575: Chapter 575 The Hundred-Day Banquet and Baptism

Three days passed in the blink of an eye.

Situ Jun finally made up his mind to hold a Hundred-Day Banquet for his three children—Situ Qingyin, Situ Xingyu, and Situ Pingan—and to combine it with a grand baptism ceremony.

As soon as the news spread, the Northern Frontier City was instantly decked out in festive decorations, with gongs and drums sounding, even more lively than during the holidays.

The common people spontaneously hung red silk at their doors, set out fresh fruits and Spiritual Fruits, and burned incense to pray for blessings, all to wish the three little masters longevity and good health.

Inside the City Lord's Mansion, guests gathered, and the halls were filled with friends.

Key generals of the Northern Frontier, such as Zhu Changpo, Tu Xiong, Cao Guang, and Wang Decai, were all in attendance, each dressed in brocade robes, faces beaming with joy, bearing generous gifts to offer their congratulations.

Even the City Lord of Donglin, Wang Cheng, and Bei Batian, who was stationed far away in the Western Frontier, had specially set aside their military duties and rushed over at full speed.

"Congratulations, City Lord! Blessed with three children, your fortune is soaring!"

Zhu Changpo strode forward, his booming laughter causing the air to vibrate slightly.

He slapped his chest and said generously:

"I, Old Zhu, don't have much else, but I'll cover the cultivation resources for the three children from now on!"

Tu Xiong also smiled and cupped his hands, his gaze landing on Situ Pingan with full approval:

"The Young Master has remarkable bone structure and is very sturdy; he will surely be a fierce general who shakes the world in the future!"

Wang Cheng stepped forward slowly and presented a set of protective Magical Artifacts shimmering with fluorescent light. The three sets of artifacts had different patterns, yet all were brimming with Spiritual Qi:

"A humble gift, hoping the three little masters grow up safely and thrive in the Martial Dao."

Bei Batian took out three thousand-year-old Spiritual Plants, green throughout, with crystalline dewdrops still clinging to their leaves:

"These three thousand-year-old Spiritual Plants from the Western Frontier can be refined into Medicinal Pills to nourish the Divine Soul and enhance the Physique, helping the children polish their Martial Dao Foundation and build a solid base."

...

Everyone exchanged words, and the sound of blessings was endless.

Situ Jun held his three children in his arms, standing in the seat of honor. Looking at the friends and family filling the room, the gloom in his eyes was gradually replaced by warmth.

The sunlight outside the courtyard remained intoxicatingly warm.

Beside the holy platform for the baptism ceremony, sandalwood incense curled, and the atmosphere was warm and harmonious.

The three little ones in their swaddling clothes were placed side by side on a pearwood bed covered with soft, snow-white brocade. The fabric was embroidered with intertwined lotus patterns, as soft as clouds, cradling their tender bodies.

Situ Qingyin slept quietly, her little face like carved jade, her tiny brows slightly furrowed, looking obedient and adorable.

Situ Xingyu, however, was not restless in the slightest; her chubby little hands waved in the air from time to time, and her little feet gently kicked the quilt. Her intermittent, milky babbling was lively and spirited, making those around her laugh.

Situ Pingan opened a pair of round, ink-black eyes, his gaze clear as he curiously examined the figures moving around him. He didn't cry or fuss, lying there steadily.

Su Yunniang held the slightly older Situ Fengyan, standing beside the wooden bed with gentle eyes. Her fingertips gently brushed the children's cheeks as she turned to look at Situ Jun beside her, her eyes full of smiles:

"Four children, four different personalities, each with their own charms; they are all our precious hearts."

She paused, her tone carrying a hint of teasing and expectation:

"I wonder which one will be most like their father in the future."

Jiang Yan, who was nearby, leaned over. Her gaze fell on Situ Fengyan's calm little face, and she couldn't help but chuckle, reaching out to tap the baby's little hand:

"Naturally, it's Fengyan. Look at his calm gaze, this composure—he's carved from the same mold as his father!"

Upon hearing this, everyone burst into laughter.

Situ Jun stood to the side, quietly watching this heartwarming scene. Although there was a smile on his lips, a sense of indescribable bitterness and sorrow lingered in his heart.

He wished time could stop, to just guard his wife and children like this, to watch the children grow up bit by bit, to see them learn to walk and talk, to watch them embark on the path of Cultivation and grow stronger step by step, to see them start their own families and enjoy the happiness of a full life...

But he could not do it.

The passage to the Ascension Realm was about to open. As a Soul Transformation expert, the Heavenly Tribulation he would trigger was immensely powerful. If he stayed in the Northern Frontier, the monstrous Lightning Tribulation would surely sweep through the entire city. When that time came, the innocent commoners, the wives and concubines he loved deeply, and the children still in their swaddling clothes would all be implicated and plunged into disaster.

To protect this home he had fought with all his might to build, and to protect the most precious people in his heart, he had to leave and go to the Immortal Realm to undergo the tribulation and Cultivate.

This departure would last a millennium.

A millennium is enough for a young child to grow into a youth, for a beautiful woman to gain fine lines, and enough for the world to undergo great changes.

He slowly squatted down, reached out his finger, and gently touched the soft little faces of the three children. His voice was low and gentle, tinged with a trace of reluctance:

"Qingyin, Xingyu, Pingan, Daddy has to go on a very, very long journey, and it might be a very long time before I can see you again. You must be obedient, listen to your mothers, Cultivate hard, and grow up quickly. When you are strong enough, come to the Ascension Realm to find Daddy, okay?"

The three infants in their swaddling clothes naturally could not understand his words and continued to sleep and play on their own.

But the women standing nearby could no longer suppress the emotions in their hearts, their eyes turning red one after another.

Li Danying, Shen Xingwan, the Embroiderer, Liu Xuaner, Chen Yufei... the group of women who had accompanied him for many years, all had red-rimmed eyes, and tears fell silently, wetting their clothes.

Su Yunniang forcefully suppressed the excruciating pain in her heart, handed Situ Fengyan to the maid beside her, stepped forward, and held Situ Jun's hand tightly, her gaze incomparably firm:

"Husband, rest assured. We will take care of the children, and we will guard the Northern Frontier. You just go with peace of mind and do what you must do; there is no need to worry about anything at home. We will keep the millennium promise in our hearts and will certainly go to the Ascension Realm to find you."

As her voice fell, Ye Nianrui, Jiang Yan, Xia Wei, Aunt Xu... one woman after another walked forward, gathering around Situ Jun. Warm hands clasped together, palms touching, passing strength and determination to one another.

"We will wait for you, never failing you."

"A millennium later, in the Ascension Realm, we will certainly meet."

"We will focus on our Cultivation, look after the children, and guard our Northern Frontier home!"

...

The words of firm promise and comfort were like a warm current, surging into Situ Jun's heart.

The lingering hidden worries and reluctance gradually dissipated, replaced by a sense of warmth and the strength to move forward.

He looked around at the familiar and beloved faces before him, nodded heavily, his voice steady and powerful:

"Good! A millennium later, in the Ascension Realm, we will certainly reunite!"

The setting sun dipped below the horizon, and the gorgeous evening glow dyed half the sky red. The golden afterglow fell, shrouding the entire City Lord's Mansion in a warm and brilliant halo.

...