Lin Shen nestled happily in Nuwa's warm, fragrant embrace.
His little head rubbed against her comfortably, like a kitten that had found the perfect cat bed.
This felt far better than Third Master's prickly beard and hard chest!
He narrowed his eyes in contentment, so happy he forgot where he was.
Yet inwardly, he was frantically giving it a thumbs-up: Sure enough! A beauty's embrace really is different! Fragrant and soft—simply heaven on earth!
But the atmosphere on the grounds completely exploded because of this one "hug."
Tongtian Jiaozhu stared wistfully at Lin Shen in Nuwa's arms.
His heart shattered into eight pieces.
He stretched out his empty hands, then looked at his own slightly rough face, weathered from years of sword practice.
An unprecedented sense of grievance welled up in his heart.
My precious disciple! How could you treat your Master like this!
"Big Brother, Second Brother..."
With a sobbing tone, he frantically spammed the minds of his two brothers with divine sense.
"I've fallen out of favor! Completely fallen out of favor!"
"The precious disciple I painstakingly raised, the first thing he said wasn't..."
"But calling out to another woman!"
"My heart hurts so much! I don't think I'll ever love again!"
"Is this what they mean by raising a child for a hundred years and worrying for ninety-nine?"
Yuanshi Tianzun listened to his pathetic wailing.
He snorted coldly through divine sense and shot back without mercy.
"You deserve it!"
"I told you long ago to pay attention to your appearance, but you refused to listen!"
"You're scruffy all day long, smelling either of wine or sword qi. What child would like that?"
"Look at Fellow Daoist Nuwa. She's fragrant and soft, and she looks gentle and beautiful."
"If the disciple doesn't want her to hold him, who should he go to? You, a stinking, hard rock?"
Though Yuanshi Tianzun was berating his Third Brother.
His gaze never left Lin Shen in Nuwa's arms for even a moment.
The sourness in his eyes could be smelled from eight hundred miles away.
Why?!
That was Kunlun Mountain's precious treasure!
The darling of their three brothers!
As his Second Master, whenever he wanted to hold him a little longer, he had to outwit his Big Brother and Third Brother.
Yet this outsider had come and snatched away his disciple the moment she arrived?
And held him so tightly!
Sour bubbles began rising in Yuanshi Tianzun's heart as well.
Taiqing Laozi watched his two younger brothers act like childish rivals fighting over affection.
He shook his head helplessly.
What a disgrace!
They were Primordial Golden Immortals who had attained the Dao—how could their temperaments still resemble those of three-year-old children?
But...
He secretly glanced at Lin Shen, whose eyes had curved into crescents as he smiled in Nuwa's embrace.
Then he silently looked at his own plain yet clean and tidy Daoist robe.
As well as his meticulously groomed white beard.
Mm, fortunately, he had always paid rather close attention to his appearance.
His little disciple might be temporarily bewitched by beauty.
But he would surely come to understand that First Master's embrace was the safest, warmest harbor.
Taiqing Laozi gave himself an approving nod inwardly.
Nuwa had no mind to spare for the Three Pure Ones' complicated inner turmoil.
All her attention was occupied by the adorable little fellow in her arms.
She held Lin Shen's soft little body.
Breathing in his distinctive scent, mixed with the fresh fragrance of plants and a milky sweetness.
Her entire heart nearly melted.
What kind of heavenly baby was this?!
How could he be this adorable?!
She extended a slender jade finger and carefully poked Lin Shen's chubby little cheek.
It was soft, tender, and springy, gentler than any innate spiritual jade she had ever seen.
"Little Lin Shen, you're so adorable."
Nuwa's voice was so gentle it seemed ready to drip with honey.
"Big Sister likes you so much."
Hearing the beautiful big sister praise him, Lin Shen felt delighted.
He lifted his little face and gave Nuwa a bright, innocent smile.
"Big Sister... pret... ty..."
He tried hard to form the words and spoke two more clearly.
Yet inwardly, he burst into wild laughter: Hahaha! Sure enough! You can never go wrong complimenting a woman on being pretty!
Boom!
Those two words struck Nuwa harder than Hongjun's Jade Plate of Creation!
Nuwa felt as though an arrow called "adorable" had pierced straight through her heart!
She could no longer hold herself back.
Holding Lin Shen, she gently kissed his rosy little cheek.
"Oh, my good baby, what a sweet mouth you have!"
Nuwa smiled until her eyes curved, and her whole body seemed to glow.
But to the Three Pure Ones, that scene was no different from a bolt of Chaos Divine Thunder.
It struck directly atop their heads.
Tongtian Jiaozhu clutched his chest.
He felt as if a sword had stabbed his heart, leaving it ice-cold.
"He... he called someone else pretty..."
"He's never called me pretty..."
"In his heart, am I not even as good as being pretty?"
Yuanshi Tianzun's face had already darkened like the bottom of a pot.
He roared through divine sense, "Outrageous! Absolutely outrageous!"
"Nuwa is deeply calculating! She actually used her beauty to seduce my disciple!"
"She is simply... utterly shameless!"
Taiqing Laozi also felt things were getting somewhat out of control.
