Shocking the Nine Heavens With My Sword
Chapter 253 - 241: The Gluttonous Tribe? (2/3)

Chapter 253: Chapter 241: The Gluttonous Tribe? (2/3)

Zhou Heng’s heart stirred, and the Orchid Concubine immediately appeared from the Nine Mystic Trial Tower, standing prettily at the bedside.

"Master!" As soon as the Orchid Concubine saw the bed, she instinctively reacted, obediently lying down on it, ready to pull at her long dress. She had only pulled it halfway when her gaze flicked to Nangong Yuerong. She was initially startled but promptly asked, "Master, do you want me to help hold down Yuerong’s hands or feet?"

Zhou Heng’s face darkened involuntarily. Did this woman think he summoned her to help him commit violence?

Meanwhile, Nangong Yuerong nearly fainted!

"Mother!" she screamed, her heart filled with great panic. How could the Orchid Concubine be here? What was her relationship with Zhou Heng? Why was she calling him master? A disturbing conclusion formed in her mind, but she dared not face it head-on.

Zhou Heng swept away, leaving the mother and daughter to sort out their thoughts.

"Mother, why? Why?" Nangong Yuerong’s unease grew stronger, a terrifying thought almost driving her mad.

"Yuerong, it’s come to the point where I must reveal a secret to you!" The Orchid Concubine’s expression became serious, as if to assume her imposing maternal demeanor, yet her long dress was already pulled halfway up, revealing ivory-like smooth white thighs, making for an awkward sight.

Nangong Yuerong’s eyes were as still as dead water, devoid of life, overwhelmed by immense shame.

"You are not my biological daughter!" declared the Orchid Concubine.

Nangong Yuerong’s eyelid twitched, and after more than ten seconds, her eyes regained a glimmer of life. She turned her head to look at the Orchid Concubine, "You’re lying to me!"

"I have no need to lie to you!" The Orchid Concubine sighed, a hint of reminiscence crossing her face, "The competition within the harem is so fierce. If I were pregnant, I would have to refrain from serving the Emperor for at least half a year... With countless beauties at the Emperor’s side, half a year of absence, and I would have been forgotten completely by your father, the Emperor!"

After a moment’s ponder, Nangong Yuerong nodded in agreement. Life returned to her face as she said, "I’m really not your biological daughter? But I clearly have the blood of the Nangong Family!"

"I never said your surname wasn’t Nangong!" The Orchid Concubine smiled, "You were born to another concubine and were adopted into my name from youth, as was your brother, Lin’er. You both are from different mothers, adopted into our family!"

"Then, where is my birth mother?"

"Dead!" The Orchid Concubine’s expression turned fierce, then softened again, "In the harem, where competition is fierce, who else could survive more than ten years besides me, the Concubine Yin, and the Rain Concubine? To protect oneself, to vie for favor, everyone is utterly ruthless!"

The Orchid Concubine, the Concubine Yin, and the Rain Concubine were the three greatly favored noble consorts. Since even the Orchid Concubine dared not bear children, the Concubine Yin and the Rain Concubine would undoubtedly do the same. Yet there were several princes and princesses in their care, which were also likely adopted.

But how could adopted sons and daughters wholeheartedly help one secure a position, or even become Empress? The answer was simple, don’t let them know the truth!

Therefore, the concubines of these adopted children had to die!

How many concubines did the Emperor have? If not touched for a few months, he would soon forget what they even looked like. Given the status and means of Orchid Concubine and the others, making someone vanish without a trace was far too easy.

Nangong Yuerong stared blankly at the woman she had called ’mother’ for over twenty years, only to find that she wasn’t her biological mother; rather, she was the archenemy who had caused her birth mother’s death!

Yet, she could not bring herself to feel the slightest bit of hatred.

In the Royal Family, only power mattered, not kinship!

She had never met her birth mother, while on the other hand, the Orchid Concubine had raised her from childhood, treating her as her own daughter. Emotionally, the Orchid Concubine was the closest person to her, far surpassing the birth mother she had just learned of.

Nangong Yuerong had grand ambitions herself, which is why she understood the Orchid Concubine’s actions so well. If she were in the Orchid Concubine’s place, she would have done the same without hesitation!

In the harem, if one isn’t ruthless, they only make it easier for themselves to die without a grave!

"You are my mother, and always will be!" Nangong Yuerong knelt in front of the Orchid Concubine, burying her head in her lap.

The Orchid Concubine breathed a sigh of relief. She had never had her own children for the sake of power, instead treasuring Nangong Yuerong as her own. The words of Nangong Yuerong were thus immensely comforting to her.

"Yuerong, don’t go against your master!" she began her brainwashing.

...

The next day, Zhou Heng set off for Lanling City, the Imperial Capital of Bright Moon Country, with Xiao Huoshui, the Orchid Concubine, and Nangong Yuerong. Having resolved a long-pending personal matter, he felt very relaxed.

"Sister! Wait for me!" As they walked, they heard a clear and pleasant voice from behind. Feng Lianqing was riding a large bear and rushing towards them at breakneck speed.

Zhou Heng’s face turned dark again, thinking he had finally shaken off these gluttons, yet they could still catch up?

"Thank goodness for Grey’s keen nose!" Feng Lianqing patted her chest but immediately slumped onto the bear, her stomach making rumbling noises, "I’m starving to death!"

Zhou Heng looked at the bear beneath, which seemed docile. Damn, aren’t you a bear? How come your nose is keener than a dog’s!

