Lady Shu was glad that she had given birth to two fine sons. Not only were both qualified to become Spirit Beast Masters, but they were lucky enough to have chosen superior Demon Beasts with exceptional aptitude. Each one had eight years of cultivation when it reached Foundation Establishment!
In this world, strength was everything. Wealth, intelligence, force, influence—each was a form of strength. And Spirit Beast Masters were the very symbol of strength!
Lady Shu had no talent for becoming a Spirit Beast Master. She often regretted it. If she had possessed such talent, perhaps she could have taken her fate into her own hands and seized her own happiness. She would not have had to obey her Lineage's arrangements.
But now, that regret had long since faded.
I may have no talent, but both my sons do! And each of them has a superior Demon Beast, one in a hundred!
This was wonderful!
One day, they would inherit Shu Family Island on the strength of that status. She had sacrificed her youth and endured for thirty-eight years. It had all been worth it!
At the thought, Lady Shu's heart surged with emotion, and the water in her teacup rippled.
"Madam, that boy Chu Yun has come out," a servant reported.
"He must have failed and had no face to stay. It was only a middle-grade Fire Fox. Pay him no mind." Lady Shu was utterly composed, her tone calm and unhurried.
Before, Chu Yun had posed some threat in her eyes. But after learning about Shu Da and Shu Er, Lady Shu had dismissed him from her mind.
She no longer took him seriously.
The strength of Shu Da and Shu Er was plain for all to see. How could a middle-grade Fire Fox beat them?
Chu Yun was no longer worth worrying about.
What she did not know was that Shu Da and Shu Er had stayed at the Earth Altar under the pretext of examining the jade slip simply because they did not dare return and face her.
After a while, Shu Da and Shu Er finally dragged their feet back to the carriage.
Lady Shu gently blew on the steaming tea. Still not quite satisfied, she sighed, "Alas, Sea Jade Tea is lovely, but it has to be boiled for three full hours to dissolve the Sea Jade Tea Algae in it. There's no drinking it in a hurry, but its fragrance is so tempting."
Then she gave her two sons a warm smile. "Come on, tell me. I want to hear who came first and who came second."
Shu Da and Shu Er exchanged glances. Shu Er's lips twitched, and he reluctantly spoke first. "Mother, I came second."
"Haha, both of you are my good sons. So that means you came first, Shu Da. The elder brother has proved himself capable!" Lady Shu beamed with delight.
Shu Da felt miserable, but he knew the results would come out sooner or later. Either way, he would have to take his punishment, so he might as well get it over with.
"Mother, I came third," he said, steeling himself.
"You really came in se...third?" Lady Shu's expression changed abruptly. Her gentle voice suddenly rose, turning shrill and piercing.
"Mother, you can't blame us. That boy Chu Yun's Fire Fox was a mutant..." Shu Er immediately tried to shift the blame, explaining the whole story.
Lady Shu was dumbfounded. Before Shu Er had even finished, she cried out, "How is that possible? How could a mutant middle-grade Demon Beast defeat the Sea Burst Crocodile and the Green Fang Snake? That makes no sense!"
"Mother, mutant Demon Beasts can't be judged by common sense," Shu Da said, parroting Chu Yun's words.
Shu Er added, "That's what the teacher who taught us used to say, too."
"I don't believe it!" Lady Shu's face turned cold as she sprang to her feet. The carriage was spacious enough that she could stand upright without hitting her head. But she had forgotten that she was still holding a cup of fine Sea Jade Tea.
The scalding tea spilled. The three people inside the carriage jumped and yelped, and chaos erupted.
When Chu Yun returned to Salty Salt Fishing Village, the monthly market had already dispersed.
Tianbao Shop had shut its doors for good. A crowd of villagers stood outside, carrying sacks of materials and sighing in dismay.
"How could Tianbao Shop have closed?"
"They were the only ones in the whole village who offered fair prices."
"Exactly. If I'd known, I should've sold all my stock a few days ago!"
Hidden among the crowd, Chu Yun listened quietly. It only strengthened his belief that Tianbao Shop was no ordinary shop. It was highly regarded by the villagers and had earned their praise. Yet behind the scenes, it had killed for wealth without leaving a trace. Once its crimes came to light, it had fled at once. It knew when to let go and abandon what it could not keep—decisive and ruthless.
In his memories from his previous life, Tianbao Shop had been unremarkable, leaving little impression. He had never expected that after his rebirth, he would discover the shop's true nature.
They had escaped, but Chu Yun couldn't shake the feeling that something was amiss. His instincts told him the matter was not over.
With his mind preoccupied, he went to Old Red Spear's salt shop. He wanted to tell him the good news that he had come first, but he found no one there. The shop assistant told him that after the monthly market, Old Red Spear had returned to the salt fields to oversee things. He would not be coming back to the shop for the next few days.
Chu Yun felt the six Earth-Fiend Stone Coins left in his pocket. He went to a tavern, bought a jug of wine, and picked up a few fragrant meat dishes. He spent every last coin, leaving himself penniless, then carried the food and drink to the salt fields.
A large stretch of salt flats lay north of Salty Salt Fishing Village. Most of the sea salt produced there was sold locally, while the rest was shipped elsewhere.
Old Red Spear's salt fields were the largest in the village, covering more than fifty mu. Beside them stood a simple manor, which was Old Red Spear's home.
When Chu Yun reached the manor, he was surprised to find that Old Red Spear was not alone. Old Fish King and Old Monkey Qiao were there, too. The three sat around a small table on three stools, eating peanuts and drinking cloudy wine from their bowls.
