Xiang Su felt him move slightly, his hands supporting her small body, wanting to place her to the side. Xiang Su’s little hands immediately hooked onto his lapel like claws. Dong Tianyun wanted to pull out his clothing but didn’t dare forcefully pry open her hands. He could only sigh and resignedly let Xiang Su nestle on his stomach.
The sky had already begun to show the pale light of dawn. Xiang Su also lost her sleepiness, smiling as she looked up at him—the man she hadn’t properly looked at in fifty years. Dong Tianyun actually didn’t need sleep, but closing his eyes and reclining against the pillow, he appeared so weary.
In the center of his forehead appeared the deep purple markings of the demon race, complementing the faint purple traces at the corners of his eyes. His appearance became even more bewitchingly handsome. Xiang Su had seen a few members of the demon race—not one had markings as beautiful as Junshang’s. She felt somewhat smug. Even if her Junshang had entered demonhood, he was still more beautiful than others. Because of the earlier pulling, his loosely draped white inner robe revealed his firm and smooth chest. Xiang Su looked and couldn’t help but drool—not that she was lustful, but after becoming an infant, she clearly had loose lips. When she was very focused or very relaxed, saliva would flow freely. She also felt she had suddenly become obscene, reaching out to touch those muscles that gleamed with a moonlight-like luster.
Dong Tianyun made a tsk sound and lightly tapped her little hand. His exquisite eyes opened into a long, curved slit. When his deep, dark pupils beneath his lashes looked at Xiang Su with unclear meaning, she disappointingly let saliva flow again.
Xiang Su had originally wanted to smile lecherously, but her stomach had a strange reaction. She immediately changed expression. This… this… she absolutely would not let Junshang help her urinate!
Dong Tianyun thought the child suddenly burst into tears because he had tapped her hand. Impatiently yet helplessly, he sat up and picked her up, learning from what he’d seen mothers do to comfort children in the past—holding her while rocking and patting her bottom.
Xiang Su cried even more miserably. Stop shaking and stop patting—she was about to lose control!
“Is she hungry?” Dong Tianyun was also at his wit’s end with her crying. With a dark face, he used his spiritual consciousness to forcefully wake Yanji, who was sleeping in the side hall. Wasn’t he the Water Lord? He should be skilled at squeezing juice.
Yanji walked into Youyun Hall with an unhappy expression, his face even more unpleasant than Dong Tianyun’s. Jin Zhan also followed along. Though he didn’t show much complaint, he looked rather worried.
“You two… sleep together?” Dong Tianyun held the child with one hand, completely lacking image and presence. When he narrowed his eyes to interrogate them, he still had a few traces of his former elegance.
Xiang Su was holding in a bladder full of urine, but her heart was also filled with this question. She even forgot to cry. It couldn’t be… She was familiar with both Jin Zhan and Yanji—she really hadn’t noticed!
“I came to check only because I heard the child crying!” Jin Zhan said through gritted teeth. How had he and Yanji fallen into such a tragic rumor? Just now, hearing Xiang Su cry like this, he had thought Dong Tianyun had forgotten about her existence and kicked her under the bed with one foot.
“She’s hungry.” Dong Tianyun raised his eyes to look at Yanji, taking it for granted that he should go prepare food for the child.
“If she’s hungry, you go squeeze flower juice. Why call me?” Yanji sneered back at him. “This isn’t my child!”
Here we go again. Xiang Su cried herself hoarse. As soon as she had any need for eating, drinking, or relieving herself, they would argue over whose child she was until she was on her last breath, only then getting around to solving the actual problem.
This time she was urgent! Could they please improve their efficiency?
Just as Dong Tianyun and Yanji were coldly despising each other again, with neither actually willing to take action, Jin Zhan took her over and asked, “Hungry? Or…”
Xiang Su nodded repeatedly. Yes, exactly that “or” he hadn’t said aloud!
Yanji was very dismissive of Jin Zhan’s approach. “Why are you asking her? What does a child understand?”
Jin Zhan’s expression was stern. “No matter how small a child is, she’s still a living being. If you genuinely treat her well and speak to her, she can understand.”
Both Yanji and Dong Tianyun fell silent after hearing this. Xiang Su jumped up and down in Jin Zhan’s arms. If he truly wanted to treat her well, he should quickly take her to urinate!
Jin Zhan’s face reddened. He carried Xiang Su to the edge of the terrace, squatted down holding the little infant to help her urinate, and even turned his face to the side.
