Q: Can A Ghost Be Pregnant? If So, How Does One Give Birth? Anxiously Waiting For A Reply!

As he slowly gained sense of the situation, he slowly asked,

"I-I'm what?"

"Hah, do you seriously need me to say it out loud? You and I both know that you're-"

*Boom* *Boom*

A loud rumbling could be heard from outside, as thunder sounded and lightning strikes down from the sky. Making itself known, spectators recalled at the time, it was like carrying out a divine decree.

That was the last straw that broke the camel's back. Song One's knees buckled and he immediately collapsed onto the floor.

Both of them looked into the other's eyes. For a long time, no one said anything. Song One's shaking pupils, filled with shock and horror, met with Cheng Lin's steady gaze. She had the look of someone who has seen through the vicissitude of life , though she was secretly surprised as well.

Tears filled the corners of his eyes, and he started bawling on the grassy land. His tears helped watering the place, so she didn't stop him. Plus, she was accustomed to his childish acts, so she was able to accept it easier than others. She just poured herself a cup of tea, blowing on it, and slowly drank; as if all this was just a daily part of her life.

She knew that, despite being in the same situation as her, they were different. They were

both contracted ghost spirits, one to the Third Nine Serenities' Ruler: Striped Two and the other to Song One's mysterious lover who also has the surname Song. Sometimes, this Slow-Witted Song could be seen in a daze, muttering someone's name affectionately; many close people tried getting an answer but all he said was 'We're just friends,'(Song) and 'XXX Song is a guy, a guy!' so no one could ever get a straight answer out of him. Eventually, most of us just gave up.

"So did you try creating a Way using mine as a basis?"

Cheng Lin asked curiously. Although it was a joke, she knew that each Way was different, and no two Ways' would be the same. Her Way of Nurturing New Life was the process of life itself. She would get pregnant, and then give birth. She carried out this process with the constitution of a ghost spirit. Therefore, nothing unexpected happened.

Before that, she would give birth to a new life while having the constitution of a ghost spirit… but during those days, she had to a certain extent already—with the help of her way to immortality—obtained a body made of flesh like that a human, which made her way to immortality advance one step further. Now, although she was still a ghost in essence, her physical form was closer to that of a human.

'Should I try giving birth(to a child)the next time then?'

"The **** are you talking about? You know that it's not that simple. Otherwise, there wouldn't be such a scarce amount of Eternal Life Beings,"

Song One pushed her fantasies away. Aside from Cheng Lin and a limited amount of Eternal Life Beings', the rest of the population were Tribulation Transcenders or lower. Eternal Life Beings, as the name states, literally means forever living. They are Tribulation Transcenders who have tread their own unique Way. This stage isn't the Tenth Stage and actually just a half-step of Ninth Stage. So instead of being considered the Tenth Stage, it's just the 9.5 Stage.

Once a Tribulation Transcender trod a Way, he will gain an unlimited life span, just like the title implied. However, it doesn't mean an Eternal Life Being can't be killed and die. Although being a Tribulation Transcender already incredibly powerful with the life span of ten million+, they weren't eternal and imperishable; Tribulation Transcenders can still die if killed by another Eternal Life Being/Heavenly Way or by some other unknown method. Therefore, all those ancient Tribulation Transcenders started to look for a way to increase their realm by one step and becoming 'immortal'. Their objective wasn't to become imperishable like the Heavenly Way, but to live forever.

In the end, those ancient Tribulation Transcenders researched many ways and those that were extremely powerful and capable of bearing the 'Mandate of Heaven' trotted their own Way.

Normally the vast majority of the Eternal Life Beings would find their own Way only after advancing to the Ninth Stage Tribulation Transcender Realm—finally grasping the concept of eternal life—there were some that would find their path during the Eighth Stage Profound Saint Realm, or even earlier.

A Tribulation Transcender must tread their own Way to be an Eternal Life Being. There are many Tribulation Immortals in the All Heavens and Myriad Realms, due to being unable to tread their own Way, can't live forever despite possessing an extremely long lifespan. Few die of old age.

There are a few unique characteristics of a Way, such as:

1. No two Eternal Life Beings can have the same Way at the same time.

So even if you were born twins from the same mother, your characteristics could be totatlly different from the other. And why -even if you think you're unimportant- no 2 person would ever be the same, internally and externally, when raised in the same process.

2. A Way may and can be passed around by the owner of such Way.

Most Ninth Stages try to take other's Way since they haven't gained enlightenment. But finding an Eternal Life Being was like trying to pick a grain of sand out of the entire seashore. And the probability of winning against them was even less; as Heavenly City was ruled by the most powerful Eternal Life Being besides the Scholarly Sage, Heavenly Emperor, and the powerful army behind him made it possible to rule with an iron fist.

3. An Eternal Life Being may have more than one Way, but most have 1 due to being content with their Way, were unable to find a Way or their Way got destroyed or collapsed.

Ways may have existed since previous eras, but they were hidden so well that current Ninth Stages couldn't find them or could seek help from Eternal Life Beings to enlightening them. Again, almost all of them couldn't be seen unless you were part of the Heavenly Court-and even if you are- the chances of meeting them is almost impossible.

4. An Eternal Life Being can only have one Way active at any given time.

So despite the fact that an Eternal Life Being could theoretically have multiple Ways; they would not be able to practice it as they would need to deactivate their current Way to practice the other, and there's a high chance of being incompatible as each Way were catered to fit the cultivator.

