Venerable Demon King & The Doting Immortal (QT)-Chapter 661: Show papa who’s ugly

Han Xin’s body went rigid, his breath catching. His response was immediate, sharp. "No."

Han Jun sighed, the sound heavy with expectation. "I knew you would say that. Are you afraid he has demonic traces?"

Han Xin didn’t answer. He didn’t need to. The silence was enough. He already knew the truth: if Han Jingxi bore even a flicker of demonic essence, the Divine Council would not hesitate. They would condemn him. And Han Xin would be forced to fight the entire realm, a war he wasn’t sure he could win.

"You know very well," Han Jun continued, "if we don’t do this, he’ll have a target on his back. He won’t grow up safely."

Han Xin’s gaze drifted to the pond, where little Jingxi was now splashing water with Lian and Mei, his laughter ringing like bells in spring. His tiny hands flung droplets into the air, soaking everyone in his path. Han Xin’s eyes reddened.

He turned to Xiang Yu, whose head rested gently on his shoulder, eyes closed in quiet trust.

"Think about it," Han Jun urged. "There’s a higher chance he’s pure divine. If so, you can go home and live happily... together."

Han Xin whispered, "And if not?" 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

"Then I will protect you, all of you," Han Jun said firmly.

Han Xin’s voice trembled. "Do you know what you’re saying?"

Han Jun chuckled, warm and resolute. "You are my son. Of course I will do anything for you."

Silence stretched between them, thick with emotion.

Finally, Han Xin said, "I will talk to Yu Yu about it."

"Don’t take too long," Han Jun warned. "The Divine Council is on pins and needles."

***

Xiang Yu stood at the edge of the obsidian courtyard, cradling Han Jingxi tightly in his arms. His usual calm, regal demeanor had fractured, his brows were furrowed, his jaw clenched, and his eyes shimmered with a storm of emotions.

The child nestled against his chest, oblivious to the weight of the moment, babbling softly and playing with the strands of Xiang Yu’s hair.

He had always been composed, unshaken even in the face of war. But now, Xiang Yu looked distraught, his heart gripped by a fear he couldn’t suppress. He knew Han Xin’s plan was necessary. The judgment in the Divine Realm was unavoidable. But the thought of his son, his precious Jingxi, being scrutinized, possibly harmed, made his blood run cold. The others weren’t taking it well either.

Mei’s eyes were red and swollen. "Can’t we keep him here?" she complained. "We can defend him. We don’t need them to test him."

Lian nodded fiercely. "We will rally every demon in the realm. Xi Xi will be safe."

Little Bai clung to the Veyrasha bird like a lifeline, his fingers unconsciously plucking feathers in his anxiety. The bird squawked in protest, already looking half-plucked.

Han Xin turned to the bird. "Stay here. Kill anyone who approaches the boundary."

With a sharp cry, the bird soared into the sky, circling above like a sentinel.

Xiang Yu forced a smile. "Everything will be okay. Just... prepare a feast. When we come back, we will eat together."

They nodded, but their eyes betrayed them. They knew he was trying to comfort them. They could see the tremble in his hands.

Then, a thunderous light descended. The ground quaked, the sky split, and the three figures, Xiang Yu, Han Xin, and Han Jingxi were enveloped in divine radiance. And then, they were gone.

Lian and Mei rushed to the empty spot, tears finally spilling. They hadn’t cried earlier, afraid to upset Jingxi. But now, their sobs echoed through the courtyard.

Little Bai walked over and wrapped his arms around them, trying to comfort them. But in truth, it was hard to tell who was comforting whom.

***

The Hall of Minor Judgements loomed like a sacred monument suspended between time and eternity. Hewn from celestial stone, its vast dome shimmered with ethereal veins of starlight, pulsing faintly with the breath of the divine realm itself.

Eternal lanterns floated in the air like stars caught mid-breath, casting a soft, golden glow that danced across the polished marble floor in rippling waves of light.

Above, the high seats of the Divine Council stood like thrones of judgment scattered across the heavens each one carved with ancient sigils and occupied by a figure cloaked in authority, their presence heavy with millennia of power and wisdom. Their eyes, ageless and piercing, turned toward the entrance.

Xiang Yu stepped into the hall, his boots echoing like distant thunder against the silence. In his arms, he held Han Jingxi tightly, the child’s small hands clutching the folds of his robe with innocent desperation. The boy’s eyes blinked wide, absorbing the grandeur with quiet wonder.

Beside them, Han Xin walked with quiet resolve, his hand entwined with Xiang Yu’s, his gaze unreadable, a mask forged from years of restraint and pain.

All around, divine mortals filled the stands, their robes whispering like wind through sacred groves. Their expressions ranged from reverent awe to veiled suspicion. Whispers bloomed like smoke, curling through the air.

"That’s the child who tore the sky..."

"He is so small?"

"He is not what I expected..."

The weight of prophecy, fear, and hope hung thick in the air. And at the center of it all stood a child, plump, radiant, and impossibly powerful, wrapped in the arms of two beings who would burn the heavens before letting him fall.

His plump cheeks glowed under the soft golden light of the floating lanterns. Unfazed by the weight of a thousand stares, the little cub’s silver eyes roamed the Hall of Minor Judgements with innocent curiosity. He took in the towering thrones, the celestial carvings, and the stern, ancient faces of the Divine Council with the wide-eyed wonder of a child seeing the world for the first time.

Then, with the blunt honesty only a child could wield, he pointed a chubby finger at one of the council members,a stoic elder with a long, silver beard and a face carved from stone, and declared loudly, "Dada, ugly."

The hall froze. Gasps fluttered through the crowd like startled birds. One lantern flickered, as if caught off guard. Even Xiang Yu blinked, caught between horror and hilarity. The elder’s eyes narrowed, his silver beard trembling with indignation. Power rippled through the air like a gathering storm.

But Han Jingxi stared back, unflinching, his chin lifted in pint-sized defiance.

The Divine Emperor, having just entered the hall, burst into hearty laughter, the sound echoing like thunder across the dome. Encouraged, Han Jingxi giggled, a sound so pure it melted tension like sunlight on frost.

Han Jun’s wife scolded him with a sharp glance, but Han Jun was too delighted to care. "Little Xi Xi, who’s ugly?"

Han Jingxi tilted his head, confused, then let out a soft "he."

"Show papa who’s ugly," Han Jun coaxed.

With glee, Jingxi pointed again.

The hall erupted in laughter, robes rustling and voices rising in mirth.

The insulted elder hmphed, his pride bruised. "Let’s see if you’ll still be laughing after this."

Han Xin clenched his jaw, fists tight with restrained fury. Han Jun placed a firm hand on his son’s shoulder and whispered, "Calm down."