Chapter 119 (1/2): The End of Labor!

Time always slips away unnoticed.

Mid-February.

On the morning of the seventeenth, everything was utterly different from any other day.

7:15 a.m.

Countless early commuters all looked up, gazing at the sky.

A layer of gray, hazy smog crowded every corner of the heavens.

The sky, which should have been glowing with the faint light of dawn, was now as dark as midnight.

Countless people were anxious and uneasy.

This apocalyptic scene overturned everything people knew.

Rumble—

In the next moment.

Countless bolts of lightning danced wildly like dragons and serpents, intertwining in the sky, becoming the only color between heaven and earth.

7:30 a.m.

Even at eight, the sky showed no sign of change.

Still shrouded in darkness, the sky left ordinary people unable to sit still any longer.

“Is the world ending?”

“If the world’s about to end, why am I even going to work?”

Panic spread through the crowd, until the authorities issued an announcement.

[We are experiencing a once-in-a-millennium smog event. Citizens, please remain calm and maintain your normal work and study routines.]

Longhu Mountain.

A true Daoist Master, having attained enlightenment, was also looking up at the sky.

“Some living being is invoking Heavenly Retribution.”

“The rules are in chaos, and heaven and earth are wailing ceaselessly—this means a great evil, intolerable to the Heavenly Dao, is about to appear.”

“My disciple, did you die at the hands of this thing?”

His eyes were clouded, staring blankly at the sky, his body trembling under the looming force of Heavenly Retribution.

Only a cultivator of his level could sense just what magnitude this catastrophe was.

Nine-colored Heavenly Retribution—nine bolts of divine punishment.

This was to destroy the world, whatever the cost!!

His voice trembled as he repeated his thoughts atop the mountain.

Kunlun Mountain.

An elder, skeleton-thin, slowly opened his eyes.

His neck, motionless for countless years, twisted along with his spine as his hollow gaze slowly swept toward the horizon.

“Ghost cultivators are already defying the heavens, and they even dream of returning to life from death.”

“To forcibly overturn fate is to invite Heavenly Retribution.”

“It needn’t concern us.”

“She—she can’t possibly survive.”

“The might of the Nine-Nine Divine Punishment, even a Supreme Sovereign at the Ninth Origin Realm would die with regret.”

“A mere First-Rank Fierce Ghost, what can she do?”

“Heaven’s Mandate?”

“A joke. This world never had such a thing as Heaven’s Mandate.”

“So-called miracles have long been written into the rules.”

“Beyond the rules, there is only emptiness.”

The world was without a trace of light, especially in the capital city, where you could hardly see your hand in front of your face. If not for the ever-present streetlights, chaos and looting would have broken out long ago.

Countless government personnel were on the streets, maintaining order.

Suddenly, level-eleven gales sprang up.

Large trees were cut in half, trash and dust swirled violently in the sky, mixing with the panic of the crowds.

Metal billboards were blown down, clanging and tumbling along the ground.

People screamed, the wind driving them into greater chaos, many racing home like mad.

Vehicles lay scattered in disarray along the streets, the whole scene like something out of the apocalypse.

Tianshan Residence.

At this moment, it was exceptionally quiet.

Only this residential complex was surrounded by a faint, gentle glow, blocking out the terrifying, endless wind and preserving the last shreds of calm.

An Emperor creates a world of their own.

And now, it had begun to take shape.

Some looked dazed, wanting to notify others outside, only to discover they couldn’t leave the bounds of the complex.

Within the domain, it was another world—how could you walk out?

On the forty-fifth floor of the central building.

My eyes filled with anxiety, I suddenly clutched my belly and shouted at Su Liumeng, “Su Liumeng, quick—”

“Take me to the hospital.”

“I… I’m going to give birth.”

Su Liumeng scooped me up in her arms, and with a single flash, appeared in the sky, standing amidst the raging gales, not a single corner of her clothes ruffled.

“Heavenly Retribution—” Su Liumeng’s pupils shrank sharply, her gaze landing on the outside of Si Xinyan’s belly.

What kind of monster was about to be born?

The child wasn’t even born yet, and already, just her impending birth had triggered the highest level of Heavenly Punishment, aiming to erase every trace of her from existence.

Rumble—

Another seven or eight terrifying lightning bolts split the sky, turning my face deathly pale.

I gripped a corner of Su Liumeng’s robe, forcing myself to hold on, calling down to Si Zhiruo through the howling wind, “Baby, baby, are you alright?”

“Can you make it through?”

Si Zhiruo’s expression was grave.

Behind her, the Dao Tree gently swayed, its scattered rays of light covering her tiny body.

A scene only she could see.

At that moment, countless strands of divine punishment were gathering above her head, locking onto her small body below, as if they could mercilessly strike down at any second.

But—

They were blocked by her Dao Tree behind her.

The Dao Tree temporarily disrupted the lock of Heavenly Retribution, once again slowing the descent of the divine thunder.

With each passing second, her face grew a shade paler.

“It should be fine.”

“I can’t defeat the Heavenly Dao for now, so I’ll have to keep my head down.”

“Mommy, you have to give birth a little faster.”

“Only if I am born and appear as an ordinary baby can Heavenly Punishment completely lose its target.”

She was still firmly locked onto by the Heavenly Tribulation.

Her ghostly body, not yet fully shed, was like the only candle in the night, unable to hide at all from the gaze of the Heavenly Dao.

The Dao Tree bore 9,999 leaves.

Upon it, a slightly withered Dao Fruit.

The legendary Ninth Origin Realm had silently been achieved by Si Zhiruo.

Otherwise, she would have had no right to delay Heavenly Retribution’s advance.

The inherent rules of the Heavenly Dao had already sensed her as a threat.

