Fate always pushed everyone forward, whether they were wise or foolish, willing or not.
They had been living in Huodou captivity for many days now.
It was certainly a sorry state of affairs, and there was no avoiding the helplessness.
But time was the most resolute of all. Whether you were ready or not, it went on its way all the same.
Every day in the Huodou lair, Jiang Wang did nothing but cultivate. That, and eat Fire Lotuses and breathe fire over and over...
Until he was almost coughing up blood.
His Samadhi True Fire had grown purer, and Three-Prong had grown livelier too, its fur sleek and shiny. At a glance, it looked like it would make a delicious stew—if only it could be stewed.
Three-Prong was the nickname Jiang Wang had given the Huodou King Beast, named for the three-pronged shape of its tail.
The Huodou King Beast couldn't understand human speech anyway, so it accepted the name without much fuss.
Of course, Jiang Wang had also learned the specially modulated growl the Huodou King Beast used to refer to him...
Perhaps in the Huodou language, that sound meant "cook."
In any case, they had become familiar enough to give each other nicknames.
Of course, that still didn't make them friends.
Three-Prong had never let down its guard around Jiang Wang, and the Huodou sentries stationed around the Magma Lake had never been reduced in number.
In Jiang Wang's eyes, this was further proof that Three-Prong didn't like making friends...
That vicious dog must have had a miserable childhood. That was why it was so withdrawn, so wary of the world, and unable to accept anyone else's kindness.
Although providing Three-Prong with Samadhi True Fire had become routine, Jiang Wang still refused to breathe fire until after