When Taro Ball was found, he and Xiao Qingyu were hiding in a small furnace room, covered in dust, making Taro Ball look like a little coal egg with his cheeks flushed from the heat of the charcoal fire.
Seeing himself in such a state, Taro Ball couldn’t help but blush under his grimy face when Shen Tanqi found him, holding onto his clothes and biting his lip as he softly called out, “Daddy.”
Shen Tanqi naturally didn’t mind at all. He pulled the child into his arms and carefully wiped the dust from his face with a handkerchief, knowing that Taro Ball cared about his appearance. He smiled and changed the subject, saying, “Our Taro Ball is really amazing. He’s only three years old and already has a cultivation level two realms higher than Daddy’s. He’s truly a little genius.”
Upon hearing this, Taro Ball’s embarrassment eased a bit. He let Shen Tanqi clean the dirt from his face and explained softly, “I just got lucky. Daddy must be much stronger than me if he practices hard.”
He lifted his head and looked towards Yu Ce, as if hoping for some response from him, “Father.”
Yu Ce had been staring at him the moment he entered. After a long look, he noticed the little one was staring back, so he responded casually, “Hmm.”
Seeing that Yu Ce didn’t plan to say anything more, Taro Ball pursed his lips, feeling a bit disappointed. Actually, he didn’t necessarily want Yu Ce to praise him. To him, Yu Ce was both his loving father and respected teacher.
After all, he was just a three-year-old child wanting some acknowledgment from his master.
After a while, Yu Ce couldn’t resist speaking up.
“You…”
Taro Ball immediately looked up expectantly at him, but instead, Yu Ce opened his mouth and said, “Why are you so dark?”
Taro Ball: ?
Shen Tanqi: ?
After finishing wiping the child’s face, Shen Tanqi didn’t even look at Yu Ce and murmured softly in Taro Ball’s ear, “Don’t mind your Father. His brain isn’t as good as yours.”
Taro Ball glared sullenly at Yu Ce with a puffed-up expression, tightly biting his lip and silently cursing in his heart, thinking that his Father’s life was ruined by this mouth of his!
He had originally planned to help him reconcile with Daddy, but now he thought about it, until that mouth could speak kind words, he’d let him suffer on his own!
Seeing him upset, Yu Ce’s expression softened slightly, and he whispered, “Although you’ve broken through to the Nascent Soul stage now, remember, you’re a daemon. Every step of your cultivation from now on needs to be more cautious.”
Taro Ball lifted his head and looked at him, his voice much softer, “I’m not afraid.”
His father had taught him that cultivation was about eliminating demons and protecting peace.
He wanted to become stronger through cultivation so that he could protect whoever he wanted without endangering those around him due to insufficient strength.
Upon hearing this, Yu Ce’s voice grew slightly serious, his tone almost cautionary, “Nascent Soul stage is just the beginning of the Tribulation period. You’re only three years old. Do you understand that the daemon clan’s Tribulation is different from that of humans?”
Among the three races of humans, demons, and monsters, although humans had weaker physiques and absorbed spiritual energy slower than the other two races, their Tribulations were generally easier compared to others. After all, the path of cultivation was primarily designed for humans.
Demons have higher innate talents than humans, being born from all living things, thus they could better sense the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. However, their Tribulations were far more severe and ruthless than those of humans. Some demons even faced forty-nine harsh Tribulations during the Tribulation period, ending up as ashes, perishing without a trace.
As for monsters, with their robust bodies and practices of rebellious and evil ways that defy nature, they were doomed never to ascend.
This was also why Yu Ce worried about Taro Ball.
“But I…” Taro Ball wanted to say more, but Yu Ce interrupted him sternly.
Furrowing his brows, Yu Ce continued without mercy, “If the Tribulation is easy to overcome, why would I need to suppress my cultivation? Sometimes, your talent might just bring you more trouble.”
The Tribulation period posed a deadly threat to daemons and was a manifestation of the balance of the heavenly way. This was a truth that Taro Ball could not afford to misunderstand.
Yu Ce’s serious tone made Taro Ball uncomfortable, and his body trembled slightly. He bit his lip hard to hold back tears and quietly responded, “I understand.”
