“You mean, those Golden-Scaled Sun-Shining Red-Whiskered Dragons helped you make mistakes?”
Yun Heng quickly covered his mouth: “I didn’t say…”
Yun Heng confessed without being pressed, making the Jade Emperor both angry and amused.
His son had such a talent—not only did the Immortals around him adore him, even the Rare Birds and Strange Beasts in the Heavenly Court loved to be close to him. If he needed anything, these divine beasts would heed his summons.
The Jade Emperor slapped his little butt twice more—disciplining a son required no magical power, just sheer hand strength: “What did Father Emperor tell you before leaving? To stay obediently at the Jasper Pool and wait for Father Emperor to return. Yet in a blink, you disobeyed, treating my words as wind past your ears.”
“Wahhhhh”
Yun Heng was still at an age where he didn’t remember much, but he knew he had been raised being cradled in everyone’s hands. Father Emperor and Queen Mother cherished him, the Immortal Children and Fairy Maidens coaxed him, and other Immortals indulged him.
No matter how mischievous he had been before, Father Emperor had only sternly scolded him a few times, never actually hitting him.
Today’s few slaps had utterly aggrieved the little one, making him cry especially sorrowfully: “I… I… I couldn’t bear to part with Father Emperor!”
“Is it that you couldn’t bear to part with Father Emperor? From my view, you just wanted to play and sneaked out.”
Although knowing the little rascal’s “couldn’t bear to part” was just to avoid more slaps, the Jade Emperor’s heart still felt sweet.
Yun Heng usually lived at the Jasper Pool, personally raised by the Queen Mother, and normally clung more to his mother.
This Tour of the Three Realms, he secretly followed along, showing he still trusted this Father Emperor quite a bit.
Thinking this, the Jade Emperor slapped that little butt a few more times fiercely. The little thing sprawled on his legs burst into another heart-wrenching cry.
On either side of the Nine-Dragon Imperial Carriage stood Marshal Wang on one side and Li Jing and his son on the other.
Nezha, standing on his Wind-Fire Wheels, suddenly gripped his Fire-Tipped Spear: “I think I heard movement inside the Nine-Dragon Imperial Carriage.”
Li Jing nodded: “I heard it too.”
Concerned for the Jade Emperor’s safety, they lifted the curtain and peered into the imperial carriage. They saw the Jade Emperor seated on his throne, with a child crawling on his lap crying incessantly—who else could it be but their little prince.
The prince had truly grown bold this time, daring to secretly board the Nine-Dragon Imperial Carriage during the Jade Emperor’s Tour of the Three Realms.
Yun Heng was genuinely distressed, his little face flushed red, crying with hiccups, tears pattering down drop by drop. That pitiful, helpless little appearance was especially endearing.
The Jade Emperor’s hand was raised high, yet before it could descend, it was interrupted by heads peeking in from outside the curtain.
On the other side, Marshal Wang also heard the commotion and similarly lifted the imperial carriage’s curtain to check the situation inside.
“…”
With the three of them staring like this, the Jade Emperor’s slap couldn’t possibly land.
Yun Heng lifted his head, his little face streaked with tears, reaching out toward Li Jing and his son: “Nezha brother, save me…”
“Uh…” Nezha withdrew his Fire-Tipped Spear, powerless to help.
“Your Majesty…” Being a father himself, Heavenly King Li had considerable experience in educating children and wanted to comfort the Jade Emperor a few words, pleading for the little prince.
But the Jade Emperor waved his hand, interrupting him: “All of you, step down.”
Thus, the three lowered the curtain, pretending nothing had happened, each standing guard around the Nine-Dragon Imperial Carriage.
With this interruption, the Jade Emperor lost the mood to spank his child. He picked up his son and settled him on his lap. "Do you know what you did wrong?"
Yun Heng nodded while hiccupping through his sobs. "I know I was wrong."
"What exactly was wrong?"
"I shouldn't…" The little one bit his lower lip, lowered his head, and earnestly reflected on his mistake. "I shouldn't have said the big dragon helped me climb up."
"Hmm?"
Yun Heng then voluntarily lay across the Jade Emperor's lap. "Father Emperor, please spank me two more times."
The Jade Emperor looked down to see the little one, tear stains still wet on his face, obediently lying across his knees, waiting to be punished.
"Father Emperor, could you make it a little lighter this time?"
Seeing him so well-behaved, how could the Jade Emperor bear to spank him? "No more spanking."
"Just two more times."
The Jade Emperor was truly puzzled. "Why do you want two more spankings?"
Yun Heng said, "If you spank me two more times, then you won't punish the big dragon."
"…"
This child would rather take the punishment himself to protect the "friends" who helped him make a mistake. Though still young, he already showed a hint of the benevolence befitting a crown prince.
