Invincible Dad

The person who had arrived was Taotie, the First Divine General of the Heavenly Court.

This Quasi-Emperor Realm powerhouse had left countless legends in the Immortal Domain. Always known for his brutal and ruthless nature, he was the most infamous of Xu Lai's minions.

Today, he did not appear at Haitang Court but stood at the foot of Mount Haitang with a somber expression.

At Xu Lai's words, Taotie knelt on one knee and said reproachfully, "Please… punish me, Supreme Emperor!"

Xu Lai raised an eyebrow.

Taotie had always been close to his heart, a confidant among confidants. It wouldn't be an overstatement to say he could read Xu Lai's mind. Yet, Xu Lai couldn't understand what game Taotie was playing today.

"Stand up and speak," Xu Lai said flatly.

Taotie stood up, his face filled with shame. "Supreme Emperor, the formation in the Black Sea Forbidden Area has been broken, and the condemned clan has escaped. Your subordinate was incompetent and failed to locate them. I have come to plead for my punishment."

There were many kinds of forbidden areas in the Immortal Domain.

Some were filled with unknown and great dangers, like the Samsara Sea, where the unconscious corpses of Emperor Realm beings were buried. Xu Lai himself had nearly died during his last visit.

There was also the mysterious and inscrutable Nine Kings' Palace, where Emperor Realm powerhouses had sought entry only to perish among the stars, a secret known to only a few.

Other forbidden areas, however, were prisons, holding clans or Tao Lineages that had committed heinous crimes. Examples included the former Black Dragon Clan and the Black Sea Forbidden Area that Taotie had just mentioned.

Imprisoned within the Black Sea Forbidden Area was the Nine-form Demon Clan.

Once ranked thirteenth on the list of racial talents, its members could consume nine other living beings in their lifetime and transform into nine forms within their bodies. Their superimposed strength was terrifying.

Just thirty thousand years ago, however, the clan leader of the Nine-form Demon Clan went mad and attempted to assassinate Xu Lai. Naturally, he failed.

The act resulted in a death sentence. The clan leader was executed by the Heavenly Court, and the remaining members were implicated and sealed within the Black Sea. Their past supreme glory was gone, but their lingering power remained.

The seal on the Black Sea Forbidden Area, while not personally set by Xu Lai, was the work of Baize, the Second Divine General. This number one female Chess Saint of the Immortal Domain wasn't just adept at chess; her talent in formations was also astonishingly high.

"Even I would need some time to break a formation she laid," Xu Lai mused, rubbing his brow. "Who could have broken it so silently that even Baize wasn't alerted? Not even those old-timers from the Holy Lands and Tao Lineages who are feigning death have that kind of power."

Taotie was silent. He couldn't understand it either, which was why he had come to Earth alone to admit his fault after the investigation proved fruitless.

After all, the Divine Generals and Heavenly Soldiers guarding the Black Sea Forbidden Area were all his subordinates. As the Commander of the Heavenly Court's martial forces, he—could not shirk his responsibility!

"It's such a trivial matter. If they ran, they ran," Xu Lai said, shaking his head. "Next time, don't be so jumpy. I thought the Heavenly Court had exploded or something."

Taotie looked awkward and replied cautiously, "You are wise, Supreme Emperor."

With a smile that wasn't quite a smile, Xu Lai said, "Taotie, you'd better not tell me the Heavenly Court really did explode."

"The headquarters is fine, but several branches in the peripheral regions were destroyed. Seven Divine Generals were severely injured, and two… had their origins shattered."

"The culprit?" Xu Lai's question was light, but Taotie felt the air around him turn colder in an instant.

"Not found…" Taotie forced the words out. Seeing the Supreme Emperor's face turning colder, he quickly added, "But Divine General Baize is already using divination to search for them. I believe we will have results soon."

Xu Lai exhaled a turbid breath. "Taotie, I've only been on Earth for a few months. Has the Heavenly Court become so vulnerable?"

