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Chapter 237 Price
Chen Guangrui's calm words were like a stone thrown into a deep pool, creating silent ripples in the quiet hall.

"Change fate?"

The Queen's voice trembled slightly as she repeated those four words. An incredulous glint flashed in her phoenix eyes, but then the light subsided.

She slowly stood up, the hem of her phoenix robe brushing against the cold jade floor, her gaze fixed on the still calm scholar below the steps with a complex expression.

"Is this true?" She tried to maintain the composure of a king, but a hint of wavering still crept into her voice at the end.

The miraculous effects of the abortion spring water were still fresh in my mind, and the person in front of me truly possessed unfathomable power.

At this moment, the Queen took a deep breath, dismissed all her attendants, and then spoke.

"The immortal's grace has relieved my Western Liang of its urgent crisis; I am deeply grateful. However,"

She changed the subject, her tone filled with bitter helplessness, "I dare not deceive the Marshal. The predicament of my Western Liang Women's Kingdom stems from the imbalance of Yin and Yang in the world. This place is a deadly place where the Yin energy gathers, and the Yang energy is almost cut off. This imbalance has long been engraved in the blood of my Western Liang, becoming a curse passed down from generation to generation."

She raised her hand and pointed towards the river that was faintly visible outside the palace.

"The waters of the Mother-Child River are a manifestation of the power of Yin, extremely domineering. Without the only antidote, the Abortion Spring, the people in the city would have to endure the pain of ten months of pregnancy before giving birth to their babies."

Her words were clear and heavy, dissecting the root of the thousand-year tragedy of the Women's Kingdom. It was not merely the suffering caused by demons' extortion, but also the shackles rooted in the laws of heaven and earth and the depths of one's bloodline.

"For a thousand years," the Queen's voice carried a hint of weary mockery,

"Our predecessors in the Western Liang Dynasty have tried many things. They sought out sacred mountains, prayed to gods and Buddhas, and even... used the entire nation's resources to try to worship the Supreme Taoist Ancestor in order to find a way to resolve the problem."

When she mentioned "Laozi," her gaze seemed to sweep across Chen Guangrui's face, as if trying to catch a hint of something unusual.

"Legend has it that the Dao Ancestor's alchemy skills were unparalleled in the Three Realms, and his Nine-Turn Golden Elixir had the power to defy fate and change destiny."

The Queen's voice lowered, carrying an almost desperate clarity.

"However, our ancestors once heard guidance from an immortal to break the curse of our Western Liang. The elixir needed is even more potent than the Nine-Turn Golden Elixir. How could such a divine object be something that our mortal nation could ever hope to obtain?"

She didn't finish her sentence, but the unspoken meaning was all too clear.

She was grateful to Chen Guangrui for relieving the spring's predicament, but deep down, she did not believe he had the ability to break this curse, which was even more difficult than the Nine-Turn Golden Elixir.

This is almost a direct indication: I've seen your strength; it's very strong, but not strong enough to change fate.

Her probing was subtle yet clear.

Upon hearing that breaking the curse required a medicine even more potent than the Nine-Turn Golden Elixir, Nezha immediately jumped up to speak.

“Nezha, do not be rude.” Chen Guangrui spoke calmly, stopping Nezha. He looked at the Queen, understanding her probing. “I understand Your Majesty’s meaning. The Nine-Turn Golden Elixir of the Supreme Dao Ancestor is indeed profound.”

He acknowledged the level of the Nine-Turn Golden Elixir, but said nothing more, which dimmed the faint hope in the Queen's heart even further. So, even he considered it an unattainable height?
“However,” Chen Guangrui changed the subject, his tone still calm, “I still have some solutions.”

After he finished speaking, he ignored the Queen's expression and did not boast about his methods, but instead put the choice back to the Queen.

I'll tell you now, I have a way to break the fate of your Women's Kingdom. Do you believe me? If you do, then we can talk about terms.

If you don't believe me, I'll turn around and leave.

The Queen did not answer Chen Guangrui's question immediately. She slowly turned around and walked towards the high phoenix throne, each step appearing unusually heavy.

She sat down, her gaze sweeping over the diverse expressions of the people below: the composed Chen Guangrui, the rebellious Nezha, the curious Tang Sheng, the majestic Sun Wukong, the smooth-talking Pleiades Star Lord, and her own ministers, who were filled with both anticipation and deep worry.

The abortion spring water that Chen Guangrui brought was real, and his subjugation of the demon was also real. His words, "change destiny," lingered in her heart like a curse.

