Chapter 793 Warm Daily Life

When the little one was suddenly picked up, his round eyes widened in surprise, filled with a layer of bewildered panic. His little body tensed up instinctively, and his chubby little hands clenched into tiny fists.

Yet the scent lingering around my nose carried a sense of warmth and security that came from the depths of my blood, like an imprint etched into my soul.

In a short while, her tense back slowly relaxed, her clenched fists quietly unfurled, and her dark eyes curiously examined the man in front of her. Her long eyelashes fluttered, revealing not a trace of grievance, but only a hint of unfamiliarity and novelty at their first meeting.

Her gaze shifted, and she subconsciously glanced at her mother beside her. Seeing Medusa looking at her with a gentle smile and tender eyes, the little girl's lingering fear completely dissipated.

She reached out her small hand and tentatively touched Xiao Ling's cheek. When her fingertips touched the warm skin, she withdrew like a startled kitten, but the corners of her mouth unconsciously turned up slightly, revealing a soft dimple.

Seeing the little guy rubbing his face haphazardly with his little hands, Xiao Ling couldn't help but turn his head and exchange a glance with Medusa beside him.

A gentle smile lingered in their eyes as they nodded to each other in unspoken understanding. A warm current flowed slowly through their hearts, a unique and comforting feeling that belonged only to their family.

He raised his hand to support the little one's soft bottom, lifting her up steadily so that she could see her own face more clearly.

Xiao Ling gently tapped his cheek with his fingertip, looking at the little one in his arms with a smile, his voice becoming even more gentle and hoarse: "Xi'er, be good, remember Daddy's face, and don't forget it in the future."

Xiao Xi'er was completely captivated by the sudden lifting action. Her big, dark eyes were fixed on Xiao Ling, her long eyelashes fluttering like two little butterflies. She was momentarily stunned and did not respond.

After a moment, as if remembering something, she slowly turned her little head to Medusa beside her, her soft, childlike voice full of innocent confusion as she asked, "Mother, who is Xi'er? Why does Father keep calling me Xi'er?"

Xiao Ling and Medusa were both taken aback, but then they burst out laughing at the little guy's innocent and childish question.

The morning light filtering through the corridor fell perfectly on their upturned lips, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere.

Medusa took two steps forward, reached out her slender hand and gently ruffled Xiao Xi'er's soft little head, her fingertips brushing against the stray hairs at her temples, her tone full of tenderness.
"My dear baby, Xi'er is the name your father and mother gave you. From now on, you will be called Xiao Xi'er. This name will stay with you for the rest of your life, so you must remember it well."

Xiao Xi'er tilted her head, her dark eyes darting between Xiao Ling and Medusa. In her innocent eyes, it was as if two tiny flames had suddenly been lit, and they instantly shone brightly.

She seemed to fully understand the meaning behind those words. Her little body wiggled happily in Xiao Ling's arms, her chubby little hands raised high above her head, and her clear, childlike voice was full of joy.
"Okay! I have a name now! I'll be called Xi'er from now on! Xi'er loves this name!"

As she spoke, she seemed to remember something, pursed her lips, and quickly changed her words, her soft, sweet voice as sweet as honey: "Thank you, Daddy! Thank you, Mommy!"

Before she finished speaking, she leaned in and gave Medusa a quick kiss on the cheek, leaving a faint wet mark.

Then, she tilted her head and looked at Xiao Ling, her face showing some hesitation. After a moment, she mustered up her courage, leaned over, and planted a soft kiss on his cheek.

After doing all this, the little one shrank back into Xiao Ling's arms, covered her burning cheeks with her little hands, and giggled. Her clear laughter was like the morning dew rolling off the eaves, pure and melodious.

The warmth inside the hall grew even stronger, and even the morning light outside the window seemed to be softened by this heartwarming scene.

The soft, damp feeling on his cheek was like a warm feather gently brushing against Xiao Ling's heart.

He looked down at the smiling little one in his arms, the corners of his lips curving upwards uncontrollably, his eyes brimming with laughter that almost overflowed.

A surge of intense joy, flowing through my veins, exploded from my heart, instantly spreading to every part of my body, even my fingertips were tinged with a trembling warmth.

This feeling was far more moving and intense than the ecstasy I felt when I broke through the shackles of the Dou Sheng realm.

The exhilaration of breaking through to a higher realm back then was the culmination of years of arduous training and the awe-inspiring surge in power. But the joy I feel now is like a new bud quietly sprouting in spring, carrying a warmth that never ceases to grow.