Shen Tanqi understood the seriousness of the situation. He glanced at Yu Ce and quietly waved from behind, signaling him not to say more. At home, there always needed to be someone playing the good cop and someone playing the bad cop. Children were young and sometimes stubborn, often believing that the world wasn’t as dangerous as it truly could be.
Shen Tanqi held Taro Ball close, gently tightening his embrace and whispered, “It’s okay to cry, Taro Ball. You did great today, and your father is just too worried about you. Imagine how heartbroken we’d be if one day you forced yourself through the Thunder Tribulation and got hurt, wouldn’t we?”
Taro Ball nestled into his shoulder, tears welling up in his eyes. When Shen Tanqi’s voice softened, he couldn’t hold back anymore and tears began to fall.
Pathetic, he quietly scolded himself inwardly.
But he couldn’t stop the tears.
He buried himself in Shen Tanqi’s arms, crying softly with his shoulders shaking, looking utterly pitiful.
Shen Tanqi patted his back gently and comforted him in a soft voice, “It’s okay, Taro Ball. If you feel upset, it’s okay to cry. No matter how amazing you are, you’re still just a little kid in Daddy’s eyes, whether you’re twenty, thirty, or even ninety years old.”
Taro Ball didn’t want to be seen as a little kid, but the feeling of being able to cry like a child felt too comforting. He couldn’t help but cry louder.
Hearing the child’s distressed sobs, Yu Ce felt somewhat uneasy. Taro Ball rarely cried after weaning, and both children were so mature that he had forgotten how to comfort them.
After a while, he crouched down, pulling Goldfish to join him in hugging Taro Ball.
“Um,” Yu Ce hesitated, feeling awkward about what to say after making the child cry and then trying to comfort him. Wasn’t this a bit shameless?
He pursed his lips and finally said softly, “Stop crying, Erdan.”
Upon hearing the nickname ‘Erdan,’ and realizing that Shen Tanqi knew this embarrassing name, Taro Ball burst into loud sobs, unable to hold back any longer.
Shen Tanqi glared at Yu Ce, who looked bewildered, indicating that he hadn’t said anything yet.
“Say something nice,” Shen Tanqi mouthed to Yu Ce.
“Don’t cry,” Yu Ce rubbed Taro Ball’s head gently and said softly, “Actually… I’m very proud of you for breaking through to the Nascent Soul stage.”
Upon hearing this, Taro Ball suddenly lifted his head from Shen Tanqi’s shoulder, tears shimmering in his eyes. “Really? If you’re lying, you’re a little dog.”
Yu Ce wiped the tears from his cheek, a smile tugging at his lips from this comment. He replied tenderly and softly, “Of course, only a little dog would lie to you.”
Taro Ball sniffled, feeling much better all of a sudden. He wiped away his tears and secretly vowed never to cry so often again; it was too embarrassing!
Big brother had never cried!
Thinking of his big brother, Taro Ball’s mood eased. He looked at Goldfish, who seemed to have something on his mind, hesitantly staring at him.
Suppressing his own emotions, he asked, “Big brother, what’s wrong?”
As he spoke, there was a hint of a nasal tone in his voice.
“Little brother…” Goldfish approached him cautiously, holding onto his sleeve gently. He asked softly, “Um, are you still mad at me?”
He hadn’t meant to follow along, he was just suddenly so tired, his head feeling heavy and sleepy. He only wanted to find a warm place to sleep, and the next thing he knew, he woke up and saw Daddy, in a place he didn’t recognize at all.
But he didn’t listen to his little brother’s words and ended up causing a lot of trouble for everyone because of his illness. His little brother must be mad at him, right?
Taro Ball glanced at him and saw the pitiful look in his brother’s eyes. Suddenly, he reached out his grimy little hand and pinched Goldfish’s cheek, intentionally smearing all the dirt on his hand onto Goldfish’s face, creating a big smudged smile. Then he couldn’t help but burst into hearty laughter, “Daddy, look! Big brother is as dark as me now!”
Wide-eyed, Goldfish couldn’t believe what his little brother had just done. He hurriedly took out the voice transmission silver mirror, and on the smooth surface, he saw his face completely smeared with black dirt, looking like a little black cat.
As they looked at each other, both unable to contain their silly laughter, Goldfish touched his face and remarked, “Really, I’m so dark.”
