For the first time, Tongtian Jiaozhu felt his mind go blank as he stared at the little child before him. Just as he was about to enter meditation, the words "I'm hungry," echoing like a demonic chant, seemed to linger in his ears.
It was all too surreal.
Completely clueless about what to feed a child, the Sect Leader endured immense frustration as he questioned the child repeatedly, only to receive no useful response.
"Hungry."
Tongtian Jiaozhu: …
In the end, he had no choice but to search the entire mountain for someone who might understand. After much difficulty, he found a Demon Race family that had just given birth. Upon seeing the child, whose face was flushed red from hunger, even in the presence of a Sage, the family couldn't help but show a hint of reproachful expression.
The child, now drinking milk, finally quieted down a little. As it drank, Tongtian noticed it choking several times.
Raising a child truly isn't easy, especially a Human Race child. Watching it cough while drinking, Tongtian couldn't help but feel this way.
As a Sage destined by heaven, why was he raising such a fragile thing? The slightest touch from a demon beast left red marks on its face.
Its constitution was entirely different from his own, making it all the more intriguing.
So intriguing that he had no time to think about the future Investiture of the Gods or attaining sagehood. His mind was filled with relief that the child was finally no longer hungry. Upon closer inspection, perhaps due to the Heavenly Dao's influence, the child's appearance had changed. Its originally round, large eyes now curved like crescent moons when it smiled, and its features and face seemed oddly familiar.
A young Daoist disciple beside him remarked, "It looks more and more like Master."
But how could that be!?
Tongtian sighed, thinking how unfathomable the Heavenly Dao truly was. What did this suddenly appearing Human Race child signify? Even if he tried to divine the secrets of heaven, it would be utterly futile.
He had grown weary of being at the mercy of fate. Lost in thought, he heard the young Daoist disciple beside him say, "Speaking of which, if Master finds this child troublesome, why not seek help from the other two Masters?"
Seeking help from Laozi and Yuanshi—Tongtian instinctively rejected the idea. For some reason, he deeply resisted letting them know of this child's existence.
This child was connected to him by Karmic Connection, but it had nothing to do with Laozi or Yuanshi. Why should he ask them for help with his own child?
Now that she was fed, everything seemed to be turning for the better. So why would he need to seek out Laozi and Yuanshi?
The Daoist disciple, unaware of Tongtian's feelings toward Yuanshi and Laozi, had merely offered a suggestion. Since his Master refused, he naturally said nothing more.
After finishing her meal, the child turned her gaze toward Tongtian, causing him to frown slightly. As her mind grew hazy after eating, she looked at Tongtian, stretched out her hands, and instinctively called out, "Hug."
Tongtian: …
A demon beast nearby couldn't hold back any longer. "Generally, when a child wants to be held, it's best to hold her."
Because if you don't…
The next moment, Tongtian watched as the child before him sounded the alarm, crying with a sharp, piercing wail, utterly heartbroken.
Demon beast: … I knew it.
However, to be honest, it was a bit difficult to ask this Great Power to take care of a child. These Great Powers were likely born with innate knowledge, especially the Three Pure Ones, who originated from Pangu's essence. Their bloodline inheritance placed them at the pinnacle from birth, and this was probably the first time he had encountered such a crybaby.
But what was this child's Original Form? It was impossible to tell. Watching Tong Tian stand motionless with his hands behind his back, observing the child cry, the demon beast thought, "This is too cruel."
It was truly cruel to the child.
She couldn't help but criticize Tong Tian, "She just wants a hug." What had this child done wrong?
Tong Tian: "…Have you completely forgotten my identity? Do I need to remind you? I am the holder of the Primordial World's Pangu-opening Virtue Merit, a future Heaven-appointed Sage. How could I possibly hug a Human Race child who has inexplicably formed a Karmic Connection with me?"
The little one cried and cried until she reached his leg, wiping her snot and tears all over his clothes.
Tong Tian: …
"Let go."
He had once commanded ten thousand immortals to pay homage, and countless Great Powers would kneel before him. His words carried the weight of law, yet they were utterly useless against this tiny Human Race child.
The child stubbornly clung to his calf and then wiped more drool on him.
Tong Tian: …
The little girl was truly heartbroken. She didn't know why, but even though she had drunk some milk and felt a bit fuller, she was still a little hungry. She was just so sad.
The most memorable thing after transmigrating was being half-starved to death.
It was enough to make one weep.
Seeing that the child would probably cry until the end of the world if he didn't hold her, Tong Tian was starting to get a headache from her wailing. He asked the demon beast nearby to pick up the child. The demon beast skillfully tucked the child under the feathers on her belly and said to Tong Tian, "Actually, although I don't know this child's exact age, my own children, after they were able to take human form, needed to eat things other than milk."
In short, milk alone wasn't enough for a child of this age, but as for what else she could eat, that was unknown.
After all, this was the first time she had encountered such a creature…
Everyone was experiencing this for the first time.
Tong Tian felt a headache coming on. As the child under the demon beast's wing began to breathe evenly in sleep, Tong Tian finally relaxed a little. He walked over, and the demon beast lifted her feathers, revealing a rosy-cheeked face nestled in the fluffy feathers.
The child looked like a little angel when asleep, but when she cried, it was utterly despair-inducing.
It seemed the demon beast could raise this child well, so perhaps he didn't need to be involved. Maybe he could accept her as an Outer Sect Disciple, like those such as Qiushou Xian. But when Tong Tian thought about how Qiushou Xian and others eventually became Mounts in the Western Paradise, he felt a wave of disgust.
