Lan Wangji laid Xiao Zhan down on one of the beds in the medical bay and stayed by his side, unwilling to leave his side even for a moment.
"Let me check his condition." Wen Qing said as she walked over to the bed. A soft glow formed between her fingers as she gently placed it against Xiao Zhan's abdomen, allowing her Qi to run freely and circulate throughout his meridian pathways to assess and treat the man's spiritual system. "There are no major internal injuries." She muttered.
She paused to look at Lan Wangji with an unreadable expression before she moved her hand to hover above Xiao Zhan's abdomen, focusing all her attention on it. She pulled her hand back, her expression was a mixture of wonderment and surprise. Her lips pursed and her eyes narrowed in thought.
"Is he alright?" Sect Leader Nie asked, genuinely concerned. Beside him, both his sons spotted a worried look on their faces as they asked the same question.
"He should recover." Wen Qing said as she shook her head slightly, "But...This is almost unbelievable."
"What is?" Lan Wangji asked anxiously.
Wen Qing glanced at Xiao Zhan's belly before answering, "He is..." She trailed off, contemplating whether or not she should relay the information there and then.
"He is what?" Nie Mingjue demanded impatiently.
"Pregnant." Wen Qing blurted out.
Lan Wangji's eyes widened as he stared disbelievingly at Wen Qing, stuttering slightly,"...P-pregnant?"
Everyone else who was present in the room went radio silent as well, gawking at Wen Qing with incredulity in their eyes. Wen Ning included.
"You mean to say that he is... there is a baby in him?!" Nie Huaisang shouted in shock, his voice cracking in disbelief, "How is that possible?"
"Well... it is indeed unusual but not unheard of." Wen Qing explained, shrugging nonchalantly, "However, this particular case is extremely rare. It only happened to a couple with an exceptional level of cultivation and with perfect match of compatibility. Despite being a man, it appears that Wei Wuxian has a vast amount of Yin energy in him." She turned to Lan Wangji as she pointed out, "And you, Second Young Master Lan, have abundant of pure Yang qi in you. Judging from this outcome, I guess the exchange of Jing and mixing of energies between the two of you occur quite frequently?"
Lan Wangji could feel all eyes staring at him. He lowered his head, his ears burning red with embarrassment. His voice trembled, "...Wei Ying is... with a child?"
"Yes. Congratulations, Second Young Master Lan." Wen Qing said bluntly.
Lan Wangji blinked his eyes repeatedly, processing the word 'pregnant' in his mind a few times in rapid succession as his heart began beating wildly. He looked down at the man he loved, his hand went onto his abdomen where their child resided. He asked quietly as he gave the spot a small rub, "Is the baby okay?"
"The baby looks fine albeit a little on the fragile side." Wen Qing informed, "But we need to make sure that Wei Wuxian's core is no longer on rampage for the child to actually survive. I will need to perform further treatments on him to fully stabilize his core."
"Please. Do what you think necessary to keep them safe." Lan Wangji requested, his usual stoic face was laden with anxiety.
Wen Qing nodded and put her attention back to Xiao Zhan once more. The process seemed to bring some discomfort to Xiao Zhan as the man grunted lowly through clenched teeth every time Wen Qing probed him for damage.
Lan Wangji squeezed his lover's hand in support as he and the others watched the treatment take place with mixed feelings. The others were silent as they processed the shocking but miraculous fact, and wondered how to act in light of such a revelation. Even Nie Huaisang had a blank look on his face.
After a long while, Wen Qing finally stopped as she declared, "This should do for now. We'll just have to monitor him and the child closely from now on."
Lan Wangji released a breath he hadn't realized he was holding in, "Alright. Thank you."
...Child?
As if it was on cue, Xiao Zhan's eyelids fluttered and he groaned weakly as his consciousness returned to him.
"Wei Ying, you're awake." Lan Wangji immediately reached forward to support his lover's back, relief coloring his voice.
Xiao Zhan lifted his head a little to look around at the various people surrounding him until he focused on his lover's face and spoke hoarsely, "What child are you talking about?"
"Our child." Lan Wangji answered, his voice conveyed a mixture of emotions.
Xiao Zhan frowned even further, seemingly not processing what was happening around him. "Huh?" He croaked before coughing slightly. He looked around again, confusion evident in his eyes, "What do you mean our child?"
"You are pregnant." Lan Wangji told him, his tone gentle.
Xiao Zhan froze for a while before exclaiming "Me?! Pregnant?" Then he laughed humorlessly, "That is absurd."
"No, it's not absurd." Lan Wangji disagreed, his hands coming up to brush over Xiao Zhan's hair and cheeks lovingly, "It is the truth."
Xiao Zhan bolted upright and looked at his belly apprehensively. "What? Our...? I am...?"
