The two aboard the Flying Artifact urged the flying boat onward, plunging into the Great Wilderness in pursuit of Little One.
"Hm?" The little toddler frowned and turned to look behind him, but found nothing.
"Strange. It felt like someone was watching me just now!" Little One muttered, picking up speed as he raced deeper into the Great Wilderness.
Furball, perched on Shi Hao's shoulder, let out a babyish "Ruo!" Fierce Beasts immediately sprang out all around them, following at a distance like guards. It was with these Fierce Beast guards that he had killed the Rain Clan members stationed here to investigate his whereabouts, while also dealing with those villains who liked to torment Qingfeng!
This time, Aman and Fourth Grandfather had revealed the truth ahead of time, exposing Qingfeng's true identity and allowing him to escape safely, which triggered a chain reaction. The Rain Clan suspected that Shi Ziling might be returning with that child, or might even be hiding here, biding his time. They sent a whole crowd of people, making the dungeon's difficulty skyrocket. They even drove wild beasts to attack the village where Grandpa Hai had previously lived, forcing them to return.
In the Great Wilderness, Shi Hao had encountered Grandpa Hai and Uncle Hai, who were relocating their settlement and secretly moving the villagers, along with Qingfeng, whom they had adopted and who had changed his name long ago. After learning of their predicament, he and Furball ran into the Great Wilderness to gather Fierce Beasts into a monster train, pulling the wild Fierce Beasts attacking the village into the procession along the way. The vast horde smashed straight through the Rain Clan's base.
The Rain Clan suffered devastating losses this time. Many elites at the Extreme Realm of Cave Heaven and Spirit Transformation perished; only the Inscription Realm cultivator escaped with a few skilled fighters. The Rain Clan was instantly left several times worse off than in the original story.
Yet the classic staple, burning down the Ancestral Land, still played out, making the Rain Clan Elder cough up blood when he heard the news. When the roof leaked, the rain just had to fall all night. The Rain Clan had committed far too many dirty deeds here. Fierce Beasts smashing through their experts' base was a minor matter, but the Second Ancestral Land being burned was another story entirely! That would draw the attention of kings and marquises! The Rain Clan's operations in the Second Ancestral Land would suffer another blow, and who knew how many people would die.
Once this Elder understood the implications, he nearly passed out. Leaving behind a scapegoat, he fled that very night. Afraid to leave any clues, he even personally killed some of those who knew he had come, taking only his closest followers with him.
Following Shi Hao while divining the incidents here, Chen Yao sighed inwardly. What a convergence of worldlines. It still got burned.
The deed was already done, and he was about to meet Shi Hao. Since this incident had little impact on the world, divining it was no longer dangerous.
Taking advantage of the chaos, Shi Hao helped Grandpa Hai and the others move the villagers away. He then left with Qingfeng, who wanted to live somewhere new. After promising Grandpa Hai and the others that he would find a way to visit in the future, Shi Hao and Shi Qingfeng set out on the journey back to Stone Village.
Far away, Aman crouched with Chen Yao in an interlayer of space, watching Shi Hao bounce around, laughing and joking. He recalled the noisy Little One who had said every day that he wanted barbecue, then remembered that weak, deteriorating infant, barely breathing and with little time left. He could not help marveling at the unpredictable turns of fate.
"If only Eleventh Uncle and Fifteenth Master could see this." Aman hesitated, unsure how to greet Shi Hao after so many years apart. After all, he had only been a playmate. Though Aman thought of him as a younger brother, they had not spent much time together.
But after becoming entangled in the tragedy of the Martial King Manor's Innate Supreme, Aman had suddenly seen so much darkness laid bare that the warmth of Shi Ziling's branch became all the more precious. Promoted from among the servants' children for his outstanding talent, he had once been crushed beneath suffocating pressure. Had the Elders of Shi Ziling's branch not cherished old ties and taken special care of someone who had genuinely treated Shi Hao well, heaven only knew what he would have faced. He might have been taken away by Shi Yi's branch, branded with restrictions, and trained as a Death Warrior or combat servant.
"Speaking of Fifteenth Master, he should be getting out soon. In a few more years, he'll show up, and he might make a scene at the Martial King Manor. With his cultivation, the Martial King probably won't be able to stop him," Chen Yao continued spoiling the plot.
"Really?" Aman's eyes lit up. After the earlier series of confirmations, and now the hard evidence of finding Shi Hao, he had developed great trust in Chen Yao's spoilers. Rather than doubting them, he simply believed them first.
"Yes. As for your Eleventh Uncle, Shi Ziling, he isn't in the Desolate Region right now. Heaven, earth, mystic, yellow, space, time, vastness, wilderness-the Eight Regions. In the Mystic Domain, there's a supreme orthodoxy called Immortal Mountain, and his wife, Qin Yining, is its holy maiden. To obtain sacred medicine to heal Shi Hao's injuries, she returned to Immortal Mountain. The two of them may be under house arrest there now." Chen Yao considered the plot.
