Before they left, Hua Yan vaguely heard some servants at Tingjian Manor lamenting about Lu Zhusheng. They had never witnessed the tragic scene at Baiya Peak that day and were utterly shocked upon receiving the news. No matter what, they couldn’t believe that the kind and approachable Second Master Lu could commit such a heinous act.
Perhaps it was because Lu Chengsha had returned. Some old acquaintances were sighing over the tragic fate of Miss Lu Huaixian. With her temperament and background, she should have married well, been cherished by her husband, and lived a blissful life, not ending up like this.
However, emotions are complex, and who could have imagined that she would fall in love with the Demon Sect Leader at the time?
Back then, the righteous path and the Demon Sect were even more at odds than they are now. Moreover, she had a father who was fiercely hostile to the Demon Sect. Xie Changyun was not someone who would compromise and lower himself, making it a deadlock.
Hua Yan, already emotional due to her pregnancy, felt inexplicably saddened by this.
She and Lu Chengsha had also gone through many twists of fate and countless efforts, never giving up, to finally achieve their happiness. But hard work alone wasn’t enough; they had to thank fate for their success.
If the truth hadn’t come to light in the end, clearing the Zhengyi Sect’s name from years of slander, they wouldn’t have the peaceful days they now enjoyed.
Hua Yan suddenly recalled that Lu Zhusheng once told her that sometimes the righteous path could be as detestable as the Demon Sect. At the time, she didn’t think deeply about it, but now, in retrospect, those words from him were chilling.
He was born into the righteous path, with his parents and family killed by the Demon Sect, and raised in Tingjian Manor. Logically, he should have been a thoroughly righteous person. Yet, he felt no loyalty or sympathy for the righteous path, killing and slaughtering without hesitation. The incident at the Miyin Dragon Cave seemed more like an outburst of anger than revenge.
And his treatment of Jiang Louyue was even worse.
Hua Yan hadn’t thought deeply about good and evil before, but after experiencing so much, she gradually came to understand. She went from wanting to be a good person, to not wanting to be a good person, to now realizing that as long as she was honest and had a clear conscience, that was enough.
Their sect wasn’t as bad as she had imagined, and the righteous path wasn’t as good as she had imagined.
However, this trip did bring Hua Yan some joy, especially after witnessing the miserable life of Lu Chengzhao.
Lu Chengzhao indeed felt like cursing!
Lu Chengsha got married, had children, and after falling out with his grandfather, still came back!
His good days had barely started before he was scolded and educated by his parents in turn. Initially, only his father scolded him daily for being useless, while his mother occasionally defended him. However, since Lu Chengzhao reached the age for marriage, his mother suddenly started worrying.
Lu Chengzhao didn’t want to get married at all. Getting married meant having children, establishing a family and career, no longer being a carefree playboy, and he couldn’t flirt around anymore. So, whenever his mother invited some lady knights over—especially the lady knights from the Qiqin Tianxia—he always found excuses or deliberately flirted with them privately, saying some indecent words to drive them away.
This time, Lu Chengsha’s return with his beautiful, pregnant wife greatly provoked his mother.
Qin Suyu, without wasting any words, coldly said with the demeanor of an aristocratic lady, “It’s because I’ve been too kind to you that you’ve turned out this way. Since your cousin Chengsha is gone, you should go out and experience the world too. Don’t take any money or people with you—just go alone… Either return with success and fame or bring back a wife that satisfies me. You decide.”
Lu Chengzhao was completely stunned!
“Mother, you can’t be serious! Father, father…” He turned to his father for help.
Unfortunately, Lu Huaitian adopted an attitude of total non-involvement, letting his wife have the final say.
Qin Suyu, gritting her teeth, commanded, “Someone, throw him out, and do not let him back into the manor.”
Immediately, some disciples, although gloating inwardly, dared not show it on their faces. Although Lu Chengzhao’s martial arts weren’t bad, he couldn’t fight off so many people at once and was quickly dragged out of the gate.
