Karin Is Born

That night, Lu Zeming wrote an emergency drill manual for Flower Village and handed it to Listening Yulong, telling him to familiarize himself with it as soon as possible.

With less than a month until Kumi Uzumaki's due date, Lu Zeming wasn't about to let her take any more risks.

The baby she was carrying was Karin! And Karin was the closest person to a central character from the anime that Lu Zeming could currently meet!

Lu Zeming told Kumi Uzumaki, "Hand over your work. From now on, focus on your pregnancy!"

"I can keep going. Besides, there's still so much work to do in the village."

"The work will never end. You're not on your own now. Focus on your pregnancy—that's an order!"

Touched, Kumi Uzumaki nodded firmly and agreed.

The next day, Lu Zeming had a notice posted with a detailed introduction to Ghost Lantern Vine.

Only then did everyone learn that the monster was the village chief's summoned beast. It was there to protect them and would even be living in the village.

Once the villagers knew it was the village chief's summoned beast, they were no longer afraid, though they still didn't dare go near Ghost Lantern Vine. Its looks were hard to describe kindly.

Ghost Lantern Vine was soon settled in a flower bed beside the central square.

The severed branches brought back from Ghost Lantern Vine were moved to Lu Zeming's private laboratory.

Compared with when it had first been summoned, Ghost Lantern Vine now looked like a dried-up eggplant left out in the frost.

It had lost so many branches and been branded with a soul mark. No wonder it looked so haggard.

Lu Zeming finally showed it some mercy. He pressed both hands to Ghost Lantern Vine's main stem, pouring a vast amount of Spiritual Power into it.

Ghost Lantern Vine gave a contented hum, and a green glow spread over its entire body.

The glow was gentle and brimming with life.

The cuts where Lu Zeming had severed its branches began to heal and grow at remarkable speed.

Even its main stem and branches began growing visibly.

At the sight, Lu Zeming held nothing back. He poured in Spiritual Power at full force until he had nearly exhausted it.

By then, Ghost Lantern Vine's main stem had reached seven meters, and its branches stretched over forty meters.

To Lu Zeming's surprise, a tender leaf had sprouted at the tip of a branch close to the main stem.

The leaf was thick and dark green. It felt like an iron plate, and a tap produced a metallic clang.

Almost at the same moment, Lu Zeming's Inner Landscape reacted.

Mutated Black Rock Leaf. Immature. Once mature, it could be refined into a Magic Tool.

Lu Zeming was delighted. He hadn't expected Ghost Lantern Vine to bring him a surprise like this.

Ghost Lantern Vine was now utterly convinced of Lu Zeming's worth. Any resentment it had felt was nothing but childishness!

Ghost Lantern Vine regretted not having a bed growing on top of its head. Then its master could have lived right above it.

"Keep working hard. If you do well, I'll reward you again next time!"

"Master, you're so good to me!"

"Protect the village, and don't hurt the villagers!"

With that, Lu Zeming left. Ghost Lantern Vine watched him go with tears in its eyes, so reluctant to see him leave that it looked like it was watching a lover depart.

Lu Zeming went straight to his laboratory. He first sat cross-legged to restore his Spiritual Power. Once it was replenished, he began studying Ghost Lantern Vine's severed branches.

Lu Zeming planned to refine pills. He had no experience doing that, but he did know how to make medicinal pills by hand.

Refined pills were just superior medicinal pills infused with Spiritual Power. Trying wouldn't kill him, and he had the little figure in his Inner Landscape to test them. What was there to fear?

Over the following days, Lu Zeming spent all his time in the laboratory researching pill refinement, apart from teaching the young ninjas and handling essential village affairs.

Time flew. Before he knew it, Kumi Uzumaki's due date was upon them.

That day, Lu Zeming cleared his schedule and arrived early to wait in Kumi Uzumaki's courtyard.

Quite a few people were there: Rin, Kusakai Naoto, Yuka, Haruki, Rofu, and several women Kumi Uzumaki had trained as her subordinates.

The moment Rin saw her brother, she threw herself into his arms.

"Big brother, you're so mean! All you do is work. You haven't played with me in ages."

Lu Zeming fondly ruffled Rin's hair.

Rin was happy at first, but she soon realized her brother had no intention of stopping.

By the time Rin tried to break free, it was too late.

Her hair had turned into a bird's nest, with several strands standing straight up from static electricity. She looked like a throwback to the early days of outrageous hairstyles.

Rin didn't need a mirror to know the hairstyle she had taken so long to arrange was ruined. Furious, she chased Lu Zeming and tried to hit him.

Laughing, Lu Zeming ran around the others to dodge her.

Some of the onlookers were envious; others were surprised.

None of them had expected the siblings to be so close, or for the usually serious Lu Zeming to have such a childish side.

The laughter in the courtyard was soon cut short by a cry of pain from inside the house.

It's started! Everyone grew tense. Rin shrank back and hid behind Lu Zeming.

Lu Zeming said softly, "Why don't you go home for now? You can come see the baby after she's born."

Rin shook her head stubbornly. "No. I want to stay here!"

Lu Zeming didn't press her. He merely reached out and patted her back.

"Big brother, was Mom in this much pain when she gave birth to me?"

Lu Zeming looked down at Rin's reddening eyes.

"Do you miss Mom?"

"Mm!"

"Mothers are the greatest people in the world. It isn't that they don't fear pain. They choose to take that risk for their children. Every child's birth comes with a mother's pain, but her love and hopes for her child overcome her fear of it. We have to live well and let our mother's love live on through us. That way, her sacrifice won't be in vain."

"Mm. I will!"

Rin gripped Lu Zeming's clothes even tighter. "I'm so glad I have you, big brother!"

Kumi Uzumaki's cries continued for over half an hour. No one in the courtyard dared to breathe freely until a baby's cry rang out. Only then did they relax.

After a little while longer, the midwife opened the door with the good news.

"It's a girl. Mother and baby are both safe!"

Everyone wanted to go in and see them, but the midwife stopped them all.

"It's cold outside, and the mother and baby mustn't be exposed to drafts. If you want to see them, line up and go in one at a time. Keep your voices down once you're inside. Don't wake the baby."

Everyone nodded repeatedly, like schoolchildren receiving instructions.

It was another half hour before Lu Zeming's turn came.

The first thing he saw when he entered the room was the crib.

The tiny baby lay inside it like a little ball of glutinous rice.

She looked so soft that Lu Zeming didn't dare touch her. He just tilted his head and gazed at her.

The baby was asleep, her lips still moving as though searching for something to eat. With her rosy cheeks and bright red newborn hair, she looked just like a doll in a department store.

Lu Zeming couldn't help smiling tenderly. "Little Karin, how are you so pretty?"

Lying in bed and recovering her strength, Kumi Uzumaki couldn't resist teasing him. "Is she really that pretty? How about I let her be your wife when she grows up?"

Lu Zeming stumbled and nearly fell over.

"Ahem. I might consider taking her as my personal disciple, but there's no need for a wife. A wife would only slow down my sword!"