"And during this time, they had another child, named Qin Hao. Immortal Mountain suggested that the closely related bloodline essence of brothers could save Shi Hao, at the cost of severely damaging the donor's vitality. But theoretically, that was only something to cling to. After all, Shi Hao surviving his brush with death was highly unlikely. Traveling, pregnancy, childbirth-one or two years would have passed. If Shi Hao hadn't recovered, he would already have been dead beyond all hope. Whether Shi Hao survived or not, Qin Hao's blood would never be needed. Having him was only a way to remember Shi Hao. They certainly had no intention of harming Qin Hao." Seeing Aman's expression change at the first part, Chen Yao quietly added the rest.
"Fortune really does toy with people." Aman did not know what level Immortal Mountain stood at; he only sighed over Qin Hao and his parents. If Qin Hao learned about this at such a young age and could not come to terms with it, who knew what psychological troubles might fester inside him.
"So, have you figured it out yet? How are you going to greet your little brother Shi Hao? You're not really planning to follow him the whole way, are you?" Chen Yao quipped.
"Ah! It's been so long. It just feels so awkward. Help me think of something!" Having become familiar with Chen Yao, Aman no longer suppressed his lively nature. Now he clutched his head and vigorously rubbed at it, abandoning all dignity as he agonized over the decision.
Chen Yao thought for a moment, then simply pulled Aman out of the spatial interlayer and shouted toward Shi Hao's group, who were racing through the Great Wilderness on unicorns in the distance, "Shi-Hao-your big sister Aman is here to see you!"
"?!"
Chen Yao held the little toddler up by the scruff of his neck with one hand, watching his evasive, wandering gaze with a kindly smile.
There won't be many chances to subdue the Desolate Heaven Emperor with one hand. I have to try it a few more times.
Shi Hao had just reunited with Aman and quickly grown close to him again, promising to take him back to see Stone Village. Then he had stared at the unfamiliar fellow beside him, who seemed to have a strangely good relationship with his big sister Aman, wanting to test what he was made of.
He tried his luck and got struck down. Without the Supreme Bone, without transcending the Extreme Realm, and without even opening a Cave Heaven, he was no match at all. The young Shi Hao's current potential and aptitude were far below those of true first-generation prodigies. He still had a long way to go before his potential and aptitude began growing exponentially.
Once he united his Ten Cave Heavens and transcended the Extreme Realm in Spirit Transformation as well, those first-generation prodigies would realize their mistake. Once he bathed himself in myriad dao fire and survived tribulation to cultivate three strands of immortal qi, his potential would enter the highest tier. After using his body as the seed, he would leave everyone in the dust, sweeping through his peers in this world without an equal. Once he completed the laws of heaven and earth within his body, he would truly be invincible among those of the same level, unstoppable, with potential and physical aptitude beyond imagination.
Transcending the Extreme Realm was the best way to break the limits of innate aptitude.
Shi Hao remained indignant for a long time, vowing to subdue Chen Yao in return someday. But once Chen Yao produced a whole set of carefully refined treasure utensils-pots, bowls, ladles, basins, and more-Shi Hao immediately changed his tune. Easily bought over, he declared that his big sister Aman had excellent taste.
It was amusing, really. Around those he regarded as kin and family, Shi Hao never became a Bear Child. With Huo Ling'er, Yun Xi, Yue Chan, and Qingyi, he would open by teasing them as fatties, follow up with a barrage of cheeky remarks, and finish them off with wandering hands. Yet before Aman, Shi Hao was the very picture of obedience, showing none of the mischievousness he displayed toward other girls. Perhaps being a Bear Child was his protective coloring?
After trying every piece of Chen Yao's kitchen treasure set, Shi Hao could not bear to put them down. Once he received the Devouring Pouch, a spatial storage treasure, he even wanted to swear brotherhood with him and discuss the grand undertaking of fine dining, the joys of cooking, and the preservation of ingredients.
Chen Yao also discovered that Aman really was a foodie, and had mastered the skill of eating at high speed without compromising his appearance. Truly, those who entered the same family were cut from the same cloth. There was a reason Aman would later be raised by the Great Demon God as his own granddaughter, get along exceptionally well with the young Shi Hao, and ultimately become his de facto sworn elder sister.
Replacing Qin Hao with Aman, renaming him Shi Xiaoman, and making him the elder sister would be the ultimate winning move. Unfortunately, that swap could not be made.
This time, protected by two Cave Heaven Realm cultivators, Chen Yao and Aman, the return journey was no longer difficult. They reached Stone Village with a few scares but no danger. From afar, Chen Yao spotted the willow tree in the village, which seemed both the center of heaven and earth and a harmonious part of nature.
(Do any readers have thoughts about giving Aman a formal name? Feel free to suggest some good ones.)
Before you continue