Killer Queen: Tyrant, prepare to die!

Chapter 17: Innate Spiritual Body! The Fetus Cultivates in the Womb

The first lesson after becoming an apprentice begins at the hour of Yin (3-5 AM).

It was still dark when the faint sound of a watchman's clapper drifted from afar—it was the fourth watch of the night. Shen Qingci opened her eyes and silently got up.

Jinshu slept soundly in the outer room, her breathing even.

Shen Qingci dressed herself—in a set of old, dark-colored clothes that allowed for easy movement, with the cuffs and trouser legs tied tightly with strips of cloth. Then she pushed open the back window and climbed out.

In the courtyard, Eunuch Li was already waiting.

He was still wearing that faded eunuch's robe, his back hunched, but standing there, he resembled an old tree that had been rooted for many years, remarkably calm and composed.

"Your Majesty is on time." He said softly.

"Master." Shen Qingci bowed respectfully.

Eunuch Li nodded, said nothing more, and began directly: "The first level of the 'Eternal Spring Manual' emphasizes the foundation. Your Majesty already has the 'Nourishing Qi Chapter' as a foundation, so you will learn it faster. However, you must be extra careful when practicing during pregnancy—even the slightest deviation in internal energy could harm the fetus."

"Disciple understands."

"Alright." Eunuch Li gestured for her to sit cross-legged. "First, regulate your breathing. Feel the Qi in your Dantian, guide it upwards, past the Tanzhong point, to the Baihui point, and then downwards back to the Dantian. This completes one cycle."

Shen Qingci did as instructed.

Her foundation in the "Cultivating Qi" manual allowed her to quickly enter a meditative state. She could now freely guide the warm current that had flowed from the fetus's body. With her eyes closed, she felt her internal energy slowly flowing through her meridians.

It runs very smoothly.

But just as the internal energy reached the area near the lower abdomen, a sudden change occurred—

The fetus... moved.

This is not ordinary fetal movement.

It was that kind of... rhythmic movement. One beat after another, as if it were in sync with the flow of her internal energy.

Moreover, Shen Qingci clearly felt that the fetus was absorbing the internal energy she was circulating!

It's no longer the unconscious, slow absorption of before, but an active, selective absorption—picking out only the purest parts.

"Ugh..." she groaned, beads of sweat appearing on her forehead.

The feeling of having one's inner strength drained is strange, like a piece of one's body being hollowed out. But then, the fetus will immediately return with a gentler, more enduring force. It's like... an exchange?

"Your Majesty?" Eunuch Li sensed something was wrong.

"Master," Shen Qingci opened her eyes, her voice slightly breathless, "the fetus is... absorbing my internal energy."

Eunuch Li frowned and immediately reached out to feel her pulse.

A moment later, his expression changed.

It's not a concern.

Yes... I'm shocked.

"This child..." he murmured to himself, his cloudy eyes revealing disbelief for the first time, "He can actually actively guide the mother's internal energy, convert it for his own use, and then feed it back into pure energy... This, this is..."

He released his grip and stared at Shen Qingci's lower abdomen for a long time.

Then, he slowly uttered four words:

"A born spiritual being."

Shen Qingci was taken aback: "A spirit?"

"A martial arts prodigy, one in a century." Eunuch Li took a deep breath, his tone complex. "This old servant has only seen records of such things in ancient books. They say that some people are born with clear meridians, able to absorb the spiritual energy of heaven and earth on their own, and can even cultivate in the womb. If such a person were to embark on the path of martial arts, they would surely achieve great things. However..."

He paused for a moment: "Although spiritual beings are powerful, they are also prone to attracting trouble. Especially when they are in the womb, if they are discovered by someone with ulterior motives, their spiritual energy may be forcibly taken away, or... they may be refined into evil beings."

Shen Qingci's heart tightened, and she instinctively protected her lower abdomen with her hand.

"Your Highness need not worry too much." Eunuch Li noticed her nervousness. "Very few people know about spirits. Even this old servant wouldn't be sure if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes. As long as we are careful to conceal it, there should be no problem."

He thought for a moment and then said, "However... since the fetus is a spirit, Your Majesty's practice method needs to be adjusted."

"How do I adjust it?"

"You can no longer simply practice the 'Eternal Spring Mantra'," said Eunuch Li. "You must coordinate with the fetus's rhythm. When it absorbs, you supply. When it feeds back, you accept. Mother and child practicing together will be twice as effective, but the risks are also greater—if it gets out of control, it could result in mutual harm."

Shen Qingci lowered her head and gently stroked her lower abdomen.

There, the fetus moved again.

Very gentle.

It's as if it's saying: Mother, don't be afraid, I'll help you.

"Master," she raised her head, her eyes resolute, "I will learn."

No matter how difficult it is, you must learn it.

For the sake of the children, and for your own sake.

Eunuch Li looked at her and nodded.

From that day on, Shen Qingci's daily practice became the most secretive scene in the Cold Palace.

Every day from the hour of Yin (3-5 AM), without fail for two hours.

During the worst days of her morning sickness, she would stop and gag every now and then, vomiting until tears streamed down her face. Jinshu felt so sorry for her that she cried and said, "Your Majesty, why don't you take a day off?" Shen Qingci just shook her head, rinsed her mouth, and continued.

Because she could feel that after each practice session, the fetus's vitality became stronger.

And her health is improving rapidly.

The toxins were gradually removed, and her internal strength deepened day by day. Although she was still far from being a true master, at least she was no longer the deposed empress lying in bed waiting to die.

Even more remarkably, the fetus's extraordinary abilities began to manifest.

That noon, Shen Qingci was preparing medicine.

