Chapter 102: Frenzied Advancement (1)

Seeing Tao Ming bring in a stranger, Xing Xing curiously scanned him and cried out, “Nan... Nan... Nan...”

It was the first time Tao Ming had ever seen Xing Xing stumble over his words, and she could not help asking in surprise, “Nan what?”

“Could... could this be your husband?”

Xing Xing was truly stunned.

From the scan’s results, the man before him was unquestionably the one who had created him, the South Star Emperor who had also created and ruled over the many worlds of the Southern Heavens. Only now, it seemed, he did not even know who he himself was.

How he regretted it!

Ruannuan had come in so many times before; why had he never thought to scan and have a look then? If he had known earlier that Ruannuan was the descendant of the South Star Emperor, he would have tried to curry favor no matter what!

Still, it was better not to say too much now. The way the great ones played their games was not something he could guess.

Yes, he would just pretend he had not recognized him.

At Xing Xing’s words, Tao Ming rolled her eyes. “Of course he’s my husband! Didn’t you get that from my memories?”

Xing Xing thought to himself that yes, he had indeed learned some things from her memories and knew her husband was called Su Nanxing, but how could he have known that Su Nanxing was the South Star Emperor?

He hastily flattered him instead. “I never expected your husband to be this handsome! No wonder you gave birth to such a lovely child as Ruannuan.”

Ever since Su Nanxing entered the Turning of Stars, he had felt an indescribable sense of ease, and at the same time, a strange familiarity.

It was a very peculiar experience, one that left him deeply unsettled.

Now, hearing someone praise him, he lifted his gaze and looked around the room. He felt as though there was an extra door on the left.

Why would he feel that there was a door on the left?

Su Nanxing was baffled.

Tao Ming was still huffing angrily at Xing Xing. “What kind of thing is that to say? Ruannuan is this cute because I contributed the lion’s share!”

Xing Xing weighed it in his mind. Based on his former understanding of the South Star Emperor, Tao Ming seemed rather insignificant, so he shot back without politeness, “I’m not trying to discourage you, but with your talent alone, you could never give birth to such a cute child!”

Tao Ming snorted and ignored him. Taking Su Nanxing by the hand, she walked him to the control console and explained the function of the Turning of Stars to him.

Su Nanxing set aside that strange feeling in his heart and listened carefully to her explanation. Then he smiled and said, “You really have stumbled into great fortune. The spiritual energy here is so dense that even the energy gathered by a spirit array cannot compare with it. No wonder your advancement has been so rapid.”

Tao Ming dragged Su Nanxing straight to the bedroom on the second floor. Seeing that the two little ones were sound asleep, she urged, “Set up a spirit-gathering array on the floor and see if it can double our cultivation speed.”

Su Nanxing did as she said and laid down a spirit-gathering array. The two of them sat cross-legged in the array, arms extended and palms facing one another, closed their eyes, and began cultivating according to the method in the book.

The dense, water-like spiritual energy quickly enveloped them. Tao Ming felt as though she were a sponge, frantically absorbing the spiritual energy around her, and gradually sank into the world of cultivation.

Neither of them, their sight blocked while seated within the array, noticed that two fine threads of spiritual energy had drifted from the spirit-gathering array and wrapped around the two sleeping little ones on the bed.

Xing Xing secretly manipulated the flow of spiritual energy, thinking gleefully that once the South Star Emperor regained his true form and learned that he had helped his descendants, wouldn’t he be rewarded handsomely?

Tao Ming woke up from hunger. Just as she was about to open her eyes, she felt Su Nanxing’s fingers twitch slightly. An idea flashed through her mind, and she pretended not to notice.

Su Nanxing guided the circulating cultivation method through one full cycle within their bodies, then took Tao Ming’s hand and smiled. “Hungry, aren’t you? Still pretending.”

Tao Ming opened her eyes and laughed. “I really am hungry, but let’s wash up first. I feel sticky all over.”

