txolops Chapter 51 To Stay or Not to Stay
Chapter 51 To Stay or Not to Stay
Han Xiaoliu took a deep breath, as if trying to suppress the shock in his chest. He reached out and pressed down on Long Kui's wrist, which was still trying to touch the baby, with a bit more force than usual. His voice also became deep: "Da Ya, no. This isn't like picking up a kitten or puppy and then just raising it."
Longkui was startled by his pressing down, the starlight in her eyes dimmed instantly, her little mouth pouted slightly, full of disbelief: "Why not? She's so small, she'll be scared alone at the beach." As she spoke, she tried to reach out to hug the swaddled baby, but Han Xiaoliu blocked her way.
"What do you know!" Han Xiaoliu's brows furrowed, pointing at the baby with a hint of impatience. "What kind of place is Black Serpent City? It's a melting pot of all sorts of people. This child appeared here out of nowhere, without any background. What if her family is looking for her?"
The more he talked, the more suspicious he became, and he grew even more wary.
Han Xiaoliu bent down and approached the swaddling clothes to examine the baby's face carefully. She saw a very faint red mark between her eyebrows, like a blurry sword blade, which stood out against her fair skin.
Han Xiaoliu's heart skipped a beat. He had never seen this mark before, yet he felt a strange sense of unease about it.
"Look, she has this strange thing between her eyebrows. She must be someone important." Han Xiaoliu straightened up, her face full of resistance!
"And we're going to Tianxing City soon, the children will be very sad without their families."
Longkui bit her lower lip, her eyes gradually reddening, but she still looked at him stubbornly: "But...but she cried so hard. I asked, she has no family!"
Who did you ask?
Longkui replied earnestly, "Of course we should ask her!"
She pointed to the baby in the swaddling clothes, speaking with an air of self-righteousness.
Just then, the baby in the swaddling clothes suddenly moved, opened its little mouth, and let out a weak cry. The red mark between its eyebrows seemed to flicker as well.
Han Xiaoliu froze, instinctively taking half a step back, his hand already on the hilt of the knife at his waist.
Longkui rushed over without hesitation, gently patting the swaddled baby, her voice as gentle as a spring breeze: "Don't cry, don't cry, big sister is here."
Amazingly, the baby gradually stopped crying under her soothing touch, rubbed its little head against her palm, and fell asleep again.
Han Xiaoliu watched this scene with a sense of helplessness. He knew Long Kui's personality; once she made up her mind, nothing could change it.
But he really didn't want to take care of a child, and with her, there would be four little kids. He wasn't a "daycare center".
"Da Ya," he sighed, his tone softening, "I know you're kind-hearted, but we can't act impulsively. How about this, let's investigate her background again and discuss it further, okay?"
The young maid realized that the young master didn't want to raise the child, and her heart sank to the bottom. Tears welled up in her eyes at a visible speed, but she didn't cry. She just looked at Han Xiaoliu with teary eyes.
It looked just like a puppy abandoned by its owner, so pitiful that it made people's hearts soften.
Han Xiaoliu felt a headache coming on from her gaze, his temples throbbing. He couldn't stand Long Kui's expression; she always managed to pinpoint his weak spot.
He waved his hand irritably: "Alright, alright, stop looking at me like that! Call Lady Yu out, let's discuss this."
Tears streamed down the little girl's face. She hummed in agreement, shook the soul-guiding banner, and released the Jade Maiden.
As soon as she was released, her eyes darted back and forth between the group of people, then she stepped aside, pretending to wait for instructions.
But he secretly gestured to Daya with his eyes.
"Young Master!"
Da Ya understood immediately, shouted, and pounced on Han Xiaoliu, unleashing her ultimate move.
"Stop, stop, stop. Let's get this straight, I don't take care of children." With her weakness exploited, Han Xiaoliu surrendered and had no choice but to back down.
Yu Niangzi smiled and said on behalf of Daya, "I'll take her."
Han Xiaoliu rolled her eyes at her and said, "I knew it was you who instigated her."
"What are you saying, young master? I just found you another maid! Look at her looks and figure, she'll definitely be a great beauty in the future. You won't lose out, young master."
Han Xiaoliu was speechless. How could you tell she had a good figure from a little baby? But she was definitely cute.
Lady Yu quickly pressed her advantage: "When I found her, I investigated her, and she must have been abandoned."
