81: Chapter 81 The Entrustment of the Ancient Qilin Emperor

"What does this mean?"

Chu Tianjiao was completely stunned, his shock almost overflowing. He stared fixedly at the Ancient Kirin Emperor before him, his heart surging with stormy waves.

"How did this Ancient Kirin Emperor call out his real name right from the start?"

You must know that at this moment, he was wearing the appearance of the Stone Emperor, and the Origin Qi flowing around him was also that of the Stone Emperor. Over these years, he had imitated every word and action of the Stone Emperor so perfectly that it was indistinguishable from the real thing,

even more realistic than the Stone Emperor himself. Not even the Supremes of the various forbidden zones had noticed a single flaw, yet the moment this Ancient Kirin Emperor stepped into the Undying Mountain, he had directly exposed his identity.

This scene left Chu Tianjiao completely frozen in place, and even the Qi around him subconsciously stagnated for a moment.

Meanwhile, hiding in the room, Xiao Nannan had been keeping her Divine Thought locked onto the movements in the courtyard. Hearing the Ancient Kirin Emperor call out "Fellow Daoist Jiaoheng," she was instantly stunned, her heart filled with disbelief.

She never expected that this Ancient Kirin Emperor, who had hibernated in the Ancient Mine of Primordial Beginning for eons and rarely appeared in the world, could actually recognize her teacher's disguise?

Had he not been sleeping in the Immortal Source all this time, never having awakened?

Since he had neither fought with her teacher nor had close contact, how could he have seen through her teacher's identity?

Countless doubts surged in Xiao Nannan's heart. Suppressing the urge to go out, she continued to monitor everything in the courtyard with her Divine Thought.

"Fellow Daoist, there is no need to be surprised."

Seeing Chu Tianjiao's expression, the Ancient Kirin Emperor showed no surprise. He raised his hand, gently placing the two pieces of Divine Source he was holding onto the ground, his tone calm. "I can be one hundred percent sure that you are the Jiaoheng Emperor. Fundamentally, it has to do with the strength displayed by the Ruthless Empress in the Ancient Mine of Primordial Beginning."

He spoke slowly, laying out his reasoning:

"Back then, when the Ruthless Empress attacked in the Ancient Mine of Primordial Beginning, she casually annihilated a Supreme. That level of strength and Dao laws could never be possessed by an ordinary Emperor, and it faintly aligned with the rumors of the long-deceased Jiaoheng Emperor.

Later, the several exchanges between you and the Ruthless Empress appeared to be tit-for-tat, but in reality, you were holding back at every turn. That familiar fluctuation of Dao rhythm made me harbor suspicion for the first time—Fellow Daoist Jiaoheng, perhaps you did not die back then."

"You simply hid behind the scenes, watching the clouds and winds of the world."

The Ancient Kirin Emperor paused, his gaze falling on Chu Tianjiao, and continued:

"But what truly made me certain was the abnormality of the Stone Emperor. The Stone Emperor's former personality was domineering and flamboyant, his actions ruthless. But ever since you disguised yourself as him and devoured a Supreme, his style of action changed completely.

He became steady and reserved, acting with caution at every step, even leaving warnings and stirring up the forbidden zones. This is simply not something the real Stone Emperor could do.

With all these signs combined, I was finally able to confirm that the current Stone Emperor is you, Fellow Daoist Jiaoheng, in disguise."

"Interesting."

After listening to the Ancient Kirin Emperor's reasoning, the shock in Chu Tianjiao's eyes dissipated, replaced by a playful smile.

He waved his hand, and the Origin Qi of the Stone Emperor surrounding him instantly dissipated. His appearance changed along with it, restoring his original look. With a faint smile on his handsome face, his gaze toward the Ancient Kirin Emperor held a bit more approval.

Seeing Chu Tianjiao restore his true form, the Ancient Kirin Emperor's tense body instantly relaxed. A look of relief appeared on his face, and he nodded slightly at Chu Tianjiao:

"It really is you, Fellow Daoist Jiaoheng."

"Speak. What exactly do you want with me?"

Chu Tianjiao reined in his smile, his tone returning to calm. He looked directly at the Ancient Kirin Emperor. "Since you could see through my disguise and know that I am hiding behind the scenes, you should be clear that I have long had no desire to concern myself with the disturbances of the world, nor do I wish to interfere in the affairs of the forbidden zones again."

