Starting with being handed over to the Imperial Concubine, building a family with a thousand-year hi

Two days after Su Mu returned to Tianyuan Star, at noon on June 18th, Song Qingmei once again crossed the star sea and arrived at Tianyuan Star. This time she was not alone; she was accompanied by an elderly man with silver hair.

"Grandpa, this is my godfather whom I previously recognized." Upon seeing Su Mu, Song Qingmei immediately stepped forward to introduce him. "Junior Su Mu greets God Song." Su Mu bowed politely. He was Song Qingmei's godfather, and in terms of seniority, he was on par with Song Qingmei's father, so he had to be respectful.

"Young friend, there's no need for such formalities." Song Pingchao waved his hand and said calmly, "I've heard that you're so young, yet you've already taken in a group of adopted sons and daughters. That's quite a rare situation."

"The path of cultivation is tedious and boring. Having a group of juniors to accompany me adds some fun," Su Mu casually replied. "I hope you won't laugh at me, God Song." "If you are willing to take on disciples and the juniors voluntarily acknowledge you, I naturally won't interfere," Song Pingchao changed the subject. "This matter originally had nothing to do with me, but since you took my granddaughter as your goddaughter, it has involved my Song family."

"Oh?" Su Mu understood. The other woman was clearly displeased that Song Qingmei had recognized him as her godfather. Song Qingmei stood quietly to the side, head bowed, saying nothing, like a child punished for misbehaving. Two months ago, she had successfully condensed her Dao Fire with the Heavenly Pattern Dao Fire Pill given to her by Su Mu, breaking through to the late True God Realm. Upon her return, she told her grandfather the good news. Song Pingchao then pressed her about her breakthrough opportunity, and Song Qingmei truthfully recounted how she had recognized Su Mu as her godfather and received substantial resources in return. She had expected her grandfather to be overjoyed at such a great opportunity, but instead, she received a severe reprimand. In Song Pingchao's eyes, even if the resources given by Su Mu were precious, it was inappropriate to casually recognize someone else as a father for them. Cultivation improvement was important, but personal dignity should not be abandoned. Recognizing a godfather was not inherently wrong; the key was the other person's status and realm. If Song Qingmei's godfather were a celestial being, Song Pingchao would not only not object, but would wholeheartedly approve. When Song Qingmei recognized Su Mu, Su Mu was merely a True God, barely over forty years old. If this matter were to spread throughout the various star regions, this dignified human god would only become a laughingstock among the cultivators of all heavens.

"I have a request, and I hope you will grant it," Song Pingchao said before Su Mu could reply. "I will release you from the bond of godfather and goddaughter with my granddaughter, and I will compensate you with all the resources and treasures you have given her."

"I'm afraid I'll have to disappoint Song Tianshen," Su Mu replied directly. He had finally managed to raise a True God's adopted daughter, who had now grown to the late stage of True Godhood. Su Mu would never easily give her up. Once Song Qingmei broke through to the Great God Realm, it would be a breakthrough across major realms, and the system would issue a Saint-level reward of extremely high quality. He couldn't let this opportunity slip away.

"Don't think that just because we're both members of the Star Palace, you can defy the will of the gods." Song Pingchao's tone was cold and imposing.

"So what if he's a Celestial God? Does that make him superior?" Su Mu raised his hand and took out the complete Dao body of Hornbutt. "Not long ago, on Blue Shine Star, I personally killed a Horned Scale Clan Celestial God. I wonder if Celestial God Song knows this person?"

"The Horned Scale Clan's Celestial God... Hornbutt?!" Song Pingchao's expression changed drastically when he saw the aura of the Dao Body.

"That's right, he introduced himself as Jiaobutz." Su Mu nodded, then withdrew his Jiaobutz Dao Body. There was no need for a long display; even a celestial being could discern the cultivation level contained within the Dao Body at a glance.

"Jiaobutz died at your hands?" Song Pingmei's face was filled with disbelief. The Horned Scale Clan was based in the Langya Star System. Song Pingchao was born on Tianyuan Star in the same star system. After joining the Star Palace, he spent most of his time in the Langya Star System. After reaching the Heavenly God Realm, he spent many years eliminating various strange clans. He had met Jiaobutz several times. Although the two were not close, they knew each other. Not only was Song Pingchao shocked, but Song Qingmei, who was standing next to him, also stared wide-eyed, full of astonishment. Her godfather now actually possessed the strength to kill a Heavenly God?

