"Miss?!" Xie Lian exclaimed.
Lanchang's face was pale as paper, unable to utter a word. Suddenly, something seemed to explode within her belly. Her previously flat stomach swelled into a massive sphere, nearly tearing her dress apart, as billowing black smoke seeped out from the seams!
The female ghosts released their grip, retreating slightly. Lanchang clutched onto her stomach, terrified. "Stop it!" she cried.
It was the unborn spirit within her causing chaos. Hua Cheng calmly said, "Brother, step back."
Xie Lian responded, "It's fine!"
Lanchang suddenly dropped to her knees, agony written all over her face. "Behave! Behave! Be good, please! Stop causing trouble!"
Xie Lian advised, "Miss Lanchang, why don't you let it out first?"
Lanchang shook her head frantically, "No! No, I will keep him inside me and nurture him well. He won't go out to harm anyone again! Lord, I beg you not to take my son away. I've searched for him for hundreds of years! Don't hand him over to those people up above!"
It seemed like all the ghosts in the Ghost City indeed knew Xie Lian was affiliated with the Heavenly Court. Lanchang let out a piercing scream, rolling on the ground while holding her stomach. Her belly seemed as if it no longer belonged to her, moving as if it were a living being.
Expanding and contracting as it struggled, the black smoke grew denser. The mysterious unborn spirit was likely gathering strength back inside its mother's womb. Yet, her fellow female ghosts couldn't restrain her even as they attempted to hold her down once more.
Monsters and creatures nearby shouted, "Get a load of us!" They rushed forward to assist, creating an utter commotion.
Xie Lian, clenching his fists, cried, "Miss Lanchang! Your child's power is much greater than yours. It can harm you while you can’t bring yourself to hurt it! You won’t be able to handle it, and will eventually be drained until it bursts out! Let it out!"
If Lanchang refused to expel what was inside her, the vicious unborn spirit would drain her dry and tear her apart. Xie Lian would have to cut open her abdomen to save her. Though he preferred anything to seeing her torn apart by her own child, he shunned the thought of resorting to such measures until the very last resort. He was unwilling to do it himself, and naturally would not want Hua Cheng to do it in his stead. Yet, Lanchang was inflexible in her obstinacy. Even amidst the pain, she refused to release the spirit.
Thus, Xie Lian resolved, gritting his teeth, "Forgive me!"
Just as Xie Lian reached for the handle of the sword in his palm, Hua Cheng grabbed his hand, firmly stating, "No need."
At that moment, a burst of golden light erupted from Lanchang's belly. The surrounding monsters screamed, "Oh!" and quickly withdrew, shouting, "What is this?!"
Through the blinding light, Xie Lian saw that the unborn spirit which was about to break out appeared to be restrained, while Lanchang's belly flattened back down. The force keeping it in check was a waistband around her waist.
Despite its unassuming and ordinary appearance, when Xie Lian inspected it closely, he was left stunned. "Why does this item appear on you?"
Even though its color had faded from repeated washings, Xie Lian could recognize that this waistband was no ordinary thing—it belonged to the heavenly realm.
Many items from the Heaven Realm were exquisite magical treasures that would reveal their marvelous abilities in times of need. Even if the floral patterns were badly worn, Xie Lian felt confident it was a "Golden Waistband," a treasure used only by divine officials.
Judging by its quality, it belonged to a high-ranking official from the Heavenly Court!
In the Heaven Realm, gifting a Golden Waistband was considered a refined and meaningful gesture, bearing special implications. A male divine official gifting his waistbelt to someone carried a certain suggestive meaning. Such an item wasn’t meant to be given out lightly or to be easily lost. Xie Lian remarked, "Miss, could it be that your child is..."
As he processed this revelation, Xie Lian suddenly realized how inappropriate it was to inquire about such personal matters in public, so he stopped speaking just in time. Lanchang quickly interrupted, "No, it’s not!"
"What did I say wrong that made you refute it?" Xie Lian wondered.
He asked, "Is it this Golden Waistband that sustained you for these seven or eight hundred years?"
Hearing this, the surrounding female ghosts were stupefied. "Oh my, Lanchang, are you that old?!"
"Didn’t you say you were just three hundred years old before?"
"No, no, she also said she was two hundred! She lied about her age!!!"
Given that the unborn spirit had cultivated itself for around seven or eight hundred years, it stood to reason the mother is similarly aged. Yet, as an ordinary female ghost lacking any significant malice, the only explanation for her surviving so long was likely due to the Golden Waistband’s power aiding her. If the spirit's father were a divine official, the spirit’s menacing nature would be even more logical.
