"Daddy?"
The moment the word "daddy" left her lips, everyone turned to look at Chu Feng.
Dao Sea Fairy Maiden was fine about it, but Egg Egg, Yu Sha, and even Wang Yuxian all had strange looks on their faces.
They were all older sisters, so why was it that when it came to Chu Feng, the dynamic somehow felt off?
"Daddy, daddy! I want a hug!"
The baby girl stretched out both her tiny hands and called out to Chu Feng in a sweet, milky voice, impossibly adorable.
She was simply too cute. Though she was still so small and her features hadn't fully developed, it was already apparent that she was extraordinarily pretty. Once she grew up, she'd probably be a little enchantress.
Faced with such an adorable baby, Chu Feng couldn't care less about what she called him. He simply scooped her into his arms.
Once cradled in Chu Feng's embrace, the baby grew even more excited—happier, even, than she had been in Egg Egg's arms.
"Chu Feng, what's the deal here? When did you get involved with the evil spirits of the Asura Burial Ground?"
Egg Egg placed her hands on her hips and pursed her lips, firing off questions.
"My Queen, please don't say things like that."
"You said it yourself—when you were in seclusion, everything I could see, you could see too. How could I have gotten involved with an evil spirit?"
Though Chu Feng knew Egg Egg was joking, for some reason his heart still skipped a beat, and he scrambled to explain himself.
"Well, maybe it's yours and Yu Sha's?"
Egg Egg then pointed at Yu Sha.
"Young lady, you..."
Hearing this, Yu Sha's cheeks flushed red in an instant. At the same time, a complicated mix of emotions crossed her face—indignation, grievance, and something else tangled together.
"Ha ha ha, all right, all right, I was just joking."
Seeing Yu Sha blush, Egg Egg burst out laughing and hurriedly clarified that she was only teasing.
"But it is rather strange—why does this little girl insist on calling Chu Feng 'daddy'?"
Wang Yuxian looked curiously at the baby girl, who was happily squirming about in Chu Feng's arms.
"That's easy enough to figure out. This baby is no ordinary child to begin with, and Chu Feng was the one who fed her. She simply mistook him for her father. If you offered her some of your Origin Essence, she might start calling you 'mommy'," Egg Egg explained.
"Really?"
"If only I had any Origin Essence to give," Wang Yuxian said.
"Lady, lady... something's not quite right with you," Egg Egg said, narrowing her eyes with a cheeky grin.
"Alright, you three silly girls, enough nonsense."
Just then, Dao Sea Fairy Maiden walked over as well, examining the baby in Chu Feng's arms at close range.
Chu Feng was tactful enough to immediately hand the baby to Dao Sea Fairy Maiden.
"Granny! Granny!"
The little girl showed no resistance at all. Instead, she cozied up in Dao Sea Fairy Maiden's embrace and called out to her sweetly.
Dao Sea Fairy Maiden, who had been wearing a solemn expression moments ago, couldn't help but break into a smile upon hearing those cheerful little cries.
Whatever reservations she may have had before, she now seemed quite fond of this baby girl.
"Little friend Chu Feng, how do you intend to handle this child?" Dao Sea Fairy Maiden asked.
"This matter concerns the Asura Burial Ground, but I never expected it would be a baby girl. Honestly, I have no idea what to do with her at the moment," Chu Feng answered honestly.
"This child requires Origin Essence to sustain her. She is a World Spirit, but certainly not an ordinary one. She currently shows no trace of demonic aura, but the commotion she just caused already proves she's no simple creature. If Little Friend Chu Feng doesn't mind, I have a suggestion—you could leave her here with me for the time being. I'll observe her, and if something truly is wrong with her, I'll be able to contain the situation promptly."
"Of course, the child still belongs to Little Friend Chu Feng. Should you change your mind at any time, you're welcome to take her back," Dao Sea Fairy Maiden said.
"Chu Feng, just leave her with Dao Sea Fairy Maiden for now. You're a grown man—it's not exactly convenient for you to be carrying around a baby girl. Dao Sea's place is full of women, so it's much more practical for them to look after her. Besides, aren't you planning to head to the Wolong Martial Sect to find Zi Ling?" Egg Egg said.
Chu Feng hid nothing from Egg Egg. After learning what his Master had told him through Zhang Yingxiong's letter, he had shared everything with her right away. So Egg Egg knew Chu Feng's next destination as well.
Chu Feng had originally figured that if the thing inside the box truly was a monster, he would simply seal it away and be done with it.