Chapter 2: Ling Hongyun

Chatter and gossip ripped through the air like a hot knife through butter, the streets were lively, men and women taking care of their and their family's livelihoods. The smell of freshly cooked food wafting through the air. The air felt stuffy from the sun's heat and the crowd blocking the way to anywhere. A carriage came through the street, the driver shouting at the people and whipping the horses, kicking up a dust cloud through the path they traveled. The people murmured curses under their breaths or in their minds while showing a subservient, fearful façade or a flattering face.

The people on one side of the street started gasping or shrieking in surprise, a line forming through them. A silver-haired child in green servant robes was running through and asking why in fu-dge hell did everyone in town decide it would be a good idea to gather in one street every morning. It wasn't even the same street! Not to mention that there wasn't a pattern that actually applied. The child had adorable features, big eyes that would be beautiful if they weren't an unnerving yellow and weren't always so cold, a small nose and full lips that were always stretched into a thin line.

Several people lamented that the child wasn't a cheerful, lovable one, because this boy was utterly ruining the beautiful view with such an attitude. They also lamented the fact that such exquisite features were wasted on a boy and moreover an illegitimate child.

Being a noble's bastard child was hard, Tian Leiji found.

Having "abnormal" features was harder, being called a "monster" and "freak" all the time. It didn't bother her since she didn't care much of what people see her as—never has, never will—and for some reason that made them more convinced of their theory of her being a monster and that was true, in a way in her last life. Leiji frankly wondered if Lu Yanhei's actual child would have been able to withstand all this and live with a pure heart. Most probably not, and that angered her because if she had not been switched with the original owner of this body, would they still treat a child like this? The answer would most definitely be a yes.

Tian was now three years old and currently running through the small town, avoiding areas that needed to be…cleared—meaning areas that have perverts that seek unique things or slave drivers—not wanting her little stalker to get into trouble. She ignored everyone who gossiped about her being the Tian family's infamous bastard child and how he must be an evil spirit because of how the pigments in her hair and eyes are like, not that they know, and also of how magnanimous the Tian family was to still try and raise and get the evil three year old to change his ways. She had to beat up several people who were thinking of kidnapping her to sell her to a cult of some sort.

Tian Leiji was honestly ecstatic about the fact that she had a primary Lightning element and that this body gave her a useful secondary, Music—she ignored the painful yet not reminder of that girl since having a Music was like having a piece of that girl in her—that this world had another way of strengthening oneself was…oh. Tian Leiji just felt that, compared to her handmade body refining technique, this thing called "cultivation" was very lackluster. Then again, "cultivation" apparently not only refined the body but also the spirit and makes something called a "golden core" inside someone. Supposedly, those at the Emperor rank have formed "golden cores". The entirety of the mansion didn't want her to know about this "cultivation" but were extremely stupid and kept whispering about it when she was near, so Tian Leiji learnt all of this while eavesdropping on one of the lesson's her cousin and/or step siblings were at.

She did miss having her Water and her Destruction, but Tian Leiji could live without them.

She heard some people yelling at her so she wasn't clear about how to actually do it, only something about spiritual force and a "dantian" at the lower part of the stomach. Leiji was a prodigy even in her last life and her luck was… sometimes the worst and sometimes the best. Luck was in a good mood so she managed to figure it out after several tries.

She only understood why everyone was so persistent in keeping her away from cultivation when she accidentally advanced to "Aurora Civilian Rank 2" from a "normal person". At the age of two. Tian Leiji honestly didn't know that she's been practically destroying world records at the age of two back then.

Everyone was panicking since the so-called monster was getting stronger. Tian Leiji honestly thinks that they're holding some kind of meeting to decide on whether she should be killed or left alive. She was proud of achieving that in a two-year-old body, just like her second mother was.

