Dyon looked at the four adorable celestial beasts before looking up at those looking toward him expectantly.
'Should I really do this?' Dyon brow furrowed.
He had no doubt that saying yes would bring him endless troubles. Was gaining the support of the celestial beasts even all that important? Would it really help him?
In total, they probably had a half a dozen or so dao formation experts. Aside from their family heads, they had various elder structures of their family. However, what was the use if they couldn't step foot outside of here? How could they help Dyon? If anything, they'd make everything worse…
If they had someone of the half-step transcendent caliber, maybe that would be entirely different. At least then even the greatest clans would have to think twice… Coupling that with the fact their bloodlines had declined, then they'd probably be left alone…
The issue was that although Granny Celest had the potential to become a half-step transcendent in the far, far, far future, that only represented a less than 1% chance. In fact, framing it that way was definitely underestimating the difficult.
Dyon froze. 'Since when did I decide who to and not to accept based on their usefulness?... When did I become to pragmatic…'
He was stunned not at the situation, but himself. It was almost a striking reminder that it wasn't due to himself that his dao heart was reconstructed, but due to the hopes of others… He didn't pull himself out of the darkness, but others did…
Was he really the same Dyon who died in his fifth trial countless times yet came back with a glare just as determined? Was the comprehension his black flames granted him really so damning that it shattered even his vision of himself?
An arrogant annoyance built up in Dyon's heart. He was Dyon Sacharro, wasn't he supposed to stare down any and everything with an almost ignorant disdain?
Dyon bitterly chuckled to himself. 'The me of 17 years ago would be disgusted with what I've become… I can almost hear him now: "What a whining crybaby.".'
He was at a loss. He missed his old self, the one who would run into danger with a reckless abandon. But, he also couldn't bring himself to go back to those old ways.
How could he grow up but stay young at the same time?
Dyon stretched his hand out, causing four golden platforms to appear below the young celestial beasts. Then, he sat cross-legged on the ground, bringing them before himself.
The attendants watched as the four of them floated from their arms, watching silently. The entire 18th tier seemed to fall into a calm quiet as four pairs of eyes blinked at Dyon with a brimming curiosity.
"Do they have names?" Dyon asked.
Granny Celest shook her head. "The only reason their bloodlines are denser compared to the rest of their generation is because we used the ancient blood reserves on them just before they were born. They're just a few days old…"
Dyon nodded silently. Unlike humans, it seemed that celestial beasts didn't rush to name their children… It was the same for Zaire when Dyon met him. In fact, Esmeralda had Dyon name him not because it fit with their culture, but because she wanted her son to integrate himself into Dyon's culture so that they could grow close.
For celestial beasts, titles were more important than anything else.
"Esmeralda" was a name Dyon's Martial Uncle gave to his Master because he didn't like having to call his wife '25th White Mother'. And, "Celest" was a name given under similar circumstances except it was instead given to Dyon's granny not by her husband, but a former Master of the Celestial Deer Sect.
Either way, there was a tradition of celestial beasts forming new bonds with those outside of their clan through what could be considered this name giving ceremony.
Dyon sighed. 'This is really stupid. Reckless. I'll come to regret it. I can already see all those arrogant bastards who will swear up and down that my partners should be theirs. Thinking about it already pisses me the fuck off.'
But… Dyon couldn't help but think to himself… Wasn't that the difference?
In Dyon's youth, he boldly stood out against the world simply because he wanted to make sure everyone knew he didn't care. But, that was childish. He didn't have to bring up his connection with the Celestial Deer Sect, but he did so simply because he wanted to puff his chest out.
However… This was different. He wasn't flaunting his connection this time simply for some childish ego stroking so that everyone knew that "he was the man". This time, he was taking on a risk for the sake of a clan's future… To rebuild a bridge that was burned long ago…
Dyon didn't want to be a ruler who was a reckless bastard. But, he also didn't want to be a leader too scared to do anything that would shake up the status quo.
He wanted to be calculatingly reckless. A leader who could take risks even knowing that it would bring him trouble, simply because he believed it was worth it.
Dyon's heart pumped…. Calculatingly reckless…
Looking at the four newborns, Dyon began laughing mischievously.
His hand stretched outward, patting the young celestial deer. "I'll call you Bambi… And you," Turning his attention toward the young celestial ape, "I'll call you Sengoku… And you," Turning toward the young celestial turtle, "I'll call you Franklin… And last but not least," Finally turning toward the young celestial tiger. "I'll call you Shere Khan."
No one but Clara would understand why Dyon was laughing to himself like an evil mastermind, but he didn't mind. It was just a shame that his naming scheme didn't really match up to the genders of the celestial beast babies.
For example, Shere Khan was a female, and so was Franklin. In fact, the only male of the group was Sengoku. So, in the end, Dyon made a few modifications, calling them by nicknames instead of their chosen names.
He would call Franklin, Linlin. He'd call Shere Khan, Shere. He'd call Sengoku, Sen. And, he'd call Bambi, Biibi.
The last two name changes weren't strictly necessary, but he knew he would feel too embarrassed to call those two Sengoku and Bambi even if others didn't understand.
After performing the same ceremony with him as the hamster twins had, the baby celestial beasts felt an unwitting closeness to Dyon that they couldn't describe. Even if they didn't understand they full weight of the ceremony now, they would come to in the future.
Truth be told, Dyon felt kind of bad they were forced into this choice. The celestial hamster twins were very much aware of what their decision meant, but these newborns had no idea the kind of responsibility they had been given. They couldn't even fully form words yet.
In the distance, Dyon could see their worried parents even as the four of them begun to cling to him. But… he could only sigh. Nothing he could say would make a mother and a father feel any better about sending their newborns out into a world of danger, especially after they were just born.
What made matters worse were the circumstances around the birth of these four. Just how convenient was it that such a low population of celestial beasts just happened to have four newborns waiting in the wings? The truth was that it wasn't convenient at all.
Thinking back to Little Black's birth, hadn't Dyon's Master been dead for thousands of years? So, how was Zaire newly born when Dyon met him? It didn't make much sense.
The truth lied in an ability their celestial bloodline still had.
Their bloodline was blessed by the heavens and could thus accomplish things others could not. Its ability to help form an impossible to form pill was just one aspect… It was almost like celestial beasts were the original Heaven's Children without the restrictions.
Mother's had the ability to suspend their newborns in a limbo-like state and only "give birth" when the timing was the most convenient. This process was much less taxing than what Delia's mother had to do. One could be done indefinitely, while the other had a limit that included severe repercussions.
As long as the celestial beast mother maintains consciousness, whether that be in body or in soul, or even in energy, the limbo state can be preserved.
For Esmeralda, because she had The Seal, she was able to stop her soul from dissipating and keep her son in limbo, only allowing Little Black to be born when she sensed Dyon and chose to accept him as her disciple.