The disbelief stems from the deep-seated despair of a thousand years, yet a faint, primal desire for survival is growing wildly.

She recalled the piercing cries of the infants thrown into the Tongtian River, the pale faces of the women who died in childbirth, the horrific scenes described in the Secret Records of Queen Yongtai… and the holy monk now suffering the same pain in the inn.

After a long silence, the Queen's gaze returned to Chen Guangrui. She took a deep breath, as if using all her strength, her voice hoarse with a desperate gamble, and also with a final, cautious inquiry:
"The Women's Kingdom of Xiliang, I would like to hear more about it."

She neither said "believe" nor "disbelieve," but chose to "want to hear the details."

She chose to listen. This was a compromise, but also the beginning of a decision.

The Queen's words, "I would like to hear more," echoed in the silent hall, carrying a hint of desperate anticipation.

Chen Guangrui, however, did not immediately reveal the answer. He took two steps forward and calmly posed a question.
"Your Majesty, there is something I don't understand. The things here have been going on for at least several hundred years. Why wasn't it this difficult before, but now it's become more difficult?"

His question was like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, disrupting the Queen's preconceived expectations.

The Queen was slightly taken aback, not expecting the other party to do the opposite. After a moment's thought, the sorrow between her brows was covered by deeper memories.

"The Abortion Spring has been located on Jieyang Mountain since ancient times. Although it is three thousand miles away, the women of Xiliang have practiced martial arts since childhood and are as strong as men. They can retrieve the spring water in three to five days at a fast pace. Although the journey is arduous, it has solved countless urgent problems. If pregnant women drink the Abortion Spring water in time, they can be spared the pain of childbirth."

She paused, her voice lowering, filled with endless weariness.

At that time, although some women inadvertently drank from the Mother-Child River and were forced to give birth, they were ultimately a minority. While the Abortion Spring was still under control, the people were able to manage to sustain themselves; the curse, though painful, was not yet eradicated.

Chen Guangrui nodded and continued to press, "When did the Ruyi True Lord appear? And how did he gradually seize control of the spring?"

"About five or six years ago." The Queen's tone was tinged with suppressed anger and deep helplessness.
"At first, he only asked for some gold and silver offerings, which was within our means. For the sake of stability, our country tolerated it. But in recent years, especially the last two or three, his appetite has grown ever larger, and his demands have become increasingly outrageous. Gold and silver are no longer enough to satisfy his lust; he has even begun to demand the blood and essence of unmarried women and rare medicinal herbs." She seemed unable to speak, but finally gritted her teeth and said, her voice trembling with humiliation.
"How could Xiliang possibly comply? We could only let them cut off the supply of spring water. This is how the calamity of today came about. Women in the city, regardless of age, whoever accidentally drank the river water could only give birth to children, endure the excruciating pain, and then watch helplessly as their flesh and blood were separated..."

Her words clearly depicted the process of the Bull Demon King's forces pressing forward step by step, the Women's Kingdom retreating step by step, until it was driven to a dead end.

Chen Guangrui understood. There must be traces of the Bull Demon King behind this.

He didn't spell it out, but changed the subject as if searching for a crucial thread, "What happens to those children who had to be born, especially the baby boys, after they're thrown into the Tongtian River? Isn't there anyone secretly supervising them? Otherwise, wouldn't it be better if you kept the remaining boys on your own?"

The Queen shook her head firmly, her tone tinged with a numb despair.

"This is also part of the curse. Once the baby boy leaves the city, he will have no further connection with my Western Liang. If he is forced to stay in the city, he will surely suffer a violent death. No one dares to supervise him, nor is there any need to supervise him. The curse will come true on its own. This has been the case for thousands of years."

The fate of the baby boy seems to be merely a cold, tacitly accepted link in this cycle of curses.

Chen Guangrui hesitated for a moment, seemingly trying to confirm a vague outline. He continued, his tone still steady, but the question began to become specific and peculiar.
"Your Majesty, are there any other powerful monsters lurking within or around this Kingdom of Women? Or are there any monsters skilled in using a weapon that is gleaming with golden light and resembles a scorpion's barb, with potent poison that kills instantly upon contact?"

The Queen listened attentively, a look of confusion on her face. She thought it over carefully, and finally shook her head firmly, her eyes open and honest.
"What the immortal said is something I have never heard of. As for that golden, glittering scorpion tail with its barbed venom, I have never heard of any demon ever using it. Within our territory and the surrounding areas, apart from the demons and monsters of the Ruyi Zhenjun gang on Jieyang Mountain, I have not heard of any other great demons manifesting themselves and causing trouble in recent years. I can confirm that none of what you asked about exists here."

