Chapter Thirty-Three: The Stars Decide the Fate of a Marriage, and There Is a Girl Named Fire Spirit

Stone Kingdom, Martial King’s Manor. The nine-year-old Shi Yi suddenly awoke from his cultivation, startled by an inexplicable sense of foreboding—a feeling that something ominous was unfolding. He calmed his mind, and his double-pupiled eyes radiated mysterious runes, attempting to pierce the veil of illusion, but ultimately found nothing. After pondering for some time, he shook his head. Born a sage and endowed with the Supreme Bone, he felt there was no need to worry needlessly; whatever may come, he would simply break through it with force. With that, he closed his eyes and returned to his cultivation.

…

Deep within the Great Wilderness, far from Stone Village, in a thicket of dense woods and tall grass, the body of a fierce beast suddenly appeared. Oddly, its head was not the first part to emerge; as time passed, its entire form came into view—a beast with the head of a tiger and the body of a bear, massive in size. Its head drooped lifelessly, clearly dead, yet its body still moved.

Beneath the beast, a small figure was slowly advancing. From afar, it seemed as though the beast itself was walking, but upon closer inspection, it was a five or six-year-old child carrying the carcass forward. Witnessing such a scene would leave anyone astonished: a mere child lifting a beast weighing tens of thousands of pounds with ease—a feat rivaled only by the pure-blooded beast cubs themselves. This child’s strength was enough to inspire terror.

The child carried the giant beast into a grove, and with a slight exertion of force, there was a thunderous crash as he hurled the carcass to the ground. His face was finally revealed: bright, shiny black eyes glinting with mischief, a fair and adorable face radiating innocence. Around his neck hung a peculiar bottle on a beast sinew, filled with milky-white liquid—the very sustenance he had brought from Stone Village for his training in the wilderness. This was the little one, Shi Hao.

In the wild, even beast cubs mostly perish along the way. Fortunately, Shi Hao, painstakingly nurtured by Chen Xing with divine beast milk and various elixirs, had surpassed the strength of beast cubs by several times, reaching far beyond their ultimate limit of one hundred thousand pounds. Ordinary beasts of the wilderness were doomed to be torn apart in his hands.

Patting his small hands, the little fellow heaved a sigh and muttered, “Master won’t let me bring food, insists I hunt for myself. Honestly, at least he should let me carry more beast milk! Doesn’t he know how difficult it is to find a lactating beast in the wild?” He raised his bottle and took a careful sip, his face glowing with satisfaction.

“Time to roast some meat!” Shi Hao drew a small dagger from his waist. Under the sunlight, its blade gleamed cold and sharp—it was a gift from Chen Xing before his departure, meant especially for cutting up beasts. According to Chen Xing, there was no beast in the wilderness this blade could not slice through. Shi Hao treasured it dearly, only taking it out when necessary.

Not far from Shi Hao, a middle-aged woman heard his muttering and sighed inwardly, thinking: This little one has no idea how much his master cherishes him. Does he really believe beast milk tastes and works so well?

Lost in her thoughts, Jin Ling’s gaze suddenly turned cold, and she whispered, “Let’s hope they mean no harm, or else…”

This woman, Jin Ling, was tasked with caring for Shi Hao in Stone Village. A Gold Dragon at the early stage of Grand Celestial Immortal, sent by Chen Xing to secretly protect him, she doubled as both nanny and wet nurse. Whenever Shi Hao found beast milk, Jin Ling would secretly add her own to it, making the little one think all beast milk in the wild had become delicious!

Shi Hao swiftly butchered the beast with his dagger, selected the tenderest cuts, cleaned them, and set them to roast over the fire. When the meat was nearly done, he took out a small pouch from his chest, opened it, and sprinkled a brown powder evenly over the meat.

Sniffing deeply, he murmured in delight, “Good thing I snuck some of this ‘cumin’ while Master wasn’t looking. Otherwise, where would I find such tasty roast meat? Ha! I really am clever!”

…

Just as he was about to pick up a piece of crispy, fragrant beast meat, a clear voice rang out beside him: “Little brother, could you share some of your roast meat with me?”

Shi Hao was taken aback. When did someone arrive without him noticing? He turned to see a girl, slightly older than himself, about seven or eight years old, with a smooth and bright forehead, an oval face, delicate arched eyebrows, and crystal-clear eyes full of vitality. Her skin was snow-white, and though still a child, she was tall—taller than girls several years her senior. Dressed in a Red Luan outfit, she looked like a spirit born of fire.