"Enough!" The Jade Emperor picked him up, settled him on his lap again, and wiped away his tears. "I won't spank you, and I won't punish them either."
"Really?" Yun Heng's eyes instantly brightened. "Father Emperor isn't angry with me anymore?"
"Angry!" The Jade Emperor sighed. "But since you've already snuck out, being angry is useless."
Yun Heng suddenly leaned over and wrapped his arms around his father's neck. "I snuck out because I knew Father Emperor would go to many places, and I wanted to go play too."
The Jade Emperor pinched his nose. "I knew it was because you're mischievous."
But Yun Heng planted a kiss on his father's cheek. "But it's also true that I couldn't bear to be apart from Father Emperor. I'm not lying."
"Hahahahahahaha~" The Jade Emperor held Yun Heng, heartily laughing at the little one's sweet words. "Your little mouth is sweeter than the Hundred-Flower Nectar brewed by the Hundred Flower Fairy."
Yun Heng giggled along. "So Father Emperor won't send me back, right?"
"What if you miss your mother?"
Yun Heng shook his head. "I won't miss her."
Though he said he wouldn't miss her, sitting inside the Nine-Dragon Imperial Carriage, everything seemed new and fascinating. He touched here, looked there. When he got hungry or thirsty, there were immortal fruits and Immortal Tea on the imperial desk.
After thoroughly exploring every corner of the Nine-Dragon Imperial Carriage, he began lifting the curtains to peek outside.
He usually lived in Daluo Heaven, the highest layer of the Thirty-Three Heavens, and had never visited the other thirty-two layers.
This time, as the Jade Emperor embarked on his Tour of the Three Realms, he naturally also inspected whether the Immortals throughout the Celestial Realm were fulfilling their duties. Along the way, Yun Heng visited many places he had never been to before and met many Immortals he had never seen.
But the titles and responsibilities of these Immortals were numerous and complex, and he simply couldn't remember them all. After this whirlwind tour, as soon as night fell, he grew sleepy.
That day, Yun Heng had secretly boarded the Nine-Dragon Imperial Carriage, been soundly spanked by his father, visited so many places, met so many Immortals, cried and laughed… Even though the little crown prince seemed to have boundless energy, by now it was nearly exhausted.
Sitting by the table, clearly very sleepy, he stubbornly refused to go to bed.
After a full day of inspections, the Jade Emperor still had many celestial duties to attend to, with no time to accompany his son to sleep. Occasionally glancing up, he saw the little one constantly rubbing his eyes, his small head nodding bit by bit, as if he could fall asleep the next second, yet he stubbornly resisted drowsiness, forcing his eyelids open, refusing to sleep.
The Jade Emperor beckoned, calling over a Fairy Maiden waiting nearby: "Qiluo, take the Crown Prince down and attend to him as he goes to bed."
"Yes."
Qiluo was a maid of the Taiwei Yuxu Palace, usually serving tea by the Jade Emperor's side. She had frequent contact with this little Crown Prince and was relatively familiar with him. That was why the Jade Emperor had her coax his son to sleep.
"Crown Prince…"
As Qiluo reached out her hand, before even touching Yun Heng's shoulder, the little one dodged away, struggling to sit upright: "I'm not sleepy…"
Before he finished speaking, he let out a big yawn.
Qiluo went to take his hand: "You can barely keep your eyes open."
"I don't want to sleep."
"What's wrong?" Qiluo truly couldn't guess the little Crown Prince's thoughts. He was so sleepy his eyelids were fighting, yawning constantly, yet he refused to obediently go to sleep.
"I…" Yun Heng secretly glanced toward the Jade Emperor, "I miss Mother Empress and Sister Ziyuan."
Sleep is when a child needs the most sense of security, hoping for the closest people to be by their side. Yun Heng had lived in the Jasper Pool since childhood, every night put to sleep by either the Queen Mother or Ziyuan.
Now, having secretly followed the Jade Emperor out, with neither the Queen Mother nor Ziyuan present, he naturally wasn't quite used to it and absolutely refused to sleep.
Seeing that Qiluo couldn't handle him, the little one grew increasingly agitated, on the verge of crying and fussing at any moment.
The Jade Emperor finally set aside his celestial duties and beckoned to his son: "Heng'er, come here."
Hearing Father Emperor call him, the little one immediately ran over. He was already very sleepy, walking unsteadily, nearly tripping and falling as he rounded the desk.
The Jade Emperor, quick-eyed and swift-handed, promptly scooped up his son and held him in his arms. Yun Heng leaned against his chest, as if finally settling down, mumbling "Father Emperor" indistinctly, his eyelids growing heavier and heavier until they finally closed.
