In truth, Laozi still couldn’t quite understand what was written on it. Upon careful thought, in the era of the Primordial World, Cangjie hadn’t yet created characters! But this didn’t hinder their ability to grasp the content, because…
It had illustrations!
To prevent boredom, this adorable, simple childcare manual came with illustrations!
To think that in his lifetime, he’d become illiterate!
Laozi was practically in shock: he’d become illiterate!
Heavenly Dao: Damn it, I forgot about that.
It truly felt as though it were suffocating, but fortunately, Tong Tian could understand at a glance. After all, in a sense, he hailed from a later era. In truth, during this age, learning was primarily done through Jade Slips, which conveyed more through speech or a sense of Dao and thought—certainly not through images or written words.
In other words, Tong Tian could roughly guess the child’s origins. In the past, the two of them would have delved deeply into this matter, especially Laozi, who might have even taken out maps to deduce the truth, remaining highly vigilant about where this came from and what schemes lay behind it. But now…
As Taichu beside him babbled and fussed.
Laozi suddenly realized that sometimes, ignorance truly is bliss.)
How about you feed the child instead…
Leaving aside Laozi’s sudden enlightenment, which unknowingly allowed him to achieve a slight breakthrough in his cultivation, Tong Tian finally let out a long sigh of relief.
Seeing Tong Tian relax, the Heavenly Dao also breathed a sigh of relief. If Tong Tian had stormed off to find Nüwa over this, causing chaos in the heavenly order, that would have been a true disaster.
Now, with everyone content, the Heavenly Dao couldn’t help but wipe away a cold sweat, thinking to itself how fortunate it was to have found this thing. Otherwise, it truly felt its own child might have perished here.
Thanks to the straightforward illustrations, the demon beast, after glancing and realizing it might be the food depicted in the images, promptly retreated to a corner. Meanwhile, Taichu was still playing with his father’s hair ribbon, a shimmering band infused with boundless magical power and illusions. As a Sage most skilled in crafting Magical Artifacts, even a simple hair ribbon was a coveted treasure to others.
Now, as Taichu dangled this artifact in play, Tong Tian showed little reaction.
In the end, it was Laozi who prepared Taichu’s first meal. For Laozi, who excelled in Alchemy and medicine, making baby food…
Was actually quite a challenge!!
At the very least, gathering all the necessary ingredients wasn’t simple. At Taichu’s age, he needed to start eating some solid food, including a balanced mix of meat, eggs, and vegetables alongside rice.
Especially when considering proportions and even seasoning, the meal couldn’t taste too bad. Those skilled in Alchemy and artifact crafting often had a touch of perfectionism, and Laozi, whose future incarnation would become the Supreme Lord Laozi of the Celestial Court, had always prided himself on this talent—until he encountered the hurdle of baby food.
…
Not everyone possessed an innate talent for cooking.)
At the very least, Laozi didn’t. When he brought the baby food to Tong Tian, he could clearly sense a hint of disdain in his younger brother’s slightly raised eyebrow.
Laozi: …
Laozi was a bit annoyed. As the embodiment of Pangu's primordial spirit in the Primordial World, he was born with innate knowledge and divine powers, making him incomparably noble compared to these insects and birds. He had always advocated harmony and acting in accordance with the Heavenly Mandate.
But acting in accordance didn't mean he couldn't cook well.
Fortunately, Taichu glanced at the food. Children generally didn't care much about the appearance of their meals. Although she didn't think it tasted very good, she could eat anything when she was hungry.
However, Taichu still expressed a slight disdain. "It doesn't taste good."
And it didn't look good either.
All jumbled together, Taichu couldn't help but turn her head away. As she ate, she snuggled deeper into Tong Tian's arms.
Laozi was deeply disheartened.
"I want to eat KFC."
Laozi: …
He felt like he couldn't breathe.
Watching Taichu reluctantly eat quite a bit despite it not tasting good, Laozi's feelings in that moment were rather complex.
He should have felt nothing, like watching a cloud drift by. But perhaps because this child had a connection with Tong Tian, and thus with him as well, or maybe preparing the meal had given him some unexpected insights—whatever the reason, seeing the child eat actually made him feel somewhat satisfied.
Next time, he could try something different.
At least he could make it look a bit more appealing. Perhaps he could even add some other spiritual herbs. He didn't necessarily have to follow the recipe exactly.
Laozi pondered thoughtfully.
Oh, and that app with the shaking logo—it seemed to have many recipes too…
His emotion and enlightenment lasted until Taichu brought the leftovers to him, tiptoed, and prepared to feed him. "You eat, you eat."
Laozi: …
Although hesitant, in the end, a demon beast helped finish the leftovers.
Meanwhile, Tong Tian, who had watched the other finish the meal, calmly picked up the child again.
Hmm, she felt a little heavier.
He never expected food to so honestly reflect in a child's weight. Although this slight increase was as light as a feather to a Sage, for a Sage with sharp senses, even the smallest change in the child made him raise an eyebrow.
Snuggled in Tong Tian's arms, Taichu was now content. She immediately spoke sweetly, "Thank you, Daddy."
Tong Tian, unusually gentle, asked, "Was it delicious?"
Taichu: Not delicious!
Laozi: …
Although it wasn't delicious, it was edible, so Taichu obediently replied, "Thank you, Daddy."
Tong Tian didn't say anything, but his expression grew even softer.
As for Laozi beside them: Huh?
Didn't I make this meal?
The criticism that it didn't taste good broke Laozi's heart.