At that moment, the demon beast looked somewhat sorrowful. "Actually, children are very fragile. I've had a few who suddenly passed away at some point without warning."
Tong Tian: "It seems she isn't raising them very well either!"
Retract the honor of letting her take care of the child.
Tong Tian currently had no desire to take on a disciple. This wasn't because he would submit to the Heavenly Dao out of fear that his future disciple might be schemed against by it, but because he hadn't yet figured out what he truly wanted to do.
The attendant by his side didn't seem reliable either. At the moment, he was tempted to flick his sleeve and put the child away, but when he saw the little one sleeping with her rosy cheeks…
Tong Tian: …
Forget it, he had the attendant carry the child, but though the attendant did pick her up, his short stature left half of the child's legs dragging on the ground.
The robust jade stone could not comprehend the fragility of the Human Race.
Tong Tian’s mind was now filled with images of those humans kneeling and begging Nüwa for help, and he suddenly recalled the Twelve Golden Immortals. Humans who did not practice Cultivation were indeed fragile, and human offspring seemed doubly so.
In the end, Tong Tian chose to tuck her into his sleeve himself—at least she wouldn’t be dragged around. Why did he have to drag her anyway? He really shouldn’t have been entrusted with a child!
After he turned and walked away with the child, the demon beast nearby called out, "Master, children grow very quickly. From infancy to adulthood may only take a hundred years." Don’t starve her anymore; I’m afraid she’ll faint from hunger.
Tong Tian thought to himself, what nonsense are you talking? Humans…
The humans he knew only lived long after practicing Cultivation, and most of those around his brother only caused him trouble. Still, he took the words to heart, so his original plan to sit in meditation was delayed. Sitting on his meditation cushion, the Sect Leader looked at the child he had set down. She was sleeping soundly, her cheeks flushed and peaceful.
Whether in the present or future of the Primordial World, he had never seen such a fragile creature sleep so peacefully, especially by his side. After all, he was always surrounded by his chattering disciples. He wasn’t worried about their strength—few could rival them in a direct confrontation. He thought of Sanxiao, but still…
Tong Tian took a deep breath. Since there was nothing else to do, just as he prepared to Enter Meditation, he suddenly noticed the child in front of him waking up.
Dazed and unsteady, she toddled over to him, then plopped down right at his feet. Rubbing her eyes, she mumbled, "Cold."
The Sect Leader, unaware that children needed blankets: …
He watched as the child picked up the hem of his robe and skillfully draped it over herself.
Tong Tian: …
Seeing the little one pout even under the robe, Tong Tian finally sighed and settled down. Just as he was about to close his eyes, he suddenly felt a weight on his leg.
Turning his head, he saw the child had rested her head on his thigh. A child’s head isn’t heavy, and Tong Tian could barely feel any weight at all.
But watching her lie so quietly on his leg, Tong Tian fell silent for a moment, then gently tugged the hem of his robe to cover her a little more.
At that moment, Tong Tian couldn’t help but sigh again.
A daughter.
What was the Heavenly Dao thinking? What conspiracy lay behind this?
Even so, now… he had gained a daughter.
Did the Heavenly Dao think giving him a daughter could change his mind?
Absolutely impossible.
Meanwhile
Heavenly Dao: I never thought that way… I originally intended for her to be your disciple.
You weren’t supposed to be here looking after a child; you should have been properly cared for by your own disciples.
But regardless, the Heavenly Dao, secretly observing Tong Tian and the little one’s interaction, breathed a slight sigh of relief. Now, he needed to divert his attention to another variable, especially since there seemed to be hidden secrets behind it.
At this moment, the man who had caught the attention of the Heavenly Dao had arrived near the Spiritual Mountain. Upon seeing Zhunti, he couldn't help but smile and said, "Fellow Daoist, please stay."
This man was Lin Fan, who had traveled through time. Looking at Zhunti before him, he couldn't help but think: this was the Sage who would later attain sagehood through loans and achieve ultimate victory in the War of the Investiture of the Gods.
Although many said their methods of attaining sagehood were not honorable, as long as victory belonged to them, he who followed them would surely benefit. Moreover, he still had a secret Magical Treasure.
He only needed to wait for the right moment to use it. By then, having cultivated great supernatural powers, it would be a delightful thing to have a few more beautiful companions by his side. He had heard that under Tongtian Jiaozhu, there were many female immortals—Wudang Shengmu, Sanxiao fairies, and others—each one a great beauty. In any case, they would suffer during the Investiture of the Gods, so he could consider himself a hero saving beauties.
However, they absolutely could not be taken as wives; they could only be kept as beautiful concubines. After all, the position of his principal wife was reserved for his goddess.
Wait for me, my goddess.
Author's Note:
We must never let children go hungry, like my cat, who meows pitifully at four in the morning when hungry.
It's tragic and terrifying.
Thank you all for your support! [Erect-eared rabbit emoji] The next novel will either be "Everyone Says My Dad Is Kurosaki Ichigo" or "I Am the Annihilation Lord."
It depends on my mood. If it's the former, it will be a next-generation story; if it's the latter, it means I've been tortured by my boss into writing reports again. Thank you all for your collections! Heart.
In the second half of the year, I might be sent to Chengdu to support other projects, so please don't blame me for writing less! Sob, hugs.