Besides teaching her martial arts, Eunuch Li also began teaching her toxicology and medicine. A dozen or so medicinal herbs were laid out on the table; she was preparing a new antidote formula—the previous one was effective, but too slow. She wanted to speed things up.

Just as he was concentrating, Wang Fu's shrill cursing voice suddenly came from outside.

"Useless thing! You can't even keep an eye on one person! If she sneaks out again, you'll be sorry!"

Then came the sound of whips lashing and the little eunuch's screams.

Shen Qingci paused for a moment.

The hatred in my heart surged up uncontrollably.

Wang Fu.

That arrogant old eunuch, relying on his master's power, will one day...

Just as I was thinking this, I suddenly felt a warmth in my lower abdomen.

A peaceful, gentle force emanated from the fetus, flowing along her meridians and instantly calming the anger in her chest.

It was as if a pair of gentle little hands were patting her heart: Mother, don't be angry, don't be angry.

Shen Qingci was stunned.

This is not internal energy.

It's more like...emotional soothing?

She tried to recall those painful memories again—the dethronement of the empress, the confiscation of her property, the poisoning…

Just as hatred began to surface, that warm current returned.

Gentle, yet firm, she suppressed those negative emotions.

Then, the fetus moved slightly.

It's as if it's saying: Mother, the past is the past. We must look forward now.

Shen Qingci's eyes welled up with tears.

She put down the herbs and gently placed her hand on her lower abdomen.

"Bao'er," she whispered, "you're afraid your mother will get sick from getting upset, aren't you?"

The fetus moved again, as if nodding.

"Silly child." Shen Qingci smiled, her smile tinged with tears. "Mother is alright. Mother needs to save her strength to protect you."

From that day on, she discovered that the fetus was unusually sensitive to emotions.

When she is angry, the fetus will release a calming inner force to soothe her.

She was sad, and the fetus would kick gently, as if trying to distract her.

Even when she was plotting revenge, and her thoughts were racing too fast and too fiercely, the fetus would remind her with that warm current: Mother, take it slow, don't rush.

This ability shocked Eunuch Li once again.

"Emotional resonance..." he murmured, "A spirit can actually achieve this..."

He looked at Shen Qingci with a complicated expression: "Your Majesty, this child... will likely be extraordinary in the future."

Shen Qingci just smiled.

Is that too much to ask?

She didn't care whether her child would become a peerless master in the future, or whether he was some kind of once-in-a-century spiritual being.

All she cared about was that he could be born safely and grow up healthy.

This is enough.

The days passed by.

Shen Qingci's belly is slowly starting to show.

Four months later, her curves were already quite noticeable. She had to bind her abdomen with strips of cloth and wear loose old clothes over it to barely cover it up.

Practicing martial arts, studying medicine, detoxification, strategizing...

Every day is fulfilling, and every day is also dangerous.

Wang Fu's surveillance is getting tighter and tighter. Although there's been no movement from Liu Ruyan for the time being, Shen Qingci knows that the woman won't let it go.

And Nangong Ye...

She would occasionally hear news about that man from the idle chatter of the palace maids and eunuchs.

He reviewed memorials until late at night.

He also bestowed some precious treasures upon Consort Rou.

He went hunting in the hunting grounds and shot three geese with one arrow.

He was still that cold, wise emperor who doted on his concubine.

He seemed to have completely forgotten that in the cold palace to the west, there was a woman he had personally sent there.

It's better to forget about it.

Shen Qingci thought.

Forgetting is the best cover.

Give her time to build up her strength.

That night, at midnight.

Shen Qingci finished practicing and was about to rest when he suddenly sensed a movement—

There are people outside the courtyard wall.

It was neither Wang Fu nor a eunuch.

The aura was well concealed, but it couldn't escape her current perception.

She quietly got out of bed, walked to the window, and looked out through the crack.

Under the moonlight, a dark figure silently scaled the wall.

His movements were crisp and clean, clearly showing he was quite skilled.

After landing, the man looked around and then walked towards the dilapidated house where Eunuch Li usually lived.

Shen Qingci's heart tightened.

who is it?

Were they sent by Liu Ruyan to silence us?

still is……

She was hesitating whether to wake up Eunuch Li when she saw him walk to the front of the house. He didn't knock, but instead took something out of his pocket and gently knocked three times on the window.

Two short and one long.

The code was exactly the same as the one used by Eunuch Li.

A moment later, the door opened.

Eunuch Li appeared at the door.

The man bowed to Eunuch Li and whispered something.

The distance was too great for Shen Qingci to hear clearly.

But she saw that Eunuch Li nodded, and then the two of them went into the house together.

The door closed.

There was no more sound.

Shen Qingci stood by the window and waited for a long time.

Until the door reopened, the man in black left and disappeared into the night.

She went back to bed and lay down.

But questions churned in my mind.

Who is that person?

A former subordinate of Eunuch Li?

Members of the late Empress Dowager's secret guards?

still is……

Just then, the little one inside my belly gave me a gentle kick.

It was as if it was reminding her: Mother, it's time to sleep.

Shen Qingci sighed and placed her hand on it.

"Okay," she whispered, "I'm going to sleep now."

Close your eyes.

But the scene from just now was still on my mind.

The secret of Eunuch Li.

The network of the secret guards.

And then there's the increasingly complex chess game she's about to face...

Outside the window, the moonlight was like water.

The man in black who had just left was now standing in the alley outside the Cold Palace, glancing back at the dilapidated palace walls.

Beneath the mask, a very faint smile played at the corners of his lips.

"Shen Qingci..." he murmured the name.

"interesting."

Then, he turned around and disappeared into the night.

It's as if it never happened.