"Barely," Su Mu said calmly. "My own cultivation is only at the mid-stage of the Great God Realm. I cannot kill a Heavenly God who controls Heavenly Fire on my own. I suppose God Song also understands that victory in battle does not necessarily depend solely on one's own cultivation."

"Mid-stage Great God Realm?" Song Qingmei was shocked again. Although her godfather had condensed the Purple-Gold Dao Flame before, he had not yet stepped into the Dao Soul level. In a short period of time, he had jumped to the mid-stage Great God Realm. The mid-stage Great God Realm requires the simultaneous cultivation of both the Dharma Aspect and the Dao Body as foundations.

"You have already reached the mid-stage of the Great God Realm?" Song Pingchao then released his divine sense to carefully examine Su Mu's aura. Just now, out of courtesy, he did not presume to use his divine sense to probe Su Mu's foundation, only hearing from his granddaughter that Su Mu was merely a True God who had condensed Dao Fire.

"That's right." Su Mu nodded frankly, without deliberately concealing his aura.

"Young friend, could you please explain in detail how you killed Hornbutt?" Song Pingchao asked, full of curiosity.

"Of course." With a thought, Su Mu summoned a Dao Fruit puppet and made it release a trace of immense pressure.

"A God-King level puppet?!" A heavy pressure swept over him, and Song Pingchao felt as if a ten-thousand-foot mountain was pressing down on his soul, causing his soul to tremble and his legs to go weak.

"That's right, this is a puppet at the God-King level." Su Mu gestured for the Dao Fruit puppet to conceal its aura. He knew that Song Pingchao was completely intimidated at this moment.

"Since you, young friend, are already at the mid-stage of the Great God Realm, your cultivation far surpasses my granddaughter's, you are indeed qualified to be her godfather." Sure enough, Song Pingchao's attitude changed instantly. This celestial being had already concluded that Su Mu's background was far from simple; either he had obtained an unparalleled opportunity rarely seen throughout the heavens, or he had a top-tier expert with unfathomable cultivation standing behind him. God-King level puppets were incredibly precious; even for a legitimate God-King, forging one was as difficult as ascending to heaven. In Song Pingchao's view, his granddaughter's ability to become Su Mu's godfather was an immense stroke of luck, ensuring a continuous stream of high-level cultivation resources in the future.

"I have important matters to attend to while I am away, so I will not trouble you any further." Song Pingchao turned to Song Qingmei and instructed her, "You should stay here and take good care of your godfather. There is no need to rush back to the clan."

"Granddaughter will obey Grandpa's instructions!" Song Qingmei replied happily, her heart finally at ease.

"Farewell." Song Pingchao bowed to Su Mu, and before Su Mu could return the bow, he vanished into thin air.

"Godfather, I originally didn't want to bring Grandpa here to bother you at all..." After her grandfather walked away, Song Qingmei quickly stepped forward to explain to Su Mu.

"It's alright." Su Mu waved his hand, not caring at all. "I had expected Song Tianshen to come here. I knew you couldn't stop him."

"Thank you for your understanding, Godfather." Seeing that Su Mu did not blame her at all, Song Qingmei was completely relieved.

"Come with me, I will take you to an excellent place for cultivation." Before long, Su Mu led Song Qingmei into the world within the Time Mirror and explained to her in detail the functions of this Saint-level Time Treasure.

"A time-related treasure..." Song Qingmei was utterly shocked, never expecting her godfather to possess such a Saint-level treasure. She secretly pondered: No wonder her godfather dared to make a soul oath, guaranteeing to help her ascend to the Heavenly God realm within ten thousand years. Ten thousand years outside was equivalent to a million years inside the mirror. Even someone of mediocre talent, with careful guidance and ample resources, could steadily break through to the Heavenly God realm after a million years of arduous cultivation. Song Qingmei herself possessed considerable talent, and with Su Mu continuously bestowing upon her high-grade pills and rare materials, her cultivation speed would only be faster. At this moment, she understood that Su Mu's ability to break through to the Great God realm in such a short time was entirely due to the blessing of this Time Mirror. And so, Song Qingmei remained inside the Time Mirror, focusing intently on her cultivation.

Several days later, the Three-Eyed Clan God Tuhalun arrived at Tianyuan Star again and landed directly inside the Imperial Palace of the Great Qian Dynasty.