The little one asked for a pen and paper. What is she going to give? A precious calligraphy scroll? A painting? What value could her artwork possibly hold? Even Luo Tian found the thought depressing.
Finally, the child took the ink-laden brush and a sheet of white paper. "What I am giving you is neither a character nor a painting," she announced, preparing to write. Luo Tian and the others watched with curiosity, all wondering what exactly the little girl would gift them.
With a calm expression, she began to write. "What I am giving you is a martial arts technique."
Characters formed on the white paper, but soon, under a mysterious power, they vanished one by one.
"Why can’t the martial arts technique she’s writing stay on the paper?"
"Could it be...?"
At the thought, many of the guests dropped their cups, which shattered on the floor. The complexions of those who guessed the truth changed drastically, while the bewildered began to ask questions.
"Don’t you know? Some things cannot be recorded," someone explained. "Like the name of an Immortal Emperor."
"Indeed." This was common knowledge. Nothing related to an Immortal Emperor’s name or appearance could exist on murals or paper.
"In fact," another person added, "there are other things that are forbidden from existing in this world. For example, an Emperor’s Scripture! Or an Emperor’s Technique! They can only be passed down by word of mouth; it is absolutely impossible for them to exist on paper."
By now, even those who had been confused understood. Does this mean the little one was just writing an Emperor’s Technique?
"An Emperor’s Technique?" Luo Tian’s mouth fell open. He dared not accept it. Anyone without an Immortal Emperor’s bloodline, who was not one of the Heavenly Chosen, would surely die if they cultivated an Emperor’s Technique. He shook his head frantically. "No, no, no! I dare not accept such a birthday gift!"
The little one was stunned. She had just written the Nine Mysteries, which Wu Tian had once written in the Mystic Library and which she had memorized. She was frustrated. Why could her father write it, but she couldn’t?
"Besides this, I have nothing else to give you," the little one said.
"No, no, no! This sheet of paper is more than enough!" Luo Tian snatched the blank sheet. Though nothing was written on it, he treasured it as if it were a priceless gem, gazing at it as if it were his lover.
Those around him were green with envy. They knew that although the paper didn’t record the Emperor’s Technique, it still retained a wisp of its aura. Keeping it nearby would make cultivating martial arts techniques twice as effective.
"Grandpa Luo Tian, it’s just a sheet of paper. What’s so special about it?" Just then, the seven-year-old girl, once again courting disaster, suddenly stood up. "My family has plenty of paper like this at home."
Her words earned her the scorn of everyone in the hall.
Master Luo Tian’s face filled with displeasure. "Didn’t I tell you to get lost?" he bellowed. "Why are you still here? Get out!"
His words terrified the seven-year-old girl into tears again. She immediately looked to her father, Zheng Zheng. "Grandpa Luo Tian is scolding me again! Father, what should we do?"
To her shock, however, her father Zheng Zheng glared at her with the same icy look, spitting out three cold words, "Get out!"
The seven-year-old girl was stunned. Grandpa Luo Tian treats me like this... and now even my own father does the same? She wailed even harder.
"Get lost!" Zheng Zheng, annoyed by his daughter’s crying, simply threw her out of the hall. His ruthlessness was plain to see.
Soon, the birthday banquet came to an end. The guests departed in twos and threes, reluctant to leave. Many had hoped to gain some benefit from the little one, but Luo Tian drove them all away.
Luo Tian and Zheng Zheng gathered around the little girl.
Zheng Zheng said, "An Emperor’s Technique cannot be recorded, only passed down orally. Perhaps..."
His meaning was perfectly clear, making Luo Tian furrow his brow. How could Zheng Zheng be such a person?
But the little girl just gave a playful smile. "What are you talking about? I don’t understand."
Zheng Zheng chuckled. "What we mean is..."
"I should be going." Interrupting him, the little girl turned and walked away. Zheng Zheng didn’t dare stop her, simply allowing her to leave.
Now, only the two of them remained in the great hall.
Zheng Zheng sighed and patted Luo Tian’s shoulder. "Brother Luo, it seems we’re destined to have no connection with the Emperor’s Technique."
Luo Tian’s face flushed with anger. He pointed a finger at Zheng Zheng and yelled, "What nonsense are you spouting? Don’t measure a gentleman’s character by your own petty standards! Who do you think you are? Capable of learning an Emperor’s Technique? Do you think you’re one of the Heavenly Chosen?" He had already decided to cut all ties with Zheng Zheng.
"Brother Luo, what are you saying? Didn’t you use to say I was talented, that perhaps I was one of the Heavenly Chosen? Besides, what about our friendship? How can you treat me like this..." Zheng Zheng was in a terrible mood. He had recognized the little girl as the one Ye Qingxian had specifically warned him about, which was why he had berated his own daughter. He had expected Luo Tian to treat him with respect for it but never anticipated this outcome.
"Those were just pleasantries! Don’t take them seriously," Luo Tian retorted. "Friendship? We were never that close. Don’t flatter yourself."
Zheng Zheng let out a cold laugh, realizing he had been overthinking things. His anger flared, and he decided to throw all caution to the wind, shouting, "Let me tell you, if you’re not my friend, you’re my enemy! You, that little brat, and Ye Qingxian—you all think I’m useless! Fine, fine, fine! I can’t get my revenge on you, but I will curse you every single day!"
"Is that so?"
Suddenly, a strange, eerie wind swirled through the hall, chilling Zheng Zheng to the bone.
"Who’s there?" Zheng Zheng asked, his teeth chattering as he tried to sound brave.
"Her father." A figure stepped into the hall, his handsome face particularly striking.
"Wu Tian?"
Both Zheng Zheng and Luo Tian were startled. In recent times, who in the Artifact Domain, the Domain of Myriad Demons, or the Xiuyuan Realm didn’t know the great name of Wu Tian?
Zheng Zheng was so frightened his legs began to tremble. He couldn’t believe Wu Tian was the little girl’s father. Swallowing hard, he stammered, "Y-you... what are you here for?"
Wu Tian’s lips curved into a warm, sunny smile. However, the three words he spoke were as cold as frost.
"To kill you."
The moment he spoke, an overwhelming heavenly might shook the space, plunging it into an icy cold. A palpable killing intent fused with the air, making one’s very soul shudder.
"Kill... kill me?" Zheng Zheng went blank. His face turned deathly pale as he stared warily at Wu Tian, begging, "Can’t you... could you possibly spare me?"
Wu Tian smiled gently again, his voice just as calm. "I cannot."
Hearing this, Zheng Zheng felt his scalp crawl. Wu Tian had killed so many people; if he was the target, death was certain. Endless fear flooded Zheng Zheng’s heart. His face went ashen, and his legs trembled so violently they could no longer support him. He collapsed to his knees.
"No... you can’t!" He seemed to recall something and shouted, "I... I’m one of Ye Qingxian’s people! Her potential is extraordinary! She has the Tongxuan phenomenon, ’Stars Falling Through the Nine Heavens’! If you kill me, she... she will avenge me one day!"
"Will you?" Wu Tian suddenly asked, looking just outside the great hall.