Hey!
Han Xiaoliu sighed, took out the spirit-testing stone, and said: Whether I can stay or not depends on fate.
"Young Master is going to test her spiritual root." Lady Yu frowned, a bad feeling rising in her heart.
Shen Gongbao, who had been silently standing by, thought to himself: There is a difference between immortals and mortals. If this child's spiritual root is not good, I'm afraid the young master wouldn't have raised this child!
Only Longkui looked expectantly at the stone held by the baby, hoping it would emit colorful light.
The stone didn't emit any light. The three looked at each other in silence. A quarter of an hour later, there was still no light.
"This child is probably not an ordinary person!" Yu Niangzi suddenly realized why this child had been abandoned.
"Wait a little longer." Han Xiaoliu's eyes lit up, and he looked at the child as if he were an experiment.
Han Xiaoliu narrowed his eyes slightly, his fingertip lingering on the baby's brow for a long time, before a faint spiritual energy entered the baby's body.
A moment later, he withdrew his hand, and the tense scrutiny in his eyes instantly transformed into undisguised surprise and relief.
"Good, good, good, she doesn't have any spiritual roots. This is fate! Daya, from now on, she'll be in your care, okay?"
"Great!" Daya's eyes crinkled with joy, completely unaware of the fate she was about to inherit.
Shen Gongbao's lips parted slightly as he watched Daya happily accept the baby, but a pang of regret lingered in his heart.
He really is just an ordinary person.
He cursed inwardly.
In the world of cultivation, without spiritual roots, one is like an earthworm in the mud, with no hope of ever rising again. Even royalty in the mortal world are nothing more than ants in the eyes of cultivators.
If this child has spiritual roots, even if they are only pseudo-spiritual roots, he can still glimpse the Great Dao.
But now... Hmph, having no affinity for immortality, I am nothing but a burden.
His strict father, Shen Zhengdao, involuntarily came to mind.
Back then, if any member of a collateral branch of the family could not be identified as having spiritual roots, what a tragic fate awaited them! They were either sent to the mortal realm to fend for themselves, or they could only remain in the mansion as servants, sweeping and carrying water, spending their entire lives looking up at those high and mighty immortals, without even the right to look them in the eye.
The difference between immortals and mortals is like an insurmountable chasm; one wrong step and the difference becomes as vast as the difference between heaven and earth.
In this chaotic Star Sea region, resources are scarce and war is constant. Who would raise a useless mortal? This girl will at most end up as a maid serving tea and water.
Shen Gongbao was about to turn and leave when he caught a glimpse of his young master staring at the baby with a strange expression.
Shen Gongbao's heart skipped a beat, and his face, which always wore a fake smile, froze instantly, even the muscles at the corners of his mouth twitched slightly.
Why would the young master accept this child?
His pupils contracted slightly, his gaze shifting back and forth between the young master and the baby, a storm raging in his heart.
Could it be... that he really likes collecting beautiful women?
Shen Gongbao subconsciously touched his chin, his eyes becoming somewhat unfocused, even carrying a hint of indescribable fear.
He looked the sleeping baby up and down, then glanced at the young master's meaningful expression.
But isn't this age too early?
He swallowed hard, and the rumors about the young master's fondness for beautiful women began to swirl around him like venomous snakes.
No, that's not right.
Shen Gongbao's expression instantly became incredibly complex, first astonished, then with a strange realization, and finally settling on an expression that mixed awe and disgust.
I was wrong. The young master isn't going now... he is...
He recalled Yu Niangzi's earlier suggestion that she was finding a maid for her young master. Was it that kind of maid? ...That kind...
That young master is being groomed!
These two words exploded in Shen Gongbao's mind like a thunderclap.
This young master is going to be raised from a young age! This is going to be disciplined!
Shen Gongbao felt a chill run down his spine, and his gaze towards the young master instantly became incredibly complex. He looked at the baby in Daya's arms, as if he could see her future.
I see, I see!
No wonder the young master wanted to keep this mortal baby girl who had no spiritual roots.
This isn't adoption; it's clearly recognizing the child's potential and wanting to cultivate it from a young age, until they reach their teens...
Shen Gongbao took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the absurdity in his heart. He quickly put on a knowing, fawning smile, bowed deeply to the young master, and his eyes held a lewdness that only men could understand.
"Young...Young Master...be merciful!"
At least, they survived!