Speaking of Lu Yanhei, she was getting healthier now and looked as beautiful as ever—though, that may be Leiji's bias going on—and Tian could understand why her progenitor did what he did, but she would never forget or forgive it because even now, there are men who try and touch her despite knowing that she gave birth to a "monster". In fact, because Lu gave birth to a monster, those men feel like they're doing her a favor. If they find themselves castrated the next day, their genitals hanging in front of their house…well, that was between Leiji and the knives.

Tian Leiji thought about a lot of things in her free time while her body is mechanically getting itself strong enough. There was also this little cute stalker that decided to be adamant on following her and she'd approached him once but he decided to attack her in annoyance of being found out.

She jumped back to avoid a falling seven-year-old. Talk about the devil and he shall come or in this case, think about the devil and he shall come. Silky black hair that was supposedly combed then messed up and big, dark red eyes that could be mistaken as black from afar, Tian supposed it looked like the concentrated color of dried blood and he looked adorable, in her opinion. The boy was a battle maniac and she managed to get his name after defeating him about a week back. His name was Ling Hongyun, a Rank 4 Civilian.

She was now a Rank 9 Aurora Civilian, but the people at "home"—it was more of a house with her mother in it but, ah. Who cares—thought she was still at Rank 2. Lu Yanhei had taught her to conceal her true cultivation but those who were two levels higher would be able to feel what her true cultivation was.

Tian Leiji loved how her mother would just know things and help her in things that she didn't understand in this world and help without asking anything, even though she would spill everything if she asked, but Leiji had never been good at explaining things, hiding that awkward side of hers behind an aloof and are-you-stupid act. Only the people closest to her know she had that side, the rest of the world was fooled.

Seriously. Everyone in the other world had thought that the Lightning Empress was just too cold and noble while every other Emperor and Empress had known the truth after several times.

The boy, Ling Hongyun, suddenly gave a flying kick and Tian Leiji grabbed his ankle, smashing him own onto the ground. Don't underestimate her strength merely because she was in a three-year-old body. Hongyun suddenly strikes a palm forward and Tian responds by moving to the side, sweat beginning to break out already. "This body is too weak," she laments in her head.

The boy was overflowing with raw talent and she would have not hesitated in accepting to teach him had she been in her past life, but in this world, she has to get rid of several things before she can even think of having a peaceful life, much less take in someone she wants to teach. Moreover, she doesn't feel like doing it anyways because she was only three right now and should enjoy life before even thinking of settling down.

Ling attacks again and Leiji internally sighs, asking him, "Hey, hey. Why are you attacking me?"

He merely grunted and continued, a fist aiming at Tian's stomach as she finally takes the initiative to attack and slaps the back of his neck, not expecting for him to fall unconscious. Tian Leiji was speechless and had no idea what to do with this boy so she sat down to rest while getting a brilliant idea that will earn the ire of everyone…save for her second mother. Worryworry, sent down through the bonds and Leiji smiled to herself

That very brilliant idea is the sole reason that there was a silver-haired three-year-old dragging a black-haired seven-year old down the road to the Tian family household. Leiji stopped in front of a woman who was cleaning the floors, "mother~ my friend went unconscious for no reason!" That was a lie and they both knew it.

Lu Yanhei raised an eyebrow at her child, exasperated fondness creeping down their bond—which Tian Leiji found could apparently be made with anyone as long as they were close enough, Yanhei's, however, was an automatic parental one—then sighed and rolled her shoulders a bit. She tilted her head to the side for a moment, looking at the two boys before laughing. "Do what you want."

Tian Leiji simply does just that. She drags Ling Hongyun over to their small room in an isolated corner in the huge manor, deciding to braid and put ribbons in his hair. Well, it wasn't her fault that she found a buddy for being a feminine-looking boy. He looked feminine as a child anyways. Doe-like dark red eyes, skin that would make imperial consorts green in the face with envy and chubby cheeks that makes one itch to pinch them. His hair was fairly long, reaching to his shoulder blades; Leiji could only wonder why people consider cutting it as disrespecting one's parents. It was something that she found as nonsense.

