This Young Master is not Cannon Fodder

It took a moment for Tianyi to process what Mengfei said. Although it was only a simple sentence, the meaning exploded in his mind. "Congratulations?"

Although becoming the Heavenly Empress sounded amazing, he could still hear the silent reluctance in her voice. There must be more to the matter than revealed. "Why doesn't the Concealed Emperor become the Heavenly Emperor?"

Mengfei knew that it was a secret, but she didn't think she couldn't reveal it to Tianyi. Even if it was, she would reveal it anyway. Her time was short. "He can't. Although he is a divinity, he was one ascended from a clone. Because of his imperfection, his soul cannot bear the weight of the Heaven Seal."

Tianyi blinked. He hadn't realized there was such a downside to creating a clone. "What about his main body? Can't he become the Heavenly Emperor?"

Once again, Mengfei shook her head. "This restriction only applies to the clone. Normally, such a defect would never be raised, since clones are one of the perfect methods of recreating life."

Tianyi nodded. He had also sensed that the clone method had some sort of invisible defect, but compared to the benefits, this minor defect was nothing.

"As for his main body, it should have fallen at the end of the primordial era," Mengfei said. She didn't know the identity of the Concealed Emperor's main body, but there were many clues. However, she was not interested. But since Tianyi was interested, she revealed them.

Tianyi held his chin in contemplation. When the Concealed Emperor and Perfected Huanglong met in the final Divine Beast-Human War, they had concealed their conversation except for the opening, leaving little information for outsiders. "No wonder. Of the Lord of Primordial Beginning's disciples, I can only think of Guang Chengzi, who matches everything."

He glanced at Mengfei. "But why you?"

This wasn't disparaging his mother, but he couldn't figure out why the Immortal Court would choose her. In terms of talent, he did not think he was any bit inferior. And in terms of potential, Tianyi thought no one could surpass him. If it wasn't about talent or potential but about leadership abilities, he knew that he and his mother were far from qualified. So why did the Immortal Court choose his mother and not anyone else?

"I'm the most compatible. My Law of Heaven-Earth-Man is extremely suitable to carry the Heaven Seal," Mengfei said.

"Are there any downsides?" Tianyi asked. Although many immortals became divinities of faith and unlocked the restriction on their lifespan and smoothed out their ascension to the peak of the Immortal Realm, it still came with many shackles. Once their willpower ran out, the myriad faith congregating within them would reshape their minds, making them act more in line with their myths.

"I won't become a divinity of faith," Mengfei clarified. "Merging with the Heaven Seal, although imperfect, will grant me control of the myriad laws at the divine level, and I will instantly become a peak divinity. Not even the Concealed Emperor and Perfected Huanglong together will be able to defeat me. But I will never be able to leave the Three Thousand Immortal Realms System in the future."

Tianyi frowned. "Is this why you didn't appear in the All Pantheon Conference or participate in the Devil Hunt?"

Mengfei nodded. "Partly. The Concealed Emperor felt that it was imperative to strengthen the power of the Three Thousand Immortal Realms System. I only started refining the Heaven Seal after the fall of the Numinous Sword Sect."

He sighed. "Since it started, it's already too late to stop. I want to ask, did you do it willingly? No one forced you, right?"

"It's what I should do," Mengfei said.

Since it was her own choice, Tianyi felt he had no right to interfere with her decision. Still, he felt some unknown regrets. "Why did you speak as if we would be separated?"

Upon hearing Tianyi's question, Mengfei did not immediately answer. "It's just a feeling." Without allowing Tianyi another chance to ask another question, she said, "Invite Daoyi. The three of us haven't had a meal together in a long time. I've been brushing up on my cooking."

Tianyi's cheeks twitched. Although he never stated it, Mengfei likely knew of his dislike for her cooking, which caused her to cook less. However, Daoyi was different. After tasting Mengfei's food, she did not hold back and criticized her dishes mercilessly. Since then, Mengfei had not cooked another meal.

Well, Tianyi could understand Daoyi's feelings. After he entered the Immortal Realm, he didn't care about how hard Mengfei's cooking was, but Daoyi was different. She had to physically ingest Mengfei's handiwork. Her dishes included many wonders of heaven and earth, but many of them couldn't be eaten—especially the way Mengfei prepared them. At best, it would cause a stomachache.

Still, he felt that Mengfei's condition was not right. Besides, she would not force the three of them to eat her cooking if they didn't want to. Now that she said such a thing, it obviously meant something was wrong.

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'Is she nervous about becoming the Heavenly Empress?' Tianyi thought.

Soon, Tianyi sat in the dining room of Jade Peak Palace with Daoyi. He hadn't visited Jade Peak Palace in a long time. His visits had plummeted dramatically since Mengfei was busy refining the Heaven Seal, but right now, it wasn't just their family of three sitting around the table.

Ba Shifang and his wife were sitting next to Tianyi and Daoyi. Further off was Donghai Longzi. Except for Juedai Fenghua, all of Tianyi's current and previous clones were present. With the exception of Donghai Longzi, every one of them had a look of despair. Although she kept a calm expression, the iris growing out of her eye seemed a bit wilted.

All of them were victims of Mengfei's cooking. The only question Tianyi had was, "When did you taste Mother's cooking?"

