146: Chapter 146 The Willow Goddess's Sense of Crisis, Leaving Behind Offspring

"Senior Willow Deity has emerged from seclusion," Chu Tianjiao said softly.

Nannan sensed it too.

That aura was vast and profound, more solid than it had been a month ago; clearly, Willow Deity had gained much from this period of seclusion.

"Let's go take a look."

The two walked side by side toward Willow Deity's dwelling.

It was a simple and elegant wooden house, situated deep within the courtyard, surrounded by a faint green light.

Within that green light, one could vaguely see the phantom images of countless willow branches, swaying gently in the Void Realm and scattering specks of life-giving radiance.

Chu Tianjiao knocked gently on the door.

"Come in."

Willow Deity's voice came from inside the room, gentle and calm.

The two pushed the door open and entered.

Inside the room, Willow Deity was sitting cross-legged on a prayer mat.

She was still wearing a green dress, her face exquisitely beautiful, her temperament cool and detached.

But compared to a month ago, her aura was even more profound; as she opened and closed her eyes, one could vaguely see the flow of the River of Time, and the birth and death of countless worlds.

She looked at the two who had walked in, a faint smile appearing at the corners of her mouth.

"You've returned?"

Chu Tianjiao nodded, and accompanied by Nannan, walked over and sat down opposite Willow Deity.

"Congratulations on emerging from seclusion, Senior."

Willow Deity shook her head: "It is hardly worth congratulating; I have merely sorted out some chaotic memories."

She paused, her gaze sweeping over Chu Tianjiao and Nannan, a trace of complex emotion flashing in her eyes.

That emotion was very faint, yet it made Chu Tianjiao's heart tighten slightly.

"Senior, what is it?"

Willow Deity remained silent for a moment, then spoke.

Her voice was very soft, yet it seemed to lower the temperature of the entire room by several degrees.

"I have a premonition that a great catastrophe is coming soon."

Chu Tianjiao was stunned.

Nannan was also stunned.

The two looked at each other, seeing shock in each other's eyes.

A great catastrophe?

What great catastrophe?

Countless images flashed through Chu Tianjiao's mind—the invasion of the eerie race, the outbreak of the Dark Turmoil, and the fall of the All Heavens and Myriad Worlds.

Those images, he had read about in the original work, and had witnessed with his own eyes when the ancestor descended.

But he hadn't expected it to happen so soon.

Willow Deity continued: "My premonition cannot be wrong. As an Immortal King Titan, my perception of the River of Time far exceeds that of ordinary people. Although I cannot see the specific time or the specific direction, I can feel it—an extremely terrifying power is approaching this world."

Her gaze fell on Nannan.

"Nannan."

Nannan shuddered, subconsciously sitting up straight.

"I am here."

Willow Deity looked at her, her eyes carrying a touch of gentleness, yet also a solemnity that brooked no doubt.

"You need to leave behind offspring for Tianjiao as soon as possible."

Nannan's eyes widened slightly.

Willow Deity continued: "Just in case."

These four words were like a boulder falling into a calm lake, stirring up monstrous waves in Nannan's heart.

Just in case.

What kind of "in case"?

Naturally—the worst kind of "in case."

Willow Deity did not wait for her response and turned to Chu Tianjiao.

"I will also leave behind offspring for you."

Her voice was calm, as if she were speaking of the most mundane matter.

"This way, even if the great catastrophe arrives and something goes wrong, you will still have a Bloodline left in the world to hold the fort."

Chu Tianjiao was completely stunned.

He looked at Willow Deity, looking into her clear and profound eyes, and for a moment, he didn't know what to say.

Leave behind offspring.

Willow Deity said she would leave behind offspring for him.

The amount of information in this sentence was so vast that even with his composure as a Peak Immortal King, he couldn't help but feel his heart race.

But he quickly calmed down.

What Willow Deity was talking about was not that kind of thing.

She was talking about—just in case.

It was to leave behind a Bloodline Legacy for him before the great catastrophe arrived, so that even if he met with misfortune, there would be someone to inherit his Legacy and protect this world.

