Super Gene Ⅱ: Evolution

"I really can't accept this. We had already agreed that I wouldn't need to be your adopted son, just letting me leave was enough," Lin Shen quickly dodged, refusing to accept Tian Jiuyou's bow.

This was a person who had once competed with Emperor Tianshu for the position of Heavenly Emperor. Even though he was exiled, his capabilities were still of the highest tier in the Cosmic setting, truly not someone to provoke.

Moreover, to have Tian Jiuyou, who was of the same generation as Emperor Tianshu, became his adopted son, how was he supposed to face Emperor Tianshu in the future?

"No, a bet is a bet. I, Tian Jiuyou, swear by my unrelinquishable word. Having lost, I must admit it. From now on, you are Tian Jiuyou's adopted father, and not even Heaven could change that fact," Tian Jiuyou proceeded to kowtow to Lin Shen, leaving Lin Shen with no chance to refuse.

"Now that the rites are complete, from this moment forward, you are Tian Jiuyou's adopted father," Tian Jiuyou stood up, smiling at Lin Shen without a hint of shame, even appearing quite proud of it.

"It really wasn't necessary." Lin Shen was at a loss for words for a moment, his mind incapable of imagining such a turn of events.

"A true man's word is as heavy as a tripod. You've said it, and you must follow through. From now on, you, Lin Shen, are my, Tian Jiuyou's, adopted father," Tian Jiuyou declared earnestly.

"Can I leave now?" Lin Shen asked.

"Certainly, you are my adopted father; of course, your word carries the most weight. Whatever you want to do, you do. Whatever place you wish to go, you go. There is no principle where an adopted son dictates to the adopted father," Tian Jiuyou said, truly taking on the role, calling him 'adopted father' again and again, causing Lin Shen to feel a bit of skin crawl.

A Celestial over a thousand years old, calling someone in their twenties his adopted father and doing it repeatedly, was enough to make Lin Shen's skin crawl.

"Then I'm leaving," Lin Shen decided it was best to leave this place quickly, the farther away from Tian Jiuyou, the better; this guy was simply a madman.

"Take care, adopted father. In the future, Jiuyou Group will look up to you as our leader. Once I return, I will announce this joyous news to the entire Cosmic world. Jiuyou Group's new boss will be you, adopted father," Tian Jiuyou said calmly. Read latest stories on My Virtual Library Empire

Lin Shen almost choked on his own blood in shock, not expecting Tian Jiuyou to actually be waiting for him here.

If Tian Jiuyou really cast aside all shame and insisted on recognizing him as his adopted father, spreading this news throughout the Cosmic world, what would the Celestial Race think? And what would Emperor Tianshu think?

Lin Shen would become the biggest rebel leader of the Celestial Race. If he tried to explain it this way, would Emperor Tianshu believe him?

Even if Emperor Tianshu did believe him, could those old fellows at the Celestial Court believe him?

And even if the elders of the Celestial Court also believed him, given their eagerness to eradicate Lin Shen, wouldn't they jump at the opportunity to use this as a pretext to utterly destroy him?

If Lin Shen truly returned to the Celestial Race with this title, he could almost foresee his own downfall.

"Tian Jiuyou, my lord, why must you trouble such an insignificant person like me? To ruin your own reputation over this, it's really not worth it," Lin Shen said with a pained expression on his face.

Tian Jiuyou smiled, "I have decided to make you my successor. Since you can't be my adopted son, then let's have you become my adopted father instead. It's only right and proper for an adopted father to inherit his adopted son's mantle and legacy. From now on, you'll be the head of the Jiuyou Group."

"Do you think the Celestial Race will believe it if you say so? A Nirvana Being as your adopted father, they'll never buy into something so preposterous," Lin Shen said through clenched teeth.

"Whether they believe it or not is their problem; I believe it, and that's enough," Tian Jiuyou said with a smile.

"You...what exactly do you want..." Lin Shen sat helplessly in the snow, looking at Tian Jiuyou and asking in despair.

"Come back with me to the Jiuyou Group and inherit my mantle," said Tian Jiuyou.

"Impossible. I grew up in luxury, and I cannot endure a life of hiding and suffering," Lin Shen immediately refused.

"The Jiuyou Group owns major businesses on over a hundred habitable planets and is effectively in control. We have also developed over two hundred Base Mutation Resource Planets in collaboration with other races and clans. As the head of my Jiuyou Group, you will enjoy endless wealth and honor. Why would you need to hide? If you can't get used to living low-key, that's fine. I can send you to live with the Diman Tribe or the Supreme Clan. Even the Celestial Race won't be able to touch you," Tian Jiuyou argued.

"What exactly do you see in me? Is it too late for me to change now?" Lin Shen sighed.

"What benefits can Emperor Tianshu offer to make you so loyal to him? Whatever he can give you, I can give you, and what he can't, I can give as well. In the future, you will study the Immortal Laws with me. After I die in the trials of death, you will become the king of the Space Law. With all this being said, is it still not better than being a dog at the side of Old Thief Tianshu?" Tian Jiuyou was getting somewhat angry.

Although Lin Shen was an optimist, he didn't believe in pie falling from the sky. He had no ties with Tian Jiuyou, who wasn't truly his son, so why would Tian Jiuyou be so good to him?

Even if the situation were reversed, and Lin Shen were Tian Jiuyou's biological son, Lin Shen wouldn't believe that Tian Jiuyou would feed him such a big pie.

Besides, Lin Shen's strength was sufficient on its own. He had just practiced for too short a time. Given enough time, his future achievements would not be inferior to Tian Jiuyou's. Why take the risk of becoming enemies with the Celestial Race and jeopardize Tian Xun and the others, betting on Tian Jiuyou's conscience?

"If you want to kill me, then kill me. Say what you want to say, but I'm not going to the Jiuyou Group," Lin Shen took a deep breath and turned to leave.

If Tian Jiuyou truly had no shame and spoke about this matter, Lin Shen would accept it. After returning, he would immediately explain the situation to Emperor Tianshu. Considering Emperor Tianshu's cunning and character, he would likely still accommodate him.

"Adopted father, why don't you take a look before you decide? I'll take you to a place first," said Tian Jiuyou, invoking the Space Law without further ado.

Lin Shen instantly felt the space around him twist, and when his vision returned, he found himself in a snow valley.

In this valley, there were several wooden huts, but that wasn't the main attraction. The focus was on the depths of the valley, where a gigantic lotus flower grew.

Rooted in the snow, the lotus sported jade-like leaves immense in size, with only one bloom amidst them, pure white and crystalline, with translucent petals, emanating gentle wafts of cold air.

The lotus flower was as big as a room, and even seven or eight people within the bloom would probably not feel crowded.

"That's the Ice Lotus. Its leaves live for a hundred million years, and it blooms for another hundred million. Once the flower falls, it takes another hundred million years to bear seeds, and another hundred million years for those seeds to mature. It takes four hundred million years to produce Ice Lotus seeds. The Ice Lotus seeds contain the Ice Law; eating one can grant the Ice Law. Although it's not the true Immortal Laws, it is a top-tier Law from the past," Tian Jiuyou approached the Ice Lotus and said, "My wife once cultivated here. While she never managed to consume the Ice Lotus seeds, merely absorbing the Law Power emitted by the Ice Lotus was greatly beneficial to her. You can cultivate here for a while; it should help you too. The wooden hut has some of my wife's writings. You might find them worth reading when you have free time, and perhaps you'll discover unexpected gains."