Fire Ribbon Mountain

Although an unpleasant interlude had occurred, it did not affect the festivity and liveliness at the City Lord's Mansion today.

After the Yanhuang Academy Selection ended, Li Yanfeng warmly entertained the guests, while the new City Lord's wife conducted herself with exceptional grace.

The banquet was grand and magnificent. Li Yanfeng's hospitality was enough to make people forget that, earlier in the day, his joyous occasion had nearly been ruined by his eldest son.

In the blink of an eye, it was already late at night.

Within the depths of the City Lord's Mansion, in the "Liming Pavilion," Li Yanfeng wore a groom's red attire. Though he was no longer young, he had a powerful presence and formidable cultivation.

A great figure like him paired with an unparalleled beauty like Liu Qing did carry the air of a match made in heaven.

The two sat facing each other. Now that the night was still and the guests had long departed, it was finally time to rest after a busy day.

On their wedding night, every moment was worth a thousand gold.

Li Yanfeng held a wine cup while Liu Qing poured for him. They drank several cups together, creating quite an atmosphere.

After drinking, Liu Qing's face flushed slightly, like a ripe peach so sweet it seemed ready to drip juice. Paired with her alluring gaze and seductive red lips, she was truly exquisite beyond compare. Even the breeze blowing in through the window seemed to have turned sultry.

Yet Li Yanfeng sat upright and proper, perfectly serious, as though he could remain unshaken even with a beauty in his lap.

"Brother Feng, I'll have to rely on you for Qianyang's matter from now on. Your little sister offers you a toast."

Liu Qing poured another cup. Her slender fingers held a tall goblet patterned with blue flowers, and she drained it in one swallow with her red lips. Her long, snow-white jade neck was especially captivating beneath the flickering candlelight.

"No problem. Given my relationship with Thunder Lord Manor, Qianyang's matter is my matter. Little sister, just rest assured," Li Yanfeng said as he drank with her.

"It's not that I don't trust you. It's mainly that the competition is rather fierce. Besides, something like a 'divine source,' which can trigger an evolution in a Companion Beast's grade, is simply too precious. You and I both know what it means when a Companion Beast's grade evolves," Liu Qing said emotionally.

"It truly is precious. A Companion Beast's grade practically determines any beastmaster's talent and cultivation limit. Qianyang's Companion Beast is a Fifth-Order Companion Beast, which is considered top-tier in Lihuo City, but once he goes to Yanhuang Academy, he will only be at the very bottom."

"If it can evolve into a Sixth-Order Companion Beast, that will be enough to give him a chance to set foot in the Heavenly Court in the future. Your family's standing in Thunder Lord Manor will also rise considerably."

Li Yanfeng nodded seriously. As he spoke, he looked at the wine cup in his hand and turned it over between his fingers.

Since ancient times, whenever a divine source was born between heaven and earth, it was almost always fiercely fought over. Though this divine source was only the most basic kind, it was still something no amount of gold could buy.

"Brother Feng, it is our good fortune that it was born in Fire Ribbon Mountain. Fire Ribbon Mountain surrounds Lihuo City and is your territory. You know its terrain like the back of your hand. Only you can help Qianyang find this rare divine source and evolve his Lightning Leopard."

Liu Qing filled Li Yanfeng's cup again and blinked. Her flirtatious eyes were brimming with endless charm.

"Fire Ribbon Mountain is too vast. It is filled with deep mountains, ancient forests, ravines, and abyssal chasms. Too many vicious beasts lurk within. Those that can survive in Fire Ribbon Mountain are all savage predators, each possessing troublesome 'Awakened Divine Abilities.' It really is dangerous for Qianyang to enter alone."

"Thunder Lord Manor uses such methods to make its younger generation compete, allowing them to grow through tempering. No wonder geniuses emerge one after another."

Li Yanfeng narrowed his eyes and sighed.

"Indeed. This competition is extremely fierce. There are seven clan disciples qualified to participate. Fortunately, Qianyang holds a certain advantage in strength among them. With your help on our side, our chances are far greater than the others'," Liu Qing said, her eyes soft as silk.

"When will the other disciples of Thunder Lord Manor's generation arrive? The people accompanying them are all experts from Thunder Lord Manor, aren't they?" Li Yanfeng asked.

