Well-Behaved, Sensible, and Pitiful

The Stone Kingdom was founded on martial prowess, and from ancient times until now, it possessed a fierce and formidable ethos. The King or Marquis from all directions naturally hoped their own progeny could rise up strongly and not lose out to others.

Deep within the Martial King Manor, on a drill ground, dozens of bronze cauldrons of various sizes had already been set up. Below them, fierce fires raged, and the water inside the cauldrons boiled turbulently.

Several clan elders shuttled back and forth among them, continuously tossing in stalks of rare medicinal herbs along with the true blood of various Primordial Remnants. From time to time, they also threw in a few bizarre poisonous insects, causing the originally clear spiritual water to turn a kaleidoscopic array of colors that looked quite frightening.

A group of children huddled in the corners, none of their complexions looking particularly good. If they had not feared the leather belts in the hands of their respective fathers even more, they probably would have scattered in a flurry long ago.

"The day of the baptism has arrived once more. I hope those two of mine can absorb a bit more medicinal potency, as there won't be a chance to come next year."

"Every baptism consumes a vast amount of resources. Having it once a year is already quite good, though I wonder whose child will stand out."

"True supreme prodigies inevitably have other arrangements made for them... Look over there, the Double Pupils One has come!" someone lowered their voice and exclaimed. "He's not even a year old, yet he's beginning his baptism as well?"

In ancient times, the Double Pupils One were regarded as sages and deities. It was said that a few had appeared in the past, and all of them later became earth-shaking, world-shaking supreme figures.

The arrival of Shi Yi and his mother instantly attracted the gazes of everyone present. Several clan elders went forth to greet them personally, the wrinkles on their faces blooming with smiles.

Even Shi Zhao, who stood nearby and was originally somewhat of an invisible presence, received quite a bit of attention.

Some people saw that she seemed rather close to the Double Pupils One, and their thoughts instantly became active as they pondered how to help their own child build a premature relationship with that future youthful supreme being.

"Tch, openly getting special treatment." Shi Zhao jumped down from the carriage, watching the four-eyed infant being led away by the clan elders without a shred of envy in her heart.

The main theme was simply being unflappable.

Of course, when she was truly tossed into the scalding cauldron, her little face still turned somewhat pale. This kind of ancient-method baptism was still far too impactful for her after her awakening.

"Wah-so hot, so hot!!"

Wails of ghosts and howls of wolves instantly sounded all around.

A clan elder chided, "The opportunity for a baptism is not easily won. The spiritual herbs and true blood were painstakingly gathered by your elders. I hope you will all cherish them well and not waste them!"

"What is cultivation?"

Another clan elder was even more unfazed. Expressionlessly pushing several baring-teeth, lively little brats back down into the water, he lectured on the principles of cultivation.

"The Blood Moving Realm is the beginning of cultivation. One must mobilize the vital blood of the entire body to refine bone texts, spurring Divine Radiance within the blood so as to temper the creations of heaven and earth and use them to nourish the physical body. Only when you possess eight thousand catties of immense strength will you truly step through the gates of the Blood Moving Realm..."

Shi Zhao steadied her mind, turning a blind eye to the burning pain and the poisonous insects surrounding her.

Simply put, the Blood Moving Realm was the condensation of vital blood and runes to give birth to Divine Radiance, which then nourished the physical body and seized the creations of heaven and earth to strengthen oneself, thereby achieving the goal of cultivation.

Having sorted these principles out, she began to recall the bone texts she had studied previously.

She had to admit that the Martial King Manor still had people doing practical work. All children were forced from a young age to study various bone texts, and there were even several family-arranged baptism opportunities.

Leaving future achievements aside, at least the starting point would not be too poor.

Shi Zhao closed her eyes. Her mastery of bone texts was already quite good, and now she was further blessed with the addition of a powerful primordial spirit force, making comprehension and enlightenment feel like adding wings to a tiger.

In just a short span of time, she achieved extraordinary results, transforming numerous bone text symbols into a part of herself, smelting them into her flesh and blood to turn into rosy mist and become Divine Radiance.

