Actually, Kaguya did not know that the favorable weather and successful governance of the past eighteen years were entirely connected to Xiaotian.
Back when Xiaotian was ambushed, he first killed his enemies, but once wounded, he feared he might not pull through, and so he used the Eighteen-Year National Fortune Card.
Once the Eighteen-Year National Fortune Card was used, the Tang State would enjoy favorable weather for eighteen years, and even the common people and soldiers would be strengthened, naturally making everything go smoothly as if divinely aided.
As for Xiaotian, it wasn't that he refused to wake up, but rather that he couldn't. For some reason, his Yin-Yang energy had stirred at that moment, as if trying to break through, and combined with Kaguya's Chakra fruit, he entered a state of deep meditation and began his breakthrough.
By the bedside, Kaguya finished weeping, stood up, and left the room.
The door opened again, and two young men walked in. These two were Xiaotian's children, Hagoromo and Hamura.
"Mother cried again, but why won't Father wake up?"
Hamura finished speaking, picked up a towel, and prepared to wipe Xiaotian's body.
Hagoromo sighed softly and said, "Father, when will you ever wake up?"
At that moment, Hamura froze, for he happened to see Xiaotian opening his eyes. He hastily grabbed Hagoromo's clothes and said, "Brother! Father—Father's eyes are open! Is he waking up?"
Hagoromo looked over skeptically as Xiaotian slowly spoke: "Water..."
"He's awake! Father's finally awake! Ah, water, right? I'll get it right away!"
Fumbling in his panic, Hamura brought water and fed it to Xiaotian.
"I'll go call Mother."
Hagoromo ran off to share the good news with Kaguya.
Soon, Kaguya hurried over. When she saw that Xiaotian had awakened, tears fell once more, and she choked out, "Xiaotian..."
"Sorry... for making you wait so long..."
Xiaotian's voice was very soft, but Kaguya heard it clearly.
Kaguya stepped forward, took Xiaotian's hand, and shook her head gently. Had she not waited all these years precisely for him to wake up?
Hagoromo and Hamura tactfully took their leave, wanting to give their parents some privacy. After eighteen years, the couple certainly had a lot to talk about.
That night, the two talked at length, though Kaguya was quite tired, as she still had to help Xiaotian with his physical rehabilitation.
In the blink of an eye, two days later, Xiaotian was finally feeling better and was even able to eat meat and drink wine.
In the courtyard, Xiaotian hugged Kaguya and said, "I never expected these eighteen years to be so long. You've really had a hard time, my love."
A blush crept onto Kaguya's cheeks, and she said nothing; as long as Xiaotian was still here, she didn't feel tired at all.
"Father."
A voice came from outside. Xiaotian looked back to see Hagoromo and Hamura approaching.
"Yo, if it isn't my boys! Come on, hurry over."
Xiaotian reached out his hand, and Kaguya asked with a smile, "Is morning court over?"
"Yes, it is. Just like usual, very smooth."
After saying this, Hagoromo walked up to Xiaotian and asked, "Father, would you like us to walk you back?"
"No need."
Xiaotian gently shook his head and said, "I have plenty of energy right now. But you know, even though I was unconscious the whole time, I could still sense you. When you were little, Hamura, you wanted to spray me with water to wake me up, but you stopped your younger brother, didn't you, Hagoromo?"
Hamura scratched his head in intense embarrassment and said, "Father, I was young then, I thought..."
Xiaotian waved his hand and said, "Kids will be kids, a bit of mischief is normal. Come here, Hagoromo."
Xiaotian reached out and tapped the center of Hagoromo's brow. The young man felt his eyes grow burning hot and instinctively closed them.
When Hagoromo opened his eyes again, they had completely changed: they were purple, and the irises were marked with numerous concentric ripples.
"This, this is..."
Hagoromo discovered that these eyes were immensely powerful, possessing many strange abilities.
"The Rinnegan. I will teach you its abilities bit by bit. Now, it's your turn, Hamura."
Xiaotian raised his hand and placed it on Hamura's lower dantian. The youth felt a surge of warmth in his lower abdomen, and his whole body suddenly flooded with a strange energy.
The next second, Hamura turned around and thrust out his hand, unleashing a bolt of lightning. Not only did the lightning shatter a boulder, but it even blasted a concrete wall to pieces.
"Th-this powerful..."
Hamura looked at his own hand, too astonished to find the right words.
Xiaotian smiled and said, "You're making pretty good use of this natural energy."
After eighteen years of deep meditation, not only had Xiaotian broken through, but he could even sense natural energy.
As for the Yin-Yang True Formula, Xiaotian had already begun the Qi Condensation stage and had even leaped straight to the sixth layer. Once he broke through, he was able to use a special method to awaken the Rinnegan in Hagoromo and imbue Hamura with natural power.
Of course, over these past eighteen years, though Xiaotian could not move, he could still redeem Stamina Value; even without eating or drinking, he managed to accumulate quite a bit.
The two brothers immediately dropped to their knees and said gratefully, "Thank you, Father."
Xiaotian helped them up and said, "Actually, there's a favor I'd like to ask for your help with."
The two were startled, and Hamura asked, "Father, name it. No matter what it is, we'll get it done."
