Thud, thud, thud.
The dull sound of kowtowing echoed through the hall. Tang Shan bowed her head with considerable force, and every bow was utterly sincere.
First, Lin Huan had been the guide who awakened his Martial Soul; this was the grace of enlightenment. Second, he had once given her a full meal; this was the grace of feeding her.
Third, he had saved her life; this was the grace of salvation. Fourth, he had brought her home; this was the grace of shelter.
Tang Shan held Lin Huan in the utmost respect. Each kowtow to acknowledge her master was forceful, making the floor resound with thuds.
"Your disciple Tang Shan greets you, Master."
She straightened, revealing her slightly red and swollen forehead, but she seemed to feel no pain as she addressed Lin Huan as her master in a clear voice.
"Get up. Does it hurt?"
Lin Huan reached out and touched Tang Shan's swollen forehead. Specks of Divine Power descended, healing it instantly.
She felt coolness spread from her forehead, and the pain vanished instantly. At his question, she shook her head and replied:
"No. Compared to the pain when Tang Hao beat me, this is nothing."
Those words silenced Lin Huan. Although he had created many people, such as Huo Yutong and Tang Shan, he had never expected her life after being gender-swapped to be so miserable.
It seemed he had still underestimated Tang Hao. Pity rose in his heart. When he created them, he had not given it much thought, as though he were casually creating NPCs.
Now he felt something different. To avoid this heavy subject, however, Lin Huan helped Tang Shan up, pushed her over to the table, and seated her in his own seat at its head.
"Hungry? To celebrate taking my first disciple today, let's have a grand feast and celebrate the three new members of our family."
With a sweep of Lin Huan's hand, numerous food cards appeared, transforming into dishes that filled the table.
Seeing there was more to eat, Na'er's eyes immediately lit up. Everyone sat in their seats and enjoyed the food together.
"Eat, Little Shan. Eat your fill, but don't stuff yourself to death."
Seeing Tang Shan staring blankly at the food, Lin Huan reached out and stroked her head, signaling that she could pick up her chopsticks.
"Thank you, Master."
At his words, Tang Shan solemnly thanked him again, then began eating in small, somewhat restrained bites.
Beside her, Jia Lin and Na'er were like vacuum cleaners, sweeping away the food on the table. Wang Dong'er was full and did not eat any more.
Xiaozi set her sights on a drumstick from the sweet flower chicken and thrust her chopsticks toward it, only to collide with another pair.
"Such audacity! Let me see who dares steal the drumstick that I, the great Xiaozi, have set my sights on!"
Lin Xiaozi shouted and hissed, "Hah!" She looked toward the other end of the chopsticks and saw a girl with long green hair looking back at her.
Seeing that it was Xiaolü, the hissing Xiao Zi instantly stopped. She quietly detached the drumstick and placed it in the other girl's bowl.
Watching this large family live together in harmony, Tang Shan inexplicably felt her eyes slowly grow wet. This was the very thing she had dreamed of.
Back when she lived with Tang Hao, she would never have dared imagine this. Having enough food not to starve was already good enough, let alone such a harmonious, loving scene.
As she ate, her tears fell like a little stream onto her dirty dress.
"Eat. Forget the past and start a new life."
Lin Huan turned his hand over, and a pack of Ling Shen-brand tissues appeared in it. He slowly wiped away her tears.
"Master..."
"There, there. Don't get worked up."
Lin Huan was helpless as Tang Shan cried harder the more he comforted her. He had never expected Little Shan'er to be so easy to win over; her affection meter had filled up in an instant.
Speaking of which, the protagonists of Douluo I and Douluo II really were the most suitable protagonists for gender-swapping. As men, their personalities were truly hard to put into words, but as girls, those shortcomings became strengths.
Of course, Tang Wuling was pretty good too. Who didn't like a wife with sound values? Right? She just ate too much.
After dinner came washing up. Tang Shan was still filthy, after all. Once she had washed, she changed into a brand-new dress. Na'er and Wang Dong'er likewise changed into completely new clothes, all prettily dressed up.
Looking at Tang Shan from Douluo I, Wang Dong'er from Douluo II, and Na'er from Douluo Dalu III: The Legend of the Dragon King, three little girls from three different eras standing before him, he could not help feeling rather moved.
He was like someone filling out a collection log, collecting all sorts of little girls. Still, he had to admit that it really did feel great.
There was also Jia Lin from Douluo IV, and Lin Xiaozi and Lin Xiaolü from Legend of the Divine Realm. Good grief, he had collected someone from every era.
"By the way, Master, why haven't I seen your wife?"