Xiang Su’s face also flushed. This was truly sinful. But in this situation, she really couldn’t be too particular about the difference between men and women. Fortunately, she was now too small—small enough that it wasn’t too embarrassing. While Xiang Su felt relief, she also felt ashamed, yet she also thought that having Jin Zhan do this job was still much better than having Junshang do it.
When Jin Zhan carried her back, he said to Dong Tianyun somewhat reproachfully, “The child needed to relieve herself!”
Dong Tianyun narrowed his eyes for a moment. Not only did he show no guilt, he asked gloomily instead, “Where did you have her urinate?”
This incident made Dong Tianyun realize the importance of servants. He spent an entire morning at the mountain peak using Jiuyou flowers to cast spells, creating a batch of attendants. He even specifically used Jiuyou flower roots to create two plump older women who clearly looked like nannies.
Xiang Su was held by Jin Zhan. Though Yanji had no favorable impression of Dong Tianyun as a person, he was still sincerely impressed by his magnificent spellcasting. All three watched Dong Tianyun perform his magic—the scene was quite warm.
When Yuanhou descended from the clouds, he saw exactly this scene. He deliberately staggered and asked Jin Zhan with a pale face, “Your and Yanji’s child is already this big?”
Yanji spat without giving him any face. “How can two men have a child? Why don’t you and Dong Tianyun produce one for me to see?”
Dong Tianyun cast a cold glance over, looking ready to get angry. Yuanhou still wore a smiling face. “Wood spirits can of course do it. Sometimes they even produce a seed.”
Yanji was half-convinced by what he said, until he saw Jin Zhan’s iron-blue expression and realized he’d been deceived again by this improper celestial lord.
“Where’s your Elder Sister Qingsui?” Yuanhou asked Jin Zhan gently, as if he hadn’t just spoken nonsense and slandered wood spirits.
“Dong Tianyun told her to watch the child, so she ran off.” Jin Zhan said somewhat unwillingly. Though he didn’t want to engage with him, he should still inform him of Qingsui’s whereabouts.
Yuanhou pondered for a moment, suddenly in a very good mood. Even with Yanji here, Qingsui had still left. It seemed the Water Lord’s appeal was nothing special after all.
The newly employed Jiuyou immortal attendant came up to report, “Prince Yumu requests an audience.”
Yuanhou had already summoned his cloud to leave, but hearing this, he revealed a faint mocking smile. He turned back and sat on the stone bench, saying leisurely, “I’d like to hear what he has to say.”
Dong Tianyun also stopped his work and sat beside Yuanhou, gesturing for Jin Zhan and Yanji to take Xiang Su away.
Xiang Su felt there was more to Celestial Lord Yuanhou’s words. Was there some secret between Yumu and Junshang? She made adorable babbling sounds, reaching out for Dong Tianyun to hold her. Naturally, Jin Zhan wouldn’t forcibly carry her away. Dong Tianyun didn’t seem to place much importance on Yumu’s visit. He casually took Xiang Su into his arms. Jin Zhan and Yanji tactfully withdrew, passing by Yumu on the way. Yumu seemed to regard these two young people with favor, even stopping to nod in acknowledgment.
Seeing Yuanhou was also there, and that he was viewing the scenery and drinking tea with no intention of withdrawing, Yumu also sat down to drink tea. Smiling, he said, “The tea from the Abyss River… has a strange flavor indeed.”
Yuanhou sneered. “Prince, let’s skip the pleasantries. Dong Tianyun is busy taking care of a child and has no time to talk in circles with you.”
Dong Tianyun glared at Yuanhou but ignored Yumu, lowering his hand to pluck a Jiuyou flower to give Xiang Su to play with.
“In that case, I’ll get straight to the point.” Yumu’s smile was always refined and clear. “The Heavenly Emperor has always felt apologetic about Yingtuo taking over as the Metal-Governing Celestial Lord. Now, though you have a half-immortal, half-demon body, there should still be a place for you in the Heavenly Court.”
Before Dong Tianyun could speak, Yuanhou heavily set down his cup and said with a grin, preempting him, “That makes sense. What title do you and your imperial father intend to bestow upon Dong Tianyun?”
Yuanhou’s smile made Yumu somewhat uncomfortable. He glanced at Dong Tianyun, then laughed self-deprecatingly. “Redesignate him as Great General Shenghuan, supervising the manufacture of heavenly army weapons…”
“Ha!” Yuanhou’s laugh was very sarcastic. “This is making Dong Tianyun your father and son’s blacksmith, isn’t it?”
