Wang Bin moved faster than him. Just as he was about to catch Ning Xiu, the small black dragon that had been still and quiet suddenly opened its mouth and bit his hand.

Wang Bin yelped in pain, gathering spiritual power in his palm that transformed into ice, and aimed directly at the small black dragon’s throat.

But at that moment, a completely black six-legged strange beast suddenly appeared out of nowhere and violently crashed into Wang Bin. The iron chains wrapped around its body stirred up tsunami waves several hundred feet high.

Wang Bin retreated dozens of yards before barely stabilizing himself. The onlookers who had been watching the battle were also affected by the tsunami, all using their spiritual power to resist it.

Hao Zheng was closer to them than the others and was also forced back by the tsunami.

“Yellow Yellow~” Ning Xiu looked up at the enormous creature before him. Its blue face and protruding fangs were somewhat frightening. He wasn’t even as big as half a finger compared to it, yet under everyone’s fearful gaze, he grabbed onto a bit of black mane, and said in his childish voice, “Where did you go~? Missed~ father~”

Little Black shook its dragon head, probably feeling emboldened now that backup had arrived, and very arrogantly spat a fireball at Wang Bin.

Wang Bin brandished his magical weapon to violently disperse the fireball, looking warily at the dragon and strange beast.

“What is that thing!?” Xie Jiangnan exclaimed with wide eyes.

Xie Wenshi said with a serious expression. “Those symbols and chains look like those used to subdue a fierce beast!”

Anything described as “subdued” would not be easy to deal with.

“The spiritual power in the symbols on this fierce beast is strong, and those chains appear to be made of ten-thousand-year cold iron—no wonder even it can’t break free,” someone exclaimed in amazement. “What kind of person could possibly seal such a fierce beast?”

“Look, that little child!” someone cried out.

They saw the fierce beast open its mouth, apparently intending to swallow the small child whole.

“Vile beast, how dare you!” Wang Bin shouted angrily. Several spiked ropes suddenly shot toward Ning Xiu, completely disregarding the child’s safety.

“Stop!”

Hao Zheng summoned a long sword, cutting those ropes apart, but Wang Bin had another trick up his sleeve. The severed ropes fell into the sea and twisted back together, suddenly shooting at Ning Xiu from behind Hao Zheng.

“ROAR——” The black dragon, which had appeared tiny compared to the strange beast, suddenly expanded in size. Its angry dragon roar soared to the heavens as its hard scales collided with the spikes on the rope, creating successive bursts of fire.

“Follow me!” Shen Xi seized the opportunity, leading the members of the Chongzheng Alliance toward the strange beast, determined to snatch Ning Xiu.

Hao Zheng’s expression turned solemn. With a sweep of his wide sleeve, an invisible barrier blocked them, but in the next moment, Wang Bin formed his fingers into claws and shattered the barrier.

“Senior Brother, I’ll help you!” Shang Nuanwei, who had finally arrived, engaged Shen Xi and others from the Chongzheng Alliance along with the elders of Wanxuan Academy.

In the midst of the chaotic battle, Xie Chang’an was tossed about by the dragon’s tail. The small child he held tightly in his arms excitedly clapped his hands, “Ah da!”

They’re fighting! Go, Dean Uncle~ Beat them~ da!

“AAAAAH——” Xie Chang’an, seeing the fangs up close, screamed in terror.

Big Yellow suddenly opened its mouth wide. Xie Chang’an hugged Ning Xiu, his face pale as he whispered: “Don’t eat him!”

“Chang’an!” Amid the chaos, Xie Jiangnan nimbly slipped in and grabbed Xie Chang’an by the collar.

“ROAR——” Big Yellow roared furiously.

The tremendous pressure knocked Xie Chang’an unconscious. His arms went limp, and Ning Xiu fell straight into the strange beast’s gaping maw.

Everyone was shocked. Head teacher Song exclaimed in panic, “Save the child quickly!”

Shen Xi raised her sword to charge toward the strange beast but was blocked by Hao Zheng.

Shen Xi said: “Dean Hao! If we act now, the child can still be saved!”

But Hao Zheng remained expressionless and wouldn’t budge an inch.

….

Ning Xiu sat on a dragon scale, falling straight downward. He curiously looked at the colorful blurry masses around him, with strange noises coming from them. He tentatively reached out his small hand but was stopped by an invisible force.

“Xiao Shan, be good, don’t move.”

It was Big Yellow’s voice.

“Yellow Yellow~ want father~” Ning Xiu rubbed his little tummy, “Hungry~”

“Take a nap, and when you open your eyes, you’ll see your father.” Big Yellow’s voice sounded a bit urgent, “Don’t move at all, I’ll be right back!”

“Ah~ got it~” Ning Xiu obediently nodded.

The little child sat obediently on the dragon scale without moving, watching the blurry scenes rushing past. He tilted his head, yawned, and was about to close his eyes when suddenly something caught his attention.

“Father~ ribbon~”

It’s father coming to find him~ The purple headband ribbon~

He decisively reached out his little hand and grabbed the flowing snow-blue hair ribbon.

Then he actually pulled someone out from those blurry masses.

But after pulling him out, he was confused. He stared blankly at the unfamiliar adult before him, “Not father~? Where’s~ father?”

The clothes and hair ribbon are Father’s~ Where did father go?

A young man in black clothes with gentle features wore a snow-blue hair ribbon mixed in his black hair. He looked at Ning Xiu with some surprise and smiled. “Where did this little child come from?”

“Da~” Ning Xiu blinked, reaching for his hair ribbon, “Father’s~ ribbon~ da?”