With that said, the two children glanced at each other, both amused by the exaggerated black smudges on each other’s faces, laughing heartily.
One moment they were crying, and the next they were laughing wildly; this must be the innate talent of children, right?
“But little brother is even darker, like a little coal egg.”
“Big brother, you’re not much better. If I’m a coal egg, then you’re the big brother of a coal egg!”
“If you’re a dung egg, I’ll still be your big brother!”
“…Let’s not use these comparisons anymore, big brother.”
Watching the two children getting along so harmoniously, Shen Tanqi couldn’t help but feel a surge of happiness welling up inside him. It was a simple yet enduring sense of joy. He thought to himself that this scene, even decades later, would likely be unforgettable.
Xiao Qingyu was also covered in soot, looking equally messy. Catching a glimpse of Yu Ce, he felt a bit embarrassed, having that feeling of being embarrassed in front of a superior. He shyly looked at Shen Tanqi and said, “Senior brother, where are you headed next? If it’s on the way, could you take me to the Shen family? I have a list of disciples to submit to the city lord.”
Diligent as ever, Xiao Qingyu was even more conscientious than him, still thinking about submitting the list of disciples despite the circumstances.
Understanding the challenges faced by someone working diligently, Shen Tanqi empathized and said, “It’s on the way. We’re actually heading back to the Shen family. Let’s go together.”
Upon hearing this, Xiao Qingyu looked nervously at Yu Ce, afraid that he might not want him to be close to Shen Tanqi.
But Yu Ce was not a narrow-minded person and never concerned himself with trivial matters. He nodded in agreement, saying, “With two Nascent Soul cultivators, we won’t even need that coffin.”
With two Nascent Soul cultivators and two Foundation Establishment cultivators, they wouldn’t have much to fear even if they encountered a real Chen Gui.
Upon hearing that they were going to discard the coffin, Shen Tanqi felt a bit reluctant. He turned to look at the mahogany coffin, gently stroking it with his fingertips, then turned back, staring hopefully at Yu Ce, “Do we really have to discard it?”
He was a sentimental person, and this worn-out coffin had carried many thrilling and interesting memories. Shen Tanqi was reluctant to part with it.
Caught under that kind of gaze, Yu Ce felt a lump in his throat, his mind going blank, forgetting everything he wanted to say. After a while, he slowly uttered, “It can be placed in the storage ring, but…”
But what was the point of putting this thing in a storage ring?
Would they keep it for a joint burial in the future?
Before he could finish the latter part of his sentence, Shen Tanqi’s expression softened, a gentle curve forming at the corner of his lips. He smiled and said, “Alright, then I’ll trouble you to keep it for me.”
Yu Ce opened his mouth but ultimately didn’t say the rest.
The system and Little Black were left with the beggar. The system could contact Shen Tanqi internally through voice communication, responsible for relaying messages to him. Little Black, on the other hand, volunteered to protect his chicken brother, so they huddled together.
At this moment, the beggar should be heading towards the city center. He said that the entire city was concealed by the Hidden Dragon Formation, and Chen Guis would soon be running around like a headless fly in the city. Without the help of rules, Chen Gui was no different from an ordinary evil spirit. As long as they let him draw a summoning formation in the city center, these Chen Guis should be attracted there soon.
What Shen Tanqi and the others needed to do now was to return to the Shen family and gather some reinforcements. Otherwise, they wouldn’t be able to handle so many Chen Guis.
This time, he absolutely wouldn’t let the beggar’s golden body turn into ashes.
He hoped that all the kind-hearted people here could continue to live well.
The decision to take the little ones back to the Shen family was the result of careful consideration between Shen Tanqi and Yu Ce. The little ones had grown up so much and should meet his grandparents.
Considering that the head of the family had sent guards to protect him after he left, it wasn’t a genuine attempt to drive him away but rather spoken in anger.
Moreover, the head of the family had also said to remember to come home.
So, all in all, Shen Tanqi felt this was a great opportunity for the little ones to meet his two elders directly at the Shen family.
In the future, if he were to leave this world, at least the little ones would have the Shen family to rely on and wouldn’t be bullied by others.