Though charming, in the eyes of four-and-a-half-year-old Shi Hao, she was less important than his roast meat. He curled his lip and said, “I don’t even know you. Why should I give you any?”

The girl was stunned; never before had anyone refused her, given her noble status. To be rebuffed by such a brat left her at a loss, and tears shimmered in her eyes.

Suddenly, an elderly man, white-haired but youthful-faced, appeared beside her, leaning on a uniquely shaped staff, glaring angrily at Shi Hao, who had nearly made his young mistress cry.

Hidden nearby, Jin Ling was about to step in to protect Shi Hao, when Chen Xing’s voice rang in her ear: “Do not move yet. Hao’er is fine!”

Hearing Chen Xing’s transmission, Jin Ling halted.

Within Stone Village, Chen Xing sat in his secluded chamber, speechless. Originally, Shi Hao’s training was not meant to begin yet. The reason he sent him early into the wilderness was so he could meet the one he owed the most in his life—Fire Ling’er.

The two were supposed to meet for the first time only later, when Shi Hao went to Hundred Severance Mountain. To change their tragic fate, Chen Xing arranged for Shi Hao’s early training, hoping they would meet sooner and lay a solid foundation for their future feelings—childhood companions.

But who could have expected this brat to nearly make her cry over a bite of food! Chen Xing was itching to spank him if only he were present.

Determined not to let their tragic fate repeat, Chen Xing transmitted: “Little one, no matter what, you must make the young girl before you happy—otherwise, prepare to be punished! If you do well and bring her back to Stone Village, I’ll reward you with a mysterious gift. If not, hmph…”

Ignoring the angry stares of the two before him, Shi Hao—the iron-willed boy, or rather, the stubborn brat—was about to eat his roast meat when his master’s transmission struck him like thunder. Not surprised that his master knew the situation—after all, to Shi Hao, his master was omnipotent.

But the request made him want to cry: Master actually wanted him to please the girl before him. Master… you don’t love me anymore.

Yet, remembering the promised mysterious gift, his spirits soared. He immediately leapt up, ran to the girl, and handed her the roasted meat with a fawning smile: “Big sister, I was just about to test if it was too hot. Here! It’s just right, please eat.”

…

Fire Ling’er had come to watch the commotion as rumors of a mountain treasure in the wilderness had drawn the great powers to compete for it. Passing through, she was drawn by a unique aroma and found a cherubic child roasting meat, making her stomach rumble. She had wanted a taste, but was rebuffed by this brat.

Just as she fumed, the brat suddenly changed his attitude, offering her meat with a smile, leaving Fire Ling’er uncertain how to respond.

Seeing her hesitate, Shi Hao stuffed the beast meat into her mouth, urging, “Don’t be shy, really, eat as much as you like. There’s plenty more here.”

As the girl remained dazed, not eating the meat, the little fellow grew anxious. If he failed to please her, his master would punish him—even if not severely, the gift would be lost!

Shi Hao took the bottle hanging from his neck with a pained expression. “Maybe you’d like to try some beast milk? It’s really delicious.” The reluctance in his eyes was obvious to all.

Seeing him offer the precious milk, Fire Ling’er and the old man beside her couldn’t help but smile. Matching wits with a child who hadn’t even been weaned—what a farce!

Fire Ling’er, noticing the reluctance in his eyes, took the bottle and said, “Alright, I’ll drink some then,” pretending to take a sip.

Shi Hao saw her really about to drink and became anxious, exclaiming, “Just a little, you can only have a little—don’t drink it all!”

The old man beside Fire Ling’er watched the two children play, smiling as he sat by the fire, picking up the roasted meat and producing a bottle of wine from who knows where, savoring both.

Fire Ling’er merely wanted to tease the adorable child. In Fire Nation, she was always cherished by all, and now, meeting a younger child, her playful side emerged.

Pretending to drink, she held the bottle to her lips. Shi Hao, worried she might finish his precious milk, reached out to snatch it, bumping the bottom so that some milk spilled into Fire Ling’er’s mouth.

The moment the liquid touched her tongue, Fire Ling’er’s expression changed dramatically. She exclaimed in shock, “This… This beast milk is not right!”