"He must be reflecting on his mistakes and studying hard," Yuanshi said to his eldest brother. "I believe in Tong Tian; that's just how he is."
Laozi: …To be honest, I don't think so.
Their younger brother had seemed a bit strange since their last meeting. No one could tell what he was really thinking. Laozi felt that compared to their past interactions with Tong Tian, there was now an invisible barrier between them and their younger brother.
Even he couldn't discern what Tong Tian was thinking.
"But Tong Tian is still our brother," Yuanshi frowned slightly. Although the Three Pure Ones originated from the same energy—Laozi embodied steadiness, Yuanshi represented rationality, and Tong Tian should have embodied the most youthful and sharp-edged aspect—they had once believed that Tong Tian, due to his youthful nature, often lacked proper methods in handling matters.
Yet Yuanshi actually cared more about this younger brother. After all, Tong Tian possessed an innate youthful enthusiasm and innocence, which made him seem indescribably…
Unique.
Their younger brother would never retreat even in the face of countless setbacks. It was rare to see him so quiet, so Yuanshi and Laozi truly had no idea what had happened to Tong Tian.
After a moment of silence, Laozi made a decision. "Forget it, I'll go check on him."
After all, he was their brother.
Meanwhile
At that moment, Tong Tian was also bewildered.
He was truly bewildered. Ever since he picked up a child some time ago, his life had undergone earth-shattering changes. He didn't know how to describe his current mood…
It was very subtle, as if time had inexplicably stretched.
The time spent with the child made every second feel like an eternity.
Shouldn't his Primordial World be a place where a Kalpa passed by in the blink of an eye? Instead, he was now holding a child with closed eyes, unsure of what to do.
Or how to do it.
The child, who had been drooling just moments ago, had now closed its eyes. Its tiny body was soft, and its breathing was faint.
For some unknown reason, it had closed its eyes without any apparent cause. Fragile human infants were truly bewildering existences.
Compared to the vaguely irritable Tong Tian, the demon beast beside him, though sensing the Great Power's displeasure, couldn't help but remark, "It's hopeless. Maybe we should just bury it."
Heavenly Dao: No, please, try to save it!
Heavenly Dao was practically screaming.
The demon beast felt Tong Tian's gaze beside it and couldn't help but kneel the next second. The master's gaze in that moment was no different from looking at a dead person.
Tong Tian had never felt so defeated before. Even when his two elder brothers joined forces to break his formations back then, he hadn't felt as powerless as he did now. At least he hadn't believed he would lose back then.
With the Four Swords of Slaying Immortals in hand, who in the world was there to fear?
Even if all the Sages turned against him, so what?
The Four Swords of Slaying Immortals emitted a faint hum. The proud Sage seemed to have returned to the time when he faced his elder brothers. Even then…
Tong Tian took a deep breath. "Forget it."
Although this child did share a Karmic Connection with him, such a connection was also fragile. If she truly couldn't survive this tribulation, then it was simply her fate.
No one else could be blamed.
Although the demon beast didn't know what Tong Tian was thinking, it could indeed sense the increasingly heavy atmosphere around him. Unable to resist, it tentatively asked, "Master."
Tong Tian silently watched the child's flushed face. This fragile youngling seemed utterly unable to endure—she was weaker than any of his disciples, having not even begun cultivation. Her connection to him had started with a single word: "Daddy."
But that didn't mean he was responsible for this child. He had once had so many disciples, with ten thousand immortals paying homage. This was merely an ordinary human child.
He had only met her a few days ago.
From lively and energetic to barely clinging to life—it had taken only a brief moment…
Tong Tian gently closed his eyes. If he simply closed them and entered meditation, he wouldn't have to witness this child's demise. For beings like him, who had attained sagehood, nothing in this world could shake his spirit anymore. Having slain the three corpses, he should be accustomed to such matters.
Just as he had grown accustomed to his former brothers turning against him over doctrinal lineage.
They were no longer children. They had grown used to change—over countless kalpas, everything would eventually turn to dust.
His encounter with this child had lasted only a fraction of a fraction of time…
All he needed to do was let her depart peacefully. Tong Tian lowered his head, looking at the feverish child, and for a moment, he hesitated.
"Master Tong Tian?"
The demon beast beside him urged, as if puzzled by his thoughts.
Tong Tian quietly gazed at the child before him. He reached out and lifted her once more—so light, just like the first time he had held her. Human children felt as if they had no bones, warm like little stoves. She had never entered meditation, never cultivated, never learned any techniques, yet she was already on the brink of fading away.
As if sensing something, the child reached out and tightly grasped his sleeve.
She said, "Daddy."
The demon beast keenly noticed Sect Leader Tong Tian let out a deep sigh. He watched the child quietly for a long time before finally saying, "Enough. Is there no other way?"