A divine official having a secret affair with a mortal woman, ending in abandonment, cold ostracism, or worse, the woman's tragic demise, her unborn child forcefully extracted. Now, mother and child turned to spirits, while the child seems to have likely harmed countless lives only worsens the severity of this circumstance, resembling a past encounter.
Resolving this matter is straightforward. Xie Lian turned to Hua Cheng and said, "San Lang, regarding this lady..."
Hua Cheng responded before he could finish, "Do as you see fit. You don't need to ask me."
Xie Lian nodded gently. "Alright."
Having received permission, he turned back to Lanchang. The crowd of spectating ghosts asked teasingly, "Lanchang, who is your baby’s father?"
"Are you intending to only give birth and not raise, or only kill and leave the burying to someone else?"
"Who is this person?! Shouldn't we go find him to settle this?"
Lanchang gritted her teeth, looking at Xie Lian with a pained expression, "Who else could it be?"
Though she didn’t name the person, Xie Lian understood. "Come with me to the Heaven Realm," he stated firmly.
But Lanchang immediately objected, "No!!!"
Her refusal mattered little, as Xie Lian still intended to take her. He adopted a more serious tone, "This unborn spirit is extremely violent. It's likely stained with the blood of countless people.
This involves too much now, and it won't protect itself. It must be brought to the Heavenly Court for resolution and reporting. If that divine official is innocent, or there's a misunderstanding, let you and your son meet to address this issue.
If that official wronged you or committed a greater offense, you need to demand justice from him. In any case, the unborn spirit is your son and also his. If he won't take responsibility as its father, who else can?"
The reasoning swayed the spectating ghosts, who encouraged, "Yeah, Lanchang, what’s there to fear! Go settle accounts with him!"
"If he doesn’t confess, we’ll burn his temple!"
Xie Lian said to Hua Cheng, "I’ll first head back to report this matter to the Heavenly Court."
Though Lanchang resisted, she recognized she could not prevent it. Startled, she suddenly bowed to Hua Cheng and expressed, "Lord, thank you for your great kindness in sheltering me!"
Xie Lian was taken aback, as she continued, "Lanchang set fire to the Elysium Pavilion out of desperation, violating the rules of the Ghost Market. I apologize for my transgression. Please forgive me!"
Her usual boldness seemed to vanish, replaced with sincerity, shocking the familiar demons and ghosts. Hua Cheng, unfazed, remarked to Xie Lian, "Brother, this time you must hastily leave. I’ll offer you hospitality next time, once you return."
Xie Lian nodded in agreement, took Lanchang by the hand, and headed straight for the Heavenly Realm.
Walking down the streets of the Immortal Capital, he summoned the spirit communication array, "Everyone! Please gather at the Divine Martial Hall for a meeting." After sending the message, Xie Lian didn’t linger, instead leading Lanchang to the Divine Martial Hall. Being a ghost, Lanchang couldn’t enter the gilded hall. Xie Lian waited outside with her until Jun Wu himself arrived and granted permission for her entry.
It wasn’t long before all the divine officials in the Immortal Capital assembled. Seeing Xie Lian accompanied by a heavily made-up ghost woman so out of place in the Immortal Capital, they were all taken aback. Among them, a black-robed official paused upon entering—the official was Mu Qing. Lanchang glanced at him briefly before quickly lowering her head, lips trembling. Mu Qing, however, appeared nonchalant. "Crown Prince, who is this woman?" he inquired.
Upon hearing "Crown Prince," Lanchang's expression shifted slightly. She looked at Xie Lian, seemingly recalling something, but uncertain. At that moment, the Wind and Water Masters arrived. The brothers bore a remarkable resemblance to each other, casually fanning themselves with white robes billowing gracefully. Shi Qingxuan called out, "Why did you bring a ghost sister today, Palace Master?"
Confused, Xie Lian asked, "Palace Master?" What Palace Master? Pugilistic Shrine? Why call him that all of a sudden? Reflecting on it, it likely referenced the "Thousand Lantern Palace Master"!
Not sure how to respond, Xie Lian pretended he hadn’t heard it. Shi Qingxuan, with a playful air, greeted everyone, noticing something odd. "Huh? Doesn’t it seem like there's something inside this ghost sister’s tummy??? Feels like..."