Laozi wanted to move closer to look at the child, but when she saw him, she immediately hid further into Tong Tian's arms. His smile instantly vanished.
Even the demon beast nearby couldn't awkwardly praise how much the young lady liked Master Tong Tian…
No one knew why, but only Taichu knew it was because of his face. She absolutely adored her daddy's incredibly handsome face. After happily snuggling with her daddy, Taichu, now full, began to feel sleepy.
The world of a three-year-old is simple: after eating, it's time to sleep.
Taichu clenched her fists and, without even saying goodbye to her daddy, leaned against his chest and fell asleep.
Although Laozi wanted to know more about the child's origins, seeing her yawn and nestle in Tong Tian's arms, he ultimately sighed and let his younger brother place the child on a meditation cushion before leaving.
Tong Tian looked at the child curled up on the meditation cushion, watching as the child placed a hand on his chest and curled into a ball. A different feeling stirred deep within him.
As for being called out by his elder brother for a chat, his mind was still preoccupied with the book he hadn’t finished reading earlier, which seemed to contain much more content.
Laozi, however, was different. Compared to Tong Tian, he was genuinely worried about his younger brother. At this time, he had no concept of attaining sagehood. The strongest beings within and beyond the Primordial World were races like the Dragon and Phoenix. It was an era where Golden Immortals were as common as dogs, and powerful beings roamed everywhere. Even though they were born from Pangu’s essence, endowed with great supernatural powers from birth, being caught off guard by a calculated scheme could still bring risks and crises.
Their current seclusion was meant for biding their time and cultivating greater powers, not for preparing a child’s lunch.
But observing Tong Tian’s demeanor, he appeared utterly indifferent.
It was clear that while Laozi spoke his piece, Tong Tian was lost in his own thoughts…
"This matter must not be taken lightly." A child capable of concealing even the Heavenly Dao’s machinations surely harbored some grand conspiracy behind them. Moreover, this child’s fortune was now intertwined with Tong Tian’s, and by extension, with the Three Pure Ones.
"We must inform Yuanshi as soon as possible."
Hearing this, Tong Tian couldn’t help but glance at Laozi. Though the Three Pure Ones were now one family, in the future, they would slaughter each other over doctrinal lineage in the Investiture of the Gods. Even Tong Tian himself found it somewhat laughable.
"My affairs have never required his meddling."
"And there’s no need to tell him about this matter either."
Clearly, Tong Tian had lost interest in continuing the conversation. Laozi was truly speechless; he felt Tong Tian was utterly unreasonable.
In the past, though Tong Tian appeared defiant on the surface, he actually listened to Laozi and Yuanshi. But now…
He was completely resisting their words.
Could it be that his younger brother had entered a rebellious phase?
He was already a father—how could he still have a rebellious phase?
Laozi wondered: Shouldn’t he be past this age?
In truth, while Tong Tian’s rejection of Laozi and Yuanshi stemmed partly from the events of the Investiture of the Gods, another reason was that he genuinely didn’t believe this child would affect anything. In the past, he had slain the Three Corpses to attain sagehood, and he could do so again. Even if the Heavenly Dao schemed against him once more, with the Zhu Xian Sword in hand, he feared nothing.
Laozi, however, couldn’t understand Tong Tian’s perspective. He believed his younger brother was in a rebellious phase and shook his head slightly before continuing, "In any case, I don’t recommend continuing contact with this child while the situation remains unclear."
It would be better to send her away or wait until things were clarified. After all, the whole matter seemed truly bizarre.
He wasn’t afraid of the Heavenly Dao’s schemes, but…
Though Laozi thought this way, seeing Tong Tian’s stubbornness, he abandoned the idea of directly informing Yuanshi. Perhaps Tong Tian would change his mind after some time—after all, they had plenty of it.
A single seclusion could last a thousand years, and by then, perspectives might differ.
"Never mind."
After all, this child was Tong Tian’s. Laozi practiced governance through non-action and should follow the natural course of things.
Since Tong Tian intended to raise the child properly, he should let things take their course. There was no need for further concern.
Thinking of this, Laozi prepared to leave. As soon as Laozi departed, Tong Tian immediately pretended not to care much and took out the book to study it earnestly. For some reason, he now felt a great interest in such matters.
It was as if he had returned to the days before he became a Sage. For Tong Tian, who had already been a Sage for many years, it had been far too long since he last experienced such a feeling.
He opened the text and began reading. Unlike Laozi, he fully understood the content.
Then he read:
【Hello, new parents!
After preparing nutritious complementary foods for your child, we must never forget to ensure adequate protein intake. Besides eggs, daily milk is also essential. Remember to prepare a good-quality bottle for the milk.
A high-quality bottle can help your baby avoid issues like choking on milk.
Warm milk can also soothe your child's mouth.
Next, let me recommend a few useful bottles and insulated cups for you. (Images + Taobao links + TikTok shopping)】
Looking at the advertisement, Tong Tian fell into deep thought. Bottles…
Insulated cups.
Meanwhile, Laozi
Whenever he entered seclusion, it would last a thousand years. He reckoned Tong Tian shouldn’t cause any major trouble.
Although Tong Tian now had a child, he believed everything could be resolved smoothly. His Dao told him to let things take their natural course.
Just as he closed his eyes and prepared to Enter Meditation, he suddenly thought of the colorful complementary foods and how Taichu said they didn’t taste good!
He thought of cooking.
Laozi abruptly opened his eyes.
No, he really couldn’t let it go after all!
Author's Note:
Some things just can’t be left to take their natural course…