Nuwa's casually spoken words—"I'd like to invite Little Lin Shen to stay at Wa Huang Palace with me for a few days"—were like a Chaos Divine Stone falling from the nine heavens.
They smashed a bottomless crater right into Kunlun Mountain Peak.
The Three Pure Ones—three supreme figures who had just attained the Primordial Golden Immortal realm, whose pressure shook the entire primordial world—were collectively petrified at that moment.
Tongtian Jiaozhu's eyes widened.
The Qingping Sword Intent in his hand began to hum uncontrollably.
He stared fixedly at Nuwa, his gaze as if he were looking at a mortal enemy who had just stolen his Four Swords of Zhu Xian and set his Biyou Palace on fire for good measure.
What had he just heard?
This woman wanted to abduct the precious little treasure they had painstakingly raised into such a fair, chubby child and take him back to her godforsaken Wa Huang Palace?
And have him stay for a few days?
How was that any different from cutting flesh straight out of his heart?!
"Y-You... what did you say?!"
Tongtian Jiaozhu's voice went shrill. He pointed at Nuwa, his finger trembling.
"Say that again?!"
Even Yuanshi Tianzun's eternally icy face could no longer hold together.
His mouth hung slightly open, wide enough to fit an entire Five Flavors Immortal Mountain he had personally sculpted.
His mind was blank, with only one thought echoing madly within it.
Outrageous!
Absolutely outrageous!
This woman was simply too audacious!
Who did she think she was?
Just because she had a little beauty and had coaxed his disciple into growing close to her over the past few days, she thought she could waltz in and seize the nest?
This was an open provocation!
It was the most naked provocation against Pangu's True Lineage and Kunlun Mountain's supreme dignity!
The whisk in Taiqing Laozi's hand fell to the ground with a slap.
His profound eyes, which had seen through the cycles of Yin Yang and the birth and death of all things, were now filled with disbelief.
He had imagined countless possibilities.
He had considered that Nuwa had come to investigate the secret behind their breakthrough.
He had considered that Nuwa had come to ask how to Prove the Dao and Become a Saint.
He had even considered that Hongjun had sent her as a mediator.
But he had never imagined that Nuwa's first words would be such an earth-shattering request.
This was no longer about competing for affection.
She wanted to dig up their family's roots entirely!
"Fellow Daoist Nuwa, that joke is not funny at all."
Taiqing Laozi slowly picked up his whisk, his voice graver than ever.
Though he did not immediately bristle like Tongtian, the invisible pressure belonging to a Primordial Golden Immortal had already begun to press down upon Nuwa.
The air across Kunlun Mountain Peak became viscous.
Yet Nuwa still wore a gentle smile in the face of the Three Pure Ones' nearly murderous stares and Taiqing Laozi's mountain-like pressure.
She merely held Lin Shen in her arms a little tighter.
Then she said softly, "Three elder brothers, you misunderstand. I have no intention of stealing your disciple."
"It is only..."
She lowered her head and looked at Lin Shen, who was holding the little kitten in her arms and gazing blankly at his three masters.
Her eyes were filled with boundless affection and compassion.
"It is only that I see Little Lin Shen possesses supreme origins, and his body contains a source of creation that even I cannot fathom."
"But his mind is, in the end, still that of a child."
"The three elder brothers are Pangu's True Lineage and honored masters of the Great Dao. What occupies your thoughts each day is the workings of heaven and earth, the ultimate truths of the Dao."
"Your way of teaching may perhaps... not be entirely suited to a child's growth."
Nuwa's words were tactful, but their meaning was sharp.
You three grown men simply did not know how to raise a child!
Once those words came out, the Three Pure Ones' expressions darkened even further.
Tongtian Jiaozhu was so angry he nearly drew his sword. "Nonsense! How do we not know how to raise a child?"
"We've fed our disciple until he's fair and chubby! Whatever he wants to eat, he gets! Whatever he wants to play with, he gets!"
"Who in this primordial world lives more comfortably than him?"
"Material abundance does not represent everything."
Nuwa shook her head, her voice gentle yet firm.
"What Little Lin Shen needs is not merely spirit fruits, immortal elixirs, Dharma treasures, and toys."
"What he needs even more is gentle companionship, patient guidance, and care that understands a child's heart."
As she spoke, she extended a slender jade finger and lightly tapped Lin Shen's little nose.
"Look. He likes fluffy little animals, listening to stories, and being held gently."
"Have the three elder brothers ever done such things for him?"
The Three Pure Ones: "..."
Nuwa's questions left them speechless.
Tongtian Jiaozhu wanted to retort that he had caught rabbits for him!
But the rabbits had been blown into Immortal Beasts by his disciple in the blink of an eye, making it impossible to play with them happily.
Yuanshi Tianzun wanted to retort that he had created an illusory maze for him!
But that maze contained only cold formations and false illusions. Where was the warmth of real life?
Taiqing Laozi wanted to retort that he had opened up the Hundred Herbs Garden for him!
But in that Hundred Herbs Garden, Lin Shen could only play with mud all alone.
They suddenly realized that they truly had never considered things from a "child's" perspective.
Everything they had done had been from the perspective of "masters."
They had crammed everything they considered best into Lin Shen's hands.