Just then, Tang Shan tugged questioningly at the hem of Lin Huan's clothes. She had noticed that aside from their group of little girls, there were no other females in this home.
Yet her master had three daughters. He was very curious about who her master's wife was. Faced with this question, Lin Huan scratched his head awkwardly and explained:
"Well... in my younger years, I devoted myself entirely to cultivation and never dated. My greatest hobby now is upholding justice and picking up children to raise, so... you don't have a master's wife..."
Lin Huan felt awkward whenever he faced this question. However, to let the children experience having a mother, he had specifically brought Yueyue's Mom over. She was universally acknowledged as the number-one mom, too.
"No master's wife? Master, someone as outstanding as you should be very popular."
Hearing that her master had no wife, Tang Shan found it rather strange. Such an outstanding powerhouse as her teacher, a nine-ring Titled Douluo with such a good personality, should not be unable to find a wife-unless all the girls on the Douluo Continent were blind.
"Perhaps they don't like two-hundred-year-old seniors of my type."
Lin Huan lay sideways on the sofa, somewhat dejected. Now that he counted carefully, he was over two hundred years old.
He was almost two hundred and fifty. It was normal for nobody to like an old thing like him. Tang Shan encouraged him:
"Master, I believe you'll definitely find a virtuous wife! If it really doesn't work out... Little Shan is willing to care for you in your old age. The grace of giving me a new life must be repaid with the same grace."
The grace of giving her a new life naturally had to be repaid by making another life together with her benefactor! Why else would it be called the grace of giving a new life? Right?
"Little Shan, that's thoughtful of you."
Lin Huan reached out and stroked her head. He had to admit that Little Shan was very obedient. It was getting late now, and time to rest.
Looking at the luxurious bed and the comfortable, exquisite clothing she wore, Tang Shan knew this extravagant life was something she would never previously have dared imagine. Yet now... everything seemed so unreal.
I can never repay Big Brother Lin Huan's kindness, never repay it. Ohohoho! I can only repay him with ohohoho and the like.
Elsewhere, Lin Huan lay on the hall sofa, idly scrolling through videos and considering what to do next.
East Sea Little Changkong had unboxed the Heart of Africa. Should he enable a trading module system so that he could get some money?
Just as Lin Huan was pondering how to properly cherish his Little Changkong, footsteps approached from afar.
He raised his head slightly and saw a pink-and-blue figure slowly approaching, holding a doll that looked somewhat like him. It was Wang Dong'er.
"Um... Godfather... I'd like to ask about my past..."
The little girl with pink-and-blue hair seemed somewhat uneasy and lost. She had been here ever since she became conscious. Like Na'er, she had absolutely no memories from before she was six; it was a complete blank.
She had appeared here the moment she opened her eyes. It felt truly strange, as though her existence were something someone had deliberately arranged.
"Your past? It isn't important. The past is the past, and the present is the present. Focus on the here and now first. Live well and enjoy these peaceful days. Be good and get some sleep."
Lin Huan reached out and stroked Wang Dong'er's head. He felt compassion for this character, too.
One could say that Wang Dong'er had appeared solely to serve as a stepping stone for Tang Wutong's appearance.
Her existence was tragic, created to pave the way for Tang Wutong's entrance. Wasn't the male-male pairing early on perfectly fine? They just had to force in a dog-training valley storyline.
Of course, the Wang Dong'er before him was also a character he had created. Initially, he had only wanted some amusement, but now changes had overtaken his plans. The current Wang Dong'er was a little girl.
And anyone who bullied little girls would be brought to justice!
As her head was stroked, Wang Dong'er sank into thought. Judging by her godfather's tone, things before she turned six seemed to have been very bad.
"All right, time for bed. Godfather will sleep beside you."
Lin Huan sat up, gathered the tiny Wang Dong'er into his arms, seated her on his forearm, and walked toward the bedroom.
The pink-and-blue-haired little girl rested against his chest, her eyes full of confusion. Even now, she did not know who she was. She was like a blank sheet of paper, utterly alone.
She was also uncertain what relationship she had with this godfather connected to her, or with her older and younger sisters. The feeling of knowing nothing was truly impossible to put clearly into words.
It was as though... even if she disappeared, nobody would care... A hollow feeling lingered in her heart.
In Lin Huan's room, he lay down with the petite Wang Dong'er in his arms and stroked her head to soothe her.
Curled in his embrace, Wang Dong'er inexplicably felt at ease. She also felt a sense of closeness, as though calling this person her godfather were perfectly natural.
