The following days were busy and fulfilling.
Qin Guiya refined ten furnaces of Medicinal Pills daily, from Gathering Qi Pills to Nourishing Qi Pills, and then to Blue Sprout Pills, in a continuous cycle.
Liu Qingchan was responsible for processing medicinal ingredients, sorting the finished products, carefully storing the perfect quality Medicinal Pills, and categorizing the ordinary and fine ones separately.
On the evening of the seventh day, Qin Guiya was at a critical moment of condensing Medicinal Pills when he suddenly heard a muffled thud from outside.
He quickly cast the last magical incantation, not bothering to check the quality of the Medicinal Pills, and rushed out of the Alchemy room.
Liu Qingchan lay by the Spirit Field, with freshly tended blue heart grass scattered around her.
Her face was pale, and her hands were pressed tightly against her lower abdomen.
"Qingchan!"
Qin Guiya was greatly alarmed, scooped her up, and his Divine Sense quickly swept over her entire body.
When he probed her uterus, he suddenly froze—there was a faint but clear aura of a new life there!
"Hus... band..."
Liu Qingchan weakly opened her eyes, "I... suddenly felt dizzy..."
"Don't speak."
Qin Guiya's voice trembled as he carefully carried her back to the sleeping couch.
He held her wrist, and a gentle stream of spiritual energy slowly entered, nourishing her and the little life in her womb.
"Husband... what happened to me?" Liu Qingchan asked, puzzled.
Qin Guiya's lips unconsciously curved upwards: "You're pregnant."
Liu Qingchan's eyes widened, her lips trembling, but she couldn't utter a single word.
Her hand slowly moved to her flat lower abdomen, her eyes filled with disbelief.
"Really...?"
"Yes, about half a month or so."
Qin Guiya said softly, calculating the time in his mind.
It was precisely during those days when he began intensive Alchemy.
It was difficult for high-level Cultivators to have offspring, and for him and Liu Qingchan to conceive after a dozen times of intimacy was indeed considered lucky.
Liu Qingchan suddenly covered her face, her shoulders gently shaking.
Qin Guiya thought she was crying and was about to comfort her, but then he heard a suppressed giggle.
Pulling her hands away, he saw a face as bright as a blooming flower.
"I... I'm so happy..."
She spoke incoherently, tears glistening in her eyes, "Husband, do you prefer a boy or a girl?
Have you thought of a name? Should we start preparing little clothes now..."
Qin Guiya was amused by her string of questions, and a corner of his heart softened quietly.
This child came suddenly, but he found himself incredibly anticipating it.
Not just for the continuation of his Bloodline, but also because... his Divine Sense sank into his Sea of Consciousness, and the ancient tree seemed more vibrant than usual.
The third Enlightenment Leaf had fully grown, and now it was the fourth tender sprout.
Even more surprisingly, the gray mist at the edge of the Spirit Field beneath the tree seemed to have receded a bit, vaguely revealing more space.
"Will the child affect the ancient tree?" Qin Guiya secretly wondered.
This thought made his heart race.
If it were true, then the fetus in Liu Qingchan's womb might bring unexpected changes.
"Husband?"
Liu Qingchan called out, puzzled, "What are you thinking about?"
Qin Guiya snapped back to reality, gently stroking her cheek: "I'm thinking... whether our child will inherit your spiritual plant talent."
At the mention of talent, a glint of surprise flashed in Liu Qingchan's eyes:
"When I was processing medicinal ingredients these past few days, I felt... different."
"How different?"
"It's like... I can hear them talking."
Liu Qingchan said hesitantly, "The blue heart grass said it likes the dew at noon, and the Cloud Rain Flower prefers the moonlight at midnight..."
Qin Guiya's heart trembled.
This was by no means a Realm that ordinary spiritual plant talent could achieve!
The "Myriad Spirits Illustrated Compendium" recorded that only a "Spirit Body" level of talent could communicate with plants so clearly.