As he attempted to reach out, Shi Wudu snapped his fan shut, "Qingxuan!"
Shi Qingxuan withdrew his hand, explaining, "I merely sensed something unpleasant and sinister, wanted to check if there’s a threat inside…” Shi Wudu scolded, “You’re a man and an official, standing in the Divine Martial Hall. How can you behave so unbecomingly? Even in your female form, conduct yourself with dignity. Change back!"
Ling Wen shook her head, securing the documents under her arm before approaching to place her hands on Lanchang’s belly. After a moment, she withdrew and mused, "Quite the fierce unborn spirit. How many centuries has it accumulated?"
Xie Lian answered, "About seven to eight centuries."
He recounted the events of twice encountering the unborn spirit, its haunting of pregnant women, culminating in Lanchang’s appearance. He omitted the details of Hua Cheng and the Ghost Market, which Lanchang also refrained from mentioning. In conclusion, Xie Lian stated, "And that’s the situation. I’m unsure if the official in question is alive or on duty, if there’s a misunderstanding, or if he even knows of these events. Hence I brought the lady up here."
Feng Xin frowned, "If there wasn’t a misunderstanding and he knew about these two, neglecting them for seven or eight centuries, that’s utterly irresponsible."
Pei Ming, arms folded, nonchalantly agreed, "I concur with General Nanyang. Such a case is excessively irresponsible. I wonder which divine official’s ghost child this might be. If any are still serving, step up yourself."
Just as he uttered these words, Pei Ming felt a dozen eyes on him. The hall fell into a heavy silence.
After a long moment, Pei Ming asked, "Is there some misunderstanding between me and all of you?"
"..." Shi Qingxuan stopped fanning, nodding, "I don’t think there is any misunderstanding. Perhaps we understand you too well."
Pei Ming instantly retorted, "Absolutely not!"
Despite Pei Ming’s denial, everyone chuckled dryly, even Shi Wudu and Ling Wen bore skeptical gazes. Feeling overwhelmed, Pei Ming massaged his temples. "Indeed, I’ve befriended some ghost women, but this lady here? I swear I’ve never seen her."
On hearing this, if they considered it seriously, it sounded plausible. If he’d been romantically involved with someone, he, himself, should know, shouldn't he? Pei, though criticized for being a womanizer, had never denied an entanglement. Once involved, he’d own up, with no fear of accountability. Any woman he courted often found herself assured of a prosperous future, living comfortably in opulence. If this ghost once had a brief affair with Pei Ming, it wouldn’t likely lead to such a tragic fate.
Moreover, Pei Ming had particular taste in women. Every lady he associated with was ever beguiling in both appearance and talent, and he especially favored natural beauty. According to others in attendance, Lanchang's heavy makeup masked her true features. Her grooming, demeanor, and mannerisms couldn’t meet Pei Ming’s past standards for a romantic preference. Their “trust” in Pei Ming was only hidden, quietly existent. Who wouldn’t enjoy seeing General Pei grilled? Watching from the sidelines was beyond amusing!
Initially, Xie Lian also suspected Pei Ming, given his track record. But discerning Pei Ming’s conduct, he began to waver. Recalling how Hua Cheng mentioned Pei Ming wasn’t one to play dirty, Xie Lian, reflecting, suggested, "Earlier, Miss Lanchang hinted at the notion, ‘Who else could it be,’ leading me to assumptions. But if General Pei insists it isn’t him, perhaps there’s a mix-up, and not every incident involves the same individual. Shall we inquire..."
Unexpectedly, Lanchang interrupted, "It’s not him."
Startled, Xie Lian turned, as Lanchang reiterated, "It’s not him."
Ling Wen remarked coldly, "Oh, what. It wasn't?"
Shi Wudu, politely surprised, added, "It wasn’t, was it?"
"..."
Pei Ming addressed Shi Wudu and Ling Wen, exasperated, "I said it wasn’t. You two, kicking a man when he’s down. Just wait."
The divine officials, initially disappointed, grew even more intrigued. Pei Ming’s infamous affairs might be unremarkable by now. But if it wasn’t him, it likely signaled another male divine official, sparking newfound excitement.
When in the Ghost Market, Lanchang subtly alluded to Pei Ming but now denied it, which made Xie Lian puzzled. Yet, he maintained composure and asked, "So who might it be?"
Lanchang fixed her gaze on him. "You," she replied.
Confused, Xie Lian asked, "Me? What do you mean?"
Lanchang declared, "I’m saying, that person is you!"