Yet they had never asked what Lin Shen truly wanted.
Seeing the Three Pure Ones fall silent, Nuwa knew her words had worked.
She pressed her advantage and continued, "I am not particularly talented, but I was born with command over the Dao of Creation and possess a natural affinity with all living beings."
"If I guide Little Lin Shen and let him experience the beauty of life and the joy of creation..."
"Perhaps it would be far more effective than the three elder brothers lecturing him every day on those profound principles of the Great Dao."
"Besides, I am only inviting him to stay at my Wa Huang Palace for a few days."
"Kunlun Mountain is not far from Wa Huang Palace. If the three elder brothers are worried, you may visit him whenever you wish."
"This would benefit Little Lin Shen's growth and also inspire my own path of Dao. Why not do it?"
Nuwa's words were logical, sincere, and heartfelt.
She had pointed out the Three Pure Ones' shortcomings in "raising a child," given them plenty of room to back down, and painted a picture that benefited both sides.
Impressive!
Truly impressive!
Lin Shen listened from the side and could not help giving Nuwa a silent thumbs-up.
My goodness, not only is this pretty sister beautiful, she's also so good with words!
Her eloquence and logic are practically perfect public relations!
He was nearly convinced.
Stay at pretty sister's house for a few days?
That sounded... pretty nice!
There would surely be lots of delicious food and fun things there too, right?
And Sister Nuwa was so gentle. She would definitely tell him lots of interesting stories!
She would even hold him and gently coax him to sleep!
Just thinking about it felt blissful!
Little stars of anticipation began to shine in Lin Shen's eyes.
He secretly tugged on Nuwa's sleeve and asked in a tiny voice only she could hear, "Sister Nuwa, do you have kittens at your house too?"
Nuwa lowered her head to look into his sparkling eyes, and her heart nearly melted from how adorable he was.
She nodded gently. "Of course. Big sister has lots and lots of cute little animals at home."
"There are birds that can sing, little rabbits that can dance, and little butterflies that can change colors."
"If Little Lin Shen comes, big sister will introduce them all to you, all right?"
Lin Shen's eyes lit up as he listened.
Wow!
So many little animals!
This was practically a zoo!
He could not help nodding hard. "Okay! I want to go! I want to go!"
The Three Pure Ones looked at Nuwa, then at their disciple's longing little expression, their hearts filled with mixed emotions.
They knew Nuwa was right.
When it came to "raising a child," the three of them combined might not compare to even one of Nuwa's fingers.
But...
Reason was one thing, yet emotionally, they simply could not accept it!
That was their precious treasure, the one they feared might fall if they held him in their palms and feared might melt if they held him in their mouths!
How could they just let him go home with another woman?
What if he stayed there and then refused to come back?
What if all he said from then on was "Sister Nuwa," and he forgot his three masters?
At the thought of that possibility, the Three Pure Ones' hearts clenched painfully.
No!
Absolutely not!
"This is absolutely impossible!"
Tongtian Jiaozhu was the first to step forward and refuse without hesitation.
He glared at Nuwa like a fierce tiger protecting its cub.
"My disciple belongs to Kunlun Mountain in life and in death!"
"He's going nowhere! He stays by my side!"
"Third Brother!"
Yuanshi Tianzun rebuked him, feeling that his words were too crude.
But immediately after, he also spoke to Nuwa in an unquestionable tone. "Fellow Daoist Nuwa, we appreciate your goodwill."
"But Lin Shen is the only disciple of Kunlun Mountain. There is no reason for him to stay at another person's cultivation ground."
"Do not bring this matter up again."
Taiqing Laozi delivered the final conclusion.
He gave Nuwa a slight bow, his tone calm but his attitude incomparably resolute.
"Fellow Daoist, please leave."
For the first time, the three brothers had reached an unprecedented consensus on an external matter.
And that consensus was—want to abduct our child?
Not a chance!
We'll weld the windows shut too!
Nuwa looked at the Three Pure Ones' guarded, united appearance and felt helpless as well.
She knew she had been somewhat too hasty this time.
These three regarded this little fellow as even more precious than their own lives.
Trying to take him from their hands was likely harder than Proving the Dao and Becoming a Saint.
"So be it."
Nuwa let out a faint sigh, a trace of disappointment appearing on her face.
"Since the three elder brothers do not permit it, I cannot force the matter."
She lowered her head and looked reluctantly at Lin Shen in her arms.
She rubbed her cheek against his soft little face one last time.
"Little Lin Shen, big sister is leaving now. I'll come visit you again later, all right?"
The moment Lin Shen heard that, he became a little unwilling.
Don't go, pretty sister!
I haven't held you enough yet!
My little kitten is still in your hands!
And I still want to go to your house to see the little animals!
He stretched out his little hand and tightly grabbed Nuwa's collar.
His little mouth puckered, and tears began to gather in his eyes.
"Don't... go..."
"Big sister... no... go..."
With his meager vocabulary, he struggled to express his reluctance to part.
To Nuwa, this scene was a sweet burden.
But to the Three Pure Ones, it was the last straw that broke the camel's back!
Tongtian Jiaozhu felt that, at this moment, his entire worldview had utterly collapsed.
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