"Pregnant. Yes." Wen Qing stated simply. "You're about 16 weeks along now."
For a while, all Xiao Zhan could do was stare at the person in front of him as his brain tried desperately to catch up and accept the information given to him. "Lan Zhan, this is a joke, right?" He asked hesitantly, looking at Lan Wangji with a mix of uncertainty and desperation.
"No, Wei Ying." Lan Wangji replied. He could see why his lover was so confused and upset. This kind of news was completely unprecedented and was hard to understand at first. "It's not a joke. You are truly pregnant."
Xiao Zhan lifted his face and looked directly into his beloved's golden eyes, "I'm really carrying... your child?"
"Mn." Lan Wangji confirmed calmly, rubbing small circles into his back comfortingly. "It's alright. Everything will be fine... I'm here for you."
"How is this possible?" Xiao Zhan asked again, his chest rising rapidly.
"This is not a normal pregnancy, Wei Wuxian." Wen Qing stated solemnly, "This child is a result of your dual cultivation practices. This is a very rare phenomenon. It has only been recorded twice in all recorded history. You happened to possess a body that overflowing with Yin energy and Second Young Master Lan has the perfect Yang counterpart. Hence, when the two of you practiced together frequently, the union resulted in this pregnancy."
"But... anatomically..." Xiao Zhan trailed off, not quite grasping what Wen Qing had just told him.
Wen Qing sighed lightly, "Here is the interesting part. Yin energy can strengthen any body structure," Wen Qing revealed as she pointed to Xiao Zhan's torso, "but when Yin energy comes in contact with Yang energy and harmonizes, it will adapt and evolve to create the perfect environment for conception. In your case, a womb that allows this pregnancy to take place. I believe you already experienced the effects of the pregnancy earlier."
All of a sudden, a horrified expression came across Xiao Zhan's face; and realization quickly dawned upon him. "A womb?" Xiao Zhan murmured, his mind reeling. He recalled the nausea and dizziness left him weak in the past weeks. His hand reached for his abdomen subconsciously. A soft gasp escaped his lips when he felt the smaller pulsating core that was almost unnoticeable.
"The child seems to have developed normally but, considering the fact that there is still a slight chance of complications, I would advise you not to move too strenuously or strain yourself as you cannot heal properly if that happens. The pregnancy is still quite far from completion so, as such, rest is essential."
"Will Wei Ying be okay?" Lan Wangji asked.
Wen Qing nodded, "I will look after him carefully. Rest assured."
Sect Leader Nie sighed, "So my son is going to give birth?"
"Yes. In about six months." Wen Qing informed him, nodding her head in affirmation.
"That is good news." Sect Leader Nie said, a faint smile forming on his face, "I am glad that I am going to get to a grandchild soon."
"I think we are forgetting something." Nie Mingjue stated as he glanced at Xiao Zhan, asking quietly, "What was that dark thing earlier? What is the relation between this pregnancy and the terrifying power you displayed?"
Xiao Zhan stiffened visibly at the question while Lan Wangji tightened his grip around him. He knew he needed to explain things. He already exposed his secret in the incident earlier. He confessed, "That was my other cultivation method. I cultivate with resentful energy."
Silence filled the room once more. All three Nie members looked at Xiao Zhan in bewilderment.
"...This is what I have been keeping hidden from everyone." Xiao Zhan muttered softly.
Nie Mingjue's eyebrows furrowed together as he pondered for a brief moment before he muttered, "That explains the bloodlust and anger you showed before."
Sect Leader Nie hummed thoughtfully before asking, "What is the nature of this cultivation method?"
"It is almost similar to Nie clan's cultivation method, Father." Xiao Zhan explained he lowered his head, "But instead of beast spirits, I use the resentment of the dead."
Nie Mingjue narrowed his eyes slightly as he mulled over these words for a few seconds before speaking, "Are you saying that you can control resentful energy?"
"Yes." Xiao Zhan nodded his head.
"But if you can control it, what happened earlier?" Nie Huaisang chimed in, curious.
Xiao Zhan tensed under everyone's scrutiny. The question stumped him as he searched his mind for an appropriate answer.
"It was actually due to the pregnancy which caused some imbalance in both energies within him and he lost his control of them for a while," Wen Qing interjected to help him, "But it should be fine now since I had temporarily sealed his core."
Xiao Zhan whipped his head to look at her and asked urgently, "What are you saying, Qing-jie?"
Wen Qing met Xiao Zhan's gaze unflinchingly as she calmly said, "Ah, I should've mentioned this. I have to seal your core for this pregnancy as its instability could cause serious injury to the fetus."
"What do you mean?" Xiao Zhan asked with a frown.
"Your spiritual energy was surging out of control and due to that, your body instinctively harnessed more resentful energy as a reactive defense mechanism."