This is my father’s ribbon~ Why is it on your head?

The young man let him grab the ribbon without getting annoyed. Instead, he seemed to understand him and asked, “You’re saying this ribbon belongs to your father?”

“Da!” Ning Xiu nodded his little head vigorously, making the fat on his tummy jiggle.

“Ah, I borrowed this temporarily from Chengfeng.” The young man examined him carefully for a while, then touched his wrist. “Hmm? Linglong bone?”

“Da!” Ning Xiu tilted his head and touched the golden sweet flowers on his sleeve that were just like his father’s.

“Is Chengfeng your father?” The young man patted his head and seemed interested in pinching his chubby little face.

“Father~ Ning~ Chengfeng~ Xiao Xiu da~” Ning Xiu proudly puffed out his little chest.

Ning Chengfeng is father, I am!

The man smiled, “Very well.”

“Da?” Ning Xiu tilted his head in confusion.

The man opened his little hand and concentrated on drawing a pretty little flower on it.

“Flower?” Ning Xiu looked down at his small hand.

“This is… a gift from Uncle.” The young man patted his little head, revealing a gentle smile.

“Uncle?” When Ning Xiu looked up again, the person had already disappeared.

The space around him, which had been in chaotic fluctuation because of his pull, calmed down again. Ning Xiu looked down at the blue little flower in his hand, yawned, and finally drooped his eyelids, falling into a deep sleep.

****

Yuquan Village, Illusion of Collective Resentments.

Ning Buwei swung his knife at Xie Jiu, sending stone fragments flying everywhere. Xie Jiu turned and threw several fire talismans that came rushing toward him fiercely.

Ning Buwei gave a cold laugh, spinning the knife handle in his palm to gather strength. Just as he was about to strike down, a small black shadow suddenly appeared in midair.

Almost reflexively, Ning Buwei adjusted the direction of his knife and freed one hand to catch the small black shadow in his arms.

The knife wind, carrying a chilling killing intent, extended for dozens of yards, knocking down a large area of withered trees.

Ning Buwei looked down at this “thing” in his arms and realized it was his son.

“Father~” Ning Xiu had just woken up and indeed saw his father. His soft voice still carried traces of sleepiness, but that didn’t prevent Ning Buwei from hearing the excitement in his tone——

The little rascal kicked hard as soon as he woke up, and unfortunately kicked him right on the arm that had just been injured by an explosion, making Ning Buwei’s face turn pale with pain.

The great demon glared at his son with a dark face. “How did you get here?”

“No~ idea~” Ning Xiu happily hugged his neck, gently rubbing his face. “Xiu Xiu~ missed~ Father~!”

The little rascal’s milk scent enveloped him. Ning Buwei, who had been in the heat of battle, suddenly lost interest. He held Ning Xiu with one arm and gave Xie Jiu a cold look before throwing several talismans at him.

Xie Jiu raised his hand to block, but unexpectedly, the talismans exploded in midair. Dense smoke immediately filled the forest. By the time he dispersed the smoke, Ning Buwei had vanished.

Ning Xiu, nestled in his father’s arms, was so happy that the entire little child was bubbling with joy. His big eyes stared unblinkingly at his father. “Father~ miss mother~”

Ning Buwei wiped away some drool from his mouth. “You’ll see him soon.”

Ning Xiu smiled at him with curved eyes. “Father~ Father~”

“Yes, I’m here.” Ning Buwei looked down at him and raised an eyebrow. “Your speech has improved, hasn’t it?”

“Yes~ da!” Ning Xiu blew a drool bubble at him. “Xiu Xiu~ awesome!”

The time flow in the Illusion of Collective Resentments was different from the outside world. Ning Buwei couldn’t tell exactly how long it had been since he last saw Ning Xiu, but his son’s speech had definitely improved a lot.

“Awesome, you’re the most awesome.” Ning Buwei held him as he jumped onto an ancient tree, narrowing his eyes to look at the brightly lit Yuquan Village in the distance.

Ning Xiu nodded proudly, attempting to burrow into his front collar.

Ning Buwei patted his little bottom once and pulled his head out. “Ancestor, look at how big you are now, you can’t fit in there anymore.”

“Hands~ feet~” Ning Xiu sniffled, seriously showing them to him. “Hurt~”

Then he patted his not-so-round tummy. “Tummy~ hungry!”

Ning Buwei touched his slightly deflated little tummy. “I’ll find a place to make rice porridge for you later. You’re a Golden Core cultivator, a little scrape won’t matter, and you definitely won’t starve to death.”

Ning Xiu looked at him pitifully, his little hand still clutching his collar, calling to him softly, “Father~ cuddle~”

Ning Buwei stared at him expressionlessly for a while.

“…Fine, just this once.”

After saying this, he somewhat awkwardly stuffed the not-so-small chubby cotton ball into his collar.

Ning Xiu got his wish. His little feet tapped against Ning Buwei’s abs, with only his fuzzy little head poking out. He sighed contentedly, “Ah ya~”

So comfortable~

Ning Xiu’s hair tickled Ning Buwei’s neck. He used a finger to push his son’s head down a bit and said softly, “When your mother comes later, if he gets angry, help me persuade him.”

Ning Xiu looked up at him in confusion, imitating his words. “Persuade? Da?”

What does “persuade” mean?

Seeing the approaching white figure getting closer, Ning Buwei cleared his throat and said with a serious face, “Never mind, I think it’s still necessary to discuss with your mother first about your habit of running around everywhere.”

Ning Xiu tilted his little head. “Da?”