This was the intuition of an Immortal King Titan.

It was a prediction of the future.

It was preparation for the worst-case scenario.

Chu Tianjiao took a deep breath, suppressing the shock in his heart, his expression becoming serious.

He naturally knew what Willow Deity's premonition meant.

In the near future, the Shrouding the Heavens Universe would indeed be breached by the eerie army.

Those existences from the source of darkness, those terrors that even an Immortal King could hardly contend with, would sweep across the All Heavens and Myriad Worlds, bringing endless destruction.

Willow Deity did not know these specific details, but her intuition told her—a great catastrophe was approaching.

And her suggestion was the most rational and calm choice.

To leave behind a Bloodline for Chu Tianjiao.

To let his Legacy continue.

To ensure that his Legacy would always exist in this world.

After listening to Willow Deity's words, Nannan remained silent for a long time.

She did not answer immediately, but simply lowered her head, looking at her own hands.

Those hands had once gripped the Tyrant Blade to battle across the Ancient Starry Sky Road, had once crushed a Supreme's Sendai with a single palm, and had, over eight hundred thousand years, clenched and unclenched countless times.

But at this moment, those hands were trembling slightly.

It was not fear.

It was—complexity.

Leaving behind offspring for her teacher was something she had thought about for eight hundred thousand years.

From the night of their wedding, she had always wanted a child, a child belonging to her and her teacher.

But her teacher was a True Immortal, and she was at the Peak of humanity; that gap had always prevented her wish from coming true.

Later, her teacher became an Immortal King, and she also became an Immortal King; she thought it would finally be possible.

But eight hundred thousand years of waiting, eight hundred thousand years of hope, eight hundred thousand years of disappointment—had made her afraid to hold onto too much expectation.

Now, Willow Deity had said it herself.

Asking her to leave behind offspring for her teacher.

This was not a request, not a suggestion, it was—an entrustment.

It was an entrustment made by Willow Deity, in her capacity as an Immortal King Titan, after predicting the worst-case scenario for the future.

Nannan raised her head and looked at Chu Tianjiao.

In her eyes, there was no hesitation, no doubt, only a deep sense of determination.

"Alright."

She said softly.

It was only one word.

Yet it was as heavy as a thousand jun.

Chu Tianjiao looked at her, looking at that determination in her eyes, and an indescribable emotion surged in his heart.

He knew how long Nannan had waited for this day.

Eight hundred thousand years.

From the Desolate Ancient Era, to the era of Ye Fan.

From that little girl who shyly called him "Teacher" in Qingshi Town, to the Ruthless Empress who now shook the ages.

She had been waiting all along.

Waiting for a child that truly belonged to them.

Now, she had finally waited for it.

Although it was because of "just in case," although it was because of Willow Deity's premonition, although it carried a hint of tragic color—

But she did not care.

As long as she could leave behind a Bloodline for him, any reason would do.

Chu Tianjiao took a deep breath and looked at Willow Deity.

Willow Deity was also looking at him.

The two looked at each other, silent for a long time.

Then, Chu Tianjiao nodded slowly.

"Alright."

He also only said this one word.

Yet it was likewise as heavy as a thousand jun.

Willow Deity looked at him, a flash of relief, a touch of gentleness, and a hint of imperceptible complexity in her eyes.

She did not say anything else, just nodded gently.

The room fell into a brief silence.

The fragrance of the enlightenment tea tree drifted in through the window lattice, and the golden light rain of the human emperor banner fell silently outside the window.

Everything was very calm, very peaceful.

But the three of them knew that this calmness and peace might not last long.

Nannan reached out and gently held Chu Tianjiao's hand.

That hand was warm and strong.

She raised her head and looked at him.

"Teacher."

"Hmm?"

"No matter what happens, I will stay with you."

Chu Tianjiao looked at her, his eyes full of tenderness.

He reached out and gently stroked her cheek.

"I know."

He said softly.

"I will too."

Willow Deity watched this scene, a faint smile appearing at the corners of her mouth.