Divine Child

Then—creak—the guest room door slowly opened.

All eyes turned at once.

Su Yan stepped out, holding a baby gently in her arms.

The room fell completely silent.

That child… looked nothing short of divine. His skin was pure and fair, almost glowing. A faint light shimmered around him, making the air around him feel warmer—soothing. It was as if a holy aura followed him wherever he went.

Even the Demon Hall, a place of warriors and ancient power, seemed to pause.

His mere presence charmed every person there. Their gazes were locked on him, expressions full of awe. It was like they had forgotten to breathe.

As Su Yan brought the baby closer, their eyes followed him like they were hypnotized—unable to look away from this radiant, otherworldly child.

She walked straight to Tian Zhen and stopped.

"This is your son," she said softly, with a smile. "Doesn't he look like an angel?"

Tian Zhen stood frozen.

His eyes were wide, his breath caught. Hands trembling, he slowly reached out and took the baby from Su Yan's arms.

He held his son carefully, as if afraid the child might disappear if he blinked.

After a moment, he looked up at Su Yan, his voice barely steady. "Elder… how is Angelina?"

Su Yan smiled gently and replied, "Don't worry about her. She's fine. You should go and see her inside the guest room."

Tian Zhen nodded, clearly relieved. He looked down at the baby in his arms once more—his son—and then slowly handed the child to his father.

"Father… please hold him," Tian Zhen said.

Xing Tian took the baby carefully into his arms. The moment he held his grandson, something stirred deep within him.

It was a strange feeling… unfamiliar, yet warm. A feeling he hadn't felt in years—not since the day his own sons were born. But this… this was different.

His first grandson.

A light smile tugged at the corner of Xing Tian's lips as he looked down at the peacefully sleeping child.

Inside the guest room.

Tian Zhen stepped in quietly. The room was still warm from the lingering spiritual energy. The women who had helped with the birth were still there, gently cleaning up and tending to Angelina, who now lay unconscious on the bed, her expression peaceful.

Tian Zhen's gaze softened at the sight of her.

He turned toward the women and spoke respectfully, "Ladies, may I ask you to step outside for a moment?"

The woman looked up at him, surprised at first, but quickly bowed and responded politely. "Yes, Clan Leader."

Without hesitation, they began moving toward the door.

But just as they were about to leave,

"Wait," Tian Zhen said sharply.

The sudden firmness in his voice stopped them instantly. They turned back, startled.

'Why is he stopping us?' they wondered. 'Did we make a mistake?'

Tian Zhen walked toward them slowly. Instead of scolding them, he reached into his robe and pulled out a small jade bottle.

Inside were several glowing pills.

He handed one to each woman. "This is a Bottleneck Pill," he said. "You've all done well today. This is your reward. Use it wisely."

The women stared at the glowing Bottleneck Pills in their hands.

Their eyes widened in shock. Some covered their mouths in disbelief. Others were so stunned they couldn't speak for a moment.

This wasn't just any pill.

The Bottleneck Pill—a legendary item in the cultivation world—had the power to help cultivators break through the final wall between the Mortal Realm and the Immortal Realm.

These women had trained in their sects for years. Despite all their hard work and dedication, their talents were ordinary, and they had long been stuck at the peak of the Mortal Realm, unable to advance further.

For them, receiving a Bottleneck Pill was like being handed a second life.

Yet, instead of celebrating, each woman slowly stepped forward… and returned the pill.

One of them spoke with her head bowed, "Leader… we're sorry. We can't accept something so precious."

Tian Zhen blinked, surprised. "Why are you giving them back? Don't you like the reward?"

Another woman stepped forward, her voice shaky with emotion. "Leader, it's not that we don't like it… but this pill is too valuable. We only did what was right. Helping Lady Angelina was our duty."

Tian Zhen looked at them, his expression softening.

"I understand," he said after a pause. "But right now, I don't have anything else to give you except this pill. I may not be good with words, but I repay loyalty."

He looked each one of them in the eye. Then said

"You may not know this," he said calmly, "but it's a rule in our clan: anyone who helps a direct member of the Clan Leader's family must be rewarded properly."

He glanced down at the pills still being offered back to him and gently pushed them back toward the women.

"What I gave you just now is nothing," he added with a smirk. "If you're shocked by a simple Bottleneck Pill… then you all might actually faint when you receive the final reward."

The women looked at him in confusion.

"Final reward…?"

Tian Zhen's eyes gleamed.

"Yes," he said. "The real reward will come from my father—Xing Tian himself."

Their eyes went wide in disbelief.

"W-what…? From the Grand Elder himself?!"

Tian Zhen gave a nod. "Alright then… you may all leave for now. I'll stay with Angelina."

The women bowed respectfully. "Yes, Clan Leader."

One by one, they exited the guest room quietly. Tian Zhen waited until the last person stepped out, then gently closed the door behind them.

He turned back around… and his heart ached.

Angelina lay motionless on the bed, her breathing shallow. Her hair was messy, soaked with sweat, and her pale skin was flushed red from the strain of childbirth. Beads of sweat still clung to her brow and neck.

Tian Zhen walked over, slowly. He sat beside the bed, quietly taking her hand in his.

"I'm sorry…" he whispered, voice trembling. "You suffered so much… and I wasn't even there."

Meanwhile, in the main hall…

Xing Tian still held his grandson in his arms. The baby slept peacefully, wrapped in a soft cloth. But Xing Tian's eyes suddenly widened.

That same energy from before—spiritual energy so pure it seemed divine—was radiating from the child again.

He narrowed his eyes, sensing deeper.

"This energy… it's real," he muttered. "It's coming from him."

He didn't want to believe it at first. But after scanning the baby again carefully, he gasped softly.

"No… it can't be…"

Before he could finish that thought—BOOM!

A deafening thunder cracked across the sky.

Xing Tian's head snapped up. "What?! Why is there thunder now?!"

He quickly extended his senses and immediately went pale.

"That's not natural thunder… that's Tribulation Lightning!"

The hall burst into chaos.

BOOOOM!

A massive bolt of heavenly lightning crashed down from the sky—straight toward Xing Tian.

But he reacted instantly, summoning a powerful golden barrier around himself and the baby.

A wave of spiritual shock blasted through the hall.

Everyone turned to look.

"What's going on?!"

"Why is Tribulation Lightning… striking the Grand Elder?!"

"Did he break through again?!"

"No—wait… look at the child!"

Gasps filled the air.

All eyes turned toward the baby in Xing Tian's arms—his tiny body was glowing with a golden aura. His aura was undeniable now.

That same divine energy that shook the sect earlier—it was coming from him.

"Wait a minute… is that…?"

"That's a Golden Core aura!"

"No way…"

A voice trembled in disbelief. "Being born in three months is already insane… but reaching Golden Core before birth? That's something no one's ever even heard of!"

"What kind of monster… has been born into this world?"