As Hua Yan and Lu Chengsha strolled down the steps, they saw Lu Chengzhao being carried by a few disciples, struggling and saying, “Let me go back and talk to my mother! She’s just momentarily confused; she’ll definitely regret this by tomorrow…”
However, upon seeing the two of them, Lu Chengzhao instantly fell silent and glared at them with a sinister look.
Lu Chengsha immediately looked at him even more coldly.
The disciples holding Lu Chengzhao were too scared to move, standing as still as cicadas in winter. Lu Chengzhao couldn’t hold out for long and broke down, cursing, “Damn it, so what if you got married…” Then, trying to save face, he walked off without looking back.
Hua Yan almost burst out laughing.
Afterward, they headed back to the Zhengyi Sect, with Hua Yan buying another cartload of goods to continue delivering gifts.
Xie Yingxian also received news of her pregnancy. Since he had been quite busy recently, Hua Yan thought she would at most see Nin Yin and Jiang Lan, but unexpectedly, Xie Yingxian was also there.
Hua Yan changed into a looser ruqun, although her belly wasn’t very noticeable. However, everyone there was skilled in martial arts with keen eyesight.
Xie Yingxian, initially appearing nonchalant as if picking up a child, stared in a probing manner when he saw her belly, while Qi Xiusi, who came along, also showed a slightly peculiar expression.
After all, they hadn’t often seen a pregnant woman, especially someone they knew.
Nin Yin directly rubbed her hands together excitedly, “Can I touch it…”
Lu Chengsha, having been on guard all the way, didn’t expect this situation and immediately stepped forward to shield Hua Yan, but since these were her acquaintances, he couldn’t be too aggressive.
However, Hua Yan, unconcerned, patted Lu Chengsha’s shoulder and said to Nin Yin, “Sure, go ahead, but be gentle…”
Ignoring Lu Chengsha, Nin Yin pulled Hua Yan over and began touching her belly carefully but with excitement. “Does it move now?”
Hua Yan hesitated. “Not yet, I think.”
Lu Chengsha stood to the side, anxious and hesitant to speak.
After Nin Yin finished, she smiled at Jiang Lan. “Do you want to try? It feels amazing…”
Jiang Lan hadn’t planned on it, but seeing Nin Yin touch Hua Yan without any objection or reaction, she became curious. Having grown up together, this was her first time seeing someone pregnant. So, she gently touched Hua Yan’s belly with her fingertips and then smiled. “The fetus seems stable.”
“Yes!” Hua Yan nodded. “Except for some troublesome morning sickness.”
Nin Yin then commented, “Saintess, your chin looks a bit sharp. Is the morning sickness that severe? Or is the food in Qingzhou not good?”
Hua Yan immediately responded, “The food is good!” Then, a bit woefully, “But I can’t eat much of it…”
As the three were chatting, they heard a slightly improper voice from the side. “Can I touch too?”
Before Hua Yan could reply, Lu Chengsha had already said, “No.”
Xie Yingxian smiled. “I was asking her, not you.”
Lu Chengsha, choked by his words, still insisted, “No.”
Xie Yingxian then said, “Our sect’s tradition is that the child’s relatives, like an uncle, can bless the child by touching the mother’s belly during pregnancy. Are you sure you won’t let me?”
Hua Yan thought to herself, since when did their sect have such a custom!
However, Xie Yingxian’s serious demeanor left no hint of deception.
Lu Chengsha hesitated.
Seeing this hesitation as an opportunity, Xie Yingxian quickly and lightly touched Hua Yan’s belly. Perhaps due to the frequent interactions and Hua Yan’s excitement upon returning to the sect, the baby inside actually moved a little, making Hua Yan exclaim, “Oh!”
Instantly, Lu Chengsha’s gaze turned cold, and he raised his hand to grab Xie Yingxian’s collar.
As soon as Hua Yan said she was fine, Lu Chengsha couldn’t hold back and wanted to punch Xie Yingxian, who was smiling provocatively, his narrow eyes curving mischievously, further irritating him.
Lu Chengsha already disliked him, and now they were really fighting.
