"Hmm?? Void destiny, completely unfathomable. Could this be the legendary destiny variable, the Void Destiny Physique?" The Thirteenth Ancestor looked at the infant in his arms, the shock on his face beyond description.
"What?! The Void Destiny Physique?" Hearing those words from the Thirteenth Ancestor, the crowd all turned pale. The Void Destiny Physique—that was a destiny variable that only existed in legends. Even for the Jiang Family, which had endured through multiple epochs, it was only from the lips of their Fourth Ancestor that they had ever learned of the existence of such a mystical constitution as the Void Destiny Physique.
Had it been any other imperial clan, they probably wouldn't even know what the Void Destiny Physique was.
"From this day forth, this little fellow is the Emperor Son of our Jiang Family. No one is permitted to defy this decree!" The tone of the Thirteenth Ancestor left no room for doubt.
"Furthermore, once the little fellow reaches the age of three, he shall be sent to the Ancestral Land to be personally instructed by this old man."
"What?! Thirteenth Ancestor, you are going to teach him personally? This..." Even Jiang Taixu was somewhat startled at this. After all, even his eldest brother—a figure who had suppressed an entire era—had not received such treatment back then.
Envy flashed in the eyes of the others, but it was nothing more than envy. They felt no jealousy toward this qilin child of the Jiang Family; perhaps this was one of the reasons why the Jiang Family had been able to prosper enduringly.
......
Time flowed on.
Two years later, inside the Divine Emperor Palace upon the floating islands of the Jiang Family, an exquisitely carved, doll-like little boy was running barefoot back and forth through the palace, an old yellow dog trailing closely behind him. Though still a toddler, the boy already possessed the air of an immortal dropped into the mortal world; his flesh was crystalline and wreathed in immortal mist.
During these past two years, Jiang Chen had not engaged in cultivation. Instead, he stayed constantly by his mother's side, soaking every day in a divine medicinal bath custom-made for him by the Jiang Family—an endowment likely possessed by the Jiang Family alone. According to the wishes of the Thirteenth Ancestor, a proper foundation had to be laid first so that his physical body could truly achieve perfection later on.
Coupled with the constitution he was born with, his physical body had already reached a terrifying realm, entirely comparable to the offspring of a true dragon.
"Young master, young master! Don't run so fast, be careful you don't fall!" Soft cries came from behind Jiang Chen as his two personal maidservants hurried breathlessly toward him.
"So boring," Jiang Chen muttered with a pouting mouth, stopping in his tracks and staring wide-eyed at the two maidservants who had caught up.
Although he possessed a divine physique and was not yet three years old, Jiang Chen's physical development was already that of a five-year-old child. He could run and jump with ease, and his personality was exceptionally lively.
Yet, despite his tender age, Jiang Chen knew how to conduct himself and understood when to stop. Because of this, everyone in the Jiang Family adored this mischievous little fellow.
"Alright, alright, two older sisters, you don't need to follow me around all the time. I'm just playing here anyway; I won't run into any danger." With that, Jiang Chen dashed into the grand hall, leading the old yellow dog.
"Chen'er, have you been up to mischief again?" Ji Ruxue walked over slowly from the side, looking at Jiang Chen with eyes full of doting affection. As the eldest legitimate daughter of the Tongtian Chamber of Commerce and a Saint in her own right, Ji Ruxue only ever revealed such gentleness when she was with her own family.
"Not at all, Mother." Jiang Chen's dark, rolling eyes darted rapidly.
"Mother, hold me." Jiang Chen hastily changed the subject."You!" Ji Ruxue looked at Jiang Chen with utter helplessness. Then she scooped up her child and planted a fierce kiss on Jiang Chen's chubby cheek—ah, so fair and tender, and smelling so sweet.
"Let's go, Chen'er, today Mother has specially prepared your favorite food for you~" Ji Ruxue gently tapped Jiang Chen's forehead with her slender finger.
"Food? Mother, what special day is it today, that you've actually prepared my favorite food?" Cradled in Ji Ruxue's arms, Jiang Chen's eyes lit up the moment he heard about his favorite food.
"You little rascal, have you forgotten? Today is the day you're supposed to go over to the Thirteenth Ancestor's place for your training!!!"
"Ah?" Jiang Chen let out a cry of dismay, then threw his arms around Ji Ruxue's neck and began to coax her coquettishly, "Mother, Mother, can I not go today? Can I go in a few years instead?"
"No, Chen'er, you already agreed to this before, you must go today~" Accustomed as she usually was to this routine from Jiang Chen, today Ji Ruxue stood as firm as a rock and simply ignored his plea.
For Ji Ruxue knew very well in her heart what a rare opportunity this was. Ever since she married into the Jiang Family, all these years, she had never once heard of the Thirteenth Ancestor, Jiang Muyang, personally instructing any child within the clan.
Opportunities like this were hard to come by, and as Jiang Chen's mother, Ji Ruxue certainly didn't want him to miss such a precious chance.
"Chen'er, hurry down and eat. Once you're done eating, Mother will be sending you over to the Thirteenth Ancestor's place."
Seeing that Ji Ruxue's mind was made up this time, Jiang Chen couldn't help but pout his little mouth. Then he scrambled down from Ji Ruxue's arms. Since it had to be this way, he would just turn his grief and indignation into an appetite. Jiang Chen hurriedly picked up a chicken leg and began to gnaw on it.
"Chen'er, Chen'er, eat slower, eat slower. We're not pressed for time; you can finish eating at your own pace before heading over to the Thirteenth Ancestor's place." Ji Ruxue looked helplessly at Jiang Chen, who was devouring his food like a little wolf. Unconsciously, a smile crept across her face.
A short while later, Jiang Chen finally ate his fill. He flopped straight down onto the floor and rubbed his round, bulging belly, then whined weakly to Ji Ruxue in a spoiled tone, "Mother, I'm stuffed. This food was just too delicious."
"You little rascal, where on earth did you learn to be such a flatterer?" Ji Ruxue scooped Jiang Chen up in her arms, then pinched his adorably chubby baby cheeks. "You really are a little glutton. Come on, let's go to the Thirteenth Ancestor's place."
A moment later, Ji Ruxue arrived carrying Jiang Chen at the entrance of the Jiang Family's Ancestral Land.
"Go on, Chen'er." Ji Ruxue set Jiang Chen down and gently patted his back.
"Mother!!!" Jiang Chen called out softly, looking at Ji Ruxue with an expression of reluctance.
"Go ahead, Chen'er. The Thirteenth Ancestor is waiting for you inside~~~" Watching the tiny figure before her, Ji Ruxue's eyes were likewise filled with reluctance.
"Okay, I know, Mother. I'll come out to see you again very soon!" Jiang Chen cupped Ji Ruxue's face and planted a loud kiss on her cheek.
Then he broke into a trot forward. "Oh right, Mother, remember to take care of Old Huang for me~" Jiang Chen gave Ji Ruxue one last wave before vanishing into a sea of chaos.