Who Stole My Eggs? - Chapter 122

Huo Shun was part of a large and lively family.

He had a loving father and dad. His daddy, Demon King Xie Zuo, and his father, Asura King Huo Yao, were the most powerful beings in the world. It was said that Huo Yao had once been the Great Thunder Deity in the Immortal Realm and had willingly become a Fallen Deity for Xie Zuo. The two were nearly inseparable, always together and never tiring of each other’s company.

Huo Shun also had a twin brother named Xie Yao. Xie Yao bore his daddy’s surname, while Huo Shun carried his father’s surname. Despite being twins, they looked completely different. Xie Yao was born as a little golden snake, while Huo Shun was born in human form.

In addition to his twin brother, Huo Shun had an adopted sister, an adopted brother, an uncle, an aunt, nine monster grandfathers, and many other relatives. The family was lively every day. Even without the extended family, Xie Yao alone could cause enough chaos to keep everyone busy.

Xie Yao used to love Huo Shun very much.

When they were still inside the same egg, Huo Shun had been too weak to move or act on his own, leaving Xie Yao to dominate the egg. During this time, their daddy had been unaware of their existence, believing the egg was merely the crystallization of his demonic power. Occasionally, he even considered eating it. Fortunately, their father had discovered the truth and regularly infused the egg with magical power to sustain them.

Xie Yao was a big eater who could consume vast amounts in one go. However, whether it was a swallowed monster or divine power from their father, he always left half for Huo Shun.

When their daddy faced a calamity, divine power transported the egg to Leize Mountain, where the twins hatched. Xie Yao, being full-term, was strong and crawled as soon as he emerged from the shell. Huo Shun, however, was weaker, having followed his brother out prematurely. He couldn’t open his eyes or move at all.

Xie Yao fed Huo Shun using his stored divine power. But Huo Shun’s appetite was not small, forcing Xie Yao to take risks and hunt to provide for him. One day, their daddy mistook Xie Yao’s actions for aggression toward his brother and knocked him off a cliff.

Their daddy had been confused at the time, unaware that both twins had hatched. He believed Huo Shun was the only one in the egg. Later, their daddy hid Huo Shun within his demon core and nourished him with his original demonic power. With the added nourishment from their mother’s body, Huo Shun gradually grew stronger. One day, he finally gathered enough strength to open his eyes.

From that moment, Xie Yao began to resent him.

Xie Yao grew jealous of Huo Shun, fearing he might compete for favour and envying his resemblance to their father. He noticed how their daddy’s attention often lingered on Huo Shun.

Huo Shun, however, had a unique gift: the ability to read minds. His five senses were inherently connected to all things, allowing him to perceive the world as though he were part of it.

His consciousness extended like mycelium from his soul, enabling him to understand everything about anyone it touched. Initially, Huo Shun couldn’t control this ability. His consciousness would instinctively pierce the hearts and minds of those who approached him, flooding him with their true thoughts.

This ability brought him great burden and trouble. Huo Shun discovered that most people were not honest. Their words often contradicted their true thoughts.

For instance, when his uncle Wu Xiao visited, he would praise Huo Shun in front of his dad, calling him cute. However, in his heart, Wu Xiao thought, ‘This little brat looks just like Huo Er. One day, he’ll take advantage of me not paying attention and kill me!’

Although Wu Xiao didn’t like Huo Shun, he pretended otherwise. He clearly favoured Xie Yao, whose temperament and appearance resembled their daddy’s.

Even Huo Shun’s dad and father, who loved each other deeply, weren’t completely honest with each other. His daddy often lied to his father, who, in turn, always knew but never exposed the lies. His father might say he liked his daddy’s eyes, but in truth, he was often thinking about his daddy’s wet body from the previous night.

These chaotic, intrusive thoughts made Huo Shun irritable and restless. For a time, he became aggressive and withdrawn. He even distanced himself from his father and dad, allowing only Xie Yao to approach him.

Although Xie Yao harboured jealousy toward Huo Shun, he also shared an unspoken resentment toward the loss of favour. Yet, for Huo Shun, Xie Yao remained the only person whose thoughts aligned perfectly with his words. The mycelium of his consciousness confirmed what his ears heard, bringing him an unexpected sense of peace.

However, Huo Shun’s personality grew more withdrawn over time, and his father, Huo Yao, began to notice the change. One day, during a rare visit, Huo Yao sat beside Huo Shun and reached into his heart with divine power, pulling out a handful of the delicate hyphae.

“How long have you been like this?” Huo Yao asked.

Huo Shun was silent for a long time before finally admitting, “It’s been like this since I was born.”