Qiluo cautiously followed, unsure whether to wait in attendance or take the little Crown Prince down: "Your Majesty…"
Yun Heng wasn't fully asleep yet; the slightest disturbance could wake him. The little one frowned, reaching out to clutch the Jade Emperor's Immortal Robe.
The Jade Emperor quickly raised a hand to stop Qiluo, whispering softly: "You may withdraw for now."
Qiluo bowed slightly and retreated silently.
The Jade Emperor looked at his son in his arms. Before long, the little one gradually fell into deep sleep, yet still tightly clutched his robe, unwilling to let go.
He was truly well-behaved, knowing he had angered Father Emperor by sneaking out today. Even though very sleepy, missing Mother Empress and Ziyuan, and needing someone close to help him sleep, he tried hard to control his emotions—not crying, not fussing, nor disturbing Father Emperor.
Away from home, the person he trusted and relied on most was his Father Emperor. Only in Father Emperor's embrace could he sleep peacefully.
Mortals often say that Immortals have no seven emotions and six desires, but that is not actually the case. Every Immortal was once a mortal before ascending and attaining the Dao.
Whether Immortal or mortal, as long as one is human, they possess joys and sorrows, angers and pleasures, the seven emotions and six desires. These do not vanish into thin air just because one ascends one day.
However, being an Immortal for too long, days always remain unchanged, gradually, emotions are worn away over millions of years, until they can no longer be remembered, and living without desires or wants becomes a habit.
The Jade Emperor cultivated from childhood, endured one thousand seven hundred and fifty calamities, each calamity lasting twelve thousand nine hundred and six hundred years, before he could attain this infinite Dao. 【From "Journey to the West"】
From the beginning of the Heavenly Court, he has been the ruler of the Three Realms, longer than any other Immortal. Therefore, when Yang Jian split the mountain to save his mother, he called him the most heartless person in this world, even unwilling to show mercy to his own sister.
But since Yun Heng came into his life, those emotions that had long been discarded over billions of years of spiritual practice gradually sprouted from his heart, entwining him, creating an inseparable bond with this little one.
"Father Emperor~ Mother Empress~" The little one had already fallen into dreams, murmuring unconsciously. After calling Father Emperor and Mother Empress, his lips curled up, revealing an innocent smile. Then his little mouth "patted" again, saying: "Want…"
The Jade Emperor poked his little face and asked: "Father Emperor is here with you, what else do you want?"
"Want to eat…"
"…"
The Jade Emperor's Tour of the Three Realms is ultimately official business, and he cannot always accompany Yun Heng. As a father, he knows his son's temperament best. That is, he cannot stay idle for a moment, disappearing in a blink.
Among the accompanying Immortal Officials, only Nezha looks like a youth, interacts most with Yun Heng daily, and the little one likes him very much, constantly calling him Nezha brother.
Thus, the Jade Emperor entrusted his precious son to Nezha: "During the Tour of the Three Realms, you will accompany the Crown Prince, firstly, to protect his safety, secondly, to keep him close and prevent him from running around."
Nezha never imagined that as the Great God of the Three Altars Sea Assembly personally appointed by the Jade Emperor, the young general leading heavenly soldiers to subdue demons and monsters, his current task would be babysitting?
Babysitting is babysitting, after all, it is the Jade Emperor's decree, and he cannot disobey.
Learning that Nezha would always accompany him, Yun Heng was thrilled, eagerly running to Nezha. Originally wanting to hold his hand, but being too short to reach, he settled for tugging his Hun Tian Ling (Cosmic Silk): "Nezha brother, let's go play outside."
Meanwhile, the Jade Emperor was listening to Thunder God Puhua Tianzun report celestial duties. Yun Heng secretly glanced, seeing it was a stern old man, uninterested, he pulled Nezha and ran outside.
The Jade Emperor sighed inwardly, repeating the phrase he had said countless times: "The Crown Prince is mischievous, apologies to the Immortal Ministers."
Just after Yun Heng ran out of Shenxiao Yuqing Mansion, he saw a divine beast lying under a nearby tree. The little one always likes to get close to animals, immediately running over.
That divine beast was pure black all over, with a dragon's head, a cow's tail, and horse hooves—it was a qilin.
This qilin's physique was much larger than ordinary qilins, its body more robust, and its pure black color unseen before.
Yun Heng looked at the qilin, and the qilin looked at Yun Heng. The next moment, Yun Heng raised his hand, reaching toward the qilin's head.
"Don't touch him!" Nezha leaped, arriving behind Yun Heng in an instant.
But it was too late. Yun Heng's hand had already stroked the Qilin's ears, gently petting them a couple of times. Not only did the Qilin not resist, it even wore an expression of enjoyment, leaning closer toward Yun Heng.
"…"
Nezha pulled his hand back a step: "Your Highness, you really… dare to touch anything. Do you know who he is?"
