As a father, I just want to quietly watch you live a long life Chapter 1848 - 477: Xi Xi’s Eighth Birthday, New Dao Fruit, Space-Time Golden Wheel—Unleashing a Killing Spree Among Mortal Martial Immortals

Li Che made his way back to the courtyard, scooped up Zhang Ya, and guided Li Qingshan, Nurse Momo, Yun E, Zhou Peng, Jin Taixui, the Golden-haired Hou, and the others to the restaurant run by the boss.

This year, few people joined Xi Xi for her birthday, since most lingered in Qianyuan Taoist City and hadn't arrived yet.

Yet the scene buzzed with energy.

Fang Hanshu remained in secluded cultivation; Li Che no longer regarded him as a Soul Capturing being. Even though he could detect plenty if he focused, he had severed almost all links with Fang Hanshu. This left Fang Hanshu, beyond showing the eternal traits of Soul Capturing, indistinguishable from any ordinary mortal.

Upon reaching the restaurant, the boss hustled away in the kitchen, setting up an eighth birthday feast for Xi Xi.

Xi Xi meditated cross-legged in an open space near the restaurant's entrance, her twin braids jutting skyward.

She sat upon the ground, divine energy roiling around her body without cease.

One look told Li Che that Xi Xi teetered on the brink of a vital breakthrough.

Li Qingshan and the rest quickly spotted the anomaly, hushed their voices, and observed in silence.

Lord Dog stood guard over Xi Xi, and since her breakthrough unfolded within the restaurant's protective zone, no peril threatened to sabotage it.

Bang——

After a prolonged wait, divine ripples exploded inside the restaurant, heralding a colossal outburst on the horizon.

Xi Xi's divine aura steadily quieted down.

The Prison Lotus Divine Pattern on her forehead looked poised to stir into life.

Bang——

Pitch-black Prison Lotus Flames coiled together, blooming into a lotus of dark fire that whirled above Xi Xi's head.

This was the might of the Prison Lotus Curse.

With Xi Xi's cultivation surging to a new height, the Prison Lotus Curse's power turned even more horrifying!

The instant Xi Xi ascends to Divine Fetus, it will explode without fail, swallowing her very will.

Such is the doom etched upon Xi Xi's body—an inescapable fate.

Li Che had sought counsel from the Qitian Temple God, who declared Xi Xi must forge her strength alone; failing that, should the Prison Lotus Curse consume her, she would morph into the authentic Daughter of Prison Lotus.

Good or ill from that shift, Qitian offered no certainty.

Legends warn that the awakened Daughter of Prison Lotus draws the slaying gaze of every god, compelling her to carve through corpse-strewn peaks and blood-drenched seas to shatter every foe.

Powerless against this soul-clinging curse, Li Che grasped no superior remedy.

Thus, every leap in Xi Xi's cultivation marks another tick toward the curse's cataclysmic burst...

"Black Sumeru... truly damnable."

Li Che spat his usual curse at Black Sumeru, murder churning fiercely within him.

One day soon, he would butcher Black Sumeru, toppling Buddhist skulls in droves!

Blame Black Sumeru's Temple God schemes—else why bear Xi Xi this curse's torment?!

As the aura hushed to stillness, Xi Xi parted her eyes slowly, a torrent of regal Primordial Spirit force erupting in splendor!

Cold gleam danced in her gaze, yet the next instant, spotting Li Che and Zhang Ya, all chill dissolved away.

"Dad, Mom!"

Xi Xi leaped up gleefully from the earth.

Thump, thump, thump—she bolted excitedly toward Li Che.

This year, mooching meals from the boss, Xi Xi's cultivation never lagged a beat.

"Xi Xi broke through to Divine Primordial!"

Xi Xi set hands akimbo, pride swelling to the brim.

An eight-year-old Divine Element True Person—utterly astonishing!

Dad's might be unmatched, but she'd chase him down in no time.

Emperor Xi Xi shall reign supreme across eras, scorning the myriad beings!

"Xi Xi, do you want a clam pie?" Li Che snatched a piping-hot fried clam pie from the boss and queried.

"Yes!" Xi Xi scampered over in haste.

Though scant guests graced this birthday banquet, Xi Xi reveled in joy.

In the alley.

Orange glow sliced the night, mirroring twirling snowflakes in crystalline splendor.

Under blazing lanterns, shadows danced fleetingly.

Xi Xi donned a tiny birthday crown whittled by Li Che, palms pressed together, wishing silently above a vast spread of boss-cooked steaming treats.

All stood serene and tranquil.

…

…

Night cloaked everything pitch-black, horizon mountains veiled in foggy haze, forms lost to sight.

Snowflakes wafted gently, as though icing the whole realm.

Qitian Inner City.

Fearsome presences thundered and quaked.

Three palaces loomed in three flanks of the Qi Tian Mysterious Temple, like three silhouettes enthroned inside, radiating dread auras potent enough to pulverize space to powder.

These three Supremes hailed from the three Great Gods Camps of the Strange Que, stationed there as overseers.

Jia Lou from Black Sumeru, Xuanzhen of the Dark Heavenly Court, Sky Wolf of the Deceit Demon Cave—these three Three Calamities Supremes dominated Qitian Inner City, their overwhelming auras saturating virtually every inch of the area.

"The Netherworld Ox Demon stays idle, devoting his days to cultivation, much like the Netherworld Horse Face—who also serves as Elder Li Che of Qian Yuan Divine Sect—accompanied by his wife and numerous others, all holed up in the courtyard immersed in practice. Qitian City's divine potency is truly ideal for cultivation."

"The Netherworld remains silent, while the Outer City has descended into chaos for almost a year now. We first believed the Earthly Ghost Emperor would make an appearance, but surprisingly, he shows no interest in claiming Qitian City..."

"Such a shame, I was eager to gauge the Martial Immortal's battle strength."

The three Supremes' voices kept resounding and echoing through the air.

"This Earthly Ghost Emperor may have ties to Qitian, but they seem rather shallow... We've seized the whole of Qitian City, yet he shows no desire to aid in taking it back..."

"I actually expected the Earthly Ghost Emperor to storm straight into the Inner City to confront us..."