At that time, Huo Shun’s mental state had become unstable, and his body weak. He likened himself to a drop of water dissolving into the vast ocean of the world. Huo Yao, filled with sorrow for his son, asked him why he had kept this burden to himself.

Huo Shun couldn’t answer. Perhaps it was the fear of being labelled a thief of thoughts or the thrill of exploring others’ inner secrets. Either way, he remained silent.

“You can’t go on like this,” Huo Yao said sternly. “You must learn to control this ability, suppress your curiosity, and stop prying into others’ hearts. If you can’t, I’ll have to seal it.”

But Huo Shun couldn’t stop himself. Even as his father spoke, his consciousness reached out once more, trying to sense Huo Yao’s true thoughts. Instantly, his father’s thunder power severed the probing threads.

For the first time, Huo Yao lost his temper with Huo Shun. The sky darkened, and thunder and lightning erupted, shaking the heavens. Huo Shun’s heart trembled, and he finally understood why others feared his father.

From that day forward, Huo Yao sealed a portion of Huo Shun’s consciousness and sent him to the Lotus Pond under the care of the Buddhist masters to learn meditation and purify his mind.

Huo Shun’s daddy, Xie Zuo, was deeply upset by the decision and argued fiercely, insisting on bringing his son back home. But Huo Shun, aware of his abnormality, refused. He knew that if he continued to invade others’ minds, he would lose himself completely. Reluctantly, Xie Zuo relented.

At the Lotus Pond, Huo Shun found peace. The great Buddhist masters, with their pure and desireless minds, created an environment free of duplicity, jealousy, or resentment. It was tranquil and firm, a balm to Huo Shun’s wounded soul.

Slowly, he relaxed and released his constant tension. Occasionally, he followed the Buddha on travels, sometimes transforming into a novice monk, a Taoist priest, or even a little fairy to observe the Buddha saving sentient beings.

For the first time, Huo Shun witnessed the suffering of the world up close. All beings, from the smallest ants to the mightiest deities, carried their burdens and sorrows. This revelation deepened his understanding of existence, and his consciousness hyphae finally withdrew into his soul, no longer uncontrollable.

One day, Huo Shun approached the Buddha with a request. “Please ordain me. I want to formally become a Buddhist.”

The Buddha smiled gently; his gaze filled with warmth. “You will achieve infinite merit in the future, but it will not be under my door. Go now—it is time for you to leave.”

Huo Shun was confused. He didn’t want to leave. He loved the serenity of the Lotus Pond and felt at home among the Buddhist masters. His understanding of the scriptures rivalled even the Buddha’s.

Before he could protest, clouds steeped in the fragrance of lotus flowers obscured his vision. When he came to, he was standing at the gate to the human world.

Through the mist, a figure approached. The man was tall and graceful, with broad shoulders and long legs. A golden light radiated from his body, a testament to his immense power.

Huo Shun felt a strange, yet familiar connection to the man.

Huo Shun’s heart, which had been silent for a long time, suddenly stirred with happiness. “Brother, is that you?” he asked, his voice filled with surprise and joy.

His brother, now standing before him, gazed at him in surprise as well. “How did you know I was coming to pick you up?” he asked. “Daddy also said he wanted to keep it a secret and surprise you.”

Xie Yao looked at his brother, who had transformed into a human form. He was now half a head taller than Huo Shun. His hair was tied high at the back of his head, and his proud aura was unmistakable. He had grown up completely. As a child, he had resembled their daddy almost exactly, but now, he was a perfect blend of both parents. He had inherited the best features of both fathers and had grown into a very handsome young man.

Xie Yao realized with a start the reason the Buddha had driven him away earlier. It seemed that he had known someone from home was coming to take him back. Although Xie Yao missed the peacefulness of the lotus pond, the joy of seeing his family overwhelmed him. It struck him just how much he had missed them.

He then asked his brother, “Is there something big going on at home?”

His brother looked away; his voice slightly evasive. “It’s nothing. It’s just that Dad and Father miss you, so they wanted you to come home.”

Xie Yao sensed that his brother was hiding something from him. He felt a small pang of disappointment. His brother had grown up and learned to lie to him.

At that moment, something stirred within Xie Yao. The hyphae of his consciousness, which had lain dormant in his soul for so long, suddenly awakened. They reached out into his brother’s heart uncontrollably, and Xie Yao heard the truth.

‘Hey, what should I tell my second brother?’ Xie Yao’s brother muttered to himself. ‘I’m getting engaged, so I came to take him home. I’m a little embarrassed. He won’t laugh at me, right?’