Perhaps she had had enough of playing in Xiao Ling's arms, Xiao Xi'er began to fidget with her little body, twisting her body restlessly, trying to break free.

Xiao Ling was reluctant to restrain her and was about to let go and put her on the ground when a powerful force far exceeding that of an ordinary Dou Zong suddenly came from his wrist.

The force came so suddenly that it knocked his arm away, and even caused a faint ripple of battle aura to spread through the surrounding air.

The little guy's tiny body swayed in the air for a moment before landing steadily on the ground. His short legs stood straight, completely unaware of the commotion he had just caused.

Xiao Ling looked at her slightly numb wrist and couldn't help but twitch her lips.

This girl clearly cannot yet fully control her Dou Zong cultivation level. The Dou Qi she unconsciously leaked when she broke free just now was so powerful.

If it weren't for the extremely strong physical body he had honed over the years, even an ordinary Dou Zun expert would have been shaken so badly by this attack that his blood would have surged and his arm would have been numb for quite some time.

Seeing this, Medusa couldn't help but cover her mouth and chuckle. She lightly tapped Xi'er's bouncy back with her jade finger, then crossed her arms and glanced at Xiao Ling with a half-smile, her eyes full of teasing amusement.

"Now you should know how much effort it has taken for me, as her mother, to take care of this girl, right? I've suffered quite a bit from her these past few days."

Xiao Ling rubbed his still slightly numb wrist, recalling the powerful force that Xi'er had inadvertently unleashed earlier. His lips twitched, and he gave a knowing, embarrassed smile, shaking his head helplessly.
"It seems we need to temporarily seal the Dou Zong cultivation within this girl as soon as possible. This matter is urgent, otherwise who knows how many earth-shattering troubles she might cause in the future."

As soon as the two finished speaking, they heard a soft "creak".

That petite figure had already run to the entrance of the bedchamber with her short legs. Her chubby little hands gripped the doorframe, and with a "bang," she pushed the door open and slipped out like a nimble little dumpling. Her clear, childlike voice still echoed inside the chamber.

"Xi'er is hungry, I need to go find Aunt Flower Snake to get me some good food!" Xiao Ling and Medusa exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with a helpless yet doting smile, and quickly followed the little one's hopping figure.

Xi'er, with her short legs, skipped and hopped ahead like a playful little dumpling, occasionally turning back to wave her little hand at the two behind her, her clear laughter echoing through the palace.

Xiao Ling and Medusa followed side by side behind, their steps unhurried, their eyes always fixed on the small figure in front of them, their tenderness almost overflowing.

Morning light streamed through the carved window lattices, spilling over the layers of palace eaves and falling on the bluestone paving stones of the courtyard, casting long shadows of the three people.

The wisteria under the eaves hung with strings of pale purple flower spikes, and when the wind blew, the delicate petals fell in a flurry, covering Xi'er's head and body.

The little one was oblivious, only focused on running forward. Xiao Ling and Medusa exchanged a smile, watching the petals swirling in the air and that agile little figure. They felt that the morning light in the courtyard was tinged with tender warmth, and this was the most beautiful time in their lives.

……

Perhaps the experience of becoming a father for the first time was too novel, because from the day he stepped into the holy city of the Snake People, Xiao Ling never had the thought of leaving again.

He temporarily put aside the disturbances of the outside world and the trivial matters of cultivation, and accompanied Medusa to stroll in the palaces and courtyards of the Holy City every day, watching Xi'er toddle among the flowers with her short legs, chasing butterflies, or squatting on the ground, letting the seven-colored little Devouring Python wrap around his arm.

These days spent with his wife and daughter are simple yet full of warmth, a stark contrast to his turbulent past.

Holding his soft, cuddly daughter and listening to her sweet, childlike voice calling him "Daddy," and watching Medusa's gentle smile fade from her cold and aloof demeanor, this ordinary, down-to-earth atmosphere gave him an unprecedented sense of peace—a unique feeling that had taken root deep in his heart.

Deep within the Serpent Clan's temple, in an elegant and tranquil courtyard, the lawn covered with warm jade grass was as lustrous as jade, and felt as soft as cloud-like fluff underfoot.

Crimson datura climbs along the white marble pillars, morning dew clinging to its vibrant petals, rolling down and splashing onto the grass, even the passing wind carrying a faint, exotic fragrance.

