Chapter 448: Success Requires Focusing on the Big Picture

"Agree to what?" Yun Yuqing didn't immediately grasp the situation.

King Wu hesitated, but eventually said, "Of course, agree to his terms."

"Ah?" Yun Yuqing's face instantly drained of color, and she stared blankly at her husband.

She had felt incredibly guilty for having been tricked into a kiss by Zu An in the courtyard earlier, believing she had deeply wronged her husband. She never imagined that he would now ask her to be with another man.

Since the topic was out in the open, King Wu dropped all pretense: "Yuqing, you should know what this opportunity means to me, and what my ascension to power means for your demon tribe."

Yun Yuqing bit her lip tightly, remaining silent. Although she understood the implications, the thought of her husband pushing her towards another man for these reasons left her uncontrollably heartbroken, as if all strength had drained from her body.

Seeing his wife's expression, King Wu felt a pang in his heart. However, he quickly firmed his resolve. As the saying goes, great achievements require overlooking minor details. Compared to the chance of becoming the Human Emperor, this small sacrifice was insignificant.

He continued, "Moreover, I have another major concern. From previous intelligence and your description, Zu An is extremely cunning. Even if he reveals the *Phoenix Nirvana Sutra*, we won't be able to verify whether the incantations are genuine."

"He is indeed very crafty," Yun Yuqing said with deep understanding, recalling how Zu An had initially pretended to be controlled and tried to deceive her with false incantations.

"That's why you need to verify it," King Wu said, looking at his wife. "From what I know, your demon tribe has a cultivation technique that allows you to sense the flow of vital energy within someone's body during intimacy. This way, even if they give you false incantations, you can still obtain the real ones. No one else has this ability."

Yun Yuqing's face went pale. Such a technique did exist within the demon royal family, but she had never imagined she would ever need to use it.

King Wu's emotions at this moment were also a complicated mix. On one hand, the thought of his beautiful wife being intimately involved with another man caused him great heartache. On the other hand, the realization that he finally had a chance to turn the tables filled him with an inexplicable excitement.

He wasn't even sure if his excitement stemmed solely from this matter.

Seeing his wife remain silent, King Wu changed his approach to persuasion: "Yuqing, we've been married for many years now, haven't we?"

Yun Yuqing murmured in affirmation, not understanding why he was bringing this up now.

King Wu continued, "I know you've always wanted a child, but there's something I haven't told you. Years ago, in my eagerness to prove to my father that I was more worthy of the throne than my elder brother, I pushed myself to the limit to cultivate my powers. As a result, I suffered a qi deviation. Although I miraculously survived, my body was left with an irreversible hidden ailment."

"I know," Yun Yuqing replied. "Your health hasn't been good all these years; you cough whenever the weather gets a little cold." Thinking of her husband's condition, Yun Yuqing felt a pang of sympathy. Over the years, she had searched for the best doctors and even used some secret demon tribe techniques, yet his health remained difficult to improve.

"It's not just the coughing," King Wu said, a look of difficulty on his face before finally confessing, "I've actually lost the ability to have children. I won't have any children in this lifetime."

"What!" Yun Yuqing's face instantly lost all color, and she looked at her husband with utter shock.

"This matter is too significant. The imperial family would never choose a prince incapable of having children to be the next emperor. That's why I silenced everyone who knew. Now, only you know. You are my wife, and I trust you enough to tell you such a hidden secret." King Wu gazed quietly at his wife's exquisite beauty.

Tears were already streaming down Yun Yuqing's face as she took her husband's hand. "Husband, none of that matters to me. We can adopt a child."

The thought of her husband bearing such a heartbreaking secret for so many years made her forget her previous anger; her heart was now filled with pity.

King Wu shook his head. "That won't work. It would expose the fact that I'm infertile, which would disqualify me from imperial succession. I absolutely cannot accept that. So, if we are to have a child, it must be you who carries it for ten months and gives birth. Only then will no one suspect anything."

Yun Yuqing was speechless.

"I was originally wondering how to find an opportunity to tell you about this, but now these two matters can be resolved together," King Wu said, as if a great weight had been lifted from his heart, instantly feeling lighter. "So, this time, you can not only help me contend for the throne and change the fate of the demon tribe, but you can also 'borrow a seed' from him. It's truly killing three birds with one stone."

Yun Yuqing's mind was in a turmoil, and she couldn't help but feel both shame and anger. "Can such a thing truly be described with those words!"

King Wu sighed. "I know this is a difficult request for you, but there truly is no other way. Yuqing, I can't find any other solution. You must help me."

Yun Yuqing immediately stood up and pulled her hand away from him, her face flushed crimson. "How can you expect me to help with something like this!"

King Wu looked somewhat puzzled. "From what I know, the customs of your demon tribe are much more open than those of the human race. Why is this so difficult for you to accept?"

"Not all demon tribesmen are like that!" Yun Yuqing stomped her foot and turned to leave.

"Cough, cough..." At that moment, a violent coughing fit erupted behind her. She turned back to see King Wu's face flushed crimson from coughing, and then he let out a gasp as he spat out a mouthful of fresh blood.

"Husband!" Yun Yuqing instantly forgot everything else and rushed over to check on him.

After a long while, King Wu finally caught his breath. "It's nothing. I know this puts you in a difficult position. Forget it. I'll just be a carefree prince, and do my best to protect a few more of your tribesmen. And when the time comes, we can just adopt a child. We won't need to fight for the throne, so let others laugh if they want."

Hearing his poignant tone, Yun Yuqing couldn't help but bite her lip lightly. After all these years, she knew full well that the throne was her husband's sole ambition and motivation. All his preparations and schemes throughout the years had been for the throne, and even his hidden ailment was a result of his efforts to secure it. To make him give up now would be to shatter the hope of his entire life.

Moreover, her husband had always valued his reputation immensely. If adopting a child exposed his infertility, it would likely be more painful for him than death itself.

She certainly wouldn't be able to bear seeing him suffer like this in the future. Most likely, she would still end up finding a man to have a child with, just as he wished. If that was the case, why not seize this opportunity? She could also obtain the *Phoenix Nirvana Sutra* from Zu An and, at the same time, make a sacrifice for the future of her demon tribe...

"Husband, please don't be upset. I'll agree," Yun Yuqing said, her star-like eyes brimming with tears that seemed ready to fall at any moment.

"Really!" King Wu was overjoyed. "Thank you, Yuqing!"

Yun Yuqing took a step back, refusing his embrace. At that moment, she felt a strangeness about her husband.

After a while, she finally calmed down and began to discuss the specific plan: "But there's still a problem. In such a short amount of time, I might not... I might not get pregnant."

The thought of not getting pregnant this time and having to 'borrow' from another man again made her almost go mad.

"It's alright, I've already thought it through," King Wu said. "Tomorrow, I'll find a way to keep Prince Liang and Liu Yao occupied for the night. You should spend as much time as possible with Zu An... *cough, cough*... In any case, the *Phoenix Nirvana Sutra* is surely vast and profound, and you might not be able to fully comprehend it in just one session."

For some reason, the various scenarios that might unfold tomorrow filled him with both anger and heartache, leaving him parched and feeling an intense swelling throughout his body.

Yun Yuqing was speechless.

She hadn't expected her husband to have already made such detailed plans, and her heart immediately turned cold.