Chapter 129: Infant, Dragon Child (5K Subscribers Wanted)

PS: 5K characters

After exiting the thief's tunnel, the outside air suddenly cleared, and Niu Dingtian's gloomy mood improved a bit.

But at this moment, he constantly felt uneasy, as if a pair of eyes were behind him, silently watching everything he did, giving him a sensation of being pricked on his back.

"Hurry and seal it up tightly, make it solid, don't let anyone notice," Niu Dingtian whispered.

As long as the tunnel mouth is sealed, after a heavy rain no one will see the surrounding soil; they can't start digging at their founder's tomb to verify.

Thus, Lao Gui huffed and puffed as he patched the tunnel, while Niu Dingtian stood absentmindedly at the cliff edge, lost in thought.

Two hours later,

The tunnel mouth had been completely sealed, and the sky was still pitch black.

After Lao Gui washed away the traces of his crime, the man and the turtle quietly retraced their steps back.

Descending the peak, Niu Dingtian took the mountain trail, a winding path from the rear mountain toward the front gate.

At his own pace he could have gone faster, but thinking of Wang Chongyang still being alive and another hidden threat, he only wanted to linger a bit to feel the cold mountain wind.

In an instant, a figure arrived at the palace gate; looking down, he saw a green‑brick platform at the entrance holding a bundle, within which a constantly wailing baby was tightly wrapped.

"Wah~ Wah~"

"You…"

He had intended to say a couple of words, but seeing the sudden smile on the little one in his arms, he was reluctant to look away, feeling an indescribable emotion.

By his estimate, Wang Chongyang at best is in the same realm as him, but most likely has already entered the precelestial stage.

He had just heard the baby's cries from here, assuming something serious had happened, only to encounter the one he least wanted to see.

At least, with his current comprehension, he still cannot independently forge the Nine Yin and Nine Yang or a skill like the Innate Skill.

That cry sliced through the silent night, echoing across the empty mountains, and even the lights inside Chongyang Palace hurriedly flickered on.

Then, slowly extending a powerful thought, he probed outward in all directions.

"Damp?"

Just as Niu Dingtian stepped off the trail toward the mountain gate, a crisp, bright baby cry suddenly came from the direction of Chongyang Palace's main gate.

Seeing Niu Dingtian outside the gate holding the baby, several people were surprised; Miss Huang and Han Xiao Ying hurried over.

"It's an abandoned infant," Niu Dingtian replied without looking up: "I heard the crying from inside, came out and saw the baby placed on the stone platform outside the gate."

"Boy or girl?" Han Xiao Ying asked softly.

"Ying~ Ying~"

At that point, she cast a suspicious glance at the Quanzhen Seven Disciples.

However, in his two lifetimes he had never held such a tiny child; once the light infant entered his arms, his movements seemed a bit stiff.

But with the baby in his arms, only he could know the details of the earlier situation.

"Wah~ Wah~"

At that moment, the gates of Chongyang Palace slowly opened, and the Quanzhen Seven Disciples, Miss Huang, and Han Xiao Ying all rushed out, while the aura from the distant trail grew nearer.

"Squeak~"

"Chief Niu, this is…" Ma Yu asked hesitantly.

First come, first served?

"Seems like… something from the imperial palace," Miss Huang said softly after glancing twice.

As for his own Taiyin technique, essentially it's like using a cheat.

"A child?" Niu Dingtian muttered, "Who would bring a baby to a Taoist in the middle of the night?"

Realizing this, Niu Dingtian stopped hesitating, discarded Lao Gui, and darted forward.

But after probing, he found only a faint aura on the ground at the gate, no other people.

Upon hearing it was an abandoned baby, a pang of sympathy flashed in her eyes: "Let me hold it then."

At that moment he noticed the bundle's exterior was damp, as if it had been on the ground for a while, and he gently used his true qi to dry it.

Speaking, she reached out from Niu Dingtian's arms to take the baby; she had already noticed his body was a bit stiff—though her own skill wasn't great either, it was still better than a man's softness.

"What is this?"

Just as she cradled the baby, Han Xiao Ying suddenly felt a dragon‑shaped jade pendant on the infant.

Understanding Miss Huang's meaning, Qiu Chuji's face turned extremely grim, and even Ma Yu and several junior brothers didn't look any better.

