C1 The Female Corpse in Her Womb

The forest hummed with the incessant chirping of cicadas, a natural symphony against the backdrop of a blazing summer day. An unknown woodland stood defiantly, shielding the earth from the sun's relentless rays. Abruptly, a refreshing breeze swept through the grass, bringing a fleeting respite from the heat and invigorating the cicadas into a chorus of renewed vigor. The wind ceased as quickly as it had arrived, yet the cicadas' song persisted.

"Hmm? That white shadow... vanished."

Accompanying the wind's halt was the sudden stillness of a figure—a middle-aged man in his thirties. Clad in humble gray linen, his visage bore an air of distinction, tinged with a subtle nobility. He paused, murmuring to himself before surveying his surroundings with intent focus.

The man in gray abruptly fixed his gaze to the right, his expression clouded with uncertainty. As a Soul Cultivator, he possessed a heightened sense, far beyond that of ordinary individuals. This was not a physical perception, but a spiritual sense—a more profound consciousness capable of perceiving the unseen.

After a moment of internal struggle, the man's brow furrowed, and with a determined bite of his lip, he drew his longsword and stealthily advanced.

His trepidation stemmed not from the detection of danger but from the presence of a warm life force ahead. Were it not for this comforting pulse of life, he would not have dared to venture even a step closer, for the land before him was no longer the domain of humankind.

"Damn it... Where is that presence? It's getting dangerous to move forward. If I can't spot it soon, I'll have to turn back." Beads of sweat trickled down the man's face—whether from the heat or anxiety, it no longer mattered. His heart pounded with apprehension, his eyes searching desperately for the source of the aura, to no avail.

Caw! Caw! Caw!

Out of nowhere, a crow—larger than any duck—burst forth with an eerie squawk, barreling towards the man in gray. Startled but composed, he watched the looming black mass approach. His hand remained steady, the longsword in his grip coming to life as the etchings on its hilt glimmered briefly. With a swift motion, he struck, and the sound of steel cleaving the air was followed by the crow's descent, cleaved in twain upon the forest floor.

"Huh..." The man in gray exhaled a sigh of relief, shook his head, and sheathed his longsword. He turned and strode away, his mind set on retreat.

"Whoosh..." Having only taken a few steps, the man in gray halted, inhaled sharply, and spun around, muttering with determination, "A hundred steps forward! If there's nothing, I'm out of here! Try luring me again, and I'm gone for good!"

Resolved, the man in gray wasted no more time. He quickened his pace, the air swirling around him as he moved rapidly towards the presence he had detected. Yet, even as he ran, he counted under his breath, "Twenty, twenty-one... Thirty, huh?!!" He came to an abrupt halt, his gaze fixed on something not far ahead.

Huh?

Upon closer inspection of the object that had recklessly drawn him here, his confusion deepened. "This makes no sense. A dead person... How could there be a trace of life? Could they still be alive?" With that thought, the man in gray hastened forward, intent on rescue. But upon arrival, he was stunned. Before him lay a woman, beyond saving—headless, her fate sealed. He couldn't tell how long she had been dead, yet her body wasn't decomposing or emitting a foul odor. Instead, it was withered, like a plant devoid of moisture.

With his eyes half-closed, the man in gray quietly observed the headless woman's corpse, sighing, "So young and pregnant, running to this place—it's a death wish..." Seeing the scene before him, the man in gray realized there was no point in fixating on the matter. He must have been mistaken. Once again, he turned to leave.

"Maybe I should use my spiritual sense one more time... Hmm... The aura is still there. Unbelievable. Perhaps I really do need more rest." As he slowly walked away, an inexplicable sense of loss washed over the man in gray, leaving him feeling as though he had lost something precious.

"What could it be? A swollen belly, a swollen belly... Inside the belly!" The man in grey, as if bound by fate, halted and abruptly turned to gaze at the headless corpse's distended abdomen. He quickly approached the body, crouched down, and placed his hand on the lower belly...

Hiss...

The moment his hand touched the corpse's abdomen, the man in grey shuddered as if struck by lightning, his face twitching as he muttered to himself, "This... How is this possible? How can such a thing actually happen?" He was clearly at a loss for words.

Awoooo...

Roar...

In that instant, the entire forest seemed to awaken from a deep slumber. Wild animals and Soul Beasts alike let out skyward cries, and the earth itself trembled. A dark cloud drifted across the sky, obscuring the scorching sun and casting a brief hush over the cicadas.

"Not good! Have the Soul Beasts of the Second Realm Forest been stirred into action? I must hurry..."

The ominous atmosphere weighed heavily on the man in grey. Wasting no time, he drew a dagger from his waist and made a delicate incision in the corpse's abdomen. Without a second thought, he reached inside. The warmth and sensation in his palm were beyond words.

A soft expression crossed the man's face as he gently extracted the infant from the corpse's belly and laid it before him, watching in silence.

"Eh... Hehe..."

The infant didn't cry; instead, it giggled at the man in grey, its laughter pure and joyful.

"Haha... You little imp, oh! And you've got your own little sword, haha." The man chuckled as he playfully touched the baby's genitalia.

"Ang!"

"Wuwu..."

However, the Second Realm Forest grew even more agitated. The ground's previous tremors had now given way to numerous, bottomless chasms. Even the most common grasses and trees thrashed about as if alive, creating a sight that was truly alarming.

"These beasts! What madness has possessed them?"

Not daring to linger, the man in grey removed his outer garment to swaddle the infant, grasped his longsword, and strode off, racing back along the path he had come. But the journey was no longer smooth; various birds and beasts obstructed his way. Clutching the baby, he fought through them, thankful not to encounter any Soul Beasts—for that would have surely cost him his life.

After a relentless pursuit and combat, the man in gray, with two large birds tucked into his belt and a baby cradled in his arms, finally broke free from the forest nearest to the Second Realm Forest. By then, night had already fallen.

Gathering some branches, the man in gray sparked a campfire on the ground. He gnawed on the trophies he had taken from the forest, those two large birds, while the baby watched him quietly from the crook of his arm.

"Ahem... My name is Ye Wuya, and from now on, I'll be your father. What do you think? Are you happy? Excited? Haha!"

"Hah... Hehe..." The baby's babbling was indistinct, his mouth only capable of crying and laughing, but he seemed genuinely thrilled at the moment.

"So, what name should I give you?" he asked, playfully making faces at the child.

"Mo... Mo... Haha, Mo," the child babbled incoherently.

"Great! Your name shall be Mo, and you'll be called... Ye Mo!"

Under the vast starry sky, a disheveled middle-aged man, his clothes tattered, nestled close to the campfire for warmth, with the infant in his embrace.