Chapter 205: To Be a Father!

Author: I Eat Tomatoes

Word Count: 2450

Everything Meng Chuan experienced and witnessed during his four years down the mountain profoundly affected his state of mind. He had seen too much death: the demise of mortals, and the fall of Godfiends. He had witnessed countless scenes of ordinary people being slaughtered and numerous Godfiends dying in battle.

Seeing so much had left Meng Chuan feeling somewhat lost. He wondered if he too might simply die one day. Could this war truly be won? Though he outwardly proclaimed victory, his heart was filled with confusion; the path ahead was shrouded in mist. Therefore, he decided to paint what was in his heart.

He was questioning his true self, asking himself profound questions. The more he painted and the more he questioned his inner self, the more he understood.

There are countless types of people, and countless types of Godfiends. While those who become Godfiends are undoubtedly exceptional individuals, despicable ones still exist. Meng Chuan admired the heroes and scorned the contemptible villains.

"In this world, many Godfiends are heroes."

"It is these heroes who, amidst the mist, carve out a bloody path with their own lives."

"On this bloody path, there are many fellow travelers: the heroes who have fallen in battle, the Godfiends who are still alive today, and the generations of future Godfiends. They are all my companions; on this path, I am not alone."

"We will forge ahead together."

"We will surely reach ultimate victory."

Meng Chuan's resolve grew even firmer. He dared to face the dripping blood and the corpses of his fellow Godfiends. No longer timid or flustered, he would simply forge ahead along this bloody path, cutting through the mist. The day the mist cleared would be the day they reached the other shore.

The year he spent completing the three paintings, the year of questioning his true self, was also a year of spiritual transformation. Throughout that year, as he painted, his 'Essence Soul' constantly shimmered with spiritual radiance and underwent a slow transformation, which lasted for nearly a year. This progress was naturally astonishing.

The painting "The Path" had a more profound effect on Meng Chuan's self-inquiry than any of his previous works. Meng Chuan could feel his Essence Soul had grown significantly stronger. "Buzz, buzz, buzz." Meng Chuan could sense it within the space of his Sea of Consciousness.

Over that year, his Essence Soul continuously grew, becoming more solid and increasing in size. It now stood eight feet tall, identical to a normal human body and incredibly lifelike. "My Essence Soul's foundation has strengthened several times over, but it's still at the second level," Meng Chuan realized, based on the records of the "Nine Levels of Essence Soul" obtained from Yuanchu Mountain.

Only an Essence Soul nine feet tall could break through to the third level. He was not far from a breakthrough. One of the prerequisites for becoming a King Godfiend was reaching the 'third level of Essence Soul,' also known as the 'Night Roaming Realm.' At this level, the Essence Soul could exist independently of the physical body in the outside world, beginning to display various extraordinary and wondrous abilities. It could even unleash many offensive techniques solely through the Essence Soul, without relying on the physical body.

For instance, King Anhai had once left a 'sword imprint' on Yan Jin, regardless of the cost—that too was an Essence Soul mystic art. Normally, Godfiends would first achieve the 'Dao Realm' before questioning their true selves. It was inherently difficult to question one's true self through the path of offensive techniques. It was quite normal for Marquis Godfiends to spend decades, or even centuries, to reach the third level of Essence Soul.

However, the path of painting was a means of expressing one's inner self, inherently adept at self-inquiry. This was why Venerable Qin Wu held Meng Chuan in high regard, and why Venerable Luotang agreed to let him enter the Cangyuan Grotto-heaven. Meng Chuan was indeed an unparalleled prodigy in the art of painting.

Time flowed on. In the blink of an eye, Meng Chuan and his wife had lived in seclusion in Gushan Prefecture for three years, leading a very regular life during this period.

Meng Chuan patrolled Gushan Prefecture twice daily, sometimes even taking a wider route that passed through neighboring prefectures. Typically, he spent his days with his wife, living a simple life, and undertaking inter-prefecture rescue missions about once a month. Perhaps due to good fortune, or perhaps Yuanchu Mountain's careful screening of tasks, the couple had not encountered any true major crises in three years, specifically no Fourth-Heaven Demon Monarchs. Fourth-Heaven Demon Monarchs were inherently rare, so not encountering one was normal.

"Give me two catties of spareribs," Liu Qiyue said cheerfully, standing with Meng Chuan beside a butcher's stall.

"Coming right up!" The plump butcher skillfully chopped the ribs, then placed them on the scale, smiling, "Two catties of ribs, plus an extra half an ounce for you."

Liu Qiyue, carrying her basket, put the spareribs, wrapped in leaves, away and then moved on to another stall to continue shopping for vegetables. "Qiyue, what made you decide to come out and buy groceries yourself today, and ask me to join you?" Meng Chuan asked with a smile.

"Just accompany me, no need for so many questions," Liu Qiyue said, glaring playfully.

Meng Chuan immediately smiled in response. The couple happily bought a variety of groceries. Grain, meat, and vegetables had consistently remained high-priced, which prompted many city dwellers to risk venturing outside the city to grow crops and vegetables for money. Although the probability of encountering a Demon Monarch outside was low, working in the wild for extended periods, especially with large-scale cultivation, increased the chances of encountering one over time. An encounter meant death. Growing crops outside the city was indeed a high-risk profession. Meng Chuan and his wife, constantly 'buying, buying, buying,' were considered 'big spenders.'

"That's enough, let's go home," Liu Qiyue said, carrying a large basket of vegetables and meat.

Back at their residence, Liu Qiyue led Meng Chuan to the kitchen. "Madam, please allow me to prepare the meal," their maidservant couldn't help but say.

"You don't need to worry about the master's and my meal today. You may withdraw," Liu Qiyue instructed.

"Yes, Madam," the maidservant replied, withdrawing.

"Help me out," Liu Qiyue told Meng Chuan. "Wash and chop the radishes."

"Alright," Meng Chuan agreed, accustomed to assisting her. For a master swordsman like him, chopping radishes was hardly a task.

The midday meal was prepared. The couple sat down to a spread of seven dishes and one soup. "So lavish?" Meng Chuan asked in surprise. "Qiyue, what special occasion is it today for us to have so many dishes, and for us to personally go buy and prepare them?"

Looking at the abundant dishes before them, Liu Qiyue chuckled softly, "Today is indeed a joyful day."

"A joyful day? What joy..." Meng Chuan looked at Liu Qiyue, his heart suddenly quickening. He wasn't foolish. "Qiyue, you... you..." Meng Chuan could barely believe it. "Are you pregnant?"

Liu Qiyue nodded, looking at Meng Chuan, her face flushed as she smiled, "Yes, I am."

"This, this, this, you're pregnant? This... and you personally cooked?" Meng Chuan couldn't help but exclaim, "You shouldn't have cooked. If I had known, I would have done it!"

"A-Chuan, I'm a Godfiend! My control over my body is immense; cooking is nothing, it won't harm the baby inside," Liu Qiyue reassured him.

Meng Chuan suddenly asked, "Are you sure? I haven't sensed any other life aura inside you."

"It's just the beginning," Liu Qiyue said. "In another half a month, a small life will form. As a Grand Sun Godfiend, how could I be wrong about my body control?"

"Right, right, right," Meng Chuan nodded repeatedly. He was overly excited. After arriving in Gushan Prefecture, he and his wife Liu Qiyue had wanted a child, but it hadn't happened. For Godfiends, having children was even more difficult than for mortals. After three years with no sign, he had mentally prepared for a decade without any progress. Now, the surprise had arrived.

I, Meng Chuan, am going to be a father!