"The task is heavy and the road long; looks like we must seize time to strengthen ourselves!" Niu Dingtian sighed lightly, holding the secret manual in his arms.

Perhaps feeling the warmth, the little one's wail gradually ceased, and it began to coo softly, its bright eyes standing out clearly in the hazy night.

"Where's this child from?" Miss Huang asked curiously, leaning forward and whispering.

Within Chongyang Palace and on the trail he had just traversed, strong auras were rapidly approaching this side.

Since the reputation of the Quanzhen Sect is at stake, they cannot let outsiders tarnish it! Yet the other side didn't state it outright, and they could only suppress their anger.

When he sensed someone approaching, the baby cried even more vigorously; seeing this, Niu Dingtian quickly crouched and hugged it.

He thought perhaps it wasn't Brother Niu, but that seemed unlikely; could it be a Quanzhen Taoist who abandoned his duties? That also wasn't impossible.

She had been immersed by her father since childhood, mastering antiques and calligraphy; the jade pendant before her was exquisitely carved and delicate, instantly revealing it wasn't a common household item.

Moreover, a dragon‑shaped object isn't something ordinary noble families can possess; in her view, the pendant at best was a gift from the palace to royal offspring.

After taking the jade pendant from Han Xiao Ying, Niu Dingtian examined it closely, and his expression suddenly froze.

Dragon‑shaped jade pendant? The midnight gate of Chongyang Palace? Could it be…

Thinking of somewhere, he gently lifted the baby's swaddling cloth.

"Girl," Han Xiao Ying said softly after a glance.

Could it be Little Dragon Girl?

At this moment, staring at the dragon‑shaped jade pendant, Niu Dingtian's eyes flickered slightly, his mind already eighty percent certain.

He remembered that Little Dragon Girl had been abandoned outside the gates of Chongyang Palace shortly after birth, and a dragon-shaped jade pendant lay inside her swaddling clothes.

Since the Quanzhen Sect consisted almost entirely of male Daoists, it was inconvenient to take in a wailing baby girl; by a twist of fate, Lin Chaoying's maid Lin Shinv happened to pass by and brought her back to the Ancient Tomb Sect to be accepted as a disciple.

That… the aura approaching from ahead, is it her master?

Thinking this through, Niu Dingtian was already ninety percent sure; at this moment the aura had reached the mountain gate, and the final ten percent depended on whether the newcomer was male or female.

"Is it you?" As the figure appeared, Niu Dingtian's eyes could not hide his surprise.

He instantly recognized the woman ahead—her features were delicate and refined, she appeared to be in her thirties or forties, and she bore the same aloof demeanor as Lin Chaoying.

Although he had never seen this face before, her aura and the sword in her hand were exactly the same as the white-clad woman he had seen in the ruined temple outside Luoyang City the previous year.

Upon seeing Niu Dingtian, the newcomer's aloof gaze also flickered; after glancing at Han Xiao Ying beside them, she lightly nodded at both of them.

She had originally been preparing to go out, walking along a mountain path, when she suddenly heard crying from this direction and hurried over.

She hadn't expected to meet the two people she had briefly encountered the previous year here; her impression of Niu Dingtian was deep, not only because of his profound martial arts.

"Lin Shinv, I salute you!"

Seeing the woman suddenly appear, Ma Yu was slightly surprised but not unexpected, as she was an old neighbor he had known for many years; he quickly brought a few junior disciples forward to pay respects.

They did not know the other's exact name, only that she was the maid of the heroine Lin Chaoying; though their households lived under the same mountain and had long avoided each other, their master had, before his death, instructed them to look after her well.

Compared to Ma Yu and his companions' enthusiasm, Lin Shinv's attitude was somewhat cool; she merely gave a faint nod.

After fixing his gaze on the bundle in Han Xiao Ying's arms, he seemed to want to ask, yet hesitated.

Ma Yu saw this, quickly pointed at Niu Dingtian, and explained: "This is the leader of the Divine Sect, Niu Dingtian; it was he who just discovered the abandoned baby girl outside Chongyang Palace."

"I have met you, Lin Shinv," Niu Dingtian said, stepping forward and clasping his fists with a smile: "I never expected that after parting outside Luoyang City, we would meet again tonight on Mount Zhongnan."