He was truly curious. The Ancient Kirin Emperor knew he intended to avoid the world, yet still came to visit with his children, even going so far as to expose his disguise. There must be an extremely important matter at hand.

Upon hearing this, the smile on the Ancient Kirin Emperor's face gradually faded, replaced by a touch of solemnity and tenderness. He slowly turned around, his gaze landing on the two pieces of Divine Source on the ground, his voice softening a bit:

"I want to ask you for a favor, as a father, I ask you for a favor."

As his voice fell, he raised his hand to gently stroke the two crystal-clear pieces of Divine Source. Inside the Divine Source, two small figures were sleeping quietly—one a youthful boy, the other a delicate girl.

Although they were under a Seal, one could still feel the rich Qilin Origin flowing within their bodies, their aura pure and powerful.

"These are my two children, Huo Liner and Huo Linzi."

The Ancient Kirin Emperor's eyes were filled with loving light, as if he wanted to carve the children in the Divine Source into his very eyes. "My emergence this time is not to stir up trouble, but simply to arrange a path for them.

I thought for a long time, and after much deliberation, I finally decided to seek your help."

"Why?"

Chu Tianjiao, upon hearing this, showed a puzzled expression, his gaze sweeping over the Divine Source on the ground. "You are an Ancient Emperor, with formidable strength. Isn't keeping them by your side to protect them personally the best choice?

With your ability, finding a secluded place to hibernate and protecting them as they grow up is not difficult."

In his view, although the Ancient Kirin Emperor had cut his own Dao foundation, he still possessed the foundation of an Emperor. Protecting two children was more than enough; there was no need to ask others for help, let alone come to beg him, a person avoiding the world.

"If it were before, I might have done so."

The Ancient Kirin Emperor shook his head gently, a trace of loneliness and helplessness flashing in his eyes.

"Back then, I cut my own Dao foundation and fled into the Ancient Mine of Primordial Beginning. All I sought was to wait for the road to immortality to open, wanting to take them into the Immortal Realm, to let them truly attain Immortal Ascension, to escape the birth, aging, illness, and death of this world, and to escape the shackles of this broken era.

But after hibernating for these years, I have gradually come to understand that entering the Immortal Realm is too difficult."

"That is simply not something I can do now."

His voice carried a touch of bitterness. "Even if the road to immortality were to open suddenly right now, in my current state, I have no ability to protect them as they enter the Immortal Realm, and might even cause them to be buried in the dangers of the road to immortality.

I cannot gamble with my children, so I must make a change."

The Ancient Kirin Emperor looked up at Chu Tianjiao, a flash of determination in his eyes:

"And in these last few hundred years, the situation in the forbidden zones has allowed me to see a glimmer of faint hope.

But I also do not know if this gamble of mine will succeed.

If I fail, my two children will have no one to take care of them."

"Therefore, before that, I must arrange everything for them."

He lowered his head again to look at the children in the Divine Source, his loving gaze almost becoming tangible. "In this world, the only one who can protect them as they grow up safely, and allow them to hibernate peacefully in the coming years while waiting for the Golden Age—after much thought, I could only think of you."

"You want me to take care of your children?"

Chu Tianjiao, upon hearing this, showed a strange expression. He looked the Ancient Kirin Emperor up and down, his tone carrying a touch of playfulness:

"Ancient Kirin Emperor, what makes you think that I would agree to raise children for you?

I am currently at the Undying Mountain, I do not concern myself with outside matters, and I certainly do not want two extra burdens for no reason."

Although his words were somewhat teasing, they were also the truth. Protecting two children of the Kirin Clan was a very simple matter for him.

However, why should he raise someone else's children?

Seeing Chu Tianjiao ask, the Ancient Kirin Emperor did not have the slightest panic, nor did he offer too much explanation. He simply raised his hand and took out a scroll of ancient scripture from his bosom.

The scripture was dark gold in its entirety, engraved with intricate Qilin patterns. Although it had endured through eons of time, it still radiated a faint, ancient Dao rhyme. The moment it was taken out, the entire courtyard was enveloped in a powerful aura of a Divine Beast.

"This is an ancient scripture of my Kirin Clan, passed down from the Immortal Ancient Era. It is the Qilin Treasure Technique, one of the Ten Fiend Treasure Techniques."