Chapter 1
Chapter 1: The Birth of a Beloved Daughter and the Dao Fruit
Chapter 1: The Birth of a Beloved Daughter and the Dao Fruit
Cloud Province, Thunderfly City.
A heavy snowfall had turned the dilapidated city into a blanket of white, the cold biting through the air.
The sky was a dull gray, and the cold wind cut like a knife, stinging the bones.
Lee Zhi tightened his thin cotton coat, holding a frozen carp that he had bought at great expense during the winter. He had bought it to nourish his pregnant wife.
He rubbed his stubbly chin and blew a puff of warm breath into his palms, then braced against the wind, his footsteps crunching through the snow as he hurried along Thunderfly City’s wide streets toward home.
It had been nineteen years since he had crossed over to this world. From a newborn baby to a struggling commoner, Lee Zhi had long abandoned the childish fantasy of possessing a golden finger.
Skyscrapers and neon lights were now nothing more than distant dreams, mere memories that he could never return to.
This world was similar to ancient times but far more perilous, with natural disasters, human calamities, and malevolent spirits rampant, making life for the common people extremely difficult.
After accepting his fate, Lee Zhi’s only wish was to protect his wife and child, to live a simple and peaceful life, and to make the most of his second chance at life.
Following family arrangements, he had married at eighteen, and on their wedding night, they had conceived. Now, ten months later, his wife was about to give birth.
Thunderfly City was vast, divided into the inner and outer cities. The inner city was home to noble families and officials, with wider streets, luxurious living, and strict security. Only those with status could live there.
The outer city, on the other hand, was where the majority of the hardworking commoners resided.
After walking for several miles along the long street, he turned into a narrow alley, where rows of low, black-tiled earthen houses came into view.
His hurried footsteps crunched through the soft snow, making a creaking sound.
"Brother Lee! Ah, Brother Lee, you’re finally back from work!"
"Your wife is about to give birth, you should hurry home!"
"You’re going to be a father!"
From a distance, neighbors who knew Lee Zhi called out to him.
Hearing this, Lee Zhi’s heart skipped a beat.
Anxiety mixed with urgency, he quickened his pace, sprinting toward his earthen house, the snow flying behind him.
The sky was already growing dim when Lee Zhi reached his home. The old wooden door was open, and from inside, he could hear the faint cries of a woman in pain and the urgent encouragement of the midwife.
"Back already?"
In the small courtyard outside the earthen house, an old scholar sat on a broken bench, wearing a cotton jacket and a tattered scholar’s robe. He was smoking a pipe.
This scholar was Lee Zhi’s uncle, Liang Li.
When Lee Zhi was eight, his parents had died of illness, and he had been raised by his uncle. His uncle’s family had helped him grow up, marry, and start a family.
"Don’t worry, Old Lady Lei is the best midwife in the area. Xiao Ya will be fine, and it will surely be a safe delivery," the old scholar said, puffing on his pipe.
Despite his two lives, this was Lee Zhi’s first time as a father, and he was naturally anxious.
He paced back and forth in front of the earthen house, holding the frozen carp.
The old scholar, growing impatient, grumbled, "What are you pacing around for, you brat? You’re about to be a father, and you can’t even act like a grown-up!"
"Can you at least put down that frozen fish?"
Lee Zhi glanced at him but didn’t respond. He didn’t put down the fish, but he did stop pacing.
Because from inside the house, a loud, clear cry suddenly rang out!
Lee Zhi’s eyes widened, and his heart felt as if it were being squeezed by a hand.
The old scholar, Liang Li, also stood up immediately, extinguishing his pipe and staring eagerly at the house.
Suddenly, a deep, rumbling sound, like a distant thunderclap, echoed through the darkening sky!
The old scholar jumped, muttering to himself.
Lee Zhi instinctively looked up, seeing a faint, rolling thunder dragon in the sky.
A strange phenomenon at birth?
Are we in a fantasy novel now?
Lee Zhi didn’t even consider it. Following the midwife’s call, he hurried into the house.
Inside, the warmth from the charcoal stove drove away the cold, bringing a bit of comfort.
The midwife held a red-faced baby, looking at Lee Zhi. "Congratulations, Master Li. It’s a beautiful daughter."