Xiaotian turned back to take Kaguya's hand and said, "I plan to go traveling with your mother. She has sacrificed too much for me all these years, and now that you two have grown up, it's time you started taking over the governance of the Tang State. Of course, you must not fight among yourselves; you must be good brothers."
A look of joy crossed Hagoromo's face. "Really? Mother, your wish has finally come true."
"Yes, but you must work hard too. You must manage the Tang State well and not let the people suffer."
Once Kaguya finished her instructions, Hagoromo and Hamura nodded in unison. "Yes, we will work hard."
"Good. Let's go back then; I need to get my strength back properly."
Xiaotian slowly stood up, and Kaguya supported him as they returned inside together.
However, when Hamura and Hagoromo went back to their quarters, they froze, for the room was piled high with countless books.
Hagoromo picked one up and saw the inscription on the cover: "All state policies. Study them slowly."
"They're all state policies..."
Looking at those books, a wave of exhaustion washed over Hagoromo, while Hamura looked even more gloomy as he muttered, "So many books—can we even finish reading them? Father is too mean."
Was Xiaotian trying to torment the two of them? No, he wasn't that cruel; even if Hamura had wanted to spray him with water when he was little, he wouldn't hold a grudge. On the contrary, he wanted the two of them to take over the Tang State quickly so he could live a life of leisure.
Three days later, outside the city gates, Xiaotian was driving a small car and asked, "Well, Kaguya, do you like it?"
"Mm, it's very comfortable. But what on earth is this iron box? Why can it move without oxen or horses?"
It was Kaguya's first time seeing such a thing. Xiaotian stopped the car and said, "Since that's the case, I'll lay my cards on the table. My love, the truth is, I'm a transmigrator."
Kaguya blinked and said, "I know that. Aren't you a heavenly being who descended to earth, surrounded by rays of colorful light at the time?"
Xiaotian lowered his head in disappointment and said, "Not that kind... Oh, whatever. Come here, Kaguya, let me show you my abilities."
Xiaotian channeled Yin-Yang energy directly into his eyes, and just like that, the Rinnegan appeared.
Xiaotian embraced Kaguya and initiated a soul connection, intending to transmit all his memories into her so she could understand everything about him.
In Xiaotian's eyes, he and Kaguya had not only endured hardships together, but during the eighteen years he was in meditation, she had cared for him unfailingly. If he didn't confess everything to such a wife, he would surely incur divine retribution.
After a long while, Kaguya finished absorbing it all, and instinctively took Xiaotian's hand. "I never imagined you were so lonely before, Xiaotian. From now on, I will stay with you."
Xiaotian chuckled. "Of course you'll stay with me, because you're my wife. Alright, let's go! Today, your husband is your everything—we're heading out!"
With that, the car started moving. But Kaguya had a secret she didn't want to tell Xiaotian, because she knew that once he found out, he would definitely oppose her plan.
Two years passed in a flash. Xiaotian returned. Upon coming back to the palace, however, he only found Hamura and felt something was slightly off. "Hamura, where's your brother?"
"Ah, Father."
Seeing Xiaotian, Hamura didn't look happy; instead, he seemed rather startled. "Father, why are you back? Oh—um, Brother, he... he went out."
Seeing Hamura's reaction, Xiaotian knew the boy was lying. "Alright, stop lying. Tell me, where did your brother go?"
"I... I really don't know! Brother, he..."
Hamura still wanted to cover for him, but the moment he caught Xiaotian's gaze, his nerve broke entirely. "Father, don't be mad! Brother just went to Mount Myoboku, that's all."
"Mount Myoboku?"
Xiaotian felt like he had heard the name before, but couldn't quite place it.
Closing his eyes, Xiaotian used his connection with Hagoromo to pinpoint his exact location, then opened a black hole. This technique, called Yotsumihira (Yomihirasaka), could transport a person anywhere.
Stepping through Yotsumihira, Xiaotian arrived where Hagoromo was. When the young man saw him, he cried out in shock, "Father? How did you get here?"
The toad next to Hagoromo looked equally astounded and muttered, "How did he get in?"
This was Mount Myoboku, after all—a mysterious realm that not just anyone could enter.
"I can go anywhere, no matter where someone is. And—whoa, the toad is talking!"
Xiaotian stared at the bullfrog in sheer astonishment. The frog let out a soft sigh and said, "Took you long enough to notice."
Xiaotian immediately approached the toad, grabbed his own chin, and mused, "Truly magical. A talking toad—what a high research value."
Hagoromo blocked Xiaotian and said, "Father, wait a second. Actually, there's something else I need to tell you."
"What is it? This is a toad, a talking toad! Just think of its research value."
Xiaotian still wanted to examine it, but Hagoromo had no choice left. "Mother has been killing many commoners to build an army. If Mother is allowed to continue, I'm afraid the people of the Tang State will be completely wiped out."
Hagoromo's words struck Xiaotian dumb, leaving him completely stunned. "Y-you said what? Kaguya is building an army and killing innocent people? What on earth is going on here?"
Hagoromo sighed softly. "Actually, Mother started doing this on the very day you fell unconscious. Back then..."