If this continued, the tender cabbage they had painstakingly raised might truly get rooted up by someone else's pig!
No!
They had to think of a way to snatch their disciple back!
"Ahem!"
Taiqing Laozi cleared his throat.
He forcibly interrupted the warm scene of "loving mother and filial son."
He gave Nuwa a kind and amiable smile.
"Fellow Daoist Nuwa, look, the little disciple is mischievous and keeps moving around in your arms."
"He may dirty your clothes."
"Why not let this old Daoist hold him? He's more familiar with me and will behave himself better."
As he spoke, he stretched out his hand to take Lin Shen.
How could Nuwa possibly let go?
Holding Lin Shen, she lightly turned aside and avoided Taiqing Laozi's hand.
The gentle smile remained on her face.
"It doesn't matter, Daoist Brother Taiqing."
"Little Lin Shen and I felt like old friends at first sight. We are very compatible."
"He likes being held by me, so I'll hold him a while longer."
"Besides, children are naturally lively and active."
Her words directly blocked off Taiqing Laozi's path.
Taiqing Laozi met a soft rebuff, and his expression stiffened slightly.
He roared inwardly: This woman! Why is she so difficult to deal with?!
"Second Brother! It's your turn!"
Tongtian Jiaozhu urged Yuanshi Tianzun frantically through divine sense.
Yuanshi Tianzun took a deep breath and stepped forward.
With his stern, imposing face, he said in a deep voice to Nuwa, "Fellow Daoist Nuwa."
"Lin Shen is a disciple of Kunlun Mountain and the sole successor of Pangu's True Lineage."
"He bears immense destiny and concerns the future of the primordial world. There can be no room for error."
"Though you and I are old acquaintances, men and women should keep their distance. Such intimacy is improper."
"Please return Lin Shen to us, Fellow Daoist. Do not delay my disciple's cultivation."
Yuanshi Tianzun directly invoked grand labels like "Pangu's True Lineage" and "the future of the primordial world."
His meaning was clear: this was their child, their hope.
As an outsider, she should not cling to him here and create an improper impression!
His words were righteous and full of authority.
Had it been anyone else, they would likely have been intimidated into obediently handing over the child.
But Nuwa merely smiled faintly.
She lowered her head and looked at Lin Shen, who was curiously watching Yuanshi Tianzun from her arms.
Then she said softly, "Daoist Brother Yuanshi, you are mistaken."
"I see that Little Lin Shen was born close to the Creation Great Dao."
"And what I command is precisely the Dao of Creation."
"His closeness to me is the attraction of the Great Dao, the will of heaven. What does it have to do with the distinction between men and women?"
"As for cultivation, drawing close to the Great Dao and comprehending creation—is that not the finest cultivation?"
"If you do not believe me, Daoist Brother, you may ask Little Lin Shen."
"Does he wish to leave my embrace?"
As she spoke, she deliberately rubbed her cheek against Lin Shen's little face.
Lin Shen giggled as she tickled him.
His little head shook like a rattle-drum.
The meaning could not have been clearer: he wasn't leaving! He wasn't leaving! He wanted the pretty big sister to hold him!
His heart was celebrating even more wildly: Hahaha! Who would ever dislike the fragrant, soft embrace of a beautiful woman?!
Yuanshi Tianzun: "..."
He felt a mouthful of old blood lodged in his throat.
It could neither rise nor fall.
When it came to eloquence, he believed he was inferior to no one in the primordial world.
Yet today, Nuwa had rendered him speechless using his own disciple!
What... what kind of situation was this?!
"Hahaha! Second Brother, you're no good either!"
Seeing this, Tongtian Jiaozhu laughed gleefully.
"Looks like I have to take the field myself!"
He rolled up his sleeves and strode toward Nuwa.
Unlike Taiqing and Yuanshi, he did not reason with her or flaunt his status.
Instead, he directly took something from his robes.
It was a small wooden sword carved from sword qi.
A glowing, colorful little ball woven from sword qi hung from it as well.
"Beloved Disciple! Look!"
Tongtian Jiaozhu waved the little toy before Lin Shen.
"This is a new toy Third Master made for you!"
"It's even more fun than your last sword qi swing!"
"As long as you come over, Third Master will take you somewhere a hundred times bigger than the sword qi playground!"
"There were dragons that breathed fire, birds that sang, and little rivers flowing with honey!"
"Did that sound fun?"
Tongtian Jiaozhu immediately brought out his trump card—tempting him with delicious food and toys!
He refused to believe that his little foodie could resist such temptation!
Sure enough, the moment Lin Shen saw that novel toy,
and heard there were so many fun things to do,
his eyes instantly lit up.
He looked at the glittering little sword in his hand, then at the expectant look in Tongtian Jiaozhu's eyes.
A fierce struggle began in his little head.
Between toys and pretty big sisters, which should he choose?
This was a century-old dilemma!
He was utterly torn inside: Holy crap! This is way too hard to choose! On one side is the fragrant, soft embrace of a beautiful woman; on the other are super fun toys!
Why did I, a three-year-old child, have to face such a cruel multiple-choice question?!
Before you continue