Chapter 138 (2/2): Consummation, Sacrificing Myself

I finally closed my eyes, giving myself completely to Su Liumeng.

As I followed her gaze, Su Liumeng suddenly froze. “Baby, you…”

Reality was completely different from what she’d expected.

In that moment, ecstasy crashed through her heart, making her stutter, unable to form a complete sentence.

So Xiaoyan hadn’t lied to her.

Her happiness had always been there.

Always waiting for her to reach out and claim it.

I opened my eyes gently, my gaze tender. “Mhm, see? Your Xinxin didn’t lie to you.”

“Why would I ever lie to you?”

Then, Su Liumeng fell silent, making no other movements—just hugging me with her arms in utter stillness.

The way she tightened her hold, it was as if I might leave her in the next moment.

Drip.

I felt a growing dampness at my chest. Like coaxing a child, I patted her back gently, my tone indescribably tender.

“Xiaoyan, I’m sorry.”

“I should’ve trusted you more.”

“I… every time I thought of how much of a jerk I’d been, questioning you so many times, I just wanted to slap myself.”

I didn’t look angry at all. “I don’t blame you, really. If anything, it’s me—there are so many things I never said. Anyone else in your place wouldn’t have done as well as you.”

I’m not so understanding, either.

It’s just… it’s been a hard road.

Because I understood Su Liumeng’s helplessness and pain, I could take this step so firmly.

“Please, keep going.” I kissed Su Liumeng’s cheek. “If it’s you, you don’t have to be gentle.”

Su Liumeng had gone through so much in one day, it still felt like a dream.

No, not right—

It was a scene she’d never dared to even dream of.

Not only was her baby willing to accept her, but from beginning to end, she’d only ever had this one partner.

Who had she been jealous of all these years?

Su Liumeng took a deep breath to steady herself.

She was afraid that if she kept thinking, her baby would become the real moon in the water, a star in the sky—so perfect that she’d never dare to think of her in any impure way.

Yes, “impure” was the word.

Su Liumeng had always thought so.

This was her Yan Shen.

Her untouchable Yan Shen.

To become lovers with Yan Shen was already the wildest fantasy she’d ever dared to dream of.

Let alone—

Su Liumeng gulped, stared at the obedient girl’s eyes, pinched herself hard, still unable to believe it.

I looked at her, helpless, “Still hurting yourself? It’s like you think you’re not worthy of me.”

I was getting anxious—I even wanted to take the lead for Su Liumeng.

Usually, she was so impatient, but at the crucial moment, she hesitated.

“Hehe.” Su Liumeng just giggled foolishly. “It’s so good, having baby all to myself.”

“It might hurt a bit later. Can you bear it, baby?”

“It should be fine.” I blinked, quietly running my cultivation method inside.

Even if it was uncomfortable, I’d just have to endure.

The moment Su Liumeng leaned over, my gaze changed, and I gritted my teeth against the pain, suddenly hugging her back tightly so she couldn’t leave.

“Xiaoyan.”

“You—” Su Liumeng’s voice trembled, watching my face grow paler and paler. “Why do I feel stuck…?”

A chill ran through her heart as a suspicion formed.

I just stubbornly held her tight, my eyes full of feelings she couldn’t read, the corners of my lips still wearing a gentle smile.

“Xiaomeng.”

“I love you.”

“Carry my hope forward—take the final step.”

Now Su Liumeng truly panicked. She pounded on my back, the dread in her voice clear. “Zixinyan! No, stop! Do you know what you’re doing?”

I closed my eyes, refusing to look at the figure before me.

Su Liumeng’s head snapped back, her body already out of her control. Her Supreme Yin body’s vital yin was breaking apart, its vast energy converted by my cultivation technique into power perfectly suited for her, pouring into her like a raging storm.

Her cultivation, which had long stagnated, suddenly began to surge ahead, like a wild horse breaking loose.

Mid-Seventh Realm.

Late-Seventh Realm.

Early Eighth Realm.

Mid-Eighth Realm.

Su Liumeng’s True Dragon Body, under the full irrigation of the Supreme Yin, even began to show signs of the scorching power unique to the Supreme Yang.

In contrast, my face grew paler and paler, my breathing ever fainter.

Su Liumeng stared at my haggard face, her emotions a tangled mess, and could only choke out, “Xiaoyan, you… why…”

And then, she could no longer speak clearly.

Because the harvesting of yin to nourish yang was still ongoing.

This was always a harmful technique, even more so with the legendary Supreme Yin Body—its vital yin was the strongest of all. Together with all my cultivation, the nourishment it became was terrifying beyond measure.

Watching her own cultivation soar, Su Liumeng’s tears fell uncontrollably. The smoother the breakthroughs, the more heartbreaking the sorrow within her.

All of this was her Xiaoyan’s sacrifice.

Drip.

Drip.

Tears splattered onto my skin. Su Liumeng’s eyes were red, and she wanted nothing more than to kneel and pound the floor.

This was her baby—someone she’d always cradled so carefully, terrified she’d shatter. How could she bear to let her suffer for her sake, especially in such a completely self-sacrificing way?

Unity Realm—breakthrough complete.

Ninth Realm, True Self—entered at full force.

At eighteen years old, Su Liumeng stepped firmly into the late Ninth Realm—a level rivaling the elders of the great clans.

