Chapter 519: Intense Competition
Less than a month before the expected delivery date, Sha came, wanting to take Sang Luo to the Ghost Realm for childbirth.
Sang Luo resisted contact with Sha, but she also understood the situation and knew that going to the Ghost Realm to give birth was the best decision.
That day, the servants of the Rakshasa Palace, both high and low, saw the esteemed King personally carry a woman with a large belly to the inner chambers.
A great uproar arose in the palace. Some didn't believe it, some were doubtful, and some speculated about the origins of this female…
Those most affected were the beauties of the harem, who were in a state of utter panic.
The eldest of these concubines had been in the palace for hundreds of thousands of years. They had never seen the Rakshasa King bring a woman back from the outside, much less carry her back himself. Even the most favored Ghost Concubine back then had been treated with indifference by the Rakshasa King. If the esteemed King hadn't wanted offspring, these women in the harem would likely have been no different to him.
Could it be that the woman was carrying the esteemed King's child?
The Ghost Concubine was so angry that she smashed many things. Her scarlet nails dug fiercely into her palm, but in her heart, she refused to believe it. Wasn't it said that the Rakshasa King was infertile by nature?!
How could he possibly have offspring!
The woman was definitely carrying a bastard!
But no matter how much she disbelieved it, a trace of fear lingered in her heart. That woman and her child absolutely could not be allowed to live!
"Someone."
The Ghost Concubine casually summoned a servant, "Prepare some generous gifts. This concubine will personally go and see the beauty that the esteemed King brought back."
But upon arriving, she discovered that the palace was surrounded by guards inside and out. She wasn't the only one with the same idea. Several other beauties had also come, but they were stopped outside the palace.
The beauties' expressions were very unsightly. Yu Meiren caught sight of the Ghost Concubine coming and her face lit up with joy, but she deliberately put on a sorrowful look, "It seems that the King really cares about this newly arrived beauty. Not only did he personally bring her back to the inner palace, but he also arranged so many guards to protect this younger sister's safety. It's truly enviable. Even the most favored Ghost Concubine back then never had such treatment…"
The Ghost Concubine walked over and, upon hearing these words, slapped her in a fit of anger, "Are you all tired of living, daring to wag your tongues here and slander this concubine!"
"Ah!"
Yu Meiren covered her swollen cheek and knelt down in fear, gritting her teeth to hide the sarcasm in her eyes. She raised her head, her delicate face even more pitiful, "It's my fault. I shouldn't have spoken ill of Ghost Concubine, but… I'm also worried for you, Elder Sister…"
"The esteemed King values this newly arrived beauty so much, and she even came with a big belly. Once she gives birth, she will definitely become the Ghost Queen, set in stone. Where will we all go then…"
The other beauties also fanned the flames, and the Ghost Concubine became even more enraged. She insisted on going in to investigate, but she was still stopped.
"This concubine is at least an elder in the palace. Can't I even come to visit a newcomer? What kind of talk is this, stopping me here!"
"I'm sorry, this is the esteemed King's order. I cannot obey."
The maid beside her also advised, "Beauty, let's go back first."
The maid whispered in the Ghost Concubine's ear, "I heard that the esteemed King went to Black Mountain Valley to hunt an ancient ghost beast. He probably won't be back for ten days or half a month."
The Ghost Concubine's eyes lit up, and she softened her expression, "Very well, since it's the esteemed King's order, I won't invite trouble for myself."
She flicked her sleeves and left.
In the past, the Ghost Concubine had relied on the esteemed King's favor to be arrogant and domineering, and she had been eyeing the position of Ghost Queen for a long time. How could she endure this so easily? The other beauties had originally wanted to watch the fun, but since they didn't get to see it, they also left with little interest.
…
During the few days that Sang Luo stayed in the Ghost Realm, she didn't even need to use her mental power to know how many eyes were secretly watching her.
The servants who had been bribed repeatedly caused accidents, poisoned food, and secretly replaced the pregnancy-stabilizing medicine with miscarriage-inducing drugs.
"…"
The competition is quite fierce.
After Sha returned, Sang Luo casually threw a paper effigy at him, yawned, and said, "Manage those singing and dancing swallows in your harem well. I don't want anything to happen to the child."
Sha's expression darkened when he saw the paper effigy in his hand. He raised his hand and incinerated it with a ghostly fire. After leaving and returning, he took out several balls of soul power and gave them to Sang Luo, along with an ancient beast crystal core.
After Sang Luo finished eating, her expression was a little strange, "The Rakshasa King is truly ruthless and heartless, killing his bed partner of many years as he pleases."
In this man's eyes, there was no such thing as love, only offspring!
"I said, I have only ever possessed you."
Sha sat on the edge of the bed, gently stroking her belly, as if sensing the small life forming inside.
"My main body has never touched those women, only the clone."
"… Really?"
Sang Luo didn't believe it.
"As you said, I don't need to lie to you, and you don't care, do you?"
Sha looked at her with a teasing smile.
Sang Luo's face flushed slightly, and she looked away, not wanting to look at him.
Sha's lips curved, and he was in a good mood, "You always have this expression when you lie."
He brought over a bowl of pregnancy-stabilizing medicine, "Drink this bowl of medicine. It might be a little bitter. I added some maltose."
"You… don't talk to me in that tone."
Sang Luo awkwardly took the bowl of medicine, tilted her head back, and gulped it down in a few mouthfuls. It wasn't as bitter as she had imagined. After drinking it, a faint sweetness lingered on her tongue, which she liked.
Sha took the bowl from her hand and casually placed it on the table, his gaze falling on her face, "Have you ever thought that perhaps I am not intentionally imitating him."
"…"
"That wolf beast was originally a part of my soul. Even if I am not him, I have not erased his memory… My love for you is not as intense and profound as his, but it is not completely absent. My actions and thoughts when I face you are all from my heart."
Sha's low, magnetic voice was indescribably seductive, and seemed to contain a hint of sadness, but it was fleeting.
"Luo Luo."
He called her that for the first time, "I don't want you to treat me as a substitute, and I don't want you to treat me as a stranger. Perhaps, you can try to accept Sha."
"… Thank you for the Rakshasa King's kindness, but let's not talk about love between our pure transaction."
Sang Luo chuckled.
She was a person who liked to protect herself and didn't believe in the love spoken of by the Ghost Clan. The Rakshasa King might really have some feelings for her, or he might just be coaxing her for the sake of offspring, but so what?
She didn't need this favoritism.
People like him have been high above for too long and are unwilling to condescend to become the other party's prisoner, let alone share a woman with other men. Sooner or later, he will become dissatisfied and turn into an uncontrollable bomb.
Sang Luo also knew her own limits. She couldn't control this esteemed King of the Ghost Realm. Some things should be left at that.
"Very well, if that is what you want, I will not say these words again in the future."
Sha's deep blue eyes became indifferent again. He let go, covered her with the quilt, got up, and left.
I've been running around these past two days and haven't had time to update. I have time today, so I'll sit in front of the computer this afternoon and write as much as I can~
(ps: Actually, in my original setting, Sha was a two-headed beast with two consciousnesses. When his lifespan was running out, he separated a left-brain consciousness as a clone specifically responsible for reproduction. The left brain's personality was more arrogant and self-important, while the right brain's personality was more calm and steady. Later, I thought that adding Lan Cang would make it three people, which was a bit redundant. Today, when I actually started writing, I thought about it and didn't make it so complicated. I just wrote it as an ordinary clone.)
