Cannon Fodder Refuses to Be a Stepping Stone for His Cub [QT]

The Emperor descended to the mortal realm to undergo trials, becoming cannon fodder and a stepping stone for the protagonists in various worlds—honing his state of mind in the process.

But his little cub, upon seeing his daddy getting bullied, flapped his wings and secretly followed him down too, wings akimbo and arrogantly declaring: No one gets to bully my daddy!

In every world, the cannon fodder Shen Yijing picks up a chubby little bird. This bird demands the best food and drink, and when he’s bullied, Shen Yijing has to fight back on his behalf.

Shen Yijing: I really just wanted to raise my chubby little bird in peace. Smacking down protagonists was purely accidental.

Jiujiu: I want to help too, but Daddy’s too powerful. I can only be a useless little tagalong and win by lying flat.

[Note: There is no romantic subplot for the father or son. The little chubby bird is a juvenile phoenix who appears suddenly in each world. It doesn’t shapeshift into human form, but might change into other animals.]

One-liner Summary:
A dad who doesn’t work hard can’t even afford to raise his chubby bird.

Core Theme:
Be the protagonist of your own world.