Su Nanxing took out a light hourglass and looked at it. Five hours had passed. He said, “I actually broke through. I’m now at the sixth level of the Sun stage.”

Tao Ming lifted her chin proudly. “I’ve reached the Sun stage too.”

Su Nanxing reached out and gently flicked the tip of her nose. “My wife truly is a genius. Breaking into the Sun stage at just over seven years old—there has never been anyone like you in all of Weishui, nor will there ever be again.”

Tao Ming became even more smug. “Of course. Do you even know who I am?”

Xing Xing thought to himself that her skin was far too thick.

If the South Star Emperor had not been guiding her in cultivation, there was no way she could have advanced so quickly.

But now was definitely not the time to speak up. Best to play dead.

Su Nanxing helped Tao Ming to her feet, and the two walked over to the bed, only to see that the two little ones were still sleeping.

Tao Ming grew nervous and reached out to feel their foreheads. No fever—so why were they still asleep?

Su Nanxing gently took hold of their wrists and used his technique to inspect them. “Strange. They seem to be on the verge of a breakthrough too.”

Tao Ming was startled. “They’ve been asleep the whole time. And I still don’t even know what powers they have.”

Su Nanxing glanced at the spirit-gathering array and discovered that spiritual energy had once flowed from it toward the two little ones. Though he did not understand why, he knew it was a good thing and comforted Tao Ming. “It seems that while we were cultivating, we inadvertently brought them along with us.”

Tao Ming pouted. “I want to go to sleep and wake up at the peak of life too!”

No sooner had she spoken than the two little ones’ bodies gave a faint glow, and then they opened their eyes.

Ruannuan rolled over and sat up, looking at Tao Ming. “Mom, I had such a strange dream! It felt like I was soaking in a hot spring.”

Nuonuo looked at the two of them in confusion. “How did I advance?”

Tao Ming grumbled, “I was happy for only a few minutes, and now I’ve already been knocked back into the sand by the waves of the next generation. They’ve broken through to the Sun stage before even turning one—where am I supposed to reason with that?”

Su Nanxing smiled and comforted her. “Ruannuan was born to you. You should be happy.”

Ruannuan let out a soft cry of surprise. On the tip of her right index finger, a ball of orange flame the size of an apple appeared. Curiously, she reached out with her left hand to touch it.

Tao Ming was startled and was about to stop her, but Su Nanxing held her back. “Her own technique won’t harm her.”

Indeed, Ruannuan’s left hand reached into the orange flame, grabbing at it here and there, clearly having a wonderful time.

Tao Ming breathed a sigh of relief and warned her, “Ruannuan, fire is very dangerous. Don’t take it out to play with in the future, okay?”

Ruannuan said unhappily, “Why? It’s so fun.”

Tao Ming patiently explained, “Look, what if you accidentally burn something delicious?”

The flame on Ruannuan’s fingertip vanished at once. She nodded. “Mom, you’re right. Fire is very dangerous.”

Nuonuo burst out laughing.

Tao Ming stroked Nuonuo’s head and asked, “What can you control?”

Nuonuo displayed her claws. The nails at the tips looked even sharper than before. “My claws are enough.”

After that, the family of four left the Turning of Stars to wash up. When they pushed open the door, they found four maids standing outside.

Tao Ming slapped her forehead and hurriedly apologized. “My apologies, I forgot all about you.”

The four maids jumped in fright. Amber hastily said, “You honor us too much, my lady.”

“Is there anything to eat? We’re all starving.” Tao Ming felt as though her stomach acid had nearly digested the wall of her stomach.

Lapis replied, “This maid simmered some porridge with emerald millet in the small kitchen. I’ll bring it right away.”

Lapis’s cooking was quite good. Besides the porridge, she had also prepared several cold side dishes. The family of four ate like wolves and tigers and quickly finished the entire pot.

Ruannuan could not sit still, so she pulled Nuonuo off to the garden to play hide-and-seek.

Tao Ming patted her belly and leaned back in her chair, sighing, “I’m alive again.”