"But... We are going for a war, how am I supposed to fight if you seal my core?" Xiao Zhan exclaimed, frustrated. The atmosphere in the room changed drastically.
Wen Qing sighed deeply as she looked apologetically at him, "I know this is difficult, Wei Wuxian, but we need to do this. For your sake and the child inside you as well."
"Wei Ying... You're not going to fight." Lan Wangji opened his mouth, looking at Xiao Zhan seriously. "l will not allow you to risk your life or our child's life."
"Lan Zhan, don't be ridiculous!" Xiao Zhan exclaimed heatedly, glaring at Lan Wangji. "Of course, I will fight! We've planned for this war for months!"
"We did. But that does not mean you must go to war with us." Lan Wangji argued back, shaking his head. "You're pregnant now and our child is my top priority now, " he added as he placed both of his hands on Xiao Zhan's belly, caressing it gently. "I have to protect both of you."
Xiao Zhan clenched his teeth, clearly not pleased by his lover's response. Tears began to well up in his eyes once more. Lan Wangji's gentle touch on his stomach caused a strong wave of emotions to surge within Xiao Zhan. He pushed Lan Wangji's hand away as he protested, "No! You cannot win the war without me! Especially against Wen Ruohan! Please do not say that I am not allowed to fight by your side. There is no way I'll stand idly by while others die. It's for the sake of... this baby too."
"Wei Ying!" Lan Wangji frowned deeply.
"Lan Zhan!" Xiao Zhan insisted stubbornly, his eyes flashed red as he stared determinedly back into Lan Wangji's golden ones. Anger was evident in the intensity of his tone. "So many people's lives are depending on me, yet you want me to stay behind! I refuse!"
"Calm down, Wei Ying." Lan Wangji hushed softly, trying his best to soothe Xiao Zhan.
"Don't tell me to calm down!" Xiao Zhan shouted.
"Wei Ying! Stop it Listen to me-" Lan Wangji grabbed Xiao Zhan's shoulders tightly as he tried to bring him in for an embrace. "Please... Think of our child and yourself!" Lan Wangji pleaded desperately.
Xiao Zhan struggled out of Lan Wangji's embrace as he stared angrily at him. "And what about you? What about your safety, Lan Zhan?! I can't lose you! I will die if you die, Lan Zhan! Don't you understand?! If anything happens to you, I swear I will kill all those who dared hurt you!"
"Wei Ying..." Lan Wangji whispered softly as he cupped Xiao Zhan's cheeks gently. His voice broke as he gazed directly into Xiao Zhan's eyes, "Wake up."
Xiao Zhan blinked several times confusedly, "Wake up??"
"Please wake up, Wei Ying." Lan Wangji repeated, his voice getting louder as he spoke.
At long last, Xiao Zhan realized that he was lying on a bed and someone holding onto him tightly as he woke. He then opened his eyes, his vision still blurry. Once he had managed to focus, he realized that he was looking straight into Lan Wangji's beautiful eyes which were staring intently into his own with a mixture of relief and anxiety. He took in a deep breath, feeling pain throbbing through his chest and head.
"You're finally awake..." Lan Wangji whispered gently, his hands caressing Xiao Zhan's face tenderly and wiping away his tear streaked cheeks.
"...Hm?" Xiao Zhan murmured as he looked around before his eyes settling on Lan Wangji's face, "How did I get here?"
"You passed out." Lan Wangji replied as his thumb brushed away the remaining tears on Xiao Zhan's cheeks. "Are you feeling alright?"
"Mm... yeah." Xiao Zhan nodded, he could feel his fingers trembling and his heart thudding hard in his chest. His hand reached out to his abdomen, feeling if there was any sign of a life form inside it. He didn't feel any. He let out a sigh of relief, although a small part of him ached slightly. He closed his eyes and leaned heavily into Lan Wangji's chest, burying his face in it, "I guess I was dreaming."
Lan Wangji wrapped his arms tightly around Xiao Zhan. He rested his chin on Xiao Zhan's head, "What is it about that made you cry?"
Xiao Zhan shook his head lightly as he nuzzled deeper into Lan Wangji's embrace. His heart felt so heavy. His mind felt foggy. He mumbled, "It's nothing much. Just a dream."
"Alright," Lan Wangji said before pressing a kiss on the top of Xiao Zhan's head. "At least you're awake now. I was worried."
*******
A/N: Sorry for trolling... Hehe
Notes:
Qi (lifeforce) and Jing (essence)
The basis of all Taoist thinking is that qi (æ°£) is part of everything in existence. Qi is related to another energetic substance contained in the human body known as jing (ç²¾). The fluid believed to contain the most jing is semen.
{Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taoist_sexual_practices}
Yep...good old Wikipedia as a source.