Hearing Zou Zheng say this, Zhang Yu pondered briefly, then looked up at him. "Then, Foster Father, were all the Divine Children created by you?"
Zou Zheng replied, "By me." After a moment's thought, however, he added, "But I cannot say they were all made by me. There were other versions of me who created Divine Children as well."
"Others?"
Zhang Yu's gaze stirred slightly. "So there is more than one 'Elder'?"
Zou Zheng nodded. "That's right. More than one."
Zhang Yu cast a glance outside. "Then are the people Foster Father mentioned them?"
Zou Zheng shook his head. "They are different. Those versions of me merely use the knowledge I gave them to do things. They have no creativity of their own. Without my instructions, they will not take the initiative to do anything. As for the other 'mes'..."
At that moment, another Zou Zheng walked in and said, "The meal is ready."
Zou Zheng looked at him. "Then let us eat first and talk afterward."
"That works." Zhang Yu said, "Thank you, Foster Father."
Zou Zheng smiled. "Why are you being so polite with me?"
He led Zhang Yu into a side hall. Whether it was the furnishings or the tables, chairs, and desks, everything bore the style of Celestial Xia. Brushes, ink, and paper lay spread across one desk, along with a half-finished ink-wash painting.
Behind a screen, the table was laden with dishes. Zou Zheng sat down with him and smiled. "Little Lang, does this look all right to you?"
Zhang Yu glanced over the meal. He had never been particular about food; vegetables and tofu were fine, as were lavish dishes of fish and meat. Yet when he had been young in this life, what he had loved most were fish balls and water shield