Chapter 143: The Peach Banquet

When everything had settled, Li Tian held Daji gently in his arms. Seeing the happiness radiating from her face, he hesitated for a moment before finally speaking in a soft voice.

“Do you want to know my true identity?”

“Hmm.” Daji looked up at Li Tian and nodded gently.

Clearly, she was very curious about this as well.

Li Tian gazed at her, hesitated again, then slowly revealed the truth: “Actually, my identity is far more noble than you can imagine. Even the Supreme Human Emperor is merely a minor figure in my eyes.”

Daji’s eyes widened with surprise.

The Human Emperor is just a minor figure?

It seemed that even the Innate Divine Mansion and disciples of the sages wouldn’t dare claim such a thing.

She was deeply curious about what kind of person her husband truly was.

“There’s one more thing I haven’t told you. In fact, I have long had a wife.” Li Tian looked at her and continued.

Daji was stunned for a moment, then asked absentmindedly, “When?”

“A very long time ago, before the human race even appeared...”

Hearing this, Daji was speechless.

Before the human race appeared?

Looking at the seemingly youthful Li Tian before her, she could hardly imagine that her husband was actually such an ancient being.

“You might have heard my name in some myths and legends. I am the Lord of Heaven, the ruler of the Heavenly Court. As for the wife I mentioned, she is the Empress of Heaven…”

“The Heavenly Emperor…” Daji whispered, eyes wide, as Li Tian nodded lightly. She was stunned.

The Heavenly Emperor, such a lofty and supreme existence, is my husband?

She could hardly fathom it.

“Would you be willing to return with me to the Heavenly Court?” Li Tian smiled and asked.

He had been hesitant about how to treat Daji, but now he had made up his mind.

Of course, up to this point, he had not told Nuwa any of this.

In Li Tian’s subconscious, it was best if Nuwa remained unaware.

Although he knew that even if Nuwa found out, she would very likely accept it...

After all, Nuwa was the legitimate wife, and while he cared deeply for Daji, her status in his heart could never compare to Nuwa’s.

“I…”

Faced with Li Tian’s words, Daji hesitated.

She was just a mortal; what merit or worth did she have to share a husband with the Heavenly Empress?

But if she didn’t go...

“Don’t worry, I will make all the arrangements properly.”

Seeing Daji’s hesitation, Li Tian turned over and gently kissed her on the cheek.

“Hmm.”

Daji blushed slightly and nodded, though her heart was still uneasy.

After all, she had no cultivation, while the Empress was a lofty saint...

What would her fate be once she arrived at the Heavenly Court?

Yet when she looked up at Li Tian, an inexplicable calmness settled over her.

Seeing this, Li Tian smiled, bent down, and softly kissed her lips. Then, under her shy gaze, he continued...

...

That night, Li Tian stayed there and had dinner with his children.

It brought a pang of nostalgia, but knowing it was late, he didn’t linger, wary of arousing Nuwa’s suspicion.

Before leaving, he left behind many things—some pills that could elevate mortals to celestial immortals. However, he did not leave the higher-grade pills like the Ninefold Golden Pill or the Nine-Colored Mysterious Yellow Pill.

These pills were revolutionary but came with severe side effects.

As for spiritual treasures, Li Tian was generous. The items in his storage treasure were mostly useless to him, merely satisfying his collection desire.

He gave Li En a superior innate spiritual treasure sword, named the Demon-Slaying Sword, along with a silver radiant armor. Li You received a mid-grade innate spiritual treasure halberd, a lower-grade innate spiritual treasure bow, and a blood-colored armor. For their daughter Li Yao, Li Tian bestowed a superior innate spiritual treasure Yin-Yang Mirror and a light gauze silk garment for protection.

This emptied about half of Li Tian’s spiritual treasures, making him sigh at how expensive raising children was.

...

Back at the Heavenly Court, Li Tian dispatched personnel to bring Daji and her four children up from the lower realm, instructing that they be treated with the status befitting royalty.

However, he did not assign them any specific titles.

He wasn’t sure what position would be appropriate.

Too high, and it would invite criticism; too low, and it would slight her.

So it was better not to confer any formal titles. After all, such honorary titles meant little to Daji; it was better to simply improve her treatment practically.

Royal-level treatment was rare in the Heavenly Court. Just the resources regularly allocated would be enough to elevate Daji to the state of a Great Dao Golden Immortal.

As for the children, Li Tian did not neglect them either; each was granted a respectable official post, all with high status but no administrative duties.

...

Having completed all this, Li Tian returned to Miluo Palace, where Nuwa appeared and swiftly approached.

“Do those people have any special significance?”

Nuwa had observed all that Li Tian had arranged. Though such matters were trivial to her at her level, she could not help but harbor some doubts, hence the question.

“No, it was just on a whim,” Li Tian replied casually, feigning indifference.

Seeing this, Nuwa did not press further. No matter how imaginative she was, she could never have guessed that Li Tian had fathered two sons and a daughter in the lower realm behind her back...

In truth, Nuwa trusted Li Tian. Although Chang’e had once harbored ill intentions, he had never acted on them.

There were many beautiful deities in the Heavenly Court, like Qin Yuan, Shang Yang, Xi He, and Changxi... Yet after so many years, no sign of improper intentions had appeared.

...

At this time, Shen Gongbao was on his way to the East Sea in search of the Three Mystics. Li Tian and Nuwa watched this scene, both smiling faintly.

As expected, this was only the beginning.

“Have the peaches in the Spirit Fruit Garden ripened?” Li Tian suddenly asked out of the blue.

Nuwa was momentarily puzzled, not immediately understanding his meaning. But she instinctively used her divine sense to look into the garden, then replied, “They have ripened.”

“Perfect,” Li Tian smiled. “We can use this opportunity to hold a grand Peach Banquet and invite the mighty ones of the Primordial Era to taste the peaches...”

Hearing this, Nuwa’s eyes sparkled with understanding.

The peaches were merely a pretext. The real goal was to invite the Three Pure Ones, detain them there, and after they attended the banquet and returned...

“I’ll go give the orders now.”

Smiling, Nuwa nodded and turned to leave Miluo Palace.

...