Imagine a 1 billion+ female cultivator of the Ninth Stage developing her Way

Unfortunately, no one was insane or free enough to test these theories out. Thus, they remain as hidden(?) or unknown laws of a Way, until this day. But it will soon be discovered by 2 of the most influential individuals in Heavenly City.

"Back to the topic on hand: how does it feel to be pregnant?"

Recalling this, he dropped his head down, lost in thought. If it was anyone else saying this, he would've given them a 'smokebomb' to their faces and stole all their possessions while cussing at their 18 generations. But this was Cheng Lin. Even if they weren't acquainted, the fact that she's an Eternal Life Being that gives birth routinely, no one would be better at saying things like this than her.

But imagine saying that to a 18-yr old teenager that's actually a ghost, it was like an OB-GYN asking a woman 'how does it feel like to give birth?' when she's pregnant.

(I don't know his actual age since it was never mentioned, but if we take in account of how old Song Shuhang was before they parted and the time in the story, it's should've been a few months- years, give or take)

'The problem's that if I cuss at her in her own house, there's a chance that I might really die this time. But the bigger question is-'

"-how did this happened?"

Silence.

"I should be asking you that, you slow-witted fool,"

*Haizz* With a little humor in her tone, she brutally retorted.

"But it's impossible for me to be in this state, I have something between my legs! Plus, you know how pure I am, right? There's no way I would let any man touch my Chrysanthemum, let alone get me pregnant,"

'Unless-'

*Gasp*

He reached for something between his legs -and after feeling that something was indeed there- he relaxed. Standing behind him, Cheng Lin rolled her eyes.

"What happened prior to this, my dear friend? Was a curse placed on you? Or have you eaten something strange? If we rule out your gender being changed, for both of those things to happen to you isn't far-fetched. So how about you cough up your crimes, you ********,"

"Even if you say that, I-"

'Don't tell me,it was from then?'

Perhaps coming to realizing how he came to the current predicament; he wanted to cry, but had no tears to shed at the situation.

With his face looking constipated, he managed to spew out:

"I think, it happened when I looked into something's eyes,"

"Hm? Something? Well, spit it out, I'm curious to find out what magical artifact can make a man-"

Unbelievably, Song One flushed and stopped Cheng Lin from saying it.

"I-It wasn't an item, but it also wasn't exactly a living person. It was like a living magical weapon,"

"How? It takes an extremely long time, plus you'd have to have a great affinity with your magical weapon, to produce a living magical weapon. And even after fulfilling those conditions there's a chance of not having a result,"

A living magical weapon was something that not even Eternal Life Beings could get their hands on. The ones who were able to manifest them could be counted on both hands.

So for a living magical weapon to manifest itself in a humanoid form, it's owner must be extremely powerful, maybe existing since the First Heavenly Will's Wielder.

"Amazing, for you to attract the attention of an Almighty, as expected of you. Now if we can learn how you managed to get *** like that, we may be able to solve one of the most difficult problems at of yet in the cultivation world: infertility. Think how great this academic piece will be,"

Cheng Lin was speaking from a scholar's point of view, and how it would contribute to the cultivation world. But Song One didn't care for all that, and frustratingly sulked:

"Screw you and your research, Cheng Lin! What I want to know is how I got *** like that, and by a living magical weapon at that! The Heavens must be jealous of me, that's it! Otherwise, how could I, this purebred virgin, have a child,"

"What about me then, huh? I've been a white jade since the day I was conceived, yet I still managed to give birth. Screw you! Do you think you're the last virgin on this planet? Besides, the West had this story spread about how a virgin named Mary was pregnant with 'God's touch', yet was still a- ahahaha- a virgin,"

"Muuu, you're mean,"

"I seriously don't want a guy to act all cutesy with me, so please stop,"

Song One breathed a sign. Then he seriously replied:

"I really don't want an abortion, not 'cuz it sounds painful, but because this child hasn't done anything wrong. But I don't know know whether he or she will be accepted, or what path will they take. Cheng Lin...."

"I'm scared, not for me, but for them. How am I supposed to raise a child? And can I even give birth? I'm a ghost, not a human. And even if I can, how would I explain who the mother is,"

Perhaps because he's adjusted to his current predicament, his maternal(?) instincts started kicking in. Fear and anxiety he's never felt before, started clouding his mind.

"We can not make choices for others, we can only guide them to the bridge; it's up to them whether to cross it. The least we can do is to support whatever they've decide on, and help them when things go wrong,"

She gave him a supportive pat on the back. Next she said:

"If you're worried about giving birth, I could help with that. I've never truly gave birth to another life besides my own, so this will help me improve on my Way. But if you're against it, we could try a Caesarian birth,"

"Bah, who wants to be your husband?"

"You'd be surprised. The numerous men who'd want that position could line up and make a circle around Earth, and I'd still wouldn't pick them,"

"It's a shame that you like women though,"

"Hey, isn't that why we get along so well?"

"True, that and for our personalities. But can we save the jokes for later? I'd like to know if it's a boy or a girl beforehand, so I can make preparations please,"

She stopped, released her hand off his shoulder, and checked. Cheng Lin took a short yet long look at Song One's abdomen. Besides being flat, there's now another life in it now. Afterwards, she joyfully exclaimed:

"Congratulations, it's a boy!"

"Ptooey!"

Song One spat out blood, at Cheng Lin's face, and fainted.

His last thoughts were 'Why?', then everything turned black.

Tomorrow, the cultivation world will be shocked 'till it's core.

Word count: 2279