The Heavenly Martial Empress Returns: An OP Xianxia Returnee LitRPG

Chapter 180: The Vessel Of The Void & The Babies Are Here

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The Vessel of the Void, a unique existence within the Tower that many Gods desired for themselves. Yanisse’s existence could be said to be a miracle amongst miracles, a person capable of not only harnessing but also assimilating and manipulating the Void since her Awakening.

She was humanity’s strongest before I arrived, and she’s still the second strongest right after me amongst all of humans. I mean, well, if my son could be considered a human too, he could be the second, but he’s also half beast-kin and they’re from Elios.

Although I am rapidly learning and assimilating Void Essence to improve my mastery over it, I still cannot compare to her. Yanisse was simply born with this power, I suppose… or, well, Awakened with it.

But it feels like… It is as if she was truly a “Vessel” to the Dao of the Void, something that in Murim did exist for many other elements.

Incredibly talented cultivators born with an immense talent over 1 element, one unique Path. They were called the Dao Children, and they were all born as the vessels of a Dao.

From what I can recall and from those I’ve battled, there were eleven of them, each one representing one powerful, elemental Dao. Such as Fire, Water, Wind, Ice, Stone, Metal, Wood, and so on.

But there was never one of Void before, and I believe Yanisse might be one of such cases; she’s a Dao Child, born to be a perfect vessel for an elemental void to exist!

However, there was a great disadvantage they had: they were very strong and could develop incredibly strong physiques and martial souls.

But… they were also granted short lifespans. They would never live past twenty-five years old, unless they had ascended and become immortals. When they ascended into immortals, their Daos, which were killing them, would rapidly adapt, and they would be able to live for much longer.

However, they always had shorter lifespans than the rest, so they had to desperately continue cultivating and ascending to gain more lifespan until settling down as they became stronger Cultivators or Immortals.

But the majority of these Dao Children suffered a fate worse than dying out of having their lifespan reach their limit; most of the time, if they didn’t have a strong backing, a demonic cultivator would find them and use them to create a pill or sometimes steal their powers to forge powerful physiques or martial souls.

If anything, they were seen and used as ingredients or materials. Only a few sects ever raised them and helped them to get to the immoral realm, and it was usually because they were the children of the sect master or related to them.

Of course, there were also those that were helped. One of my disciples was like this—someone born with the Eternal Star Physique, harboring within her the Dao of Stars.

My adorable little Fen Chun, an orphan whom I picked up and helped ascend to save her life. She became my strongest disciple in Murim, and she inherited almost all my teachings and techniques.

She created her own Photon Essence Arts, transforming them and adapting them to her Dao of Stars, and becoming amazingly strong.

She was the second strongest cultivator after me once I had become unparalleled, and I left her the entire world of Murim for her to take care of.

Unlike me, she was only a hundred or so years old, so she wasn’t as wise and experienced as I was. Some criticized this decision, but I never changed my mind.

I know she could do it; she had a strong, compassionate heart and a mind full of fresh, revolutionary new ideas.

She was the only one that could lead Murim towards a better future.

And I know that my dear Yun Cheng would be there for her, taking care that she wouldn’t commit mistakes, always protecting her.

…

It makes me sad when I remember them, because I was always cold towards them. I could never show emotions, and I could never tell them that I loved them.

If I ever showed such things, if I ever demonstrated a single shred of care for them, the Heavenly Will would have destroyed them just to make me suffer or torture me, or even use them to blackmail me.

I couldn’t create bonds, and I couldn’t show them my love… But I still slightly regret that; they were always lonely children; I was the only one there for them.

Based on what my son said, if the Heavenly Will is truly coming for me, even across dimensions and worlds, then I might also end up meeting them again.

Well, that’s still for another day.

“Yanisse.”

I called for her, and as she was concentrating, floating in the void and letting it embrace her, she was within a cocoon of pure black and purple void, constantly swirling around her.

Slowly, the cocoon gained cracks and eventually broke open, revealing her once more, with beautiful, long, butterfly-like wings made of Void Essence.

Wrapped around her body, there was also a dress made of this essence, and a crown floated above her head, resembling a black hole.

Her eyes glowed with purple and black light, and her blonde hair had become black.

She had changed…

“…”

“Are you still there, Yanisse?”

She had gone through a complete evolution; she most likely awakened her Physique as I had helped her do, and because she had also ascended into an Immortal, she probably obtained an incredible new power that might have changed her appearance to better fit the Dao of the Void within her.