All progress stopped. On the white bedsheets, a glaring new stain appeared.

My breathing was feeble. Su Liumeng scrambled over, and the arms that once held her so tightly now seemed thin and frail.

She immediately scooped the now-mortal girl into her lap, pouring energy into me without hesitation.

“Xiaoyan.”

“Xiaoyan!!!” she cried, calling my name over and over.

I opened my eyes and grouched, “Why are you shouting my name like I’m dead? Quit calling my soul back—let me sleep a while.”

I was too weak now, and after saying that, I just wanted to close my eyes.

Seeing that I could still joke, trying to comfort her, Su Liumeng only wept harder.

The energy that was usually harmful now, perhaps thanks to our dual cultivation, didn’t turn to poison, but instead started repairing my damaged meridians.

I felt the tears on my cheeks, forced my eyes open. The first thing I saw was Su Liumeng’s anxious gaze. I mustered a weak smile, “I know my own condition, I’m just a little weak. Don’t worry, I’m not going to die. I’ll be fine after some rest.”

Su Liumeng’s tears fell like pearls, landing on my face and pounding hard on my chest. “Baby, how could you be so foolish?”

“Who in this world would sacrifice herself for her lover like this?”

Her cries grew louder, as if she wished she could take my place and suffer the weakness instead.

All our past grievances and doubts evaporated.

So this was baby’s plan all along.

“People like that have always existed—like you,” I said with a little tilt of my head, giving Su Liumeng a cute look that made her cry even harder.

I gazed at her tenderly, holding her gaze as she stared, stunned. “Didn’t you tell the Heavenly Dao itself that you’d die in my place anytime?”

Su Liumeng’s body shook, memories replaying in her mind.

That was Zixinyan hugging her, a figure as bright as the stars, suddenly humble and almost pleading, “Su Liumeng, please believe me one more time, all right?”

“I’ll definitely give you a result you’ll be satisfied with.”

A result she couldn’t give right away.

The truth behind it all—

Su Liumeng’s vision blurred. Sorrow and gratitude welled up, finally melting into pure emotion.

This is—she’s Yan Shen.

But she’s also my little Xiaoyan.

The girl I’ll guard for my whole life.

With a baby who loved her so, how could she bear to ever let her be hurt again?

Su Liumeng swore a heavy oath in her heart.

I slowly raised my little hand, gently stroking her face. “Do you remember? You promised me it would work.”

“Didn’t you?”

The sudden change in topic caught Su Liumeng off guard, her tone growing frantic as she answered seriously, “Baby, please don’t talk now. You need to rest. Once you’re recovered, you can tell me anything, okay?”

I shook my head, stubbornly asking again, “Didn’t you?”

Su Liumeng bit her lip, barely holding back her tears. “Mm, it will work.”

“I promise. I’ll definitely—definitely break through.”

Hearing that, I let go of my last obsession, satisfied, arms falling limp as I slumped in her arms, my eyes dull as I spoke.

“Can you promise me one more thing?”

Looking at my pallor, Su Liumeng would have agreed to anything, even plucking the moon from the sky.

“Mm, I promise.”

“As for what it is—I can’t tell you yet.”

Curled in Su Liumeng’s embrace, my gaze seemed to pierce the wall, seeing a small figure sleeping soundly.

With that—

I had no regrets.

Take my hope with you and keep moving forward.

All the obsessions that had plagued me faded away, and I fell into a deep sleep. In my ears, I could still hear Su Liumeng’s increasingly desperate calls.

Honestly.

Such a grown woman, and still so panicky.

As for me—

Don’t I know my own condition?

Overdoing the energy exchange would definitely leave me weak for a while, but it wasn’t fatal.

The next day.

I saw Su Liumeng watching over me at the bedside, as if guarding some sickly little princess. I couldn’t help but laugh. “Why are your eyes still swollen from crying? Did you stay up all night? I’m fine, see? I just can’t move around for now.”

Su Liumeng pounced, hugging me tightly.

Her tears soaked the blanket, and the mature woman of yesterday now seemed more like a child.

“Baby, you’re so silly.”

“How can you be so silly?”

I looked into her eyes, my tone serious. “I just wanted to do something for you.”

“I don’t want anyone else saying I’m useless anymore.”

A pang hit Su Liumeng’s heart. Was this how Xiaoyan had always seen herself?

She retorted loudly, “Love isn’t something you measure with ‘usefulness’ or not!”

Hearing my silly answer, Su Liumeng’s tears flowed anew.

She’d never cried this much in her life—not even as a little girl.

“Promise me—don’t ever do something so foolish again, okay?”

“When I hug you, I’m always so careful, afraid of hurting my precious little princess. How could you hurt yourself like this?”

I couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

It’s like she thinks I don’t care about her as much as she cares about me.

Even too weak to lift my arms, I forced out a gentle smile. “Mm, but you’re my Xiaomeng—so I promise, okay…”

“For the next few days, I’ll have to trouble you to feed me yourself.”

At that moment.

A little head suddenly poked up from the bed. Zhi Zhiruo looked at her mother’s weary figure.

She wobbled as she stood, as if struck by something heavy.

Her little mouth twisted, and she nearly burst into tears on the spot—but she forced herself to hold back.

With her tear-streaked face, she tried to crawl off the bed by herself.