Inside the grand yet empty villa, standing in the living room, faint voices could be heard from a bedroom deeper inside.
The girl’s voice was clear and crisp, like pearls dropping on a jade plate.
The little bundle’s voice was soft and fluffy, like a freshly formed cloud, drifting freely in the sky.
Si Zhiruo was unusually not using the voice transmission mode.
Her arms and legs had long since grown out. Although she still couldn’t speak directly in such a bizarre way, with the aid of divine powers, it wasn’t too difficult for her to briefly communicate with Si Xinyan ahead of time.
“Mommy, hang in there.”
“It’s a bit uncomfortable now, but it will be smoother in the future. Just endure it and it will pass.”
“All for the sake of future gains.”
On the soft big bed, I sat cross-legged, assuming the most suitable cultivation posture, tiny beads of sweat covering my delicate face.
“Zhizhi, I can’t keep going.”
At this moment, I really wanted to flop down on the bed and give up, but for the sake of my dignity, I forced myself to keep my spirits up in front of Zhizhi.
After yet another minor cycle, I finally couldn’t bear it anymore. Like a limp salted fish, I lay down on my side and didn’t want to get up again.
“Fine, fine, let’s train tomorrow.”
Originally, I could cultivate for three hours a day, but now one and a half hours was my limit.
My first realm was just a sliver away from being perfected.
The second realm still had about a third of the gap before I could cultivate my own seed of ability.
The problem of blocked meridians had always existed, but Si Zhiruo explained that it was the thousand-year yin energy I absorbed from Su Liumeng. Since I couldn’t absorb it immediately, it temporarily accumulated in my meridians. After reaching the third realm, I would be able to integrate it and use it to accelerate future cultivation.
The third realm was the “Unblocking Realm.”
It required opening seven acupoints to form an energy channel to the Sea of Consciousness.
Only after this could one enter the Primordial Spirit Realm.
Only by completing the third realm could one cultivate their own primordial spirit—just like in novels when someone opens the Ren and Du meridians. Opening the seven acupoints for the Unblocking Realm also required immense energy.
Therefore, Si Zhiruo advised me to endure my current condition for now, all for the sake of cultivation at the third realm.
Cultivators in the first two realms basically had no combat power. Only after reaching the third realm did they begin to possess extraordinary abilities. Before reaching the third realm, I had been eagerly anticipating a future where I could call the wind and summon the rain.
“Let me rest a bit.” I clutched my pale little quilt, unwilling to let go, showing no trace of a mother’s demeanor. “Baby, please cut me some slack. I think I can only cultivate one major cycle for now.”
I pouted. Not being able to cultivate to my heart’s content was really frustrating.
But there was nothing to be done about it, right?
I rubbed my aching thighs and then lay flat on the bed in a star shape.
Si Zhiruo, seeing her mother’s lazy state, realized she had demanded too much. Too much or too little is always problematic; she should have understood this long ago. “It’s my fault for setting the bar too high. Cultivation isn’t something you can just endure through. Pushing the body to its limits is more harmful than beneficial.”
Falling behind others by eighteen years wasn’t a big deal.
After all, with her close protection, Mommy didn’t need to push herself too hard. The most important thing was for her to be happy.
After understanding all this, Si Zhiruo no longer felt anxious.
She reviewed the children’s stories she had read, planning to tell them to Si Xinyan later.
But for now, it wasn’t the right moment.
Late at night, I was a little uncomfortable and tossed and turned on the bed.
I opened my bloodshot eyes and stared blankly into the dark night outside.
Deep within the Sea of Consciousness.
A little girl’s eyes suddenly lit up. Wasn’t this the perfect opportunity?
“Mommy, Mommy, I’ll tell you a bedtime story.” She was so excited she instinctively called out her most familiar name.
Hmm.
A bedtime story? Confusion gradually filled my big eyes.
Isn’t that supposed to be my job?
I had already planned countless times in my mind to tell her bedtime stories after Si Zhiruo was born. I even bought many children’s books for this purpose.
“That’s right, that’s right. It’s a bedtime story.” Si Zhiruo was happy now, though her voice was still a bit unclear, more like a toddler just learning human language.
A flicker of a scene appeared in my mind—it was as if I was back by that pale blue ocean.
I saw a little girl of about four lying on the ground under a big tree, her small hands flipping through a book in front of her.
My gaze dropped slightly, focusing on the book’s content.
At this point, I gave a knowing smile.
I didn’t yet know what kind of books this little girl usually bought, but she always secretly read through them.
Since the last time I cleared the bookshelf, I had bought a batch of healthier reading materials, very different from the unreliable popular science books from before.
Pulled back from the vision, my consciousness returned to the room. I glanced subconsciously at the bookshelf, where the spot for storybooks was now empty.
This—
I forced down my shock as the soft, glutinous voice of the little bundle echoed in my ears.
The world’s people could only either turn reality into illusion or illusion into reality.
These two divine abilities were fundamentally incompatible.
But now, what was I seeing?
First, a book was turned from reality into illusion, then forcibly brought into the depths of the Sea of Consciousness by turning the illusion back into reality.
This was beyond mystifying—it was an unprecedented and unfathomable technique.
