77 - Little Peasant Wife

She felt an intense desperation in her heart, unable to control the foreign flame, leaving her frantic and furious, while the flame remained calm and leisurely. Jing Aoxue had never felt so stifled before, and she immediately steeled her resolve, concentrating all her wood-element abilities within her dantian. She formed a containment circle around the foreign flame, locking it tightly within. Within her dantian, there were two tiny, flickering objects. Upon closer inspection with her mental energy, Jing Aoxue realized they were her scorched spiritual roots. Over time, as she had tirelessly used her wood-element abilities to repair her body, a small portion of power remained with the spiritual roots despite most of it being consumed by the foreign flame. They were regenerating, showing signs of new growth, which filled Jing Aoxue with hope. She thought: as long as she continued using her wood-element abilities for repair, perhaps her spiritual roots could be restored to their original state. Then, she could even ascend the path of cultivation. This was incredibly good news for her. However, as long as the foreign flame remained, she would struggle to find peace. Currently, she had no other means to handle it other than trapping it. Taking a deep breath, she opened her eyes, meeting Shen Lüman's worried gaze. She forced a faint smile and said, "I'm fine now, don't worry." Shen Lüman was hardly convinced. Although Jing Aoxue appeared slightly better, her face was still pale, and her lips showed a bluish tinge. Worried, Shen Lüman drew closer, cradling Jing Aoxue in her arms, and asked, "What happened just now?" Jing Aoxue replied softly, "Oh, it's the foreign flame from the secret realm that burned my dantian and spiritual roots. It never left my body, and it's been constantly absorbing my energy. When I tried using my abilities earlier, it flared up again." "What?!" Shen Lüman was shocked and quickly asked, "And how are you now?" Jing Aoxue replied with a smile, "I'm okay. I'll just need to take some pills and soak in a medicinal bath, and I'll be healed in a few days." Shen Lüman lifted her in her arms and said, "Alright, then let's go home now and prepare some hot water for your bath, so you can recover quickly!" Jing Aoxue wrapped her arms around Shen Lüman's neck, saying, "Wifey, you’re so good to me. Last time, I got hurt on the mountain because of this. It was so painful, and I had no one to help me; I had to drag myself back home." Shen Lüman paused and replied, "Oh, that was the time before." Realizing something, she said, "You've been hurt before. Why weren't you more careful this time? Ah, never mind, let's just get home first. Don't be so reckless again in the future." Jing Aoxue nodded compliantly, kissing Shen Lüman’s neck and earlobes, and said, "Alright, I’ll listen to you." Shen Lüman felt a tickling sensation at her ear, and her face flushed with warmth. However, there wasn't time to dwell on such things, so she hurriedly held Jing Aoxue with the intent to head home. But after a few steps, her expression changed, "Liu'er?!" Following her gaze, Jing Aoxue saw a tall horse carrying their treasured daughter further into the depths of the mountains. Eyes wide, she exclaimed, "What is that horse doing?" She couldn’t believe Liu'er had gone off on her own accord. Liu'er was usually obedient and had been warned repeatedly by Shen Lüman about the dangers of the mountains, avoiding risky places, especially near the river or mountain foothills. This left the horse, whose origins were unclear, as the mastermind behind this. Jing Aoxue had suspected the horse's behavior to be oddly human-like but was too preoccupied to investigate at the time. Now, she wished she could slap herself. If anything happened to Liu'er, she would definitely skin that horse alive and make it pay a terrible price. Coldly, she said, "Wifey, go after them." Shen Lüman hesitated for a moment before gritting her teeth and saying, "Alright, I'll go after them. You stay here and wait." Jing Aoxue was momentarily dazed, realizing that given her current condition, she would likely be a burden, so she simply nodded weakly and let Shen Lüman set her down. Shen Lüman hurriedly chased after the horse. Watching her partner's back disappear, Jing Aoxue's hatred for the foreign flame deepened. She struggled to her feet and crawled back to the spirit-gathering formation, closing her eyes to start meditating. She needed to quickly enhance her wood-element abilities. Earlier, she had already brushed against the edge of advancement. With just a little more persistence and effort, she might be able to completely break through. With third-level wood-element abilities, she would be able to accomplish even more! Calming herself, she concentrated solely on absorbing the vibrant wood-energy particles around her. Occasionally, the foreign flame in her dantian stirred restlessly, attempting to ignite the fire particles in the air within her body. Her lips were bitten through in pain, but she did not budge, pushing herself to the limits of her endurance. Simultaneously, Shen Lüman was pursuing the horse further into the deep mountains. The area was a shadowy forest, where the dense foliage blocked the daylight, and the air was tinged with a blue mist, confounding her vision. Though the horse seemed near, she couldn't catch sight of it. Her heart sank, knowing that this horse was no ordinary creature and had sinister motives for bringing Liu'er up the