The moment Taiqing Laozi spoke, it was as if he had dropped a bombshell atop Kunlun Mountain Peak.
Tongtian Jiaozhu and Yuanshi Tianzun both looked up at once, staring wide-eyed at their eldest brother.
Their expressions were as if they had seen a Three-legged Golden Crow crawling on the ground.
Big Brother, what did you just say?
You want this woman to treat Kunlun Mountain as her home?
Wasn't that letting a wolf into the house?!
"Big Brother! You're confused!" Tongtian Jiaozhu was so anxious he nearly jumped to his feet, his divine sense transmissions bombarding him wildly.
"This woman is deeply scheming and highly capable! If you let her stay, will we have any good days left? I bet the disciple will forget all about us within three days!"
"Exactly!" Yuanshi Tianzun rarely stood on the same side as Tongtian.
"This is absolutely inappropriate! Kunlun Mountain is the sacred ground of Pangu's True Lineage. How can we allow an outsider to live here permanently? If word gets out, where will our dignity be?"
The two were as anxious as ants on a hot pan, wishing they could rush over and cover their eldest brother's mouth.
Yet Taiqing Laozi completely ignored his two junior brothers' intense reactions.
He merely looked quietly at Nuwa, his gaze deep and calm as he waited for her answer.
Nuwa was also stunned by the sudden invitation.
She had thought that after that little "farce," the Three Pure Ones would consider her the least welcome person on Kunlun Mountain.
She never expected Taiqing Laozi to take the initiative and invite her to stay.
He had even said that this place was her home too?
A wave of warmth instantly enveloped Nuwa's heart.
Looking into Taiqing Laozi's eyes, which seemed capable of seeing through everything, she immediately understood his intentions.
As the foremost of the Three Pure Ones and the eldest senior brother of Pangu's True Lineage, his cultivation and breadth of mind far surpassed those two junior brothers who were still getting worked up over competing for affection.
Taiqing Laozi understood.
He understood Lin Shen's purest wish, and he also understood the shortcomings of these mighty beings in the Dao of raising children.
He understood even more clearly that Nuwa's presence might not be a bad thing for Lin Shen's growth.
Rather than seeing her as an enemy who was "stealing their disciple," it would be better to make her an ally in "raising the child together."
Better to guide than to block.
That was the true Dao of non-action.
What a fine example of supreme non-action, Nuwa silently praised.
She looked at the Three Pure Ones, then lowered her gaze to Lin Shen, who was looking at her eagerly in her arms.
The little fellow's tiny hand still clutched her sleeve tightly, afraid that she might leave.
Nuwa's heart completely softened.
Home?
She had been born a goddess. Although Wa Huang Palace was suffused with Immortal Qi, it was still cold and lonely.
Her elder brother Fuxi spent all year in seclusion, deducing the secrets of heaven. He had very little time to keep her company.
When had she ever possessed a true "home"?
Now, a little fellow with a milky voice was inviting her to "home" with him.
And an elder with profound cultivation was telling her that this place was her home as well.
This feeling... was strange, yet warm.
Nuwa's eyes grew slightly moist.
She took a deep breath and gave Taiqing Laozi a solemn, deep bow.
"Then I shall trouble you three Dao brothers."
She agreed!
She had actually agreed!
Tongtian Jiaozhu and Yuanshi Tianzun felt as if the heavens were collapsing.
It was over!
Completely over!
They had let a wolf into the house!
Tongtian Jiaozhu could practically see the miserable future ahead.
Every morning, the first thing their disciple did upon waking would be to look for "Sister Nuwa."
At mealtimes, their disciple would only eat the "loving meals" Nuwa made.
When playing, their disciple would only play with the "little animals" Nuwa molded.
At bedtime, their disciple would even want Nuwa to tell him "bedtime stories."
And what about the three masters who had worked so hard?
They could only watch eagerly from the side, without even the right to interrupt.
At that thought, grief welled up in Tongtian Jiaozhu's heart, and he nearly burst into tears on the spot again.
Yuanshi Tianzun's expression was equally terrible.
He glared at Taiqing Laozi with a look that said, "Big Brother, you betrayed us."
Taiqing Laozi merely returned a profound, unfathomable smile.