During this process, the palms of her hands grew scorching hot, and an inexplicable force guided the quintessence of the spiritual herbs and true blood in the cauldron into her body. This caused every inch of her flesh and blood to emit light, with runes faintly visible within them like sparkling, brilliant stars.

However, just as she immersed herself in cultivation and felt refreshed, the two other little girls sharing the same large cauldron with her were practically on the verge of tears.

"Eh? Why does it suddenly not hurt anymore?"

"Wah, too bad! All the medicinal potency was sucked away by her!"

Shi Zhao's performance was so astonishing that even the clan elders were utterly taken aback, not expecting that among this group of children, an extraordinarily gifted little fellow had been hidden.

Generally speaking, geniuses of this caliber would be discovered early on and receive specialized cultivation.

"Whose child is this? She is actually so extraordinary!" A robust, middle-aged man strode over.

He reached out with a grab, first lifting up those two weeping little girls and casually tossing them into other large cauldrons, then fixed his burning gaze upon Shi Zhao.

"So it's little Zhao. Good child, since it's like this, I'll give you a hand."

Shi Zhongtian laughed heartily upon recognizing Shi Zhao. Without the slightest hesitation, he retrieved rare medicinal treasures and the true blood of Ancient Species from his bosom, dumping them all at once into the cauldron to be refined.

The onlookers all clicked their tongues in wonder, not expecting that this "Great Demon God" who shook the imperial capital would be so generous-after all, she was not his biological granddaughter.

Only a few people knew the reason. This Fifteenth Master was inherently a heroic figure who not only had a close relationship with the ancestors of the girls in the cauldron, but upon learning that her parents had both met with accidents, he must have felt pity and a desire to cultivate her.

"Boom!"

With the new medicine entering the cauldron, Shi Zhao immediately felt as though a flame had leaped up from within her body, her whole person glowing. Immediately afterward, sweat poured down like rain, expelling the impurities from her body.

"That really is... one hell of a kick!"

The medicinal strength was truly too great, and she could not help drawing in a breath of cold air, suffering and yet feeling happy at the same time.

"How is it, lass? Can you still hold on?" Fifteenth Master asked with a loud laugh.

"The effect is peerless. Many thanks for Uncle Patriarch's help!" Shi Zhao gritted her teeth and gave a thumbs-up. Mists billowed from her body, rosy light overflowed, her skin became crystal-clear, and her bones crackled.

Then, she was hoisted up by this old man just like catching a small chicken, seemingly having lost all her strength and means.

"..."

Fine, fine, fine. Playing it like this, are we? Don't let your grandson fall into my hands in a couple of years, or he'll definitely get a taste of my good medicine.

"Zi Ling, Yining, I'm back!" Fifteenth Master strode with dragon-like steps back to his residence.

"Father? You're back!" Shi Ziling and his wife welcomed him upon hearing his voice.

Seeing Shi Zhao, who was drenched from head to toe and being carried in Fifteenth Master's grip, Qin Yining was left somewhat amused and exasperated. She hurried over to take her and carried her to the back courtyard to wash up and change clothes.

"I only learned after returning that this lass's parents met with accidents some time ago."

Not long after, Fifteenth Master summoned his son and daughter-in-law, sighed, and pointing a large finger at Shi Zhao, said in a deep voice, "From now on, treat her like your own daughter."

Shi Ziling and his wife exchanged a glance and solemnly agreed. At three or four years of age, a child was precisely at the stage where they needed care, and coupled with the relationship between their fathers, they truly could not just leave her to fend for herself.

Shi Zhao, the person at the center of this, opened her mouth but ultimately said nothing. The main theme was being well-behaved, sensible, and pitiful all at once.

"This child has exceptional talent. You must treat her well," Fifteenth Master instructed once more, then instantly changed the subject, teasing the young couple, "You two need to work hard and put in some effort as well, so I can hold a biological grandson of my own sooner!"

The young couple felt somewhat awkward.

Shi Zhao also finally found an opportunity to speak, blinking her large eyes and shouting, "That's right, that's right! When are you going to give birth to a younger brother for me?"