But it did come in convenient in times like this. In any case, this little stalker of hers was an adorable child and she didn't care about the fact that her current body was four years younger than the person she was calling a child.

Gossip spreads fast, in the blink of an eye even. It didn't take twenty minutes for the entire place to know that "the monster kidnapped a child" and "the demon was going to use a child as an offering in a ritual". Tian Leiji finds it absurd. She was three in this body, what the actual hell made you think like that about a fu—dge—ing toddler! Tian Leiji wasn't surprised that "father dearest" came stomping into the room half-an-hour after she came back, looking everything like a tomato for everyone to see.

The man, her sperm donor, Tian Yulong had half his black hair up in a bun, the rest flowing down and muddy brown eyes and he was the very definition of average in this world if going according to looks, but Tian Yulong was a Rank 6 Aurora Civilian at the age of twenty-five and considered an utter genius. If he was a genius then what does that make Ling Hongyun? The newly laid egg of a Deity level Beast? What about herself? Perhaps it was the reason they called her a monster, but that wouldn't make sense, because if they used this world's logic, or what Leiji has gathered on it, then they should be trying to curry favor with and nurture her, not try and kill her through words that meant nothing.

Tian Leiji looked at his eyes and somewhat blankly realize that yellow eyes nust not exist in this world, since her hair could be explained as some form of mutation of albinism. She couldn't help but think of her first father—teal hair that reached his shoulders and light purple eyes. He wore glasses and always had a smile on—and Tian Leiji admits without a doubt that he was better in every single positive aspect compared to the man in front of her. She ignores the dulled pang of pain, Lightning really misses her old father.

He was what one would call a male green tea b-ridge. While everyone outside seems to think of him as kind, humble, pure and all that great stuff, but he doesn't bother to put on his façade whenever he was at home and there were no guests. Probably why he immediately lost control after seeing his own child and started screaming—like a banshee, Leiji added, "You damned monster!"

Ah, right, how could she forget another one of his defining traits? He was horrible at insulting anything. In anyways, she had to deal with an angry father. She nodded at him, greeting, and "I see you are still as horrible at insulting people as ever."

"Freak, you better give this child back to his family right now! We don't need another monster like you! The fact that you're still allowed to live is all because of my kindness!" It was clear that she was "only" alive so he could continue tormenting her. Though, Tian Yulong had never truly laid a hand on her, so Leiji really didn't see any meaning in it. She suspected that the actual Tian Leiji would've been beaten to death by his own father's hands, never knowing what had gone wrong for things to be like this. "No," of course she would reject, this was currently her doll! How could she just give him up like that?

"Ungrateful brat! I should've never helped your mother back then, she clearly isn't educating you properly!"

"By helping out, we both know you mean taking her from the streets without consent and keeping her family hostage and making me. As far as I know, you are guilty of the crimes: kidnap, rape, child abuse, blackmail and assault, not to mention extramarital affairs. Tell me, between the two of us, who's the monster?" She couldn't help but say, covering the awakening and confused Ling Hongyun's still innocent ears from hearing anything. Tian Yulong screamed and slapped her, with enough force that would send a normal child flying and dead.

She can't help but frown at that, only feeling a small tickle where his palm landed, as if it was a mosquito or fly that was asking to be swatted away. "…ow, that really, really hurts! You used too much strength, "father dearest"." She sneered at him, Tian Leiji felt satisfaction as the man who was supposed to be this body's father scream and yell unintelligible things and eventually spin on his heel and leave in a manner he thought was elegant.

The servant he brought immediately turned and left the moment Tian Yulong did, not wanting to stay a moment in the demon's territory more than needed.

Tian Leiji didn't mind, but she looked down at the confused Ling Hongyun. Now, what does she do with this cute child?

Ling Hongyun ended up parading outside with Tian Leiji with a stolen sword, about to kill the perpetrator before the girl puts f—udge—ing make up on him!