Imperial Scepter

As dawn broke and the sky turned a pale, fish-belly white, the crisp crowing of roosters pierced the morning mist, echoing through the lanes and alleys of Gaojia Village.

At this time of day, Gao Chun would have already gotten up to cultivate, never slacking off for even a moment.

But today, he is still curled up on the bed with his eyes closed.

This was the first time he had ever slept in since the birth of his Dao Seed.

Yesterday's experience in the Southern Wilderness Forest was truly thrilling.

The clashes with the Black Pig herd, the contest with Liu Neng, the thrilling surprise attack by the Black Ox herd, and the life-or-death struggle against the bandit cultivators' siege—each and every one of these events exhausted his mind and spirit.

Physically, the muscles and bones still ache from the fierce battle; mentally, the bonds with teammates, the schemes of opponents, and the life-or-death tests all require time to settle and reflect.

Rarely having such a moment of relaxation, Gao Chun only wanted to use this quiet time to reflect on his gains and losses, and to digest and comprehend the combat techniques imbued with various profound energies.

But this tranquility did not last long.

"Uncle! Uncle! Open the door quickly—"

A clear, melodious cry, tinged with the eagerness and joy unique to children, slammed against the door.

Immediately afterwards, there was a rapid and forceful knocking sound, as if trying to shake the door open.

"Uncle, uncle! Wake up! This is amazing news!"

Gao Chengyao, standing outside the door, was like a firecracker, ready to explode at any moment; the boastfulness in her voice was impossible to hide.

Gao Chun frowned slightly, his sleepiness instantly dispelled.

He rubbed his heavy forehead and sighed helplessly: This little girl is always full of energy. I wonder what new thing she's up to today that's making such a fuss.

"Yaoyao, wait a little longer, your uncle hasn't woken up yet," he called out.

"No, no!" came the immediate rebuttal from outside the door, followed by more urgent knocking. "Uncle, open the door quickly! It's extremely important! It'll be too late if you wait any longer!"

"What's the rush?" Gao Chun sat up, casually threw on a coat, and walked towards the door while rubbing his eyes.

"Oh, Uncle, open the door quickly! I promise you a surprise!" Gao Chengyao's voice was full of pride. "I've given birth to a Dao Seed! It's a three-colored Dao Seed!"

After she finished speaking, she tilted her head back, looking like she was waiting for someone to praise her.

"Three-colored Dao Seeds?"

Gao Chun's movements suddenly stopped, and the drowsiness in his eyes vanished instantly, leaving only a look of pure surprise.

My little niece has finally given birth to a three-colored Dao seed! That's wonderful!

He quickly opened the door, and the scene outside immediately came into view.

Gao Chengyao wore a pink jacket, her hair was styled in two round buns tied with red ribbons, which swayed gently with her movements.

Her little face flushed red, her big, dark eyes shone like black grapes, sparkling with excitement and pride, and her little chest rose and fell slightly, clearly from running all the way here.

Upon seeing Gao Chun, Gao Chengyao immediately pounced on him like a nimble little cannonball.

Her chubby little hands gripped his clothes tightly, her rosy little face tilted up, her eyes shining like two stars.

He proudly announced, "Uncle! I'm the first among my peers to be born with a three-colored Dao Seed!"

"Do you know? Even though my companions have been born with Dao Seeds, they are all of the same color."

"Not even a single two-color one!"

She emphasized the words "three colors" and proudly raised her little head.

She even deliberately puffed out her round little chest, looking exactly like a little peacock that had just won a gold medal, eager to show off her glory.

Gao Chun smiled and squatted down to look her in the eye.

He reached out and ruffled her neatly combed hair, his fingertips touching the soft strands.

Her eyes were filled with undisguised pride: "Really? Our Yao Yao is amazing!"

"He's only six years old and has already developed a three-colored Dao Seed—he's even stronger than his uncle was back then!"

"Of course!" Gao Chengyao beamed with joy at the compliment, raising her chin even higher.

Her little head bobbed like a rattle-drum, her clear voice brimming with pride: "I'm a born little genius!"

"My parents both praise me, saying I'm the most capable young person in our Gaojia Village!"

As soon as she finished speaking, her bright eyes darted around, and her tone suddenly changed.

She gently shook Gao Chun's hand, the force not strong, but full of coquettishness.

Her tone became matter-of-fact: "Uncle, I'm so amazing, I've given birth to a three-colored Dao Seed. Shouldn't you give me a big gift?"

Upon hearing this, Gao Chun raised an eyebrow slightly.

Looking at that self-righteous little face in front of her, she was both annoyed and amused: "Oh? The birth of a Dao Seed is indeed something to celebrate. But how can you come here asking for a gift like this? Who taught you this little trick?"

Gao Chengyao was not embarrassed at all; on the contrary, she straightened her back.

Her gaze hardened, and she declared confidently, "Of course I learned it from you, Uncle!"

"You learned it from me?" Gao Chun was stunned for a moment, scratching the back of his head with a puzzled look on his face.

I honestly can't recall ever teaching her that: "When did I ever teach you to ask for gifts?"

"That was when you, Uncle, were born with the Dao Seed!" Gao Chengyao immediately counted on her chubby little fingers, speaking eloquently.

"I heard from my mother that on the day you were born, you asked Grandpa Li Quan, as well as my parents, for gifts!"

She deliberately dragged out her voice, imitating Gao Chun's tone from back then, and she did it very well, even mimicking his expressions perfectly.

After saying that, he winked smugly, staring at Gao Chun's face as if to say, "The evidence is conclusive, you can't deny it."

Gao Chun's smile froze instantly, then he recalled the past and couldn't help but feel both amused and exasperated.

He did remember the day three years ago when his Dao Seed was born.

Indeed, taking advantage of the good mood, I asked each of the elders for gifts, which can be considered as "getting a good deal".

But I wasn't very old at the time, and it was just a momentary whim when I started acting cute.

How come this little girl remembered it and took it as a "role model"?

We can't let this corrupt Yao Yao.

Thinking of this, Gao Chun immediately stopped smiling and deliberately put on a stern face.

He put on a serious expression and began to lecture her: "Yaoyao, it's wrong to ask your grandparents for gifts directly."

"A good child should learn to be humble and not become arrogant and complacent as soon as he or she achieves some success."

"You should also know how to respect the elderly and care for the young, and be considerate of your elders. How can you expect to ask for things?"

He talked on and on, from being humble and cautious to being polite.

He wished he could teach this little girl all the principles of being a good person.

But Gao Chengyao just stared at him with her big, dark eyes.

There was no remorse on her face; instead, she blinked from time to time, as if patiently waiting for him to finish speaking.

She tilted her head when Gao Chun finally stopped talking.

She asked in a clear, crisp voice, "Uncle, are you done talking? What gift are you going to give me?"

Gao Chun froze on the spot, his serious expression shattering completely with a "click".

He looked at the stubborn little girl in front of him, his lips twitched, and he couldn't help but lament in his heart: So all that spittle flying from my mouth just now was like talking to a brick wall, a complete waste of time and effort?

I talked until my throat was dry, but she just let it go in one ear and out the other, her mind still preoccupied with the gift!

This little girl is nothing like his composure; instead, she uses all her cleverness to ask for gifts.

But looking into her bright, expectant eyes, which seemed to be filled with starlight, even her little stubbornness was charmingly naive.

Gao Chun's initial helplessness was instantly overwhelmed by a surge of doting affection, leaving only a wry and amused indulgence.

Oh well, what can I do? She's my only niece.

With such a clever and persistent little face, even when asking for gifts, she manages to melt your heart.

In the end, Gao Chun was ripped off badly.