Fuxi felt his head buzzing.
It was as if ten thousand ancient dragon-elephants had trampled over him, leaving him dizzy and disoriented, with the world spinning around him.
The Way of Deduction he had taken pride in all his life had been utterly shattered before this little baby.
One soft little "Drawing Turtles."
One innocent little "Playing Pinwheels."
It was that simple.
He looked at his River Diagram and Luo Script, the supreme Innate Spiritual Treasure bound to his life, which Lin Shen was currently treating like an ordinary black-and-white pinwheel, spinning it with his chubby little hands.
With every turn, the laws atop Kunlun Mountain Peak fell into disorder.
The stars at the horizon flickered along with it.
Was this playing with a pinwheel?
He was clearly playing with the secrets of heaven!
Yet the little fellow was having the time of his life, giggling merrily.
Not a trace of karmic sin clung to him.
It was as though the secrets of heaven were nothing more than a worthless toy before him.
"Pfft—"
The more Fuxi thought about it, the more stifled he felt. He could not help spitting out another mouthful of blood.
His face turned white as paper.
"Brother!"
Nuwa cried out in alarm and hurried forward to support him.
A stream of pure Qi of Creation entered his body, helping stabilize his Dao Heart, which was on the verge of shattering.
"Why are you coughing up blood again?"
Nuwa was both anxious and angry.
Her brother was one of the greatest powers in the primordial world. Why had he become like a porcelain doll the moment he arrived at Kunlun Mountain, ready to shatter at the slightest touch?
Fuxi waved his hand and weakly pointed at Lin Shen, who was still happily spinning the "pinwheel."
His lips trembled, but he could not form a complete sentence for a long while.
"He... he... my Dao..."
"Ha ha ha! Drawing Turtles!"
Tongtian Jiaozhu laughed wildly without the slightest restraint.
"What happened to your Dao? Did you realize Drawing Turtles has no future, so you're planning to switch careers and learn swordsmanship from me?"
Those words were like a poisoned blade, stabbing viciously into Fuxi's heart again.
He looked at Tongtian Jiaozhu's gloating face and grew so furious that his vision went dark. He nearly fainted on the spot.
"Third Brother!"
Though Yuanshi Tianzun was delighted inside, he maintained a dignified expression on the surface.
"Fellow Daoist Fuxi is our guest. How can you be so rude?"
His words were reproachful, but the corners of his upturned mouth and his shoulders trembling like a sieve had thoroughly betrayed him.
Taiqing Laozi simply turned around and pretended to study the clouds at the horizon.
He muttered, "The clouds curl and unfurl today, quite imbued with the meaning of the Great Dao. Mm, very good, very good."
Hongjun Daozu could not help laughing at the sight.
He had finally understood.
Kunlun Mountain was Fuxi's nemesis, his destined tribulation.
He walked to Fuxi's side, and a gentle Sage's Dao aura spread over him.
Fuxi's turbulent primordial spirit immediately calmed down.
"Fellow Daoist Fuxi, do not take it to heart."
Hongjun said gently, "The little friend is innocent and pure, with a spotless Dao Heart. Everything he says and does reflects the true nature of the Great Dao; he means no harm."
On the surface, this was consolation.
But beneath it was a warning: stop setting your sights on this little fellow. You truly could not handle him.
Fuxi was exceedingly clever, so naturally he understood the implication.
He gave a bitter smile and cupped his hands. "This humble Daoist was rash. My Dao Heart was unstable, and I have made a spectacle of myself before my fellow Daoists."
Then, with a gaze mixed with reverence, fear, and despair, he looked at Lin Shen, who was still playing with the "pinwheel."
He made up his mind.
From this day onward, he would seal away his art of deduction.
He would never calculate the secrets of heaven again!
It was pointless. Truly pointless.
He had painstakingly deduced for hundreds of millions of years, yet he could not compare to a single sentence from a little child that went straight to the essence.
What was the point of keeping at it?
"Ahem!"
Hongjun cleared his throat and drew everyone's attention, giving Fuxi a way out.
He looked at the Three Pure Ones and Nuwa, his expression turning solemn.
He slowly said, "Having attained the Dao this time, this humble Daoist has felt the hardship all beings of the primordial world endure in seeking the Dao. Therefore, one thousand years from now, at Zixiao Palace beyond the Thirty-three Heavens, I shall expound upon the Great Dao and point the way forward for Those with Destiny."
A Sage was going to preach the Dao!
The moment this news emerged, even the Three Pure Ones and Nuwa, Primordial Golden Immortals such as they were, felt their hearts tremble.
This was the first occurrence since World Creation!
Hongjun was going to formally establish his status as the Dao Ancestor of the Mystic Sect.
"When the time comes, I hope you fellow Daoists will bring the little friend along."
Hongjun's gaze finally fell upon Lin Shen.
His eyes were filled with affection and anticipation.
"The little friend's seat shall stand before all living beings."
He had said this once before.
But repeating it now, before Fuxi, carried an entirely different meaning.
He was announcing to the entire primordial world the extraordinary status of Kunlun Mountain's little junior brother.
"Rest assured, Fellow Daoist. In one thousand years, we shall certainly attend on time."
Taiqing Laozi spoke for everyone and nodded in agreement.
"Good."
Hongjun nodded with satisfaction.
He looked at the harmonious Kunlun Mountain, then at Lin Shen, who treated the River Diagram and Luo Script as a pinwheel and the Jade Staff of Creation as a knocking stick.
An idea suddenly arose in his mind.
He said with a smile, "A thousand years is neither long nor short. This humble Daoist sees that the little friend is exceptionally gifted, lively, and adorable, and I am quite fond of him. How about this? During these thousand years, this humble Daoist shall remain at Kunlun for the time being."
"First, I can regularly discuss the Dao with you fellow Daoists and verify what we have learned."
"Second..."
Hongjun's face revealed the smile of an old fox.
"I can also help you all teach the little friend and give him an early education. We could even... give him some extra lessons in advance and start a Parenting Cram School. What do you think?"
The moment those words came out, the expressions of the Three Pure Ones and Nuwa changed instantly.
Tongtian Jiaozhu was the first to leap up. "What? You want to stay? And start a cram school for my disciple?"
"No! Absolutely not!"
"My disciple should be playing! Why should he study? Don't even think about imposing your rigid rules on my disciple!"
Yuanshi Tianzun frowned as well.
Though Hongjun was a Sage, when it came to his disciple's "right to education," he would not yield an inch.
"Fellow Daoist Hongjun, we have our own methods for teaching Lin Shen. There is no need to trouble yourself."
Nuwa was even more wary as she pulled Lin Shen closer into her arms.
What a joke!
This old man had seen that they could not outcompete her, so he was preparing to personally step in and snatch the child?
How could she allow that!
Meanwhile, Lin Shen was intently spinning the "pinwheel."
His little cheeks were rosy, and his eyes sparkled brightly.
Every so often, he looked up at the adults' serious expressions, tilted his little head, and looked utterly confused.
What were they talking about?
What was a cram school?
It did not sound like a good thing.
For a moment, the atmosphere that had only just eased became tense and hostile once more.
Kunlun Mountain's first "Battle to Defend Parenting Sovereignty" seemed ready to erupt at any moment between one Sage and four Primordial Golden Immortals!
Before you continue