Therefore, at the very moment of birth, it sought to annihilate her in advance.

The Heavenly Dao had no mind, would not consider that Si Zhiruo had grown so strong, strong enough to briefly resist the Tribulation.

“I understand.” I gritted my teeth and agreed.

What else could I do?

At this point, even if it meant dying, I would bring my daughter into the world.

This was a mother’s powerful resolve—when faced with the question of life and death, who would so easily give up their own life?

I am one who cherishes life and fears death.

But at the moment I became a mother, my life seemed to gain something even more precious.

She—she is my everything.

Si Zhiruo felt her mother’s emotions, her little face already drenched in tears, “You’re not allowed to die. It’s not yet time for us to part. Even if Heavenly Retribution really falls, I’d risk annihilating my ghostly body just to protect your life.”

“The so-called Ninth Origin Realm—how could there be no resistance? If I truly fought with everything I had, the world would see what it means to reach the ultimate brilliance of all living things—”

“At worst, it’s only death.”

“Even if I perish, the final brilliance I bloom will light every corner of the Six Realms.”

“If I can’t protect my mother, why should I fear dying myself?”

My expression changed dramatically, “Si Zhiyu, what nonsense are you spouting?!”

“Do you want a beating?”

“You’re so young, already talking about death!”

“Read any more of those edgy novels and I’ll really smack you.”

I was angry.

Never had I been so angry—like I’d do anything to protect this little life, yet she wouldn’t treasure herself, and an uncontrollable fury rose up, even dulling the pain in my abdomen.

Si Zhiruo just smiled softly, saying nothing.

Her tiny, pale hand slowly reached into her heart, extracting the core of her ghostly body.

A thread of black energy silently appeared and slipped into the bracelet on Si Xinyan’s right wrist.

“Xiaoyan, hang in there a little longer. We’re almost at the hospital.”

My emotions were in chaos, too unstable to respond to Su Liumeng’s words, only able to repeat my own stubbornness over and over, “Do you even see me as your mother?”

“I’m talking to you right now, and you can just ignore me?”

A tear slipped down my cheek, sorrow lingering deep in my heart.

In that moment, life felt utterly meaningless, even giving birth seemed pointless.

“It’s not the end yet.”

“Why are you saying such negative things?”

Si Zhiruo had started crying long before.

Back when her mother said she would sacrifice herself.

Seeing her mother cry, she suddenly panicked, “I… I didn’t mean to say that, it’s just… no matter how perfect the plan, in the face of Heavenly Retribution, it still seems flawed.”

“So.”

“So I couldn’t help but prepare for the worst.”

The little dumpling’s tear-streaked face wore a faint, inexplicable smile, “Zhizhi promises Mommy, no matter what happens, I’ll survive.”

“And besides, maybe nothing will go wrong at all.”

It was her first lie.

Her first time lying to her mother.

With tears streaming down her face, Si Zhiruo felt no sorrow at all—her heart already warmed from within.

She had lived through countless sorrows, but this was the only time she’d found a mother willing to treat her sincerely.

The result—

Did it even matter anymore?

In this world, Zhizhi had come once, and to have met such a mother, that was already worth it.

No regrets on this journey.

Hearing Si Zhiruo’s promise, I finally felt at ease.

Inside the delivery room, Chunqiao and Chunlan had already changed into nurses’ uniforms, waiting in full readiness by the side.

I was placed on the delivery bed, surrounded by the most precise equipment.

“Connect the monitors, keep track of the fetal status.”

“Display all the mother’s vital signs on the main screen.”

My clothes had been pulled aside and all sorts of sensors stuck to my body.

Chunqiao and Chunlan kept their heads lowered, only handing over instruments, not daring to look at anything they shouldn’t.

Su Liumeng whispered, “Xiaoyan, do you want me to help, or would you rather do it yourself?”

“……”

“Nonsense!” My cervix was slowly dilating, and I barely had strength to speak. She still had to ask—could she stop being so considerate?

It hurts!!!

“If you don’t help, you expect me to do it myself?” I snapped.

I quietly used my cultivation method, making my identity indistinct.

Su Liumeng did indeed not see what she expected, and the sliver of regret in her heart became a matter of course.

But… it’s fine.

After all, she was the only one here now.

Even with all Si Xinyan’s previous assurances, at the moment of witnessing the truth with her own eyes, Su Liumeng couldn’t help but let her imagination run wild.

Outside the delivery room.

Shangguan Xiyue, having received word, was waiting in the hallway.

People were coming and going in the maternity ward, and as she arrived, she’d heard all sorts of wailing. Only this area was absolutely silent.

Shangguan Xiyue listened to the sounds from within, but not a single extra noise escaped.

This was the first stage of labor.

The first stage was the opening of the cervix, the longest part of the process. For some, hours could pass and the dilation would be just three or four centimeters.

The second stage was the most painful, and most exhausting. You had to work with the contractions to push the baby out, and that could last several hours too.

“Is the chocolate and other high-energy stuff ready?”

The delivery bed where I lay had a blue curtain, hiding Chunqiao and Chunlan’s forms from view.

My sense of shame was quietly suppressed.

Never had I felt like this, lying on the bed like an animal waiting for slaughter, at others’ mercy.

Just thinking about my current state made me not want to open my eyes at all.

“It hurts a little…” I spoke up.

When I said “a little,” I meant it hurt a lot.

If it weren’t really painful, I wouldn’t even mention it.

“You just have to bear it. Don’t scream too much; try to hold on as long as you can and keep your strength up. Eat a little every now and then. It’s a long battle ahead,” Su Liumeng said, trying to distract me and maybe ease my pain. “Baby, why are you so clean?”

Was that something to say? My body stiffened.