"They will arrive in the next couple of days. I was permitted to come ahead of time because of my marriage to you. Those children all have experts guarding them as well, but once they enter Fire Ribbon Mountain, Thunder Lord Manor will restrict those experts from acting. When the time comes, it will truly test the children's own abilities. Still, your familiarity with Fire Ribbon Mountain will absolutely be of great help."

"Then three days from now, you, Qianyang, and I will officially enter Fire Ribbon Mountain?"

"That's right. At that time, everyone will enter simultaneously."

Li Yanfeng nodded.

"Divine sources come in four types: Heaven, Earth, Mystical, and Yellow. Even the most basic Yellow-grade divine source born between heaven and earth can allow a Companion Beast to evolve to the Seventh Order! Divine sources are so mysterious that, even now, no one can explain their origins. People can only believe they were bestowed by the 'High Gods,'" he sighed.

"Top-grade divine sources are things one can only encounter by chance, never seek out. This time, the divine source is only an ordinary one, not even a Yellow-grade divine source, but once it appears, it will still be fought over. Fortunately, Thunder Lord Manor's information network is well-connected, allowing us to arrive so quickly." When Liu Qing spoke of Thunder Lord Manor, her eyes naturally brimmed with pride.

Li Yanfeng knew that even after marrying into this place, she would forever be a person of Thunder Lord Manor, not Lihuo City.

But that did not matter, because he was now a person of Thunder Lord Manor as well.

"By the way, something suddenly occurred to me. Don't you think your eldest son's little chick Companion Beast is absurdly strong? I mean, perhaps that is the limit of a First-Order Companion Beast?" Liu Qing suddenly asked.

"Judging by its appearance, that chicken does not even count as a First-Order Companion Beast. But he did have some talent in the past, so I estimate that is why it barely has such an effect. Still, I did not closely inspect the star points in that little chicken's eyes. Perhaps it has two, or even three," Li Yanfeng said.

"Yes. If it is a Second-Order or Third-Order Companion Beast, that would make sense." Liu Qing fell into thought.

"Do not mention that person. Let him fend for himself," Li Yanfeng said at last.

"Yes, three years ago, Brother Feng had nearly won Thunder Lord Manor's recognition. If not for that son causing trouble, Brother Feng's status would definitely be far greater than it is now." Liu Qing walked over and sat on Li Yanfeng's thigh, her seductive curves immediately displayed in all their glory.

"Mm." Li Yanfeng grunted.

When Li Tianming returned from the City Lord's Mansion, the weather, which had been clear before, had unexpectedly turned rainy.

Upon returning to the courtyard, rain fell in a fine drizzle, and grass and trees grew deep in the old familiar home.

"Mother." He had worried that his mother would be waiting in the rain, but he had overthought it. When he returned, he saw that she had already gone back to her room and was sleeping soundly.

"What a good mindset." He did not know whether to laugh or cry. He had been outside fighting for his dignity, yet she had actually fallen asleep.

He sat by the bedside and waited until night fell before his mother woke up.

Seeing Li Tianming sitting safely by the bed, she smiled somewhat sheepishly before asking, "Where is the Yanhuang Order? Should we be leaving now?"

Li Tianming felt rather helpless upon hearing that. She had far too much confidence in him.

"I had already beaten Zi Feng, but something changed, and I did not get the Yanhuang Order," Li Tianming said bluntly.

"What changed?"

Li Tianming told her about Liu Qianyang.

"We still have to wait a month? Mother cannot wait that long. Lihuo City is too hot. I want to live in the north," she muttered, like a child.

"A month is not certain either. I still cannot beat that fellow," Li Tianming said.

"I don't care. I'll give you half a month at most." She smiled rather slyly.

"Fine, fine. Keep talking big. When I lose, and Little Yellow Chick gets turned into someone's snack, you'll understand what the cruelty of reality means," Li Tianming said with a smile.

"Bullshit! That big cat wants to eat me? I'll tear right through him!" Little Yellow Chick jumped up beside them and declared arrogantly.

"Stop boasting. Who was as cowardly as a mouse today?" Li Tianming said disdainfully.

"What? You must have seen wrong. It definitely was not me. I was about to kill him back then, but you shamelessly clung to me and begged me to spare him. Seeing how deeply emotional you were, I was profoundly moved, so I decided to let that big cat live another month," Little Yellow Chick said with a perfectly serious expression.

