Deducing Godhood from the Fetal Stage

Chapter 113 Ling Xiao

As if sensing their arrival, the man paused his finger tracing the star chart on the instrument, his voice slightly nasal: "You came quickly. Last time you offered incense you were just a little girl, and now you're all grown up."

Ling Jiu clearly recognized the man; her tense back relaxed slightly as she bowed respectfully, saying, "Elder."

"Don't call me Elder, it makes me sound old." The man finally stopped what he was doing and looked up at him.

Jiang Yun saw his face clearly.

Evil spirit.

That was the first thought.

It wasn't the sinister kind of evil, but rather a natural, nonchalant, teasing quality in his eyes and brows, a half-smile on his lips, and slightly upturned corners of his eyes.

Despite sharing the same bloodline as the dignified Daoist Lord Ling Caixin, their temperaments are completely different.

If one had to describe him, it would be like Ling Caixin is a living god who earnestly understands the suffering of the world, while he is a demon who occasionally descends to the mortal realm to have some fun.

His gaze swept over Ling Jiu, finally landing on Jiang Yun, who was sitting cross-legged steadily on the cushion, and his eyebrows twitched almost imperceptibly.

Jiang Yun raised her eyelids and met his gaze. His gaze lacked the loving scrutiny of an elder; rather, it was as if he were appraising an interesting object.

Ling Jiu hugged Jiang Yun tightly and nodded, "Yes, his surname is Jiang, and his name is A-Yun."

"Hmm, he's not from any aristocratic family. It seems my sister will like him very much."

Lingxiao responded, then lowered her head to face the star tracker again, casually brushing aside an obstructing star.

"That kid Qiu Mian came by. You're wondering if that Ghost Mother is a scam, aren't you?"

Although it is a question, the tone is very certain, as if it already knew.

Ling Jiu pursed her lips: "Yes. Your granddaughter is dull-witted and cannot understand—if the old evil is truly rampant and extremely dangerous, why hasn't the Empire made every effort to eradicate it yet? If the risks are manageable, why leave such a young child like A-Yun—"

"stop."

Lingxiao interrupted her, tapping his finger on the edge of the star tracker, instantly freezing all the stars. He turned half his face to the side, his eyes devoid of any smile, "Answer me one question first."

Ling Jiu held her breath.

"Why do you think the Empire, or rather your grandmother, hasn't taken action?"

He asked, "Is it really impossible to handle?"

Ling Jiu was taken aback.

She had thought about this question deeply, and it was precisely what puzzled her.

The empire is filled with powerful figures, including not only the Fuhua Dao Lord who is specifically responsible for protecting the vulnerable, but also the Qingji Languang Venerable, whose term of office is still in effect for a thousand years, who observes the entire central star region.

It's just a pool of resentment left over from an old era.

Logically speaking, in the Fifth Star Realm's home turf, not to mention Grandma, even a Xuanzun Great Saint level being should be easily crushed.

"My granddaughter thought it was because of the influence of the old era, or because there was a high-level being supporting it, making its rules unbreakable."

"Wrong."

Ling Xiao straightened up, walked to Jiang Yun, and squatted down. A faint, refreshing scent of ink wafted towards them. He reached out and tapped Jiang Yun's forehead with his finger. "You're mistaken. Qiu Mian is only half right."

Jiang Yun looked at him.

Lingxiao withdrew her hand, stood up, and paced a couple of steps beside the star tracker with her hands behind her back.

"If that Ghost Mother Devouring Spirits were merely a calamity, it would have been slapped away by that girl Qingji long ago. How could it have survived until now, and even managed to run rampant in such an important place as the Imperial Star?"

He spoke in a flat tone, as if he were talking about a trivial matter.

"The reason it still exists is primarily because those children were drawn to the Divine Ruins, not to suffer, but rather they chose to remain there."

Ling Xiao looked at Ling Jiu, then paused, "Secondly, it's because it's a great achievement. It's a grand gift prepared for you, for Dai Ziqing, for Tang Xun, and for all the children who are willing to stand up."

Ling Jiu was completely stunned.

"A big gift?"

She repeated the two words, her voice somewhat unsteady.

"Yes, a great gift."

Ling Xiao stopped and pointed her finger. Another image immediately appeared on the star track instrument, filled with densely packed names and achievement points. Among them were names such as Dai Ziqing and Tang Xun, followed by many numbers, some visible and some hidden.

"In this world, what is the core rule of cultivation? It's the accumulation of merit points, leading to breakthroughs in rank. Do you think the merit points of Dao Lords and Xuan Venerables just fall from the sky?"

He said softly, "It all comes from events like the Demon Mother's Devouring Spirits. The dirty things of the old era are the best experience pack."

"Therefore, the higher-ups in Tiandu have discussed this: since this honor can only be given to young children, why not use this as a selection criterion?"

"Give it to promising young people who are willing to serve their country?"

"After all, families that have contributed in the past may not be willing to contribute in the future. It is better to publicize the risks to ensure that the new generation of the empire's future, those little guys who have taken the empire's resources, are pure enough."

"That demon race—" Ling Jiu suddenly remembered what Qiu Mian had mentioned.

"Demon race?"

A faint hint of mockery flashed in Ling Xiao's eyes. "Why are those Golden Lions jumping around so enthusiastically? Because their demon ancestor had already made a deal with the empire. Exchanging resources for parameters..."

"And qualifications, so that their children can also share in this achievement."

"It's just that due to certain agreements, we haven't publicized it extensively."

"As for the empire, there are two benefits: first, it can promote national unity, and second, it can use the resources of the Demon Ancestor to subsidize more public construction projects."

He walked back to the desk, his fingertips tracing the distorted, dark shadow representing the "Ghost Mother" on the star tracker.

"Therefore, this is not a risk, but a reward from the Empire to those children who are sincere and willing to give. Dai Ziqing went in, and even if she is not awake for the time being, her merit points are accumulating."

"Tang Xun, along with other children who are willing to go in, will all receive this achievement, gaining a merit from a young age and earning the title of 'genius'."

"Human civilization will remember their contributions."

"I promised my sister that I wouldn't deliberately leave you backdoors or give you information to monopolize information and steal the achievements of ordinary people. You know she hates that kind of thing the most."

After saying that, he looked up and looked at Ling Jiu seriously: "I never expected that you would have such a good intention, and it turned out to be a lucky accident."

Ling Jiu opened her mouth, and these words suddenly opened up a gap in the tangled mess in her mind, letting the light shine in from outside, making her feel somewhat dazed.

It wasn't forced, it was an opportunity.

It's not a sacrifice, it's accumulation.

Even the Great Wilderness Demon Clan is vying for this opportunity.

She looked down at Jiang Yun in her arms. The little guy was looking up, blinking his big eyes, looking innocent. But Ling Jiu knew that this little thing was perfectly clear-headed.

"But Uncle," Lingjiu's voice was still hesitant, "Ayun is only three months old—"

"Three months, innate Dao Body, Body Tempering Realm Level 2, and even the ability to strike at Level 6. Ordinary high school students are only at this level."

Ling Xiao glanced at her, then her gaze fell on Jiang Yun, with a kind of all-knowing nonchalance: "With this setup, it's enough to achieve this feat."

He walked to the edge of the main hall, gazing at the seemingly boundless star map, his silhouette appearing somewhat blurred in the halo of light.

"We didn't intervene because there were certain necessary opportunities, and it's better to leave them for future generations than to resolve them quickly."

"Can you protect him for a while? Can you protect him as he breaks through to the Dao Lord level?"

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