Invincible Dad-Chapter 630: The Cucumber Dishes Are Going Cold _1
The voice of Taotie rang in his ear, a transmission through Divine Sense.
Xu Lai’s hand, holding the soup ladle, paused for a moment before recovering. He spoke indifferently, "Hmm, go on."
"This..." Taotie hesitated. "Divine General Baize didn’t elaborate. He just mentioned that there were some leads."
Xu Lai pondered, "It just so happens I’m returning to the Heavenly Court today. I might as well check it out."
"I’ll come with you!" Taotie said anxiously. "I’ll be right there, The Supreme Emperor! I’ll wait for you at the foot of Mount Haitang!"
Faintly, Xu Lai heard Taotie’s voice, "Miss Liu, the Supreme Emperor has an urgent matter that requires my assistance."
Xu Lai’s face darkened. That scoundrel. He’s actually using me as a shield.
After simmering the fish soup for Ruan Tang and making breakfast for Yiyi and the others, Xu Lai left the kitchen. He then departed from Earth with Taotie, who was already waiting at the foot of the mountain.
The two of them traversed the vast Universe.
Xu Lai looked at Taotie beside him and asked, "I clearly created opportunities for you. How can you be so disappointing?"
Taotie cautiously refuted, "The Supreme Emperor, Liu Wan, she..."
"Even if you don’t call her your wife, surely calling her Wan’er isn’t too much to ask, is it?"
"..."
This First Divine General, whose mere name could stop infants from crying throughout the Four Immortal Domains, blushed a deep red.
"The Supreme Emperor, that’s too frivolous. Even if I were to call her that, it should wait until after the wedding."
BANG.
Xu Lai smacked Taotie on the head. "By that time, the cucumber salad will have gone cold!"
"Cucumber salad is supposed to be served cold anyway."
"Hmm?"
Xu Lai raised an eyebrow at him.
Taotie steeled himself and said, "The Supreme Emperor, even if you glare at me, cucumber salad is still cold."
"Can’t your brain take a hint?" Xu Lai said, exasperated. "No wonder Liu Wan went to Ruan Tang for relationship advice. That poor girl must feel so insecure."
"She actually complained about me!" Taotie exclaimed in shock.
"..."
Feeling somewhat weary, Xu Lai waved a dismissive hand. "Fine, go back to Earth and rest."
Taotie shook his head repeatedly. "I want to return to the Heavenly Court’s treasure vault," he said earnestly, "and find some treasures for Liu Wan."
Well now. The old blockhead is finally getting a clue.
Xu Lai was rather surprised. "Feel free to ask for any treasure you want to give her. I’ll approve it!"
"The Wolf Fang Club, the Vajra Hammer, the Thousand Change Lance..." Taotie counted on his fingers.
"Wait, wait." Xu Lai cut him off, his face dark. "Are you trying to give her treasures or get her killed?"
Taotie scratched his head.
This morning, when he’d woken up on the hotel room floor, he found Liu Wan watching him, dressed in a camisole nightgown with her chin propped in her hands. Though he’d turned away in time, he still saw something he shouldn’t have.
Just as the First Divine General was feeling awkward, Liu Wan took the initiative to speak:
"Lately, some hoodlums have been following women near my apartment. It’s getting a bit unsafe, so you..."
Faced with Liu Wan’s expectant yet slightly reserved expression, Taotie said bluntly, "I understand."
"And then?" Xu Lai asked, though he already had a good idea.
"Then I decided to give her a few protective treasures."
"..."
Xu Lai patted Taotie’s shoulder, pausing for a moment before speaking. "It’s obvious the girl wants you to be more proactive."
Taotie fell silent.
Only after a long while did he murmur, "I know."
"Hm?" Xu Lai was taken aback. "You knew, and you still played dumb?"
"I actually know everything. I know she likes me, and I know she’s willing to bet her future on me." Taotie’s voice was low and heavy. "I want to grow old with her, hand in hand, too. But... I can’t bring her harm."
"Are you really worried about those ridiculous clan rules of the Taotie Clan? The ones that are a laughingstock to every major race in the Immortal Domain?" Xu Lai said casually, not taking it to heart. "If it’s about that, I can solve it just by having a chat over tea with those old elders of yours."
"The Supreme Emperor, it’s not that simple." Taotie gave a bitter smile. "The old clan leader hopes I will enter a marriage alliance with a Quasi-Emperor from the Demon Race to further strengthen our two peoples."
Xu Lai didn’t ask which race. About a third of the top one hundred on the Racial Talent Rankings were Demon Races, and he didn’t care which unmarried female Quasi-Emperor it was.
He stopped walking and asked just one question: "Do you love Liu Wan? Do you want to marry her?"
After a long moment of contemplation, Taotie nodded solemnly. "I do."
"Taotie, you’ve followed me for tens of thousands of years. The Immortal Domain calls you the Butcher and the God of Slaughter," Xu Lai said, his gaze calm. "But I know that every move you’ve made has been with a clear conscience, answering to both Heaven and Earth. So why, when it comes to your own heart, do you choose to betray yourself? Answer me, Taotie."
Taotie sighed.
Not all mutual love can lead to a life together, and not all lovers can grow old with one another.
The Taotie Clan was ranked eleventh on the Racial Talent Rankings. As the old clan leader gradually receded into seclusion, the clan’s burdens would fall upon his shoulders—along with the gazes of its enemies. If those enemies discovered that the First Divine General’s partner was an ordinary mortal with no strength to speak of, what kind of depraved acts would they commit?
For the clan.
For the Heavenly Court.
And most of all, for Liu Wan.
Taotie believed he had to maintain a safe distance from her.
"A person’s life is but one season, like the grass in autumn—it is all too brief. Whether one is an ordinary mortal or an Emperor Realm expert, all eventually fade away like a passing cloud."
"So you might as well be a little bolder. Cast aside your worries, follow your heart, and truly love someone." Xu Lai gave Taotie a deep look. "Some things only come around once in a lifetime. Don’t let your future be filled with regret."
Without another word of persuasion, Xu Lai gently patted Taotie’s shoulder and continued flying forward.
A short while later, Taotie caught up. The confusion and hesitation were gone from his eyes. He cupped his fists respectfully and said, "This general invites The Supreme Emperor to the Taotie Clan for a cup of tea."
"Let’s go!" Xu Lai laughed heartily. "It’s been a while since I’ve had the Taotie Clan’s purple tea. I can check on that little girl, Yun Jin, while I’m at it."
...
...
「Haitang Court.」
Ruan Tang held a porcelain bowl full of fish soup, glancing at the note Xu Lai had left on the table. It read, "I’ve gone to the Immortal Domain."
She put the bowl to her lips, blowing on the white soup to cool it. Once it was ready, she drank it all in one gulp.
I’ll go shopping with Luo Chu and Xu Yaoyao today.
Putting down the porcelain bowl, Ruan Tang took out her phone to make the call.
Less than an hour later, the trio of best friends gathered on the first floor of the mall in the city center.
They hadn’t even had time to exchange greetings before Luo Chu demanded, her face dark, "Is my son still at your house?"
"He is," Ruan Tang replied, puzzled. "What’s wrong?"
Luo Chu gritted her teeth. "That little brat!"
It was no wonder Luo Chu was so angry. Because of her pregnancy, she hadn’t been back to Chang’an City for a month or so, and her husband, Qian Song, had been staying home to take care of her.
Two days ago, however, the couple had heard the news about the fall of Chang’an City.
And along with that news came stories of two young prodigies and a genius of Formation...
Those two young prodigies were named Xu Yiyi and Qian Xiao.