I could only attribute it to Si Zhiruo’s deceptive appearance.
When she restrained all her ghostly aura, she looked just like a real little human girl, making me forget her terrifying nature more than once.
If she weren’t related to me, after witnessing her formidable strength again, I would still be stunned.
This was the very same Ghost King who could cause a huge commotion just by stomping her foot, yet she clung to me day and night, calling me Mommy. Reality was often illogical.
“Mommy, are you even listening to my story?”
Si Zhiruo mumbled in a slightly unhappy voice, bringing my consciousness back to reality.
I took a deep breath, staring at my trembling fingertips, suppressing the sense of unreality, and replied nonchalantly, “The ultimate purpose of telling stories is to sleep. If I’m already drowsy, doesn’t that mean our Zhizhi’s story is really good?”
“Good point! I disturbed Mommy’s sleep.” Si Zhiruo bit her fingertip, her eyes thoughtful.
“Then Mommy will sleep quickly. I won’t say anything to disturb you anymore.”
I silently exhaled.
No matter what her past identity was, she was now my only daughter.
Having a Ghost King as a daughter was an experience.
It was probably a mixture of awe and irresistible closeness.
Storytelling really seemed to have a hypnotic effect. Halfway through the fairy tale, my mind grew foggy.
Deep inside the Sea of Consciousness.
Si Zhiruo glanced outside and saw Si Xinyan’s beautiful sleeping face. She stretched out her small hand and yawned.
She lay down under the tree, gradually closing her eyes.
This seemingly peaceful scene, if seen by other great powers of the world, would surely leave them speechless.
Because—
This was not an ordinary tree.
How could the illusory Sea of Consciousness grow a real towering tree?
This tree, just over ten meters tall, was the Dao Seed condensed from a lifetime of cultivation by a Ghost King.
Once the tree bore its first fruit, it would signify that her Dao was complete.
From then on, the sky was vast, and she could roam freely.
Even without the Dao Fruit, the sapling was already astonishing enough to make countless powerful beings tremble with fear.
Because growing this tree marked the imminent break from the “Self Realm.”
The Emperor Realm.
A realm that hadn’t appeared for countless years.
Even a slight connection to it made one an invincible existence in the world.
The Emperor Realm was untouchable, infinitely suppressed by the Heavenly Dao from breakthrough.
Precisely because the Emperor Realm already possessed its own Dao Fruit.
From then on, battle no longer relied on the great Dao of heaven and earth. Wherever one went, they could form their own world.
This was basically a little walking human-shaped Heavenly Dao.
Tell me, if you were the Heavenly Dao, would you allow such a powerful being to emerge?
Unless—
This person made you feel naturally close.
Believing they posed no threat, you might allow a tiny bit of breakthrough permission.
Outside.
I hugged my pillow, fast asleep, completely unaware that my adorable little bundle had just completed a feat worthy of recording in the annals of cultivation history.
As the saying goes, “The mother’s fortune depends on her daughter.”
I still didn’t know my true identity, but my status was rising alongside Zhizhi’s growing strength.
November 19th.
I slept late again until the sun was high and hadn’t fully woken when the aroma of food drifted in from outside.
My head was dizzy, like a soulless corpse, and I closed my eyes as I reached my door—then suddenly snapped awake.
Of course, I was still in pajamas, and outside wasn’t Su Liumeng’s place. I couldn’t just go out carelessly.
I quickly changed into loose clothing, simply combed my hair a couple of times, leaving it down and messy, then went to the living room.
On the first floor.
The delicious smell stimulated my appetite.
I grabbed a grain bun. Aunt Lin stood by with her hands folded. “Miss, would you like me to help you do your hair?”
“Ah? Sure, just wait a moment—let me finish eating first.” With a mouthful of food, I mumbled.
Waking up to delicious food—what a godlike life.
I felt my life was now very close to the dream I once imagined.
If only Su Liumeng were here, it would be even better.
My mood dimmed slightly.
Actually… it wasn’t all that wonderful.
I lowered my brows slightly and quietly sighed.
Happiness that can’t be shared isn’t true happiness.
“Mommy, are you thinking about that person again?” Si Zhiruo had just woken up too.
Her schedule was becoming more and more in sync with someone else’s.
“A little… yes.” I paused noticeably, answering insincerely. “It’s nothing. I’m not the kind of person who dwells on romantic feelings. Just a little thinking, that’s all.”
A hint of loneliness flashed in my pretty eyes as my hand grasping the chopsticks tightened quietly.
In the afternoon, I sat on the balcony, lost in thought.
Three hours later.
Si Zhiruo seemed unable to hold back and asked again, “Mommy, do you really not miss her much?”
My little hand stiffened, then I shook my head slowly and answered seriously, “Not much.”
“A mature adult with a rich and colorful life wouldn’t be a little girl who loses all her wits when separated from someone else, right?”
Si Zhiruo’s eyes widened bit by bit.
“Mommy, by ‘rich and colorful,’ do you mean—sitting on the balcony in a daze for three whole hours after eating?”
This little girl spoke inconvenient truths all day long.
My cheeks flushed. Even in front of my baby, I had to save face.