“…”

Still not saying anything, huh? She was only staring at me with a blank stare, her void warping space and time around her.

I approached her.

“Yanisse? It has been a week; it seems your Immortal Ascension was a success,” I said. “Are you still there?”

“…”

Alright then, I’ll have to be a bit rough then.

I moved towards her.

Reactively, she swung her hands.

TRUUUM!

An invisible wave of void hit me with immense force; a normal person would have been cleaved in half.

But I resisted it. I had even resisted being deleted alongside space and even entering and leaving a black hole.

Her Void powers were stronger than mine, but my body was simply tougher.

She waved her other hand as another shockwave of void hit me.

BOOOM!

That was stronger.

“Calm down; I know you’re still there.”

Much like Jackes, she must have been possessed by the Void Dao Will.

This is something I’ve seen happening before in Murim as well.

When a Cultivator’s mind is not strong enough, they can get possessed by the very will of their powers, a Dao.

Once this happens, they become Dao Embodiments and wreak havoc, acting as their elements themselves.

Eventually, if they’re taken down unconscious, they’ll recover.

But if that never happens, they might eventually degrade and transform into Elemental Spirits, becoming unable to go back.

Well, there’s simply no way I’ll let that happen to her, though.

As I finally reached her amidst a rain of explosive spheres of void, she tried to evade my hands, flying away using her wings.

She could use them to pierce through space, flying across space and teleporting around as she pleased.

Very amazing, indeed.

FLASH! FLASH! FLASH!

As she teleported, she unleashed Void Bolt at me, unleashing myriads of explosions of pure void thunder that pierced through space.

I evaded most of them while also swinging my sword to destroy them as I intercepted a couple.

“Yanisse… You’ve better than this!” I said. “I know you’re still there!”

Maybe because of her traumatic past, her mind had never been too well, and this ended up making her succumb to the Dao of Void.

I manipulated space around me and quickly shifted it around in the very moment she teleported.

FLASH!

And then I replaced her space with the one in front of me, making her appear right in front and within my reach.

I quickly touched her forehead before she could counterattack, and she instantly gasped.

I infused memories into her mind while taking away the influence of the void clouding her mind.

FLUOSH!

Memories of us together, the little memories we’ve shared, the drinks we’ve had, the meals we’ve eaten, and the dates we have experienced.

And I also saw the memories she had—the dark memories clouding her mind—a past she had been unable to overcome.

The destruction, the chaos, the desolate loneliness she felt.

The death of her parents, the cold military tyrants trying to control her and order her to use her as their tool.

Their hatred and envy towards her.

Despite everything she did for them, despite all she sacrificed for them, they never thanked them at all.

They never felt grateful, and they always expected her to do everything for them and nod.

Yes, I see.

There are terrible people in every world, isn’t it?

Earth has never been safe from them after all.

“Mom… dad… What should I do?”

She cried in her bed every night, feeling the pressure of those that ordered her, feeling the guilt of those that she couldn’t save, and feeling lonely because everyone she loved was gone.

Despite being such a strong girl, despite being the strongest human, she was also the most wounded of them all.

“It’s okay.”

I hugged her, letting her head rest over my chest, as she started crying.

“You will never go through the same things ever again, I promise you.”

I caressed her hair gently as she continued crying.

Slowly, her hair changed back to her blonde color.

The dress made of void, the wings, and the crown disappeared as well.

And she returned to normal.

“Do you promise?” She cried, looking at me.

“Yes, of course,” I nodded. “Feeling better now?”

“Hm… Sorry,” she sighed. “I did something bad, I… I ended up falling into a nightmare, and I couldn’t wake up from it… I’m sorry…”

“It’s okay,” I hugged her, kissing her forehead. “It’s alright… Everything is okay now, don’t worry.”

“Hahh… You’re so motherly…” She rubbed her face on my chest. “How do you manage to make me feel so warm and comforted? I can’t… believe it…”

“Heh, I don’t know; it is just how I am,” I giggled. “Feeling better now?”

“Hmm, maybe,” she said. “But I wouldn’t mind staying like this for a couple of hours.”

“Haha, then it seems you’re alright.” I quickly decided to let go of her; we can’t hug forever after all. “I’ll help you take more control over these powers, but it seems your ascension was a success; you’ve become even stronger.”

“A-Ah! Is that so?” She wondered, blushing. “I’m glad… But yeah, I need to train these abilities better now. At least I don’t feel like dying from exhaustion after using some of it. And having to bring along like a thousand Mana Potions everywhere I go.”

