Chapter 290: Chapter 287: The Origin of Life

Only now did Li Yuanhao understand why those Void Realm experts from Within the Pass looked like they’d do anything to avoid the Pig Emperor.

’That’s no pig. It’s clearly a mobile weapon of mass destruction!’

’Stay close and always be at the Pig Emperor’s side... This is going to be the death of me!’

’Can I refuse this opportunity?’

Li Yuanhao was on the verge of tears, and his admiration for Mo Qi deepened.

In the entire world, Mo Qi was probably the only person who could tame the Pig Emperor and endure all its bizarre antics.

"Nephew, this is the first time I, the Emperor, have given anyone such an opportunity. You must seize it. Strive, under my tutelage, to become a model youth: cultured, upstanding, moral, refined, and a useful member of society. Understand?"

The Pig Emperor spoke in a grave and earnest tone while tossing Medicinal Pills into its mouth.

A mouthful of blood nearly burst from Li Yuanhao’s throat, and he almost passed out.

’Model youth my ass!’

’Tutelage? More like you’re going to fumigate me into a walking corpse!’

"No, no, no."

He waved his hands frantically. After a glance at the Pig Emperor’s endlessly chewing mouth, he said, "You are an esteemed personage with ’official duties’ to attend to, managing countless affairs daily. I shouldn’t trouble you with my trivial matters."

"Unacceptable!" said the Pig Emperor. "How can a young man be so uncultured?"

"Well... actually, I’m quite happy being uncultured. Really!"

"That’s even more unacceptable." The Pig Emperor looked profoundly disappointed. "So young, yet you have no ambition? As your uncle, it is my duty and obligation to guide you onto the correct path."

Li Yuanhao buried his face in his hands. "..."

’I don’t have an uncle like you!’

’Even if a bottomless abyss lies before me, even if I’m destined to be shattered to pieces, I refuse to walk the path of your poetry!’

’Oh, heavens, someone please save me!’

"It seems you lack not only culture, but also the proper mindset!" The Pig Emperor furrowed its brow, looking as if it were in deep thought. "Perhaps I should help you understand something."

"What is it?"

The moment the words left his mouth, Li Yuanhao regretted them. He wished he could slap himself. ’Why can’t I just keep my mouth shut!’

"To make you understand the origin of life, and the hardships of its growth," the Pig Emperor said seriously. "Perhaps only then will you fix your attitude."

’The origin of life?’

A terrible premonition washed over Li Yuanhao.

’The more profound and grandiose the words sound, the more terrifying the consequences are bound to be!’

"No, I think I should discuss this with Uncle Qin first..."

However, he was only halfway through his refusal when the Pig Emperor cut him off.

"Come! Look into my eyes!"

Li Yuanhao instinctively looked up.

Just then, a figure descended from the sky, landing right between the Pig Emperor and Li Yuanhao.

By a remarkable coincidence, the figure was facing the Pig Emperor, meeting its gaze in Li Yuanhao’s stead.

"Why is my stomach swelling up? Why is my Life Force draining away? It hurts! AAAAAHHH!"

The figure stumbled back repeatedly before slumping against a large rock.

"Grand Elder Nangong?!"

Li Yuanhao recognized the figure. It was Nangong An, the one Mo Qi had captured and brought Within the Pass.

’How did he end up here?’

Before he could think any further, Li Yuanhao was stunned by the scene before him.

Nangong An’s stomach, as if being pumped full of air, swelled at a visible rate. In an instant, it burst through his clothes, revealing a massive belly.

His stomach grew so large that Nangong An had to support it with both hands.

If it weren’t for his prominent Adam’s apple, his chest-length white beard, and the fact that they knew each other, Li Yuanhao would have thought he was pregnant.

"Grand Elder Nangong, what’s happened to you?" Li Yuanhao stepped forward, about to help Nangong An up.

"Damn it! Where did this old geezer pop out from? How did I get *him* pregnant? A waste of my energy! Ptooey! What rotten luck!"

Li Yuanhao froze mid-stride.

’Huh?’

’Pregnant?’

’Pregnant with what?’

Li Yuanhao whipped his head around to stare at the Pig Emperor, his voice trembling in disbelief. "What... what is he pregnant with?"

"A child, of course. What else? You think he’s ’pregnant with dreams’?" the Pig Emperor said irritably.

Li Yuanhao was petrified on the spot.

’Pregnant... with a child... Grand Elder Nangong?!’

’How is that possible?’

Even as Li Yuanhao told himself over and over that this was too absurd, too baseless, that it was utterly impossible...

...the incessant, miserable groans of Nangong An grated on his nerves.

Recalling the Pig Emperor’s earlier poetry recital, Li Yuanhao suddenly realized he had no choice but to believe it.

’Wait!’

’When the Pig Emperor mentioned the origin of life just now, it couldn’t have been referring to *this*, could it?’

At this thought, Li Yuanhao’s mind buzzed and went blank.

’Oh, my dear mother, did I just dodge a massive bullet?’

Just then, a Transmission Channel materialized, and Mo Qi emerged, leading Yan by the hand.

"Huh? You guys already started?"

Mo Qi stared at the large-bellied Nangong An with a look of utter surprise.

"But this works too. Let him suffer a bit first. We have to interrogate him sooner or later anyway."

To Li Yuanhao, the sight of Mo Qi was like seeing his own flesh and blood, his great savior.

"My dear uncle! You’re finally back!"

Li Yuanhao let out a long cry, scrambled to Mo Qi’s feet, and latched onto his leg, refusing to let go. Not a shred of the cold, aloof demeanor he’d worn at their first meeting remained.

Mo Qi froze, baffled by Li Yuanhao’s reaction.

"Are you... possessed by Qian Duoduo?"

Mo Qi asked tentatively after a moment’s hesitation.

Li Yuanhao’s actions were a carbon copy of Qian Duoduo’s, right down to his form of address changing from "Uncle" to "My dear uncle."

"It was horrible!"

Li Yuanhao, looking on the verge of tears, said wretchedly, "Uncle, that pig you’re raising is toxic!"

"Huh?" Mo Qi was even more baffled. ’The Pig Emperor is toxic? How come I didn’t know?’

"Its voice is toxic!" Li Yuanhao added. "It... it actually recites poetry! No, that’s not poetry, it’s the devil’s own tongue!"

Mo Qi suddenly understood. So this was the Pig Emperor’s doing. No wonder Li Yuanhao had lost his composure so completely.

He rolled his eyes and looked speechlessly at the Pig Emperor.

’Have I even been gone for five minutes?’

’You just couldn’t hold it in, could you?!’

’Did you really have to use that tiny window of time to torment Li Yuanhao?’

"Mo the kid, don’t you look at me like that. I’m not afraid to tell you, my skills in composing poetry have reached a whole new level!"

Mo Qi’s expression remained flat. He even wanted to laugh.

’Skills in composing poetry?’

’More like your skill in courting death has reached a new level!’

"Don’t you believe me!" Seeing Mo Qi’s lack of reaction, the Pig Emperor grew anxious. "Before, I could only make two or three lines of a poem rhyme. Now I can make all four rhyme! How about I recite one for you? You can critique it!"

"No, no, no!" Mo Qi’s expression cracked as he waved his hands frantically. "I believe you! I believe you, alright?!"

"I feel like you’re just humoring me," the Pig Emperor said, giving Mo Qi a sidelong glance.

"Not at all! Absolutely not!" Mo Qi’s expression tightened as he spoke with utmost sincerity.