He sent through divine sense, "Second Brother, Third Brother, take a longer view."
"If Fellow Daoist Nuwa remains, it will bring nothing but benefits to us and to Lin Shen."
"First, she can make up for our shortcomings in guiding Lin Shen's temperament, allowing his childhood to be more complete and his Dao Heart more fulfilled."
"Second, Fellow Daoist Nuwa commands the Dao of Creation, which complements Lin Shen's Origin Qi. If she remains on Kunlun Mountain and spends day and night with Lin Shen, they can verify the Great Dao through one another, and both will benefit immensely. This will also greatly benefit the fortune of our Kunlun Mountain lineage."
"Third, and most importantly." Taiqing Laozi's voice became meaningful.
"Do you think that if we let her stay, we have lost?"
"You are gravely mistaken!"
"This is precisely our best chance to turn defeat into victory!"
"Oh?" Yuanshi and Tongtian both perked up.
"Nuwa knows how to raise a child. Do you think we cannot learn?" Taiqing Laozi was full of confidence.
"She will be living right under our noses. We will see everything she does clearly. If she can do it, can't the three of us working together do the same?"
"The pavilion closest to the water gets the moonlight first. We have the advantage of location! As long as we study diligently, imitate, and surpass her, I refuse to believe the three of us together cannot compare to her alone!"
"This will be a protracted battle! A battle of learning! More than that, a battle for honor!"
"For our disciple, for the dignity of Pangu's True Lineage, we must win this battle!"
Taiqing Laozi's words were stirring and impassioned.
In an instant, they reignited Yuanshi and Tongtian's flagging morale.
That was right!
Big Brother was right!
Wasn't it just raising a child?
Learn!
Could their learning ability as dignified Primordial Golden Immortals possibly be lacking?
If Nuwa could mold cats, then they could refine dragons!
If Nuwa could tell stories, then they could perform shadow puppet plays!
If Nuwa could give gentle hugs, then they... they could do that too!
Tongtian Jiaozhu immediately climbed up from the ground, dusted off his robes, and reignited the blazing fighting spirit in his eyes.
He checked his reflection with the Water Mirror Technique, then used his magic power to shave off his messy beard cleanly.
He even used a spell to change into a more "approachable" Green Daoist Robe.
Though he was still as bold and unrestrained as ever, he at least looked much neater.
Yuanshi Tianzun also silently tried to raise his eternally icy expression, attempting to squeeze out a... smile.
Though that smile looked even worse than crying.
A fiercer and more intensely competitive "battle for affection" centered around Lin Shen officially began the moment Nuwa moved into Kunlun Mountain.
Yet Lin Shen, the protagonist of all this, knew nothing about it.
He only knew that today had been so wonderful!
Not only had he hugged a pretty big sister and petted an adorable kitten, but from now on, pretty big sister would be "home" with them too!
That meant he could play with pretty big sister and the kitten every day!
Lin Shen happily rolled around in Nuwa's arms, letting out a delighted giggle.
"Big sister... live... here!" the little fellow said in his milky voice, pointing his chubby little hand in every direction around Kunlun Mountain.
"Masters... live... here too!"
"Play... together! Eat... together! Sleepy-sleep... together!"
A child's innocent words, yet they spoke of the purest joy.
Seeing how happy he was, Nuwa's heart softened as well.
She decided to build a palace beside the Three Pure Ones' Dao Palace.
She had already thought of its name.
It would be called... Wa Huang Palace!
Thus, under Nuwa's power of creation, an exquisite palace brimming with vitality rose from the flat ground atop Kunlun Mountain Peak, adorned everywhere with rare flowers, exotic plants, and adorable little animals.
A large open area was deliberately left before the palace gates, specially reserved as Lin Shen's playground.
It formed a sharp contrast with the Three Pure Ones' ancient and majestic Dao Palace.
It also marked the official beginning of a new era on Kunlun Mountain: four giants raising one child.
Tongtian Jiaozhu looked at that pink, girlish palace, and the corner of his mouth twitched.
"Big Brother... I suddenly feel that... isn't our Dao Palace a little too... plain?"
Taiqing Laozi stroked his beard, deep in thought.
"Indeed... perhaps we should keep up with the times as well."
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