By now he was certain that the person before him was the head of the Ancient Tomb Sect, the master of Li Mochou, and that the baby in Han Xiao Ying's arms was undoubtedly Little Dragon Girl.

However, Lin Shinv clearly disliked talking; after a slight nod, her face showed some hesitation, she pondered a moment, then spoke softly: "Does the child have a place to go?"

"If she has nowhere to go, then perhaps…"

Although she did not finish her sentence, the meaning was clear: she wanted to adopt this baby girl.

Though this idea was a spur-of-the-moment decision, she had also given it careful thought along the way just now.

At present her disciple Li Mochou is restless by nature, not the type to settle down; she fears that in the future Li Mochou may not wish to inherit the Ancient Tomb Sect's legacy, so she must prepare for the worst as early as possible.

After sensing Lin Shinv's intention, Niu Dingtian's face showed some hesitation.

For some reason, looking at the baby in the swaddling clothes, a sudden reluctance arose in his heart.

Being able to encounter this little one in the dead of night, regardless of whether she is Little Dragon Girl, he felt it was a kind of fate.

However, after thinking it over, he really is not suited to bring along a baby who is still nursing.

If he were still living a peaceful life as before, it would be fine—raising one, or even ten or eight, would pose no problem.

But now the Divine Sect is about to be established; whether in the martial world or the imperial court, potential enemies are already numerous, and in the future his surroundings will certainly not be too peaceful.

Yet if he were to send her away tonight without leaving any trace of himself, he would feel somewhat unwilling.

Thinking this through, Niu Dingtian said softly: "Lin Shinv, could you wait a day? I will personally take her to the Ancient Tomb tomorrow."

Upon hearing this, Lin Shinv's face showed some difficulty; it was not because of the Ancient Tomb Sect's rules, but because she worried that her disciple, already inclined to be unruly, would become even more so after meeting outsiders.

But after a moment's contemplation, she still nodded and said: "I will await you at the Ancient Tomb tomorrow; farewell."

After speaking, she ignored the Quanzhen Sect's crowd, turned and darted down the mountain, seemingly unconcerned that Niu Dingtian might not know where the Ancient Tomb is.

"Ah~"

After Lin Shinv vanished into the night, Ma Yu let out a helpless sigh.

Over the years they have endured plenty of this sort of thing, but with the dying instruction of their master, none dare to disobey.

"Master Ma, rest early; I'll head back first." Niu Dingtian greeted Ma Yu.

He then brought the two women and the baby back to the guest room; as for the old turtle, perhaps guilty of sneaking about, after climbing to the mountain gate earlier he dared not take another step forward.

After they returned to the guest room,

Han Xiao Ying fetched a basin of hot water, adjusted the temperature, and amidst the crying gave Little Dragon Girl a bath, changed her swaddling, and ultimately she ended up back in Niu Dingtian's arms.

"Why not give her a name?" Looking at the sweetly sleeping little one, Miss Huang suddenly suggested.

Just moments ago she had been wailing nonstop, but once she slipped into her Niu older brother's embrace, she immediately calmed down; the two are surely destined to be together.

"Then… what surname should she have?" Han Xiao Ying hesitated a bit.

"Of course she should take the surname Niu!" Miss Huang said matter-of-factly.

Niu Dingtian's face darkened; before the two could continue speaking, he declared: "Just call her Little Dragon Girl, with the nickname Long'er!"

He then added: "That's settled! No room for discussion!"

It wasn't that he despised his own Niu surname; rather, on top of that surname he simply hadn't thought of a better name.

Otherwise, Sha Gu would not still be called Sha Gu.

The next morning,

The sky was already faintly light; while the two next door were still immersed in rest, Niu Dingtian here continued to hold the swaddled Little Dragon Girl, pacing back and forth in the room.

Now that his cultivation realm has risen and his physique strengthened, a night's rest is optional for him.

As he walked, he suddenly noticed that Little Dragon'er in his arms had opened her eyes at some point, staring at him unblinking.

"Should it be time to nurse?" Niu Dingtian muttered to himself.

According to the amount a baby eats six or seven times a day, Little Dragon'er sister should also be ready to nurse now, but the question remains whose milk she would take.

"Sun Bu'er has no milk, and your older sister Han also has none; we'll have to wait a bit."