"Sister, I’m hungry!" Feng Lianqing said to Xiao Huoshui with a pitiful look, resembling a starved little puppy.

"You two, you wiped out an entire tavern the day before yesterday, and you’re hungry today?" Zhou Heng said sternly. He wasn’t really begrudging the money, but who would want to support two idle people for no reason?

Moreover, these idle people would also hog Xiao Huoshui at night, which was even more unbearable!

"The day before yesterday was then, today is now, what’s so strange about that? What’s the connection here?" Feng Lianqing looked at Zhou Heng with a puzzled gaze, thinking how could this guy be so dumb?

Martial Artists at the Heaven-Opening Realm could go a month or two without eating or drinking and be just fine! And how much did you eat the day before yesterday?

Xiao Huoshui couldn’t help but cover her mouth and laugh, saying, "Alright, sister will take you to eat."

"Yay!" Feng Lianqing immediately responded cheerfully, "Sister, you’re the best!" She turned her head and stuck her tongue out at Zhou Heng, pulling a face, but as her stomach rumbled with hunger again, she promptly collapsed back onto Grey.

They had already left Qianhe City and stopped at a small roadside diner on a whim, where Feng Lianqing and the giant grey bear once again displayed their astonishing appetites, polishing off the diner’s stock in less than an hour!

"Only ten percent full!" Feng Lianqing continued to make eyes at Xiao Huoshui.

Moving on, they found a second diner ten miles away, where the two gluttons swept through like a whirlwind.

"Barely twenty percent full!"

On to the third.

The whole day passed amid the gluttonous competition between the two, with Zhou Heng not saying anything more, instead showing a contemplative expression.

With the giant grey bear’s mountain-like stature, it made sense he could eat so much, but why could Feng Lianqing eat so much, too? And after eating all that food, her belly didn’t even bulge; it was as if there was another space inside her body.

Or perhaps, her digestive capability was so strong that it was staggering!

If there are clans like the Gold Devouring Clan that could swallow metal essence and strengthen themselves, why couldn’t there be other races with other ultra-abilities, like, uh... the Gluttonous Tribe, like Feng Lianqing?

This wild girl’s speed of increasing her cultivation level was also terrifying. Maybe it was related to her gluttony and her ability to eat so much!

You see, during the Postnatal Period, Martial Artists could only refine True Yuan Force from the food they ate and it was only after crossing into the Spirit Gathering Realm that they could absorb nature’s spiritual energy! But what if this ability persisted, and was far beyond the ordinary?

However, Feng Lianqing was an orphan who had grown up in the mountains since she was young. Asking her if she was part of the "Gluttonous Tribe" was probably as blind an inquiry as could be.

At night, the wild girl naturally monopolized Xiao Huoshui, driving Zhou Heng out.

Zhou Heng really wanted to throw out this unwelcome guest, but Xiao Huoshui was very fond of the wild girl and begged Zhou Heng over and over, leaving him no choice but to sigh and grind his teeth in the face of Feng Lianqing’s smug triumph.

As a second option, he went to Orchid Concubine’s room, where, to his surprise, Nangong Yuerong was also there.

"Master!" Both women knelt gracefully before him, their collars drooping to reveal four round and snowy hemispheres, extremely alluring.

Orchid Concubine always acted meek, so why had Nangong Yuerong become so obedient in just one day?

Zhou Heng gave it some thought, but didn’t dwell on it, as he had no emotional attachment to this "mother and daughter" duo. He kept them around only because of his possessiveness, indifferent to their thoughts.

Already unguarded against his desires for women, he was instantly enthralled and commenced an ardent conquest.

...

"Miser, were you slaughtering a pig last night? It was so noisy!" The next day, as they set off again with the five of them and a bear, Feng Lianqing immediately complained.

Zhou Heng couldn’t help but choke, nearly spitting out his water.

Indeed, things had gotten quite loud last night, but who could blame him when the thrill of it was so overpowering that he couldn’t stop after one round and went for another and another. He would have to be more careful in the future; it would be better to use the Nine Mystic Trial Tower for such activities, where even if the bed collapsed, it wouldn’t matter.

Xiao Huoshui covered her mouth, giggling, but her eyes held a hint of sorrow as she gazed at Zhou Heng. Clearly, she was blaming him for playing favorites, which had left her neglected and "growing grass."

Bright Moon Country was a hundred times larger than Cold Blue Country, and after another month of travel, they finally arrived at the Imperial Capital, Lanling City.

New challenges lay ahead!

(This is revised filler content due to the previous word count already being determined; any revisions had to exceed the original word count, I ask for your understanding!)(This is revised filler content due to the previous word count already being determined; any revisions had to exceed the original word count, I ask for your understanding!)(This is revised filler content due to the previous word count already being determined; any revisions had to exceed the original word count, I ask for your understanding!)(This is revised filler content due to the previous word count already being determined; any revisions had to exceed the original word count, I ask for your understanding!)(This is revised filler content due to the previous word count already being determined; any revisions had to exceed the original word count, I ask for your understanding!)(This is revised filler content due to the previous word count already being determined; any revisions had to exceed the original word count, I ask for your understanding!)(This is revised filler content due to the previous word count already being determined; any revisions had to exceed the original word count, I ask for your understanding!)(This is revised filler content due to the previous word count already being determined; any revisions had to exceed the original word count, I ask for your understanding!) (To be continued. If you like this work, please vote for it with your recommendation tickets and monthly tickets at qidian.com. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile readers, please visit m.qidian.com to continue reading.)