These words hit the nail on the head. Yumu’s expression froze as he said darkly, “Celestial Lord Yuanhou…”
Yuanhou anticipated he would use his status as Earth-Governing Celestial Lord to remind him, and chuckled. “Having worked so hard for the Heavenly Emperor all these years, I’m tired too. This Jiuyou Mountain of Dong Tianyun’s—ungoverne by heaven, uncollected by earth—it’s quite carefree for me to come mooch a meal here too.”
Yumu fell silent, his expression turning unpleasant.
Dong Tianyun smiled. “Ungoverned by heaven, uncollected by earth? Well said. Prince Yumu, you and the Heavenly Emperor are simply afraid I’ll join forces with Demon Emperor Quewang. The demon realm has been keeping to itself these past few hundred years, and I, Dong Tianyun… also have no more interest in working hard or submitting to others. Henceforth I’ll remain at this Jiuyou Mountain as my Jiuyou Palace Master. To whom the Three Realms belong… has nothing to do with me.”
After hearing this, Yumu was silent for a long while. “Dong Tianyun, you may not believe me, but I did not agree with Father Emperor’s proposal to redesignate you as Great General. Whether it’s genuine admiration or deep friendship, I truly feel the redesignation is an insult to you. Rest assured, I will return to the palace and explain this to Father Emperor in detail, and will certainly ensure you can roam freely and at ease at Jiuyou Mountain.”
After Yumu had gone far away, Yuanhou finally laughed coldly. “That prince is just like his old man—so fake. Back then…” Yuanhou pursed his lips and stopped. His speculation wasn’t suitable to voice in front of Dong Tianyun at present.
Dong Tianyun also sneered. Though he didn’t respond, he clearly agreed with Yuanhou’s assessment.
“They think everyone’s like them with just those two and a half brain cells? This is obviously squeezing you out, making you not return to the Heavenly Court while also acting like they’re doing you a favor. I’m tired of being Earth-Governing Celestial Lord too. After I help you restore your true essence using the earth spirit divine artifact, I’ll come here to while away my days. Look at this—it’s truly my masterpiece of a lifetime.”
“You and Qingsui should still roll far away.” Dong Tianyun scoffed.
Originally in high spirits, upon hearing Qingsui’s name, Yuanhou suddenly lost all expression. After being silent for a while, he said, “Dong Tianyun, though little Su Bing finding another husband is infuriating, I’m somewhat relieved.”
Xiang Su felt Dong Tianyun’s hands supporting her under her arms suddenly tighten. No wonder—what was Celestial Lord Yuanhou saying?
“To restore your immortal body requires the Five Elements divine artifacts, and Chilin mentioned before that the Shennong Cauldron is hidden in Prisoner Dragon Valley. I went to look—within three li outside the valley are all thorny demons. Even your Solitary Question sword couldn’t kill a path through. You can only rely on her Haotian Fire. If her father were still around, the matter could be negotiated, but now the fire spirit divine artifact is in Chilin’s hands. If Su Bing were still by your side, given her temperament, she would definitely threaten you to drive little Su Bing away… The situation then would be even worse than now.”
Dong Tianyun grunted.
Yuanhou scratched his brow with a finger. “Even if your feelings for little Su Bing are sincere and you can’t bear to abandon her, little Su Bing may not be able to bear the guilt of harming your entire life. In short… the current situation is better. Dong Tianyun, you and I have known each other for hundreds of years. Even if you blame me for saying these things today, I can’t help it. Little Su Bing has already married. You should forget her. Chilin… she’s waited for you all these years. Her heart can be considered devoted.” Yuanhou sighed and finally couldn’t continue.
Matters of the heart cannot be forced even slightly—didn’t he understand this better than anyone? Now, because Dong Tianyun had no choice but to use the fire spirit divine artifact, advising him that even if he didn’t like Chilin he should slowly come to like her—these words he truly couldn’t bring himself to say.
He looked up in annoyance and discovered the little infant in Dong Tianyun’s arms had a face full of tears, yet hadn’t cried out loud. “This…” Yuanhou truly had never seen such a child. “The child is crying?”
Dong Tianyun stared unfocused beyond the Gazing at Darkness Platform, as if he hadn’t heard Yuanhou’s words.
“I…” Yuanhou leaned in to examine the little infant closely, then felt there was nothing particularly strange about her. “I’d better call her parents over.” He pointed at his celestial eye with one hand and called out with his spiritual consciousness, “Jin Zhan, Yanji, come quickly. Your daughter is crying.”