Yu Ce understood his detailed considerations, but he didn’t agree with the idea of sending the little ones back to acknowledge their relatives.
The question of whether the Shen family could accept these two children was another matter. What if Shen Tanqi’s original identity returned after Shen Tanqi left?
Currently, it seemed that Shen Tanqi had no intention of revealing the mysteries surrounding himself. Yu Ce didn’t want to push him to explain whether it was possession or something else. He only knew that the current Shen Tanqi was much better than before.
Everyone had their secrets, and even he had things he kept from Shen Tanqi. Leaving room for each other was the right thing to do.
“Are you really going to do this?”
After a while, standing in front of the Shen family’s gate, Yu Ce couldn’t help but ask softly.
Shen Tanqi, holding one of the little ones by the hand, glanced back at him, with a hint of amusement. “Don’t worry, this is inevitable.”
By being honest with the Shen family about the existence of the two little ones, they no longer needed to keep Goldfish and Taro Ball’s identities a secret. Shen Tanqi could openly introduce them as his children.
Despite Shen Tanqi’s reassurance, Yu Ce still felt somewhat uneasy. In his impression, the Shen family wasn’t easy to deal with. Perhaps he had biases, just as the Shen family had biases against the daemon race, and he had biases against the Shen family.
But Shen Tanqi had already knocked on the door, so Yu Ce simply pressed his lips together and said nothing more.
Goldfish and Taro Ball entered the luxurious mansion of the Shen family, both exclaiming in awe.
They had never seen such beautiful houses before in the Hidden Dragon Valley.
Walking on the Shen family’s crimson wooden bridge, Goldfish looked towards the nearby palace buildings and nibbled on his finger.
Why did this place feel so familiar?
This was… the home of the old man from his dreams, the one he wanted to fight with!
Realizing this, Goldfish covered his mouth in alarm.
After a moment, as if remembering something important, he clenched his small fist and silently vowed to convince the old man not to hit his Daddy again!
Frantically rummaging through his pockets, Goldfish found nothing. He looked up at Taro Ball beside him and whispered anxiously, “Little brother, what about the little biscuit I gave you earlier? Did you eat it on the way?”
Taro Ball, puzzled by his brother’s urgency, reached into his pocket and pulled out the biscuit. Although it was no longer soft, unfortunately, the biscuit had broken into pieces on the journey.
Seeing the broken biscuit, Goldfish felt a pang of regret. He carefully held the piece of biscuit in his hand and murmured to himself, “It’s enough, it’s enough. This is the best biscuit I’ve ever eaten, and Grandpa will surely like it.”
He planned to use this biscuit to make Grandpa stop being angry with Daddy. After eating the biscuit, Grandpa would definitely be happy.
If, by any chance, Grandpa still wanted to hit Daddy, then let Dandan take the beating instead. Dandan had more flesh on his bottom and wouldn’t mind!
Taro Ball couldn’t quite make out what his brother was mumbling about and scratched his face in confusion.
Oh well, his brother’s thoughts were always all over the place. He must be just thinking about what to have for dinner.
TL:
Some of you may have noticed that I used a new word, ‘Daemon,’ in this chapter. I read a comment from EllieKit who pointed out, “Having non-humans like the ML and evil creatures both called demons is a bit confusing.” In Chinese, they are two different characters that mean different things but translate to roughly the same thing. However, when I reread the novel, I didn’t feel that it was too confusing. In this chapter, both were mentioned closely together, and I understood.
Thank you, EllieKit, for pointing that out and suggesting I use ‘Daemon’ instead.
‘Daemon’ refers to a supernatural being whose nature is intermediate between that of a god and that of a human being. Therefore, I think using ‘Daemon’ for Yu Ce is appropriate. I also considered using ‘Monster’ because it was mentioned as Yu Ce’s race, but the word ‘Monster’ doesn’t quite match. Using “He is a Daemon” feels better than “He is a Monster” in this context.
If any of you notice similar things or have any suggestions for me, please write them in the comments. I will surely read and try my best to address them. Thank you! 
Hello, everyone ヾ(＾∇＾). I hope you enjoyed the story! If you’re feeling generous, please buy me a coffee, share/comment on my translated works! Check out the link below for early chapters. (๑>ᴗ<๑)