If he abandoned this child, how would he be any different from the version of himself who had forsaken his disciples? If he couldn't even protect his own child, then it would be nothing more than walking the path of the Investiture of the Gods once again.
And he would never allow himself to fail again.
Even if it meant seeking out Nüwa now, so what? Would he be afraid? Would he hesitate? He was Tong Tian—never one to submit to the dictates of the Heavenly Dao.
He would save this child.
At this moment, the demon beast couldn't comprehend Tong Tian's resolve. And the Heavenly Dao…
Couldn't either.
Heavenly Dao: Brother, I don't really understand, but if you keep going like this, the little one is going to burn her brains out. Please, I beg you, do something—can't you hurry up and save my child?
She's really going to starve to death!!
At this moment, the Heavenly Dao was frantic with anxiety. He truly hadn't expected to fail before even beginning—his child hadn't even made it to the Investiture of the Gods and was about to perish before the Dragon-Phoenix Cataclysm.
When he brought her here back then, why hadn't he brought a child-rearing manual? No, he had to go back and search—what if there was one? Who could stand to watch her being raised like this?
Just as the Heavenly Dao was itching to intervene, Tong Tian had already made up his mind to seek out Nüwa. Even if his brothers said to seal the island for thousands of years, it didn’t matter—he was determined to find Nüwa and ask her how to handle this. Just as he was about to leave with the child in his arms, the next moment, he ran into Laozi, who had come to visit.
At that moment, Laozi glanced at Tong Tian, then looked at the child in his arms.
Laozi: …
Laozi was utterly shocked. “What is this!?”
Tong Tian: …
At this moment, Tong Tian and his elder brother stared at each other in silence. Even someone as steady as Laozi couldn’t help but feel astonished. He examined the child in Tong Tian’s arms, calculating with his fingers, only to find the heavenly secrets obscured. Yet, even with the heavenly secrets obscured, he could vaguely sense that this child shared an inseparable connection with Tong Tian.
Such a connection even surpassed that of master and disciple?
Had Tong Tian encountered some strange fortune just after stepping out? But this odd feeling… He looked at Tong Tian, waiting for an explanation, but Tong Tian remained silent and didn’t answer.
For some reason, he didn’t want to introduce the child to his elder brother, even though logically speaking, she should be considered…
The demon beast looked left and right, not quite grasping the subtle emotions between the two Great Powers. He spoke very sincerely, “Lord Laozi, this is… your little niece.”
Laozi: …
Huh?
Since it had already been said, Tong Tian had no choice but to explain how he had encountered her and how the Heavenly Dao had recognized her as his daughter. Even Laozi was deeply shocked and displeased by this. “Do you know how dangerous it is to form a Karmic Connection out of nowhere in the Primordial World, let alone a father-daughter bond?”
Tong Tian, of course, knew this, but he didn’t appreciate Laozi’s lecturing.
Seeing that persuasion was futile, Laozi felt his younger brother was truly stubborn. He could only carefully examine Tong Tian’s daughter before him—his… niece.
Honestly, as one of the Three Pure Ones, he never imagined he would ever be associated with such a term.
Seeing that Tong Tian was even willing to leave the island for this child, Laozi grew even more displeased. He observed the sick child before him and, though unsure of her true nature, said after a moment of silence, “Why go to such lengths?”
As an alchemy master, a precursor to Shennong’s Hundred Herbs, the Heavenly Dao also realized that this one might be able to solve their current predicament.
After observing, Laozi came to his own conclusion. “She should be…”
The Heavenly Dao: …hungry.
“She’s overfed.”
The Heavenly Dao: …Huh?
“You probably gave her too much innate spiritual water, but this child can’t digest it, which is causing her current condition. As long as it’s properly guided, there won’t be any issues.” Though he didn’t know the child’s identity, his general solution was sound.
Watching the child stabilize with Laozi’s help, Tong Tian couldn’t help but let out a long sigh of relief.
Just as Laozi watched Tong Tian holding the child tightly, he suddenly couldn’t resist asking, “By the way, Tong Tian, what’s this child’s name?”
Tong Tian was taken aback. Since he had met this child, the most she had said was “I’m hungry.” As for her name…
It seemed he had never heard it mentioned or even thought about it.
He gazed at the child for a long time.
This child whom the Heavenly Dao had recognized as his daughter.
Tong Tian said, "Let's call her Taichu."
Taichu is the origin of existence and non-existence, the beginning of all things.
She is his daughter.
Author's Note:
There is a saying that Laozi follows nature and practices governance through non-action, Yuanshi is solemn and steady, while Tong Tian is spirited and carries the sharpness of youth. The Three Pure Ones respectively represent three stages of human life.
Many say that if Tongtian Jiaozhu could return to the past, he might choose a different path—perhaps not taking on so many disciples.
But I believe Tongtian Jiaozhu would never admit defeat. [sunglasses]
Tong Tian's youngest daughter, Taichu.