They were well into their seventies, yet still hale and hearty. They talked of everything under the sun, faces flushed from drink, spirits soaring. It was as if, in that moment, they had returned to their spirited years in the army.
That was where their youth had been. That was where their stories had begun.
They recalled the turbulent years of the past and sighed over reaching old age in the present.
Standing in the doorway, Chu Yun listened to them drinking and chatting, and a wave of emotion rose in him. The three old men before him were almost like his grandfathers.
Shu Tianhao had taken him in when he was little. Back then, Old Red Spear, Old Monkey Qiao, and Old Fish King had all been centurions on Shu Family Island. They had practically watched Chu Yun grow up, and their bond with him ran deep. The three old men were all alone, too, so they treated Chu Yun as their own grandson.
Chu Yun did not barge in. He stood quietly and listened.
At times, the three old men talked about the troubles at the salt fields: the Jade Sea Kelp kept dying off, patch after patch. At other times, they discussed the state of the world—how vicious the pirates in these waters were, and how impossible they were to wipe out. Now and then, they voiced their hopes that Island Master Shu Tianhao would climb out of his slump and regain his former vigor and ambition.
But most of all, they talked about Chu Yun.
"That little Chu Yun chose a Fire Fox egg. I wonder how he did in the assessment this time," Old Fish King sighed, worry clouding his face.
"Little Yun has bad luck. Of the three Demon Beast eggs—the Sea Burst Crocodile, the Green Fang Snake, and the Fire Fox—he just had to... Ah!" Old Monkey Qiao sighed deeply, unconvinced that Chu Yun could have done well.
Old Red Spear lifted his wine bowl and said with a sigh, "That boy takes after his father. He likes to shoulder everything himself. What worries me now is whether the Demon Beast's tribulation in the forest last time affected the hatching of his egg."
He tipped the rim of the bowl to his lips, only to find it empty.
Old Red Spear froze. They were out of wine?
Old Monkey Qiao shook the wine jar beside him and gave a wry smile. "We really are out."
Old Fish King smacked his lips, clearly still wanting more. Then he wrinkled his nose in surprise. "Why does it smell so good? What a strong wine fragrance!"
His mouth watering at the scent, Old Fish King turned his head—and saw Chu Yun standing in the doorway. The boy held a large red wine gourd and had deliberately pulled out the stopper. A draft swept through the room, carrying the wine's fragrance right to them.
Old Fish King immediately laughed and scolded him. "You little rascal, always up to mischief! Are you deliberately tormenting an old man just to see me embarrass myself?"
The other two old men burst into laughter.
"Of course not!" Chu Yun grinned and shook the things in his hands. "I bought some wine and food especially for you three grandpas. Without your help, how could I have hatched my Demon Beast egg and won first place in the assessment?"
The three old men froze.
Old Red Spear was the first to react. He exclaimed in delight, "First place? You came first, little one?"
"Would I lie?" Chu Yun raised his brows and answered confidently.
"Hahaha, this little fellow's got what it takes!" Old Monkey Qiao gave Chu Yun a thumbs-up and laughed heartily.
Old Red Spear and Old Fish King exchanged glances. Each could see the mixture of delight and confusion in the other's eyes. They knew about Chu Yun's Fire Fox egg. How had it managed to beat the Sea Burst Crocodile and the Green Fang Snake?
Incredible!
"Let's eat while we talk." Chu Yun squeezed onto the bench with a grin. As he poured the wine and set out the food, he told them what had happened.
Of course, he deliberately concealed the Heavenly Fox's identity. He was not trying to deceive the three old men; the matter was simply too important. If the truth came out one day, the three of them would understand and would not blame him.
"A mutant Fire Fox?" After hearing the explanation, Old Red Spear looked at the snow-white Heavenly Fox at Hu Tian's feet and immediately believed him.
"Little fellow, you sure are lucky! A Fire Fox mutated to this extent. It reached Foundation Establishment as soon as it hatched, with eight years of cultivation. What a freak, what a freak!" Old Fish King marveled.
Though delighted, Old Monkey Qiao furrowed his brows. "Still, mutant Demon Beasts tend to have short lifespans, and their cultivation is limited. Little Yun, don't blame an old man for pouring cold water on you. You'll have to switch to another Demon Beast as soon as you can."
The lively mood immediately cooled.
"Don't worry, Grandpa Qiao. I understand," Chu Yun said, putting on a serious expression as he brushed the matter aside.
"Good, then! Hahaha!" Old Monkey Qiao laughed and patted Chu Yun on the shoulder, genuinely happy for him. "You were lucky enough to have this mutant Fire Fox and take first place. Later, when you go to Heavenly Song Academy to study, you'll have a much brighter future than you would on Shu Family Island."
"I think so, too," Chu Yun replied with a nod.
"Very good. You know what you're doing."
"Keep it up!"
The three old men were overjoyed, each wearing a broad smile. Their worry had turned to delight. They raised their cups and passed the food around, the atmosphere warm and lively.
"By the way, there's something I need to tell you three grandpas." During the meal, Chu Yun told them everything about Tianbao Shop's attempt to kill him and seize his treasure.
"What? Something like that actually happened!" The three old men's expressions changed at once, their faces filled with shock and grave concern.
Chu Yun's heart gave a jolt. The situation seemed even more serious and complicated than he had imagined. He hurriedly asked, "Is there some hidden story behind all this?"