Their fight was fierce yet cautious, with each move controlled within their range, without any killing intent. The speed and skill of their moves were both swift and spectacular.
Hua Yan, caught between wanting to stop them and watching the show, felt conflicted, and the baby inside moved again.
She patted her belly and thought, “You really enjoy watching the drama unfold.”
Thus began her chaotic and lively life of nurturing the fetus within the sect.
Given the significance of her pregnancy, not only did they find a midwife, but they also invited a doctor from Cixin Valley, who turned out to be an old acquaintance.
Ming Qi, carrying his medicine chest, traveled a long distance to the Zhengyi Sect, feeling quite complicated. Everyone had said he was the most familiar with the couple, having even attended their wedding. So, he was practically pushed to the Zhengyi Sect.
Before coming, he hastily learned about pregnancy and childbirth from several senior sisters, feeling extremely anxious. To his surprise, his services were hardly needed.
Hua Yan was delighted to see him and pointed to a row of doctors nearby. “You probably won’t be too troubled! Just, uh… stay here for a while!”
Ming Qi felt a strange sense of relief and his mood lightened considerably.
However, he hadn’t expected that he would be joined in his leisure by the child’s father.
Back at the Zhengyi Sect, Lu Chengsha found that with so many people caring for her, he suddenly felt redundant. Whatever Hua Yan wanted to eat, there was someone to get it for her. She had her own small kitchen, and a group of doctors was there to check her pulse daily, ready to solve any minor issue swiftly.
Since Xie Yingxian had recently stayed in the sect, Nin Yin and Jiang Lan visited daily to chat and laugh with her. Others performed story plays to keep her entertained.
Lu Chengsha felt truly redundant.
It was as if their roles had reversed from when they were outside. Now, Hua Yan noticed his unhappiness and asked, “What’s wrong?”
Lu Chengsha hesitated for a long while before saying, “I don’t know what to do.”
Hua Yan was also taken aback.
She had thought that Lu Chengsha could relax a bit during this time, which was why she had returned to the sect, fearing he was too exhausted.
However, upon learning this, Lu Chengsha paused for a long time before saying, “I want to be busy.”
Hua Yan couldn’t help but ask, “Are you sure?”
Lu Chengsha nodded.
Being busy gave him a reassuring sense of security and involvement.
Hua Yan’s eyes immediately lit up. “Why didn’t you say so earlier!” She began packing her bags. “Let’s go, let’s go, I want to go out and have some fun! I’m dying of boredom here!”
Lu Chengsha was stunned. “You…”
Hua Yan’s eyes flashed fiercely. “Are you backing out now? Was that just talk earlier…”
Lu Chengsha dared not refuse.
No one expected that even while pregnant, Hua Yan would still be so restless. With no one on guard, the two of them—well, Lu Chengsha, being cautious, also brought along a martial arts-skilled doctor—thus the three of them sneaked out of the Zhengyi Sect under the cover of night.
Ming Qi had no idea how he got involved in this. One moment he was in the sect, the next he was being whisked away, and now he had to drive the carriage for the couple.
The Zhengyi Sect, realizing what happened, immediately sent people to follow them, intending to protect them, but it looked more like a chase.
Hua Yan and Lu Chengsha sat in the carriage, feeling a bit like they were fugitives on the run.
Despite her pregnancy, Hua Yan was enthusiastically planning their next destination. Initially, Lu Chengsha was worried, but seeing her so happy brought a smile to his face.
The journey was indeed enjoyable.
However, things became complicated as the time for the birth approached.
One evening, they were sitting in the carriage at the foot of a mountain, watching the sunset. The sky was ablaze with hues of red and orange, the twilight fractured by the setting sun’s rays, creating a breathtaking scene. Hua Yan, in high spirits, was swinging her legs when suddenly her expression changed. She grabbed Lu Chengsha and said, “My stomach hurts so much…”
Lu Chengsha’s face changed too. He abandoned the carriage, picked her up, and began to run towards a nearby clinic.
Ming Qi, who had been dozing off not far away, nearly fell off the carriage when he saw them. Realizing the urgency, he resigned himself to chasing after them.