Yun Heng looked up, asking curiously: "Who?"
"His name is Mo Qilin, and he is Wen Zhong's mount."
Yun Heng grew even more puzzled: "Who is Wen Zhong?"
"The Thunder God Puhua Tianzun inside," Nezha explained to him. "Mo Qilin is born of a divine ox and a black dragon. He is naturally fierce and combative, exceptionally ferocious, and possesses immense strength. Only those with profound magical power can ride him."
Yun Heng asked again: "Is it really true that only those with powerful magical abilities can ride him?"
Nezha nodded seriously: "Really!"
"I don't believe it!" With that, the little one shook off Nezha's hand, threw himself forward, wrapped his arms around Mo Qilin's neck, lifted one foot high, hooked it onto Mo Qilin's back, and with a strong push, climbed right on.
"Ah, this…"
Magical Treasures recognize their masters, let alone the mounts of Immortals. If they accidentally slip into the mortal realm, they become monsters that harm the people. With such a naturally fierce and ferocious nature, how could they possibly be easily tamed by a stranger?
Once Yun Heng was seated securely, Mo Qilin "whooshed" to his feet. Nezha reacted with incredible speed, reaching out to grab the back of Yun Heng's collar, but he was still a step too late.
That Mo Qilin stamped its hoof on the ground, rose on the clouds, and in the blink of an eye, soared into the sky.
Yun Heng lay on his back, tightly hugging his neck. Mo Qilin seemed particularly attentive to his comfort, waiting until he was seated and holding on securely before flying off toward the distant sea of clouds.
"!!!"
Nezha had received the task from the Jade Emperor to protect the little prince less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, and now the little prince was about to vanish before his very eyes.
He hesitated for a moment between reporting to the Jade Emperor and chasing after Yun Heng, but ultimately chose the latter, urging his Wind-Fire Wheels to follow.
That Mo Qilin truly lived up to being the strongest of the Qilin clan. During the Investiture of the Gods war, he followed Wen Zhong on campaigns north and south, achieving many military feats. His flying speed was certainly not something an ordinary mount could match.
Mo Qilin carried Yun Heng as they flew into the sea of clouds, with Nezha close behind. The mist here was too thick; Nezha couldn't clearly see their exact position, only their general outline, but the child's bell-like laughter carried from afar.
Far from showing any fear, Yun Heng was having a great time playing.
The Jade Emperor's Tour of the Three Realms was scheduled very tightly, with limited time spent at each location. After hearing Wen Zhong's report, he prepared to move on to the next place.
Accompanied by a group of Immortal Officials from the Thunder Department, the Jade Emperor stepped out of the Shenxiao Yuqing Mansion, intending to call Nezha to bring Yun Heng over. Looking up, he saw a Qilin, its entire body ink-black, diving down toward them from the edge of the sky. Faintly visible on its back was a small figure dressed in apricot-yellow robes—who else could it be but Yun Heng.
The Jade Emperor stood still with a stern expression. The Four Heavenly Masters, Taibai Jinxing, Li Jing, and Marshal Wang, who were accompanying him on the inspection, though surprised by the sight, did not show excessive astonishment.
Their little prince was a troublemaker who would tear down the roof if not disciplined for three days. Since no one ever disciplined him, mischief was practically his daily routine. He had even sneaked onto the Nine-Dragon Imperial Carriage and stubbornly followed the Jade Emperor on his Tour of the Three Realms—there was nothing he dared not do.
Wen Zhong was utterly astonished. He had only seen the little prince chasing rabbits all over Ling Xiao Dian (Hall of Heaven) during the Jade Emperor’s banquet for Immortal Officials. He never imagined the child could also frolic about riding his Mo Qilin (Black Qilin).
“How could this be?” asked Xin Huan, one of the Four Great Guardian Heavenly Lords of the Thunder Department. He voiced the confusion of all the Immortals in the Thunder Department: “Mo Qilin has a fierce temperament and dislikes strangers approaching. Only the Universal Transformation Heavenly Lord has ever been able to tame it…”
Yet at their first meeting, the little prince, only three years old and shorter than the Mo Qilin, was riding it freely through the skies.
The Mo Qilin landed steadily on the ground. Yun Heng gently patted its neck, and the Mo Qilin understood his intention, lowering itself to lie down, allowing Yun Heng to smoothly dismount from its back.
The Jade Emperor looked at his son and took a deep breath. It seemed that yesterday’s few spanks on the buttocks were a lenient act by the old father, failing to teach this rebellious child a lesson.
Yet Yun Heng did not sense the stern aura emanating from his Father Emperor. He ran straight to Wen Zhong, lifted his head to look at him, and asked with utmost sincerity in his expression and tone: “Universal Transformation Heavenly Lord, do you have any other mounts?”
“!!!”