Her answer was resolute and did not seem feigned.

Chen Guangrui knew that the queen was just a mortal, and there were many things she might not know.

"Hey!" Nezha, who was standing to the side, had already grown impatient and crossed his arms.

"Asking around is such a hassle! If you want to know if there are any monsters, just bring that local earth god here and ask him. He'll know exactly how many hairs are in someone's cave!"

He had a "why bother?" look on his face, his golden eyes full of impatience.

Chen Guangrui immediately raised his hand to stop him, his movements swift and decisive, "No."

The Pleiades Star Lord, who had been standing with his eyes downcast and mind at ease, subtly adjusted his posture at this moment. Hearing Chen Guangrui's words, he already knew who Chen Guangrui was asking about, and his expression became very unnatural.

Chen Guangrui's gaze returned to the Queen, and this time, he remained silent for a long time.

The Queen met his gaze, seemingly waiting for an answer.

After an unknown amount of time, Chen Guangrui finally spoke.

"Your Majesty, I have a way to change this so-called fate and break the curse in the bloodline of your Western Liang Women's Kingdom."

The hall fell silent; you could hear a pin drop. Even breathing seemed to stop. All eyes were fixed on him.
Even the usually calm Queen was filled with shock and disbelief.
Changing fate? Is this really something a mortal... no, even an immortal could do? A thousand-year curse has kept them in this desperate situation. Can this person really do it?

The Queen's heart sank suddenly, then began to pound uncontrollably. Her fingertips unconsciously gripped the cold, gilded armrests of the phoenix chair, her knuckles turning white from the force.

The flame of hope that had just been ignited by the other party's confirmation that they could change their fate was instantly doused with a bucket of ice water.

She was conscious.

There are no free gifts in this world, especially not something as defying fate as that. The tragic images of Queen Yongtai and the others who had died suddenly flashed through her mind. She straightened her back, which trembled slightly with fear, striving to maintain her royal dignity, her voice slightly hoarse and tense, "What method?"

She asked, trying to keep her voice steady, but the turmoil in her heart betrayed her inner turmoil.

Chen Guangrui looked into her eyes and said calmly, each word like a hammer blow to the Queen's heart, "This method cannot be revealed now."

Amidst the astonished gazes of the Queen and the crowd, he paused slightly, his tone growing even heavier, as if declaring some immutable law:

"Moreover, this requires you, and the entire Western Liang Women's Kingdom, to pay the corresponding price to cooperate."

cost?

The Queen felt as if an invisible hand was gripping her heart tightly, almost suffocating her.

Sure enough! There are no free lunches in this world! She could almost foresee the weight of that "price"—perhaps a more cruel sacrifice, perhaps an unimaginable offering, or even the destruction of the entire kingdom.

Just like those predecessors who tried to defy the curse!
The air inside the hall solidified once more, a hundred times heavier than before. Hope and the immense unknown cost intertwined, forming an invisible net that weighed heavily on everyone's hearts, making it hard to breathe.

The excitement of "changing fate" cooled instantly, leaving only the cold reality and the heavy choice.

The Queen was caught in an unprecedented struggle. Her gaze swept over her loyal yet equally terrified subjects below her, and she seemed to see the helpless cries of the infants thrown into the Tongtian River, the agonizing faces of women in difficult childbirth, and the corpses scattered everywhere as described in the Yongtai Secret Records... A thousand years of despair surged back like a cold tide, almost drowning her.

But Chen Guangrui's calm yet resolute gaze, his ability to ride the clouds, and the miraculous effects of the Abortion Spring water were like a lighthouse in the darkness, tempting her to seize this only possible chance of survival.

What will the price be? The entire nation's wealth? The nation's resources? Or... something even more terrifying?

She stared intently at Chen Guangrui, trying to glean any clue from his calm, expressionless face, but to no avail. The immense pressure made it almost impossible for her to think; her lips moved a few times before she managed to utter a question, her voice trembling without her even realizing it.

"What price?"

Meeting her complex gaze, Chen Guangrui remained calm, but uttered a sentence that chilled the Queen's heart even more.

"I can't say the price right now." He paused slightly, then added, his gaze seemingly glancing casually in the direction of the Tongtian River. "I need your cooperation, and I need to go somewhere to confirm some things first."

(End of this chapter)