Feathery snow fluttered across the sky, wrapping the earth in a blanket of pure white.
An orange figure strolled leisurely, its plump, round body waddling along, making it exceptionally eye-catching in the vast expanse of snow--it was an orange cat, so fat that its paws were almost invisible.
This was Aolai City, a small coastal town on the eastern coast of the Sun Moon Federation. Though seemingly unremarkable, it was the famously known "Novice Village."
Tang Ziran and his wife had only recently moved here. The male master of the house used to be a mecha designer and pharmaceutical researcher for the Sun Moon Federation, but after a colleague coveted his blueprints, he had no choice but to resign and flee. Having lost his father at a young age, his mother's legs were cut off by the Qilin Douluo Tong Yu of the Star Luo Empire due to a love-turned-hatred, and she ultimately bled to death. It was precisely because of this that he left Star Luo and changed his name to live in obscurity.
Speaking of Tong Yu, he could be considered an "eccentric"--a Rank 99 Power Attack System Limit Douluo, a Four-Word Battle Armor Master, and equipped with nine hundred-thousand-year soul rings, making him a true "weapon of mass destruction" for Star Luo.
Yet, he was incredibly love-brained. Just because he killed an ordinary person, he spent his entire life consumed by guilt, searching the world to atone to Tang Ziran, though he never found a trace. In the end, he even passed the essence of his lifetime cultivation to Tang Wulin, wanting to apologize with his death, simply because he "felt like everyone despised him." What was even more absurd was that he mandated the descendants he had with another woman to take the surname Tang...
"Sigh, what a talented individual," the fat orange cat flicked its tail, muttering internally. "Living his whole life like a clown; someone like him doesn't deserve to possess that kind of power. When the continental war is launched later, he'll make a perfect vanguard general. Dr. Mobius made a few trips to Star Luo, and a single bottle of poison was enough to make a child with a Wild Dog martial soul awaken the Qilin martial soul, and it could even be dominantly inherited. There really is no logic to speak of when it comes to things like martial souls. Yet, Tang Wulin just had to be picked up by someone like that. Destiny sure loves to play jokes."
Those with great providence always brought their own "benefactors to help them," and it was precisely these individuals with massive karmic ties who could stir up the wind and clouds. But providence was the least reasonable thing; whether someone was noble and pure, or despicable and shameless, they could still rise rapidly through the ranks--which was exactly why it was needed to "correct" things.
"If people are killed, then so be it. If you can't even steady your own heart, then even if you become a powerhouse, you'll collapse under a single spiritual attack. No wonder the Anatta Avatar can run rampant in this world; none of them cultivate their minds." The fat orange cat squatted in the snow, its paws digging into the accumulation.
"By the way, does it actually snow in a fantasy world? I haven't even seen natural rain before."
As it was muttering, its eyes suddenly lit up--a sea-blue stream of light streaked across the horizon, crashing straight down beneath a large tree not far away.
"Heh, speak of the Little Dragon Man, and the Little Dragon Man arrives." The fat orange cat twitched its ears; the "karma" arranged by Tang San was indeed right on the mark. It was just that Tang Hao and Ah Yin had long since been played to death by it, so this God King's control wasn't completely flawless either.
The next second, like a hungry cat pouncing on its prey, the fat orange cat's round body shot forward with a whoosh. Lying under the tree was an infant wrapped in a small blanket, looking to be only about a year old.
It extended its paw, the sharp claws within its meaty pads lightly popping out before slowly retracting, as it patted the infant's soft little face.
"Anatta Avatar, go!"
Silently, a phantom fused into the infant's body, entering Tang Wulin's spiritual sea in the form of a cat. As its spiritual power spread out, it immediately detected an anomaly--eighteen layers of blood-colored seals were stacked over one another, binding a massive golden dragon. A violent, destructive, and murderous aura rushed over, accompanied by an unparalleled Divine Seat of Destruction.
"Now this is more like it. This is the Divine Seat split from the Dragon God status. A certain Silver Dragon can't even manifest her Creation Divine Seat; how embarrassing." But after searching around, it couldn't feel a single trace of ocean divine power, let alone Tang San's divine sense.
"It's impossible for it to be hidden this deeply... Could something have happened to the Divine Realm, leaving him unable to leave a backup plan?" The fat orange cat's gaze fell upon those eighteen seals. Each layer was inscribed with the heavenly materials and earthly treasures required for a breakthrough, clearly intended for Tang Wulin to absorb the Golden Dragon King's energy only after gathering them all. "Turns out he ran away and couldn't even manage a retention of consciousness. Even more of a piece of trash."
It hesitated for a moment. Should it use the Wan Ye status to inspect the karmic lines? After all, as long as it was within this world, all things could not escape its control. But on second thought, this clone was meant to be a salted-fish cat anyway, so there was no need to go through the trouble.
"No self, no form, no form of living beings, all varieties are me, no self, myriad selves..."
It shook its head, tossing the stray thoughts aside, and reached its paw down to hook the small blanket.
"Oh, though it's not a divine artifact, it's a good item. It's mine from now on." The fat orange cat slowly lay down on top of Tang Wulin, kneading like a cat making milk as it covered the infant with its round belly, emitting a "meow meow" from its mouth.
"Little Dragon Man, cherish this time well," it sighed internally.
"For the next nine years, you'll be able to live a plain and beautiful life. It might not be wealthy, but it will be one of the few warm periods of your life. After that, the Golden Dragon King's crazed will, your biological father's perverted control, Shrek's brainwashing education, and those loves gained-and-lost, lost-and-gained, will suffocate you. In the end, besides a twisted love, your life will only have a hollow family bond left."
Could a family bond maintained solely by blood relation be counted as true family?
The so-called bloodline being greater than heaven was nothing more than self-deception. Raising a child like a wild beast, expecting him to comprehend "filial piety" on his own when he grows up, and wanting him to be entirely submissive? Wild beasts don't have the habit of being filial to their parents. As for the family recognition later on? That was nothing more than a psychological comfort sought after falling into emptiness.
"I wonder if you'll turn out like Huo Yuhao, becoming Tang San's dog?" The fat orange cat licked its paw.
"But that's all a story for later. Enjoy these nine years first; such relaxed and happy days don't come around often."
Just then, a flurry of hurried footsteps approached. Tang Ziran and his wife ran out of the house, the woman's voice laced with surprise: "Ziran! There's a fat cat pressing down on a child here!"
The fat orange cat snapped its head up, its tail standing straight as it went crazy internally: "Meow! Meow~ Meow!! (Why is your focus on me pressing down on the child?!)"