Instantly, Ba Shifang glared at him. "Who do you think had to taste her food when you weren't here?"

'Ah,' Tianyi could guess immediately. 'Still…'

His eyes glanced at Hu Landie. Although slight, there was a bulge on her stomach. Cultivators, especially immortals, could easily control their figures. They could become fat or skinny depending on their preference. The vast majority chose to keep healthy figures, so the cases of getting fat from overeating did not happen. Coupled with the tiny vitality he sensed, Tianyi couldn't help but glance between Ba Shifang and his wife.

Right now, both of them had a certain softness neither of them possessed before. Even Hu Landie, who was frostier than glaciers, had a trace of warmth on her face. Tianyi heard that motherhood changes a woman, but he never expected it to ring so true.

But compared to Hu Landie, it was Ba Shifang who changed even more. Not just in terms of appearance. He had completely shed his youthful looks for someone in his early thirties with a short beard and some wrinkles around his eyes. He constantly shifted his eyes toward Hu Landie and her stomach. For cultivators, it was much easier to detect pregnancy.

Generally speaking, immortals had a much longer pregnancy period than mortals. The stronger the baby, the longer the pregnancy. However, there was a limit. The time between mortal and immortal might be like a gulf, but the pregnancy of those in the Immortal Realm, from the weakest true immortals to the most powerful origin immortals, is all within a certain limit.

Ba Shifang was only one step away from the Origin Immortal Realm, while Hu Landie was an immortal empress. They were a rare heavenly couple in the world. Generally, many immortals did not have companions because their partner could not reach the same realm as them, and even if they did, the difference in both sides' strength was often vast. So, Ba Shifang and Hu Landie were rare.

Tianyi and Daoyi were also a couple, and Daoyi was an immortal empress too, but those in the know did not consider Tianyi a simple immortal sovereign. Still, that was not something that mattered here.

Soon, Mengfei came over with plates floating behind her. The aroma wafting from the hot dishes was extremely delectable. Tianyi even saw cuisine from other cultures like steak, pie, and curry, among many others.

Everyone, including Tianyi, was stunned. 'How did her skills improve so tremendously? Unless this is only surface-level? The first time I ate her food, it only looked good.'

Tianyi stared at the food in front of him. The others did the same. Only Mengfei moved her chopsticks and ate at her own pace, unbothered by the cold attitude of the others. Finally, Tianyi picked up his chopsticks and started to eat. "Eat" was relative. He was actually sending each bite he had into the Nine Heavens Universe to give the illusion of eating.

After seeing Tianyi eat, the others could no longer use the excuse that no one else was eating. They glared resentfully at Tianyi. If he had waited a bit longer, they could have avoided hell for a few seconds longer.

The first to take a bite was Donghai Longzi. After eating the first bite, he froze. Then he took another and then another. Upon seeing this, Hu Landie also steeled herself, but she was stopped by Ba Shifang. Ba Shifang didn't want any accidents to happen to their child, so he sacrificed himself. Like Donghai Longzi, he stilled after taking the first bite.

His eyes widened in surprise as he chewed and swallowed. He did not motion for Hu Landie to eat. Only after tasting every dish did he nod to her. When Hu Landie took a bite, she showed the same reaction as Donghai Longzi.

Tianyi looked at them with suspicion. He also turned to Daoyi, who had also started eating. He couldn't help but suspect they had conspired together to trick him into tasting Mengfei's cooking. Even after over ten thousand years, he could still recall the first bite he had of her cooking. It was unforgettable in a negative kind of way.

Finally, his curiosity triumphed. Instead of transporting it into his inner universe the moment it entered his mouth, he took a bite. The grains of rice, which looked to be carved from jade, revealed a slight sweetness. Their texture was neither mushy nor hard—just perfect.

His eyes widened. "It's good."

Tianyi tried the other food. Compared to Gao Chushi's dishes, it was still far apart, but compared to Mengfei's first attempt, it was like heaven and hell. Tianyi's chopsticks didn't stop. He continued to eat—only his acting became real.

Mengfei, who knew all of this, hid a smile behind the rice bowl in her hand. However, that smile left as soon as it came. No one had sensed the change in her expression.

The meal continued in silence, with only the barest of banter. When it ended, the plates couldn't be described as picked clean, but it wasn't far off.

Mengfei cleared her mouth with some cleansing tea and wiped it with a handkerchief. "Yi'er, Shifang and Landie already have a child. When will you and Daoyi give me a grandchild?"

At this, Tianyi's expression became awkward. "Mother, you know the state of my body. I still haven't perfected the method to recreate my flesh-and-blood body. It might take a bit longer."

"Forget it," Mengfei said, shaking her head. Although she thought Tianyi was the best in the world, it did not mean she didn't know his faults. His biggest one was the lack of pressure. It can be said he cultivated to his current level through sheer talent and a bit of luck alone.

"This will be our last meal together. I probably won't call you all after the ceremony," Mengfei said.

Most of the people present became confused. Unlike with Tianyi, she didn't disclose her future identity to them, but this did not prevent them from speculating.

"How can that be, Mother?" Tianyi said. "We still have a long time together. There will be plenty of chances."

Mengfei did not share his view. She only said, "I hope so."