Amid that rare sense of security, she slowly fell asleep. The next day, Lin Huan arranged for Martial Soul Awakening. The little ones had all reached the age to awaken their Martial Souls, so it was time.
At Lin Huan's summons, the little girls gathered, each eagerly anticipating her Martial Soul Awakening.
The children lined up in order, while Tang Shan and Na'er sat nearby to watch.
Tang Shan had already awakened her Martial Soul, while Na'er was only five and a half and could not awaken hers yet.
Under Lin Huan's guidance, Lin Xiaozi was the first to step into the hexagram formation. Boundless destructive aura immediately surged forth, as though it would obliterate everything nearby.
Purplish-black power swirled around her. This aura of ultimate destruction inspired an extreme sense of danger and discomfort.
Standing behind her, Xiaolü quietly retreated several steps before feeling somewhat better. However, Lin Xiaozi's Martial Soul Awakening did not seem complete yet. A two-meter silver-purple staff appeared in her hand.
The Martial Souls she awakened were God King-level Martial Souls: the Destruction Origin Body and the Destruction Scepter.
Because the Destruction God King's true form was Destruction Condensate, now that he had reincarnated, Destruction Condensate was his true body, making it a Body Martial Soul.
"I have Martial Souls now too! I can cultivate!"
Lin Xiaozi waved the staff in her hand, feeling that it seemed very familiar to her.
"All right, next."
At Lin Huan's call, Lin Xiaolü slowly stepped forward and began her Martial Soul Awakening. A power utterly different from the power of destruction emerged, and a welcoming vitality filled the entire room.
Her Martial Souls were the Origin of Life and the Ancient Tree of Life. The phantom of an immensely ancient, towering tree appeared behind Lin Xiaolü.
The great tree was simple and weathered, ancient as though it had endured countless ages. These were also both God King-level Martial Souls.
Next was Jia Lin. As his third daughter stepped forward, vast draconic might slowly spread outward. The instant after that draconic might appeared-
The phantom of an incredibly ferocious scarlet-gold dragon manifested. The three girls' Martial Soul Awakenings could truly be called spectacular; all had produced extraordinary phenomena.
Tang Shan watched their Martial Soul Awakenings in shock, discovering that every one of their Martial Souls was stronger than hers. Her little grass and hammer could not compete at all.
The very instant that pressure belonging to the Fire Dragon King appeared, Na'er, who was sitting nearby watching, fell into a daze. That draconic might felt familiar to her, seemingly stimulating her as scattered fragments of memory flickered in her mind.
She instinctively covered her forehead, as though in great pain. Finally, it was Wang Dong'er's turn. Her Martial Souls were a pair of butterfly wings and a hammer.
At the sight of that hammer, Tang Shan froze slightly. She seemed to have that hammer too.
Wang Dong'er's Martial Souls seemed somewhat unremarkable. Unlike the previous three, who had all caused extraordinary phenomena, hers was simply a very ordinary Martial Soul Awakening.
"Since all your Martial Souls have awakened, let's go get Soul Spirits next."
Lin Huan snapped his fingers, and a teleport waypoint appeared before everyone. He planned to visit the Spirit Pagoda first.
Of course, as a deity, he could naturally mold a Soul Spirit with his bare hands. However, counting on his fingers to divine his fortune, he suddenly discovered that today was highly auspicious. If he went to the Spirit Pagoda, he would meet a little girl.
And so! He chose to go to the Spirit Pagoda. It would also be a good opportunity to establish an identity for himself as a powerhouse from a hidden sect.
As the game's creator, he naturally had to experience the game he had made firsthand. This was a good time to make an appearance.
To meet an adorable little girl, he had to make the trip. The next moment, the group vanished. When they appeared again, they were in Eastsea City.
"Children, keep up. Don't get lost and snatched by human traffickers."
"Dad, are you introducing yourself?"
At those words, Xiaozi reached up and grasped the hem of Lin Huan's clothes. She really wanted to make a quip about the human traffickers he mentioned.
"Xiaozi, even if you're the eldest sister, you mustn't disrespect Master."
Tang Shan grabbed the hem on the other side, her expression darkening. She truly disliked this eldest sister who did not respect her master.
Xiaolü held Xiaozi's hand, with Jia Lin in her other hand. Wang Dong'er held Tang Shan's hand and grasped Na'er with her other hand. The party of seven headed toward the Spirit Pagoda. Along the way, they all gazed curiously at the bustling city around them. This was their first trip far from home, so naturally they were curious about these things.
P.S. The four-thousand-character chapter for November 3.
QQ group: 1106010004.