The long stretch of time was enough for Ding Yun to repair her body with elixirs and formulate a preliminary plan. So, when Liu Yunpeng and his mother, who hadn't drunk anything, returned tipsy with joy, they found a brand new home.
This newness, besides the thorough cleaning Ding Yun had ordered both inside and out, was primarily because all the servants in the house had been subjected to mental suggestion by Ding Yun. On the surface, they appeared the same, but deep down, they would consider Ding Yun's needs and safety as the most important things in their lives.
This mental suggestion was different from a slave's brand.
It was even more different from turning a person into a puppet.
Even if an immortal descended to earth, they wouldn't fear being exposed.
It was unavoidable. Although the original host was married as a legal wife, her initial status was too low, originating from common folk. The servants in the manor didn't truly respect her, offering only superficial courtesy.
Moreover, she had been educated in the ways of a concubine at the detached villa.
She didn't understand how to be a matriarch herself.
Therefore, after carefully reviewing everything, Ding Yun realized she had almost no one to rely on in this household, at least no one she could absolutely trust. This was highly inconvenient for handling personal matters. Cultivating trusted confidantes now would waste too much time.
Hence, she had to resort to this unorthodox method.
Liu Yunpeng was unaware of any of this. Upon returning, he saw his wife was well and even able to walk, showing no surprise. He even found it natural, as in his mind, the elixirs bestowed by the Imperial Clan Court were miraculous. It would be strange if his wife wasn't recovering.
The midwife's earlier alarm was simply due to her lack of experience.
Then, he happily recounted the day's events to Ding Yun: "Hahaha, Yun Niang, you are our family's great contributor! I am so happy today!
In just two more days, at most three days.
I will be at least a Prince, and you will be a Princess Consort. You gave birth to such an excellent child. Do you know, he has a single spiritual root, a single spiritual root!"
"Where did the child go?"
The original host was unaware of the relevant procedures.
Therefore, Ding Yun naturally didn't know either.
"The child, let me tell you, our child is truly incredibly lucky. He has been directly taken by the Ancestor into the Royal Secret Realm to be raised. The Royal Secret Realm! Let alone me, even my grandfather and great-grandfather never had the chance to enter. Let alone enter, they didn't even have the chance to get close and look at it, yet he has the opportunity to live there. As for the Ancestor, I don't even have the资格 to pay homage to the Ancestor, yet he has the資格 to be personally raised by the Ancestor.
People are truly different.
In the future, he will be destined to become an immortal and an ancestor!
Perhaps in many years, he will become the new pillar of stability for our Xiáxiá Kingdom, a founding ancestor. So, stop worrying about anything. Everything will be fine!"
As he spoke, Liu Yunpeng's tone was a mixture of relief, heartache, and loneliness. While he was proud of his son's excellence, he also felt heartbroken by the vast, unbridgeable gap between himself and his son.
He felt a sense of desolation regarding his future relationship with this son.
His son was an immortal, while he would forever remain a mortal. In a few decades, his son might still possess youthful charm, while he would have turned to dust. In a few hundred years, alas, he wouldn't even be around to see it.
"Didn't you say cultivation can only begin at six years old? Does that mean the child cannot be raised by us before the age of six?"
Although the original host hadn't explicitly mentioned raising the child, she did care about him. Ding Yun still tentatively asked.
"That's different. Let me tell you, don't think about those unnecessary things. Having the child raised by the Ancestor will only bring benefits, no harm, understand? This is something others dream of but cannot attain. You are a woman,
and you truly understand nothing..."
Liu Yunpeng rolled his eyes at Ding Yun but continued to explain:
"Cultivation does indeed begin at six, but it's not because cultivation is impossible before six. It's because even for us aristocratic families and royalty, children are taught knowledge from the age of three. It takes until around six for them to grasp some basic cultivation knowledge and to be able to start cultivating normally without going astray.
How can one cultivate without literacy and knowledge of meridians?
Besides this, there are many other things. What benefits could our family offer the child? We don't even understand much about cultivation basics, so what can we teach him? But with the Ancestor, the Ancestor uses spiritual energy daily to cleanse his body, allowing him to maintain a state of open meridians and pure, unblemished physique from birth.
The food provided by the Ancestor must also be various spiritual items, not comparable to our simple meals.
And then there are various spiritual elixirs for cleansing the body, improving physical fitness, and boosting vitality. Don't even mention these. Even a tiny bit of them would cost more than selling our entire household. So, stop thinking about those unnecessary things, and definitely don't think about raising him yourself.
If you raise him yourself, you'll be ruining the child!"
"Alright, alright, why are you saying so much? Go back to your room. The Foundation Establishment and Vitality Strengthening Pills bestowed from above were not meant for you to waste. Go back and recuperate during your confinement. Looking at how energetic you are, there's no need to give you the newly bestowed elixirs this time.
I'll hold onto them for you.
Yun Peng, quickly, quickly come with me into the house, into the ancestral hall, to tell your father and grandfather this good news. This is truly like smoke rising from the ancestral grave! Even if I were to die immediately, it would be worth it. Come, come!"
Liu Qin Shi had already grown impatient. First, she ordered Ding Yun back to her room to rest during her confinement, then she used Ding Yun's good health as an excuse to keep all the bestowed elixirs for herself.
She then dragged her son towards the east wing.
Towards the small ancestral hall in the east wing.
Ding Yun, at this moment, was not angry. She simply nodded in understanding and then, in accordance with the original host's personality, retreated to her room. As soon as she entered, she thoughtfully took out the golden finger she had brought out this time, the conceptual-level River God, and murmured softly:
"Originally, I intended to use this golden finger to simplify technological research. Perhaps by inputting low-level technology, it could produce mid-level and high-level technology, saving a lot of effort. I didn't expect this thing to consume the future of a civilization. Looking at it this way, using it myself has little value. It's better to let others use it, especially those cultivators.
The more they use it, the more they consume the future of the entire cultivation civilization. By then, I won't have to do anything, and the Age of Dharma Decline will naturally arrive.
The most interesting thing is that this is a conceptual-level River God.
Theoretically, it can have billions of clones.
With this, I can completely sit at home and manipulate the conceptual-level River God dispersed across the world. How interesting.
Perhaps no one will ever realize.
I feel a bit like an ultimate behind-the-scenes boss. So, I'll start with those unfortunate souls who are being chased, or those who have deep-seated grudges to avenge!"