“Let’s go now,” I nodded.

While holding her hand, as she still felt tired, we descended from the Starry Skies and reached the surface of my Inner Realm, and then my Palace.

My wives were there, greeting me happily as we entered the palace again. Although we just had breakfast, they had become clingier the more their pregnancy advanced through the week.

Now, their bellies were very big, and it was very noticeable.

“Ah, you brought everyone, huh!” said Urbosa. “Welcome back everyone!”

“You guys look stronger than before…” Merkite said. “And it has been just a single week so far?!”

“Yeah, they’ve grown quite strong,” I nodded as I saw my disciples greeting them. “Where’s Mursha and Fiery Hair?”

“Preparing lunch,” said Urbosa. “They said they wanted to cook for us because we were already on our last days now…”

“I see, well, that’s good,” I nodded. “I’ll go help them then.”

“O-Okay- Ugh…”

As I was about to go check the kitchen with the twins, suddenly Urbosa groaned.

“Hm?”

I looked at her, as she seemed exhausted, gasping for air.

“Ah, I think the pup is coming…”

Wait, already?

Ah, right, we have to quickly get it out then!

“Is it?! Oh! A-Alright, and-”

“Ouch, ouch… I think something broke.”

Merkite was also having the same pain, feeling weaker.

“Ahh! It’s happening! Okay then, guys, just stay here; I’ll come back in a few hours!”

I quickly grabbed the two of them gently, with huge hands made from my Immortal Aura, and teleported away, reaching a large nursery I had prepared.

I gently placed them both on a large bed, as both sisters held their hands tightly while beginning to give birth.

“Aahh! Ugh…!”

“Dammit, why does it hurt?!”

Urbosa was in pain, while Merkite was trying to tough it up. I couldn’t just let them do it on their own, though.

Using my techniques and abilities, I calmed their pain down by injecting medicine into their nervous systems using a thin needle made of light.

After that, I quickly moved to help them remove their clothes so they could be more comfortable. While doing so, I constantly washed them down there with warm water.

Meanwhile, their grandmother, Ash, arrived, alongside my mother too.

“We heard the news; let us handle it!” said Ash.

“Shouldn’t we go to a hospital though?” My mother asked.

“No! They’re strong enough, so they’re going to give birth here; we can’t move them,” said Ash. “Alright, Bing Xue, do what I say.”

“O-Okay!” I nodded.

I had zero experience with this, so I simply went along with the grandma’s instructions. My mom wanted to bring them to the hospital, and I wouldn’t blame her, but with my abilities, mostly everything the hospital provides can be provided here.

Eventually, the birthing process continued for roughly two hours, where they kept pushing harder and harder until the little heads of the pups emerged.

And then, after some more force, the rest of their bodies. Urbosa gave birth first; her body had already adapted after she had Hekita. Meanwhile, Merkite took a while she had, but... she also did it without issues.

“Uwaah… So cute…”

I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw my little kids, my little babies, and my flesh and blood right in front of me.

They were as cute as I imagined!

So chubby, with cute, rainbow eyes.

They also had silvery-white hair like me and looked mostly humanoid.

But aside from that, they also had big, fluffy wolf ears and a tail.

They also had sharp canines and canine-looking eyes.

Their little nails already came long and sharp, and they had patches of fur covering parts of their legs, arms, and around their necks.

“Buaaahhh! Buaaahhh!”

“Uwweeehh! Uweeehhh!”

It was a boy from Urbosa and a girl from Merkite.

They cried so loudly too! The entire palace was shaking!

I-I think they’re very strong!

“There, there, baby…” smiled Urbosa. “Calm down, my boy… my beautiful boy… calm down. There, there… Drink mama’s milk.”

Urbosa was amazing at calming our son down; she caressed him and sang for him, and he eventually calmed down and started drinking milk while looking half asleep.

“S-She’s so energetic, ouch! Ouch my hair! Dear, please be nicer…”

Meanwhile, Merkite was having a few more difficulties; our little girl was very feisty and ended grabbing her hair and pulling it…

Eventually, she calmed down too and drank her milk.

Just with this alone, I can already tell how their personalities are going to be…

Hekita ended up entering the room after a while, rushing to see the babies.

“Ooh! My siblings!” she screamed. “They’re white like you, mama!” she told me.

“Shh, don’t make loud noises,” Urbosa said. “Your siblings are sleeping, alright?”

“O-Okay,” she nodded, glancing at them from afar. “Ooh… They’re so cute… Heheh…”

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