Taotie's scalp tingled. He dropped to one knee, about to continue pleading for punishment, when he heard Xu Lai's cold command, "Follow me back to the Immortal Domain!"

I want to see for myself who dares to strike at the Heavenly Court!

Taotie bowed slightly, sweat beading on his forehead.

The Supreme Emperor is furious. Many people in the Immortal Domain are about to die. A storm of blood is coming.

「...」

Xu Lai left so swiftly that he didn't even notify anyone at Haitang Court.

After putting Yiyi to sleep, Ruan Tang returned to her room. For some time now, Xu Lai had been the one to dry and comb her hair, so she sat habitually before her vanity mirror, waiting for a long time.

Her hair dried on its own, but Xu Lai still hadn't returned.

She muttered a complaint to herself and lay on the bed in her pajamas, her thoughts wandering. Thinking about what might happen next, her heart began to race. She knew she wouldn't be spared from Xu Lai's teasing tonight. A flush of heat inexplicably crept up her face.

Soon, Ruan Tang chided herself when she realized she was actually looking forward to it a little.

Ruan Tang, oh Ruan Tang, what are you fantasizing about?

Murmuring in embarrassment, Ruan Tang glanced at the clock on the wall. It was nine o'clock, and Xu Lai wasn't home.

At ten o'clock, he still hadn't returned. She didn't call, but waited in silence. She waited and waited until exhaustion finally overcame her, and she fell asleep. She didn't wake until five in the morning.

Still half-asleep, Ruan Tang subconsciously reached out to use Xu Lai's arm as a pillow but found only empty space.

She opened her eyes, gradually becoming more alert. The bedside lamp was still on. In its dim glow, she could see the pillow next to her was perfectly smooth, a clear sign that Xu Lai hadn't come home all night.

What kind of friend keeps you out all night? Ruan Tang fumed inwardly.

Just as she was about to call him, the bedroom door opened. A fatigued Xu Lai walked in and asked with some surprise, "Why are you still awake?"

He subconsciously hid his right hand behind his back, his sleeve stained with blood.

Ruan Tang didn't see his small movement, but she did catch the pungent smell of blood. Her lips parted as if to ask a question, but she held back and simply said, "I just woke up."

"Sorry I'm late," Xu Lai said apologetically. He had made an impromptu trip back to the Immortal Domain with Taotie yesterday and had been investigating all night.

The destruction of the Heavenly Court's branches and the Nine-form Demon Clan's escape from the sealed formation seemed to be connected. However, the investigation yielded no substantial progress. The culprit seemed to have vanished into thin air, which was quite strange.

Still, there were some gains. During the investigation, an unidentified old man had suddenly ambushed him. He survived a direct palm strike from Xu Lai and managed to flee.

The blood on his sleeve was what the man had spat out. Some of it also came from a few restless, smaller Tao Lineages.

「...」

Ruan Tang was unaware of these messy affairs.

She said softly, "You look exhausted. Go take a shower and get some rest. I'll handle dropping Yiyi off and picking her up today."

"Mm."

Xu Lai was indeed tired. He stood up and went to the bathroom, tossing his clothes into the laundry basket outside.

He suddenly remembered something.

Wrapped only in a bath towel, he pushed the door open again, his eyes burning with a fiery gaze. "Honey, is drawing the little turtle still on the table?"

Ruan Tang shot him an exasperated look. "Go take your shower. We'll talk about it tonight!"

Curse you, Taotie.

Sighing, Xu Lai returned to the bathroom. Waiting until tonight would be tough.

Meanwhile, Ruan Tang rolled up her sleeves, intending to wash his clothes. It was only then that she noticed the dark red stains on his sleeve. They looked like blood.

She reached into the clothes pockets, pulling out Xu Lai's phone and a very simple business card.

On it was just a string of numbers and a name—

Murong Chi.