And those with such a Physique were all renowned Great Masters of spiritual plants.
"Did your mother... also have this ability back then?" he asked softly.
Liu Qingchan's eyes dimmed:
"I don't know... I never saw my mother handle spiritual plants."
Qin Guiya pulled her into his embrace, secretly vowing to investigate Liu Qingchan's background.
Her mother, known as "Azure Spirit Hand," and this suddenly Awakened talent... everything hinted at an unusual past.
Of course, it was also possible that it was due to the ancient tree in his Sea of Consciousness; could it bestow talent upon a Dao Companion?
"Rest well."
He tucked Liu Qingchan in, "From today onwards, you are not allowed to work in the Spirit Field anymore."
Liu Qingchan anxiously said: "But Husband's Medicinal Pills..."
"I'll figure something out."
Qin Guiya interrupted her, "Right now, you and the child are the most important."
These words brought tears to Liu Qingchan's eyes again.
She lay down obediently, but her hand tightly gripped Qin Guiya's sleeve, as if afraid he would leave.
Qin Guiya sat by the couch and said softly: "Sleep, I'll be here with you."
He gazed at his wife's peaceful sleeping face, and an unprecedented protective instinct surged within him.
This woman, and the child in her womb, would become his most important concern on his path of Cultivation.
Another five days passed. Qin Guiya refined and sold Medicinal Pills, finally gathering enough Spirit Stones and contribution points to exchange for a High Grade Rainfall Elixir.
Qin Guiya sat cross-legged in the center of the quiet room, took a deep breath, and put the Medicinal Pill into his mouth.
The Medicinal Pill melted upon entering his stomach, transforming into a cool torrent that surged through his limbs and bones.
Qin Guiya immediately circulated the Heavenly Flame Incineration Art, guiding the medicinal power to the damaged Meridians.
He could clearly feel that those Meridians, nourished by the medicinal power, gradually regained their elasticity and luster.
After three days and nights of continuous refinement, when the last trace of medicinal power was absorbed, Qin Guiya suddenly opened his eyes, a sharp light gleaming within them.
He tentatively circulated his Golden Core, and spiritual energy surged through his Meridians, without any stagnation or tingling pain.
"Finally..."
Qin Guiya let out a long breath, his lips unconsciously curving upwards.
For the past two months, his Meridian injuries had been like shackles, restricting his every step of Cultivation.
Now that the shackles were gone, the threshold of the Middle Stage of Golden Core was no longer out of reach.
A soft footsteps came from outside the quiet room, and Liu Qingchan gently pushed the door open, carrying a cup of spiritual tea.
Her lower abdomen was slightly bulging, though not yet obvious, but her every gesture was now more cautious.
"Husband, how are your injuries?"
She placed the teacup beside Qin Guiya, her eyes full of concern.
Qin Guiya took her hand and guided her to sit beside him: "I've fully recovered."
As he spoke, he placed his palm on her lower abdomen, feeling the faint life aura there, "Thanks to you and the child."
Liu Qingchan's face flushed, but her eyes couldn't hide her joy:
"I didn't do anything... but Husband, you've been working too hard these past two months."
It was indeed hard work.
Qin Guiya recalled the days and nights of Alchemy over the past two months, from Gathering Qi Pills, Nourishing Qi Pills, to Blue Sprout Pills, almost exhausting all his energy.
But the rewards were equally bountiful.
Not only did he gather the eighty thousand Spirit Stones and two thousand contribution points for the Rainfall Elixir, but he also accumulated an additional thirty thousand plus Spirit Stones as backup.
"This is for you."
Qin Guiya took out a jade box from his storage ring, "Jade Marrow Nourishing Heart Pill, specifically for regulating Qi and Blood."
Liu Qingchan took the jade box, and a clear fragrance wafted out when she opened it.
Inside the box were three Medicinal Pills, smooth and round like jade.
These were High Grade second-tier conditioning Medicinal Pills, each worth eight hundred Spirit Stones.