Daughter of the Sacrificial Fire
The King Drupada, standing to the side, naturally didn't look at Bai Mo. His eyes were fixed on the flames. Everything was enough. Next, all that was needed was for the Brahmins to bestow their blessings, and the fire sacrifice would be completed.
He recalled what Drona had said to him, "I wish to restore our friendship, and you see, you have no children, why not treat my son Ashwatthama as your child?"
"Drona... I will repay the humiliation you inflicted on me as the victor."
The King Drupada murmured to himself, then said to the flames, "Grant me a powerful son who will become the commander of the army, brave and strong."
And he is destined to kill Drona! His name is Dhrishtadyumna!
One by one, the Brahmins stepped forward, extended their palms toward the flames, and said:
May he become highly skilled in martial arts.
May he be well-versed in military strategy.
May he never back down...
As people stepped forward to offer their blessings, Bai Mo frowned slightly and muttered, "They're not asking for a son; they're asking for a tool that can kill Drona."
"It makes no difference to that guy, huh? Tsk tsk tsk, Kasuga-no-Tsubone should really see this."
Kama looked at Bai Mo and, seeing his unpleasant expression, whispered, "Recalling something unpleasant?"
"Yes, I don't like this kind of behavior that treats children as tools, even though this child was obtained through sacrifice."
"That would be a huge mess. You were the one who offered the blessing, and we haven't eaten a single grain of food from the King Drupada. If he invites you, then it's up to you to decide what to say."
After the Brahmins at the front had finished their blessings, everyone looked at Bai Mo with expectant eyes, anticipating this powerful being to display his divine strength. Bai Mo stepped forward, extended his hand, and said, "May he be happy."
Having said this, he prepared to leave, but the King Drupada stopped him, asking, "Great man, why don't you grant him the power to be invincible? I'm counting on him to kill Drona; what use is your blessing to me?"
"His blessings as a warrior were enough, but what about his life as a human being?"
Bai Mo's words stunned King Drupada. His face darkened with anger, and he retorted, "My only expectation for my child is that he can kill Drona. Aren't you going against me?"
"Hehehe, that's your expectation. If you want to impose your expectations on your own child, then you'll have to use some clever methods."
Leaving those words behind, Bai Mo turned and left. The King Drupada clenched his fists, inwardly seething with anger:
"These Brahmins are truly lawless; Drona is like that, and so is this fellow."
He suppressed his anger, but the next moment, a young man emerged from the flames. He was muscular, clad in armor, and his eyes held a sharp edge.
"Dhrishtadyumna, my child!" At a glance, the King Drupada could tell that Dhrishtadyumna was quite strong and would definitely become a powerful figure in the future. At least his strength was not an issue, and that was enough for him.
"Father." Dhrishtadyumna bowed to the King Drupada King Drupada, who laughed heartily, "Not bad, worthy of being my child. Someone, give him the army insignia. Child, after the fire ritual is over, I'll go and pick out a suitable weapon for you."
After the Dhrishtadyumna subsided, King Drupada looked again at the still-burning sacrificial fire. The leading Brahmin stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, this blessing has been for a boy and a girl. You must pray for a daughter as well."
"I have my son Dhrishtadyumna, why would I need a daughter?"
"This is unchangeable; look, the flames are still burning."
Seeing this, the King Drupada frowned slightly and looked at the flames again. After thinking for a moment, a smile appeared on his lips, and he said to the flames:
"In that case, give me a daughter who can marry a brave, strong, and cautious warrior. She must be beautiful enough to inspire affection in everyone."
Meanwhile, she will linger among my enemies' tribes, causing them to turn against each other.
The flames roared, and the words of the King Drupada were thrown into the fire like kindling. Then, with a sound, Bai Mo stood up, his gaze fixed on the King Drupada, and said:
"King Drupada, if all you want is revenge, then seek a weapon that can help you take your revenge, not a living child."
"These are my children, my possessions! Everything I, as their father, have given them, they must accept. Brahmin, I know what blessings you will bestow upon her, but what does it mean to me?" Then he continued speaking to the sacrificial fire:
"She will endure suffering, every imaginable injustice, and when she is humiliated, no one will lend her a hand. But she will also remain pure, like a lotus rising from the mud. Thus, her husband will love her even more and fight to defend her!"
Then, the King Drupada raised an eyebrow at Bai Mo in a provocative manner and said, "Venerable One, you may come up and offer your blessings now."
In India mythology, the power of words is immense, especially the words of a father.
Bai Mo simply shook his head and gave the King Drupada a look, as if he were looking at a pathetic fool.
"You are a selfish fool, King Drupada. You once offended Drona because of your selfishness and lost half of your country. Now, you still cling to this selfishness."
Pathetic fellow, if you truly care for your child, in the end, your child will be proud of your victories and angry of your humiliations.
Bai Mo slowly extended his hand towards the sacrificial fire, but this was not a gesture of blessing; rather, it was a gesture he had learned from Brahma, a gesture for using the Power of Merit.
He sensed that his own Power of Merit was as vast as a forest, while the energy in the sacrificial fire was merely a fallen leaf. He then extracted a wisp of energy; the Fire God was still quite full, so it was only ten times the amount from this sacrifice.
Then he said, "When she is lost, she will find a way out. When she feels betrayed, she will experience true love. When she is insulted, someone will stand up for her."
Finally, I wish you happiness, Draupadi.
As soon as the words were spoken, the flames instantly began to blaze, with what appeared to be a golden ribbon fluttering in the night sky.
"My God, what immense merit! Who is this person? With such merit, why doesn't he use it to protect his children and loved ones, but instead uses it here!" The surrounding Brahmins were shocked, clearly not expecting Bai Mo to come up with such a huge amount.
This is equivalent to someone else giving a gift of several hundred or a thousand yuan, while Bai Mo casually tossed over enough wealth to support a person for a lifetime.
Flames roared, and a figure emerged from them. She had wheat-brown skin, an air of elegance and nobility, and was adorned with gold ornaments that shimmered in the firelight.
Lotus-like eyes, a supple waist, and dark, curly hair. It was a dazzling, divine, and even somewhat dangerous beauty.
Everyone was shocked by this scene, but what no one knew was that there was a problem with this fire ritual. A very important procedure was being carried out by the wrong person.
Draupadi means daughter of the King Drupada, but the King Drupada's neglect, coupled with Bai Mo's prior knowledge of the name, led to this situation.
It should have been the father who gave his daughter the name, but at this moment, it was Bai Mo who uttered the name first.
No one noticed the error in the process; even Bai Mo was unaware. The only one who knew, Kama, was currently trying hard to suppress his laughter.
If the high priest were present, he would have pointed out the procedure of [the father giving the name first], but he has been driven away by the King Drupada.