Lee Zhi’s face lit up with joy, and for a moment, he didn’t know what to do with the frozen carp in his hand, muttering, "Thank you, thank you..."
After hurriedly thanking the midwife, he finally realized he should throw away the carp.
With trembling hands, he carefully took the baby and examined her closely.
The moment he laid eyes on her, a sense of kinship welled up within him, despite the newborn’s wrinkled skin, making it hard to tell if she was beautiful or not.
But to Li Che, she was the most beautiful child in the world.
Because she was his daughter!
As Li Che gazed at the little bundle of joy with unbridled joy, the scene before him suddenly shifted. It was as if a vision appeared, showing a vast, barren land where the earth cracked open, and rocks were thrust into the air. From the ground, a vibrant green sprout emerged, growing rapidly and soaring skyward.
In an instant, it transformed into a towering tree with lush, sprawling branches!
"What...?"
Li Che was bewildered.
Then, the countless leaves on the tree began to tremble, reflecting light as if playing back a scene from outside the hut—his daughter’s first cry as she was born.
The vision flashed by and quickly contracted, spiraling inward until it condensed into a single, crystal-clear fruit with a radiant, seven-colored glow, nestled on one of the branches.
...
[Congratulations, a daughter is born, bond established]
[Daughter’s birth, Dao Tree bears fruit]
[Your daughter is born safely, you have obtained a Dao Fruit]
...
Li Che snapped back to reality, the baby’s cries still echoing in his ears.
"Dear, let me see our daughter..."
A weak voice came from the bed, where a pale, delicate woman lay. Li Che hurriedly cradled the baby and brought her over.
"Wife, look, our little one!"
Li Che couldn’t help but grin widely, his smile radiant.
For now, the Dao Fruit was the last thing on his mind. His heart was filled with thoughts of his wife and daughter.
Zhang Ya, Li Che’s wife, was the woman who had chosen to entrust her life to him in this chaotic world.
"Dear, the baby’s nose really looks like yours, it’s so straight," Zhang Ya said, her voice weak but filled with joy. She reached out with a slender finger and gently touched the baby’s nose.
Li Che looked at his wife with tender eyes. "Wife, are you in pain?"
Zhang Ya pressed her pale lips together and shook her head with a light laugh. "No, I’m happy."
"Dear, what will we name our child?"
Zhang Ya asked, her eyes filled with anticipation. But then, her gaze shifted past Li Che to the old scholar standing by the door.
Li Che glanced at the old scholar, noticing his furrowed brows and uncharacteristic silence, not vying for the right to name the child.
Li Che understood what was on his mind.
But it didn’t bother him. He held his wife’s cold hand and whispered, "I’ve been thinking about this for a while now."
"This winter is extremely cold, and I only hope our little one can stay warm. So, let’s name her Li Nuanyi..."
"May she be as warm as the morning sun, driving away illness and pain, and grow up safely and happily."
Li Che’s voice was gentle and soothing.
Zhang Ya smiled warmly. "Nuanyi, that’s a beautiful name..."
The baby, as if hearing her name, stopped crying and gave a little smile.
But moments later, she started wailing again.
The midwife hurried over. "The baby must be hungry, she needs to be fed..."
Li Che and the old scholar quickly left the hut.
...
...
In the courtyard, snowflakes drifted down from the sky.
The cold of winter was setting in, and the air was crisp.
Li Che’s smile never faded. Being a father was a new feeling, and a sense of responsibility to protect his family welled up within him.
However, the old scholar seemed somewhat dejected, taking out his pipe and smoking.
The smell of the smoke made Li Che frown. "Uncle, put it out, the baby is here."
The old scholar sighed and extinguished his pipe, but pouted. "Just a girl, why isn’t she a boy? Our Li family..."
Li Che couldn’t help but laugh. "Does it matter whether she’s a boy or a girl?"
"Is our Li family inheriting a throne?!"
The old scholar, though his preference for boys didn’t easily change, remained silent, muttering to himself.
Li Che shook his head but didn’t say more.
He picked up the frozen carp and headed to the kitchen, planning to make a warm bowl of carp and tofu soup for his wife.
While the soup was cooking, Li Che finally had a moment to himself and decided to examine the Dao Fruit that had appeared with his daughter’s birth.
(End of Chapter)
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