Xiao Xi'er ran around on the lawn like a playful little dumpling. She was surrounded by several snake-like magical beasts of different colors. The scales of the Crimson Gold Python shone with a radiant luster, the body of the Black Jade Snake was partially hidden in the shadows of the grass, and several small, azure blue snakes flicked their tongues and followed her closely at her feet.

At the edge of the lawn, several giant pythons, as thick as buckets, lay lazily on their sides, their huge heads resting on their cool, smooth backs, their eyelids half-closed, their tongues flicking as they slept soundly, even their fighting spirit was restrained, making them docile and harmless.

The little guy was having so much fun that he suddenly pounced on a giant black-scaled python. Before the python could react, he used both his hands and feet to climb onto its broad back. Then, he tilted his body and curled up on the cool scales. His clear, loud giggles startled the colorful birds on the branches in the corner of the yard, which flapped their wings and flew away.

The giant python with black scales, which was being pressed down, helplessly shook its tail tip and turned its huge head slightly, but it did not dare to let out a trace of ferocity. It could only let its little master frolic on its body.

The giant pythons nearby, startled, merely raised their eyelids lazily, glanced at the noisy little figure, and then lowered their heads again, looking completely helpless.

Don't be fooled by the fact that these snake-like magical beasts are docile and don't show any ferocity at the moment. In reality, each of them is a powerful being with profound foundations. The lowest level of cultivation is already at the peak of the seventh rank, and several of them have already stepped into the eighth rank.

Such a lineup, even in the Central Plains where masters abound, would be enough to easily annihilate those top forces that ordinary people talk about, and stir up a considerable bloodbath.

The reason they were willing to conceal their ferocity and lie dormant in this courtyard, playing and frolicking with a little girl, was quite simple: they were all snake pets specially sent by Qinglin to protect her, his beloved goddaughter, so that the little girl could have more fun in the temple.

On a stone bench beside the courtyard, Qinglin, dressed in a simple blue dress, leaned gracefully against the back of the chair. Her palms supported her chin, her elbows resting steadily on her knees, her gaze fixed on the small figure frolicking in the courtyard, her eyes filled with an unyielding gentle smile.

A gentle breeze ruffled a few strands of hair at her temple. She narrowed her eyes slightly, a loving smile playing on her lips, her voice as soft as a whisper in the wind: "What an adorable little one..."

As she finished speaking, her eyes dimmed slightly, and a hint of melancholy crept into her voice. She muttered to herself, "But I really didn't expect that Medusa would be the first to have a child with the young master. She's spent far less time with him than I have, so why wasn't I the first one to give birth to his child..."

"Hehe, I didn't expect you to have such thoughts, Qinglin. Have you also considered becoming a mother?"

A magnetic voice, tinged with a hint of mockery, suddenly came from behind Qinglin.

Qinglin froze, then turned her head sharply to look at Xiao Ling, who was slowly approaching and looking at her with a smile.

Two blushes instantly spread across the girl's pretty face. She hurriedly raised her hands to cover her burning cheeks, her voice barely audible.

"Young Master... that's not what Qinglin thought! I... I just think that little Xi'er is too cute..."

Her voice grew softer and softer until it was almost inaudible, and her eyes were too shy to look Xiao Ling in the eye.

Seeing this, Xiao Ling laughed loudly, walked slowly to the stone bench and sat down, his tone carrying a hint of comfort.

"Alright, alright, stop overthinking and don't be embarrassed. You're still young, you have a long life ahead of you. Medusa was over a hundred years old, and now she's a mother, isn't that normal..."

"I sent you here to set a seal on my daughter, not to waste your time. If you can't speak, you don't have to. Nobody will think you're mute. What, do you think I'm too old?"

As soon as Xiao Ling finished speaking, a voice with a hint of reproach came from behind him. Immediately afterwards, a fair and slender leg swept towards his shoulder with a faint gust of wind.

Xiao Ling dared not be negligent, and had no mind to admire those perfect long legs. He quickly raised his hand to block.

Immediately, a fawning smile spread across his face, and he apologized repeatedly.
"Misunderstanding, misunderstanding! How could I possibly mind your age? You are so youthful and vibrant, you can't find another like you anywhere else in the entire Dou Qi Continent!"

Seeing this, Qinglin's previous embarrassment vanished instantly. She couldn't help but cover her mouth with her hand, her eyes curving into crescent moons. Her clear laughter, mingled with the scent of datura in the wind, gently drifted through the courtyard. (End of Chapter)