Lu naturally had no suspicions. He said, “Then I won’t delay Madam Rang from meeting the Emperor.”

In truth, Huang Rang also wanted to see Shi Wenyu; she had too many perplexities in her heart. She sighed softly and said to Eunuch Fu, “Please, Grand Eunuch.”

In the imperial palace, Yuanrong Tower.

Huang Rang stood at the base of the tower, once again inspecting this nine-tiered tower. The towering structure remained silent, and Huang Rang truly wanted to know—did it witness the time when Yi Nian Shenbu stepped into the tower with a single thought to subdue the devil?

She pursed her lips and resolutely entered the tower.

Inside was as usual—murals, bronze steps, showing no signs of anything unusual.

She followed Eunuch Fu, ascending the tower slowly.

Nine tiers up, Shi Wenyu still sat behind the curtain. Huang Rang didn’t kneel, despite Eunuch Fu’s repeated gestures. In the end, he had to say, “Your Majesty, Master Huang, has arrived.”

“Retire,” Shi Wenyu’s voice was majestic and aged. Eunuch Fu quickly complied and withdrew.

It wasn’t until he left that Shi Wenyu spoke, “How is everything in the dream?”

He was straightforward, but Huang Rang had to navigate through a myriad of details to ask what she most wanted to know. She said, “Why did Your Majesty bring me into the dream?”

Shi Wenyu chuckled, took his time, and said, “Of course, it’s because of Xie Lingbi. He has paid too much attention to my whereabouts.”

Huang Rang actually believed this explanation to some extent. At least, every time she entered the dream, the weakening of Xie Lingbi was visible to the naked eye. She asked, “Your Majesty went to such lengths just for Xie Lingbi?”

“Interesting question.” Shi Wenyu didn’t answer this question but instead asked, “What do you think it should be for?”

Huang Rang frowned, took a long time, and said, “Is this Yuanrong Tower an artifact?”

Shi Wenyu suddenly looked up, and his smiling expression vanished. After a long while, he resumed his calm demeanor and said, “You are the one who should trust me the most because only you understand the pain of the Soul-Binding Bone-Fixing Needles right?”

Huang Rang fell silent.

Shi Wenyu said, “Here, you have a husband, elders, a sister, a mother, and an adopted son. Soon, you will even have biological children. Let’s think about it: What do you have outside of this dream?”

Huang Rang continued to remain silent. Outside the dream, she was trapped in the prison of her body, unable to move or have anything.

Shi Wenyu laughed and said, “When I chose you back then, you never disappointed me. Huang Rang, just enjoy the present. Why bother questioning cause and effect? Even if the outcome is bad, can it be worse than outside the dream?”

No, Huang Rang silently thought. Outside the dream, she was imprisoned by the Soul-Binding Bone-Fixing Needles, motionless like a living corpse. Di Yiqiu was injured by Xie Lingbi, with almost all his organs exposed.

Xie Hongchen was taken over by Xie Lingbi, and his life or death was unknown. Xi Yin died.

Huang Jun married far away, leading a mediocre life. Huang Yang never had the chance to meet her. Huang Shu, however, lived peacefully.

She remained silent, and Shi Wenyu said, “Go back and take good care of my grandson.”

He mentioned the imperial grandson, and Huang Rang looked up. Shi Wenyu continued, “Although Di Yiqiu was stripped of his imperial title, he is still my most beloved prince. Sooner or later, this world will be yours.”

As he spoke, he seemed tired and said, “There’s no spirit Herb for me in the dream. I’m actually quite lonely without it.” Huang Rang was surprised and asked, “What spirit Herb?”

Shi Wenyu said, “The spirit Herb you cultivated for your father. Later, Di Yiqiu used it to show his filial piety to me. Initially, to numb Huang Shu, you specially cultivated a variant of the spirit herb. I know everything. Don’t be nervous.”

Huang Rang was shocked, but Shi Wenyu didn’t seem to mind. He continued, “No need to be anxious. I am the Emperor, the master of the mortal realm. I will naturally make the mortal realm better and better. You are a clear-headed child and naturally know whose words to listen to, right?”

After saying this, he waved his hand, indicating that Huang Rang could leave.

He had no intention of dealing with Huang Rang. He had enough confidence to believe that Huang Rang would not betray him. This was a matter of course.

In the dream, Huang Rang had a husband and children, fame and fortune, and both elders and superiors.

Having become accustomed to this life, how could she tolerate the pain of not being born or dead outside the dream? The torment of the Soul-Binding Bone-Fixing Needles, others might not know, but she understood it better than anyone.

Huang Rang silently left the tower.

Every word Shi Wenyu said was not wrong. She had no way to refute it.

She should go back now and tell Di Yiqiu about her pregnancy.

From then on, she would teach and nurture, cultivate good seeds, and live a stable life in this world. What she had once pursued so desperately—fame, fortune, and honor—were readily available here.

As long as she didn’t care.

Didn’t care about the others in this world and what price they were paying.