"Not bad. I believe in Little Chick. It is very capable." Wei Jing looked at Little Yellow Chick with eyes full of tenderness.

"Our mother has good taste, unlike you, Li Tianming. You look down on others with dog eyes." Little Yellow Chick jumped into Wei Jing's arms and looked smugly at Li Tianming.

"Get lost. That is my mother, not your mother. My mother would never give birth to a little chick like you." Li Tianming did not know whether to laugh or cry. This fellow really acted as though he had known them forever.

"Bullshit. I came out of your Companion Space. When you were born, I was born. If I was not born from our mother, then were you the one who gave birth to me?" Little Yellow Chick said smugly.

Thinking about it, that really did make sense. After all, Li Tianming, like most beastmasters, regarded Companion Beasts as true brothers and sisters.

They even shared a bond beyond that of siblings: fighting shoulder to shoulder and cultivating together.

Back then, he had regarded Jin Yu as more important than his own life. Now, though he and this Little Yellow Chick had only been together for a dozen or so days, their bloodlines were connected, and they had long since formed a life-and-death bond.

"Hey, since you have acknowledged Mother, let her give you a name. You do not like being called Little Chick all the time anyway," Li Tianming suddenly said.

"A name? I am the Eternal Purgatory Phoenix," Little Yellow Chick said proudly.

"That name is too long. It feels like you are padding the word count. Let's give you a nickname instead. Mother, you name it," Li Tianming said.

As it happened, Wei Jing was cultured and gave good names. Li Tianming's domineering name had been given by her, meaning "the fate bestowed by heaven."

"Me?" Wei Jing lifted Little Yellow Chick in her hands, thought for a while, and then smiled. "Tianming walked in darkness for three years. It was your appearance that brought him into the light. Your body is small, and you are still weak, but light shines from you, like a firefly in the night. So how about I name you Yinghuo?"

"The 'Ying' in Yinghuo is written with the character for fire at its base," Wei Jing added.

"My name... Yinghuo?" Little Yellow Chick was stunned. Perhaps it had already developed a special feeling toward that name.

"This is not flashy enough, and it is not shameless enough either. It does not suit its image," Li Tianming said with a laugh.

"Get lost! I want this name!" Little Yellow Chick anxiously said, as though it wished it could peck Li Tianming to death.

"Haha..."

From then on, it was decided. The Eternal Purgatory Phoenix would be named "Yinghuo."

Today could not be considered a success for Li Tianming. He still had not made Li Yanfeng lower his head before him, and he had thought this night would be difficult to endure. Yet he had not expected his mother to be so relaxed, Little Yellow Chick to be so cheerful, and himself to be drawn into that happiness as well.

Perhaps at this moment, he understood even better what a home felt like!

It was a mother who loved him deeply, who pretended that nothing mattered because she feared he would feel bad, and who was full of faith in her child.

It was brothers who could laugh, fool around, and fight, yet remained deeply bonded like limbs of the same body, sharing life and death together.

In the future, he should have even more brothers and sisters. There were still nine eggs in the Companion Space, and one of them was showing signs of movement. Li Tianming eagerly awaited the arrival of this new member.

His only regret was that his mother looked even older beneath the candlelight. Li Tianming was terrified, because he did not know when he would lose her.

That would hurt even more than his own death!

"The Clear Spirit Grass is gone. It is the only thing that can make Mother more comfortable." Late at night, Li Tianming pondered deeply.

"I'll set aside Liu Qianyang and the Yanhuang Order for now and make another trip to Fire Ribbon Mountain. I'll see whether I can gather any more Clear Spirit Grass."

"Before my cultivation recovered, I was in mortal danger every time I entered the outer region of Fire Ribbon Mountain. Mother would not let me go. Now that my cultivation has recovered considerably, she probably will not object."

Clear Spirit Grass was not an especially precious medicinal herb, but it was simply too scarce. It was useless to most people, so it was difficult to buy on the market. He could only try his luck in Fire Ribbon Mountain.

Over the next day or two, Li Tianming prepared his mother's daily necessities for the period ahead. Though her Companion Beast was sick as well, it should be able to help her at critical moments.

"It's fine if you cannot gather any. Just remember to come back early," Wei Jing said reluctantly when he was leaving.

In truth, she knew that she did not have much time left. During the time that remained, what she wanted most was for Li Tianming to stay by her side.

"I will."

After saying those two words, Li Tianming set off once more!