"Deer milk? No way, it's too fishy, and besides, where would we catch a deer in broad daylight?"

"Goat milk should be available here, but it's a bit musky and harsh on the throat."

"Flour paste would be convenient, but even dogs dislike it."

After thinking for a long while, Niu Dingtian still frowned, unable to decide what to feed Little Dragon Girl for breakfast; honey would be suitable, but one can only get it at the Ancient Tomb.

After all, we followed you, Brother Niu, for a whole night; how could we let little sister Long'er go hungry?

After thinking it over, Niu Dingtian placed Xiao Longnu on the bed, then, with a twinge of soreness, fished a small porcelain bottle from his body.

This is his lifeline now; he has only six bottles in total, and losing even a drop makes him feel pain.

"Bang~"

With a crisp sound, the wooden stopper at the bottle's mouth popped open, and shortly after, an odd floral fragrance began to fill the room.

"Ying~ Ying~"

Seeing the suddenly blossoming smiling face in the swaddling cloth, Niu Dingtian couldn't help but lift the corner of his mouth and, looking at the little face, said cheerfully:

"This stuff tastes far better than honey; it nourishes the skin, prolongs life, and even fills the stomach. So tell me, how will you repay your Brother Niu in the future?"

Saying that, he extended his right index finger, dipped it into the bottle, and began to stuff it into Little Long'er's mouth.

"Yingning~"

After the finger entered her mouth, perhaps sensing the flavor, Little Long'er greedily began to suck.

At the same time, Niu Dingtian clearly felt a surge of energy coursing into the tiny body, rapidly spreading along the limbs, meridians, and blood vessels.

"Little Long'er, from now on you must cultivate diligently, stay away from men, and someday Brother Niu will take you to become an immortal."

While saying so, Niu Dingtian dipped another mouthful and fed it into Little Long'er's mouth.

"Yingning~"

Feeling the breath on the finger again, Little Long'er sucked even more vigorously.

"Little Long'er, remember, what your master says isn't always right, but what Brother Niu says is never wrong."

"Yingning~"

"When the chance comes, Brother Niu will go to the Ancient Tomb Sect to visit Little Long'er, and when she grows up, she should remember to go to Jiugong Mountain outside Xiangyang City."

"Yingning~"

"Little Long'er, you must not practice the Jade Maiden Heart Sutra in the future; that thing is cold and boring. Later, Brother Niu will teach you… teach you the Taiyin True Scripture!"

"If your senior sister ever dares to bully you, tell me, and Brother Niu will give her a hard spanking!"

…

And so, after feeding a mouthful and giving a remark, as he kept feeding, Niu Dingtian unknowingly became addicted to feeding.

By the time he realized, half a bottle of spiritual spring water had already entered Little Long'er's stomach.

After finishing breakfast, Niu Dingtian began strolling around the Quanzhen Sect while holding the little fellow, eventually touring the outer grounds of Chongyang Palace.

As for the inner areas, wherever he went, a vacant‑wise young Taoist would follow closely, hindering him, and Niu Dingtian instantly lost interest.

At noon, when Niu Dingtian returned to his guest room, a young Taoist had already delivered lunch: vegetables, tofu, and rice.

Miss Huang poked at the white rice, huffing, "These Taoists even drink wine; how can they eat only vegetables and tofu every day? I think that guy surnamed Qiu is causing trouble!"

Niu Dingtian laughed, "After all, we're considered troublesome guests; it's already good enough that they provide food and lodging. We'll make do for now; later, Rong'er will borrow some seasoning from the kitchen, and we'll go to the back mountain tonight for barbecue."

A few of them ate a few bites, and the time had already turned to afternoon.

Finding Ma Yu, they requested the location of the Living Dead Tomb, and Niu Dingtian took the opportunity to bid farewell.

His greatest gain this time was decisively clearing Wang Chongyang's tomb chamber.

As for this villain's departure, Ma Yu finally breathed a sigh of relief, dared not make any attempt to retain them, and hurriedly escorted the group out of the palace gate.

After leaving the mountain gate, they found the Old Turtle,

Niu Dingtian, holding Little Long'er, and the others followed the sloping path, beginning to explore the Ancient Tomb on the back mountain.

(End of Chapter)