mountain. Sweat beaded on her forehead as she anxiously called out for Liu'er, but there was no response. Liu'er clung to the horse’s neck, oblivious or perhaps asleep, not once turning to look back at her. Yet, the horse frequently glanced at her, leaving her stunned for moments each time, widening the gap between them. After walking for what felt like ages, she sensed they had reached the mountain's core when the horse finally halted. Standing several meters behind, Shen Lüman shouted angrily, "What do you want?" The horse turned, setting Liu'er down gently. An ethereal voice resonated in Shen Lüman’s mind, saying, "Half-demon, our identities and purposes are aligned. I, too, have come to the mortal realm seeking the destined one." "What?!" Shen Lüman was utterly shocked. The horse lowered its gaze, its mouth unmoving as the ethereal voice continued, "I am the new priest of the beast tribe, guided by the heavens to the mortal world, in search of our leader." "This...," Shen Lüman was speechless, "That can't be. Didn't your leader die long ago? And it’s been thousands of years. Are you talking about a new leader?" The horse neighed and stomped its hooves, stating, "The leader of beasts is immortal; she possesses the phoenix bloodline, continuously reborn from flames, never truly dying." "I can sense her aura here, possibly reborn, once again." Chapter Forty-Nine: Destiny Shen Lüman was dumbfounded. As a half-demon who grew up within the demon tribe and was raised by a priest, she understood the gravity of the clan leader's importance; however... "Why did you bring Liu’er here? Liu’er once saved your life, you can't..." Wait, Shen Lüman suddenly recalled — if this white horse wasn't ordinary, why had it suffered such torment at the hands of ordinary people and needed Liu’er to rescue it from peril? The white horse gazed steadily at her, its ethereal voice responding, "I once used improper means to glimpse destiny. This is the Heaven's punishment for me. For a long time to come, I will remain in my current weakened state. Half-demon, I have seen into your memories and know of your extraordinary background. This is why I share this with you." "Everything in the universe follows a pattern and fate, which must not be easily disrupted. From the moment the clan priest uttered the prophecy, the wheel of fate began to turn. You heeding the plant demon priest's last words and deliberately approaching Jing Aoxue was all predestined by fate." "Ridiculous!" Shen Lüman sneered, "I approached Jing Aoxue because I wanted to!" The horse fluttered its long white eyelashes, giving her a calm look, and said, "Yet, ultimately, you still conformed to destiny, didn't you?" "You think Jing Aoxue is the child of destiny? Laughable. You and she are merely pawns of the Heavens. It is your union that will birth the true child of Heaven, your daughter, Jing Liuer." Both their gazes fell on Liu'er, who lay sleeping on the ground. The horse approached, gently nuzzling Liu'er’s cheek, and said, "She was born in accordance with the Heavens, innately compassionate. Her future will be fraught with challenges. At a young age, she will lose her birth mother, endure countless hardships, yet she will remain true and save the world from chaos." Hearing this, Shen Lüman's eyes clouded with shadow. She knew all too well that what a priest foresaw was the future yet to come. The mention of an early demise meant that both she and Jing Aoxue would pass away while Liu’er was still young. How was Liu’er, so little, to continue living in the world? The horse paid no mind to her sorrow, continuing, "In the future, she will represent the human race and marry the young clan leader of my tribe, birthing the next generation symbolizing the unity of both tribes. That child will be the first new deity since ancient chaos, reshaping both worlds and creating new order." Its voice reverberated in Shen Lüman's mind, leaving her overwhelmed by the onslaught of information. Her mind was a whirlwind of confusion, unsure of what to do next. She didn't care about destiny or fate. Her sole concern now was her daughter and her spouse, Jing Aoxue. Being a child of destiny meant bearing heavier responsibilities and missions than others. To hone such a character, destiny often isolates them, denying familial bonds. As a mother, selfish by nature, she couldn't bear the thought of Liu’er suffering in the future. This was why she was previously so intent on hardening her heart to toughen Liu’er. But if she were to die, what would become of Liu’er? She held her face, struggling to breathe through the heartache. The horse, casting a compassionate glance at her, suddenly said, "But you needn't worry, these were merely the original fates. A month ago, destiny changed. I can't foresee the future's course with my current power, but I'll tell you the simplest fact." Meeting Shen Lüman's hopeful eyes, it said, "Are you aware that Jing Aoxue was originally fated to die young? By all rights, she should have perished before we met. Yet, she is alive and well today, altering both your and Liu'er’s destinies." "Not only that, my earthly suffering was to await the destined person who would save me. Liu'er’s appearance confirms my prophecy was correct. I hadn't expected such a sudden shift in fate, originally believing I would spend decades before chancing upon the young clan leader." "Unexpectedly, after being brought to your village, I immediately sensed the young clan leader's presence — she is here in these mountains."